It's All About Who You Know

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Carlos Phillips, President & CEO for the Greenville (SC) Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Carlos for their conversation surrounding Greenville's explosive growth (which shows no signs of slowing down), the chamber's role in workforce development and the power of what Carlos describes as Greenville's "network of networks". Learn how the Greenville Chamber purposefully took on the role of being the source of accurate pandemic-related information for the business community, and how that approach not only helped their members navigate that tumultuous time, but strengthened the chamber's relationships across-the-board. Greenville is an incredibly exciting community to be a part of right now, and Carlos and his team are at the center of its activity.

1:17 - Intro - Carlos Phillips - President & CEO, Greenville Chamber of Commerce

3:25 - About the Greenville Chamber of Commerce

4:12 - "Network of Networks"

5:09 - About Greenville - Challenges and Opportunities

7:35 - Explosive Growth, and Keeping an Eye on the Future

9:19 - Accelerate Greenville

11:06 - Funding Community Initiatives

13:00 - Workforce Development and Educational Attainment

14:31 - Taking Care of Members

19:10 - What Gets You Out of Bed in the Morning?

20:21 - "If You Had a Blank Check?"

22:20 - Inspirations

25:06 - Craig's Interlude - ACCE and Peer Networking

27:28 - Closing and More Info on the Greenville Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Gina Suydam, President of the Wyoming County (PA) Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Gina for their conversation surrounding the unique challenges faced by rural chambers of commerce, particularly over the past two years. Learn how the Wyoming County Chamber has tackled the same issues we've featured on the podcast episode after episode - workforce, broadband access, small business recovery... But in an area where people are spread out, and the region's largest employer draws workers from seven different counties. Gina fills us in on this gem of a community in Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains Region - a place whose charm and way-of-life creates lifelong fans of anyone who lives there or visits.

1:04 - Intro - Gina Suydam, President, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce

2:58 - About the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce

4:33 - What's Happening in Wyoming County

6:09 - Opportunities and Challenges

9:38 - Delivering Services to a Huge Geography

11:59 - Workforce Collaboration

13:29 - Forecasting

16:26 - Fighting Talent Flight

17:30 - What Gets You Up in the Morning?

18:35 - "If You Had a Blank Check"

20:23 - Member Shout Out

22:33 - Visiting the Endless Mountains Region

25:09 - Closing and More Info on the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Dennis Saunier, President & CEO for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Denny for their conversation surrounding what it means to be a community steward, both as an organization and as an individual, of a globally-known asset, in Canton's case, the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Learn how the the Canton Regional Chamber is at the center of festivities that bring a half-million people, and the eyes of the world, onto their city each year, and how they use that position to create a tangible and powerful connection with the community. But Canton's about more than just football, and you'll be interested in learning how the city, with the chamber's leadership, is attracting investment, jobs and people by being a great place to live, work and do business.

 

This episode is sponsored by Fat Heads Brewery

1:30 - Intro - Dennis Saunier, President & CEO, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

4:11 - About the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

10:07 - What's Happening in Canton, OH

18:30 - The Chamber's Responsibility as Caretaker of Community Assets (such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame)

23:08 - Focused on the Future

27:02 - What Gets You Up in the Morning?

32:00 - "If You Had a Blank Check"

34:12 - Inspirations

38:26 - Closing and More Info on the Canton Regional Chamber

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Bryan Derreberry, President & CEO for the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Bryan for their conversation surrounding the chamber of commerce's role in not only ensuring real world benefits for members today, but organizing and leading the community in planning for the future - guidance from the head of a chamber that will celebrate its 250th(!!) anniversary in 2023. Learn how the Charleston Metro Chamber has coalesced the entire Charleston community around critical forward-looking topics such as transportation, workforce, housing, diversity and inclusion and the strength of the Port of Charleston, and then created an "ethos of collaboration" to best set the region up for success. As hot as Charleston is now, its future is even brighter, and the Charleston Metro Chamber is at the center of it.

 

This episode is sponsored by Welke Customs Brokers USA 

2:24 - Intro - Bryan Derreberry, President & CEO, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

4:06 - About the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

6:46 - Current Priorities

9:46 - The Chamber at the Center of Everything

14:15 - Workforce Development - "Get It Right Under Your Own Roof"

16:04 - The Changing Role of the Chamber

20:48 - Pulling the Community Together

25:02 - What Gets You Up in the Morning?

28:37 - "If You Had a Blank Check"

31:31 - Inspirations

34:34 - Why Charleston?

38:02 - Closing and More Info on the Charleston Metro Chamber

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Steve Millard, President & CEO for the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Steve for their conversation surrounding the role of today's chamber of commerce in not only successfully growing a regional economy, but engaging members, big and small, in the effort. Learn how the Greater Akron Chamber is working in the region to tackle the many post-pandemic challenges that metro regions are facing, including workforce development, diversity and inclusion, business attraction and helping small business, and why Akron is a community you should be watching.

 

1:02 - Intro - Steve Millard, President & CEO, Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce

2:41 - About the Greater Akron Chamber

3:29 - About the Region

4:28 - What's Going On in Akron

8:01 - Helping Small Business

9:19 - Serving Members, Post-Pandemic

13:36 - Navigating the Alphabet Soup of Economic Development and the Chamber's Role

15:49 - Looking Ahead

18:35 - "What Gets You Up in the Morning?"

20:25 - "If You Had a Blank Check..."

22:28 - Member Shout Out

23:35 - Inspirations and Recommendations

26:07 - Closing and More Info on the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Joe Reardon, President & CEO for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Join Craig and Joe for their discussion on the wide array of big things happening in Kansas City, and what it's taken at the grassroots level to rally the community around them. From hosting the NFL Draft to vying to be a World Cup 2026 site, while at the same time tackling the day-to-day challenges faced by the region's employers - like workforce, diversity and transportation, learn how Joe and his team at the chamber continue to put Kansas City on the map through foresight and organizational excellence.

 

1:16 - Intro - Joe Reardon, President & CEO, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

3:00 - About the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

4:34 - Regional Opportunities and Challenges

10:00 - Current Chamber Focus

16:35 - Rallying the Community

18:04 - Looking Forward

21:33 - "What Gets You Up in the Morning?"

23:46 - "If You Had a Blank Check..."

25:35 - Member Shout Out

27:40 - Sources of Inspiration

29:22 - KC's Bid for World Cup 2026

31:29 - Closing and More Info on the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, in a special two-guest feature, Craig welcomes Dolores Fabiano, Executive Director for the South Niagara Chambers of Commerce and Kory Schuler, Executive Director for the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce.

For several years now, the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce and the South Niagara Chambers of Commerce have enjoyed an incredibly fruitful partnership, forged in collaboration across the Niagara River and the CanAm border. Listen in as Dolores and Kory discuss their changing operational models, how they've answered the call for greater hands-on support for their members and the unique challenges posed by a restricted border separating a very integrated bi-national economy.

1:31 - Intro - Dolores Fabiano, Executive Director, South Niagara Chambers of Commerce and Kory Schuler, Executive Director, Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce

4:29 - Niagara Region Successes and Challenges

8:44 - Current Focus

14:02 - Communicating with Members

17:50 - Looking Ahead

24:31 - Addressing the Digital Divide

26:31 - "If You Had a Blank Check"

33:10 - Shout Out to Members

37:16 - Closing and More Information

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Garry Douglas, President & CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce in Upstate New York. Listen in, as Craig and Garry discuss how the northernmost region in New York State - and the chamber - persevered the past two years, despite half of their market being cut off by the CanAm border being closed to non-essential travel. Garry talks about North Country's status as "the U.S. suburb of Montreal," why the border restrictions have been such a deterrent to economic growth, and how the most successful model a chamber can have is one that's focused on service first.

1:31 - Intro - Garry Douglas, President & CEO, North Country Chamber of Commerce

3:15 - About North Country Chamber of Commerce

6:34 - What's Going On in New York's North Country?

12:42 - Sustaining by Putting Service First

15:39 - Looking Forward

18:40 - "What Gets You Excited About the Chamber Business?"

20:52 - If You Had a Blank Check

22:50 - North Country's Transportation and Aerospace Cluster

26:32 - Staying In-the-Know

27:23 - Closing and More Info on North Country Chamber

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Amanda Payne, President & CEO of Amplify Clearwater (www.amplifyclearwater.com). Listen in as Craig and Amanda discuss the last two years, and how no sooner had the Amplify Clearwater membership celebrated the successful merger of two chambers when the world shut down. Suddenly, a community that exists on people coming to visit had no one coming. Amanda talks about how she and her team adjusted their offerings to best serve members in their most uncertain times, while keeping close communication with state and local governments so that Clearwater businesses could make good business decisions. The results: Clearwater is stronger than ever. The sun is out and the future is bright!

1:07 - Intro - Amanda Payne, President & CEO, Amplify Clearwater

2:12 - About Amplify Clearwater

4:46 - What's Going On in Clearwater, FL?

7:16 - Current Chamber Activity

11:44 - Member Services During and Post-Pandemic

17:20 - Looking Ahead

20:48 - "What Gets You Excited About the Chamber Business?"

22:20 - If You Had a Blank Check

26:02 - Thank You to the AC Board

28:13 - Frame of Mind

30:11 - Closing and More Info on Amplify Clearwater

Welcome to IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW, with host, Craig Turner from Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. On our podcast, Craig interviews executives from Chambers of Commerce around the United States and Canada, tapping into their expertise on how to get the most value from your business associations, how their organizations are serving their members and what’s happening in their market for companies looking to grow there.

This episode, Craig welcomes Chris Heck, President and CEO for the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce (PAACC). The Pittsburgh Airport area is booming, with community-changing economic development projects and job-creating investment, and at the center of it all is the PAACC. Learn how Chris and his organization are managing their region's exciting growth, while at the same time maintaining a traditional chamber of commerce feel characterized by hands-on member service and a culture of community.

 

0:57 - Intro - Chris Heck, President & CEO, Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce

2:34 - About PAACC

3:50 - What's Going On in the Pittsburgh Airport Area

8:14 - What is PAACC Focused On Right Now?

10:31 - A Changing Chamber Model and Member Services

16:11 - PAACC Culture

20:19 - "What Gets You Excited About the Chamber Business?"

22:30 - If You Had a Blank Check...

25:13 - Member Plug

28:03 - Closing and More Information on PAACC