Calendar of EventsMember DirectoryBecome a MemberPromotional OpportunitiesNetworkingneXt ProfessionalsGovernment AffairsSmall BusinessMember ResourcesMember NewsGet InvolvedMonthly NewsletterD1 DollarsTaking Care of Business
|
Announcing The Network: Young Professionals of the Quad Cities Members of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) and neXt Professionals Leadership Council unveiled the much-anticipated name for the merged young professional’s organization at their monthly social event on October 2. The organization will now be known as The Network: Young Professionals of the Quad Cities.The new identity and accompanying brand represent the final steps of a merger, announced in January, between the Young Professionals Network (YPN), an initiative of the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce, and DavenportOne’s neXt Professionals. The merger was part of a larger workforce development plan of the Quad City Chamber of Commerce Federation in an effort to create a regional approach to talent attraction and retention.A committee of young professionals has been meeting since the merger to develop the name and brand of the new organization. The new identity was selected to convey the energy, boldness and connectivity emblematic of the young professionals who make up The Network.“Our identity is a powerful reminder that our community is better served by a united young professionals group,” said Jim Legare, chair of The Network, referring to the merger of YPN and neXt in January. “A network is made up of many connected individuals, and by aligning ourselves with this energetic image, we will continue attracting, retaining and engaging young professionals in the greater Quad-City community.”The Network represents over 2,300 young professionals, in their 20s and 30s, from the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities, representing all backgrounds, professions and lifestyles. The organization is committed to attracting, retaining and engaging young professionals in the Quad-City community by offering social and professional development opportunities, providing service leadership, connecting young talent with local employers, and advocating on behalf of young professional interests.The Network leadership is currently analyzing opportunities to connect college interns in the Quad Cities through a series of social, professional and service-oriented events. This initiative would complement the workforce development efforts of the Quad City Chamber of Commerce Federation. Additional programming initiatives of The Network will be announced in the coming months.Jeff Nelson, chairman of the Quad City Chamber of Commerce Federation, commented, “On behalf of all three area chambers, I applaud our young professionals for the bold direction they are taking The Network. Their efforts will add tremendously to the fabric of our community and I look forward to celebrating their successes as they fulfill a vital role in the growth of the Quad Cities.”
|
