On Wednesday the 28, the Vermont Council on World Affairs (VCWA) moved their offices into 60 Main Street and became part of the larger Lake Champlain Regional Chamber family. The VCWA retains its own Board; 501 C (3) status and its affiliation with St. Michael’s College as its academic institutional collaborative partner.

VCWA's affiliation with the Chamber offers them access to a wider audience as they promote their mission of providing a wide range of public educational programs on key foreign affairs issues and hosting international visitors from across a number of disciplines. The VCWA has a long history of bringing national and internationally renowned speakers to Vermont and is perhaps best known for both its Ambassador Speaker Series and International Visitor programs.

For the LCRCC, this affiliation brings with it a number of benefits:

1. It expands our ‘leadership and education’ programs to include an international focus. This is a value-add for our members.

2. It provides a forum for members to understand emerging markets for either the import or export of their goods and services.

3. It offers ‘business to business’ connections with foreign markets for companies that may be interested in those opportunities

4. It adds depth to our focus on youth development by building upon our successful engagement with Iraqi, Canadian and French youth this summer and expanding these opportunities.

5. As commerce becomes increasingly more globally focused, it allows the LCRCC to focus more deeply on key issues affecting the international business climate.

6. It will reconnect our region's focus with our Canadian partners as we build upon the successful trade and youth programs that VCWA has hosted in the past.

As president of this organization, I am thrilled by the promise and opportunities that this affiliation holds and I look forward to sharing more about our successes in the near future.