2021 Message to All Our Valued Partner Chambers & Organizations in COFACC From:
Gerry Palon
President, Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC)
2020 has brought a significant disruption in all our businesses, our way of doing business, and even our simple way of living. However, in some sectors, these also brought unprecedented opportunities not foreseen prior to the pandemic. This scenario is true in the E-commerce industry that saw significant growth during this crisis period.
In our own local organizations, majority of our Chambers are able to make the necessary adjustments allowing them to continue conducting Chamber business under the new virtual norm. We are very inspired by the individual accomplishments of our local Chambers as well as the transitioning of our Coalition group as a technology driven, highly professional organization geared to accomplish its mission – provide support, resources and sharing of best practices among the various partner Chambers/organizations of COFACC and serve as the collaborative voice of the Filipino American business community.
As we look forward to 2021, foundational leadership will be of significant importance. With our restructured training programs and new operating systems in place, the technological tools and processes we have acquired, we understand that expectations from our members will also be higher than ever. The challenge is for us to continue to remain relevant and useful to our members as we navigate through these difficult times. To top it all as leaders, we all need to better LEAD through rather than LIVE through this disruption.
Serving as beacons are our Vision, Mission, and our Core Values, which are all rock-solid strong. Starting from the time we completed our Five-Year Strategic Plan in late 2019, we have established our business and growth strategies around Belief & Passion, Technology, Culture, and Leadership Development. The Journey to Success guides our quest to achieve our Vision – to be the leader and catalyst facilitating growth, prosperity, collaboration and engagement among business organizations serving the Filipino American communities.
Our Partnership approach defines the role of COFACC and the individual partner Chamber/organization in a collaborative set-up. Our extraordinary culture, of course, serves as the backdrop for every interaction in which we engage, every event we execute, and every decision we make.
Thank you for your continued partnership. On behalf of the Founding Board of Directors of COFACC, we wish you all prosperity and success, and above all, good health in 2021.
Happy Holidays to all!
Sincerely,
Gerry Palon
COFACC President