This year’s annual Sedona Chamber of Commerce partner meeting may have had a new look, a new face at the podium and a new time of day, but the message of moving forward and working together remained the same.

The event, which was held on Thursday, June 24, at the Sedona Golf Resort, was the first for Chamber President and CEO Candace Carr Strauss. It was not only held at nighttime, but it served as a fundraiser for the chamber. While the awards presentation — and recognizing business anniversary milestones — did not occur, Strauss assured the 100-plus guests in attendance that they will return next June. Instead, praise was directed to others.

“In the wake of the global pandemic, we want to take this opportunity to celebrate all of our frontline workers — in health care, our public servants including police and fire personnel and teachers, our hospitality workers staffing our lodging, restaurants, retail, attractions and all chamber member businesses,” she said. “This includes those from around the Verde Valley who participated in the Safe.Clean.Ready program.”

Before Strauss retook the podium later on to reflect upon the past year and talk about what’s in store for the next, there was a passing of the baton — or in this case gavel. It took place between outgoing board chairman Lonnie Lillie and incoming chairman, Al Comello.

“It has truly been an honor to serve this organization, which means serving you all,” Lillie said. “As someone who has been here since 1984, as an 18 year old out of Iowa, and just growing with the community, it’s been an honor.” He went on to say, “In my 37 years here we have always come together as a community and always will. This business community gets it. We’ve always been the silent majority but maybe it’s time now to be that boisterous majority and pay attention to what’s happening with funding and everything else.”

Comello then took the podium to express his gratitude for having been chosen as the new chairman.

“Following in the footsteps of someone I have great admiration for, well, I have a long ways to go to fill his shoes,” he said of Lillie. “Thank you, Lonnie, and thank you for your inspiration. For the past 12 months you have been there for the chamber and this community through some very difficult times while doing things way above the call of duty as someone who is the chairman of the board of the Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re in a post-COVID world and none of us really know where we’re going. Sedona as a community to live, work and visit is really awesome. I look forward to being your chair and will do my best to use the skills and talents I have to represent you with a degree of honesty and candor. I’ll also be that person that makes a difference when dealing with someone. Sometimes they might have a negative thought — it’s my job to turn it into a positive thought.”

Strauss, who was hired late last year, acknowledged the sponsors of the evening, the chamber board and the chamber members, but especially her staff, which is working at half capacity, and the normally 80-plus volunteers, which currently stands at 20 due partially to COVID-19 and the lack of housing.

“As the voice of business in greater Sedona, the Sedona Chamber will advocate for the power of travel as the economic driver for the Northern Arizona region, ensuring policy that provides for a positive business climate on behalf of our 750-plus business partners in this special place we call Sedona,” Strauss said. “We are a chamber of commerce after all.”

Strauss said the chamber’s board of directors affirmed the organization’s commitment to being a 3-C chamber — a catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers to solve regional problems and a champion for a thriving community — to serve its business partners and the community at large.

“Recognizing that a membership organization is deeply rooted in relationships, the partner meeting was the first step in convening a broader-based business coalition inclusive of the Village of Oak Creek and other unincorporated areas like Oak Creek Canyon, and regional enterprises throughout the Verde Valley, in addition to our core city of Sedona-based partners, to join us in delivering on our mission,” she said.