By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
JAMESBURG — Local business owners are looking to revive, branch out and bolster membership to an organization that, as of late, has played a dormant role in the community.
The recently renamed Jamesburg and Monroe Regional Chamber of Commerce has began holding regular meetings and brainstorming ways to assist local businesses in the neighboring communities, said the organization’s newly elected president, Robert Gough.
”We are trying to become a resource for businesses in the area that will help promote those businesses and create opportunities through growth,” said Mr. Gough, who is also the owner of Corinthian Capital Group in Jamesburg.
A little more than a year ago, the chamber decided to rename the organization from the Jamesburg Area Chamber of Commerce to its present title as representatives felt it was time to refocus on expansion and communication between businesses in both of these growing communities, he said.
But due to the busy schedules of the organization’s leaders, the chamber really hadn’t gotten off the ground — until recently.
Mr. Gough said the chamber’s future planning includes targeting and catering to two types of business owners, those dealing directly in a business-to-business fashion and those that function under the business-to-consumer model.
”We need better focus,” he said. “We need to ensure that (our) organization is providing those opportunities that local businesses are looking for.”
To accomplish this goal, Mr. Gough said the chamber is looking at several vehicles for improvements.
The chamber plans to host several workshops in the coming months, including those pertaining to improving business networking as well as one on taking advantages of newer technologies.
Another avenue the chamber plans to take is establishing an Intranet site, a place its members can find more resources at their disposal, a tool to communicate with fellow business owners and an opportunity to provide feedback to representatives, Mr. Gough said.
”This is a way all members can participate without being restricted to attend a meeting at a specific date and time,” he said.
With a little more than 80 members, the chamber also is looking to build on those numbers by advertising the benefits to be had by joining the organization, he said.
Some of the benefits would include privileged access to the chamber’s Intranet site, inclusion on a possible service map, which would identify local businesses and, along with a number of other services, to advertise to potential clientele.
”The chamber is going to be able to help them make their business more visible,” he said.
The organization is hoping to keep its current annual membership fees, which range from $75 for a businesses with less than 100 employees and $150 for businesses with 100 employees or more.
The chamber’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17 at 7:30 a.m. at Lisco’s Country Café, 49 E. Railroad Ave., in Jamesburg.
For questions or more information, contact Mr. Gough at 732-521-5253.

