ARTICLE
Throughout the region, there are chambers of commerce equipped with an arsenal of solutions that can help drive the success of your business. Whether it be a startup or a business that’s been operating for many years, a chamber organization can help you meet goals and expectations. In the Greater Lehigh Valley, there are chambers of all sizes with the means to help a business get off the ground, stay afloat or thrive. Here to answer this week’s “Behind the List” questions is Frank Facchiano, chief operating officer and executive vice president of member relations at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Lehigh Valley Business: The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is a valuable asset to the business community in the area. What are some of the perks of being a chamber member? Frank Facchiano: One of the major benefits of Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber membership are access to marketing and network-building opportunities with nearly 5,000 member businesses and their more than 220,000 employees in Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties. And the opportunities continue to grow with our recent expansion through contractual agreements in what we call our Northern Tier, which includes the Carbon County Chamber & Economic Development Corp., the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. We find that many of our members do business beyond our classical borders, especially to our north and that many businesses in the counties to our north certainly do business here in the valley, so the partnerships make perfect sense. LVB: What is your guiding philosophy as a business leader? Facchiano: To embrace and lead with an abundance mindset. That is, to think big, to encourage and create audacious goals. To be optimistic and genuinely happy for others when they achieve success. That and to always do the right thing for our customers (members, volunteers, and fellow staff) and ensure that we bring value to each other in everything we do. LVB: What is the best piece of career advice that you’ve ever received? Facchiano: “Don’t be an idiot.” That, and during college, when I was a waiter cooking tableside at the Hamilton Plaza in Allentown, the maître d’, Willie Defreitas, would always say, when I questioned one of his intricate methods, “Frank, you must do things the way things are supposed to be done!” So simple and so true, and so applicable to any part of one’s life. LVB: If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be? Facchiano: Not to brag, but we are changing our industry every day. You won’t find another chamber of commerce that does things exactly the way we do. I am speaking of our mantra, “On Every Main Street.” It describes how we connect each distinctive community to a regional vision and mission. On Every Main Street tells a story of how we continue to “think big” about ideas, about solutions, leveraging partnerships and creating significance, while we continue to “act small,” treating every community like an owner and partner. At the chamber, we know that regionalism done right happens from the bottom up, and that the local character of each of our communities is best showcased within the context of the entire Lehigh Valley experience. It is hugely important to have an active understanding of the essential and intrinsic life of each individual city, town borough, and neighborhood, and we live and breathe it every day. LVB: What motivates you to get out of bed every morning to go to work? Facchiano: First, my family. I also really love what I do at the chamber and each day brings something new and a new opportunity for me to connect with business people, or connect business owners, or work on an upcoming event or a great new marketing idea. So, it’s not really going to work but it has simply become who I am. LVB: What are some of your personal interests outside of the workplace? Facchiano: Concentrating on being a good husband and father and raising two boys to be good men. I love to go to the market … I love to cook and I love to eat, which go together quite well. As my golf game improves, I am really getting into it. Funny how that works. Luckily, I enjoy mowing the lawn because I have spent a lot of time doing so in the last two years. It’s very therapeutic for me. My wife, Cathy, creates the landscaping. Also I love working with my hands on home-improvement projects and general home maintenance. To read the article click here.
Throughout the region, there are chambers of commerce equipped with an arsenal of solutions that can help drive the success of your business.
Whether it be a startup or a business that’s been operating for many years, a chamber organization can help you meet goals and expectations.
In the Greater Lehigh Valley, there are chambers of all sizes with the means to help a business get off the ground, stay afloat or thrive.
Here to answer this week’s “Behind the List” questions is Frank Facchiano, chief operating officer and executive vice president of member relations at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Lehigh Valley Business: The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is a valuable asset to the business community in the area. What are some of the perks of being a chamber member?
Frank Facchiano: One of the major benefits of Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber membership are access to marketing and network-building opportunities with nearly 5,000 member businesses and their more than 220,000 employees in Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties. And the opportunities continue to grow with our recent expansion through contractual agreements in what we call our Northern Tier, which includes the Carbon County Chamber & Economic Development Corp., the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. We find that many of our members do business beyond our classical borders, especially to our north and that many businesses in the counties to our north certainly do business here in the valley, so the partnerships make perfect sense.
LVB: What is your guiding philosophy as a business leader?
Facchiano: To embrace and lead with an abundance mindset. That is, to think big, to encourage and create audacious goals. To be optimistic and genuinely happy for others when they achieve success. That and to always do the right thing for our customers (members, volunteers, and fellow staff) and ensure that we bring value to each other in everything we do.
LVB: What is the best piece of career advice that you’ve ever received?
Facchiano: “Don’t be an idiot.” That, and during college, when I was a waiter cooking tableside at the Hamilton Plaza in Allentown, the maître d’, Willie Defreitas, would always say, when I questioned one of his intricate methods, “Frank, you must do things the way things are supposed to be done!” So simple and so true, and so applicable to any part of one’s life.
LVB: If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be?
Facchiano: Not to brag, but we are changing our industry every day. You won’t find another chamber of commerce that does things exactly the way we do.
I am speaking of our mantra, “On Every Main Street.” It describes how we connect each distinctive community to a regional vision and mission. On Every Main Street tells a story of how we continue to “think big” about ideas, about solutions, leveraging partnerships and creating significance, while we continue to “act small,” treating every community like an owner and partner.
At the chamber, we know that regionalism done right happens from the bottom up, and that the local character of each of our communities is best showcased within the context of the entire Lehigh Valley experience.
It is hugely important to have an active understanding of the essential and intrinsic life of each individual city, town borough, and neighborhood, and we live and breathe it every day.
LVB: What motivates you to get out of bed every morning to go to work?
Facchiano: First, my family. I also really love what I do at the chamber and each day brings something new and a new opportunity for me to connect with business people, or connect business owners, or work on an upcoming event or a great new marketing idea. So, it’s not really going to work but it has simply become who I am.
LVB: What are some of your personal interests outside of the workplace?
Facchiano: Concentrating on being a good husband and father and raising two boys to be good men.
I love to go to the market … I love to cook and I love to eat, which go together quite well.
As my golf game improves, I am really getting into it. Funny how that works.
Luckily, I enjoy mowing the lawn because I have spent a lot of time doing so in the last two years. It’s very therapeutic for me. My wife, Cathy, creates the landscaping.
Also I love working with my hands on home-improvement projects and general home maintenance. To read the article click here.