Dear Members:

In just a few days the Naperville Area Chamber Political Action Committee will release its endorsements for the contested elections this November. In the chamber industry there are two schools of thought; whether to be involved or sit on the sidelines. Honestly there are good points to be made on both sides. That said, the Chamber’s leadership made the determination and has repeatedly affirmed that being involved in the electoral process best serves our Members.

We feel we offer every candidate a fair opportunity to make their case on why we should endorse them, and provide an equal platform for individuals to demonstrate why they are the strongest voice for the businesses we represent. After hearing from the candidates we deliberate and offer our endorsements based on our judgment of the individuals who will best encourage job creation, business growth and improve the economic climate.

The Chamber and our leadership are fully aware that taking these positions may make us unpopular with certain candidates, Members, citizens – and incumbent elected officials. However, that’s what having a leadership position and credibility are all about.

Naperville and our region are truly wonderful places to start, have and grow your business, and raise a family. Getting to this place wasn’t easy and it is even more difficult to maintain this leadership position. We believe elected officials have the responsibility to build on our collective past successes, avoid lost opportunity and vote consistently to secure the brightest economic future for all citizens and businesses.

Elections are a matter of individual choice – our democratic governments belong to the citizens. We have the opportunity to weigh in every election cycle. We hope that our endorsements serve as a resource to our membership and the community.

Whether individuals like our recommendations or hate them, by encouraging dialogue about the candidates running for office we believe we are best serving the community and the Members we represent.

No matter who wins the elections in November or next April, from the moment after the last votes are counted we will work with the officials you’ve elected.

Our doors and programs are always open. We will serve as a source of community dialogue on the economy and business environment.

We are all well served by having choices on the ballot and we owe a debt of gratitude those who run for office. It can be a thankless job and before we announce whom we’ve supported, we want to thank them all for running.