1 How big is the Chamber?

We have 340 Chamber members, 2 staff people, a budget of $120,000, 12 Chamber Ambassadors, 7 standing volunteer committees, and ad hoc committees as needed to perform the work of the Chamber. Chamber members are included from nearby communities who support Perry County through employment of Perry County residents or by providing business services for Perry County.

2 Who runs the Chamber?

A Board of Directors of 12 men and women, representing various segments of the economy serve on the board of our 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation. The Directors serve 3-year terms and may serve 2 consecutive terms.

3 If I’m busy and can’t attend an event, are any of my employees eligible to come?

All of them are welcome to attend, either in your place or with you. In fact, many of our seminars and workshops are aimed at employees and not employers, so watch for programs that might be of more interest to one of your employees, too.

4 When are meetings held?

Board meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Chamber office. Committee meetings are held on an as-needed basis. There are general membership gatherings that occur on a fairly regular basis. These are:

• Quarterly Dinner Meetings—Annual Awards Banquet honoring three local businesses and Chamber volunteers. Government Dinner with various elected representatives speaking on topics of local interest. Education Partnership/Teacher Awards Dinner honoring teachers who have been nominated by the community for their efforts during the preceding year. Schweizer Fest Testimonial Dinner supports the Fest by honoring a business selected by Schweizer Fest Incorporated. The Annual Picnic is our largest annual gathering used for the election of new board members and is held the last Thursday of August at Mulzer’s Ohio River Camp.
• Breakfast Meetings—are sponsored by members, usually one per month depending on availability of sponsors. Chamber members may attend these breakfasts free of charge. Call the Chamber for current pricing and availability of dates if you are interested in sponsoring a breakfast.
• Small Business Exchanges—held monthly at a local host retailer with a mini-seminar by business consultant Tim Hosey with businesses learning from each other & sharing ideas
• Community Leader Forums—are held quarterly as informal information exchanges between business and community leaders. These dialogues foster partnerships between community leaders and community planning.
• Workshops and Seminars—covering various topics from OSHA regulations to basic Internet instructions to hospitality training are held at various times throughout the year. A nominal fee is charged for participation with higher fees charged to non-members.
• Business After Hours—is a social and business event that brings members together to meet, mingle, and make new business contacts in a casual setting. Businesses celebrating new locations/remodeling, grand-opening, or new product introduction generally sponsor these mixers.

5 If I’m busy and can’t attend an event, are any of my employees eligible to come?

All of them are welcome to attend, either in your place or with you. In fact, many of our seminars and workshops are aimed at employees and not employers, so watch for programs that might be of more interest to one of your employees, too.

6 How do I advertise through the Chamber?

You’ve got seven ways to reach fellow members and potential customers.

• Membership Directory—will be included with a monthly newsletter and is inserted in our local newspaper and on our web site. This handy directory will include members by business category and alphabetically with contact person, address, and telephone. Members are listed free of charge. The current directory is included in this binder.
• Perry County Community Profile Magazine—is an informational full color glossy book published for newcomers to the community and business recruitment alike. They are published as needed, about every three years. Ad sizes range from full page to business card size and are priced accordingly. Full color or black and white ads are available.
• Perry County Map—is printed for distribution throughout the community. The Chamber receives many requests each week for maps of the county. The maps are distributed free of charge to the consumer. Prices are based on ad sizes, which range from business card size to full panel (3 ¼” x 8”) and whether they are full color or black and white.
• “The Chamber Business”—is published monthly with articles pertinent to business growth and development as well as a synopsis of Chamber happenings for the month. Ad sizes range from 2” x 2” ($15) to business card ($25) or also available is an 8 ½ x 11 insert ($60, you furnish 400 copies). New members receive a free business card size ad.
• Community Web Site—The Chamber’s web site uniquely promotes Chamber member businesses to newcomers and relocating businesses and individuals as well as to the community and fellow members. Premium advertising is available and enhanced directory listings and links are available to members to maximize their exposure on this great resource.
• “Chamber News in The News”—is a way to disseminate the Chamber news to non-Chamber members. This news page appears in the Perry County News bi-monthly. New members and renewals are listed on this page. You can sponsor a banner ad advertising is available and enhanced directory listings and links are available to members to maximize their exposure on this great resource.
• “Chamber News in The News”—is a way to disseminate the Chamber news to non-Chamber members. This news page appears in the Perry County News bi-monthly. New members and renewals are listed on this page. You can sponsor a banner ad at the bottom of the page by contacting the News office at 547-3424 and submit some news or a story by contacting the Chamber at 547-2385.
• Sponsors—Sponsoring an event such as the Chamber Holiday Auction or Golf Tournament or participating as a sponsor of the Halloween, Christmas or other retail promotion gets your name on the radio, in the local newspaper, and in the Chamber newsletters and listed on posters, signs, and banners.

7 What’s the best way to get the most out of my membership?

Our most satisfied clients seem to be those who attend meetings and activities, and who use us as sources of information and marketing venues. We’ve long believed that business is a full contact sport, and the Chamber is the perfect place to make contacts with potential new customers for your business or profession whether in person or through our great marketing avenues.

8 What’s the Chamber’s relationship with local governing agencies?

While not connected directly with local government, we work very closely with County and City officials. The county contracts with us to provide support for small business recruitment and development and newcomer services. We also partner with other agencies for support of infrastructure development, housing and community services, plant expansions, and industrial recruiting. Several County and Municipal agencies support the Chamber through memberships.

9 Does the Chamber endorse candidates?

No. Our policy is to study and take positions on issues that affect our members and/or the community, but to leave the election of candidates to the citizens. Whoever is elected we want to be able to work closely with them, and that cannot be accomplished if we were to make endorsements.

10 How do I get on a committee or task force?

The Chamber is always looking for dedicated volunteers to serve on its committees. If there is a particular interest or need that you have, please call the Chamber and let us know which committee you would like to help out. Membership Services, Finance Committee, Workforce Development, Retail & Business Promotion, and Government Affairs are five of our standing committees. Volunteers to help develop and promote events such as the Chamber Golf Tournament, Chamber Holiday Auction and Taste of Perry County, Witches Walk Retail Promotion and the Christmas Promotion are also needed. These committees meet on an as-needed basis for a short period surrounding the event.