Over the last four years, the Chamber has been working with a variety of partners at the local, state and federal level to accelerate local economic growth.

An article, entitled "Tell the World!" beginning on Page 12, details some of the major results from that effort, includ-ing the addition of 15,000 net new jobs to the total job count for the Chattanooga region. As we conclude Tell the World! and launch Chattanooga CAN DO (a continuation of all major initiatives begun under Tell the World! with the addition of the Education Initiative), I invite you to consider some of the major lessons we’ve learned:

1) Utilizing Multiple Strategies – While the Chamber focuses on working directly with companies that have the potential to create jobs, our public and private partners focus on a range of related strategies that are just as important including infrastructure development, utilities provision, education, quality of life, and much more.

2) Importance of Teamwork – When the Chamber works with a company to create jobs, we act as a project man-ager for a team that includes more than 30 organizations that play an essential role in the process.

3) Leveraging Strength – Chattanooga has a lot to offer, but we can’t be all things to all companies. As we posi-tion ourselves to accelerate our economy, we can’t just imitate the latest economic development fad without ref-erence to our real assets. That’s why we devote so much effort to helping our existing companies succeed and grow, and why our recruitment efforts are targeted to industries that will value our current assets while helping us move our economy to where we want to be in the future.

We also learned that there is an art, as well as a science, to growing jobs. Creativity, discipline and dedication --which are critical to artistic accomplishment -- are among the qualities professionals in the business of attracting and expanding businesses must possess.

The synergistic relationship between business and the arts is described in the Bird's Eye View article on Pages 16 and 17. The article points out that across the country the arts and culture industry generates over $166 billion each year in economic activity and supports 5.7 million full-time jobs.

Would you want to imagine Chattanooga minus the Hunter Museum, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre and the Chattanooga Opera and Symphony Association? You might just as well imagine it without BlueCross BlueShield, US Xpress, T-Mobile and all the other enterprises large and small that create the fabric of our economy.

In virtually anyone's estimation, quality of life -- that catch-all phrase for a host of assets that form the essence of a city -- includes an abundance of stimulating, well-paid jobs and a vibrant arts community.

As the Chamber moves into the second phase of its campaign to make our community stronger through a stronger economy, we will keep in mind the art of job creation and the business activity inspired by the arts.

Tom Edd Wilson is president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, please contact him at (423) 756-2121 or tewilson@chatt.