Chamber plans for the next generation of county business leaders

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — As part of the business’ annual Customer Appreciation Day on May 17, Rowell’s Garage provided Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Denise Buzzelli an opportunity to discuss the organization’s current plans and vision for the future which includes a Junior Chamber of Commerce initiative.
    “I think we all share an appreciation for Rowell’s,” Buzzelli said during her opening remarks in the showroom, adding that Rowell’s Garage is a very community-minded business.

    Buzzelli said she had been on the job for about eight months and has been busy meeting with businesses across Piscataquis County. She said during this time Chamber of Commerce membership has increased from over 140 to nearly 200.
    “I wondered about the next generation, what’s happening there,” Buzzelli said, explaining some conversations have indicated many younger residents feel they will have to leave Piscataquis County after high school and/or not come back after college. Buzzelli said she also wondered about the impact of an exodus of younger residents while the population of retirees doubles.
    “As a Chamber our first priority is to provide support for the businesses, but we would be remiss if we did not think of the future,” she said. “We decided we need to invest in our students today.”
    The result is the Piscataquis Junior Chamber of Commerce, which has a vision to empower high school students to accomplish their career goals by providing in-depth educational workshops and mentoring and increase their awareness of socio-economic issues throughout Piscataquis County. “This is going to be their town and we are going to give opportunities,” Buzzelli said.
    The opportunities, such as workshops and courses for the Junior Chamber members, will be facilitated by experienced economic experts, successful micro-enterprise owners, marketing specialists, accountants and business development experts, sales coaches, community leaders, entrepreneurs and more. The students will be able to dream and find what they are most passionate about, learning how to construct a business plan and market their idea online through a website and social media. From start-up to promotion to bookkeeping, the Junior Chamber members will learn specifics on a successful business, and when the teaching stops the mentoring and networking begins through already successful business owners.
    “What I foresee in the future is these kids develop something for themselves that hopefully in the future will create storefront businesses and jobs,” Buzzelli said. As an example she mentioned Nicole Snow of Darn Good Yarn in Sebec, who began her business from an idea and now sells her products around the world.
    “I am excited to say the Junior Chamber of Commerce has received its first grant,” Buzzelli said, saying she would like to get away from fundraising for the Chamber of Commerce itself. “The one exception is the Junior Chamber of Commerce, I want to invest in these kids.”
    She said in addition to actively pursuing funding for the new initiative, the Chamber will honor its younger participants by naming a Junior Member of the Year, awarding college scholarships and compiling members’ accomplishments. “It will basically be a letter of recommendation saying everything they did for us,” Buzzelli said.
    The Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce is “heavily, heavily steeped in social media as a chamber, more than we ever have before,” Buzzelli said. She said she writes a blog for the Bangor Daily News website, and the Chamber is also on Facebook and Twitter.
    “I want to bring people to our streets and through your front doors,” Buzzelli said. “The formula needs to be changed, we need to do something to give our economy a boost.”
    For more information on the Piscataquis Junior Chamber of Commerce, please contact Buzzelli at 564-7533 or exdir@piscataquischamber.com.