sine
Herman Frankel and Sy Warshawsky are
active chamber of commerce members.
BILL CARROLL
Special to the Jewish News
A
The Greater West Bloomfield
Chamber of Commerce
is trying to build on a
20-year commitment
to business.
s the countdown continues to the next
century, the Greater West Bloomfield
Chamber of Commerce faces the future
with some formidable challenges.
The organization of business owners must acquire
more members, plan enough events to keep current
members interested in belonging, and make sure the
area's businesses maintain the quick pace that goes with being located in one
of the fastest-growing communities in Michigan.
The West Bloomfield Chamber was founded 20 years ago by a few mer-
chants who could be regarded as pioneers in Oakland County. The cham-
ber's membership area now encompasses West Bloomfield Township and the
cities of Orchard Lake Village, Keego Harbor and Sylvan Lake, an area with
a population of more than 62,000 -- an increase of more than 8,000 since
the 1996 mid-decade unofficial census.
More than 300 of the 3,000 businesses located in the area are chamber
members, ranging from accountants to veterinarians. The small chamber
office is tucked away on the second floor of the Orchard Lake Plaza on
Orchard Lake Road, with two staff members: Executive Director Betsy
Schneider and Program Coordinator Amy Frey.
When Schneider took over two years ago she launched an aggressive
membership campaign, with a goal of adding 10 new members monthly,
hiking the current total to 315.
"It's a constant challenge to provide new programs to retain everyone's
interest, so we keep a large variety of programs going all year," she said.
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"Our focus is to help members build their businesses
... sharpen their business skills by giving them the
benefits and resources they need to do so. That's the
main purpose of any good chamber of commerce."
Obtaining new members is achieved through word-
of-mouth referrals, inviting them as guests at mem-
bership programs, and a lot of personal contact by
the group's 18-member board of directors, which
holds formal meetings once a month. There's an
annual meeting for the entire membership.
"Our membership rate was really low in recent years, but that changed
when Betsy joined us in 1997," said Chamber President Tom Szwak. She
starred some excellent programs that grabbed everyone's interest and boosted
the membership rolls. ),
A chamber member for four years, Szwak is in the middle of the one-year
presidential term usually served by each chamber chief. He manages the
Paychex branch on Orchard Lake Road, which provides payroll services for
about 12,000 businesses in Michigan. And chamber members get a discount
for using his company.
Benefits for chamber members range from advertising to a simple mem-
bership plaque displayed at the person's place of business. Other benefits are:
• A free listing of the company's name and address in the member guide
section of the annual Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce
directory distributed to 30,000 businesses and homes.
• A profile of the business in the chamber's monthly newsletter, and
advertising opportunities in the newsletter.
• Access to the chamber's Broadcast Fax Program that reaches all of the
member businesses. Costing $35 per fax, this is used to announce "break-