Chamber News Release

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that it has entered a formal partnership with the United States Army Reserves as a part of its Private Public Partnership (P3) initiative. Greater Rochester Chamber is now an official partner in the program, recognizing its work to connect U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers and families to meaningful employment, education, and training. Greater Rochester Chamber is one of just 171 organizations nationwide in this partnership and is the only chamber of commerce in the country that is a part of this effort.

The partnership and its efforts are an extension of Greater Rochester Chamber’s Veterans Connect program, which focuses on attracting, connecting, and retaining transitioning military service members and veterans in the Greater Rochester region. Moving forward, the program will allocate additional resources and efforts to focus on creating new connections with U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers and their families, as well as bolster existing work to support transitioning Soldiers and the local veteran community.

Yashira Rodriguez, Manager, Talent Strategy Programs and Veterans Connect, Greater Rochester Chamber said, “As a previous reserve component Soldier this partnership is near and dear to me. Balancing military responsibilities and duty while navigating and ensuring optimal civilian employment can be a demanding challenge. Through the ebbs and flow of personal and professional growth having a vast network of support and expertise to support your professional needs is essential to your success in managing both civilian and military affairs. Expanding our work in this area is especially important to us in our mission to ensure success for our regional military and Veteran population. I’d like to thank the U.S Army Reserves for partnering with us on this effort and look forward to our impact growing in the future."

Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber said, "We are truly honored to be a part of this exceptional partnership with the United States Army Reserves. Working alongside our service members is a privilege, and the value they bring to strengthening the Greater Rochester economy is noteworthy. Their dedication, skills, and values enrich our community, and through this collaboration, we will further empower them with meaningful employment, education, and training opportunities. Thank you to our team member Yashira Rodriguez for her exemplary work on this important program. Together, we will continue to build a resilient and prosperous future for our region."

Over the past two months, while this partnership was being forged, Rodriguez has assisted several currently serving soldiers referred by the Army Reserves and will be attending hiring events for local units and continue to work with local employers to create more Veteran and military-friendly organizations in the Greater Rochester region.

To learn more about the P3 Partnership, please see the U.S. Army Reserves website: https://www.usar.army.mil/P3/Resources/. To learn more about the Veterans Connect program, please visit our webpage: www.GreaterRochesterChamber.com/VeteransConnect

About Greater Rochester Chamber
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is the leading voice of business in the Greater Rochester, NY region, dedicated to promoting the interests of our members and advocating for policies that support economic growth and prosperity. We are the number one resource for information, connections, and support that businesses need to succeed in a rapidly changing business environment. We strive to create a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration that encourages businesses to take risks, explore new opportunities, and grow.

About the Private Public Partnership (P3) Initiative
Private Public Partnership (P3) is a bold and innovative program that views Soldiers as assets with quantifiable value. P3 focuses on fostering long-term partnerships with companies, corporations, foundations, academia, and non-governmental organizations to increase leader and unit readiness as well as enhances Individual Soldier physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial and employment readiness. Mutually advantageous, P3 provides specialized opportunities in business and interagency environments for Army Reserve Soldiers to make immediate and meaningful contributions to both a robust national economy and the defense of the nation.