Chamber Kicks Off Business Retention, Expansion Program

Beginning last month, Amherst and Milford businesses will be given the opportunity to voice their opinions about the local economy and local state government as Amherst, Milford and Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce starts an economic development program.

The Amherst and Milford Business Retention and Expansion Program officially begins this week as trained volunteers meet with local businesses to identify their needs and concerns, ask their opinions about local and state government, and determine in what ways the local business climate can be improved. Volunteers are local residents, business owners and town officials from both towns.

“The visits we are doing with local firms have four purposes,” said project coordinator Donald Sienkiewicz, Esquire, with Estate Preservation and Law Office in Milford. “First we want to show our local businesses that we really appreciate the contributions they are making to our local community. Second, we want to see if they have any local concerns, and, if so, if there are any ways we can help. Third, we will be offering to help our local firms take better advantage of local, state and federal business programs. Finally, we want the businesses to help us set priorities on future directions of local economic development efforts.”

The towns of Amherst and Milford are the local sponsors, while the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce is the regional sponsor.

“As a region comprised of small towns, it is difficult for each town to compete on its own with our larger neighbors in attracting new businesses, especially those that provide jobs. It makes sense for the towns to join forces and resources to both retain our larger employers and attract new businesses – it would benefit us all in the Souhegan Valley,” said Trent Blalock, chair of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Since 1986, at least 25 states have developed programs similar to this one. Business Retention and Expansion International, an association for the advancement of business retention and expansion, was established in 1994 to encourage communities to work with their existing businesses. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension established this new program to assist communities develop programs in New Hampshire.

The BR&E program is currently underway and the team will be contacting local businesses soon to set up interviews. Local business owners interested in participating as visitation interviewers or in being surveyed should contact Tracy Hutchins, Executive Director of the Souhegan Valley Chamber at 673-4360 or at tracy@souhegan.net.

Submitted text. Courtesy graphic.