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August 2006 • Volume 3, Issue 8 This issue home | Past issues | Chamber home Community To Celebrate Chamber's 60th Anniversary At Annual Business & Industry Luncheon Just like the first members of the Baby Boomer generation, the Richardson Chamber of Commerce turns 60 this year. And the Chamber is planning one of the most fascinating trips down memory lane when it celebrates its 60th anniversary at this year’s Annual Business & Industry Luncheon. The 24th Annual B & I Luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the Richardson Hotel. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Reservations can be made on the Chamber's Web site or by calling 972-792-2800. The luncheon will feature a recap of the business growth of Richardson over the past year and recognize area businesses for their part in promoting the community. The featured program will be the 60th anniversary, themed “Celebrating the Past, Building for the Future.” The Chamber’s illustrious history as one of the oldest and most successful Chambers of Commerce in North Texas will be told in living history video with past chairs and Citizens of the Year telling their stories of success. Numerous photos of past events will be on display and a year-by-year recap of the Chamber’s accomplishments will distributed. And, to top of the party, a large birthday cake will be cut by past chairs in attendance. “This is indeed a very important milestone for our organization. More than half a century’s efforts by the RCC have made Richardson one of the most successful cities in the U.S. with a thriving business climate, strong neighborhoods and vital civic amenities that make Richardson a desirable place to live, work and play,” said Bill Sproull, president of the RCC. “At the same time, this will be a really fun event that we hope our members and the community talk about for a long time.” The Chamber thanks business leaders for their support over the past 60 years, and the Chamber looks forward to continuing our community service over many decades to come. History Of The RCC The Chamber’s origins date back to 1946, when community leaders formed the RCC to help Richardson prepare for post-WWII growth. By 1959, the RCC marketed Richardson as the “Electronics Center of the Southwest,” an identity that carries over today to the internationally known Telecom Corridor® brand. The RCC was instrumental in helping to organize the Richardson Symphony Orchestra in 1961, demonstrating the business community’s interest in developing cultural amenities that enrich the city’s quality of life. In 1969, Chamber officials also traveled to Austin to support the creation of the University of Texas at Dallas. The 1970s were an exciting decade for Richardson and the RCC, as the city celebrated its 100th anniversary while significant citywide growth continued. The RCC often played a key role in facilitating new developments such as Richardson Square Mall, Richardson General Hospital, Rockwell’s Renner Road facility, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas’ 320,000-square-foot expansion and the Palisades complex. During the 1980’s, the RCC opened its new headquarters at 411 Belle Grove Drive, Chamber leaders supported expansion of Central Expressway and UTD moved forward with plans for a School of Engineering and Computer Science. The Chamber launched new initiatives such as the Richardson Economic Development Partnership (REDP), and in 1986, Leadership Richardson graduated its first class of aspiring leaders. In 1988, the Richardson Chamber launched the Telecom Corridor® brand, and shortly thereafter, the Wall Street Journal featured Richardson as a “Boom Town of the 1990’s." Over the past decade-and-a-half, Richardson has continued to thrive, with the RCC leading the way. The Metroplex Technology Business Council, created by the RCC in 1994, is now the largest technology trade association in Texas, facilitating high-tech innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce development throughout North Texas. The RCC and REDP were instrumental in the 1997 formation of STARTech Early Ventures, a prestigious high-tech business accelerator/incubator, and the RCC helped bring the President George Bush Turnpike to fruition, creating a new corridor for Richardson’s future growth. The Richardson Chamber helped bring DART light rail to Richardson in 2002, with the opening of new stations at Spring Valley, Arapaho Center and Galatyn Park. The REDP also helped Richardson land the largest capital-intensive project announced in the U.S. in 2003 – the $3 billion Texas Instruments semiconductor wafer fabrication facility – as well as a $50 million award from the Texas Enterprise Fund to stimulate $300 million in public/private investment for UTD. Most recently, the REDP facilitated Countrywide’s decision to expand into Richardson, which will ultimately bring 5,000 new jobs and $200 million in tax revenues to the city. Today, the Richardson Chamber hosts numerous events to provide a forum for public issues and valuable networking opportunities for members. The Chamber also takes a progressive leadership stance on critical civic matters, supporting city bond packages, educational institutions, regional transportation systems and clean air programs, as well as community choice initiatives such as the beer and wine measure on the November ballot. Action News is a monthly publication of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce Communications Department. To unsubscribe, e-mail administrator@telecomcorridor.com. Please provide your name, company, phone number and e-mail address. |
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