Erin Bemis, IOM

Senior Project Director

My career has been spent working for and with nonprofit organizations in a variety of roles, and I’ve recognized that success for one brings achievement for many. A nonprofit with a strong mission, support for initiatives, and a team dedicated to success can achieve much more than its primary mission. It strengthens its community, it develops leadership, and it generates support.

I’ve seen it all through the years—the good, the bad, and the unmentionables. Looking beyond a specific success, what did it take to achieve that goal? More often than not, you’ll find strong leadership, a team of passionate influencers, and a shared vision for the common goal. As I have participated in teams in a variety of roles, whether as the CEO of a chamber of commerce or working for a global corporation supporting nonprofit prosperity, it’s the leadership and mission that have encouraged and delivered success .  I’m grateful for the opportunity to continually choose to work for and with nonprofits that fit these objectives and shared passions for supporting a greater good.

Erin’s professional career has been focused on communications excellence, operational success, and nonprofit growth. She has worked extensively with associations and chambers of commerce but has also provided expertise for large, for-profit corporations.

Her passion for transforming organizations stems from being raised by entrepreneurs. Post college, Erin entered the nonprofit sector as a director of development for a community nonprofit. She later served as CEO of a successful local chamber of commerce, earning consecutive statewide Chamber of the Year titles.

Erin then honed her marketing skills working with a global communications company. She was also recruited as a speaker for Google, educating small businesses on how to better utilize digital marketing. Most recently, Erin worked with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce as Director of Chamber Relations and as the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals. She continues to serve as faculty for the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management.

As a professional speaker, Erin has educated tens of thousands of organizational leaders. Her 20 years of experience working for and with small businesses, nonprofits, and associations has provided her with an extensive knowledge of business success and growth in raising funds, organizing teams, communicating effectively, and impacting communities.

Summary of Experience

• Director of Chamber Relations for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
• Director of the Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals.
• Speaker for Grow with Google.
• Faculty with Institute for Organization Management, US Chamber of Commerce.
• Named Rookie of the Year as Regional Development Director for Constant Contact.
• Former Board Member on US Chamber of Commerce Winter Institute Board of Regents, Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals.
• Business Leads Fellow at the Institute for Competitive Workforce.
• Awarded Michigan Chamber Professional and consecutive titles of Michigan Chamber of the Year.
• Former Campaign Chair for the Northwest Michigan United Way.
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Marketing from Hillsdale College.