PINE BLUFF — The Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce nearly doubled its membership last month, a boon for a region struggling to keep industries from closing down and residents from moving away.
The chamber's membership increased to 718 businesses and individuals, up from 398 before its Aug. 24-26 membership drive, said Michelle Rocha, co-director of the Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
"It was the entire community coming together to strengthen an organization that works to bring new companies in, help retain the companies that we have and bring new visitors here," Rocha said.
"One of the most important things we do at the chamber is lobby for the businesses in our community, and when we lobby with 720 members verses 400 members the strength is that much greater."
Rocha said the chamber is now working to bring large and small businesses together so that the companies will purchase goods from each other, rather than purchasing products from outside the county.
The chamber also plans a small business expo for new members from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
To help with the membership drive, Rocha said the chamber contracted with Your Chamber Connection, a Fort Worth-based company that helps chambers of commerce raise dollars through increased membership and greater membership participation.
Twenty-six teams with about five members each competed to see which could recruit the most businesses.
The winning team of Andy Lunsford, a White Hall Realtor, and Dane Reed, Scott Ray and Joel Foster, all in the automobile sales industry, was able to recruit 102 new members, Lunsford said.
That's a single-team national record for chambers contracting with Your Chamber Connection, Rocha said.
Lunsford said his team took off two afternoons and went recruiting before the contest even started to get a head start.
"The bottom line is, the small business owners need to come together and unite to make our [Economic Development] Alliance [of Jefferson County] and our chamber stronger and more unified, because not only do we need to attract more business here, but we also need to keep the businesses we have," Lunsford said.
The Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce is under the umbrella of the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County, which works to recruit and keep industry in the county.
Pine Bluff now ranks fourth in the state for the number of new members attained through a Your Chamber Connection membership drive, behind chambers of commerce in Conway, Russellville and Fayetteville.
In 2007, the Conway Chamber of Commerce recruited 388 new members on top of about 850 members, a 46 percent increase. That year, the1,000-member Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce also added 331 new members, a 33 percent increase.
In 2006, the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce recruited 351 new members on top of about 850, a 41 percent increase.
The Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce increased its membership by 320 new members, or 80 percent.
"It was a mind-boggling, wonderful experience for Pine Bluff," said Jimmy Cusano, senior vice president of Your Chamber Connection. "For a community the size of Pine Bluff, it was outstanding."
"I don't think it shocked us that the campaign was that successful because that's kind of what we see all over the great state of Arkansas," Cusano added.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that Pine Bluff lost 4,727 residents from 2000-08, when it listed the city's population at 50,408 compared with 55,135 in 2000. Pine Bluff has also lost at least 15 industries in the past decade.
While Pine Bluff is struggling now, there is still hope that the city can turn around and begin growing again, said Win Trafford II, a business owner and Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce member.
"We've got an interstate, we've got a river and we've got rail, all of the infrastructure that we need to be able to grow," said Trafford, who signed up his own new Pine Bluff business, About You Realty Inc., during last month's membership drive.
"We have just got to be able to promote a positive image for our town. I think that's what happened in the chamber drive, and that is promoting positive for Pine Bluff."
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7, 8 on 09/21/2009