Join your peers at the 2025 dynamic Leadership Summit Retreat designed to spark meaningful conversations about the future of our industry with ideas of what you need to be doing now to ensure that your organization grows stronger as the years pass by. The engaging dialogue will offer a collaborative environment to explore innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our industry. Through peer-led discussions, strategy sharing and forward-thinking dialogue, attendees will leave inspired, equipped and ready to lead their organizations—and their communities—into a more resilient, impactful future. Come ready to challenge the status quo, build valuable connections, and shape what’s next for chambers across the country.

​2025 ICEA Leadership Summit Retreat Agenda
The Future of Chambers – Vision, Innovation, and Impact
Facilitator & Speaker: 
Ali Rauch, CCE, IOM – President & CEO, Opelika Chamber

Thursday, October 30, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 PM EST - Lunch, Welcome & Opening Remarks
1:00 – 1:30 PM - Summit overview
 Kickoff with Ali Rauch: “Why This Work Matters”
1:30 – 2:30 PM - Session 1: Future-Ready Chambers, Ali Rauch 
 2:30 – 3:30 PM - Session 2: Leading Through Innovation,Ted Ward, Shafer Leadership Academy 
 3:30 - 3:45 PM - Networking Break
3:45 – 5:00 PM - Roundtables: What’s Working, What’s Next
5:00 – 5:30 PM - Afternoon Reflections with Ali Rauch
5:30 PM Cocktail Reception Sponsored by Shafer Leadership Academy
6:30 PM - Dinner on your own

Friday, October 31, 2025
8:00 – 8:30 AM - Networking Breakfast
8:30 – 9:30 AM - Session 3: Beyond Burnout – Building Sustainable Chamber Teams (Ali Rauch Keynote)
9:30 – 10:30 AM - Workshop: Bold Moves – Leading Change with Confidence, Ali Rauch  
10:30 – 10:45 AM - Break
10:45 – 12 PM - Summit Wrap-Up: From Ideas to Action
  “Lead the Chamber Your Community Brags About.”

Preferred hotels are the Fairfield Inn & Suites and/or the Hampton Inn & Suites, however you can view all lodging options through the Festival Country link to the right.  ​

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Cocktail Hour Sponsor

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Ali Rauch, CCE, IOM, President & CEO of the Opelika (AL) Chamber, 2025 Facilitator