The Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, Brigantine Chamber of Commerce, Margate Business Association and Somers Point Business Association have united to form the Affiliated Business Associations of Atlantic County.
The association brings local business associations under one name to provide information, updates and a coordinated calendar of events. Under the ABA, each business association retains its local identity and membership but has access to more regional information through collaborative efforts.
“The Affiliated Business Association of Atlantic County paves the way for a more productive and organized collaboration on initiatives that are important to our businesses and to our region,” Greater Atlantic City Chamber President Michael Chait said in a news release.
The partnership is a model that enhances and expands regional capabilities and opportunities for economic development among local chambers and allows for the successful promotion of business associations in the entire Atlantic County region, Chait said.
Somers Point Business Association member Chuck Wescott said that sharing information between business associations is key to great relationships among all the businesses in the area.
“The Somers Point Business Association is proud to be a founding member of this new alliance, the Affiliated Business Associations of Atlantic County, and looks forward to sharing, informing, and educating our collective memberships,” Westcott said. “The opportunity to work collaboratively with the other pro-business organizations in Atlantic County will surely add to our current successes.”
Downbeach businesses also are joining in the collaboration under the ABA.
“Michael Chait and the Chamber have done an outstanding job bringing these established associations together to provide a more effective exchange of information, better networking and a greater unified voice for the business community,” said Anna Maria Blescia-Courter, executive director of the Margate Business Association.
According to Brigantine Chamber of Commerce officer Ken Schaffer, each business association is unique to its respective areas, which makes the ABA an important tool for advocacy, networking and special events.
“There’s strength in numbers, and by combining resources, ideas, and simply opening the channels of communication between local business associations, it’s a win-win for all,” he said.
While local chambers and membership-driven business associations provide events throughout the county each year, there has never been an organized calendar of the events and dates for each organization.
Schaffer said many local business and community events happen on the same date and time. In the past, those conflicts forced people to choose which event they will attend.
“A benefit is we will be sharing a common calendar, so we don’t have competing community events two miles apart on the same day and time as our neighboring communities,” Schaffer said. “Many of these events rely on the same pool of attendees and sponsorship support. Collaborating and scheduling accordingly, will complement one another with better scheduling and cross promotions rather than competing as we do now as independent entities.”
Maria Sacco Handle, president Brigantine Chamber of Commerce, said, “We are creating a collaborative environment for regional business leaders to maximize their talents, experiences, and resources for the greater good of Atlantic County.”
