Kate Bates Named an ACCE Fourty Under 40 Award Recipient

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Kate Bates, has received the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) 2019 Forty Under 40 award. This award recognizes professionals from the chamber industry who have demonstrated significant success in their careers and have made noteworthy contributions to their communities. Bates stood out in a pool of more than 118 candidates from around the country due to her impressive career accomplishments and commitment to Arlington.

The Forty Under 40 award is a new program, presented by ACCE, designed to highlight the brightest individuals under the age of 40 in the chamber industry. The inaugural class of honorees have demonstrated meaningful involvement in the advancement of their communities and proven professional success within their respective chambers.

Kate Bates joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce staff in 2007 and was appointed as President and CEO in 2014, following an extensive national search. Under her leadership, the Chamber’s annual operating income has grown by 30 percent, crossing the million-dollar threshold in 2018 for the first time in the organization’s history. Over the last five years, Bates has also significantly grown the membership to a current level of more than 760 members.

In addition, Bates has increased the Chamber’s business advocacy efforts. The Chamber has accomplished notable state and local successes for their advocacy efforts, including mobilizing local support for Amazon’s performance agreement in March 2019. Due to the Chamber’s growth in revenue and advocacy efforts, this year, the Washington Business Journal named the Arlington Chamber of Commerce one of the 25 Largest Business Advocacy Groups in the Greater D.C. area.

Growing the organization has provided the Arlington Chamber additional opportunities to serve its member businesses and organizations in customized ways. The Chamber has been able to provide additional support for networking and business development, business advocacy, community engagement, and professional development.

“It’s an honor to be included in the inaugural class of honorees and to receive the award alongside such exceptional chamber industry peers,” said Bates on accepting the award. “The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has a strong trajectory as we have grown our membership and impact significantly over the last five years. We are incredibly proud to be the go-to resource for Arlington businesses and their ever-evolving needs.”