By Don Brennan
For the last 18 months or so, we have been telling you that the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce has been “reimagined, rebranded and revitalized.” We firmly believe the GNPCC is your best investment in making “Smart Business Connections.”
We’ve told you about our vastly improved interactive website, our weekly online newsletter (inFOCUS), our dynamic new quarterly magazine (inBUSINESS) and our Calendar of Events dramatically repurposed to feature networking around topical events, rather than just networking period.
Take a closer look, friends, because things are certainly different around here.
For example, we are smack dab in the middle of planning a very exciting Women in Business Conference with some of the area’s most successful and high profile speakers. This is brand new to this organization, which is saying something since we were founded in 1922.
The WIBC will be a day-long event April 27 at the Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast in Trevose. Visit the website for details and see for yourself. The Luncheon Panel alone is worth the price of admission, with some of the area’s best known companies represented. Crown Holdings, for instance, has agreed to be the title sponsor.
We launched an idea called the Executive Lunch Series at the fabulous Union League Golf Club at Torresdale March 10, and to say it was a rousing success would be a gross understatement. Just ask the large contingent of GNPCC board members who turned out to see Professor Ed Turzanski have a “fireside chat” with moderator Dennis Powell about world affairs and global security.
The conversation was enthralling and, honestly, if this event is evidence of the rebranding we’ve been screaming about at the GNPCC, then we’re definitely onto something. Again, a brand new concept that is a winner. We are working on the next one scheduled for June.
Pam Henshall, who took the reins of the organization in April 2015 with nearly 20 years’ experience in Chamber work in South Jersey, hauled an idea over the bridge with her and we’re calling it the Chamber Informal Lunch. It is held on the first Tuesday of every month at the cozy Ashburner Inn, 8400 Torresdale Ave., and for $15 you enjoy a lunch buffet and the company of good people and professionals. No fuss, no formality, no reservations needed.
You’re probably going to eat lunch anyway, so why not enjoy an hour or so with friends? Talk about your business, the weather, the Eagles! Again, this is a brand new idea, and from the looks of things, it’s catching on. The next one is April 4 at noon. Our goal is to turn this into a habit.
The same can be said for the new Business Breakfast Club. It is scheduled for one hour only, so members and prospective members heading into work can stop by between 8 and 9 am. The folks at PJP Marketplace, 8914 Frankford Ave., held the very first one on March 21. Sally’s Flowers is next up on April 18 at 7944 Oxford Ave.
The advantages to this event are: it is very affordable; it is not a great time commitment for either the sponsor or the attendees; and if your location doesn’t work well for you, the GNPCC will open the doors of our fabulous facility for your use. You provide the coffee and donuts, and we’ll do the rest.
On Friday, March 31 we are breaking new ground once again with an ambitious networking breakfast event titled, “Philadelphia: Working Together.” This inaugural breakfast will be held at Parx Casino & Racing, 2999 Street Rd. in Bensalem starting at 8 am.
We believe this gathering will allow us to network and identify opportunities for collaborative initiatives to promote our region as a great place to live, work and shop. Tickets are $30 per person.
Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mike Stack, the unquestioned champion of the GNPCC since his days as a State Senator in Northeast Philadelphia, will be the keynote speaker. In addition, we have invited the following groups to attend:
• Asian American Chamber of Commerce
• African American Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce
• Greek American Chamber of Commerce
• Irish American Business Chamber & Network Inc.
• Independent Business Alliance / Greater LGBT Chamber of Commerce
• Russian American Chamber of Commerce
• British American Chamber of Commerce
• German American Chamber of Commerce
• Japan American Society of Greater Philadelphia
• Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
• PenJerDel Council
To discover more examples of how we’ve changed, take a look throughout this Web site. Of course, we’re always open for business at our headquarters in Suite 200 of the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union building at 8025 Roosevelt Boulevard, by calling ahead at 215.332.3400.