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LAMBERTVILLE: Chamber of Commerce reaches across river

Name expected to be Greater Lambertville-New Hope Chamber of Commerce

The Lambertville Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber’s Board of Directors voted Jan. 15 to change the name of the organization to the Greater Lambertville-New Hope Chamber of Commerce.
The group considers the renaming “the initial steps to create a regionalized entity to articulate a clearer vision for economic success in the sister communities of Lambertville and New Hope, as well as the entire central Delaware River valley,” according to a statement.
The board endorsed changes to the Chamber’s bylaws that would ensure representation from both communities on the Chamber’s governing body. Many of the Chamber’s current active membership of about 200 are New Hope-based businesses people, according to the Chamber.
“Despite being separate municipalities in separate states, Lambertville and New Hope are one destination and one business community,” said Chamber President Wilson Weed. “Neither of our communities can fully thrive unless the other shares in that prosperity. Our two organizations worked in partnership in the past, but we will be much stronger as one entity advocating for our region. That’s the new direction we are taking the Chamber of Commerce in by reaching across the bridge.”
Under the regionalized vision, the Chamber also will work to grow its service area from the traditional bases of Lambertville and New Hope and into surrounding communities, including Frenchtown, Washington Crossing, Solebury and Stockton.
“We all know how special our river towns are, and we should promote them in one voice,” said Mr. Weed.
He said the Lambertville-New Hope group isn’t looking to merge with the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, but to expand a group that believes the two municipalities should work together.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors also voted unanimously to hire Lambertville resident David Morgan as the Chamber’s first full-time executive director. Morgan has more than 30 years’ experience in private and public sector management in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including service as a past president of the Trenton Boys & Girls Clubs, where he oversaw that organization’s restructuring and revitalization.
“We will be looking to him to grow our membership, build upon our already successful events to provide real value to Chamber members, and take on new initiatives to grow our footprint and marketing as a true destination location,” said Mr. Weed.
“The opportunity to help the Chamber take this step in rebranding and relaunching as a regional voice for commerce is especially exciting,” said Morgan. “Our communities do so much as one already, it only makes sense that our business communities come together at the Chamber level, as well. People know Lambertville and they know New Hope, but we will be in a much stronger position when we are no longer thought of separately, but truly as one destination. And for our members, I think they will see that partnering with our sister businesses across the river on an even greater level will help all of us succeed.”
The board also voted to retain Yolanda Adragna and elevate her to the post of chamber administrator. She will continue to maintain the Chamber’s business accounts and process memberships, along with running the office’s daily operations. She will assist Mr. Morgan in instituting and running new programs.
The changes will be formally introduced at the annual meeting of the membership of the Chamber on Saturday, Jan. 31.