Greater Norwich Chamber serves local businesses and the community - what do they do?

For Attorney Ted Phillips, business isn’t “just about the dollars and cents,” but about people.

The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce is marking its 20th anniversary this year with its Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet Thursday. Over the years, the chamber has sought to strengthen relationships between businesses and the community, Executive Director Angela Adams said.

GNACC was founded by Phillips, who practices commercial law, accountant Andre Messier and travel agent Marc Bokoff. There was a gap in serving northern New London County after a merger of two chambers of commerce. Phillips met with a group of businesses at Norwich City Hall on Dec. 17, 2003. Even though it was a frigid day, people still showed up, and Phillips made a case for a Norwich-based chamber, starting in 2004, he said.

“They all signed up within weeks,” he said.

Volunteer support and working with local media helped get the chamber off the ground. GNACC ran forums and provided educational and networking opportunities from the start. GNACC hired its first employee by the end of the third year, Phillips, who was the chairman for the first three years, said.

One important effort is the Business Assistance Team. If a business owner has a financial challenge, or if they didn’t know if they were ready to expand, the chamber has a group to help coach. Even people in the same line of business volunteer for the team, Phillips said.

“They (chamber members) recognized that having another successful restaurant in town doesn’t mean yours is not going to be successful,” he said.

GNACC also provides opportunities for business owners to become friends, including Business After Hours events, without business solicitations, Phillips said.

“You’ll learn a lot more about the person you’re talking too, and those friendships go deeper than a single sale, and our members appreciate that,” he said.

With community and business efforts, the chamber has done a great job, Chelsea Groton Bank Assistant Vice President Miria Gray said.

“It’s important for small businesses that are growing to have a support system,” she said.

In the community

Community events and activities range from the yearly rubber duck races on the Yantic River, to the Healthy Living Festival at Dodd Stadium, workforce development efforts, and more, Adams said.

Providing for the community connects businesses with the community, from providing screenings at the Healthy Living Festival that could save lives, to interacting at the harbor during the Rock the Docks concert, away from the place of business, Adams said.

Community outreach also shows the importance of local business to the community, and the ways small business can compete with big business, Phillips said.

“Unless you have an Amazon distribution center in your town, all the money you’re paying for online purchases is not going to support your little league, church fairs, or anything like that,” he said.

A fun challenge

Adams started at GNACC as a volunteer, became an employee in 2012, and served in multiple roles until she became Executive Director in 2018. The chamber has grown, from almost 300 businesses when Adams started, to almost 600 now, she said.

“It’s evolved, and we’re a lot more involved in our community,” she said.

As the chamber’s chairman changes every two years or so, it means Adams must work with a new boss each time and learn from them. Adams learned about manufacturing from Chris Jewell, economic development from Nancy Cowser, Norwich Rotary and community groups from Andrew Nollman, and more, Adams said.

“You have to start over, but it helps our chamber out, because I learn more about different industries, and I can capitalize on that,” she said.

The economy and other factors are challenges. GNACC’s ability to listen keeps it growing, Adams said.

“We keep (learning from chamber and community members) what they need and trying to balance the two is always a fun challenge,” she said.

Businesses appreciate Adams’ work. For SCADD, an addiction recovery non-profit, Adams has always been present at its events, SCADD CEO Stacy Lawton said.

“Even when it brings her out to our Lebanon Pines facility, she’s been a terrific partner,” she said.

Though serving as Executive Director of GNACC can be challenging, Adams is a good fit for her job because she “does it with ease,” Michael Rankowitz, owner of McKenna’s Flower Shop, said.

Phillips appreciates Adams, her staff, and all the volunteers who brought the chamber to its 2 anniversary, he said.

What’s next for the chamber?

Moving forward, the chamber wants to increase involvement in the other member towns: Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Ledyard, Lisbon, Montville, Preston, Salem, Sprague, and Voluntown. Adams wants to discover each town’s niche, from outdoor recreation to farmer’s markets and concerts, she said.

“There’s so many gems in each of these towns,” Adams said, “It’s my job and my challenge to figure out how to get people to stop in those towns.”

The chamber also wants to communicate with the town governments and the small businesses, and bring networking and educational opportunities for businesses, Adams said.

Adams hopes the chamber continues to grow in membership and a stronger connection between the towns, she said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce marks 20 years