President's Message: Set for a great 2016
Well, it has been one year since I became President of the Greater Millville Chamber of Commerce and I’m happy to say that it was a very productive year for our organization.
In 2015, we implemented many new programs, unveiled our expanded newsletter in both print and digital versions, and hosted some major community events - including the September 2015 visit by Senator Cory Booker to our own Holly City - all with an eye on building a structure that will enable the GMCC to become a positive force to help grow our community in the coming years.
In addition, we forged stronger relationships with our members and, in the process, we were able to elevate the GMCC brand through expanded sponsorships with numerous corporate partners. And I can tell you that 2016 is shaping up to be even better than 2015!
Our upcoming Business Summit will be held February 18 at The GlassWorks. This summit is the end result of the many focus group events held by our membership committee in 2015, and it is our hope that with your input, this special meeting will not only better steer the direction of the Chamber as we look for new innovative ways to help our members but, more importantly, provide critical information and insight that could help our entire community address issues that affect us all.
As we move past this February get-together, we look ahead to our annual Economic Partnership and Pride in Millville Event, our Downtown Car Show and SNJToday Millville Christmas Parade on the horizon. In addition to our monthly luncheons, I’m sure we’ll also continue to look at some after-hour events to help you wind down after a busy day at the office.
But I can tell you that there will be many more exciting Chamber events coming up that will put Millville in the spotlight this year. As this issue of the ChambeReporter goes to press, we are finalizing plans for these chamber-sponsored activities that will not only benefit our members but the entire community. Stay tuned for some big announcements.
Finally, on a personal level, I’d like to thank all our members for the great support I received in 2015 and I look forward to leading our Chamber in what will be a historic 2016 for the GMCC.
Feb. 18 Summit
to Shape the Future
The Greater Millville Chamber of Commerce is inviting its members to attend a Business Summit, scheduled for Thursday, February 18, 2016 at The GlassWorks complex.
The summit is the culmination of the Membership Committee’s work in addressing the changing needs of our members and the community at-large. During the event, there will be a general discussion as well as breakout groups examining the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) to the Chamber and economic development in the area. “We would ask that our members take the time to attend,” said Gary Moellers, Membership Chairman. “It will be a great event.”
Larry Malone
FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Welcome to 2016! I hope as we move forward into 2016 you are sensing the same excitement and enthusiasm as your chamber board about the direction the chamber is headed.
At the beginning of last year our chamber made a conscious effort to try and get a feel for what our membership needed from us as a group. To that end we had many one-on-one conversations, held two focus groups and started implementing some of the suggestions from these discussions. What we learned so far is that everyone’s needs are different. Everyone’s expectations are different. But we are going to try and fulfill as many as possible.
The year was marked by successfully organizing some of our traditional events with a focus on making each and every event better than previous ones.
In addition to our regular monthly luncheons, we held four networking breakfasts in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey. We held four multi-chamber events involving the other chambers in our county, and our event where we hosted Senator Cory Booker involved seven different chambers of commerce. These are important because they give our membership the opportunity to make contacts with businesses outside our immediate area but certainly still within our marketplace. We held several after-work networking events. One of our most fun, which stemmed from one of our focus group meetings, was our “Business Dating” speed networking event.
We need more new ways to network, so share your ideas!
We partnered with a new car club The Cruisin’ Classics Auto Club, for the Downtown Car Show this year which brought a totally new group of visitors into town. We partnered with SNJToday to expand the TV coverage, size and outreach of the Christmas Parade, drawing one of the largest crowds ever.
We greatly expanded our Newsletter and are now printing fourteen thousand copies and distributing them through the Cumberland Reminder. This not only increases our exposure to the public but it also provides our membership the opportunity to advertize in the Cumberland Reminder at greatly reduced prices.
Through all of this we continue to fulfill one of our fundamental purposes which is to be a resource for visitors and local people looking for activities, places to stay, places to eat and shop and looking for fellow businesses that can fulfill each other’s needs. We move into 2016 trying to hone in on the needs of our chamber members and the community. As we look to our upcoming Business Summit on February 18, we hope this event will provide a clear path to success for the chamber and its members.
Best wishes for a successful new year as we strive to do better for you.
- Earl Sherrick
Fair Labor Standards Detailed at November Luncheon
John Knoop, Jr. and Carol Asselta of AKZiom Consulting were the featured speakers at November’s chamber luncheon. They discussed many new laws and regulations dealing with Fair Labor Standards. Among the topics discussed were: Hiring independent contractors, unpaid internships, classification of employees - exempt vs non-exempt, failure to pay overtime properly, deductions from pay, and travel pay.
New Jersey Motorsports Park to Host Job Fair on February 19
New Jersey Motorsports Park will host its annual job fair Friday, February 19 from 10 am to 3 pm at the facility’s Officers Club, located in the Thunderbolt Raceway paddock. For a list of available positions, job seekers should visit www.njmpcareers.com.
ServPro’s Hananhan Speaks at January Luncheon
Cory Hananhan of ServPro of Cape May and Cumberland Counties was the featured speaker at January’s chamber luncheon. His topic: “ServPro … Ready for whatever happens. Are you?” Hananhan discussed how members, when faced with the challenge of an unexpected disaster – from major storms to broken pipes - can best initiate a response strategy and how ServPro can play an integral role in organizing the cleanup process.
Want to Host an Upcoming Luncheon?
The chamber is offering members the opportunity to promote their business by being a Luncheon Host in 2016!. For details, contact the Chamber office at 856.825.2600.
Groundbreaking Held for Arts and Innovation Center
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on Friday, January 22 for the Millville Arts and Innovation Center, located at High and Vine Streets in Millville. The project is a collaborative project between Cumberland County College, Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Millville Urban Redevelopment Corporation, City of Millville, Millville Housing Authority and New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
“I think this is really great that this is coming to the city of Millville, because in my opinion I think it’s a win-win,” said Millville Mayor Michael Santiago.
This new center is in the heart of the downtown and will be Cumberland County College’s first establishment outside its main campus area. The 28,000-square-foot building will provide classrooms equipped with modern technology for fine arts and communication majors to be successful in this new digital era.
Around the Chamber: News in Brief
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HANANHAN'S COMMENTS.
Fighting Cancer: Inspira Program Cited
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the cancer program at Inspira’s Frank and Edith Scarpa Regional Cancer Pavilion. The Vineland-based cancer program has been accredited by the CoC since 1989.
“We are proud to be accredited once again by the CoC and provide our community with comprehensive cancer care close to home,” said Michelle Marshall, assistant vice president of Oncology and Women’s Health Services at Inspira Health Network.
To earn accreditation, cancer programs must meet or exceed 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.
“Our team at the Frank and Edith Scarpa Regional Cancer Pavilion takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases,” said Judy Neuman, director of Cancer Services at Inspira Health Network. “Our surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other support specialists all work in collaboration to provide patients with high quality cancer treatment.”
