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Register Online for All Meetings & Events.
You will also find a complete list of all Chamber Events, Meetings & Activities here as well as Maps and other details.
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Display YOUR Chamber Membership Sign with PRIDE!
(Contact The Chamber at Sue@southkent.org if you need a replacement OR a FREE acryllic Membership Sign frame!) |
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In addition to the Chamber's monthly newsletter, My Business Advocate, and the Chamber's annual full-color, 40-page Community Profile and MetroGuide, ALL Chamber Members automatically receive a complimentary annual subscription to BDW as part of your Membership! Stay abreast of all the business news from throughout the entire SouthWest Michigan area each week with BDW!
Regularly a $49.95 value, BDW makes this subscription available to the Chamber at a $24.95 rate. This amount is non-refundable and may not be offset against dues. |
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New Study: Chamber Membership Significantly Boosts a Business's Image
A new National Study reveals that membership in a local chamber of commerce can significantly boost a business’s image among consumers, as well as among other businesses.
Follow this link to view the 1-Page Study Summary
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No Chamber, No Voice.
A business cannot vote on election day.
Without The Chamber, many businesses would be left with no voice on many critical issues.
Do your part. Become a Chamber Member today.
The Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber 616 531-5990 www.southkent.org
590 32nd Street SE - Wyoming, MI 49548-2345 |
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The Membership Development Division, under the leadership of Skip Knapp from EdwardJONES Investments, and Director Jim Gilbert from Creative Benefit Systems, Inc., has launched a great new program for Member Referrals! It is called Chamber Bucks!
Whenever you refer an Individual or Company to the Chamber and they decide to join a a Member, YOU receive a $25 Chamber Bucks Certificate, which is good toward any expense you incur at The Chamber! (Be sure your name is on their application!)
WHO do you know that's not yet a Chamber Member - but should BE?! Contact the Chamber Staff with any questions or for assistance. |
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Study Shows Local Chamber Members Are Better Credit Risks
Alexandria, VA Feb 2010 - The American Chamber of Commerce Executives Assn just released a new report by Cortera TM, a community-driven credit bureau.
According to the study, Local Chamber of Commerce Members possess an average credit score of 629, compared to a 557 average score for businesses at large. Such scores - the payment behavior from which they are derived -- play a significant role in attracting lines of credit and securing favorable terms from lenders and suppliers.
"The economic health of the entire supply chain is dependent on the payment behavior of each of its stakeholders," said Jim Swift, president and CEO of Cortera. "This study suggests that chamber members are among the most dependable participants in this ecosystem."
OTHER Study Now Proves That Chamber Membership Significantly Boosts a Business' Image
Be sure to read this important new national study, commissioned by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in Alexandria, VA, that scientifically proves that a business's image is greatly enhanced among consumers and other businesses when it belongs to the Chamber!
The report also shows what local Chamber Members can do to take full advantage of this information and leverage this enhanced image within the community.
You can get your own copy of this 9-page report, produced by the Schapiro Group of Atlanta, GA, by clicking on the Study link below in the Membership Information & Application section. |
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Count each full-time employee as 1; part-time as 1/2.
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What Our Members Have to Say ...
“The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber bolts business to a wealth of benefits and services that strengthens them. The Chamber mission reflects our attitude regarding being ‘open for business’ and I feel much better knowing that there is an organization in my community that stands for business and is as committed to a thriving economic environment as I am.”
Mayor Richard Root, City of Kentwood, Michigan
“Involvement in WKACC has allowed me to expand my network of relationships tremendously; giving back is the key to success in any chamber, WKACC provides opportunities for members to interact facilitate and learn from one another. It is my pleasure to be a WKACC member!“
Amy Pierce
Express Employment Professionals “The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber has been a blessing to me for nine years, and it has been a pleasure to serve it's members and an awesome Board of Directors as the 2008 Chairmen of the Board. I have had the opportunity to meet many great and influential business and government leaders in this community. All of these people are indeed Servant Leaders and believe in being apart of something bigger than themselves. Please join us we would love to serve you!"
Tom Kruisenga, The Kruisenga Agency
“In my nine years at the Chamber I’ve made a lot of friends and had interactions with several great people. Outside of the personal relationships I’ve formed I’ve learned several skills from networking to the ability to lead a group. These skills help me every day in banking. Thank you Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber for being an integral part of my professional life.“
Matt Uhl, National City Bank
"Chamber membership is an opportunity! It's an opportunity to provide value to others, to give of yourself and your business to others. When you do that, you will be amazed at what you receive in return! Chamber membership is enabling me to develop strong business relationships that are mutually beneficial. And ... new friendships are formed along the way!"
Pat Pols
RE/MAX Lifestyles
...a home for every lifestyle! |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Chamber Membership
What is the Chamber of Commerce?
Our Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce is an innovative, financially conservative voluntary business alliance built for the 21st Century. Our Chamber is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in our greater Wyoming, Kentwood and South Kent communities.
Our Chamber represents more than 530 member businesses and civic organizations employing more than 19,000 people in our communities, with an estimated total payroll of more than $550 million a year. Our mission is Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses.
What can the Chamber do for me?
The Chamber's role is to help strengthen and promote the economic vitality of the Greater Wyoming-Kentwood Region.
We know that for most business owners and managers, TIME is in short supply. The Chamber maintains important relationships with key people, community leaders and government officials that most business people don't have the time to maintain.
Businesses CANNOT VOTE on Election Day, so the Chamber speaks on behalf of area businesses with a clear and credible voice on a host of issues, all to make doing commerce more affordable and possible.
For specific benefits see Member Benefits & Services.
Who runs it and when does it meet?
A 22-person Board of Directors, elected by the General Membership, represents the Membership and decides policies and activities. A professional staff under the Chamber President assists the Board in implementing policy and programs with the help of committees composed of Members.
The Chamber meets almost every day of the month in various committee meetings, networking events and other activities. Check out the Chamber Mtgs/Events page for more details. There is surely a project or activity that will interest you!
How much are annual dues?
The amount of dues varies depending on the organizations' number of employees. Membership dues are tax deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense, (but not as a charitable contribution). Dues range from $210 per year for firms up to 5 employees, to upwards of $3,000 for large companies.
Special packages can also be put together that will significantly elevate your visibility in the Chamber and Business Community. They can range from as little as $200 in addition to your dues to $10,000 or more.
Why is my membership important?
You and your business benefit from visibility and participation in our Chamber of Commerce. The stronger the Chamber, the more it can do for the business community. As a corporate citizen, your Membership demonstrates that you actively promote the welfare and economic stability of our region. Your business is known as helping the Chamber Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses. |
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New Study Shows That Chamber Membership Significantly Boosts a Business' Image
A new national study reveals that membership in a local chamber of commerce can significantly boost a business’s image among consumers, as well as among other businesses.
In a scientific survey of 2000 U.S. adults, The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based strategic consulting firm, found positive perceptions of chamber members in a number of areas, including overall favorability, consumer awareness and reputation, and likelihood of future patronage.
The study, commissioned by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), IBM, Administaff, Small Business Network, Inc., and Market Street Services, showed that when respondents were told that a particular small business was a member of its local chamber, they were 44 percent more likely to rate it favorably than study respondents who were not told of the chamber affiliation. Respondents were also 63 percent more likely to want to purchase goods or services from a small business that is a chamber member.
Advertise Your Chamber Membership
“We discovered that informing someone about a company’s chamber membership opens the door to substantial increases positive perceptions of that business,” said Alex Trouteaud, Ph.D., senior strategist for The Schapiro Group. “There clearly is a feeling by our respondents that chamber membership is synonymous with quality and desirability.”
To tap into this reservoir of goodwill, a small business should not only join the local chamber of commerce and participate, but also make sure consumers and other businesses are aware of that chamber affiliation.
Helps Small and Big Business Alike
The positive impact of perceived chamber membership is felt by big businesses, too. For example, when consumers believed that a restaurant chain was a member of the local chamber of commerce, they were 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the future. And if a consumer believed that one of the major automobile manufacturers was a member of its local chamber, that consumer was 9 percent more likely to consider purchasing his or her next car from that automaker.
“This study reinforces research done in 2005 about the perceived capacity of chambers to lead businesses and lead communities,” said Mick Fleming, president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). “These new national findings point to even more direct benefits for companies willing to be stakeholders in their local chamber.”
The study results had good news for chambers themselves, where 82 percent of respondents indicated that a local chamber of commerce “creates jobs and promotes economic development.”
Belong to The Chamber
“The message from this national study is as simple as it is ground-breaking,” said Jim Blasingame, small business expert and president of Small Business Network, Inc. “Join your local chambers, be an active participant in your chamber’s programs and be sure to let your customers and prospects know you’re a proud chamber supporter when they come in your business and when they see your marketing material.”
J. Mac Holladay, CEO of Market Street Services, an economic development consulting firm based in Atlanta that helped create the study, said, “It is refreshing to learn what we have suspected for years -- that chamber membership and community involvement are good investments.” |
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