SOUTHERN PINES, NC – As the third quarter of 2026 comes to a close, the Moore County Chamber of Commerce is entering the final quarter of the year with strong momentum and an increasingly clear focus on the work that matters most to the future of Moore County’s business community.
While the Chamber continues to provide opportunities for businesses and organizations to connect, learn and grow, the work of the organization is increasingly extending beyond events and traditional business programming. During the third quarter, the Chamber advanced workforce and talent initiatives, brought the business community together around the economic impact of childcare, strengthened regional partnerships, expanded opportunities for business engagement, and continued to position itself as a convener around issues affecting the region’s long-term economic success.

“We are continuing to evolve as an organization,” said Linda Parsons, President & CEO of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce. “Events and business connections remain an important part of what we do, but there is a much bigger story happening. We are bringing businesses, educators, workforce partners, and community leaders together around challenges and opportunities and creating more meaningful conversations about what our community needs to remain strong and competitive.”

Putting Childcare on the Business Agenda
One of the quarter’s most significant community conversations centered on an issue that increasingly affects employers: childcare.  In August, the Chamber joined ExCEL NC and community partners for the Moore County Child Care Economic Summit, bringing business and community leaders together to examine the economic impact of childcare challenges and the role employers can play in developing solutions. The summit included business and industry perspectives, research and policy expertise, and discussion focused on the intersection of business, family, and early childhood education.
The conversation underscored that childcare is not simply a family issue. It is a workforce and economic issue.

According to information presented by ExCEL NC, the childcare crisis is estimated to cost North Carolina $5.65 billion in economic activity each year, while addressing childcare issues for working parents could increase the state’s GDP by as much as $7.5 billion annually.

For Moore County employers, the issue is increasingly connected to recruitment, retention, absenteeism, workforce participation, and the ability of employees to remain engaged in the workplace.

“The business community has to be part of this conversation,” Parsons said. “When employees cannot access the childcare they need, there is an impact on the workplace. Bringing business leaders into the conversation helps us look at childcare through a different lens, not just as a family issue, but as part of the infrastructure that allows our workforce and economy to function.”

The summit builds on the Chamber’s longstanding work around childcare and its efforts to connect employers, community organizations and other stakeholders around practical strategies that support working families and strengthen the local workforce.

Connecting Businesses to Opportunity
The third quarter also brought continued opportunities for businesses to connect with one another, build relationships, and learn from experts and peers.

The Chamber continued its AM Beats business education series, Early Bird Connections, Business After Hours and Moore County Leadership Institute alumni programming while celebrating business growth and investment through ribbon cuttings and other business recognition events.

Regional collaboration remained an important part of that work. The Chamber continued partnering with the Moore County Economic Development Partnership on programs such as the Moore Entrepreneur Meet-Up and Manufacturers Meet-Up, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and other business leaders to share information and strengthen connections across sectors.

The Chamber also continued direct outreach to local employers through individual business visits and consultations. These conversations provide an important opportunity to hear directly from businesses about emerging opportunities, workforce needs and challenges while helping the Chamber better understand where it can be most effective.

Building the Next Generation of Leaders
Leadership development also remained a priority during the quarter as the Chamber prepared for the next class of the Moore County Leadership Institute.

Applications for the 2027 Moore County Leadership Institute opened in September, continuing a program that has developed nearly 800 leaders across Moore County since its founding in 1989. The 2027 program will introduce a new “Lead-Off” component, giving participants an opportunity to engage directly with community leaders through structured conversation following each monthly session.

“Leadership development is an investment in the future of Moore County,” Parsons said. “We want people who live and work here to understand this community, build relationships across sectors and feel equipped to contribute to what comes next.”

More Than a Calendar of Events
The third quarter reinforced the Chamber’s role as more than a provider of networking events and business programming.

Whether the issue is workforce development, childcare, entrepreneurship, leadership, business growth or regional economic development, the Chamber is increasingly focused on bringing the right people together and creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and action.

“Our calendar will always be an important part of how we engage businesses, but the calendar is not the measure of our impact,” Parsons added. “The real value is what happens because we brought people together. It is the relationship that develops, the conversation that starts, the problem that gets identified and the progress that comes from working together.”

As the Chamber moves into the final quarter of 2026, the organization is already looking toward 2027 and the opportunities ahead.

“Our community is growing and changing, and our Chamber needs to grow and change with it,” Parsons said. “We have strong businesses, outstanding educational institutions, economic development partners, and community leaders who are willing to work together. Our role is to connect those dots, bring people to the table and help turn those relationships into progress.”

The Moore County Chamber of Commerce remains committed to its mission of fostering a vibrant business community and serving as a convener, connector and catalyst for businesses and the community.

Businesses and organizations interested in learning more about the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, its programs, and opportunities to engage are encouraged to contact the Chamber at 910-692-3926, email info@moorecountychamber.com, or visit www.moorecountychamber.com.