A Toast to Ten Years of Trade – NMCCA’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
By Caoilainn Carlson, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- Ten years ago, the Valley City and Brunswick Chambers of Commerce officially merged to form the Northern Medina County Chamber Alliance (NMCCA). Debbie Boehmke, current NMCCA Executive Director the past six years, planned a 10th Anniversary celebration in honor of the two Chambers coming together at Coppertop Golf Club on Thursday, March 26th. The event was a sell-out, with close to 200 of NMCCA’s members attending the event. “Ten years is an incredible milestone to reach when you merge two organizations together,” stated Mark Priebe, President of Proximity Marketing and NMCCA member.
The idea to merge the two Chambers started about a year before the NMCAA came to be. This was seen as a positive, as both sides wanted to create a better environment for all members to network and connect. The Valley City Community Group also formed shortly after the NMCAA merged, which also means they are approaching the 10-year mark as well. “I think that there’s been a lot of growth in Brunswick and Valley City,” Jake Berger of All Construction Services and NMCCA member said.
As NMCCA Executive Director, Boehmke’s average schedule involves attending meetings and scheduling events to make sure the memberships of the Chamber are running smoothly. Her biggest goal for the future is not just to grow, but to make sure that all members stay strong. “You get out of it what you put into it,” she stated. She wants her members to be inspired to renew because they got something out of it.
The event, sponsored by Huntington Bank, featured a performance from the Buckeye High School Jazz Band during the reception and networking portion of the festivities. Dinner was served to attendees at 6:00 PM and followed with remarks from Ron Paydo, the Market President of Akron/Canton Area Huntington Bank, along with remarks from previous NMCCA board members and closing thoughts from Boehmke and Melanie Miller, Ohio House of Representatives- District 67. The large number of attendees was largely noted with pride by each individual. “We’re one of the most active Chambers in the area,” said Al Matyas, Vice President of Southwest General Health System, who has been a member of the Chamber for over ten years and saw the two merge.
Boehmke said that the 10th Anniversary was important to her because it created such a welcoming environment. The NMCAA is completely made up of volunteers, featuring programming, business and marketing committees who hold four large events every year. Boehmke believes that these groups display NMCCA’s desire to cultivate a great business network, one who wants everyone to succeed. The goal was always to better the community. Bill Johnson, President/CEO of Welser Profile of North America and NMCCA member said, “It’s a recognition of how well we network as a community.”
To learn more about the Northern Medina County Chamber Alliance, visit their website at www.nmccalliance.com or call them at (330) - 225 - 8411. Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Caoilainn Carlson, Brunswick High School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: NMCCA 10th Anniversary Event.