Matthew Bott, the CEO at the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce, was among 33 chamber executives to graduate this February from Academy, a professional development program presented by the Western Association of Chamber Executives.

Academy is an interactive training program on chamber management essentials. The program provides training on association management, economic development fundamentals and best practices in membership marketing, social media and strategic leadership.

“We congratulate all of the graduates and their chambers for having the vision to invest in professional development,” said WACE president Dave Kilby.

During the three-year Academy program, graduates participated in 18 three-hour classes and successfully completed additional independent study outside of the classroom.

The Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce has grown by over 25 percent since 2009 and now has 520 members representing over 50,000 employees in Issaquah and on the Eastside.