Page 108 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2018

DOWNTOWNS benefits of networking
story by
Lynn Lofton
WHY JOIN A
CHAMBER?
Chambers of commerce are active organizations providing numerous opportunities for members. But what exactly is the value of a chamber membership? Chamber leaders Tina Ross-Seamans and Adele Lyons
have some positive responses to that question.
Ross-Seamans, executive director
of the Biloxi Bay Area Chamber, conducted a survey among members with 10 percent completing it. “That’s about average for a survey. One question was: how satisfied are you with the overall value of your membership? Highly Satisfied was checked by all but 2 members and those two were Satisfied,” she said. “We had 150 new members join during this fiscal year and currently have about 900 members and that number has been constant for the 11 years I have been with the chamber.”
She feels that most of the members take full advantage of their membership. “Our main focus is providing networking opportunities.
Our members are very active and loyal,” she added.
Andrea Baloun Jenkins, owner
of The Threaded Cork, said about
the Biloxi Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, “What a wonderful chamber community to be a part of! There’s tons of support and a great group of people. As new business owners, we made the right decision to join.”
Adele Lyons is CEO of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber
of Commerce, which includes the cities of Harrison County. “Being
a member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce brings opportunities for connections. These connections include networking with other business professionals, educational and professional development opportunities, small business grants, discount programs and cost savings, over 140 events as well as connections to learn more about important legislative issues,” she said.
The value in Chamber of Commerce Memberships
Everything the Coast Chamber does and offers has roots in the words
of the mission — Connect, Inform, Advocate and Develop. “With 7 divisions within the Coast Chamber, our offerings are wide across the business community,” Lyons said. “As the only accredited chamber in Mississippi, our policies, finances and programs have been reviewed so we know we are making a positive impact on our members.”
Lyons too feels the Coast Chambers’ 900 members are taking advantage
of their membership opportunities. “In 2017, we had more than 35,500 attendees at our numerous events. These numbers speak volumes to
the level of participation at the opportunities we offer our members,” she said. “The Chamber offers events both large and small, ranging from the Annual Meeting with over 500 attendees to Speed Networking with 40 members connecting one on one to a Women Entrepreneurs presentation with over 75 in attendance.”
108 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • August 2018
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