Central Fairfax Chamber Offers Chance For Members To Network And Improve Their Businesses

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Jennifer Rose followed a circuitous career path to her current role as the executive director of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.

Growing up in Bedford, Virginia near Roanoke, Rose later attended the University of Virginia, which is where she met her husband.

"We moved to Northern Virginia in the mid-90s, briefly," she said. "I've always wanted to work in the nonprofit sector, so I was looking for nonprofit work. He thought he wanted to work for the federal government."

Rose's husband did find a job in the federal government, but it happened to be out west and the couple found themselves relocating again.

"I spent a decade in New Mexico and got a master's degree out of boredom, living in a border town in New Mexico," Rose said.

In 2008, Rose and her husband moved back Northern Virginia, where she got a job working for Northern Virginia Family Services and then Our Daily Bread, which is now known as brightpaths. At both nonprofits, she worked in development and communications, focusing on in-kind donations, such as the back-to-school and holiday programs.

As an active member of the Rotary Club of Fairfax, Rose got to know Doug Church, the chamber's board chair. This led to her being hired in 2017 as its new executive director.

In its 64 years of existence, the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce has had its ups and downs. When the economy tanked in 2008, membership dropped and the chamber was forced to let go all of its paid employees. This led the group to operate as a volunteer-run organization for many years.

"I'm the first hired executive director in a long time," Rose said. "When I first started with them, I was only on a 15-hour-a-week contract, with the idea that as the chamber grew — I was essentially rebooting the chamber — that position would grow."

What started as a part-time gig overseeing a volunteer-run chamber with just 85 members, has blossomed into a full-time job managing an organization that has more than doubled in size.

"Today I have 231 members," she said. "If it weren't for stupid COVID-19, I probably would have 350, maybe even 400 members by now."

Although the pandemic may have slowed the chamber's growth and prevented the group from hosting in-person events, it did demonstrate the organization's resiliency and dedication to its membership.

"As much as I hate COVID-19, one of the best things about COVID-19 is that it allowed chambers to really shine and show businesses all the other things that we do to support businesses," Rose said.

In addition to educating its members on the Small Business Association's COVID-19 EIDL loan application process, the chamber helped members apply for Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans

"I sat through more SBA webinars than anybody should ever have to, to make sure that I understood the process and the shortcomings. There were plenty of shortcomings with them," Rose said. "I provided feedback to our lawmakers on what was working and what wasn't working in CARES Act legislation."

When some independent contractors were struggling for assistance, the chamber reached out to lawmakers on their behalf.

"I know for sure that Senator Warner's office reached out to a couple of businesses to learn more about their experience," Rose said. "We helped, I hope, lawmakers improve the legislation with each round of the CARES Act."

The Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce serves businesses in the City of Fairfax and surrounding areas, offering members and the business community support services, including networking opportunities and advocacy.

"We will speak out on behalf of the business community with local, state, and the federal government on policies that we feel aren't good for the business community," Rose said.

The chamber helps with the marketing of member businesses by amplifying their voices in the community. It also provides educational opportunities and webinars on everything from the best online accounting software to self-care topics like how to properly receive a massage.

"I swear. We did that last one last year and it was a great topic," Rose said. "Everything that we offer is designed to save the small business owner time and money, because those are two resources that you never have enough of. There's never enough time and there's never enough money."

In addition to regular after-hour networking events and lunchtime roundtable discussions, the chamber partners with the City of Fairfax on hosting public events, such as the annual Chocolate Lover's Festival, Restaurant Week, Small Business Saturday, and the Fourth of July Parade.

"We host a special breakfast before the parade that is exclusive for chamber members, because we invite all the politicians that are in the parade," Rose said. "They need a place to hang out before the parade starts, so they have breakfast with us at Red Hot and Blue. It's a great opportunity for a chamber member to corner Gerry Connolly and chew on his ear about something or chat with the mayor or Senator Kaine."

This story is part of Patch's ongoing effort to improve its coverage of the Fairfax City business community. If you are a member of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and would like to be profiled in an upcoming Patch story, please fill out this form. Non-chamber business owners who wish to be profiled may contact the Fairfax City Patch reporter directly at michael.oconnell@patch.com.