The Chamber Minute 10/04/24
Rosey in for another Chamber Minute, Opposition to Measure 118 continues to grow as Oregonians learn about the damage this deeply flawed $6.8 Billion tax on the sale of goods and services would do to the state’s residents, businesses, economy and public services. Here are some key reasons to keep in mind: 1) Measure 118 is a tax on sales, not income or profit. This tax on gross sales applies whether a business makes a lot of money, has small margins or even loses money. 2) Prices will go up. There’s no such thing as free money. Consumers will pay for this massive tax through higher prices as confirmed by Oregon’s nonpartisan Legislative Revenue Office. 3) Measure 118 is a “tax on a tax.” Unlike a traditional sales tax that is added once at the final sale, Measure 118’s tax on sales could apply at every step of the supply chain. 4) Measure 118 makes Oregon businesses less competitive. Out-of-state farmers, manufacturers and others will have an immediate advantage because sales in their state won’t apply. 5) There’s no guarantee anyone gets their rebate. The legislature could amend this law at any time, use the money for something else, or […]
The Chamber Minute 09/25/24
Chamber Minute Hello everyone! It’s Rosey here with your latest Chamber Minute. We’re excited to keep you informed about the upcoming WBC Luncheon Forums featuring local candidates, along with valuable programs designed to support our businesses. We’re also taking a stand against Measure 118 in Salem! The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to defending Oregon businesses. Measure 118 proposes an additional 3% tax on sales (not profits) for businesses with over $25 million in sales. This measure would impact approximately 2,400 businesses statewide, leading to increased prices for goods in Oregon and making our state less attractive for business. We urge you to join our campaign against Measure 118! Additionally, the Bay Area Chamber has voted to support the County’s efforts to pass Measure 6-217 this November. This measure involves a .69-cent tax aimed at maintaining our jail’s capacity at 98 beds. It has taken years to rebuild this capacity and hire the necessary officers, allowing us to implement essential consequences in the public safety sector. Notably, a .20-cent communication tax levy is set to expire this year, meaning the actual request is only .49 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. Please join us in voting YES on […]
The Chamber Minute 09/16/24
Sept 16, 2024 Chamber Minute with Rosey As we approach an important political season, the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce remains focused on our mission: supporting local businesses. We accomplish this through a variety of efforts—endorsing business-friendly candidates, keeping you informed about elections and local measures, and hosting networking events and advertising opportunities for Chamber members. By helping you stay informed and engaged, we strengthen our community and ensure Oregon thrives. Right now, it’s clear that passions are running high—both in positive and challenging ways. As a Chamber director, my priority is our members and the needs of the cities we serve. I encourage us all to pause and carefully consider how we react to the things happening around us. There will be plenty of issues that elicit strong feelings, but before responding, ask yourself: Is my reaction helping or hurting the issue, my community, or the organizations I represent? Standing up for what’s right is important, but there are ways to do so respectfully and thoughtfully. People will make mistakes along the way. Let’s keep our focus on solutions that benefit the community. While I understand the intensity of this season and how much depends on our leaders, we’ve […]
The Chamber Minute 09/09/24
September 9, 2024 It’s time for another Chamber Minute with Rosey! I’m thrilled to kick off the 34th Class of Leadership Coos this Tuesday, the 10th! 🎓 We’ll be diving into history at the Coos History Museum—because where better to start than at the roots of our Bay Area? From September through May, we’ll be on monthly interactive field trips, learning and laughing our way through the process. This Leadership program is like a team-building boot camp, strengthening ties between organizations and forging friendships that make tackling county challenges feel like a walk in the park (okay, maybe a brisk walk, but still!). 💪 Working together beats going solo any day, and it’s amazing what we can accomplish when we join forces for the greater good of our community. As I embark on this learning adventure, my goal is to mingle like a pro! I’ll be switching up my seating arrangements like a musical chairs champion to make sure I connect with all 34 participants. After all, I’m only spending one day a month on this, so I’m determined to soak up every drop of wisdom and make a bigger impact for Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston! Remember, “Our […]
The Chamber Minute 09/05/24
September 5, 2024 In for another Chamber minute it’s Rosey. September is here and that means WBC IS BACK! Our Wednesday Business Connection Luncheons at the Mill Casino Salmon Room 11:30am-1pm every Wednesday September through May bringing business friendly programs for our business community and open to the public! Come to WBC to learn about candidates running for office, This Season we will have Senator David Brock Smith as our opener, and we will be hearing from Senator Dick Anderson, Forums with Mayor Jessica Engelke and Harry Haines VII, Representative Court Boice & Bret Cecil, Commissioner Bob Main & Drew Farmer & More. WBC is a GREAT place to network and become a more informed voter this season! Hopefully, WE ALL ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE… November will be here before you know it and like I like to say, Your Vote Matters! Check your email for this month’s newsletter and answer my questions in Pink to be entered to win a FREE BEEF TICKET!!! Beef Tickets are FOR SALE at our office Business After Hours this month is at Midwest Coast Flooring September 26th 5-7pm 1640 Maple street, North Bend…networking antics continue monthly at these early evening events showcasing members […]
The Chamber Minute 08/27/24
August 27, 2024 In for another Chamber Minute, It’s Rosey. Your Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is finishing up its Endorsement of Candidates at the State and County races this week. The Chamber looks for Business-Friendly candidates to Endorse each political season, and strives to provide its members up to date information on candidates and local measures that will affect the South Coast. WBC is BACK! Our Wednesday Business Connection Luncheons start up September 4th and every Wednesday September through May 11:30am-1pm providing Networking opportunities and business-catered programs to keep the business community in the loop. Meeting Each week at the Mill Casino Hotel and Casino & RV Park in the Salmon Room ( Most weeks) Come learn about the Candidates on the November Ballot and other Hot Topics in our area. September 4th we will open with Senator David Brock Smith & The Ambassadors Update. September 11th The County Commissioners Race for Pos 1 Forum with Commissioner Bob Main & Drew Farmer. Then September 18th we host a Forum with Representative Court Boice & Bret Cecil. September 25th a forum with our North Bend Mayor Jessica Engelke & Harry Haines VII. Many forums to help you prepare for this […]
The Chamber Minute 08/02/24
August 12, 2024 In for another chamber minute, it’s Rosey. August has kept us busy already, Our Chamber is more than just parties, pageants and networking events, The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is hard at work in the Legislative Action department too, An initiative called IP-17 came in for proposal to get on next ballot; and Now known as Measure 118: a 3% added Business Tax for any businesses over $25 million in sales IS COMING to the November Ballot. We URGE you to VOTE NO on Measure 118, this added Tax is bad news for Oregon, and will drive up prices for all consumers in Oregon, Causing Oregon to FALL EVEN LOWER in ranking on places to do business. Our Chamber members, receive updates regularly through email and our newsletter on things that affect our area businesses. Bay Area Chamber members stay informed on things that matter and can find ways to help. Links on how to help get your voices heard on this measure are included in my August newsletter, or you can call the Chamber office for ways to get involved. WBC Wednesday Business Connection is BACK SEPT 4th …11:30am-1pm at the Mill Casino Salmon Room…We […]
The Chamber Minute 07/29/24
July 29, 2024 In for another Chamber minute, it’s Rosey. While looking for positive stories, I found one that made me think about how different the world will be under a new generation’s leadership. This story represents the creativity and service-mindedness of some of today’s youth. Dr. Demetrio Aguila, inspired by his physician father, a man who served as a doctor with joy in his heart daily, sought a higher purpose in his medical career. He became a surgeon and created a program allowing patients to pay for surgery by volunteering at local non-profits. Studies show that patients invested in their outcomes achieve better results. Dr. Aguila believes that this investment leads to successful surgeries, reduced debt, enhanced self-esteem, and community benefits. His goal is to inspire others to find innovative ways to support their communities. At the Bay Area Chamber, we value all generations. Our business community is evolving and while we aim to continue to engage our aging population, We also know reaching out to the younger generations is crucial. We have all types of members serving on committees within your Chamber; working together, regardless of background or beliefs and that is essential. Our youth will have fresh […]
The Chamber Minute 07/22/24
July 22 Hello everyone, it’s Rosey with another Chamber Minute! The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to keeping our great area strong, just like I mentioned last week. We’re passionate about helping our members thrive, and we offer many ways to support your business. You’ve probably heard about our networking opportunities, as well as our various programs and committees. But did you know that as a Chamber member, you also have a voice in government? Our Legislative Action Team actively monitors bills and measures that impact businesses in Oregon. We work hard to advocate for policies that protect and benefit our local economy. We have a very active Chamber of Commerce here, and I am proud to be part of it. Our team truly cares about your business, and we’re committed to helping you find ways to network, get involved, and make a difference. As a Chamber member, you’re part of a community that works together for the greater good of a strong local economy. Exciting news—Fair Week is here! From Tuesday through Friday, you can find the Chamber booth and participating Chamber members there all week long. On Friday, July 26th, visit our booth to get Chamber […]
The Chamber Minute 07/15/24
July 15, 2024 Welcome to another Chamber Minute with Rosey. It’s an exciting time for the Bay Area Chamber as we kick off the selection process for the 34th Class of Leaders in our renowned Leadership Coos Program. If you received an application via email, be sure to return it quickly—remember, selections are on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are also available online but move fast. I am thrilled to announce that I will be participating in the program this year. My goal is to build and strengthen relationships with other community leaders and gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of this place I love. The Leadership Coos Program is designed to foster relationships and encourage collaboration through monthly field trips and hands-on projects. Together, we tackle the issues facing our local businesses, working as a unified voice for Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston. Our Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston members are all part of the same Chamber to band together on issues we need to tackle, and to do it as one voice collectively. Our Chamber’s many successes over the years are a testament to the power of collaboration. As we move forward, we MUST […]
The Chamber Minute 07/08/24
July 10, 2024 In for another Chamber Minute, It’s Rosey. This week we are highlighting our Chamber Coins for Kids Initiative, In July the Bay Area Chamber will be handing out Chamber coins to kids at the Markets and Fair this Summer, The Bay Area Chamber will be at a booth at the Coos Bay Farmers Market on the 17th, and at the Fair all day on Friday July 26th Come See Us to get your coins kids! Participating member businesses are taking care of our kids with something different from each member when you visit and present your Chamber coins…Chamber coins are for kids, One per child per visit. The Businesses participating so far are as follows: Farr’s Hardware, Gib’s RV, Oregon Pacific Bank, So It Goes Coffeehouse, Margarita’s Mexican Grille, the Artist’s Loft Gallery, and North Bend Lanes Back Alley Pub, and the Mark James Team Cadwell Realty. To use your coins, simply scan the QR code on the back of the wooden coin and download the wonderful Community Plus app by Epuerto for the updated list of businesses participating. Those Chamber members who are in the program receive from Epuerto a Silver Level Marketing listing in the […]
The Chamber Minute 07/01/24
In for another Bay Area Chamber of Commerce minute, It’s Rosey. July 1 is here, this month at the Chamber brings so many fun opportunities to be that Champion for our members’ businesses, and we are looking forward to it. Ribbon Cuttings to welcome our new members like Planet Fitness July 1 at 11am and Wednesday July 3rd we will be at Artist’s Loft’s new space on Broadway in Coos Bay at 10am they will be having all day activities for the public. Thursday July 11th we will have our Business After Hours early this month and the host will be Southwest Oregon Regional Airport from 5-7 pm at 1100 airport lane, North Bend. There will sweet prizes, food & fabulous views at our local airport. Please come out and help us Celebrate our members, it promises to be a highflying good month! We are gearing up for the Annual Fair Day, July 26th, we will have a booth and bring 5 of our members with us, Banner Bank, Oregon Pacific Bank, BLM, NW Natural and Star of Hope will all be there…you’ll be able to stop by and see us at the Chamber booth we will be giving away […]
The Chamber Minute 06/24/24
June 24th Chamber Minute In for another Bay Area Chamber Minute; it’s Rosey. The heat is finally back, Summer has officially started, kids are out of school, people are getting out and enjoying our lovely area, and we stay as busy as ever in the Summer at your Chamber Office. We are preparing for our County Fair day on July 26th where we will be giving kids Chamber Coins and be set up with a few of our members at the Chamber Booth this year. Taking Care of Business bowling event at North Bend Lanes will be August 22nd this year and planning is already underway. There are lots of fun activities to get involved with your Chamber on! We have some New member Shout-outs to cheer for, Planet Fitness, Coos Bay Coast League, Keller-Williams Coastal Real Estate Group, The Artist Loft, & Annastacia Sequoyah. Thank you for joining the Chamber, to help us advocate for businesses in Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston. A Big welcome back to Sol Coast Consulting and Design. We appreciate your support in our mission. “Our business is helping your business” July 1 Ribbon Cutting at Planet Fitness 1236 Teakwood Ave Grand Opening at […]
The Chamber Minute 06/17/24
In for another Chamber Minute, it’s Rosey. Becoming a chamber member provides you with valuable networking opportunities, enhances local connections and fosters collaborative efforts. Members who join the chamber work together on issues that matter to their area, ensuring a unified voice in advocating for the community’s economic and developmental interests. There are many reasons and benefits to being a Chamber Member, our NEWEST BENEFIT members can take advantage of, CHAMBER COINS: The Chamber staff will be handing out Chamber coins to Kids at Farmer’s Markets and Fair Days at the County Fair, These coins include a scannable QR code that brings them to a list of our participating members so the families will know where the kids can spend the coins, sending them into your locations for patronage! Call your Chamber Office today to get on the list of Chamber Coin Businesses, The participating businesses need to keep a small treat or toy or scoop of ice cream; whatever is a good fit for them. It’s one more way to drive traffic into the businesses this year. Your Chamber office is actively working for you; remember “Our Business is helping your business” and don’t forget to heart our page […]
The Chamber Minute 06/10/24
Chamber Minute Monday June 10, 2024 In For Another Chamber Minute, it’s Rosey, Your Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is working on a few things this Summer we want to keep you in the loop on. Our Ambassadors are working on starting up a mentorship program where we can work closely with New Medical Professionals in town helping them assimilate to the area, and are hosting many events, June 13th Join us for a ribbon cutting at Joy Rails at Sturdivant Park at 11am; you must sign a waiver to ride the rails so call the office if you wish to attend. Then on June 27th Business After Hours this month is at CCD Business 540 Anderson Ave in Coos Bay, Bandon Rain & Facerock Creamery will be providing drinks & hor’s-oeuvre 5-7pm. Then July 1st Planet Fitness will be having a Ribbon Cutting Grand Opening at 11am join us in welcoming them. Another Committee hard at work is our Leadership Coos Steering Committee, planning the next season of Leadership Coos, This 9-month program takes you through the ins and outs of our area giving participants an up close and personal tour of different organizations and entities in Coos County. […]
The Chamber Minute 06/03/24
June 03, 2024 In for another Chamber Minute Its Rosey, Your Chamber Team is rocking and rolling planning events with the membership, and Summer is upon us parents & our kids are getting excited for the days ahead, Your Chamber team wants you to be prepared with lots of events and ways to get out of the house and be enjoying our beautiful bay area. June 13th We have a Ribbon cutting at Joy Rails in Coquille at Sturdivant Park at 11 am. You must sign a waiver to attend this one so you know its going to be a good time. Also on June 13th our Business Builders brings you “Access to Capital” Another Free Class in the Business Building series; hear from Banner Bank, Oregon Pacific Bank, Small Business Development Center, CCD Business, & the Ford Family Foundation, all sharing important services and information crucial for businesses today, Thursday from 3-5pm at the Newmark Center 2110 Newmark avenue in North Bend, you must register at oregonsbayarea.org. Then on Saturday June 15th is the 11th Annual Golf Tournament at Coos Golf Club, check in at 8am for teams. We can’t wait to showcase our business members to the over […]
The Chamber Minute 05/20/24
Chamber Minute May 20, 2024 In for another Chamber Minute, is Rosey…New Member Shoutouts are here…Last Month we had 8 New Members sign up to join the Chamber as members to help us with our mission: Our Business is helping your business, together they know we have a collective voice working on the issues we face in our rural communities. We thank you for aiding us in that mission: Oregon Coast Music, Karen Love Baisinger, Kelly’s Home Solutions, Community Coalition of Empire, SeaLab Inc., Gary Winterholler and Energy Trust of Oregon. Welcome aboard! Together we will make Coos Bay, North Bend, & Charleston better for business! We also Graduated our 33rd class of Leaders from the Chamber’s Leadership Coos program out at the Beautiful Coos Bay Yacht Club last week with almost 35 Graduates present to receive their diplomas, and eat amazing food prepared by the Steering Committee, the Leaders shared some of their stories and talked about the programs eye-opening experiences they shared through the nine-month program. Leadership Coos is a well-loved program educating individuals about the ins and outs of our area’s different industries and agencies. Applications are coming out in June for participants: First come first serve, […]
The Chamber Minute 05/13/24
Chamber Minute 05-13 In for another Chamber Minute, it’s Rosey. May is well under way and it is warming up outside. Speaking of warming up the competition is heating up in and around Coos County for the Annual Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser June 1st at the Egyptian Theatre, where I will take on the likes of Nichole Rutherford from the City of Coos Bay where her short but mighty stature threatens to bring the moves that would shake the whole city! Stephan Pearson of Pearson properties is saying his swagger will leave everyone speechless! Andrew Brainard always the sporty dude, will be a fierce competitor too, I may have to stage a Tonya Harding thing to take him out, and I haven’t even met the other two yet…Krystle Hopper of Southwestern Oregon Community College’s STEAM program is going to try to bring the Steam…and Star of Hope’s own Danny Stoddard are all trying to beat little ol me, Your Hard-working Chamber Executive… Well, BRING IT ON GANG! Two weeks left to practice those SWEET MOVES before the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce STEALS the WHOLE STAGE June 1st…May it all bring in the dollars to help Star of Hope! […]
The Chamber Minute 05/06/24
Chamber Minute Week 2 May 6, 2024 In for another Chamber Minute, It’s Rosey, the weather tried to dampen our spirits for Bay Area Brigade’s Annual Highway 101 Clean Up, however, those dedicated sponsors, members and friends that showed up did their BEST to make a difference with fewer volunteers even in the pouring rain and I thank them! We had small but mighty teams…The Winning team; Team SWOCC was led by the SBDC’s own Derek Tonn; with over 30 bags of trash collected. Second place went to Rodger Craddock Team North Bend for 8 bags by himself and a bicycle frame! Nichole Rutherford was Captain of Team Coos Bay! Together we tackled the rain and improved the look of our area. The BBQ was wet, the BBQ wouldn’t cooperate and turned into a Pizza Party. We were so Thankful for the CB and NB Fire Departments participation as well, being National Firefighter day! Planning is well underway for our Annual Golf Tournament coming up on June 15th, so call the office today to get your Team together! Hole sponsorships and donations for prizes are needed! This is our largest fundraiser of the year; and we hope you will all […]
The Chamber Minute 04/29/24
Chamber Minute 04/29/2024 In for another Chamber minute, it’s Rosey. May has arrived, and that means most of us will be getting our ballots this week, some important things are on the ballot this year, The Chamber is supporting the Public Safety Levy and hopes the community will too. We NEED a SAFE place to call our own and we NEED a solid Public Safety system, now more than ever. Crime is on the rise, and we know we cannot leave things as they currently are. If Coos County doesn’t pass the jail levy, then the consequences will cause budget cuts all across Coos County making things much worse than they are currently. The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce works on Legislative issues that affect our businesses in Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston, CRIME always affects businesses negatively, and we know we need the funding to continue this fight. Please support the Public Safety Levy 6-213. On another note we also need to clean up Coos County in other ways, Tourist Season is coming up and we need to clean up Highway 101, Volunteers will be gathering on Saturday, May 4th for the Bay Area Brigade’s annual clean up […]
The Chamber Minute 04/23/24
04/23/2024 Chamber Minute In for another Chamber Minute it’s Rosey, This week the sun is out and we are getting excited for these Spring and Summer months, We are gearing up for our annual Bay Area Brigade to help clean up Highway 101, on May 4th at 8 am we will begin at the North Bend Fire Station and wind up at the Coos bay Fire Hall at around 11:30 for a Big BBQ by NW Natural and by North Bend Lanes Back Alley Pub. Kiwanas will be there cooking for us and Volunteers from all over will be helping the Chamber. We live in the greatest place in my opinion, and we work together to fight to keep it beautiful. Join the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for the Annual Brigade on the 4th to keep our streets beautiful. AND Crime is a SERIOUS problem in our county. We also need to work to keep it as crime-free as possible. We urge you to support the Public Safety Levy in order to have a system in place to fight crime. So PLEASE Join the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce in voting yes on ballot measure 6-213. Support can be […]
The Chamber Minute 04/15/24
04/15/2024 Chamber Minute Rosey in for another minute: It’s Tax time again, and it’s one of those words people just hate, We all really know it’s a necessary thing, and if we all didn’t do our part and pay our share then it would crumble the whole system. If we truly LOVE our Oregon’s Bay Area then we NEED to take care of her, and no matter what our past brought on us, we HAVE to do what’s necessary to make it OUR HOME again, the place we all want to be. I urge you to think about that when voting for our Public Safety Levy in May. If the county doesn’t get help from this levy then county services in our beautiful Bay Area will be cut even further, most by 15%. We cannot allow our Public Safety system to fall apart because they do not have enough money to bring on the staff they need to open up more beds at the jail, and deputy DA’s to prosecute more cases. Criminals also think there aren’t any consequences in Coos County when they commit a crime, right now they aren’t far off. We are massively underfunded and are already […]
The Chamber Minute 04/08/24
Chamber Minute April 8, 2024 Rosey in for another Chamber minute. The Bay Area Brigade is FAST approaching, only 3 Saturdays until Our BIG DAY! This Year it’s MAY 4th! May the 4th BE with US as We STRIVE TO CLEAN UP for Tourism WEEK! Lots and LOTS of VOLUNTEERS are NEEDED for the Bay Area Brigade this year, just come on down on Saturday morning to the NB Fire Station at 1880 McPherson in North Bend. We will meet at 8am starts at 8:30 There will be Three Teams, pick your favorite and HELP THEM WIN THE COVETED TRASH TROPHY! We will have donuts and coffee to get us all going! Then we will go CLEAN UP HIGHWAY 101 just in time for Tourism week once again. We NEED sponsors for Shirts and some Refreshments, Call your local Chamber office today if you can help with that. The Clean Up will wrap up around at the Coos Bay Fire Hall at 450 Elrod in Coos bay at 11:30am, where Kiwana’s Members will be BBQing food donated by North Bend Lanes Back Alley Pub & Grill & NW Natural, there will be hamburgers and Hotdogs, and much more! Prizes will […]
The Chamber Minute 04/01/24
Chamber Minute April1 2024 Here’s your Chamber Minute with Rosey, It is April Fool’s Day as I write yet another piece about your Chamber. While it’s tempting to write some funny prankster article, April Fool’s Day is just for fun, and while it is good to mix a little fun into our week, there is a lot of real stuff to do so…Down at your Chamber office we are gearing up for Next Month’s Bay Area Brigade 101 Clean Up. This Year We shall gather on May 4th at the NB Fire Station yet again to help Clean up our Highway before Tourism week. Volunteer signups are at your chamber office and will be at our WBC Wednesday Business Connection Luncheon and online at oregonsbayarea.org. We will have 3 Teams this year The Pirates, Bulldogs and the Lakers…Pick your Team, are you a BULLDOG or a North Bend sympathizer? Or do you look great in Brown? Then That’s the Team for you, Are you a SWOCC Graduate or College aficionado? Then Join the Lakers Team! The Rest of us will join the Pirates, and we all will meet at the NB Fire Station at 7:30 in the morning to get […]
The Chamber Minute 03/18/24
March 18 Chamber Minute Rosey in for another Chamber Minute, I have learned a lot about the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce these past few months as the new Executive Director. I have learned some of what it takes to keep a chamber ticking, The Paid staff and the many Volunteers it takes to work all the committees and projects the Chamber wants to be a part of each year. We have so Many quality people who have served this Chamber before me, One Such Person was Pam Cottrell. Pam was our Office manager and Leadership Coos Coordinator for over 17 years, Daily making impacts that people still talk about today, she served on many non-profit boards, including United Way of SW Oregon. She created many Chamber events while she was here such as the BACC Golf Scramble, the Passport to Charleston and the Monster Mystery Mash. We are saddened to hear about the loss of Pam Cottrell. She was a tireless champion of the Chamber of Commerce; Jolene who worked with her for years said this: “Pam was truly one of a kind, the very best and she will be missed dearly. Our thoughts and prayers are with the […]
The Chamber Minute 03/11/24
March 11, 2024 Presenting another Chamber Minute from Rosey Thomas, Our Theme this year is a Season for Change and your Bay Area Chamber Team has been proactively working areas of transformation. We have been bolstering our Chamber teams, such as our Ambassadors, who are actively seeking new members to grow their dynamic team. The Business Development team is energetically orchestrating events aimed at bringing even more opportunities for businesses and community to come together. Even our Legislative action team is diligently engaging members on the policies and issues facing local businesses; keeping members informed and polling our membership. Our Executive Committee is working to revamp the education committee and We are revamping our website for user friendly changes coming soon! In our efforts to connect with members we have been distributing our member directories and seeking valuable feedback on the changes they’d like to see in their Chamber. While the ambitious goal of delivering all those directories in a day eluded us, our journey took us to many of your businesses. If you still need a new window decal or Membership directory, please don’t hesitate to reach out, call our office or come on down to 145 Central Ave […]
The Chamber Minute 03/04/24
Bay Area Chamber Minute March 4, 2024 Happy March Everyone, We were blessed as an area to host again the 3A Basketball tournament last weekend. Many of our local businesses displayed their favorite Teams and or support for 3a Basketball with window displays, 3a basketball brings visitors and a boost for our economy every year. I saw the Amity school bus park right in front of the Chamber office and they all exited the bus to go check out the Display at H&R Block which housed their Amity Team display, I was able to go out and welcome them; They were so jazzed about all the window displays they were seeing in town. Great Job being such great hosts and really showing everyone who doesn’t live here just how hospitable Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston can be! I Saw smiles all around from the visiting people wandering by the office all week long. Here are some upcoming events from your Chamber office. March 20th WBC Wednesday Business Connection Luncheon presents: Update from the Chamber: A Season for Change, Wed 11:30 – 1pm Mill Casino Salmon Room; March 27 WBC Wednesday Business Connection Lunch presents: Kids Hope Center Julie Marshall […]
The Chamber Minute 02/26/24
In for another Chamber Minute, its Rosey. This is Leap Year and that means we get an extra 24 hours this year to do with what we see fit. Leap Day is like an extra track on your favorite album, it doesn’t come along often so when it does, we should make the most out of it. Its an extra 24 hours to fill our day with laughs, kindness, and unforgettable moments. To leap means to jump or spring a long way, or to move quickly or suddenly. Like our Chamber Teams who “leap” into action when they are needed for a member to host an event or promote something. In life, maybe we can look at this extra time as a way to remember to “take a Leap” now and then, step out of our comfort zones and act on something new, go visit a place in your town you haven’t been to yet, try a new activity, speak your mind about something, tell someone how you feel, spread some extra positivity…and Take the leap, it may be just what you needed. Sprinkle some adventure into your extra day if you can. We do not get chances like this […]
The Chamber Minute 02/19/24
Rosey’s Minute 02/19/2024 February is about Love and reminders in life on how to love better are always beneficial to me, My husband and I have been at odds over a busted old sailboat that has appeared at my home, as a “someday project” Just another “thing” to mess up my yard, like the motorhomes and other projects before it.. ugh! If you guys only knew…but on the other hand, I can see the excitement in his eyes in the way he talks about it. How can we come together on this? I guess I’ll have to look at that busted up boat a while longer, sacrificing for the greater good of my home and my marriage even though it isn’t what I wanted. Being on social media these days apparently lots of us are feeling as messed up and messy as the world seems right now. And things are indeed messed up and messy and disagreements flying, but even in these hard, weird times, it is possible to fall in love with this broken world and the broken people who currently call this place Home. It is possible to work issues together, we need to LOVE our area here, […]
The Chamber Minute 02/12/24
The Chamber Minute February 12, 2024 From The Desk of Rosey Thomas February is in mid swing at your Chamber office, and we are gearing up for our Annual Directory Distribution of our brand new Chamber Directory on February 22nd, this local book is your local list of fellow members to support and all their contact information, beautiful graphics and shots from around our area, it is an invaluable resource for many of us, however it takes many volunteers of the Chamber to visit every single Chamber member in one day, Together is how we shall accomplish this feat, Together we will be out visiting and inviting all our members & community out to our “Chilin with NW Natural Chili and Fixings After Hours from 5-7pm February 22nd at 1625 N 7th street in Coos Bay at Northwest Natural, We want to share some love and celebrate with the entire community! Together is how we should tackle all things, together is how our Chamber functions more efficiently, many chamber teams work behind the scenes such as our Legislative Action team actively reading bills and gathering information to pass onto membership, and our Business Development Team working with area Business […]
The Chamber Minute 02/05/24
Chamber Minute From the Desk of Rosey Thomas: February 5, 2024 Rosey in for another Chamber Minute: Bob More wrote some words in lieu of a speech at the Bay Area Chamber Awards Banquet, I would like to share the words of our 2023 Citizen of the Year Bob More. “I came to live in this community nearly fifty years ago with ordinary plans of raising my family, earning a living and contributing to community life. One of my goals in achieving this was to find ways I could be of service. While building and operating a restaurant was service of a sort; “food service”-I quickly became engaged in other kinds of community service such as serving on the Port of Coos Bay Advisory Committee. “Being of service” slowly evolved into my goal of being a community builder. I was determined NOT to strive for this in any grand way, but to work as much as possible flying under the radar. The reward for me all along has been in working on community problems/issues and seeing projects achieve some success. I hold the belief that, like the saying “all politics is local” the nation’s health and well-being is built at […]
The Chamber Minute 01/29/24
Chamber Minute January 29th On Saturday, January 27th The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet. We want to thank everyone who was in attendance to see the 2023 Award Winners be honored. It was a packed house as the event began, The Community Award was given first for bringing togetherness, to North Bend Main Street, Coos Bay Downtown Association, The Community Coalition of Empire, and the Charleston Merchants Association. The Prefontaine Award was given to a North Bend High School student Alex Garcia Silver. Chamber Member of the Year was presented to Tracy Pierce from North West Natural for all her efforts on multiple committees. The President’s Award this year was presented by Past President Stacy Dewater to the hiring committee for their work finding and hiring their new Executive Director Rosey Thomas. The hiring committee had 6 members awarded, Stephanie Kilmer of Southwest Regional Airport, Rick Osborn of Jackson-Osborn Insurance, Allison Richards of the CB NB Charleston Visitor and Convention Bureau, Allan Ledesma of Epuerto, Steve Nye from Engles Furniture and Tim Novotny from the Coquille Indian Tribe. Citizen of the Year Nominees for 2023 were Jay Farr, Bob More, Heidi Sauce, Rick Osborn, Terry […]
The Chamber Minute 01/15/24
Chamber Minute 01/015/2024 Rosey in for another Chamber Minute, we at the Bay Area Chamber Of Commerce have finished up our annual planning meeting for 2024 and have identified our Areas of Focus for this year. Our Marketing/Communications Team will improve our social media outreach for businesses with even more posts and shares to multiple platforms keeping your businesses in sync with each other and up to date with info at the touch of our fingertips on our devices through FB lives, You Tube and Instagram. Our Membership team will be at more NON-Chamber events throughout the year spreading visibility from your chamber office. Our Chamber Teams will focus this year in on Reestablishing our Education Committee by Springtime. And our Advocacy team will be continuing working to connect with Local representatives around the difficult topics that affect local business and exploring ways to get MORE community feedback on Key local issues to get those voices to government to give Coos County a voice in Salem. 2024 will be a Season for Change and we are at the crossroads of where brilliance meets ambition, this year’s Board of Directors is actively working to grow our reach and volume of our […]
The Chamber Minute 01/08/24
Chamber Minute 01/08/2024 January is in full swing, and we at your Bay Area Chamber of Commerce are as busy as ever. Our President’s theme this year is a Season for Change, and our President this year is Allison Richards from the Coos Bay, North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau. Allison is leading the charge of change this year and is very passionate about our area and its success going forward. We are excited to begin our annual planning this week with our board members and are well under way planning our annual Bay Area Chamber Banquet coming up on January 27th at the Mill Casino, tickets are available now online at oregonsbayarea.org and the DEADLINE to get your tickets is January 22nd. We will be honoring our Business and Citizens of the year, Chamber Member of the year, and the Community award and Prefontaine award. There will be live music and a wonderful dinner, you won’t want to miss it. The banquet is also a chance for us to honor those BACC board members stepping down and the new ones coming on board to continue the wonderful works of these volunteers who spend countless hours in the background […]
The Chamber Minute 12/29/23
The Chamber Minute This Chamber Minute is the easiest one to pick a subject for and, at the same time, the most difficult to write. After over 16 years as your Executive Director, I will step out of the leadership of your organization at the end of 2023. It has truly been my privilege to serve as your number one hired hand. I have often asked you what you are passionate about. Then I have tasked you to work that issue or opportunity. While economic times always seem challenging, we have accomplished a lot the past several years. The legislative Action Team (LAT) and our advocacy efforts have been increasingly effective. We have turned the annual awards banquet into a community celebration that folks don’t want to miss. The Wednesday Business Connection regularly is seen as a source of information and networking. We have engaged committees with working Directors and Chamber members. These include Transportation, Business Development & Support, Leadership Coos, the Ambassadors and much more. Change, that is directed with vision, can chart a course to a great future. Let’s continue to focus on your BOLD ideas! BOLD is a community defining its vision, mission and values and collaborating […]
The Chamber Minute 12/22/23
The Chamber Minute With fallen leaves clogging your gutters, frost on the windshield and Holiday Lights blazing, we begin thinking about the New Year. At the Chamber, we begin our preparation for 2024’s opportunities and successes with the annual Board planning session. For the past several years we have used your input about what you see are the most important issues facing our community, how you think the Chamber has been dealing with them and what you would like to have us address in the next year. With that information the Chamber defines its annual priorities. To ensure that businesses succeed and our community thrives in our Bay Area, the Chamber is committed to the following: Create a strong local economy Through supporting the retention and growth of existing local business, focusing on tourism opportunities, supporting industrial development in our area, facilitating new business wanting to relocate here & streamlining the state and local permitting process. Promote the Community Through using a positive area marketing message both internally and externally, promoting Oregon’s Adventure Coast, by collaborating with other agencies on product/area branding and by supporting the area’s visitor centers. Provide Networking Opportunities The Chamber is the hub of information […]
The Chamber Minute 12/15/23
The Chamber Minute I love stories so let me share a special one with you! After several days of maneuvers in bad weather, a US Navy battleship confronted problems in the dark. A lookout reported to the bridge, describing a light he saw off the starboard bow. When the Captain realized the two vessels were cutting a collision course, he sent a message, “we are on a collision course. Advise you change course 20 degrees”. The distant light flashed a return message, “advisable for you to change course 20 degrees”. The battleship captain sent, “I am a captain! Change course 20 degrees”. “I am a seaman second class, you had better change course 20 degrees”. The enraged captain sent, “I am a battleship, change course 20 degrees”. Came the reply, “I am a lighthouse”. The battleship immediately changed course. Effective leaders know how to change course in the face of those lighthouse realities. You are all leaders, whether it is in the family, business or community. Leaders who were faced with more change and opportunity this past couple years and will see more challenges in 2024. The main opportunity is the mutual support of our friends and neighbors. In the […]
The Chamber Minute 12/08/23
The Chamber Minute. I rolled into the Coos Bay area in August 1972 in my new Pinto. I had been hired as a technical forester for the Weyerhaeuser operations. At that time the company had over 1,500 employees in its two mills, two logging terminals and support staff. Jobs abounded in the area, from many sources. Both individuals and businesses shared the confidence that they could meet any community challenge or need. The recession of the early 80’s was inflation based and almost totally killed off new housing starts, with a predictable effect on the area’s timber industry. Many jobs, good jobs, disappeared as did those in service suppliers to the industry. That produced a change in attitude by many seeing themselves victimized by forces out of their control. For the last thirty-five years, we have worked diligently to become an “overnight” success. During that time, while the focus was on big opportunities, there have been a wealth of small and medium sized successes. So, let’s look at those area successes. Leading the parade are the many young entrepreneurs with new businesses like Seven Devils Brewery, Painted Zebra Boutique and Time Bomb Exchange, to mention a few. Add to this […]
The Chamber Minute 12/01/23
The Chamber Minute Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 4, Gain a voice in government. Country singer Aaron Tippin had a song a few years ago entitled, “You got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”. Our Legislative Action Team (LAT) takes that to heart. It’s important for your Chamber to promote those things which give us a positive economic climate to grow your business and create a healthy community for your family, while also taking a stand against those bills that would harm its future. The LAT has actively participated in every legislative session since 2011. In the 2023 long session, they tracked and worked the bills in support of the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC) Legislative Agenda. While we have not been successful in every fight, the Chambers of Commerce in Oregon, are having an impact in Salem. The LAT, over the past few years, has developed a strong relationship with our legislators through the OSCC Chamber Day at the capitol, twice monthly teleconferences with them which we sponsor with the college, and direct contact with them and their offices. During the session, our Team meets as many times as necessary, each month, […]
The Chamber Minute 11/24/23
The Chamber Minute The annual Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet is set for Saturday, January 27th. Besides acknowledging the Officers, Board members, and Committee Chairs for the past year, and introducing the members who will serve in those roles for the upcoming year, we have a variety of awards and recognitions which truly make this a community celebration. We’ll talk more about the banquet as the time gets closer, but one of the main events of the evening, we need your help with right now. Citizen of the Year is an honor that is given to a member of our community, who, by consistently giving of their time, energy and resources, has made Oregon’s Bay Area a better place to live. For 2023 that award went to Pam Plummer. She has served on the Boards of United Way and SCDC, the Bay Area Health District Finance committee, the Coos County Urban Renewal budget committee and much much more. She is an active participant of every board she is part of. In the United Way that included enlisting her family for working the clean up days. She is a former Chamber President who didn’t miss a beat in her involvement as […]
The Chamber Minute 11/17/23
The Chamber Minute Another school year is moving forward. As we emerge from the COVID times, promoting education has been a challenge for teachers, parents and children. Can you imagine having to face all those needed changes at school, in the past couple years, to simply be able to learn? Kids are resilient. One rainy Saturday afternoon my wife was standing in line at a local grocery store with three little, blonde haired, blue lipped girls behind her. They were very concerned about how much their groceries were going to cost. They had two packs of hot dogs and a half gallon of chocolate mint ice cream. They continued to ask the checker how much this would be. He said, “Girls, I believe you’ll get eighteen cents back.” My wife asked, “Girls, are you having a party?” “Nope”, replied the oldest. “Our mom’s been sick so we decided to make her supper. We’ll have hot dogs and ice cream.” They had spent the afternoon washing windows and picking up cans to pay for their dinner. Despite what you read or hear, there is nothing wrong with the basic fiber of today’s kids. It’s our responsibility to help that spirit grow […]
The Chamber Minute 11/10/23
The Chamber Minute When I entered the work “initiative” into my computer, I got a definition. When I typed “finishative” into it, I’m told it isn’t a word. But it should be. The two words are defined as follows, initiative: the first step, the act of setting a process in motion, the ability or willingness to take the lead. Finishative: the last step, the act of completing, the willingness to take a project or mission to its logical conclusion in optimum time. Both of these are essential to character, to growth and success in an individual, and for successful community development. Too often, folks aimlessly wander through life and end up with a load of guilt and regrets because of the many things they wanted to do but never got around to start. Others wind up with the same guilt and regrets because they had dreams, with some initiative, started many projects but never finished most of what they began. This community can grow if our leaders will genuinely take the lead, exercise wisdom and initiative in getting work underway; if citizens involve themselves willingly to accomplish it and if all will focus on finishiative. While there are many ways […]
The Chamber Minute 11/03/23
The Chamber Minute Isn’t it amazing how quickly time passes and what is important to community life changes? Do you remember Snappy Service #6 or the Emporium at Pony Village or Western Auto in downtown Coos Bay? Change, that is directed with vision, can chart a course to a great future. Let’s continue to focus on those BOLD ideas! BOLD is a community defining its vision, mission and values and collaborating with civic officials and leaders throughout the community to come together for the success of the Bay Area. Our community has survived because of the passion of the people that live here. Where would this area be without the John Whitty’s, the Louie Simpson’s, the Joanne Verger’s or dozens of others throughout our history. Where would this community be without all of us that care enough about it to come to activities like EOF or WBC, and learn what opportunities and challenges are facing our economy in the future, so that we can plan to succeed? You are all leaders. Everyone plays an important role in this community. It’s our time to come together with a common vision for, and a common voice defining, what our home is and […]
The Chamber Minute 10/27/23
The Chamber Minute You’re probably familiar with the children’s book, Stone Soup by Marcia Brown. There are a few versions of the story, but the common one is about two hungry soldiers who stop at a village with an empty cooking pot. The villagers won’t share any of their food with the soldiers, so they decide to fill the pot with water and a magic stone. Of course, the villagers are curious and eventually add various ingredients to the pot, which creates a delicious soup. There was a need, a unique solution was used and all worked together to create the success. Coming out of the past few years of COVID restrictions, there is an even greater need in our community for likeminded folks to gather, look for dynamic ways to meet our needs and work as a together to get it done. Last year the downtown merchants in North Bend, led by an imaginative and energetic group of women, wanted to get folks back to shopping and celebrating their community. Instead of simply talking, they created events for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day that were good times, well attended and profitable for all. You have seen those efforts continue […]
The Chamber Minute 10/20/23
The Chamber MInute Wasn’t wonderful to turn the TV on Wednesday November 9th last year and not see a single political ad? The elections were over, our new leaders set to take office and the work of moving our communities down the pathway to success began again. As you have seen over the last year, for them to achieve what we need to happen here, however, required our skills, dedication and time. You don’t have to hold a position to be a leader. You are all leaders, whether it is in the family, business or community. Leaders who were faced with change and opportunity this past couple years. and will see more challenges in the remainder of this year and into the next. The main opportunity is the mutual support of our friends and neighbors. In the Chamber we call that networking. So, as we face life’s realities together, how can you help? What is your unique talent? Your Chamber has a spot where you, and only you, have the ability to make things happen. Each person, on your team, has their strengths, issues and special interests. Those are molded into a working body which gets things done by you, […]
The Chamber Minute 10/13/23
The Chamber Minute We live in an area rich in natural resources with our forests, sand dunes and ocean. Why 85% of Coos County is forest land. So, it makes a lot of sense that your Chamber would have a Natural Resources Team. Before the pandemic, our team held a joint monthly meeting with the Douglas Timber Operators. We are scheduling both our own sessions and joining with DTO as it has revived its coos county meetings. Those sessions, and our present gatherings, have an educational and action focus on current resource management plans and issues. In the past couple years, we have dealt with the Western Oregon State management plan, a proposal from the Dunes National Recreation Area concerning off-highway route designations, the State’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) process and wildfire protection funding on a statewide basis, just to name a few. But we don’t only have a tree focus. The Team supports the local STEP programs, and especially the Coos Basin Salmon Derby which takes place each September. These programs not only provide hands on fishery education for our students and increase fish stocks in the region, but also bring many tourism dollars to the area. We monitor […]
BACC BEEF DRAWING
Roseburg Forest Products is showing their support once again by donating a 4H Auctioned Beef to the BACC, THANK YOU!!! You’ll have two chances to win! Both winners will receive a side of beef -that’s over 300 pounds of locally raised, butchered, and wrapped beef! We’ll be selecting two winners during the BACC Annual Economic Outlook Forum which is scheduled for December 8, 2023. You do not need to be present to win. To purchase a ticket: Contact any BACC Staff or Board Member. Tickets are $20 a piece and only 200 tickets are sold; so your chances of winning are pretty good!
The Chamber Minute 10/06/23
The Chamber Minute To ensure that business succeeds and thrives in the Bay Area and key community projects facilitated, the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) is committed to the following Strategic Objectives: Create a strong local economy Through supporting the retention and growth of existing local business, focusing on tourism opportunities, supporting industrial development in our area, facilitating new business wanting to relocate here & streamlining the state and local permitting process. Promote the Community Through using a positive area marketing message both internally and externally, promoting Oregon’s Adventure Coast, by collaborating with other agencies on product/area branding and by supporting the area’s visitor centers. Provide Networking Opportunities The Chamber is the hub of information for business & community, utilizing events like Business after Hours, Wednesday Business Connection, the Economic Outlook Forum, the Chamber Awards Banquet and more, to spread that word, while providing time for businesses to connect. Represent Business Issues By advocating for business issues at all levels of government, continuing to research and take positions on issues important to business and community, and by strengthening lobbying efforts with the state. Build a strong Chamber Engage new & active members in our committee activities and events; provide […]
The Chamber Minute 09/29/23
The Chamber Minute When I first ran for city council, many years ago, I was looking for a way to convey the commitment and energy I thought a councilor should have. While looking through a local antique store, I found a large and colorful early ‘40s book on the Little Red Hen. As you recall she found some wheat grains. She then asked for help in planting, tending, harvesting, processing and baking the product. But she found no one was interested in working to get the prize—warm fresh bread. So she did it herself and made a difference. That’s the attitude of success. Your Bay Area Chamber has a whole flock of little red hens and roosters. We are truly benefiting by the “mountains of bread” they are producing. The Legislative Action Team, hardworking and successful in prior sessions, actively participated in the 2023 Legislative long session to promote business and community. The issues were tracked daily as the LAT worked with the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce lobby team to have an impact, used the VoterVoice system to convey our positions to those in Salem and built a strong working relationship with our legislators though video conferencing twice monthly […]
The Chamber Minute 09/22/23
The Chamber Minute Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 2, Increase your visibility in the community. As a business person, one of the most important things you do is to get the word out about what you produce, its excellent value, your great staff and where you can be found. In today’s world they call that being visible. As a member, your contact information is in our annual Business Directory and Community Profile. We produce 5,000 copies each year which are well distributed locally and regionally. Additionally, you are listed on our website, available to those who are seeking your products or services. We also regularly post your announcements to our Facebook page. In this post COVID-19 world, we are, once again, offering all of our networking opportunities. For example our Business after Hours programs, which will make you the focus of an evening on the last Thursday of each month, with two hours to acquaint everyone with what makes you special. Spots are open in our 2024 schedule. Also, our Wednesday Business Connection (WBC) luncheons started again in September and run through May 2024. They give you many opportunities to promote yourself. Whether it’s the open mic […]
The Chamber Minute 09/15/23
The Chamber Minute A community tradition was born in 1987 when the Friends of Shore Acres decided to “string a few lights” to help celebrate the holidays. That first season, 6,000 miniature lights, one large Christmas tree, and the decorated Garden House drew 9,000 visitors. Now in its 36th year of bringing magic to the Coast, Holiday Lights with 325,000 LED lights – many decorated Christmas trees, lighted sculptures, entertainment in the pavilion, and a beautifully decorated Garden House draws 40,000 to 50,000 visitors each season. Inside the Garden House, scrolls of names are a tribute to business supporters and the more than 1,500 volunteers who make it happen. So beginning Thanksgiving day through the entire month of December, plan to make the trip to Shore Acres for Holiday Lights. Make sure you visit the Friends of Shore Acres website and sign up for the timed entry reservation information. These will cut down those long traffic lines to get into the lights each. Also, don’t forget to sign the registry in the Garden House and enjoy the free hot spiced cider and cookies. But why bring that up now? Well Saturday October 14th the light stringing at Shore Acres starts and […]
The Chamber Minute 09/08/23
The Chamber Minute It’s Fall! Our thoughts turn to the college football, cleaning gutters and getting ready for visitors. Isn’t it amazing to have pumpkins, turkey and Santa Claus in just over 60 days? Who do you expect to see for that family dinner or your tradition of storm or whale watching? So people travel, even in the Fall. If you think your business isn’t a tourist related business, think again. In 2022 Coos County visitors spent $36 million on entertainment and recreation. They spent over $30 million in retail stores and another $28 million in grocery stores. In total, visitors spent some $296 million in Coos County and guess what, it’s your employees that keep them coming back. Remember when a person who had one bad experience used to tell 10 other people about it? Over fifteen years ago, Travel Oregon estimated that each bad experience cost a community $20,000. With Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools, imagine what that costs equates to today. Now imagine what great experiences can do for your business. Visitors spend more and stay longer if they feel welcome. Consumers will pay 10% more for a product or service from businesses that offers […]
The Chamber Minute 09/01/23
The Chamber Minute Last week we talked about how you can make a difference in our local business climate by working on one of your chamber’s teams. We didn’t get through all the opportunities at that time, so let me introduce you to more of them. Marketing & Communication—this team reviews and revises all means of communication, to include website, social media, press releases, radio and others to ensure that our message gets out successfully. They also enable us to tell the Chamber’s story of local value impact in the community and businesses. Membership Development—has been active this past year with new member recognition opportunities, developing personal contacts with all members, and reinforcing the value and benefits of membership to maintain a strong and viable organization. Workforce & Education—provides support to our local schools so they have the resources to help students achieve their dreams and become productive adults, by improving communication with business community, monitoring school performance, recognizing teacher excellence, exposing students to careers and job opportunities and enhancing facilities. Additionally, in 2020, they established an scholarship program for area students. Events—Plans and coordinates activities that raise funds while also providing great times to meet, greet and enjoy your […]
The Chamber Minute 08/11/23
The Chamber Minute Isn’t it amazing how quickly time passes and what is important to community life changes? Do you remember Western Auto or the Emporium or the Hub in downtown Coos Bay? Change, that is directed with vision, can chart a course to a great future. In a study about nations, it was asked, is a nation’s positive image of its future a function of its success or is its success a function of its positive image of its future? What they found was, in all cases, significant vision preceded significant success. Many nations began their climb to greatness without the right resources, population base or strategic advantages. What they did have was a detailed, extensive and significant vision of what they could become. This is also true about communities, businesses and even you. So, how about helping detail our vision for Oregon’s Bay Area. What are the most noticeable differences you would like to see here in the next 10 years? What would be different? How will the population mix differ from what it is now? What lifestyle changes have taken place? How will these differences affect your city? How will local government be different? What would it […]
The Chamber Minute 08/04/23
The Chamber Minute Folks talk about this time of year being the dog days, a period of inactivity in the hot summertime. But unless that dog is a racing greyhound, that’s not the way your chamber sees August. This is a big month for organizing, planning and setting the stage for our many activities that fill the fall. Let me share a few of those with you. Taking Care of Business XIII, (our bowling fundraiser) will be held Thursday August 24th at North Bend Lanes. It will be a great night of fun, fellowship, marginal bowling and so much more. Leadership Coos is finalizing its 34th class, and completing the program logistics to start on September 12th. The annual Board of Directors election for seven spots covering the term of 2024-2026, is working through the nomination process in preparation for a September election. The Wednesday Business Connection will return on Wednesday September 6th in the Salmon room at the Mill. We are currently scheduling speakers for the entire WBC season. The Business Development & Support Team is currently developing an set of six Business Builders presentations, beginning in January 2024, to enhance your operations. The 31st Economic Outlook Forum is […]
The Chamber Minute 07/21/23
The Chamber Minute. A while ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time in Washington D. C. Although most of what I did was work, I did end up with a few hours to look around. I went through the Capitol Building and saw historic chambers used for the Supreme Court and the early House of Representatives. I also sat in the Senate Chamber. While listening to the debate, I looked at the ancient desks and thought of the multitudes of issues that have been argued over them. I also found a lot of other things in our Nation’s capitol. Weather was marginal, people were often very abrupt and prices were out of this world. It was good to get home. We are truly blessed to live on the Oregon Coast where our surroundings are beautiful, our weather is wonderful year round, and the people you meet on the street actually talk to you. If we love this community, we must work to keep it and improve it for tomorrow. We work, often as volunteers. Volunteers addressing issues that we feel are important. What needs do you see? Let me encourage you to find your answer and do something. […]
The Chamber Minute 07/14/23
The Chamber Minute As I mentioned last week, every year, about this time, I conduct a one on one conversation with each of the 21 members of the Chamber Board. The purpose is to get their sense of where the organization is at and where it’s headed. I shared some of those insights with you on three of the five subject areas already. Here are the last two. Improvements & Opportunities • We need consistency in our activities • Chamber has changed this year with new fresh ideas. So many initiatives and goals to educate and interact with members and the community, makes me very excited. • Sharing of goals and projects, that take time, are important for success • There is new vision with a push to digital with video proposed and more interactive connections. That’s important as people doing business here don’t always live here. • We have done a lot of changes lately • Need to understand how to get more folks more engaged. • We offer lots of good ideas floating around for positive change • Like the new ideas like the business education proposal, uniting the SBDC, BBSi , Cardinal and more to focus on […]
The Chamber Minute 07/07/23
The Chamber Minute Every year, about this time, I conduct a one on one conversation with each of the 21 elected members of the Chamber Board which we call Director Chats. The purpose is to get their sense of where the organization is at and where it’s headed. Let me share some of those insights with you through their own comments. Board Relationships and Expectations Like being part of an organization that makes a difference in the community. It provides networking opportunities and activities. Involvement, or rather lack of involvement, by some directors needs to change I like the Chamber overall, as we have an active board who don’t work a personal agenda. One of the real values of the Chamber is building relationships with folks I wouldn’t normally interact with. The Chamber Executive committee is a great place to grow in responsibility and effective work. Likes the mix of generations on the Board. The Board is like a community within itself. They are a group of amazing individuals which I’m glad to be part of. Chamber Committees & Events Really enjoy serving on the Leadership Coos Board. After hours is a real benefit for new members The Chamber stands […]
The Chamber Minute 06/30/23
The Chamber Minute Summer is finally here! After you’ve celebrated our independence with fireworks at the Mill Casio on July 3rd followed with the fireworks display in downtown Coos Bay on July 4th and before you head out on a vacation, take a look at all the things going on at home, just in the month of July. The little Theatre on the Bay hosts great country music at the Little Ole Opry, weekends from July 8th through July 30th. North Bend holds their quarterly Sip & Stroll on Friday night the 21st with the proceeds going to the Main Street program to continue to deliver Community Main Street events. The 44th annual Oregon Coast Music festival kicks off with a free concert at Mingus Park Saturday July 15th followed by performances at different venues through July to the 299h. Saturday July 22nd at noon, there is another free concert of Celtic music and Dancing in the gardens at Shore Acres. This year, why not see all the performances. The active month concludes with the Coos County Fair in Myrtle Point with food, rides, animals, and another parade on Saturday the 29th. Let’s not forget to mention the Apple pie […]
The Chamber Minute 06/23/23
The Chamber Minute As I have mentioned before, I like stories, so let me share another true one with you. Eleven year old Preston Sharp was with his mom at the cemetery, visiting and decorating his grandfather’s grave, who was a veteran. As he looked around, he realized that not every veteran had a flag at his marker, and that disappointed and made Preston angry. Several hours later, he was still harping on it. His mom said, “Son, if you are going to complain about something, you either have to do something about it or let it go.” Next thing she knew, Preston was taking odd jobs and soliciting donations to buy flags and flowers for every veteran in his grandpa’s cemetery. And when that cemetery was covered, he moved onto another, and then another. In his first two years some 23,000 graves were decorated. Now when word gets out Preston will be at a cemetery, a lot of folks feel compelled to join in. It is a movement of young and old, of those who served themselves and those who are so grateful they did, all led by this little pied piper of patriotism who saw an injustice and […]
The Chamber Minute 06/16/23
Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 5, Make Business Contacts. As a business person, one of the most important things you do is to get the word out about what you produce, its excellent value, your great staff and where you can be found. At the Chamber of Commerce our purpose is to get people together to promote the development of a healthy economic and social climate. This past couple years, with the dominance of the pandemic, we all had to find ways to make those connections virtually, and this past year we returned to actual gatherings. Almost 30 years ago, a group of Chamber businesses and the college got together to propose an event that would inform us about the developments on the national, state and regional economic fronts and celebrate local efforts and successes throughout the past year. Through that effort the Economic Outlook Forum was launched. This past December, the Forum was totally in person, once again, with an outstanding community participation. This year will be our 31st session with special return of keynote John Mitchell. The annual Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet is traditionally held the last Saturday in January. Besides acknowledging the Officers, […]
The Chamber Minute 06/09/23
The Chamber Minute The Chamber is led by a Board of 21 Directors, chosen from its membership. Each year, in September, about 1/3 of them are up for election, for a new three year term. So what does a board member do? Your Chamber board determines policies and sets goals aimed at improving the well being of our community. They team with other directors in developing a program of work, through the Chamber, that gives the community the greatest opportunity for growth and prosperity. You must believe strongly in the problem solving powers that are created when people are mobilized for action. Board members are doers, not just policy makers. They lead by example. They all serve on at least one of the Action Teams, like Tourism or Business Development & Support , or Leadership Coos, or Transportation or the Legislative Action team, just to name a few. They encourage other members to actively participate as well. They ensure the Team has clearly defined objectives to meet its responsibilities and challenges. They also have fun. Your community has succeeded as a result of people working together. Your Chamber of Commerce provides the perfect mechanism for continued community cooperation and success. […]
The Chamber Minute 06/02/23
The Chamber Minute Welcome, almost, to the summer of 2023. Today we are going to focus on Gratitude. So, what is it? Gratitude is showing appreciation for and returning kindness. What experiences have you had which you are grateful for? Did you express that gratitude? I know for me, one such person was my scoutmaster Mr. Follas. He taught me the basic elements of working as a team, striving for excellence and how to lead. As an adult I had the chance to convey my appreciation to him, which made all the difference for him and for me. Let me share a story with you about a veteran’s car and a son’s keepsake. Justin Rozier of Moore, Texas, really cherished anything his father once had. As he approached getting a driving permit, he mentioned to his mother that he would really like any vehicle his dad once owned. Dad was an army officer killed in Iraq when Justin was 9 months old. His mom was forced to sell dad’s 1999 Celica to help make ends meet. While there was not much hope in finding it after all these years, she thought she had to try. As she said, “I have […]
The Chamber Minute 05/26/23
The Chamber Minute In the early days of my time in North Bend city government, as we looked for opportunities, I found myself thinking “if only” we had the assets of the County we could really get something done. What I quickly found was the County was saying the same thing about the State and the State was saying the same thing about the Federal government. I was reminded of an old hymn called “Brighten the Corner where you are”. Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do, Do not wait to shed your light afar; To the many duties ever near you now be true, Brighten the corner where you are. Your big time is now and this is your stage to make a difference on. For many years we had a formal Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Each May they had annual RSVP Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. It was there we acknowledged that these folks had given over 100,000 hours of volunteer time to your community. While RSVP is gone, the volunteer service continues. So what does that do? It makes our area viable. We could not afford to pay for those services. […]
The Chamber Minute 05/12/23
The Chamber Minute. A dream changing movie, for many of my generation, was Smokey and the Bandit. It introduced us to the Pontiac Trans Am. For over 25 years following that movie, I collected articles, pictures and books on the TA. I watched its styles and horsepower change. Finally, I found a late model in perfect shape, low miles and a great price. To everyone’s surprise, I brought it. At long last, a dream realized. Over the years, your Chamber has been the source of many dreams realized. Leadership Coos was formed to educate community members to the many facets of our area. In its nine months, participants learn facts, find services and discover opportunities they never knew existed in our area. It also had a goal to help produce the next set of community leaders. Today you find its graduates leading local business, government and agencies. The Ambassadors are the Red-coated welcoming team that greets dignitaries, cuts ribbons at grand openings and hosts Business after Hours each month. In the past 18 months they have focused on expanding the success, outreach and impact of those events. They are building their team membership to be even more effective in the […]
The Chamber Minute 05/05/23
The Chamber Minute Another school year is coming to an end. As we emerge from these COVID times, promoting education has been a challenge for teachers, parents and children. Can you imagine having to face all those needed changes at school, in the past couple years, to simply be able to learn? Kids are resilient. One rainy Saturday afternoon my wife was standing in line at a local grocery store with three little, blonde haired, blue lipped girls behind her. They were very concerned about how much their groceries were going to cost. They had two packs of hot dogs and a half gallon of chocolate mint ice cream. They continued to ask the checker how much this would be. He said, “Girls, I believe you’ll get eighteen cents back.” My wife asked, “Girls, are you having a party?” “Nope”, replied the oldest. “Our mom’s been sick so we decided to make her supper. We’ll have hot dogs and ice cream.” They had spent the afternoon washing windows and picking up cans to pay for their dinner. Despite what you read or hear, there is nothing wrong with the basic fiber of today’s kids. It’s our responsibility to help that […]
The Chamber Minute 04/28/23
The Chamber Minute I love stories so let me share a special one with you! After several days of maneuvers in bad weather, a US Navy battleship confronted problems in the dark. A lookout reported to the bridge, describing a light he saw off the starboard bow. When the Captain realized the two vessels were cutting a collision course, he sent a message, “we are on a collision course. Advise you change course 20 degrees”. The distant light flashed a return message, “advisable for you to change course 20 degrees”. The battleship captain sent, “I am a captain! Change course 20 degrees”. “I am a seaman second class, you had better change course 20 degrees”. The enraged captain sent, “I am a battleship, change course 20 degrees”. Came the reply, “I am a lighthouse”. The battleship immediately changed course. Effective leaders know how to change course in the face of those lighthouse realities. You are all leaders, whether it is in the family, business or community. Leaders who were faced with more change and opportunity this past couple years and will see more challenges in 2023. The main opportunity is the mutual support of our friends and neighbors. In the […]
The Chamber Minute 04/21/23
National Tourism week is May 7th through May 13th. Since we have company coming, the 101 Clean Up Brigade is back. It has been organized, by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, to clean up Highway 101 on Saturday April 29th. We have the highway broken into areas to be covered by the trash teams. At 8:00 am, Saturday, we will all gather in the north gravel parking lot at the Mill Casino—Hotel & RV Park to register. There will be a limited amount of gloves, tools and collection containers, so if you those please plan to bring them. From there you will travel to your clean up section and gather that debris from 9 am to noon. When your three-hour shift is done, everyone will head back to our point of beginning at the Mill’s north parking lot for a hot dog lunch, provided by our friends at the Mill Casino. Look for the Yurt. Also the awarding of the Trash Trophy will take place to that team that found and collected the most litter of any form. The day of clean up is finished with a Taking out the Trash Parade at 1 pm. If you don’t have […]
The Chamber Minute 04/14/23
Have you ever wondered what a city councilor really does? Did you know that Coos County is Oregon’s leading producer of cranberries? Were you aware of the many opportunities for good live theater and music productions in our area? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in the Chamber’s Leadership Coos program. Leadership Coos is an excellent way to see the total picture of what this area is about. Whether you have lived here all your life or just arrived in Oregon’s Bay Area, in the nine months of Leadership Coos you will learn facts, find services and discover opportunities you never knew existed. You also share time with a diverse group of professionals who make up your class, those giving presentations and the Leadership Coos committee members who were always on hand to direct the process. One day per month from September through May participants attend seminars, tours and briefings which show them the issues and opportunities within our community and challenge them to become involved in the political or community organizations that match their interest. Monthly subjects, for example, range from Natural Resources & Agriculture, the historic foundation of our economy, to How we […]
The Chamber Minute 04/07/23
I love stories and Steve Hartman recently shared a great one that is worth repeating. Enterprise, Alabama, is in the southern part of the state. All aspects of the town’s income have always revolved around agriculture. They grew cotton for generations. In the teens of the last century the boll weevil was sweeping through the South. It almost totally destroyed the cotton industry, which was the case in Enterprise. Today if you visit the city, however, you will find a monument in the town center dedicated to the Boll Weevil. Why do you suppose that is the case? When faced with something which was ruining their life, they turned to others to help come up with a response. Their agricultural support community suggested planting peanuts, instead of cotton. Peanuts are the basis of their economic security today. The farms thrive as does the town. But without that weevil they would have never found this new future. Their focus was “when adversity comes your way don’t quit”. As one door is shut, another is open to you. How many Boll Weevil moments have we faced, and continue to face, as a community? And still we grow so many types of tourism, […]
The Chamber Minute 03/31/23
Customer service is key to the vitality of our community. Businesses strive every day to not only meet, but exceed their customer’s needs. Have you had an outstanding customer service experience at a local store or restaurant that made you want to tell everyone about it? It’s that kind of service the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce likes to honor each quarter with its 5 Star Customer Service Awards. The nominations will be evaluated by the Chamber’s Executive committee. Quarterly awards will be revealed at our weekly Wednesday Business Connection luncheons. A yearly award for outstanding customer service will be chosen from the year’s winners and given at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet. However, that there will not be any awards for each quarter and the year without your nominations. Selection criteria include, but are not limited to: 1. A commitment to customer service. A consistent commitment to customer service. With demonstrable pride in, and ownership of, that organizational culture by all employees. 2. Customer follow up and product satisfaction. The organization should consistently request and listen to feedback from its customers. With that information they strive to improve their service and the experience for the […]
The Chamber Minute 03/24/23
A few years ago Portland State University came out with its population projections for the next 25 years for all communities in Oregon. For Coos County they predicted 25 years of no growth. Having suffered with over 30 years of little growth, I’m not inclined to accept that future and I hope you are not either. It is truly time for a new path. The people of Manitoba felt the same concern about 11 years ago and found no solace in their elected leaders and their game plan. Hence arose, from the people, Manitoba BOLD and more. So, what is your BOLD idea for Oregon’s Bay Area and Coos County? BOLD is a community defining its vision, mission and values and collaborating with civic officials and leaders throughout the community to come together for the success of Coos County. Our area has survived because of the passion of the people that live here. Where would Oregon’s Bay Area be without the John Whitty’s, the Louie Simpson’s, the Gordon Ross’s or dozens of others throughout our history. Where would this county be without all of you? You are all leaders in some way. Everyone in this community plays a role in […]
The Chamber Minute 03/17/23
Have you been to the Wednesday Business Connection lately? Well chances are some of your friends have, since 207 of you participated in our four sessions in February. We had a good mix of variety at WBC with the annual presentation of Arin Carmack from Cardinal Services, Marie Simonds on the work of the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, Stephanie Kilmer on our commercial airport operations and the latest information on the Elliott State Research Forest proposal. March has continued our variety of information with Brian Moore, CEO, of Bay Area Hospital sharing their challenges with service operations and Michael Gordon, CPA, alerting business to a significant issue impacting you. In the remainder of March you will hear an update on the containerized cargo project planned for the North Spit of Coos Bay, followed with insights about the Small Business Development Center at the College and how it can help your business and finally the Coquille Tribe will share the latest status of their work, with ODFW, on saving and promoting the salmon population in the Coquille River system. WBC offers you the chance (September through May) to network with others, promote your business or event with the weekly open […]
The Chamber Minute 03/10/23
It’s almost Spring! Our thoughts turn to the daffodils, baseball and getting ready for visitors. Isn’t it amazing how your spirits rise with all that late afternoon daylight? Who do you expect to see enjoying our beaches, sand dunes, mountain bike trails or bistros? Seems like most people begin to travel in the Spring time. If you think your business isn’t a tourist related business, think again. In 2019 Coos County visitors spent $43 million on entertainment and recreation. They spent over $30 million in retail stores and another $26 million in grocery stores. In total, visitors spent some $277 million in Coos County and guess what, it’s your employees that keep them coming back. Remember when a person who had one bad experience used to tell 10 other people about it? Some 20 years ago, Travel Oregon estimated that each bad experience cost a community $20,000. With Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools, imagine what that costs equates to today. Now imagine what great experiences can do for your business. Visitors spend more and stay longer if they feel welcome. Consumers will pay 10% more for a product or service from businesses that offer great customer service. Also, […]
The Chamber Minute 02/17/23
In these challenging times, as we focus on our friends and neighbors, I have had an experience, that I’d like to share with you. A local church started a free clothing give away always prior to school starting. It had become an annual tradition with them for many years until COVID hit in 2020. The clothes must be good, as some used to camp out the night before to be first in line. The real story of what went on was the people. So let me share a few of those with you from a couple years back. A little girl, after looking at the shoes available, exclaimed, “Oh mama, they don’t have any holes”. A man thanked the women that were working in the program saying, “did you do this before?” “yes, we had a similar program last year”. “I guess I didn’t notice last year because I had my mill job and everything was all right. This year I’m being retrained at SWOCC to be a welder. So far I haven’t lost my house or car. I got the kids coats for the winter, but I burnt holes in mine at class and haven’t had the money to […]
The Chamber Minute 02/10/23
At a workshop I was coordinating, to supplement the biographical information for each speaker, I asked them, “Who was your childhood hero”. The results were interesting and enlightening. One said, “The Lone Ranger, as he always wore the white hat and also worked out of tough situations with grace.” An OSU professor commented, “I think I was too busy being a kid to have a real childhood hero other than a few of the larger-than-life figures like John F. Kennedy, the early astronauts or the Beatles. But in reflection as an adult, the no contest winners in this category are my parents. Basically their courage, very hard work, and sacrifices gave me the extraordinary opportunity of living in the USA and getting a first class education. You see, my parents emigrated here from eastern Europe with little more than a couple of suitcases. As I get older hardly a day passes when I don’t think about how fortunate I’ve been and it all traces back to the two heroes who are my parents”. One response was somewhat different. “I always felt that most heroes were common folks in the right place at the right time faced with having to […]
The Chamber Minute 02/03/23
Wow, did we have a great evening this past Saturday with the Bay Area Chamber Awards Banquet—Together We Create Opportunity! Besides acknowledging the Officers, Board members, and Committee Chairs for the past year, and introducing the members who will serve in those roles for the upcoming year, we had a variety of awards and recognitions which truly made this a community celebration. Citizen of the year is an honor given to a member of our community who, by consistently giving of their time, energy and resources, has made Oregon’s Bay Area a better place to live. For 2022 that award was given to Pam Plummer. Our Citizen of the year, while actively serving on a variety of local boards and committees, has focused much of her community volunteer work on the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce programs and projects. She is a former Chamber President who didn’t miss a beat in her involvement as she left that role. Pam headed and revitalized the Business Development team, Marketing and Communication and stepped into the role of Chamber Treasurer to revamp and simplify our procedures. Pam leads by example and invites you come along. The Business of the Year award is given […]
2023 Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet 01/28/23
The Chamber Banquet Celebrates Excellence in 2022 and Opportunities for 2023 All enjoyed a great evening this past Saturday at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet—Together We Create Opportunity! Wonderful food, entertainment featuring the cast of Matilda the Musical from LTOB and a variety of awards and recognitions which truly make this a community celebration. Citizen of the year is an honor given to a member of our community who, by consistently giving of their time, energy and resources, has made Oregon’s Bay Area a better place to live. For 2022 that award was given to Pam Plummer. Pam is the definition of community service. She has served on the Boards of United Way and SCDC, the Bay Area Health District Finance committee and much much more. She is a former Chamber President who didn’t miss a beat in her involvement as she left the presidency. She was chair of an active Business Development committee and later chair of the Marketing and Communication team which developed a new website, expanded our social media presence and looked for other ways to connect to the membership. She stepped into the role of Chamber Treasurer to revamp and simplify our procedures. […]
The Chamber Minute 01/27/23
Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 4, Gain a voice in government. Country singer Aaron Tippin had a song a few years ago entitled, “You got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”. Our Legislative Action Team (LAT) takes that to heart. It’s important for your Chamber to promote those things which give us a positive economic climate to grow your business and create a healthy community for your family. The LAT has actively participated in every legislative session since 2011. The 2022 short session running 35 days at the legislature was intense. With its compressed “bill to law” processing time, it was filled with challenges for Oregon businesses and communities which the LAT was striving to balance for all of us. In the 2023 long session the public will once again get to access the capitol in person. The LAT will track and work the bills in support of the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC) Legislative Agenda. While we have not been successful in every fight in the past, the Chambers of Commerce in Oregon, are having an impact in Salem. The LAT, over the past few years, has developed a strong relationship with […]
The Chamber Minute 01/20/23
Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 2, Increase your visibility in the community. As a business person one of the most important things you do is to get the word out about what you produce, its excellent value, your great staff and where you can be found. In today’s world they call that being visible. As a member, your contact information is in our annual business directory. We produce 5,000 copies each year which are well distributed locally and regionally. Additionally, you are listed on our website, available to those who are seeking your products or services. We also regularly post your announcements to our Facebook page. Why not be the focus of an evening by holding a Business after Hours at your operation, with two hours to acquaint everyone with what makes you special? Also, our Wednesday Business Connection luncheon gives you many opportunities to promote yourself. Whether it’s the open mic you can use to introduce new staff or products, door prizes provided for drawings at the end of the session or giving a business spotlight. Visibility comes through sponsorships too. Sponsorships are highlighted in all our activity advertising. Weekly sponsorships are available for WBC. The […]
The Chamber Minute 01/06/23
Often you have heard me say that the Chamber’s strength comes from utilizing the vast collective experiences and energy of our diverse membership of over 540 businesses. So how do we do that? In many ways, it’s through their participation on one of our teams. Let me re-introduce you to those committee opportunities we expect to be active in 2023. Ambassadors—Are the Red-coated welcoming team that greets dignitaries, cuts ribbons at grand openings and hosts Business after Hours each month. They also have an important role in promoting membership communication through regular visits to all. Business Development & Support—works for a positive business climate which promotes retention, expansion and recruitment activities throughout Oregon’s Bay Area often with our other South Coast economic development partners. A new aspect of this group is the Business Builders monthly seminars on subjects important to your operations. Natural Resources—helps to educate the public on timber and fishing issues and other natural resource opportunities which affect our coastal community and economy. This team works in concert with the LAT. Legislative Action Team (LAT)—Serves as an advocate for Chamber members and the business community in local and state issues impacting quality of life, growth and business viability. […]
The Chamber Minute 12/16/22
With fallen leaves clogging your gutters, frost on the windshield and Holiday Lights blazing, we begin thinking about the New Year. At the Chamber, we begin our preparation for 2023’s opportunities and successes with the annual Board planning session. For the past several years we have used your input about what you see are the most important issues facing our community, how you think the Chamber has been dealing with them and what you would like to have us address in the next year. With that information the Chamber defines its annual priorities. To ensure that businesses succeed and our community thrives in our Bay Area, the Chamber is committed to the following: Create a strong local economy Through supporting the retention and growth of existing local business, focusing on tourism opportunities, supporting industrial development in our area, facilitating new business wanting to relocate here & streamlining the state and local permitting process. Promote the Community Through using a positive area marketing message both internally and externally, promoting Oregon’s Adventure Coast, by collaborating with other agencies on product/area branding and by supporting the area’s visitor centers. Provide Networking Opportunities The Chamber is the hub of information for business & […]
The Chamber Minute 12/09/22
The annual Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet is set for Saturday, January 27th. Besides acknowledging the Officers, Board members, and Committee Chairs for the past year, and introducing the members who will serve in those roles for the upcoming year, we have a variety of awards and recognitions which truly make this a community celebration. We’ll talk more about the banquet as the time gets closer, but one of the main events of the evening, we need your help with right now. Citizen of the Year is an honor that is given to a member of our community, who, by consistently giving of their time, energy and resources, has made Oregon’s Bay Area a better place to live. For 2021 that award went to Jamar Ruff. He is involved in many organizations serving a variety of local needs – as a volunteer with the Community Health Improvement Plan’s Food & Nutrition Group, HIV Alliance, Southern Oregon Coast Pride, United Way of Southwestern Oregon, and the Coquille Valley Seed Community; as a homeless advocate; as a networker and community connector; as a youth mentor; and so much more. Additionally, the Business of the Year award is given to a business that […]
The Chamber Minute
Wasn’t wonderful to turn the TV on Wednesday November 9th and not see a single political ad? The elections are over, our new leaders in office and the work of moving our communities down the pathway to success begins again. For them to achieve what we need to happen here, however, will require our skills, dedication and time. You don’t have to hold a position to be a leader. You are all leaders, whether it is in the family, business or community. Leaders who were faced with change and opportunity this past couple years. and will see more challenges in the remainder of this year and into the next. The main opportunity is the mutual support of our friends and neighbors. In the Chamber we call that networking. So, as we face life’s realities together, how can you help? What is your unique talent? Your Chamber has a spot where you, and only you, have the ability to make things happen. Each person, on your team, has their strengths, issues and special interests. Those are molded into a working body which gets things done by you, their leader. Everyone has their approach to leadership which they have developed through many […]