CRANBERRY TWP — Now that the Cranberry Area Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce have merged, a new name is in order.

The chambers announced last week that their new, combined name is THE CHAMBER of Commerce, "Serving North Pittsburgh, North Allegheny and Cranberry Corridors."

"We are very pleased with the new name and feel it best represents the size and strength of this newly-created chamber of commerce," Gary Basilone, transition board president said in a news release.

"We believe the name says it all. It is THE CHAMBER in the region, and as such our members will have more opportunities, greater resources, and better programming to help them succeed," he said.

The new name, created by the chamber's transition board, represents the scope of the new organization, focusing on the needs of business. The new name will take effect Jan. 1, when the two chambers officially merge into one.

The merger had been discussed between the two chambers for years. Together, the organizations represent more than 1,000 businesses in the northern area of Pittsburgh and southern Butler County.

Continuing growth in the Cranberry area as well as regional interests expressed in northern Allegheny County prompted the boards of the two chambers to accelerate merger talks earlier this year.

The new chamber will have the third largest membership in the Pittsburgh region behind the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Airport Area Chamber of Commerce.

Leading the transition along with Basilone of Basilone Office Staffing Solutions are these board members from both chambers:

• Susan Balla, Gateway Bank

• Jim Boltz, Minuteman Press

• David Breen, Breen Law Firm

• Keith Colonna, The Bakken Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

• John D. Laslavic, ThistleSea Business Development

• Marnie Lutz, North Hills Monthly Magazine

• Kelly Mahoney, Huntington Learning Center

• Ed Malinowski, PrintSmartz

• Becky Morella, Morella and Associates

• Kim Reuss, Housemaster

• Kathleen Sain, Sain Law

• Cletus Scalo, Total Technology Integration

• John Taggart, Consolidated Communications

• Marcia Wood, Fidelity Bank.