Rebecca DeLorenzo, the interim president at the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce and Affiliates, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Association leadership, the highest professional credential in the association industry. Less than five percent of the association’s 21,000 professionals earn the designation. The designation is timely: DeLorenzo is in the running to be the chamber’s permanent president. The designation burnishes her already substantial credentials.
“Last year, we were impressed that Rebecca earned her IOM designation from the Institute of Organizational Management,” Scott Sowers, the newly installed chamber chairman, said. “By earning the CAE credential, Rebecca has now joined a distinguished group of top association professionals and nonprofit executives in our country. We appreciate her commitment to professional development and congratulate her for this accomplishment.”
Sowers said the certification reflects DeLorenzo’s willingness and commitment to leading the chamber: a chamber vice president for five years, she is vying to be the permanent replacement for Doug Baxter, who resigned abruptly in December. Thirteen people currently work at the chamber.
Last year DeLorenzo was named Woman of the Year by the Flagler Business Women. She is married to Jason DeLorenzo, the first-term Palm Coast City Council member and government affairs director at the Flagler Homebuilders Association, whose members closely align with the chamber’s.
To be certified, an applicant must have a minimum of three years of experience in nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. (The chamber is a private-for-profit organization with a non-profit arm.) To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
ASAE is a membership organization whose executives and industry partners represent 10,000 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world.
Magnolia says
This is great. When is somebody going to notice that the builders are easily winning the battle over the citizens in this community because both DeLorenzo’s now have influence over the voters here?
Truly, it is wonderful news but a huge conflict of interest with a husband who represents the building industry here in Palm Coast as well. I’m sorry, Councilman, but I just don’t believe we come first.
But what difference does it make, when nobody is listening, attending council meetings or voting in local elections?
Can’t wait to see the next political billboards up outside the Portuguese American Club when it is against their charter to do so. Apparently they are pretty happy with Supervisor Meeker and ex Supervisor Holland. Guess nobody pays attention to those laws prohibiting these organizations from doing this, either.
Will says
Congratulations Ms. DeLorenzo:
I heard your message on WNZF news the other day about the Chamber’s dinner last week, and it was one of the most concise, fact filled, and informative news clips I’ve ever heard on local radio. You’re combining professionalism, ethics, and the ability to deliver the Flagler business community’s message. Good luck in years ahead.
confidential says
Out of over 5,600 businesses in this county the Chamber is down now to only to about 772 members and that is counting all the goverment entities, communities and religious clubs and organizations paid members as well that actually are not real businesses.
Rebecca has her work really cut out for her!
In the past our Chamber officials had less credentials but worked cordially harder for their membership and at that time we were over 1,200 strong, even with a lower number of businesses and residents in this county and a much smaller Chamber personnel on their payroll.
PJ says
Sounds like she has been working hard to get this position. Certifications, woman of the year sounds good to me. Yes she may be married to a politician and a person with influence to one group perhaps but we should not dscount her professionalism.
The more someone is qualified to do their job the better off we all are here……….PJ