Chamber Director Taking Care Of Business
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE -ÊOn any given day, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Director Shelly Bickel wears several different hats.
"You have to be a well-liked person (to be chamber director)," Bickel said. "You have to be a negotiator. You have to be a good listener. You have to treat people the way you want to be treated."
She said her job requires her to be a public speaker and almost a politician. Sometimes she has to be an advertising agent for chamber members or a writer.
"I'm the person between people and the chamber," she said.
September marks Bickel's one-year anniversary as the chamber's director. And she has found her first year to be rewarding.
"It's been very exciting. It's probably been the most exciting position I've held in my working career," she said.
Current chamber President Tim Yeager said when Bickel was hired, she was told the emphasis of her job should be on membership -Êretention, recruiting new members and providing more services to members.
"From my perspective, she's done a very good job of fulfilling our expectations," he said.
She has put out the quarterly newsletter each time on time. She has put fund raisers together and worked with retailers on advertising.
"As far as the first-year goals, she has met those," Yeager said.
Bickel moved to Syracuse approximately six years ago. Originally from Anderson, where her family owns a candy shop, Bickel hand-dipped candy. She goes back from time to time to help.
Once she, her husband Garry (they celebrate their 17th anniversary Sept. 17), and their 15-year-old son Joel moved to Syracuse, she didn't work for 1-1/2 years. She worked for a temporary employment office for two years, then took a year off while the family built a home. When she applied for the director's position, she knew it was a job for her.
"I've always been the type of person that's sort of a caretaker," she said. She said she believes that the more a person gives, the more they receive. After taking the director's position, she found others in Syracuse shared that belief.
Another characteristic of Syracuse Bickel learned was, "I think every community needs to grow but I saw, when I first came, that we're somewhat stagnant in our growth."
She said she was overwhelmed by the lack of knowledge common folk have about their community.
"I think our community has a lot to offer that people don't realize is there. That's where the growing comes in. We have a lot to offer," Bickel said.
When Bickel first became chamber director, the chamber had 113 members. At the monthly meeting Sept. 1 this year, Bickel announced the chamber had 136 members.
"Retention of chamber members is very difficult no matter what community you live in," Bickel said. "I feel pretty good bringing it up to 136." For those businesses who don't become members, Bickel said it was her job to find out why and what they can do to convince them otherwise.
The chamber's role in the community is, Bickel said, "to help promote, secure, stabilize (local business). I think we can be a leader in showing direction. We are one of the most vital information sources the community can have. The job of the executive director is to promote chamber members and what they offer. I really don't think people really understand the resources of a chamber."
To become better at her job, Bickel attends conferences with other chamber directors from across the area and state and sometimes from around the country. Recently she attended the Indiana Commerce Executive Association summer conference. People from across the state met for three days to share ideas of what is working for their chambers, Bickel said.
"What I have found in the chamber is there are no secrets. We all share ideas," she said.
As for the future, Bickel said, "In the next year, I would like to bring 50 new businesses on board. I would like the chamber to become financially secure so I could extend the hours here at the chamber." Bickel is part-time currently.
The goals of the chamber will be discussed at the December strategy meeting. Two of the goals will be to finish the projects the chamber has already started -Êthe industrial park and the Wawasee Village plan.
"I think we can be a strong voice in the community. And to be a strong voice, you have to listen to your membership," she said. "I really don't think the community understands how vital it is to have a strong chamber." [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE -ÊOn any given day, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Director Shelly Bickel wears several different hats.
"You have to be a well-liked person (to be chamber director)," Bickel said. "You have to be a negotiator. You have to be a good listener. You have to treat people the way you want to be treated."
She said her job requires her to be a public speaker and almost a politician. Sometimes she has to be an advertising agent for chamber members or a writer.
"I'm the person between people and the chamber," she said.
September marks Bickel's one-year anniversary as the chamber's director. And she has found her first year to be rewarding.
"It's been very exciting. It's probably been the most exciting position I've held in my working career," she said.
Current chamber President Tim Yeager said when Bickel was hired, she was told the emphasis of her job should be on membership -Êretention, recruiting new members and providing more services to members.
"From my perspective, she's done a very good job of fulfilling our expectations," he said.
She has put out the quarterly newsletter each time on time. She has put fund raisers together and worked with retailers on advertising.
"As far as the first-year goals, she has met those," Yeager said.
Bickel moved to Syracuse approximately six years ago. Originally from Anderson, where her family owns a candy shop, Bickel hand-dipped candy. She goes back from time to time to help.
Once she, her husband Garry (they celebrate their 17th anniversary Sept. 17), and their 15-year-old son Joel moved to Syracuse, she didn't work for 1-1/2 years. She worked for a temporary employment office for two years, then took a year off while the family built a home. When she applied for the director's position, she knew it was a job for her.
"I've always been the type of person that's sort of a caretaker," she said. She said she believes that the more a person gives, the more they receive. After taking the director's position, she found others in Syracuse shared that belief.
Another characteristic of Syracuse Bickel learned was, "I think every community needs to grow but I saw, when I first came, that we're somewhat stagnant in our growth."
She said she was overwhelmed by the lack of knowledge common folk have about their community.
"I think our community has a lot to offer that people don't realize is there. That's where the growing comes in. We have a lot to offer," Bickel said.
When Bickel first became chamber director, the chamber had 113 members. At the monthly meeting Sept. 1 this year, Bickel announced the chamber had 136 members.
"Retention of chamber members is very difficult no matter what community you live in," Bickel said. "I feel pretty good bringing it up to 136." For those businesses who don't become members, Bickel said it was her job to find out why and what they can do to convince them otherwise.
The chamber's role in the community is, Bickel said, "to help promote, secure, stabilize (local business). I think we can be a leader in showing direction. We are one of the most vital information sources the community can have. The job of the executive director is to promote chamber members and what they offer. I really don't think people really understand the resources of a chamber."
To become better at her job, Bickel attends conferences with other chamber directors from across the area and state and sometimes from around the country. Recently she attended the Indiana Commerce Executive Association summer conference. People from across the state met for three days to share ideas of what is working for their chambers, Bickel said.
"What I have found in the chamber is there are no secrets. We all share ideas," she said.
As for the future, Bickel said, "In the next year, I would like to bring 50 new businesses on board. I would like the chamber to become financially secure so I could extend the hours here at the chamber." Bickel is part-time currently.
The goals of the chamber will be discussed at the December strategy meeting. Two of the goals will be to finish the projects the chamber has already started -Êthe industrial park and the Wawasee Village plan.
"I think we can be a strong voice in the community. And to be a strong voice, you have to listen to your membership," she said. "I really don't think the community understands how vital it is to have a strong chamber." [[In-content Ad]]