UBCC Brings Success, Momentum into the New Year
By all measures, we’ve had a great year at the Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce. The last major event on the busy calendar, the Annual Meeting on November 16th, enjoyed a significant boost in attendance over years past. In addition to the inspiring keynote address by Rob Wonderling, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, on the Grow PA initiative he is spearheading, we proudly honored our numerous volunteers – the backbone and driving force of our organization, those who chair and work on committees, help with events, and assist in moving UBCC forward.
Of note and tradition, the gavel was officially passed, from outgoing President, Tom Klee of QNB, to incoming President, Jason Wehrung, Wehrung’s Lumber & Home Center – and the slate of Officers and Directors for 2017 was adopted: 1st VP: Joseph G. Wingert, Bucks County Herald, 2nd VP: Kathy Ramson, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Treasurer: Randal Rush, Dunlap & Associates PC. And the Directors: Miralys Sanchez, Univest, Mark Somers, Broker 1 Appraisals, Pamela Zitta, Barmar Travel, Laurie Heukeroth, Penn Community Bank, Todd Baringer, Baringer Associates, Inc., Mark Horne, Grand View Health Network, Jarod Sands, Sands Auto Group, Doug Propst, Kwik Goal Ltd., Chuck Hotter, Hotter Painting, Brian Benner, Warren Weiss Insurance Agency, Gavin Laboski, Laboski Law, PC, Bob Podraza, Edward Jones Investments, and Robert M. Cox, Eastburn & Gray, PC. Finally, special recognition and thanks were given to longtime board members and past presidents, Bob Cormack of Bucks County Economic Development Corporation, and Tom Merrick of Tom’s Help Desk, for their dedicated service and leadership as their term on the board concludes.
Throughout the year, UBCC turned high-profile goals into realities – including the addition of another full time member of the professional team, and the rollout of our modern new website. Yours truly began in the new role of Membership Development & Public Policy on June 1st, just in time for another sold-out annual Golf Outing. All the strokes were barely counted when the mobile responsive website went live, and with the increased functionality and search optimization, we’ve seen a steady increase of traffic and engagement. Growth has been a recurring theme as we’ve navigated through the seasons: our educational sessions on Social Media Marketing and Prepping for New Overtime Rules were packed, inspiring a monthly slate of Lunch & Learns in 2017. The annual Upper Bucks Foodie also exceeded expectations – attendance was outstanding, new and returning exhibitors shared more variety in food and beverage than ever, and funds raised for educational initiatives including PA Fee Enterprise Week also beat goals. And we’re putting the wraps on the 2017 Community Profile & Membership Directory – record advertising sales greet fantastic local content, since all aspects (except printing, of course) of our annual publication have been brought in-house here at UBCC.
Attendance and active participation have been up across the board, and that is especially true with our Membership Committee. The volunteer ranks have grown to nearly fill our conference room, and the positive energy and effort has bolstered already strong retention efforts – and in the recruitment of new members, where we’re on track to add 50 more over the second half of this year. More positives on the community outreach front, with a blooming partnership with Quakertown Community High School student videographers and their advisors, making short films for YouTube and cable access channels on local historical properties and tourism, local events and next, business profiles of our members. And we’ve been building out on the public policy front, engaging with local municipal leaders in a new, recurring stakeholders’ forum, weighing in on issues as legislative sessions came to a close, and now working towards an active policy agenda with a growing committee for the upcoming sessions in the new year. We have so much to be proud and thankful for this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season, and look forward to building on our successes in 2017. If you do business in Upper Bucks, please consider joining our region’s Chamber – we are committed to delivering a strong return on your membership investment.
Jim Haigh, Membership Development & Public Policy, Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce, can be reached at 215.536.3211 or jhaigh@ubcc.org.