Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

November 14, 2002

REPORT TO THE BOARD:
CHAMBER ACTIVITIES SINCE NOVEMBER 2001

This report contains a capsule summary of major Chamber activities in the past year. A bullet indicates a program that was initiated or expanded during 2002.

1. IN-HOUSE DEVELOPMENT

Developed a $400,000 operating budget, complemented by Division accounts in excess of $150,000.

Coordinated the sale of 500 tickets to the $25,000 Game.

Coordinated the sale of 300 tickets to the Irish Sweepstakes.

Organized the fifteenth Goods and Services Auction.

Created and launched a Chamber web site, www.capeannchamber.com. The web site was developed by the Chamber’s administrative assistant Tracy Arabian.

Developed an Auction page on our web site www.CapeAnnChamber.com. Web page included descriptions, values, and where appropriate, pictures and web site links for all donors.

Staff participated in a Lean Assessment of the Auction process lead by Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Sponsored a retreat for the Board of Directors.

Sold out the thirteenth Chamber Golf Tournament, rescheduled due to rain.

Held 11 regular Board meetings plus a special session in December to review the proposed budget for 2002.

Held the Chamber’s Annual Dinner-Dance at The Tavern on the Harbor.

Coordinated five bi-monthly meetings of the Human Resource Group for HR managers and HR professionals on Cape Ann. Guest speaker topics included: Health Care costs & benefits, HIV issues in the workplace, Bay State College’s Gloucester campus, successful team building, and workforce development training.

Expanded the Stabilization Fund to assist during cash-poor periods or to deal with an emergency.

Installed new carpet in Chamber office lobby, conference room, and front desk area.

Upgraded the office computer systems to include new hardware, a networked system, email, and cable modem. All of this allows for improved communication and services with members.

Celebrated the Chamber’s 80^th Anniversary with a family picnic at Camp Spindrift. 150 members and friends attended.

Hosted a Chamber fundraiser aboard Atlantic Casino Cruises.

Negotiated a new lease for Chamber office at 33 Commercial Street.

Coordinated an orientation session for new members of the Board of Directors.

Utilized interns from Endicott College, North Shore Community College, Gloucester High School, and the Wellspring Foundation program.

Maintained active memberships in Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and New England Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Maintained active membership in the Massachusetts Association of Membership Development and hosted one of its quarterly meetings.

Organized drink concession booths at the Waterfront Festival to boost non-dues income.

Used electronic means to distribute information to Chamber members, i.e., transmissions via facsimile and email instead of U.S. Post Office.

Utilized postcards for meeting notices instead of letters, saving $.14 per notice being mailed.

2. MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES

Coordinated five Evening Business Exchanges and four Breakfast Clubs.

Produced a newsletter on a monthly basis.

Inducted Joseph Parisi as President at the Annual Dinner.

Sponsored nine seminars for the membership including: Activating Your Entrepreneurial Spirit and a Business Plan Seminar (coordinated with Salem State Small Business Development Center). Other workshops held included: Beginner and Advanced Quickbooks, Advanced Microsoft Publisher, Differentiating Yourself from Your Competition, Understanding Financial Statements, and Exporting 101, presented by the Massachusetts Export Center.

Produced six Cape Ann Chamber Businesswomen's programs, including the popular Women of Cape Ann program, the Businesswomen’s Annual Fall Luncheon with Guest Speaker JoAnn Bell, the Annual Holiday Wine-Down, and the annual sunset cruise aboard the Lannon. The second Spring Fling, focused on health and holistic health and drew a crowd of over 75 businesswomen. Thirty three businesswomen attended a workshop titled "Powertalk" with professional coach Virginia O’Brien.

Developed a weekly membership email update allowing members to submit a short paragraph on their business to be shared with over 600 members using email.
Co-sponsored a Housing workshop with Cape Ann Savings Bank and the City of Gloucester on the Massachusetts Municipal Housing Program.

Offered a regular counseling program for small businesses.

Sponsored three receptions/orientations for new members.

Added Blue Cross/Blue Shield to the list of insurance providers. Offered five other health insurance programs, a dental program and a disability insurance program for the membership.

Coordinated Coastal Connect, an effort to improve internet access and telecommunications services to the North Shore.

Organized Christmas parties in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, and Manchester.

Sponsored membership mixers in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, and Essex.

Maintained and increased links to the Membership Directory on the Chamber’s website, offering an online presence to each Chamber member.

Offered a YMCA discount program.

Offered an advertising package to new members.

Established an Ambassadors Program to reach out to members who are not as active as others. Ambassadors have held eight meetings and made over 50 contacts.

3. RETAIL

Spearheaded the reconstruction of Gloucester’s East End resulting in the addition of period lighting, brick sidewalks, and trees.

Coordinated Sidewalk Bazaars in Gloucester and Manchester.

Assisted the City of Gloucester in administering the Downtown Facade Improvement Program.

Organized Christmas programs in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, and Essex.

Generated $49,000 worth of local sales with the Gloucester Gift Certificate program.

Maintained the downtown banner program with the City of Gloucester.

Held regular meetings with Gloucester City officials to discuss downtown issues.

Planned the second annual Gloucester Holiday Homecoming and built a lobster trap tree in downtown Gloucester.

Organized the Christmas Club coupon program for all Cape Ann retailers.

Developed retail promotions in all four communities throughout the year.

Worked with CATA on the park and ride system in Rockport that transported close to 40,000 people during the season.

Continued discussion with the Selectmen and the Police Chief in Manchester regarding parking concerns and enforcement in the downtown area.

Coordinated the City-Chamber Joint Parking Committee.

Provided input to the Manchester Planning Board on proposals for downtown improvements.

Attended meetings of the Downtown Development Commission.

Continued to meet with City of Gloucester representatives in order to implement Gloucester Plan 2001.

Expanded the window box program for downtown Gloucester businesses.

4. TOURISM

Negotiated for space at the 128 North Visitor Center in Beverly at which the Chamber distributed brochures for 46 tourist related members in an A-frame brochure rack.
Worked with bed & breakfasts to help understand and mitigate regulations proposed by the City of Gloucester.
Coordinated a cooperative advertisement with New England Group Tour Planner.
Created and implemented a Cape Ann wide Innkeeper on Call Program with over 50 accommodations participating to assist visitors in finding a place to stay after the Chamber office was closed.
Distributed a new listing of weekly events to inns and area attractions called This Week on Cape Ann.

Helped to coordinate the ninth annual Gloucester Seafood Festival, bringing thousands of visitors to Cape Ann for the mid-September event.

Redesigned, published, and distributed 250,000 Cape Ann Visitor Guides.

Organized the eighteenth Annual Media Welcome Week, and worked with writers throughout the year on stories about Cape Ann.

Maintained an 800-information line and e-mail address for visitor inquiries.

Coordinated a $24,000 advertising campaign to promote Cape Ann.

Maintained and promoted the Chamber’s tourist website, www.CapeAnnVacations.com, which received over seven million hits in the past year.

Received $7,800 in advertising grants from the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Coordinated regional cooperative advertising program in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England.

Expanded office hours to seven days a week from May through October to accommodate visitors on a daily basis.

Coordinated the Gloucester Schooner Festival, the Gloucester Waterfront Festival, and the Essex ClamFest.

Tourist Manager Jeff Worthley served on the Board of Directors of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Attended meetings of the Gloucester Tourism Commission.

Supported the programs of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.

Displayed a Cape Ann tourist poster (with cooperative advertisers) at the Mansfield Information Booth, and funded posters at three other sites on the Mass Pike.

Utilized the services of Rebecca Yavner and Sara Young for tourism-based projects during the summer.

Maintained a list of tourist inquiries for a direct mail program.

Hosted a Tourist Division mixer to kick off the season.

Continued to meet with whale watch owners on matters of interest to them.

Operated the Harbor Loop Information Booth for the third year, servicing over 20,000 visitors.

Executive Director Michael Costello elected to the Executive Committee of the Essex National Heritage Area.

Helped to coordinate several meetings in Gloucester and Essex regarding the scenic by-ways program on Route 133.

Created a customized Schooner Festival page on www.CapeAnnVacations.com with registration information, weekend calendar, race results and more.

Commissioned a commemorative poster highlighting Armand Sindoni’s work as the Schooner Festival Artist from 1996-2001.

5. INDUSTRIAL

Provided a seminar on Lean Manufacturing run by the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Helped to plan the ninth Gloucester Seafood Festival and Fisheries Forum to focus positive attention on the fishing industry and to discuss future options.

Met with key Gloucester officials on issues of importance to industry.

Helped to organize a Gloucester presence at the Boston Seafood Show.

Coordinated the publication of the Gloucester Seafood Directory.

Organized the sixteenth annual New Fish Festival, promoting greater awareness of the diversity of fish species.

Continued to meet with Gloucester school officials to discuss improvements to the vocational school program.

Testified against Gloucester’s proposed water and sewer rate increases, citing the negative impact on business.

6. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Met with Mayors Tobey and Bell on a regular basis to review key City issues.

Organized the campaign against tax classification for the 22nd consecutive year.

Organized a series of meetings with City of Gloucester officials to revitalize the Tax Incremental Financing Program.

Worked with government officials and police departments on parking issues in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, and Essex.

Coordinated the Cape Ann Caucus, bringing the area's public officials and business leaders together to discuss the housing crisis, MBTA station improvements in Gloucester and Rockport, regional planning initiatives, water and sewer issues, the Community Preservation Act, and the North Shore Transportation Study.

Continued work with business and civic leaders from Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Manchester, and Ipswich on Economic Target Area issues.

Sponsored numerous discussions with Essex officials regarding the upcoming sewer construction and Route 133 improvement projects.

Worked with Gloucester’s Downtown Development commission to promote the Gloucester Downtown Facade Improvement program.

Worked with Manchester officials on Planning Board proposals for downtown improvements.

7. COMMUNITY/PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Recognized the achievements of four business people during Small Business Week.

Organized an Easter Egg Hunt for the children of Rockport.

Supported the Gloucester Pride Stride.

Maintained a community calendar of events to prevent scheduling conflicts and provided holiday information to the media detailing what's open and closed.

Brought a big-top circus to Manchester.

Organized a wide variety of ongoing community activities, such as the Essex ClamFest, the Schooner Festival, the Sidewalk Bazaars, and the Waterfront Festival.

Supported the Gloucester Fireworks Fund.

Supported Gloucester’s annual Halloween party.

Businesswomen provided a small donation to HAWC (Help for Abused Women and their Children).

8. EDUCATION

Continued the work of the Business/Education Collaborative.

Supported the Industry and Education Partnership at Gloucester High School, linking business and teachers for summer employment.

Increased support for the Collaborative and participation from all four Cape Ann public school systems, the community college, and the vocational school.

Continued to work with the Business Department at GHS regarding their participation in the DECA Marketing Program.

Collaborated with Gloucester High School to secure a Verizon EdLink grant of $10,000 to develop an Internship Program for high school seniors.

Sponsored the annual Focus on Education Breakfast, featuring remarks by teachers from Cape Ann schools.

Revised the Chamber scholarship criteria so that students with parents employed by a Cape Ann Chamber member were given first consideration. Awarded three $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors from Cape Ann area high schools, utilizing part of the proceeds from the Golf Tournament.

Awarded the Sylvester "Red" Deering Scholarship of $1,000 to a graduating Senior from Gloucester High School, pursuing a major in business.

Assisted with the "Taste of Essex" reception in support of the Woodman Scholarship Fund.

Ran a Junior Achievement program at O’Maley Middle School with a focus on economics for 7^th grade students.

Reestablished the Science Speaker Series for local high school students and held four lectures at Gloucester and Rockport High Schools.