Local business and nonprofit leaders present panel discussion on relationships

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Recently, the Conroe / Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce’s Professional Business Development department presented ‘Connecting with Non-Profits: A Panel Discussion Featuring Business & Non-Profit Leaders’ at its offices during a lunch-and-learn session.

Dozens of chamber members and others attended the event, which was designed to discuss the exploration of successful partnerships between businesses and nonprofit organizations. The panel was moderated by Julie Martineau, President and CEO of the Montgomery County Community Foundation, and panelists included Darwin Canales, Quality Assurance Manager at Crown Cork & Seal Co. in Conroe; Carrie Ranney with Golfers Against Cancer as well as the Director of Marketing at Rinker’s Boat World at Lakeshore; and Kristine Marlow, President & CEO of Montgomery County Food Bank.

The thrust of the panel discussion was to educate people on how their business or nonprofit can benefit from connecting and partnering locally. Topics discussed included: learning best practices for partnering with a nonprofit; enhancing your organization’s awareness, reputation and bottom line; broadening your customer/support base, and creating a ‘win-win-win for the business, the nonprofit partner, and the community.

The importance of transparency, strategic plans, choosing the right partners, and strong boards of directors were discussed in detail. The proper use of social media was also highlighted.