West Chester Liberty-Chamber Alliance builds relationships
When you have the word “Alliance” in your name, a tag line and a purpose are not far behind.
“The Chamber Alliance is all about relationships, collaborations and providing benefit,” says Joe Hinson, president and CEO of the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance.
With a tag line of “Connecting People and Possibilities,” the Chamber Alliance prides itself on making the right business connections for its members through member-to-member introductions and suggesting valued resources provided by the HUB Business Center—a collaborative partnership with Access Business Finance, SCORE, Cincinnati State and Lakota Local Schools. Members can also form connections and strategic partnerships by getting involved with one or more of the chamber’s committees or events.
“The essence of what we do daily is to help our members build solid business relationships, grow at a sustainable growth rate and gain a competitive advantage over their competition,” adds Hinson.
Celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2021, the Chamber Alliance has developed a reputation as a valued business resource. What started as the Pisgah Business Association in 1976 eventually became the Union Township Chamber of Commerce (until Union Township became West Chester Township in 2000). The alliance between West Chester and Liberty was established in 1986 through the Southeastern Butler County Chamber of Commerce, with the organization changing its name in 2004 and then again to its current name, the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance, in 2010.
With the mission of establishing West Chester and Liberty townships and the Interstate 75 Growth Corridor as the epicenter of regional business, the Chamber Alliance is gaining recognition for its efforts. Earlier this year, the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance was recognized as the Best Chamber of Commerce in Ohio, by Ohio Business Magazine.
“We were humbled just to be nominated, and we are honored and very appreciative of this special recognition,” says Hinson. “Any time that you are selected as the best in your industry, especially with the number of other deserving chambers we have in Ohio, it’s a wonderful compliment and something the Chamber Alliance is proud to share with our members and our business community.”
Like other chambers of commerce across our state, the pandemic has taken its toll on events.
“Pre-COVID-19 we offered our members over 100 events to choose from,” says Hinson. “Our goal is to offer these events again, in-person, as soon as possible and also be flexible enough to adjust the events to a virtual platform as needed.”
The Chamber Alliance’s signature events include the chamber’s annual dinner and awards gala, the Everest Awards, the Regional Business Expo and Luncheon and the Chamber Golf Classic. The Chamber Alliance offers all this on top of its monthly luncheon programs, networking events and business after-hour gatherings. It also offers monthly events for women through Women 4 Women and emerging young professional leaders through NEXT YP.
Perhaps even more importantly, during the pandemic when its members needed a reliable, concise and easy-to-understand resource for information, the Chamber Alliance was there to help.
“We provided fast, accurate and concise information almost daily to over 5,000 business organizations made up of chamber members and area businesses on the various aspects of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act,” says Hinson. “Along with being an available sounding board and providing a positive outlook for our future, we were a reliable local resource on how to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), an Emergency Economic Injury Grant and/or the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan.
“As an essential business organization, we played a key role in helping explain and navigate the funding programs to our businesses and, in turn, positioning the businesses to receive CARES Act funding.”
