MetroWest Chamber of Commerce Expands Programming & Membership in 2022

By Jim Giammarinaro

President & CEO of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce

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FRAMINGHAM – It’s already been a busy year at our Chamber.

We added to our staff at the beginning of the year. Towma Rastad joined us in January. We now have 3 full time staff which includes Towma (Deputy Director for Diversity and Member Retention), Stephanie Hirshon (Deputy Director for Marketing & Events) and me, Jim Giammarinaro (President & CEO). In addition, we have a contracted Social Media person, Shannon Giordano from Serendipity Social Media and a part—time accountant Phyllis Lord.

We have expanded our programming which has led to an increase in new members.

Below you will see our new members this year through May 9th:
Pix Pro Photos 5/9/2022
NoblePay 5/6/2022
The Hudson 5/5/2022
Vertava Health 5/4/2022
Coastal Windows & Exteriors 5/1/2022
Samba Steak & Sushi 4/26/2022
Cambridge Trust 4/22/2022
Slotnick Monuments 4/12/2022
Alchemy CPA LLC 4/11/2022
Dartmouth Property Management 4/11/2022
CareGivers – WellBeing 4/11/2022
REMAX Executive Realty 4/7/2022

Pelham Lifelong Learning Center 4/7/2022
Woodland Golf Club 4/7/2022
JVF Solutions 4/7/2022
SBR-Small Business Results 4/6/2022
Fairway Independent Mortgage 4/6/2022
Dave & Buster’s 4/4/2022
Top Fitness 4/4/2022
Plymouth Armor Group 3/21/2022
Aflac 3/21/2022
Earle III Building Maintenance Inc 3/16/2022
GDIBC 3/15/2022
GSA Link, Inc. 3/15/2022
Massachusetts Restaurant Association 3/14/2022
CarpeLux Coaching 3/14/2022
Wicked Lighting 3/11/2022
The Sangria Lady 3/9/2022
Suburban Lifestyle Real Estate 3/8/2022
Serendipity Social Media, Inc. 3/4/2022
Jeff’s Place 3/4/2022
BeLocal MetroWest and Minuteman 3/2/2022
Holy Cross Sports Properties 2/28/2022

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Temescal Wellness 2/24/2022
New Horizons Medical 2/23/2022
Design for Change USA 2/21/2022
Hispanic Market Solution 2/17/2022
ALS Association MA Chapter 2/17/2022
Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office 2/15/2022
United Church of Christ Medfield 2/14/2022
The Studios @ 3 Adams Street 2/14/2022
Kimco Realty 2/11/2022
Centinel Financial Group 2/10/2022
AT&R Insurance Agency 2/10/2022
Boston Sports Performance Center 2/10/2022
FCCCD 2/4/2022
Framingham History Center 2/3/2022
Hope & Comfort , Inc 2/2/2022
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of
Braintree 1/31/2022
Cooperative Development Institute 1/27/2022
Avalon Marlborough 1/26/2022
Volunteers of America 1/12/2022
Parmenter Foundation 1/10/2022

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We have also added three new Community Builder Sponsors, Framingham State University, Needham Bank and Wegmans to our robust list of sponsors.

Our programming fall into to several categories, see below:

a. Business After Hours (Monthly and booked through 2022)
b. Webinars (Monthly and booked through 2022)
c. Women’s Networking (New & Monthly)
d. Referral Groups (Monthly, 2 nd referral group formed)
e. Young Professionals Group (New & Monthly)
f. New Member Orientation (Monthly)
g. Annual Events (Scholarship Reception, Golf Tournament, Veterans Event, Annual
Meeting, Legislative Reception, and other collaborative events)
h. Ribbon Cuttings (As requested, 4 to this point in 2022)
i. Taste of MetroWest 2023 (scheduled for March 2023)

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Our full list of 2022 Events & Committee schedules can be seen below:
Calendar of Events By Month 2022 *committee & referral groups listed below

January

Ashland Business Assoc Coaches Panel Webinar 1/13/2022
Virtual Trivia Night 1/27/2022

February
Wellness in the Workplace SPARK Webinar 2/3/2022
Edge Sports Group Business After Hours 2/17/2022

March
Avoiding Probate-Ladimer Law Webinar 3/3/2022

Women2Women Networking Res Inn Natick 3/8/2022

Joint Networking with ABA at DulceDLeche 3/24/2022

April
Women’s Networking location TBD 4/12/2022

In Person Member Orientation 4/13/2022

DEI Panel Discussion Lunch & Learn Webinar 4/14/2022

Trulieve Business After Hours 4/21/2022
 

May
Parmenter Foundation Bereavement Webinar 5/5/2022

The Edwards House Business After Hours 5/10/2022

In Person Member Orientation 5/11/2022

ABA Joint Event The ReStore 5/19/2022

Women2Women Networking Sheraton 5/19/2022

June

MERC Conference 6/1/2022 8am

Volunteers of America Get Involved Webinar 6/2/2022 10am  
Women2Women Networking Samba 6/7/2022 5:30pm  

In Person Member Orientation 6/8/2022 9am

Residence Inn Natick Business After Hours 6/16/2022 5:30pm

FCCCD Art Installation Event 6/18/2022 10am

YPG Exhibit A Kick Off 6/20/2022 5:30pm

Scholarship Reception TBD

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July

In Person Member Orientation 7/13/2022 9am  

MW Ed Foundation Golf Tournament 7/18/2022 12pm

Mini Golf Tournament for Scholarship 7/28/2022 4pm

August
Hopkinton YMCA Joint Networking Event 8/2/2022 5:30pm

Webinar TBD 8/4/2022 10am

Women2Women Networking 8/9/2022 5:30pm

In Person Member Orientation 8/10/2022 9am

YPG Networking 8/15/2022 5:30pm

Jack’s Abby Business After Hours 8/18/2022 5:30pm

Top Fitness Open House/Ribbon Cutting 8/20/2022 TBD

September

ABA Coaches Panel Follow Up Webinar 9/8/2022 10am

In Person Member Orientation 9/14/2022 9am

The Danforth Business After Hours 9/15/2022 5:30pm

YPG Networking 9/19/2022 5:30pm

Women2Women Networking 9/20/2022 5:30pm

October

Webinar TBD 10/6/2022 10am

Women2Women Networking 10/11/2022 5:30pm

In Person Member Orientation 10/12/2022 9am

YPG Networking 10/17/2022 5:30pm

The Evolve Realty Business After Hours 10/20/2022 5:30pm

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November

Veterans Inc ‘Support Veterans’ Webinar 11/3/2022 10am

In Person Member Orientation 11/9/2022 9am

Tri-Chamber Veterans Event 11/10/2022 4:30pm

Annual Meeting 11/16/2022 5pm

December

Webinar TBD 12/2/2022 10am

In Person Member Orientation12/14/2022 9am

Sykbokx 109 Business After Hours 12/15/2022 5:30pm

YPG Networking 12/19/2022 5:30PM

Women2Women Networking Holiday Party 12/20/2022 5:30pm

Legislative Reception (Tentative) & BOD Mtg 12/21/2022 4pm

Business Referral Group meets every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 8am (Virtually until further notice)4 o’clock at the Chamber in person referral group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at Chamber office

Rising Young Professionals Group will meet on the 3rd Monday of the month

Public Policy Committee meets every 3rd Thursday of the month at 10am (Virtually until further notice)

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee meets every other month on Monday at 9am (Virtually until further notice)

Events Committee meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 9am (Virtually until further notice)

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Additional new initiatives include:

a. Mott/Visitors Bureau Grants – Underrepresented Business Guide & Hospitality
Social Media Support (both in progress).

b. Member Referral Program – Provide the chamber with a “warm referral” which
leads to a new member or sponsor and receive either a $100 or $200 gift card.

c. Member Gift Bag Program – Gift Bags with member deals provided to new
chamber members and new residents and/or businesses in selected MetroWest
communities.

Our major focus at the MetroWest Chamber is to provide maximum value to all our members for their membership dollars. When our nearly 400 members succeed, the economy it MetroWest thrives!

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Editor’s Note: SOURCE and the MetroWest Chamber have formed a partnership. The Chamber’s column will run on Tuesdays on the digital news media outlet.