®
oundtable:
Chambers of commerce Chamber leaders discuss developments within their regions as well as trends underlying their economies.
Janet Garraty
Director Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce
What separates Gloucester County from other areas in South Jersey? We are right in the center of the eds and meds corridor. We have two gigantic hospitals — Inspira Health and Jefferson Health — and three right on the outskirts. Rowan University is building two medical schools. Our eds corridor is Rowan University and Rowan College of South Jersey. That is where the growth is, where the good jobs are and where the business opportunities are.
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Dawn Hunter
Executive Director Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce
What differentiates the greater Vineland area from other regions? One of the interesting things about this county is that we weathered the COVID crisis a little better than other areas as we have a lot of essential businesses like food processing, healthcare and glass manufacturing for medical purposes. There were a lot of businesses that didn’t even have to shut down. I think that speaks to the diversity of our industries here and that’s a big strength for us. Our ability to adapt is quite strong as well.
How will offshore wind power contribute to the region? This has been a project in the making for a long time. The infrastructure plan coming out of Washington, D.C., is going to be very good for this region as well. Our part of it in Gloucester County is over at Paulsboro, at the port. The planned development is underway. The end result will be about 500 direct, well-paying jobs. By any calculation, if you are talking about spinoff jobs, you would be adding another 1,000 to 1,500 jobs. That is a lot of opportunity for people looking to break into the business or grow their business around those opportunities.
What main challenges is the business community facing in Vineland? The No. 1 challenge that everyone is facing is the labor shortage. It doesn’t matter what industry it is. Banks are having trouble getting tellers. Retail and restaurants can’t find enough people to work for them. I have a member that is a high-end pastry manufacturer, for example and he’s offering a $500 signing bonus and he pays good wages above the minimum; yet, he can’t get people. It’s what you hear across the board in every industry.
What is your overall outlook for Gloucester County? There is an incredible amount of growth in eds and meds, as well as a certain amount of evergreen to it. You’re always going to need those types of services. Healthcare is going to continue to change and evolve, as is higher education. The ebbs and flows as a result of changes in having one main industry can really adversely impact an entire industry. Other parts of the state are reliant on one industry to keep them going. We are more diverse than that. In the next 18 months, we will continue to be more diverse than that.
What significant developments are underway in the region? The Landis Theater was purchased by a new owner prior to COVID and the new owners had a great plan in place. They did a lot of work on the theater and they were about to start their first season but they had to shut down. They almost didn’t survive. But they’ve been able to open their doors this year. The owners even took over ownership of the restaurant that is adjacent to the theater. Seeing something like that is exciting.
| Invest: South Jersey 2021 | ECONOMY
