From the President
From the President
One Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development( 1si) celebrates 20 Years of championing growth and standing alongside the people who make it possible. That kind of longevity doesn’ t happen by accident. It is through our dedicated staff, Board, members, and partners that we can keep growing business right here in Southern Indiana.
Since becoming President two years ago, I have felt honored and humbled to be a part of an organization that has a history of regional collaboration, resiliency, and adaptability. Now, I ask how 1si can continue to stay faithful to the integrity of community.
I am proud to say that over the past year, we have made significant strides towards advancing our internal and external operations as a chamber of commerce. In the fall of 2025, we earned a 4-Star Accreditation rating from the U. S. National Chamber. 1si is now one of three chambers in the state of Indiana to meet the rigorous standards for financial management, program effectiveness, and member engagement.
Beyond national recognition, we are doing real work to help our local businesses succeed. In spring of 2026, we launched Advantage 1 Health. It is a statewide program that helps small businesses afford high-quality healthcare for their employees and removes barriers so our members can improve the health of their employees and their families.
With these milestones in place, we continue to offer programs and services to our members. Throughout the year we have hosted 120 + events, held 65 + ribbon cuttings, and generated $ 33.3M in small business capital investment.
As we continue to grow as a chamber, our economic development work is also making a big impact across the region. Beyond new jobs and capital investments, 1si and the Economic Development Council formalized an enhanced structure. The structure positions us to better serve our community partners and align with the state’ s new regional economic development strategy.
Our day-to-day activities continue to be improved with our now completed 3-Year Strategic Plan. I’ m proud of how thoughtfully our team and board approached this work, and I’ m even more excited to see the success that will follow.
Lance Allison
President & CEO
Align Our Operations for Greater Impact, ensuring our internal systems and processes support the work we do for our members every single day.
Grow Financial Sustainably and Communicate Clearly, pursue financial growth that’ s built to last and tell our story in a way that’ s consistent and compelling across the region.
None of this happens without the people behind it. To our staff, thank you for your dedication and your heart for this work. To our members, thank you for trusting us as your resource, your advantage, and your advocate. To our Board, thank you for your guidance and your belief in where we’ re headed.
Southern Indiana has so much to be proud of, and so much is still ahead. I can’ t wait to see what we build together this year.
With gratitude,
Sincerely,
My goals for the 2026-2027 year are an extension of that plan:
Strengthen Board and Organizational Excellence, build a strong foundation of governance and leadership that positions 1si for long-term success.
Lance Allison, CEE, IOM President & CEO
ONE SOUTHERN INDIANA 2025-26 YEAR IN REVIEW 3