Breakfast Event Latest On Chamber’s Roster of Successful Networking Efforts
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As members work to grow their businesses during a slow economy, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce is stepping up its networking and other services to help.
The chamber’s board of directors saw the need for more face-time opportunities for its membership, and so the organization now offers the Third Thursday breakfast series.
“We have had similar programs in the past and have always had positive results,” says Suzanne Lay, executive vice president. “People like an opportunity to network, and they like to hear about our new programs as well as new issues in the community that will affect their business or the community in general.”
The first Third Thursday in early 2009 had almost 100 attendees. The breakfasts are held in the new Virginia Ballroom at the Abingdon Senior Center, and each event concludes promptly at 8:45 a.m. Those who attend hear from a keynote speaker and are provided specific ways to broaden their group of business contacts.
“We have a lot of opportunities for people to network, but we found that many of our members still don’t know each other,” she says.
Early sponsors include the First Bank & Trust Co. and Highlands Union Bank, but other companies are jumping on board to help, which Lay says further demonstrates that there’s no such thing as too many quality meeting opportunities.
“We’re working on a calendar of speakers and sponsors so we can keep the topics interesting,” she says. “And it’s tying in with other things we’re doing, keeping people aware of what’s happening in the community.”
Meanwhile, the chamber continues offering its standard slate of seminars and sessions, which cover everything from developing business and marketing plans to helping new and startup businesses connect with the Virginia Highlands Community College’s Center for Business & Industry, the local Small Business Development Center, the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator and other resources.
Story by Joe Morris
