Chesapeake Alliance launches Leadership Circle to attract business influencers

The business community in Chesapeake is seeking leaders who can help take the city to the next competitive level.

Business associations are involved in the cities of South Hampton Roads to help identify important issues, provide feedback and advance economic development efforts. Virginia Beach has Virginia Beach Vision, Norfolk has the Greater Norfolk Corp. and Portsmouth has the Portsmouth Partnership.

Chesapeake has the Chesapeake Alliance, a nonprofit organization formed in the 1980s to act as a voice for the city's business development and its growth. The group of senior leaders are well-versed in the city's needs and issues and represent suburban and urban residential areas and commercial, agricultural and industrial businesses.

Now, the Chesapeake Alliance is launching a Leadership Circle to attract influential business leaders to get involved and ensure City Council and other officials get consistent business feedback.

David Ropp, chairman of the Chesapeake Alliance, said the idea stemmed back five years ago when former City Manager Jim Baker expressed the need for a strong business group to help support decisions.

Delayed because of the pandemic, Ropp said the March 16 kickoff brought in 55 alliance members — all strong influencers within the city. Of those, Ropp said 37 joined the group, which costs $1,000 per year.

"The business community seems to be very excited with that much participation in just a few weeks," he said. "We’re still trying to get that core group of people and we’d like to cap it at 100."

It will be a voice for the business community on projects the city needs to support, Ropp said.

"We have a list of 20 different projects or tasks the city needs to be focused on probably in the next 20 years," he said.

The Leadership Circle is working on its strategies and tactics as it moves forward. For more information, contact Chesapeake Alliance Executive Director Dan Bell at [email protected] or 757-373-6517.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, [email protected]

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