Fuel Events

A brainchild of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, Fuel Rochester held its inaugural event in April 2009, bringing together 300+ young professionals at Goonie’s in downtown Rochester. However, a great deal of thought and planning went into the program far before the kick-off event.

Mayo Clinic’s Cancer Center communications consultant Nicole Bennett Engler, at a 2007 strategic planning meeting with the Chamber’s Board of Directors and staff, advocated that engaging young, emerging talent within the community was critical to the future vitality of the Rochester area. At the time, Nicole was a recent graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Greater Rochester program and had been nominated by her classmates to sit on the board for a one-year term.

Now, two years later, after much planning, researching and visiting with other successful young professional groups in the Midwest, Nicole is the 2009-2010 chair of Fuel Rochester and is ready to use Fuel Rochester to connect and reach young leaders like her.

“We’ve needed a venue like this for a long time,” states Nicole. “In a place like Rochester where many of the usual seasoned professionals are well known, it can be challenging for young, aspiring professionals to be seen and heard. Fuel is an opportunity for up-and-coming leaders to help shape the future of our community by connecting with other talented and driven professionals to help grow and thrive together. We want to help groom the next generation of business leaders who will help make Rochester a vibrant place to live, work and thrive.”

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