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WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP — Add Whitehall Township to the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce's stable of smaller business partners. One of the last remaining independent business groups plans to partner and eventually roll into the Lehigh Valley chamber organization, as the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce's board of directors have unanimously voted to partner with the Lehigh Valley chamber. Both sides expect to finalize negotiations toward the partnership in the fall. "This is a partnership that we're extremely excited about" said Valley Chamber CEO Tony Iannelli. "Whitehall is a very important piece of this Valley, with a lot of economic vitality." Elizabeth Martell, who has been the Whitehall chamber's board president since 2015, said board members approached the Lehigh Valley group about partnering to ensure members "are getting the most benefits." Much of the organization's structure will stay the same, according to Martell, but the partnership will provide additional resources for marketing and public policy support, among other things. The Whitehall chamber, which was formed in 1959, has had a busy year thus far. In April, the board representing the 250-member group decided to move from its longtime MacArthur Road office suite to the Fullerton Building, 881 Third St. The MacArthur Road office was on land targeted by the Lehigh Valley Mall's owners for a potential expansion project. Last month, the board eliminated the executive director's position, with a news release saying it was based on "fiscal responsibility." "It was just a fiduciarily responsible decision made by the board," said Martell, declining to elaborate. For years, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber has extended territorially and by organizing various business councils and chambers of groups such as Hispanics, African-Americans, LGBT community and more. Its footprint has extended throughout eastern Pennsylvania into Warren County, N.J. – essentially a footprint that links it with the federal government's metropolitan statistical area that also covers Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. The lone remaining chambers are in the Nazareth-Bath area and the Slate Belt in northern Northampton county. Iannelli said the Carbon County Chamber merger in 2013 was its last acquisition, and the closed Warren County Chamber of Commerce provided the Lehigh Valley chamber with its membership list. The Lehigh Valley chamber has more than 5,000 members – it calls itself the largest chamber statewide. The organization also has 32 employees, 13 offices and a $4.3 million annual budget, according to Iannelli. Read the original article here.
WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP — Add Whitehall Township to the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce's stable of smaller business partners.
One of the last remaining independent business groups plans to partner and eventually roll into the Lehigh Valley chamber organization, as the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce's board of directors have unanimously voted to partner with the Lehigh Valley chamber.
Both sides expect to finalize negotiations toward the partnership in the fall.
"This is a partnership that we're extremely excited about" said Valley Chamber CEO Tony Iannelli. "Whitehall is a very important piece of this Valley, with a lot of economic vitality."
Elizabeth Martell, who has been the Whitehall chamber's board president since 2015, said board members approached the Lehigh Valley group about partnering to ensure members "are getting the most benefits."
Much of the organization's structure will stay the same, according to Martell, but the partnership will provide additional resources for marketing and public policy support, among other things.
The Whitehall chamber, which was formed in 1959, has had a busy year thus far.
In April, the board representing the 250-member group decided to move from its longtime MacArthur Road office suite to the Fullerton Building, 881 Third St. The MacArthur Road office was on land targeted by the Lehigh Valley Mall's owners for a potential expansion project.
Last month, the board eliminated the executive director's position, with a news release saying it was based on "fiscal responsibility."
"It was just a fiduciarily responsible decision made by the board," said Martell, declining to elaborate.
For years, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber has extended territorially and by organizing various business councils and chambers of groups such as Hispanics, African-Americans, LGBT community and more.
Its footprint has extended throughout eastern Pennsylvania into Warren County, N.J. – essentially a footprint that links it with the federal government's metropolitan statistical area that also covers Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
The lone remaining chambers are in the Nazareth-Bath area and the Slate Belt in northern Northampton county.
Iannelli said the Carbon County Chamber merger in 2013 was its last acquisition, and the closed Warren County Chamber of Commerce provided the Lehigh Valley chamber with its membership list.
The Lehigh Valley chamber has more than 5,000 members – it calls itself the largest chamber statewide. The organization also has 32 employees, 13 offices and a $4.3 million annual budget, according to Iannelli.
Read the original article here.