When he took over as the new president of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Kevin Cooper’s schedule filled up immediately. “My calendar doesn’t belong to myself anymore,” he says. “A good portion of it is just meeting with people and doing coffees and lunches. Any time you have a transition in leadership, the most important thing is to check with membership and get a pulse of where the organization needs to go.”

Cooper took the reins at the region’s largest chamber in early October following the retirement of long-time president Steve Queior. The move provides a sort of homecoming for Cooper. While he most recently worked at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, he previously served as the Sarasota Chamber’s vice president of public policy and Sarasota Tomorrow Initiatives. That gives him a strong background in the platform priorities for the business organization, but he also knows that’s only a portion of the work the Chamber does. Right now, he wants to hear what members most desire from the organization, and that’s more than lobbying. As far as programming goes, the evolution of expectations remains constant.

“I don’t think the services are different than they have ever been,” he says, “but it’s the delivery mechanisms that change.” The Chamber will always provide networking, business support and promotion, Cooper predicts, but while those pillars of service once stood separately, members now need for events to be provided in sync. A social event should provide educational function. A marketing availability should also deliver information applicable to businesses in other aspects. In his first 90 days, Cooper wants to get a grasp of some of the nitty-gritty of operations. From payroll finances to meeting with volunteer boards, there’s plenty to learn. But in the long-term, his top goal fundamentally will be ensuring people see value in being part of the organization at all. “I want people to feel good about the chamber both personally and professionally,” he says. “That starts with us as a staff and a board having a culture of promoting, connecting, supporting and celebrating business.”

Lessons from the Gulf Coast

Cooper spent about a year at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation as director of community investment before returning to the chamber world. What lessons did he learn?

Manage the Mission

A solid organization constantly refines its thinking about internal operations, and as Cooper seeks ways to advance chamber programs, he will bring that mission-focused style. “It should come as no surprise that Gulf Coast is one of the most professional organizations in the region, if not the state,” Cooper says. “That’s a testament to its management, board and membership, what they expect and how they operate.”

Lead the Trends
“Gulf Coast is really a national leader,” Cooper says. While Gulf Coast’s local reputation was well known to Cooper, he didn’t realize until working in the organization how the foundation tests cutting-edge programs early and garners attention from the entire nonprofit world with its initiatives. “It’s a good lesson in how to be a leader, not just in this community, but to be ahead of the trends,” he says.

Leverage Reputation
A reputation serves no purpose if it doesn’t get used as an asset. Cooper says Gulf Coast uses its prestige to push organizations in a forward-thinking direction. “To see the way they leverage organizations in this area to create change,” Cooper says, “Gulf Coast does that in a way that is off the charts.”