Chamber Spotlight: network and grow with the Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Greene County Chamber of Commerce scholarship recipient Braelyn Brozik, center, with Executive Director Melody Longstreth and chamber board president Casey Durdines. Courtesy of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Cut to the Chase owner Chase Blake, center, cuts the ribbon, accompanied by local officials, family, friends and coworkers. Courtesy of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce
From left, Waynesburg Mayor Greg Leathers, State Rep. Bud Cook, Commissioner Betsy McClure, Ingrid Toothman, Farley Toothman, Commissioner Blair Zimmerman, Commissioner Mike Belding and Chamber of Commerce Board Member Jay Hammers. Courtesy of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Courtesy of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Farley and Ingrid Toothman with the ribbon-cutting scissors
The Greene County Chamber of Commerce is here to help you do business better. Whether it’s support for your business or promotion of your company and services, the chamber can help. With a full complement of member benefits, from health and commercial insurance offerings for members only, relevant training opportunities for your staff, to free notary services, chamber membership is a must to include in your business tool kit.
Dating back to 1901 and previously known as the Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the name changed in 2017 to better represent the service area. In 2018, the chamber received a five-year Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals Accreditation – the first and only chamber in the state to receive it at that time. Currently ranked number 16 in membership size of all of western Pennsylvania’s chambers of commerce, the Greene County Chamber of Commerce was a top 3 finisher in the Best of the Best competition by the Observer-Reporter in 2022.
Connections made at membership engagement events help grow your business through networking. Among those membership engagement events are:
Business Connection Luncheons, seven of which are scheduled for 2023
Lunch and Learn seminars, with six scheduled for this year
Coffee and Commerce, four planned
Business After Hours, with two on deck for this year
Additionally, the chamber hosts two Women in Business events, including the Administrative Professionals Day luncheon and a Women in Business breakfast. Other networking events include the Golf Outing and the annual Membership Banquet. New in 2022 was the Legislative Breakfast, which featured a representative from the state Chamber of Business and Industry to update our members on current business advocacy efforts to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy. The Legislative Breakfast for 2023 has also been scheduled.
The opening of a new business, a new location or a branch of an existing business is an event worth celebrating. The chamber arranges a ribbon cutting, complete with dignitaries, chamber of commerce board members, as well as your invited guests, such as family, friends, customers, employees and vendors. The opening is heavily promoted through several media channels to ensure the celebration is shared with the community.
The weekly email blast, monthly email newsletter, and additional social media activity connect your business to programs, opportunities and ideas. Additionally, membership allows access to benefits and services such as free notary work, special pricing on healthcare, business insurance and energy costs, and training opportunities for staff members.
You may know that the chamber offers community outreach programs, such as the annual Waynesburg Christmas parade. 2023 will mark the 85th annual Waynesburg Christmas parade. In addition, for more than thirty years, the chamber has awarded a $1,500 educational scholarship to a Greene County graduating senior student. Nearly $50,000 has been awarded in scholarships since its inception. These are just two of the many community service projects the chamber organizes for its member businesses.
The chamber office is now open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays by appointment. If you are not already a member, now is the time to join the over 360 local businesses that utilize the benefits and services that come with membership. For more information on the chamber, email info@greenechamber.org, call 724-627-5926, visit greenechamber.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/greenecountypachamber and facebook.com/greenecountychamberbusinessupdates.