News from the Chamber

E-Memberandum

Volume 1

Issue 2

March 2010

CONSIDER JOINING A CHAMBER COMMITTEE

Did you know that you and members of your staff have the opportunity to serve on a variety of Chamber committees?  Committee involvement within the Chamber is a great way to network with other members, help address business issues and concerns, assist in growing the Chamber and contribute to positive change within our community.  Members serving on Chamber committees help to shape and recommend programs, positions and policies for this organization.

While a few committees meet on a monthly basis, others meet bi-monthly, many meet on a short-term basis to complete a specific project or event and others meet on an as-needed basis.  Committees also vary in their purpose, with some focused on outreach and contact with members, others concentrated on developing programs, services and events to assist our members and still others charged with developing policy positions and initiatives aimed at enhancing the business climate in the Lebanon Valley.

We encourage you and members of your staff to consider joining a Chamber committee.  To view a list of current Chamber committees and Roundtables, please click here.  If you find a committee or Roundtable of interest to you, please e-mail your interest to Donna Eberly-Lehman at donna@lvchamber.org or copy and fax the Committee Preference Form to the Chamber at 717-273-7940.  To learn more about any of the committees or Roundtables listed on the Preference Form, contact Chamber President Larry Bowman at 273-3727.   

WARNING ON MAP SOLICITATION CALLS

The Chamber received a call last week from one of our members alerting us to the fact that she had been contacted by phone by a representative from a company that is supposedly developing a street map for the Lebanon Valley.  The map publisher’s representative, who indicated that the map was being developed in conjunction with the Lebanon Valley Chamber, also asked our member for several pieces of personal identification information, including her birth date and her mother’s maiden name.

The Chamber wants our members and other area businesses to know that the only street map project with which we are affiliated is the nearly-completed map being prepared for us by Hampton Publishing.  We encourage members receiving ad solicitation calls for any map or other publication project to obtain the name of the company publishing the map, the name of the person contacting you and a phone number.  No personal identification information should ever be given to such a caller, and the Chamber and Hampton Publishing will never request or require such personal information.  In addition, on any publication project being undertaken by the Chamber, we will always inform you in advance of the project being launched.  Should you have any questions about whether a publishing company is working on a project in conjunction with the Chamber, please call our offices at 273-3727.    

MEMBER FEEDBACK SOUGHT ON POTENTIAL AREA CODE CHANGE

The Public Utility Commission (PUC) has been holding a number of public hearings designed to educate and collect input on possible changes to the 717 area code. The state is predicting that the 717 area code will run out of serviceable numbers by fall, 2012 and is proposing two possible solutions:

• An "overlay" in which new numbers would get a new area code and all local calls would require 10-digit dialing; or
• A "split" where boundaries would be drawn. Some areas would remain 717, while others would receive a new area code.

Because either of these options will impact the business community, the Chamber is interested in receiving your input so that we can represent our members’ and the business community's thoughts and perspectives on this issue. Please send your input on this issue to Larry Bowman at Lbowman@lvchamber.org.

WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS

Please join us in welcoming to the Chamber’s membership the following businesses – A. Hunter Property Management, Inc. (Annville), David Miller/Associates, Inc. (Lancaster), Reilly, Wolfson, Sheffey, Schrum & Lundberg, LLP (Lebanon) and Shark Promotions, LLC (Hershey).  These new members were approved by the Chamber Board at the Board’s March 22nd meeting.  We encourage you to “Think Lebanon Valley Chamber first” and call on these new members and all of the Chamber’s members first whenever you are in need of a product or service they provide.

COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE EVALUATING CHAMBER’S BRAND & LOGO

The Chamber’s Communications Task Force, under the leadership of Chair Bill Mulligan (Good Samaritan Health System) is in the process of evaluating and updating the Chamber’s overall organization “brand”.  An important part of this process will be the development of a new logo and a more consistent and professional look and feel for the Chamber’s varied publications and communications vehicles.  As a first step in this re-branding process, letters were recently sent to all Chamber member design and advertising firms asking if they would be interested in participating in this logo design effort for the Chamber.  If you are a member of the Chamber, provide logo design services and have not received a letter about the current logo redesign process, please contact Lacy Carmany at the Chamber at 273-3727 or at Lcarmany@lvchamber.org.