Rochester Business Alliance President and CEO Sandy Parker recently sent this important letter to our members.

As we look ahead to the challenges already evident in 2009, we should all reflect on the goals accomplished despite a rather turbulent 2008.

The Rochester Business Alliance, as the chamber of commerce for nine-county Greater Rochester, serves to benefit our members by delivering essential services and advocating for a climate conducive to economic growth. As we look back on the year, we believe the products and services we provided - as well as the issues we advocated for - have helped many Rochester area businesses weather a rough economy. We believe that because it's what you - our members - have been telling us through focus groups and surveys and face-to-face meetings with me and our staff.

So I thought I'd take a few moments to share with you what we - and your fellow members - are defining as our accomplishments for 2008.

Member satisfaction with the Rochester Business Alliance is at an all-time high. Of those responding to our 2008 member satisfaction survey, 97 percent said the Rochester Business Alliance either met or exceeded their expectations.

One of the top reasons why companies join and stay with the Rochester Business Alliance is to gain networking opportunities:

• In 2008, attendance jumped at our six Business After Hours events, held at member-owned venues such as the Port of Rochester, the Riverside Convention Center and the Airport Marriott.
• We surveyed the nearly 300 guests who attended our recent Holiday Jam, and 93 percent reported they made a new business connection at the event.
• All seats were filled at our six Breakfasts with the CEO, where members met with Sandy Parker to get informed about and debate important regional business issues.

We're also mindful of helping our members cut their business costs. We've decided to tighten our own belts and hold 2009 dues at 2008 levels, our way of recognizing the financial challenges our members face. And we continue to promote our member-to-member discounts. One of the most popular programs, Staples Business Advantage, helped members save an average of $1,762 a month on office supplies.

Recognizing that small business is the lifeblood of our region's economic resurgence, we increased our supporting programs, opening a Small Business Assistance Center in our office and creating a series of free classes on small business development.

Supporting the business community and our efforts to improve the economy are also key reasons members cite for belonging to the Rochester Business Alliance.

On state issues:

• We continued our leadership in the still-growing Unshackle Upstate coalition, playing a key role in the passage of legislation to reform New York's brownfields clean-up program and turn blighted sites into productive, tax-producing, job-creating developments.
• We continued our work on committees focused on continuous improvements to the Workers' Compensation system.
• We also took a leadership role in the New York Property Tax Coalition, a 900-member group that continues to advocate for a cap on property taxes as proposed by Gov. Paterson, as well as mandate relief recommended by the Commission on Property Tax Relief, to which I served as a special advisor.
• Gov. Paterson also sought our advice as he looked for ways to close the 2009-10 state budget gap. My staff and I met in Albany with administration officials to discuss our concerns about the budget crisis, and in October, Unshackle Upstate sent the governor and top legislative leaders suggestions for more than $5 billion in potential savings for the 2009-10 state budget, many of which were reflected in the governor's proposed budget issued this week.
• We take our watchdog role seriously, as well, and with its Unshackle Upstate partners, the Rochester Business Alliance joined the Business Council of New York State in successfully opposing legislation mandating paid family medical leave. Thanks to you, our e-advocacy campaign was successful in letting our elected officials know that businesses did not want this legislation, which would significantly raise the cost of doing business in New York state.

Among local issues:

• We continued work on our RBA Health Care Initiative, since our members continue to tell us health care costs are their No. 1 concern. This year, we helped introduce Lean/Six Sigma efficiency initiatives in local hospitals, launched an education program aimed at increasing appropriate use of less expensive generic drugs, and continued to work on expanding an electronic medical records system through the Greater Rochester Health Information Organization. We also brokered a deal between hospitals and insurers that addressed physician pay concerns, which affects our region's ability to attract and retain good doctors. We also continued to promote good health through our eat well. live well. challenge.
• We reconvened the Rochester Community Coalition to identify key, job-creating capital projects that needed and deserved state support. Six of the seven projects on the list got full or significant funding, including increase aid for the city of Rochester, $55 million to clear the Midtown Plaza site for redevelopment and major projects at the University of Rochester and RIT.

We have an equally aggressive agenda for 2009, as Unshackle Upstate works toward tax relief through reform and reduced state spending, as well as making energy accessible and affordable. The Rochester Community Coalition is just about ready to unveil its 2009 agenda. And our staff is working hard on a host of programs, events and other services aimed at helping your business grow and prosper.

No doubt we face a challenging year ahead, but we will face it together. With the support of members like you, the Rochester Business Alliance will continue its work to revitalize our economy and make our community a great place to live, work and run a business.

Thank you for your support, and my best wishes to you for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009.

Sincerely,
Sandra A. Parker
President and CEO, Rochester Business Alliance