Earlier this month, members of the Chamber staff attended the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals’ (FACP) Annual Conference in Ocala, FL.  This conference, first scheduled for late September, was postponed due to Hurricane Ian to December 6 through 8.  At the conference’s annual awards luncheon, we were thrilled to learn that The Osceola Chamber President/CEO John Newstreet had been named the 2022 Chamber Executive of the Year for the state of Florida.

Following an extensive application process, which included assessment of the Chamber’s membership recruitment and retention, communications, and volunteer management, John was chosen for this award by a group of his peers – fellow Chamber CEOs from around Florida.

“This award is most humbling,” he said, “My fellow Chamber executives are all high caliber individuals who selflessly work for the betterment of their members and communities, but no executive can do it alone. I am blessed to have a tremendous team dedicated to excellence and helping others, and I am fortunate to have incredible support from my volunteer leaders and private partners who guide us and enable us to reach farther and higher than we ever thought wise or possible. Thank you to Cindy Lewis, my ‘right hand,’ who makes me look good and keeps it all together. And thank you to my team for nominating me, and for your dedication to our common purpose to be ‘Champions for Business and the Osceola community.’”

John will also serve as the Treasurer of the FACP’s Board of Directors for 2022-2023.

Last year The Osceola Chamber was named the FACP Chamber of the Year.  It was our third time receiving the distinction after previous wins in 2017 and 2001.  We will be eligible again in two more years.  In addition, Chamber Executive Vice President Cindy Lewis and Senior Director of Business Development Robin Hughes have also previously won Chamber Professional of the Year in 2017 and 2019, respectively.  At this year’s awards lunch, Robin Hughes was also recognized for her 20 years of service with the Chamber.

Earlier this year, The Osceola Chamber was Accredited with 5 Stars by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, putting us among only 2% of Chambers in the nation and only nine other chambers in the sate of Florida.

The Florida Association of Chamber Professionals is a statewide organization whose mission is “Advancing excellence in chamber management” and whose vision is “Enhancing Florida’s business communities by cultivating successful chamber professionals.”