By Lise Elcock

I love that my job affords me the opportunity to welcome and get to know so many new members throughout the year. In fact, an average of 15-25 companies join the chamber each month – sometimes as many as thirty. As membership director, I’m very proud that so many companies choose to join the chamber for help in growing their businesses and to support the local business community.

But I also relish the chance to thank those members who’ve been with the chamber long before I arrived on the scene five years ago. Members who year in and year out faithfully pay their membership dues and give us not only financial support, but volunteer on committees and at events, offer to be our host venues, and over and over again refer other businesses to join the chamber.

And that’s why my favorite night of the year is just around the corner.

The chamber returns to the Newton Marriott’s pavilion along the banks of the Charles River on June 28 for our Annual Members Celebration where we’ll salute an impressive group of businesses and organizations marking significant anniversaries of chamber membership.

Longtime chamber honorees include John T. Burns Insurance Agency (60 years), the Coca-Cola Bottling Company (40 years), DiFoggio Electric and Newton Community Development Foundation (30 years) and NewTV and Mark’s Moving & Storage (both 25 years). An additional dozen plus will be celebrating 15 years of chamber membership.

Located in the heart of the N-Squared Innovation District, Coca-Cola’s largest bottling plant on the east coast has been a 40-year chamber supporter.

“The chamber has long had its finger on the pulse of the business community in the region, and we at Coca-Cola are proud to support the great work of this organization,” said Nick Martin, director of public affairs and communications for Coca-Cola of Northern New England. “From networking events, to policy forums and more, the chamber offers its members a dynamic and engaging place to stay up on the latest news, share ideas, and offer feedback to influential leaders.”

A chamber member from its early days of launching Newton’s first and only independent public access television station and one of the chamber’s 100 plus nonprofit members, NewTV has supported the chamber through annual sponsorships, tv coverage of our marquee events and hosting an after hours at its state-of-the-art studios. Not to mention that NewTV’s executive director Bob Kelly is a much sought-after player in our annual golf tournament.

Kelly credits the 25 years of chamber membership with playing a significant role in the station’s success. “Being a member of the NN Chamber has provided access to a network that otherwise would not be available to us,” Kelly said. “Whether they know it or not the chamber has assisted our ability to stay relevant in an ever changing digital world.”

Mark’s Moving and Storage is another member celebrating a 25 year chamber anniversary and also acknowledges the chamber’s contribution to its company’s longevity. “Marks Moving & Storage has been helping people for 40 years...our membership in the Newton-Needham Chamber has always been one of the key ingredients to our success” said President and CEO Mark Silverman.

Presented by The Village Bank, the Members Celebration will take place under the Newton Marriott’s pavilion and offer complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Many past, current and future members will gather to thank the many companies and nonprofits which have supported the chamber throughout the years and on whose collective foundation have built the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber into one of the largest and most robust chambers in the state.

From the small business owners and larger companies which pay their dues each year to our annual partners who contribute generous levels of underwriting, each and every member of the chamber makes it possible in its own way for us to continue to promote the cultural and economic vitality of Newton, Needham and the surrounding communities.

More information and registration for the June 28 event is available here. Space is limited. Lise Elcock is the chamber’s membership director.