Your Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce Means Business

Tarpon’s Chamber of Commerce means business

By Jim Bouldin, Candidate

Tarpon Springs City Commission, Seat 4

As a former member, Board Director and President of a community Chamber of Commerce, I have a deep appreciation and respect for all those involved in the organization here in Tarpon Springs.

Over the years I have worked with several area Chamber groups through joint sponsorships of events designed to promote the city as a whole while keeping the cash registers in its businesses ringing. I have always found that at the heart of every successful business community lies an active and well-organized Chamber of Commerce operation - which in our case includes President, Sue Thomas, Board Chairman, Reggie Gibson, the other board members and, the most valuable assets, the general membership.

I can honestly tell you that in my 25 years of Chamber involvement – from upstate New York to Brevard County, Florida, to Kansas City, Missouri – I have not seen a more dynamic and energetic group as the one we are fortunate to have serving our hometown of Tarpon Springs.

Having just signed on as an associate member, I have been flooded with invitations to network with members of our business community as well as those in surrounding areas. From “Coffee with Class” morning get-togethers to evening mixers and “TAP” (Tarpon Area Professionals) meetings, your Tarpon Chamber membership is worth its weight in gold when you consider the networking opportunities alone.

The benefits of our Chamber membership extend far beyond social involvement. The number of learning opportunities and general educational workshops I have found on the Chamber calendar of events is truly exceptional - and I would venture to say unequaled in any community our size.

As a candidate for the Tarpon Springs City Commission, I have gone on record several times expressing my interest in working with our Sponge Docks and Downtown merchants to develop the best business plan possible through joint promotions and by cross-promotion possibilities. I have direct experience in this team-building business development plan.

The good news is, key players along the Docks have been meeting with their downtown counterparts for some time now, and they are making tremendous progress toward their goal to build better business for all Tarpon Springs area merchants. I’m told by Sue Thomas that the joint sessions have been productive and enlightening.

The challenge before us now is to build on this teamwork effort by recruiting more merchants to become invested in this new vision, because in most groups such as ours, too few people are saddled with too much responsibility – and in the wake of all these Chamber activities, burnout is inevitable.

And that’s what I mean when I say I hope to work with both groups to develop a stronger backbone in this great body that is our community of merchants, who are most impressively served by our dynamic Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce.

For membership information, call (727) 937-6109. Visit the Chamber at: http://www.tarponspringschamber.com