THE CHAMBER continues to grow
WEXFORD — THE CHAMBER of Commerce is only six months old but is already the second largest regional chamber outside of Pittsburgh.
THE CHAMBER, formed earlier this year after the merger of the Cranberry Area and the Northern Allegheny chambers of commerce, has more than 1,100 members and is growing steadily each month. Susan Balla, executive director, said the group added 20 members in June and that it usually averages about 15 new businesses per month. Its membership ranks second in the region behind only the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce.
THE CHAMBER covers parts of three counties as well as 16 municipalities primarily around Interstate 79, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and routes 19 and 8. The group operates a main office in Wexford and a satellite office in Cranberry.
Balla served on the Cranberry chamber's board of directors before the merger, and she also was one of several people who presided over the merger.
It was a complicated and trying task merging the finances, databases and facilities of the two chambers, Balla said.
Most of that administrative work is already done, she said, which allows the organization and its staff to focus on recruiting and fundraisers.
"When you combine so much data and all of the finances, there are going to be wrinkles along the way, but we've smoothed out a majority of those," Balla said. "It's really gone very well in all sincere honesty. It's all been well received by the combined membership base as well as the communities we serve."
The group is already scheduling a full slate of events.
It will sponsor a 5K race this weekend at Cranberry's Community Days celebration. Proceeds from the race will help fund three, $1,000 scholarships for entrepreneurs looking to go into business.
THE CHAMBER also is gearing up for the Taste of Cranberry, an event created to showcase restaurants in September.
Balla said the organization is working to get its name out in the communities it covers. Membership continues to climb, which is a good sign of things to come, but there's always more networking to be done to attract as many new members as possible, Balla said.
"This is a building block year," she said. "We're letting people know who we are and continually educating people on who we are and the territory we cover."
