The mission of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce is to improve commerce by being a champion for business and advocate for our community. With three staff members serving approximately 500 members, Sycamore's chamber has grown significantly over the years.
Rose Treml shared that, in the past 18 years, the Chamber has advocated for Sycamore's business community in the following ways:
- Written letters to the Governor and other legislative officials at the state and local level (e.g. COVID restrictions on businesses, minimum wage legislation, and small business tax credits)
- Supported local taxing bodies (e.g. Park District, Kishwaukee Community College, courthouse expansion, and wind and solar farm legislation)
- Actively participated on boards and committees (e.g. DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation Board and Sycamore Economic Development Committee, and City's Planning Commission)
In Rose's mind, however, the most successful program the Chamber has created in the past 20 years, which advocates and supports our communities and businesses more than any other, has been their Leadership Academy which began in 2011. The stated goal of this program (an offshoot of the Chamber's Young Professionals Organization which began in 2006) is to "build a better future for Sycamore by developing informed, effective, and dedicated leaders with a truly vested interest in our community." The Academy is a 13-month program with a maximum of 18 members who meet on Friday mornings throughout the year. Approximately 188 professionals have completed the program to date. Success is measured by what the program's graduates and current members are doing or have done for the community. Graduates include business owners as well as leaders within city and county government, the school district, the park district, the public library, and non-profit organizations.
The Chamber also organizes and promotes over 115 events and meetings each year, helping members to network and promote themselves to Sycamore residents and visitors. They also host three websites, thirteen social media pages, and have 23,442 followers across all platforms.