The Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a milestone of reaching 200 member businesses and organizations for the first time in the group’s history.
“I think the fact that …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
The Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a milestone of reaching 200 member businesses and organizations for the first time in the group’s history.
“I think the fact that we grew during COVID just shows how much people want to invest in their community,” said Stephanie Thomas, executive director of the Chamber. She said the 200th business to join as a member is the recently opened 1 Stop Smoke Shop on Highway 47.
Being a member of the Chamber of Commerce offers valuable networking and marketing opportunities, said board of directors President Samantha Richardson. It’s a way to become more connected to the community and the services offered there.
The Warrenton Chamber’s member organizations include a mix of manufacturing, retail, and public services, but Richardson said the largest member category is professional services like healthcare, insurance and real estate — work where the person providing the service is just as important as the service itself.
“As a business owner, you want to be present so people can see you and then refer others to you,” Richardson commented.
For an organization like the Warrenton Chamber, which runs on the lean staff of one paid executive and a volunteer board of directors, growth means opportunity to provide improved services for members. Richardson said the board is interested in exploring new advertising opportunities, social networking events, and business support programs.
However, their immediate goal going into the new year is to ensure the 200-member milestone is sustainable. That will mean a focus on re-engaging with members who have fallen out of touch.
“The first goal is making sure they all come in 2022. Some of them we know are going to drop off,” said Thomas. She and Richardson explained that the COVID pandemic has been a difficult time for an organization based on group gatherings and personal engagement. The next year will be about rebuilding some of the relationships that have fallen away in that time.
They hope the Chamber’s annual awards banquet will jump start that effort. The dinner and social will be held the evening of Jan. 14 at the MaryLou Building in Truesdale.
Looking further into the future, the Chamber leaders said they hope to continue attracting a diverse array of members, possibly including representatives from some of the larger companies that have established locations in Warrenton.
During the Chamber’s Dec. 13 monthly meeting, members approved six people to serve on the organization’s 16-person board of directors. Current board directors Katie Joyce, Samantha Richardson, Jean Pape and Heather Cushing were all appointed to serve an additional term on the board.
Joining the board of directors are Jennifer Warren and Mandy Andrews.
“I’m here to keep businesses in the loop and help businesses grow,” Andrews commented.
