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Messages from Our Chamber Leaders

As part of the Annual Dinner celebration, we’re proud to share reflections from two inspiring leaders — our outgoing and incoming Board Chairs. Their messages capture both the spirit of gratitude and the optimism that define our Chamber’s ongoing story.

Outgoing Board Chair: Cassidy Berenato, Texas Aviation Partners

Some of this year’s key highlights included:

• Welcoming a record number of new members and maintaining a retention rate of over 82%
  
• Expanding workforce and education partnerships with our local schools and with Texas State University.
  
• Strengthening our advocacy efforts at the City, County, and Regional levels.
  
• Elevating our signature events, from the Business Showcase Tailgate Edition and Business on the Green “Down Home Shoot Out”, to the Corridor Women’s Network events that have brought women leaders together in San Marcos from all across the I-35 region.
  
• Establishing the San Marcos Texas Community Foundation, supported by 8 Founders Circle donors and growing. Guided by an energetic board of directors with past Chairs and our Chamber CEO. With a mission to impact our community for generations to come.
  
• And finally, we closed the fiscal year with a budget surplus, increasing the Chamber’s net assets as we look ahead to plan for our next Chamber office location.

Incoming Board Chair: Brooke Damron, The Damron Group Realtors

Priorities for the year ahead include:

• Launching more tools & resources for members, for their business growth.
• Continuing to strengthen ties with our city and county leaders, schools and the university.
• Innovating more programs for education and workforce development. We have a new intern working on our Foundation’s goals in this area.
• Championing business-friendly policies and advocating for smart growth.
• Hosting additional network-building and professional development opportunities.
• Continuing to plan ahead for our next Chamber office location.
• And continuing to elevate our Chamber events to new levels of engagement and visibility.

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About the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce

For more than a century, the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce has been dedicated to advancing the economic vitality and quality of life in our community.

Our mission is simple: to empower businesses, connect leaders, and foster a thriving environment where commerce and community flourish together.

Through advocacy, education, and partnership, we continue to serve as a unifying force for the people, businesses, and organizations that make San Marcos extraordinary.