chamber of commerce

Lots of activity today at the Falleti Ice Arena for the Genesee County Home Show.

The show continues tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To purchase prints, click here.

It’s been a long cold winter and now it’s time to “think spring.” And there’s no way better way to beat those long winter blues than by attending the second annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show. The Home Show will be held at Falleti Ice Arena in Batavia Friday through Sunday, March 31st - April 2nd.

Here’s your chance to talk face to face with more than 60 area businesses attending this year’s Home Show for help with your home ideas and projects. And while you’re there, make sure you register for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate from the Home Show vendor business of your choice. The winner will be drawn at the conclusion of the Home Show and you do not need to be present to win.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show will be open Friday, March 31 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. And if you’re hungry, the concessions are being run by Alex’s Place, so you know the food will be excellent!

Admission is only $3 per person and children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is free at the Falleti Ice Arena. Coupons good for $1 off all admissions are available at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia, or at any of the participating businesses.

For a complete list of participating businesses go to www.geneseeny.com/homeshow. For more information, call the Chamber office at 343-7440.

It’s been a long cold winter and now it’s time to “think spring.” And there’s no way better way to beat those long winter blues than by attending the second annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show. The Home Show will be held at Falleti Ice Arena in Batavia Friday through Sunday, March 31st - April 2nd.

Here’s your chance to talk face to face with more than 60 area businesses attending this year’s Home Show for help with your home ideas and projects. And while you’re there, make sure you register for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate from the Home Show vendor business of your choice. The winner will be drawn at the conclusion of the Home Show and you do not need to be present to win.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show will be open Friday, March 31 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. And if you’re hungry, the concessions are being run by Alex’s Place, so you know the food will be excellent!

Admission is only $3 per person and children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is free at the Falleti Ice Arena. Coupons good for $1 off all admissions are available at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce office, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, or at any of the participating businesses.

For a complete list of participating businesses go to www.geneseeny.com/homeshow. For more information, call the Chamber office at 343-7440.

At the Quality Inn & Suites last night, the Chamber of Commerce presented its annual local business and leadership awards. Here are photos and links to our stories from the past week about the winners.

Above, Charlie Cook, CEO of Liberty Pumps.

Chamber Awards: Business of the Year -- Liberty Pumps

Bill and Joy Hume, owners of Foxprowl Collectables.

Chamber Awards: Foxprowl Collectables -- Entrepreneurial Business of the Year

Owners of Stein Farms. Natasha Sutherland speaking, then on left, Jerrod Stein, Ray Stein, and Nathan Stein (Dale Stein was out of town and unable to attend).

Chamber Awards: Agricultural Business of the Year, Stein Farms

Steve Foster and Tim Adams, owners of Red Osier Restaurant.

Chamber Awards: Special Service Recognition, Red Osier Restaurant

Steve and Lisa Grice.

Chamber Awards: Geneseeans of the Year, Batavians Steve and Lisa Grice

Tom Turnbull, present of the Chamber of Commerce, during his opening remarks.

To fully understand the ongoing success of the family owned, environmentally conscious Stein Farms on Gully Road in the Town of Le Roy, one needs to comprehend the meaning of a famous quote by Aristotle: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

While many people – the Stein family members and 21 dedicated employees – use their particular talents and skills in a variety of ways, it’s the collective synergy that has enabled Stein Farms to survive and thrive for more than 60 years.

When taking a closer look at Stein Farms, which has been selected by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce as the Agricultural Business of the Year for 2016, it is clear to see how the Greek philosopher’s axiom applies.

The connection among the workers on the 2,500-acre dairy farm that milks more than 900 cows has produced a total effect even greater than what each one could produce individually.

“Ours is one of a number of multigeneration farm families in our county, and that’s why they are successful,” said Dale Stein, who owns the farm along with his son, Nate, 35; his brother, Ray, and Ray’s children, Jerrod, 31, and Natasha Sutherland, 33.

“We want to make it enjoyable for the kids to have a good life – family life, not just work – and we are dedicated to preserving the environment. We want to be known as people who care.”

In her nomination letter to the Chamber’s selection committee (the awards ceremony is set for March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road), Hiedi Librock, of Darien, pointed out the family’s commitment to environmental stewardship, viable employment practices, compassionate animal care, civic and community involvement, and event sponsorship in the Le Roy area.

She also mentioned Stein Farms’ recent $1 million expansion – the Steins also tend to more than 1,000 young stock – and attributed its progress to a decision made in the early years to adopt a dual cropping system that includes fall-planted triticale (a wheat/hay hybrid) for spring silage.

Stein Farms was founded in 1956 by Louis “Bud” and Jane Stein, who took over a former Curtice-Burns farm located next to Oatka Creek and just a couple miles from the Monroe County line. Louis passed away in 2007; Jane resides in Florida.

“Dale and Ray are the second generation, and Nate, Natasha and I are the third generation, coming back to the farm after trying other things,” said Jerrod, who returned to the fold about 10 years ago. “We went out to see what the world is really like … being the low man on the totem pole and seeing the way people were treated.”

Jerrod’s uncle, Ken, also was a co-owner until his death in August 2015.

Each of the owners has specific responsibilities, but is versatile enough to fill in the gaps when necessary, Jerrod said.

Jerrod’s forte is machinery maintenance, keeping the field operations going and overseeing the crew during planting and harvest seasons.

“We have three or four full-time employees on this side of the road and hire three or four retired guys for chopping,” he said.

Dale’s primary task – and a big one at that – is to feed the cows and keep that part of the farm running, which means being on the job six days a week to make sure the cow-milking machinery is working properly.

He also has been the chairman of the New York State Soil & Water Conservation Committee for more than a decade, leading a group that facilitates grants to help farmers implement programs to preserve the environment.

Ray’s main focus is ensuring a bountiful crop as 1,200 acres are used to grow corn for the cows and another 900 acres for hay seedings.

Rochelle Stein, Ray’s wife, who is well-known for her role as a Genesee County legislator, representing District 5 (Town of Le Roy), and Natasha's husband, Richard, also work with the ownership team.

Natasha’s area of expertise is on the health of the nearly 2,000 cows and young stock in the barns, a time-consuming chore that includes interaction with veterinarians and keeping up with the latest technology.

She is a former co-chair of Young Farmers and Ranchers and liaison to the Dairy Farmers of America.

And last but not least, Nate, a Leadership Genesee graduate, can be found handling the feeding duties on Dale’s days off, cleaning the barns, hauling manure, monitoring the separation system, etc., etc.

“Nate is a jack-of-all-trades,” Jerrod said. “He can do it all.”

The entire family hosted a “Field to Fork Feast” in September 2015, a high-end dinner event to help the Town of Le Roy generate funds as part of the America’s Best Communities revitalization competition.

And they are unwavering in their pursuit of maintaining the water quality of Oatka Creek, which features public trout fishing about 300 yards upstream from the farm.

“We get a lot of fishermen here. It gives us an incentive to make sure we are doing things right,” Dale said.

Jerrod and Dale said they are confident the operation will continue for many years, noting that Natasha’s children, Daniel, 4, and Lockwood, 3; Nate’s child, Lucas, almost 2; and Dale’s daughter Casey’s child, Zoey, 4, already are learning the ins-and-outs of farm living.

“The three boys go like crazy,” Dale said. “When they see a tractor, they have to be on it.”

Top photo: Richard Sutherland, left, Jerrod Stein, Natasha Sutherland, Nathan Stein, and back row, Ray Stein, Dale Stein. (Photos by Howard Owens.)

Looking back at his formative years, lifelong Batavian Steve “Stump” Grice said the time invested by his buddies’ parents left a lasting impression and helped set him on a course of civic and charitable volunteerism.

“For me, I grew up doing sports and events, and was part of the Ellicott Avenue crew,” Grice said. “I noticed that the fathers of the kids that I hung out with were coaching us, and when I was done with college, I started coaching football.

“Then I got pulled in more and more, and it just kind of clicked. (Volunteering) is like paying a tab … honoring those before us.”

Steve’s wife, the former Lisa Grasso, said was introduced to community service as a Girl Scout and “junior fireman” while growing up in Cheektowaga.

“And after that, when we had our boys (Alex, 24, a special education teacher at Oakfield-Alabama Central School, and Casey, 21, a junior at Brockport State College majoring in Therapeutic Recreation for special needs persons), I started getting involved here,” she said.

Fast forward to 2017, and the Grices have made a tremendous impact upon organizations ranging from Batavia Youth Football to the John Kennedy Home School Association to Genesee Cancer Assistance to the Genesee County/City Youth Bureau to the Batavia Rotary Club to the Genesee County Volunteer Service Tuition Program.

For their efforts, Steve and Lisa have been selected as Geneseeans of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be honored at the 45^th annual awards ceremony on March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

They were nominated by Chris Suozzi, who serves with Steve on the Board of Directors of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

“I am nominating Steve and Lisa for their combined volunteer efforts to the community for decades. Their tireless efforts go unnoticed and I feel it’s time for us to reward them!”

Both Steve and Lisa, who celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary last Nov. 2, will tell you that the reward is in doing what needs to be done to ensure that a particular organization reaches its goals.

“The satisfaction comes from the end result … knowing that you’ve accomplished something for the community,” Steve said during an interview at their Chase Park home. “Knowing what the dollar amount (raised) means, and that we had goals and hit those goals.

Steve said he was notified of the award on “Friday the 13th” (of January) during a phone call from Mary Blevins, a member of the selection committee.

“At first, I was thinking it was a joke. I was speechless,” Steve said. “When Mary asked me if I wanted to tell my wife or if I wanted her to do it, I said, ‘You better, she won’t believe me.' ”

Lisa said they are humbled by the recognition but admits to being a bit nervous about having to deliver a speech.

“I like to stay behind the scenes,” she said, noting that Steve is the “out-front person” and she handles the duo’s administrative and organizational responsibilities.

Her volunteer resume includes concession stand work for Batavia’s youth baseball leagues, fundraising for the Batavia Basketball Boosters, coordinating the JK Home School Association’s pasta night dinner for seven years through 2007, scheduling and bookkeeping for Batavia Youth Football, serving on the Batavia City Youth Bureau board for four years, assisting the Rotary Club’s Oktoberfest and directing the county volunteer tuition program since 1995.

“I really enjoyed the pasta dinners at JK, especially seeing the dads and moms as waiters and waitresses, and seeing all the kids who wanted to help,” said Lisa, a 28-year Genesee County employee who has served as principal clerk at the highway department for the past four years.

Steve has been involved with Batavia Youth Football for 30 years, has been a Rotarian for 19 years – he is a former Paul Harris Fellow Award winner – and has been with Genesee Cancer Assistance for 15 years -- six of those as a board member. He also coached youth baseball, volunteered for the Michael Napoleone Foundation and rang the bell for the Salvation Army.

A deputy clerk in the Genesee County clerk’s office following a 29-year career in the real estate title insurance/abstract profession, Steve was the Genesee County Adult Volunteer of the Year in 2013 and the City of Batavia Volunteer of the Year in 2014.

He credited his mentor, the late Joe Gerace, with “getting me into a lot of things” and was fortunate to spend time with Gerace.

“We became family,” he said.

Steve said he was glad to see that Gerace, who passed away last November, stayed involved with Genesee Cancer Assistance right to the end.

“Joe was the co-chair of our golf tournament last August, so we had all of our meetings at the VA (Medical Center) every Wednesday so he could continue to be a part of it,” Steve said. “And he made it to the tournament -- ran his putting contest and visited everyone riding on the golf cart.”

Give and it will be given unto you.

“When we took over operations in Thanksgiving of 2015, we had one goal – to give back to the local community,” said Steve Foster who, along with business partner Tim Adams, has successfully tied charitable giving with quality food and service to make the Red Osier® Restaurant in Stafford a premier dining destination of Western New York.

“Genesee County has been forgotten over the years here,” Adams said. “We believe that the more we support local organizations, the more success we will have.”

Foster, an Alexander native, and Adams, who grew up in East Bethany, officially took ownership of the restaurant – known throughout WNY for its prime rib – on April 20 of last year, and have displayed a large measure of generosity to the people of Genesee County through event sponsorships, donations and employee-supported fundraising.

As a result, the Red Osier® Restaurant has been selected as the Special Service Recognition of the Year award from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Foster and Adams, who also own Adams’ Welding & Fabrication in Stafford, will be honored at the 45^th annual Awards Ceremony on March 4 at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

In her nomination letter, Lynette Skelton of Starowitz Farms in Byron praised Foster and Adams for purchasing the restaurant – possibly saving it from closing for good and saving the jobs of around 60 employees.

“The two men decided to take the chance, and the opportunity to save the local landmark and the local jobs in their community,” Skelton wrote.

Foster, a Red Osier® employee since 1998, said he was hesitant about buying the business – “it needed a lot of help,” he said – but finally agreed. Since then, and he and Adams have moved full speed ahead.

The list of the duo’s Genesee County civic contributions over the past 18 months is impressive, to say the least:

-- The Genesee County 4H program. Tim is a former Geneseean of the Year for his service to 4H and Cornell Cooperative Extension, and he is continuing his support by purchasing two pigs (which have been processed for special dishes at the restaurant).

-- GO ART!’s Picnic in the Park. The restaurant was the major sponsor for the July 4^th event last year, coming to the forefront at the last minute to prevent the event from being canceled.

-- Genesee Cancer Assistance. A joint venture between the restaurant and welding shop last Thanksgiving resulted in the presentation of $10,000 to GCA – money derived from proceeds of diners that day and a contribution from the welding shop.

-- Le Roy Food Pantry, Genesee County Animal Shelter, Crossroads House, Michael Napoleone Foundation. The two men contributed to fundraisers supporting these causes.

-- Oatka Festival, American Warrior Event at Frost Ridge, Le Roy Youth Football.  The restaurant signed on as major sponsors for these events, and also has sponsored individuals participating in horse shows, cheerleading contests, and other endeavors.

-- Spirits & Skivvies. An employee-led initiative, more than 600 pairs of socks and underwear were donated to the homeless.

“Our staff is right with us every step of the way,” Foster said. “They are on board with our donation program.”

On the business side, the owners said they have “broken every record” for sales – seeing repeat and new customer and raising the average per capita bill from about $25 to around $45.

“Everything here is made from scratch – the meals, desserts, salad, bread; it’s all fresh,” Foster said.

While prime rib is the main attraction, the menu includes a variety of dishes, and much of the food and some of the spirits and liquors are purchased from local vendors.

The owners also reported that, upon their return from a recent trip to Nashville, they have purchased a custom-built, 24-foot food trailer with a full kitchen “to take our chefs out on the road.”

They said they will be able to cater weddings, parties, graduations and other gatherings, and hope to get that started in May.

“It’s a replica of our kitchen,” Foster said.

The Red Osier® opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, check out its website – www.redosier.com.

The Business After Hours gathering for the Chamber of Commerce yesterday was also a celebration of the arrival of a news director for Business Improvement District.

Beth Kemp moved into the BID office more than a month ago and she and her husband, Brian, co-owners of T-Shirts Etc. and both artists, went right to work redecorating the space, so for many of the people attending the event were seeing the bright and attractive revamped space for the first time.

Genesee County should get a chance to compete for the governor's proposed increase in tourism spending, according to Kelly Rapone, tourism marketing director for the Chamber of Commerce.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is planning on adding $5 million to the tourism budget, making the total statewide spend $55 million.

Rapone said she anticipates seeing the amount available for competitive grants increase, and while she didn't have specific projects to pitch right now, she said for the county to get a portion of the money, it would need to submit a project to the state for consideration.

That's how the chamber won a $90,000 grant to promote the state's Haunted History Trail. The trail points tourists to dozen of potentially haunted, historical locations from Warick to Dunkirk and is promoted statewide with the grant money.

Rapone said she's been around long enough to remember when the state government didn't take tourism seriously and allocated few resources to the industry, which she said does provide a significant boost the economy.

"I have to say, anytime there is money dedicated to tourism, that is a good thing," Rapone said.

Gov. Cuomo has shown a lot of interest in tourism, especially in boosting tourism around ag products such as wine and craft beer.

The local tourism bureau also receives state money through a complicated formula for matching funds. The formula is based on regional and local considerations and the amount of the request. Last year, Genesee County received $66,000, or about one third of the tourism agency's operating budget.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its arrival in a new home, with a new tourism center, on Park Road, Town of Batavia, today, with a ribbon cutting.

While the upstairs offices are a modern and comfortable place for chamber employees to work, it's the downstairs visitors center that is the star of the renovated building.

Chamber President Tom Turnbull noted its close proximity to the Thruway and the nearby hotels, which by the end of the year will have a total of 1,000 guest rooms between them.

"It will now be our job to encourage these visitors to our county to explore deeper into the county to shop, eat and enjoy many of the fine services available," Turnbull said.

The move was appropriate, said Ray Cianfrini, chairman of the Genesee County Legislature, because tourism dollars are important to the health of our local economy.

"Many people either forget, or they may not be aware, what a significant impact tourism has on our local economy," Cianfrini said. "Aside from the money people spend on their food and their fuel and their lodging, they also contribute significantly to our sales tax and our bed tax revenues. The Chamber has done a fantastic job of promoting tourism in Genesee County."

Tom Turnbull

Ray Cianfrini

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the opening of their new offices and tourism visitor center with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. 

An open house of the new Chamber facilities will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. The new office, located at 8276 Park Road in Batavia, houses a new tourism visitor center and office spaces for both the Chamber of Commerce and Genesee County Tourism staff. 

The two-level, 3,400-square-foot space was a former physical therapist's office. Funds from the Chamber of Commerce and county bed tax surplus paid for the building and renovations.

The upstairs level houses the chamber’s offices and board room. The new board room offers flexible seating arrangements which will help in hosting meetings and seminars. 

In addition to larger office, meeting, administrative and parking space, the Chamber sought out the Park Road location due to its proximity to Batavia’s hotel district and New York State Thruway.

The new visitor center will have 24- hour accessibility for travelers. During normal business hours, a staffed visitor center will be open to greet and assist guests. During off-hours, the front vestibule with visitor information will be available. Large maps, brochure displays and staff at the service desk will assist guests during their stay in Genesee County. 

Volunteer forms are now available for community members who are interested in greeting visitors and assisting them at the new center. Forms can be picked up at the Park Road location or can be requested by email at visit@geneseeny.com. 

The Business of the Year for Genesee County is Liberty Pumps, the Chamber of Commerce has announced.

Other award winners in the 45th annual slate of top local businesses and community members are:

• Foxprowl Collectables, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year
• Stein Farms, Agricultural Business of the Year
• Red Osier Restaurant, Special Service Recognition
• Steve and Lisa Grice, Geneseeans of the Year

The awards will be presented March 4 at a dinner and ceremony at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road, Batavia. The evening begins at 4:30 with hors d'oeuvres, entree tables and a cash bar. The awards program starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is moving to its new location next week.

As of Nov. 1, the chamber's official new address will be 8276 Park Road, instead of 210 E. Main St., Batavia.

The phone lines will remain the same: (585) 343-7440, (fax) 585-343-7487.

During today's annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce at Rochester Club West @ Bohn's, Chamber President Tom Turnbull recapped what has been a successful and active year for the local business group.

Turnbull ran through a long list of the Chamber's activities and accomplishments.

The chamber hosted its annual awards, a home show and several business workshops, including ones on public speaking, drugs in the workplace and tax tips. The chamber, of course, attended many ribbon cuttings for new and expanding businesses. The chamber was active in pursuing public policy issues at the local and state level. It administered a small business loan program, hosted business after-hours events, and a trip to China. 

The hot and dry summer was good for tourism, but with the monetary exchange rate weakening with Canada, there were fewer Canadian visitors to the region this year, which looks like it will translate into a 4-percent decline in tourism revenue.

Still, hotels took in about $14.5 million, which translates into about $150 million in local economic impact.

The tourism agency fostered several group visits, including youth baseball tournaments, soccer events, car clubs and even a Winnebago rally at a local RV park.

There were 15,000 visitors to the county, and 1,500 room nights booked.

Turnbull said the chamber is excited to see the new hotel at Batavia Downs open, with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 2.

The chamber will have its own grand opening to look forward to in January at its new office building on Park Road, but staff will start moving into the new facility this week.

"We'll have a have a ribbon cutting, of course," Turnbull quipped. "We're a chamber."

The new board of directors was also introduced:

Chris Suozzi, chairman, from the Genesee County Economic Development Center
Immediate Past Chair: Hiedi Librock, Town of Batavia

The directors are:
Steven Beardsley – Tompkins Bank Of Castile 
Mary Blevins – ESL Federal Credit Union
Tim Call – Empire Tractor
Jeff Cook – Liberty Pumps
Keith Conway – Z&M, Ag and Turf
Jonathan Mager – Arctic Refrigeration Co. of Batavia
Michael Nolan – Batavia Downs Gaming
Chan Patel – Quality Inn & Suites 
Michael R Rivers – Rybak, Metzler & Grasso PLLC
Danielle Rontondo – Terry Hills Golf Course & Banquet Facility
Joseph Teresi – Tompkins Insurance Agencies Inc.
Chris Thorpe – Darien Lake Theme Park
Eric Wies – Clark Patterson Lee
Jennifer Zambito – Genesee Community College Foundation
Robert Bausch – Genesee County Legislative Liaison

Press release:

Batavia and Genesee County will play host to the upcoming Rotary District 7090 2016 District Conference on Friday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 23. More than 300 people are expected to attend the conference to be held at Batavia Downs Gaming, and it will be the first group to utilize the brand-new Hotel at Batavia Downs, in addition to other Batavia lodging locations.

Rotary District 7090 consists of 70 chapters located in both Western New York and Southern Ontario, Canada. The annual gathering allows Rotary members to become immersed in several areas and initiatives of the service club, while also learning about the community they are visiting.

The conference includes an annual meeting and district leadership luncheon, education events, hands-on projects, parties and more.

On Friday night, many of the Batavia restaurants will be busy with a “dine around” event – where conference leaders have arranged for several local restaurants to reserve seats for members and are encouraging exploration within the area. The conference also has a day trip to Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County planned for guests.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has been assisting conference planners with their visit and estimate that the three-day event will result in a $60,000 economic impact on Genesee County.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee has announced that the 2016 Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at The Quality Inn & Suites, Park Road, Batavia (formerly The Clarion Hotel).

This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.

Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration. Nominations are now being accepted for Business of the Year, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year, Agricultural Business of the Year, Innovative Enterprise of the Year, Special Service Recognition & Geneseeans of the Year.

Business nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee's membership, call the Chamber to verify).   

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, and can also be downloaded from the Chamber website at www.geneseeny.com. 

Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY Dec. 30 to be eligible for consideration.

If you would like more information, feel free to call Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Membership & Special Events, at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 26.