CHAMBER NOTES

The West Hartford Chamber of Commerce: An Organization Reimagined

BY CHRIS CONWAY

At the end of March 2020, fifty-five small business owners and representatives from large companies and non-profits came together to discuss the state of their businesses, share best practices and reinforce the sentiment, “We are all in this together.” Lest you think this meeting was held in violation of the Governor’s executive order or physical distancing practices, it was not. The meeting was held via Zoom and was organized by the West Hartford Chamber as part of our new suite of virtual networking and educational opportunities.

Networking by leveraging technology is just the beginning of how the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce has had to pivot in the wake of COVID-19 to remain a resource for businesses.

“Using tools like Zoom, we’ve successfully brought our community together in video conferences to keep our business and social networks thriving. Members have been able to share their challenges and victories and have provided support and solutions for each other,” says Kate Kobs, Outreach & Development Coordinator for the Chamber. Along with moving our traditionally in-person events to the virtual world, we have increased communications with our members regarding the various federal, state and local mandates. In collaboration with the town, we are also disseminating information on the many financial programs being offered by the SBA and DECD.

“It’s crucial that we supply our business community with up-to-date information and consistent support to allow for the best possible outcome,” says Kristen Gorski, Economic Development Specialist for the town of West Hartford. “The Chamber staff continues to work quickly and collaboratively on providing resources and initiatives that are most valuable to our businesses.”

Gorski and the Chamber Staff meet via Zoom on a regular basis with the various business and neighborhood associations in town to share updates and hear about their challenges and concerns.

“The West Hartford Chamber has always been a resource I can count on for supporting my business and they are 100% committed to help building our group of businesses in the Design District,” says Design District President David Chmielewski. He continued, “Nobody wants to stop working or servicing their customers. The Design District members are an incredible group of business owners doing the most they can to help people complete projects that sometimes just can’t be put on hold.”

The Chamber’s Chairman, Robert Kulakowski, added, “Our staff has been networking, too! They have been working with other chambers and business organizations around Connecticut and the Nation to find best practices for these trying times.”

One of the programing ideas that was a direct result of these collaborations are our Virtual Business Showcases. Run like a live television show, these programs bring viewers and potential customers into our retail businesses via Zoom, social media and West Hartford Community Interactive.

“Our members have really pulled together at a time like this,” says Chamber Member Services Coordinator Jessie Bouclier. “We had created Facebook groups for local restaurants and other businesses within the first week to really give people an opportunity to connect.”

Andres and Karin Montiel, who own Pachanga on Park Road, have seen a positive impact on their business as a result of the Chamber’s initiatives. “The Chamber’s smart and timely creation of Takeout Time West Hartford has been a great help to restaurants like Pachanga that have remained open during the crisis to serve the public.”

With the “new normal” evolving daily, the Chamber will continue to assess, innovate and respond to the needs of our community. As always, if you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to contact me directly at cconway@ whchamber.com or (860) 810-5663.

Stay safe and be well!

Christopher Conway Executive Director West Hartford Chamber of Commerce