From the CEO's desk - an important member update

Since our last update on 25th March, C4W Board & Executive have remained focussed on how we continue to effectively support our members and execute our 2020 business plan under these ‘new operating conditions’ impacting on us all.

Operationally, whilst face to face meetings with members and project stakeholders are currently not possible, our Executive is fully functional working from our residences, utilising technology platforms to collaborate.  Also, our Board successfully held its first ‘virtual’ monthly Board meeting last week.

The Executive & Board appreciate the challenge that our members face in their own businesses.  We remain committed to ensuring members have input on those issues that C4W is participating in, as well as how best to serve our members.

To that end, we are planning on conducting several online webinar meetings with members during April.  The first of these is likely to be just after Easter, where we will be inviting members to share their views on the local economy, challenges that members are facing, good news stories, opportunities to explore, innovations and what C4W can be of assistance with.  We will be joined by James Bolton, from the NSW Government Department of Premier & Cabinet to provide insight into the Governments strategies, in particular as they impact on the City and surrounding region.  This event will likely be conducted outside normal working hours, so as to minimise disruption to business of the day for members.

On the 30th April we will conduct the second of our Members Round Table events, again online, with Dr Joe McGirr as our guest.  This will be from 12 noon to 2pm.

Member invitations will be issued for both of these events in the near future.

Just as our members are doing, the Board & Executive are actively reviewing our operations, costs and revenues, including stimulus support from the Government, to ensure the long term sustainability of the Committee – operationally and financially, as we continue to provide a valuable conduit between the business community and government.

Committee for Wagga, Wagga Wagga City Council, Wagga Business Chamber and Women In Business are working together to provide leadership to business and the general community.  This working group meets weekly and has provided a website to assist local businesses and the community with a single landing page for information on COVID-19 at a Local, State and Federal level, as well as a Facebook page to assist in collaboration between participating businesses and agencies.

On 30th March I shared with members the Committee for Cities & Regions Network recovery statement, which provides a concise outline of C4’s position in this challenging time and where the focus of government needs to be to drive our recovery – this is consistent to what needs to occur here in our local area.

Our core activities are driven by our vision of Wagga Wagga being a vibrant, growing and welcoming city.  To that end, in addition to dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, C4W will continue to focus on the medium to long term – on the recovery of our local economy, engaging with government to support the re-engineering and re-imaging of business as we know it; and ensuring momentum is not lost in Wagga Wagga becoming a regional Growth Centre with a 100,000 population.  The shift to online member webinars will further enable your engagement and contribution to our efforts.

The Executive team continues to be available to our members and will assist in any way we can.
For more information please contact our Executive Team at admin@c4wagga.com.au or ceo@c4wagga.com.au or visit committee4wagga.com.au.

Wishing our members the very best in health and business.
 
Regards,
 
Alan Johnston, CEO