By Sharon Stone
Tri-County Times
Holly — The Holly Area Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated its new office location inside Jobes Technology Solutions at 3043 Grange Hall Rd.
The celebration consisted of viewing the new office and then a game night at Crowne Pointe Center VR Arcade.
The Chamber was previously at the Karl Richter Center, which is slated to be torn down as part of the Holly Area Schools’ new middle school currently under construction at the site.
Chamber Director Richard Kinnamon revealed that the chamber is creating the North Oakland Regional Chambers Association. NORCA will be the umbrella for the Holly Area Chamber, as well as a new chamber in Ortonville.
The community of Ortonville had a chamber that dissolved about six years ago.
Kinnamon said chambers across the country have struggled as businesses have found ways to connect or do business in new ways since the pandemic. This has pushed chambers to evaluate their benefits and role in supporting member businesses and organizations.
In 2018, there were 360 chambers in Michigan. Now there are 180. Some of them have closed, and others, in order to survive, have done something like this or they have just merged completely.
These challenges also create opportunities. Kinnamon researched how other chambers have created partnerships, merged or created associations. He connected with Shelly Day, executive director of the Fenton and Linden Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as Southwest Michigan Association and the Greater Brighton Area Chamber.
Kinnamon also spoke with chambers that were more rural and which represented multiple communities covering entire counties. He said the Greater Brighton Area Chamber seemed to have a structure that seemed to be a good framework. Brighton currently has five chambers that have become divisions of the Brighton Chamber.
“Joining forces with a regional chamber association helps all members have a bigger voice. Business owners working collaboratively can make an impact on legislation and decisions being made at the local and state levels,” Kinnamon said. “Ortonville and Holly are independent communities with their own identities.
“We want that local identity to be a big part of what goes into this. We have been doing some great things for the Holly area. We want to bring that experience and track record to help the businesses in Ortonville.”
Dr. Leon Ingham and his wife, Candace, own Full Scope Eye Care in Ortonville. Dr. Ingham also has a practice in Fenton.
“I’ve been a member of the Fenton one. I’m active in that, and want to try it in Ortonville,” Ingham said. He added that a small group of business owners had tried to start one from scratch, but it was simply too much work for just a few people.
“With this, we have an established chamber to join while keeping the Ortonville identity, but they have already done the work to get it started,” Ingham said.
Kinnamon has started meeting with a group of business owners in Ortonville to plan an event to present the opportunities of the Ortonville Chamber and North Oakland Regional Chambers Association (NORCA).