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MISSION STATMENT The BREMERTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE promotes member businesses and provides leadership to enhance a positive business environment. The Chamber And You ... Most people would be surprised to know that chambers of commerce existed in this country before we even became a country! The first chambers of commerce were formed in the colonies in the 1760's. And they've been growing stronger ever since. The Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce was initially formed as the Bremerton Board of Trade in 1904. The name was changed to the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce in 1907 and became incorporated in 1938. It's interesting to note that the Treasurer of the Board of Directors was William Gates, grandfather of Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The Gates family owned a furniture store in downtown Bremerton and William Gates signed the Chamber's Articles of Incorporation. Like most chambers of commerce, the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit membership organization. Our mission is to promote and support our member businesses and provide leadership to enhance a positive business environment. This mission has helped the Bremerton Chamber become one of the largest chambers on the Olympic Peninsula (more than 550 members!) as well as one of the most effective chambers in delivering benefits to our members and the community. Businesses and individuals join the Bremerton Chamber for a number of reasons. Many join for networking and advertising opportunities. Some members want to take advantage of health insurance programs and other member discounts. And most understand that supporting the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce is a terrific way to support the community, businesses and our local economy. The Chamber offers many in-house services including extensive visitor and relocation assistance, business assistance provided by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), and, for our contractor members, the only plan center in the western Puget Sound area, the Olympic Peninsula Plan Center. The Chamber is also involved in many behind-the-scenes activities to help the business and citizens of Bremerton and Kitsap County. The Chamber helps with economic development and international trade, tax and regulatory issues, long-range community planning and downtown redevelopment. The Chamber The Chamber works with the Kitsap Regional Economic Development Alliance (EDA)and other chambers of commerce to encourage appropriate businesses to locate in our area. The Chamber works with the City of Bremerton and the Kitsap Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) to encourage tourism. The Chamber operates the Olympic Peninsula Plan Center for local contractors and sub-contractors, at 286 Fourth Street. The Chamber works with the Small Business Administration and Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) to offer free counseling, on the 2nd Fridays of every month, to individuals who want to start their own business. The Chamber operates a Visitor Information Center (VIC) in it's main office throughout the year. The Chamber assembles and mails out Relocation and Newcomer's Packets. The Chamber offers "members only" benefits such as group discounts for health care, Internet links and various marketing opportunities to other Chamber members. The Chamber coordinates The Annual Armed Forces Festival Parade, that includes a Ambassador scholarship program, Golf Tournament, and other fun events. Chamber Staff Operations Manager - Frank Gentile chamber@bremertonchamber.org Accounting & Olympic Peninsula Plans Center - Cec Kolb cec@bremertonchamber.org Membership Director - Mike Strube mike@bremertonchamber.org Contact Information 286 Fourth Street Bremerton WA 98337 Phone: (360) 479-3579 Fax: (360) 479-1033 chamber@bremertonchamber.org |
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