From the Director’s Desk

Fall is almost here, and we are ready. This time of year brings many things including cooler weather, kids going back to school, local high school sports, regional fairs and backyard bonfires. Although I enjoy many of these things and especially the cooler weather, this is when the Chamber staff gears up for our busiest months of the year, after a fun summer!

We kicked summer off with our women’s golf outing, then revved up for Thunder in the City. We just held our Fall Golf Outing where almost 200 people enjoyed a terrific day at Mt. Hope Golf Course. Our 15^th year of Leadership Meadville began with a day of team building and learning various styles of leadership. Tickets sales for the Annual Wine, Brew & Spirits Walk are underway, and we are looking forward to a fun filled busy day in our historic downtown on   Saturday, September 14^th with our Second Saturday happening from 8am to 2pm, and the Wine, Brew & Spirits Walk from 3-7pm. We hope people arrive early for breakfast, coffee & a sweet treat or lunch before enjoying the event or stay after for dinner on a day that is one of the busiest of the year for our downtown restaurants.

Our businesswomen’s group is one of my favorite nights each month! The attendance is increasing, and we are learning something new each month about our various hosts. The networking and testimonials are incredible! I love seeing so many likeminded businesswomen & community members supporting one another. This group is one of the main reasons we hold our Women in Business Expo each year. This year, mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 16^th at the Country Club of Meadville for our incredible evening! We will highlight numerous women owned/managed businesses from the region. Our speakers will be Sarah Miller of    Women’s Services and Lisa Pustelak of NWIRC. See the flyer in this newsletter for all the details, to sponsor or to register. This is a wonderful event to sponsor and be a part of. Invite your staff, your friends, your business colleagues and your family. Ladies of any age are welcome to attend, and you do not have to be a chamber member. 

Fall also brings the final preparation for our largest fundraiser and event of the year! Please mark your calendars, our Chamber Auction, to be held at The Movies at Meadville on Wednesday, November 13^th! This is a time for you to offer a package to new clients or customers, think outside the box and donate something unique for bidders.  Anything that a business or anyone would want! People purchase items for personal use and for their business. We have advertising options from television, print, radio, billboard space and more. There is website design, IT services, private parties, private shopping parties and more. There are wellness and spa packages, golf packages, employee appreciation options, catered breakfast & lunch packages, last year we had 5 trip options! This is an event for everyone and every budget. Bring a guest and be entered for a free membership drawing! 

As we draw closer to this fall season, there are some changes happening at the Chamber too.  Karen has left the Chamber. We thanked her for her many years of service and dedication to the Chamber as she was a tremendous asset to our organization. We also wished her well in her next endeavors. Stephanie will be taking on a more significant role and we will announce our new addition to the Chamber team in the next newsletter. Change is inevitable and makes us grow. In any business, we must adapt and move forward in a positive direction. Now is the time for some changes. 

This may be our busiest time of the year, but we want to ensure you that we will continue to offer you numerous resources, promote your businesses, share your stories, assist you in making connections, help you build and strengthen relationships, continue fostering new leaders for our region, keep educating our youth about the countless options there are to remain in Crawford County and be here for you, our membership. I look forward to seeing you soon. 

Sincerely,

Christa

2024 WOMEN IN BUSINESS EXPO

MEADVILLE MASTER THE MIC

  Chamber of Commerce Presents 2024 Annual Dinner & Diamond Awards

The Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce recently held their annual Annual Dinner and Diamond Awards at Saegertown's Pampered Palate Catering and Conference Center.

Christa Lundy, Executive Director of the Chamber says, "The Chamber is delighted to be honoring these deserving individuals, nonprofit organizations and businesses that are doing so much for our community. There are so many wonderful acts happening. That is why we always look forward to recognizing these Chamber members who have been doing remarkable things."

One of the biggest highlights of the evening is the recognition of the prestigious Governor Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service, presented by the Chamber, Allegheny College and Shafer Law Firm. Rob Smith was honored as this year's recipient based on his decades-long volunteer service in Meadville. Among his contributions over the past 30 years, Smith, in addition to being the former President and Owner of Acutec Precision Aerospace, has served on the Crawford Central School Board, on the Board of Trustees of Allegheny College, the NTMA Board, The Chamber of Commerce Board and serves on the Women's Services Board, the Meadville Medical Center Board, the Academy Theater Board and the Board of Corporators for the Economic Progress Alliance and MMC just to name a few. He remains on the Board of Directors for Acutec Precision Aerospace and is active with the National Tooling and Machining Association, the Meadville Literary Union and is bringing his vision of revitalizing the Meadville Community with the Cussewago Square project. This project is an active renovation of the former Race Street Lumber Co. property being redeveloped with restaurants, a community theater, an artist studio and gallery space and more in hopes to become a destination draw.

The esteemed Lew and Ellie Davies Award for Outstanding Community Service was bestowed on Ashley Tipton, an Allegheny College junior. Tipton was nominated for her work with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mentoring Program at Meadville Area Middle School. She's worked with the Tamarack Wildlife Center and as a tutor with Operation Reads and the MAMS Saturday Study Help program, with the Fourth Graders as Scientists Program and Crawford County 8th Grade Career Awareness Fair. Honorable mention recognition was presented to Bianca Sanchez, a senior who was nominated for her service as a four-year project assistant with Creek Connections, a program that supports regional K-12 schools in turning their local waterways into outdoor environmental laboratories. She is active with Green Students of Color Society and with the Center for Political Participation as an Andrew Goodman Foundation Ambassador. She formerly served as the Director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs for Allegheny Student Government. 

The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the 2024 Diamond Awards. And the winners are:

Emerging Leader, Male - Adam Prenatt, UniFirst Corp.

Emerging Leader, Female - Jayne Martin, Bayshore Homes Inc.

New Business - You Matter, LLC

Small Business - Confections of a Cake Lover

Mid-Sized Business - Inspire Salon & Spa

Small Non-Profit - Hunters Sharing the Harvest

Large Non-Profit - Family & Community Christian Association (FCCA)

The Emerging Leader Award is presented to an individual in the early years of their career who has demonstrated leadership qualities within their businesses and community. The Emerging Leader Award was established to foster young leadership and enhance retention of young professionals in our community. All nominees have demonstrated professional leadership and a commitment to community service. 

Both the Small and Mid-Sized Business Awards are issued to recognize local businesses that have achieved success and to support initiatives and organizations that enhance the quality of life in the Meadville-Western Crawford County area. All nominated businesses have demonstrated admirable performance, growth, innovation, creativity, and community involvement.

The Small Non-Profit and Large Non-Profit of the Year Awards celebrate local organizations that have achieved success while supporting initiatives and projects that enhance the quality of life in the Meadville-Western Crawford County area.

Congratulations, 2024 Diamond Awards Finalists!

Winners were announced during the Chamber's Annual Dinner & Diamond Awards on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Emerging Leader Award, Female
Virginia Dann, Acutec Precision Aerospace, Inc.
Jayne Martin, Bayshore Homes, Inc.
Amber Pfeifer, Anchor Performance Clinic

Emerging Leader Award, Male
Gabe Panchura, Hagan Business Machines of Meadville
Adam Prenatt, UniFirst Corp
Corey Young, French Creek Framing & Fine Art and Hospice of Crawford County

Small Business Award
Blue Canopy Marketing
Confections of a Cake Lover
The Woolen Mill

Mid-Size Business Award
Inspire Salon & Spa
Riverside Brewing Company
The Meadville Tribune

New Business Award
Anchor Performance Clinic LLC
Black Bear Hemp Dispensary
Chalets by the Lake
You Matter, LLC

Small Non-Profit
Hunters Sharing the Harvest
Meadville Community Theatre
The Learning Center K-8 School

Large Non-Profit
Family & Community Christian Association (FCCA)
The Arc of Crawford County
The Meadville Family YMCA