Matthew G. Ballard

“You guys do too much!  Every time I pick up the newspaper or check my email, I read something about the Alliance.”

That was a “criticism” we recently heard from a local business leader.  If doing too much for the community is a problem, it’s one we’re not ashamed to admit.

We agree that information about what we do can be a little mind-boggling.  One day you may see a television report about the safety levy, followed by a newspaper story on the tech park and a feature article on Generation Charleston. You may get an email about the ArtWalk, Business After Hours or a Food for Thought program. The monthly Alliance newsletter may profile a new incubator tenant or report on our recent trip to China.  Your Facebook or Twitter accounts are updated with posts about Elevations or the East End StreetWorks project. 

The fact is, while the projects and programs of the Alliance are diverse, they have a laser-like focus:  Jobs. Community. People. These are the essential building blocks to a brighter future, and they are what drive every Alliance activity, service and event.

To help clarify our mission and introduce it as a communication theme, we turned to the brightest and most creative people we know — Alliance members!

Mark Wolfe — www.MarkWolfeDesign.com — a local design expert who has donated his services on many Alliance projects, volunteered to help us visually communicate the theme. To many, the challenge we presented was contradictory. On one hand, we wanted to convey that we bring many businesses, people and organizations all together to do great things for our community. On the other, we needed to unify the focus of these varied activities in a memorable way. The result is an updated visual theme:  All Together.  Jobs. Community. People. We thank Mark for creating such a bright and fresh approach to communicating who we are and what we do.

Motion Masters — www.MotionMasters.com — next stepped in to bring this theme to life with a compelling video.  Through interviews with Larry Ward of Kanawha Electric, Nelle Chilton, Sheriff Mike Rutherford, Bluegrass Kitchen’s Keeley Steele and Julie Cyphers of Generation Charleston, Diana Sole Walko and her team told the story of the Alliance and the impact its programs are making on creating jobs, enhancing our community and investing in people.  We invite you to look at ALL we do: http://vimeo.com/12431480.

The theme was unveiled at our recent Annual Celebration.  And who better to demonstrate ALL we do than John Slicer — www.SlicerMagic.com. Through his unique understanding of the art of business, John wowed the audience with clear and memorable demonstration of the magic that can result when 600 businesses and their 40,000 employees come All Together through the Alliance. 

To some observers it might seem on some days like that we do too much.  But to paraphrase Barry Goldwater, extremism in the defense of jobs and brighter prospects for our businesses, our communities and our families is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of future that we all deserve is no virtue.

Be part of a dynamic organization that is driving the destiny of our region. We invite you to join All Together with your 40,000 colleagues, friends and neighbors through the Charleston Area Alliance. All Together, the results can be magic!