Surprise Chamber looks to make bigger splash in 2010
by Cecilia Chan - Dec. 31, 2009 12:43 PM
The Arizona Republic .
Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce aims to deliver more bang for the buck to its business members with the help of a new executive director, a new home and a new slogan.

David Moss, who took over as executive director in September, is growing the chamber by launching a number of programs to help small-business owners feel they are receiving a return for their investment.

"We are building on where we came from," Moss said. "We've made the determination to make the chamber more responsive to chamber members. We have to make members feel they've got a responsive staff, that they feel listened to and their issues are dealt with."
The chamber's new tag line, "serving members, building businesses and shaping communities," helps spell out that goal.

Moss said the chamber has about 500 members but should have 1,000 to 1,500 given the area's population is approximately 300,000. Surprise alone has about 6,000 licensed businesses.

The chamber also serves El Mirage, Youngtown, Sun City and Sun City West.

Two programs were recently rolled out to members. The Chamber Champ Card encourages members to patronize each other's business. Each month, chamber members who support other member businesses are entered in a raffle for prizes.

"The idea is a chamber has true value when fellow chamber members buy from fellow chamber members," Moss said. "The Chamber Card itself is a mind-set change."

The Cohort Program provides an opportunity for small, home-based businesses to network and help each other on issues such as how to translate Web hits to dollars to the best bank to open an account.

"The byproduct is they do business with each other and they build relationships," Moss said of the monthly get-togethers.

Moss also plans to target programs for the areas the chamber serves.

"We will be showcasing the small businesses in their communities and expose them to the rest of the chamber," he said.

A big plus for the chamber is a new location.

The City Council in December approved a lease agreement allowing the chamber to occupy 2,600 feet of the former Heard Museum West building on North Civic Center Plaza. The move is expected sometime this month.

The chamber is now housed in a building, referred to by some as "the cave," in an older Bell Road strip mall that includes a 99 Cents Only Store and a Goodwill store.

"This building was fantastic for a long period of time," Moss said. "But a lot of the (city's population) growth is taking place in other areas."

After looking at four locations, Moss said chamber officials felt "the Heard offered the most for what we needed for the chamber at this particular time."

Moss said the new location is easy to find because it is adjacent to the new City Hall, although it's off the beaten path for out-of-town tourists. But being close to tourist-drivers such as the nearby spring training and tennis facilities is an advantage, Moss added.

And the new building has a patio that will enable the chamber to hold after-hour mixers, Moss said.

Tony Gonzales, who owns Healing Oasis the Art of Massage in Surprise, joined the chamber a month ago and already is seeing a slight bump in business.

"I've been at this location for two years now and I've done some advertisements," Gonzales said. "Some of the people in the network with the chamber passed by my office every day and said, 'we never knew you were there.'

"Now that I'm attending some of these breakfasts and luncheons and network meeting
and social gatherings, they are more familiar with me and my business."

Gonzales said through his networking, he's also met a dojo owner whose wife is an esthetician and will soon be plying her craft at Healing Oasis.




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