Through his active membership with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Chaplain Rich Stoglin, owner of The Stoglin Group, developed valuable connections and became a known voice in the greater Arlington area. 

“Because of the Greater Arlington Chamber, I’ve been able to build relationships and maintain them for many years,” Stoglin said. “Those relationships have allowed me to be a bridge builder and a community influence. It’s also given me the opportunity to help others gain economic footholds in the community.”

While on active duty recall for the United States Marines Corps, Stoglin served as a Department Head for the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons for 17 years before retiring in 2007. He later retired from the United States Navy Reserve Chaplain Corps in 2013 after serving his last assignment as the Command Chaplain of 39 nations. While he interacted with various chambers of commerce across the country, Stoglin, himself, had never been a member of one. 

After retiring in Arlington, he reached out to the Chamber CEO & President at the time, asking what the Greater Arlington Chamber did differently.

“From that point on, I became much more involved with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce,” Stoglin said.

Over his nearly 11 years of membership with the Chamber, Stoglin gained invaluable opportunities, exposure and relationships. The Chamber connected him with community and state leaders and built his reputation at a community, state and national level. Stoglin served on one of Governor Greg Abbott’s boards in addition to countless other boards and committees. He also attended the inauguration of the 47th president by invitation.

All are opportunities he said the Chamber helped jumpstart for him.

“The mission of the Greater Arlington Chamber is to champion economic and community prosperity,” Stoglin said. “To be a part of something bigger … I’m here for others, on behalf of others, to work with others, so that each of us together through our collective contributions can make this city better.”

He’s seen firsthand how Chamber Members live out Together, We Succeed. – the Chamber’s tagline.

“If you come here, roll up your sleeves and you’re willing to find out what needs to be done, what the needs are and what are you willing to do to help improve the community, people will help you, not necessarily economically, but socially through networking,” he said.

Stoglin shared how the Chamber’s given him the opportunity to share his ideas and passion for creating a healthy diversity in Arlington through the creation of the Community Influence Leaders Roundtable (CILR).

Stoglin serves on the advisory council for the Veterans Business Council, one of the Chamber’s Member Groups. Joining this Member Group means a lot to him as a veteran, he said. During his time as a chaplain, he often found himself knocking on doors, delivering heartbreaking news and shouldering the pain of grieving families.

“That’s why I’m actively involved with the Veterans Business Council,” Stoglin said. “I served veterans. I served their families.”

Member Groups help you grow as an individual and allow you to meet people you might not see at the monthly Chamber-wide events, Stoglin said.

“You become a part of a group that’s larger than yourself, and you learn how the Chamber operates and what its purpose is, not only in verbiage but in action,” he said. “If you become a part of some or all of those groups, you have no way but to go up, direction-wise. You have no direction but to go up if you get involved, stay engaged and work with others. It gives us healthy diverse perspectives.”

Stoglin’s biggest advice to new members is to consistently attend events and actively build relationships by listening to others.

“Talk little, listen lot, learn much and be consistent,” Stoglin said. “That is how you will grow. If you talk, you can’t hear, and if you can’t listen, then you can’t learn. You learn much by doing those two, and consistency is what is required to grow at all.”

The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst for growing our members’ business, fostering economic prosperity, amplifying the voice of business and developing our community’s future. Through year-round events, members build lasting relationships and learn crucial strategies to grow their business. Interested in becoming a member? Contact Bryan Weatherford, Director of Member Recruitment.

Learn more about how The Stoglin Group can provide leadership development and crisis management training for you or your business here.