- By Doug Levine
- Business & Technology
Print 
Tuttle chose a theme of “Building on our Success” for 2006. He says, “I am pleased to report that in 2006 we built on our success and we were able to successfully achieve each one of our goals for the year. As businesses succeed, they grow, they create new jobs and they need bigger space or new space. The investment of capital in construction this past year along with current capital investments in Tompkins County is truly amazing.”
Among the successes the Chamber built upon in 2006, was a goal to keep membership and member retention above the 700 mark. Current membership stands at 710 Members. The Chamber also completed a building expansion that allows it to operate more efficiently and also moves the Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau into a larger, more expansive and visually appealing suite of offices. Responding to the suggestions of members, the Chamber held separate awards luncheons for its’ annual New Business, David R. Strong Memorial Small Business, Not-for-Profit and Large Employer of the Year awards. The Not-for-Profit and Large Employer categories were new in 2006 and again, were implemented at the suggestion of the membership. The Chamber also acted as a voice for business in Tompkins County in 2006, advocating tirelessly and successfully, for an Empire Zone in the County.
2007 will present new opportunities for the Chamber. Chairperson-elect David Iles wants to market Tompkins County as a career destination for young people and will introduce the theme “Drop Anchor… Your Career Begins Here”.
“This is about hiring and retention”, says Iles. “It’s a common issue among businesses and other organizations. We need to encourage our high school students to begin their careers here at home and show the college students that come here, why this is an outstanding place for them to begin their adult lives after they graduate. We’ve all heard the stories about people who came to Tompkins County to attend college, then returned years later because they loved it so much. Let’s use the amazing attributes Tompkins County has to encourage more of them to stay here right from the start!”
Iles will outline his strategy for the Drop Anchor theme, which includes creating and appointing a new Chamber Board committee to connect with high school and college students in the County and find out what attributes they think a community should have. Iles will also make working with [ithaca Forward] a priority. Ithaca Forward is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to involving Tompkins County’s’ young professional in the community and encouraging them to establish roots here. Another point to the strategy is to have the Chamber begin marketing the County as a career destination in the same way it markets itself as a tourist destination.
The annual meeting and dinner will also be used to again recognize the Chambers’ 2006 award recipients and to name its’ Key Person of the Year. In October, Felicia’s Atomic Lounge was named New Business of the Year and The Strebel Planning Group was named the David R. Strong Memorial Small Business of the Year. November saw The Sciencenter awarded the inaugural Not-for-Profit of the Year Award and Cornell University as the inaugural Large Employer of the Year.
Community volunteer Ginger Cohen will be recognized as the Chambers’ Key Person of the Year. The award recognizes the accomplishments of an individual for their service and commitment to the community and to the Chamber. In 2006, The Chamber’s Auction Committee set an all-time high for money made at The Great BIG Chamber Auction. Ginger has served on the auction committee since 1994 and has really stepped up her involvement in recent years. This past year, Ginger was in charge of overseeing ALL donations, consistently sending reminder emails and setting goals that helped motivate the auction donation seeking team. Ginger was also helpful, sharing many of her sales tactics and methodologies with the committee.
As a result, the committee had one of the best lineups of auction items ever and the Auction was a smashing success. Since 1970, Ginger has also volunteered for a number of organizations throughout Tompkins County. Most notably, she has served as Chair for The Friends of The Library Book Sale. In 2005 alone, this organization raised $230,000, which represents 90% of the total library materials acquisition budget. A list of Ginger’s other roles include (in alphabetical order):
- Finger Lakes Library System Board of Trustees - President, Vice President, Member (1995-1998)
- Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library - President, Vice President, Treasurer, Board Member (1972-2006)
- Ithaca City School District Board of Education - Vice President, Member (1985-1988)
- Ithaca Council of PTAs - President, Board Member (1975-1996)
- PTAs: Belle Sherman, Central, DeWitt, Ithaca High - President, Committee Chair,Board Member (1970-1995)
- Tompkins County Book Trail - member (2005)
- Tompkins County Public Library - story reader to pre-schoolers, greeter, computer input (1974-2006 off and on)
- Tompkins County Public Library Foundation - President, Vice President, Board Member (1994-1999, 2000-2005)
----
v3i4