Leadership Training Program by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Graduates Top Chamber Professionals from Across the Nation
TAMPA, FL / WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Tampa Bay Chamber and Institute for Organization Management of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce that Tampa Bay’s Katie Lopez has graduated from the IOM program, the premier nonprofit professional development program for chamber professionals and associations in the country. Katie is the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Vice President of Advocacy, overseeing efforts in public policy, workforce development and military programming at the Chamber.
Nearly 1,000 individuals attend the Institute annually. Katie's IOM recognition is the culmination of 4 years, 96 credit hours, of course instruction in non-profit management. “Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber’s vice president of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”
Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of leaders of associations, chambers, and other nonprofits how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates. The Institute’s curriculum consists of sessions at four different university locations throughout the country. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants enhance their organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.
Congratulations are also in order for leaders of our partner organizations, South Tampa Chamber President & CEO Kelly Flannery and the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Amber Aaron!
Since joining the Tampa Bay Chamber in 2018, Katie’s efforts have been instrumental to receiving national recognition for our Chamber’s efforts to support military families. To date, those recognitions include: the Association of Defense Community’s Great American Defense Community Award, Hiring Our Heroes Three-Star Chamber of Valor Award, and the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Community of the Year Award. Under Katie’s leadership, the Tampa Bay Chamber successfully recruited and launched the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program in the Tampa Bay region, plus the Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone.
Katie's completion of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce IOM program follows several industry recognitions in recent years. In 2021, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) named her a "40 under 40" leaders to watch, which spotlights emerging leaders in shaping the industry under the age of 40. In 2023, Katie was recognized in a similar fashion by the Tampa Bay Business Journal – named in its coveted 40 Under 40 list of top business leaders in the Tampa Bay region younger than 40 years old.
US Chamber Institute for Organization Management graduation in Athens, GA. University of Georgia. Pictured from left to right: Dr. Bob Rohrlack, President/CEO of Tampa Bay Chamber; 2024 IOM Graduate Katie Lopez, Vice President of Advocacy of Tampa Bay Chamber; 2024 IOM Graduate Kelly Flannery, President/CEO of South Tampa Chamber; 2024 IOM Graduate Amber Aaron, Executive Vice President of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce; 2024 IOM Graduate Nic Glover, former Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy of Tampa Bay Chamber and current Vice President of Environmental Defense Fund; and Avril Stinson, Vice President of Economic Inclusion & Leadership Development.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Its members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.
The Tampa Bay Chamber has been serving the region since 1885. A not-for-profit membership organization, it currently serves approximately 1,400 member companies of all sizes and industries and is among the top 2% of chambers in the nation with a 5-star rating by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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