The Board of Directors is the government and policy-making body of the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce. It authorizes the program of work, approves the budget, controls its property, receives and acts on committee and staff recommendations and directs the general operations of the Sitka Chamber.

• Define and oversee the mission of the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce and keep it relevant to the needs of our community
• Approve programs and services and monitor their effectiveness
• Provide strategic guidance to the organization and executive director
• Select, support and evaluate the executive director
• Ensure continuous board improvement

The Board of Directors is expected to maintain close contact with members of the Sitka Chamber and various leaders in the community.

The Board of Directors is expected to maintain e-mail contact and be available via e-mail to the executive director and board of directors.

The Board of Directors is responsible for financing Sitka Chamber operations.

The Board of Directors must use every possible effort for maintaining and increasing, both in number and caliber, membership in the Sitka Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber of Commerce has many events throughout the year in which it needs volunteers. Board members are called upon multiple times throughout the year to volunteer for these events.

The weekly Chamber programs such as weekly luncheons, monthly After Hours and community events are an important part of being on the board of directors. It is important that members see the Board of Directors as easily approachable and available. Please make sure that you can attend as many of these functions as possible.

Each Board member votes for themselves as a representative of their business knowledge. The Board of Directors is made up of individuals, not organizations. Occasions may arise when a board member must serve as the Sitka Chamber’s official or unofficial spokesperson. As a spokesperson for the Sitka Chamber, each board member will reflect the official Sitka Chamber position. This responsibility requires the exercise of careful judgment, for the board member’s own personal views may sometimes differ from policies or official positions adopted by the Sitka Chamber. In such cases, the board member must use great care not to express personal views as such views might be misinterpreted as representing the views of the Sitka Chamber.

A board member, during a term, may expect to encounter criticism of the organization. The board member has an obligation to defend the Sitka Chamber against unfair criticism or to initiate any necessary action to eliminate the cause if the criticism is justified.

• Attend at least 4 board meetings per year
• Participate in the board’s annual retreat
• Participate in at least one board training event and an annual evaluation to identify ways in which our board can improve its performance
• Serve on at least one board committee (standing or ad hoc)
• Hold the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce to a high standard of performance and actively help to make this a world class organization
• Understand your roles and responsibilities and become sufficiently knowledgeable about our chamber and its operations to make informed decisions
• Read the materials sent to the board and come prepared to board and committee meetings
• Arrive at meetings on time and stay for the full agenda unless you have otherwise notified the board or committee chair
• Ask for clarification on any matters or material that you do not understand before making a decision
• Listen carefully to other board members and staff with an open mind and an objective perspective
• Actively work towards those decisions and solutions that are in the organization’s best interests (speaking with one voice)
• Respect the confidentiality of the board’s business
• Avoidance of conflict of interest, sharing potential conflicts with the board if they arise
• Equal opportunity and avoidance of discrimination