Abacoa & Alton Neighbors - August 2026

6 A B A C O A & A LT O N N E I G H B O R S | A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 ANew Chapter for PalmBeach North COMMUNITY - By Noel Martinez, Chair, Florida Association of Chamber Professionals; President & CEO, Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce - - Photos provided by Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce - and move important initiatives forward. Whether advancing regional mobility, strengthening the workforce pipeline, supporting entrepreneurs, investing in education, or advocating for policies that improve our business climate, our role is to convene and connect. That kind of progress doesn't happen by accident. It requires leaders like Traci, who understand that meaningful change is built through collaboration and trust, along with a willingness to focus on what's best for the region rather than any one organization. We are deeply grateful for her steady leadership, thoughtful guidance, and unwavering commitment to Palm Beach North. As we turn the page, I am excited to welcome Kathryn Rossmell as our Chairwoman for the 2026–2027 fiscal year. Kathryn is an outstanding leader whose experience and integrity will serve our region well. As Executive Shareholder at Lewis, Longman & Walker, she has spent her career helping communities navigate complex challenges while never losing sight of the bigger S ome of the most important work happening in Palm Beach North never makes the front page. It happens in planning meetings, boardrooms, committee discussions, and in the everyday conversations between leaders who believe our region can be even stronger tomorrow than it is today. Those conversations turn into partnerships. Those partnerships lead to action. Over time, that action creates real, lasting progress. As we begin a new fiscal year, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Traci Rollins for her exceptional leadership as Chairwoman of the Board during the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Traci helped guide the Chamber through one of the most transformative years in our organization's history. Together, we launched the Palm Beach North Regional Strategic Plan 2026– 2030, bringing together leaders from business, government, education, nonprofits, and the broader community around a shared vision for the future of Florida's Prosperity Coast®. We expanded resources for local businesses, strengthened our advocacy efforts, invested in education and workforce development, and built stronger regional partnerships that will benefit our communities for years to come. Our 2025–2026 Impact Report captures many of those accomplishments, but the numbers only tell part of the story. The real story is about people coming together around a common purpose. Today's Chamber is about much more than hosting events or offering programs. We bring people together to solve problems