2007

Committee Goals

Administration & Finance

Long-term:

•  Develop a volunteer support program.
•  Identify additional revenue generating events.

Short-term:
•  Assess need for increased staff to support continued growth.
•  Achieve a 10% increase in non-dues income by January 1, 2008.
•  Achieve a 10% increase in membership dues by January 1, 2008 based on 10% increase in membership.
•  Finalize the Chamber Foundation.
•  Develop a structured personnel evaluation process.
•  Do a new strategic plan by December 31, 2007.
•  Evaluate the ability to add a retirement program for full time employees.
•  Improve the office heating and air conditioning system.

Business Development

Long -term:
•  Promote new and existing business within the area served by the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce.
•  Communicate with other organizations in the county with complementary goals.
•  Maintain the banner program and investigate expansion of the program.
•  Maintain Chamber awards program and announce recipients at Annual Chamber Dinner Meeting.
•  Work cooperatively with the Huntingdon County Partnership for Economic Progress.
•  Network with other Chambers of Commerce.
•  Pursue development of other events
•  Reinvestigate development of a Business Expo in partnership with HCB&I.
•  Continue the regional Buy the Alleghenies partnership.
•  Work in partnership with JCEL and HCB&I on a plan for downtown development.

Short- term:
•  Recruit and intern to develop a survey to analyze the economic effects on small business with development of the Smithfield Towne Center .
•  Assist with developing & transitioning businesses within Juniata College 's business incubator.
•  Continue development of a marketing strategy for marketing Huntingdon area businesses and services to Juniata College and Raystown Lake visitors.
•  Continue to assist in business recruitment.
•  Develop a program to identify and attract specialty businesses & shops.
•  Continue partnership on Raystown Lake Region Home & Garden Show.
•  Develop a Golf Tournament in cooperation with the Huntingdon Country Club.
•  Work with local government, HCB&I, and JCEL to secure funding for a pedestrian bridge and to promote redevelopment of the bank building .

Main Street Program / Community Improvement

Long-term

1. Support downtown Huntingdon as a Main Street Community, including implementation of the four Main Street principles of organization, economic restructuring, appearance, and promotion.
2. Work with other Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce committees, various funding resources, and community organizations to encourage the adaptive reuse of historic buildings in downtown Huntingdon as economic generators, particularly extremely visible, large buildings.
3. Provide counsel on the importance of appearance and design issues in the conception and planning of both new development and rehabilitative projects.
4. Encourage funding initiatives in support of historic preservation, façade improvement, and rehabilitation.
5. Provide counsel on sound planning and land-use regulations, using principles of smart growth for within Huntingdon Borough.
6. Champion the implementation of the Pittsburgh-Harrisburg greenway.
7. Champion municipal and other efforts to eliminate roadside dumps, collect bulky waste, and conduct spring clean-up campaigns on an annual basis.

Short-term

1. Investigate grant or other funding, and complete the required forms for the extension of the Huntingdon Historic District (up to 12 th Street ) and Alexandria .
2. Support the implementation of a public education strategy for good urban design and regional preservation.
3. Cooperate with municipalities in maintaining well-designed and aesthetically pleasing community gateways, including signs, landscaping, and streetscapes.
4. Pursue and administer façade improvement programs in downtown Huntingdon. Review applications and ensure usage compliance.
5. Pursue Elm Street funding for use in Huntingdon Borough.
6. Help mobilize ongoing volunteers for Western Pennsylvania Conservancy gateway garden located within Huntingdon Borough.
7. Cooperate with Chamber Business Development Committee, JCEL, and HCBI to develop or redevelop key buildings in Huntingdon's historic business district.
8. Administer sidewalk grant program.
9. Create a database to maintain information on downtown Huntingdon buildings' “footprints.”

Education

Long-term:
•  Provide educational opportunities for Chamber members and the community.
•  Work with other committees and organizations on workforce development.
•  Work with other committees and organizations to support a community leadership program.
•  Work with other committees and organizations to have a community college serve Huntingdon County .

Short-term:
•  Educate members about information and resources available to help with workforce and workplace improvement efforts.
•  Cooperate with other educational institutions, both profit and nonprofit, to support educational opportunities for youth and enhance lifelong learning.
•  Coordinate and explore scholarship programs.
•  Offer educational workshops from at least two of the following areas: personal development skills; group interactive skills; manager/supervisor skills; health awareness and technical skill opportunities.
•  Enlarge committee representation by seeking new members from health care.
•  Continue the BASICS (Businesses And Schools Investing in Cooperative Solutions) effort.
•  Increase Chamber awareness to students and the public.

Government Affairs

Long-term

1. Recommend positions on legislation to the Board of Directors.
2. Advocate to local legislators Chamber/Business positions on proposed legislation. (Utilize methods to keep legislators issues in front of community-debates, info flow, etc.)
3. Work with other organizations and legislators to advocate for, and address, area project funding needs.

Short-term

1. Communications Process Development:
1. Communicate legislative initiatives (Federal, State & Local) more effectively with Chamber members.
2. Serve as liaison between local Chamber members and PCCE (Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce Executives) Coalition 120 and Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry initiatives and advocacy to address member's needs.
3. Create a Virtual Advisory Committee that will provide feedback via e-mail to the Government Affairs Committee on legislation and positions.
4. Investigate membership in the US Chamber and/ or ACCE (American Chamber of Commerce Executives) to stay abreast of federal legislation.
2. Committee Development
1. Create a structured meeting schedule.
2. Expand committee members by two.
3. Recommend to the appropriate committee, within the Chamber, development of programs about legislation and political issues important to members.

Huntingdon Area Promotions and Activities

Long-term:

•  Work cooperatively with the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau to educate visitors and encourage visits to Huntingdon County 's business districts.
•  Establish programs, publications and events that will make the Historic Huntingdon business district and other business districts in the County destination locations for visitors and residents.
•  Work closely with other committees and organizations to assist with revitalization efforts for Huntingdon.
•  Examine ways to promote a more positive image in order to gain more participation from both within and outside of membership.
•  Promote business participation in the full calendar of existing community and special events, and assist in strengthening existing seasonal retail promotion in Huntingdon.
•  Develop an advertising program to promote downtown Huntingdon as a destination. Consider print, radio, billboards and local cable commercials in plan development.

Short-term:

•  Develop downtown directory and make suggestions for improvements and printing options.
•  Provide business representation to address parking issues within downtown Huntingdon.
• Open and maintain lines of communication with the business community along with providing an opportunity for any businessperson to raise issues of concern as well as opportunities.
•  Encourage attendance and membership by personal targeting of new and existing businesses through active demonstration of value/worth through actions.
•  Establish a sub committee to organize 2006 Holiday events and promotions.
•  In cooperation with the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, develop and produce Downtown Huntingdon print publication for distribution primarily by HCVB.
•  Develop and plan print advertisement strategy utilizing new branding targeted to reach a larger audience in addition to local advertising.
•  Implement business Emergency Hotline.
•  Develop plans for WaterFire 2008.
•  Continue to expand the Mayfest event.

Loan & Grant Committee

Short- term:

•  Review applications, recommend programs to the Board and Borough, and administer loan and grant programs for the betterment of the downtown.

Membership Committee

Long - term:

•  Steadily increase membership to 400 by June 30, 2009.
•  Develop and foster relationships with other chambers and organizations.
•  Develop new sources of non-dues income.

Short - term :

•  Increase total membership by 10% (to 350 members) by January 1, 2008.
•  Encourage individual/patron memberships.
•  Increase number of Pacesetters by 2.
•  Prepare Membership Directory each year for publication.
•  Expand the scope of the Ambassador Program and increase the # of Ambassadors.
•  Organize monthly After Hours, Quarterly Membership Breakfasts and the Quarterly Newsletter.
•  Create new ways to recognize pacesetters and long term members.
•  Expand the CertifiChecks program.
•  Increase non-dues income by 10% for Membership Committee.
•  Expand the newsletter.
•  Develop a county map as another source of non-dues revenue.
•  Research & develop membership campaign teams.
•  Investigate development of a holiday party as a source of non-dues revenue.
•  Seek a Juniata College marketing intern to do a study on member satisfaction and needs.
•  Develop an E-Newsletter to enhance communication with members.
•  Develop an After Hours package.

Technology Committee

Long - term:

•  Promote the availability of broad-band technology and the rate of its deployment in the Huntingdon County in cooperation with the Huntingdon Area Information Partnership.
•  Support efforts to market the Huntingdon area to technology firms through the Chamber and Chamber partners. Facilitating the sharing of technology information at the community/local user level.
•  Maintain and improve the use of www.huntingdonchamber.com to promote the goals and activities of the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce.
•  Market www.huntingdonchamber.com as the best place for Huntingdon area business and community information.
•  Encourage members to use the internet to promote and /or sell products and services.

Short-term:

•  Support, enhance and promote www.huntingdonarea.info including demographic data, the calendar and gateway through the Huntingdon Area Information Partnership.
•  Develop at least one program to present new technology information to Chamber Members.
•  Investigate partnering on Juniata College Tech Night.
•  Develop and publish a broadband connectivity map for Huntingdon County on www.huntingdonarea.info.
•  Request Chamber members link back to the Chamber web site.
•  Request partners link to sections within www.huntingdonarea.info such as statistics, broadband map, and calendar.
•  Broaden membership on the technology committee.
•  Offer members a web presence through the Chamber site.
•  Improve the Chamber web site to enhance its use to the public, through new graphics, rotating banner ads, member spotlight ads and more consistent navigation.