Aug. 9—STARLIGHT — Collaborative leadership is the theme Wendy Dant Chesser asked One Southern Indiana members to embrace this year.

From the disbursement and use of Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative(READI) funds to ensuring economic development benefits communities, governments and businesses, the chamber of commerce's president and CEO said the 2022-23 fiscal year can be a game-changer for Southern Indiana.

But it will take partnerships and perseverance, Chesser emphasized.

"We have the opportunity to use collaborative leadership in a way that will benefit all of us," Chesser said during the chamber's annual meeting Tuesday at Huber's Orchard and Winery.

Chesser, who is nearing her 10th year at the helm of 1si, said collaborative leadership isn't just a motto for chamber members, but it's also a rallying cry for the organization's employees, ambassadors and volunteers.

"You will see us nurture our relationships. You will see us build those relationships into true partnerships," she said. "You will see us commit strategies and shared objectives with those partners, and you will see us focus on the results of our works."

Part of the chamber's responsibility is to bring businesses and people together so that ideas can be discussed, Chesser said. She pointed to the over 400 tickets that were purchased for Tuesday's event as an example of the chamber's ability to convene people. The organization will aim to pull people together with greater purpose to facilitate economic growth in the region, she continued.

"We have to nurture relationships so that the partnership will flourish," Chesser said.

It was an upbeat ceremony as Chesser and other chamber officials touted the successes Southern Indiana has enjoyed over the past year.

For the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended in July, 1si was involved in nine major economic development projects with four in both Clark and Floyd counties and one in Scott County. Those projects are expected to create almost 1,800 new jobs and $539.4 million in new capital investment.

One of those projects, the planned construction of a new facility by Sazerac on 1,400 acres off Ind. 62 in Charlestown, was recognized with the chamber's Economic Development Improvement Project of the Year award. The Sazerac project is expected to bring over 300 full-time jobs to Clark County.

The chamber and many of its community partners have been heavily involved in the oversight of the $50 million in READI dollars provided by the state through federal funds. The initiative will support multiple economic development and quality-of-life projects in the region, including Origin Park, Novaparke and a wastewater plant expansion at River Ridge.

The chamber also added 158 new members and welcomed more than 1,900 attendees to programs it hosted during the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Laurie Kemp was officially introduced as the One Southern Indiana board chair for 2022-23. She said the term "It takes a village" is often overused, but that it fits when talking about the collaborative economic development efforts in the region.

"We know that without the countless hours of (Chesser) and her team along with our board members and our ambassadors, volunteers and our many, many community partners, the good work that has been done and continues to happen just wouldn't," Kemp said.

"I am humbled and excited to be a small part of this team and I look forward to what's in store for us this coming year."

Kyleigh Mazer, a business coach with ActionCOACH Southern Indiana, received the 1si award for Ambassador of the Year at the meeting.

Jim Epperson, executive director of SoIN Tourism, received the Volunteer of the Year award.