Home News Business Mercer County Chambers Of Commerce Team Up For Business Mixer

Mercer County Chambers Of Commerce Team Up For Business Mixer

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There was strength in numbers Thursday at Grove City Country Club, as seven business groups gathered for the Multi-Chamber Mixer.

Representatives of Mercer County’s four chambers of commerce, the Butler and Lawrence County chambers and the Slippery Rock Business Association attended the networking event. This is the seventh time the event, hosted by the Grove City Chamber of Commerce, has been held.

“We wanted to make this something easy for everyone to attend,’’ said Beth Black, executive director of the Grove City Chamber.

Those at the event ranged from big employers such as hospitals to small businesses. Sarah DiFriuschia, owner of Crossroads Dance Academy near Slippery Rock, enjoyed the gathering along with her husband Allen, owner of Playthings Etc., a toy store near Butler.

“We teach dancing to everyone from all ages – from 2 to 72,’’ Sarah said.

Stan Kosciuszko, president of the Butler chamber, has been a regular at the gathering. During the event he and Black talked about projects that could compliment each other.

“Beth and I work very well together because we’re not paranoid,’’ Kosciuszko said.

There’s also another motivation at work here.

“I like to attend because my chamber members get to meet other chambers,’’ Kosciuszko said.

Mercer County is one of only two counties in Pennsylvania without a county-wide chamber. Instead, there are four chambers of commerce — Shenango Valley, Greenville, Mercer and Grove City — within the county’s borders. Over the years there’s been talk of merging the four chambers but it never created any traction.

Butler County has created a business model where there is one chamber for the county. But communities are encouraged to form a group that touts its own events, Kosciuszko said.

“Instead of forming a chamber of commerce we asked communities to form a business association,’’ he said. “We encourage cities to have their own identity.’’ The Butler chamber usually handles the back office functions for these groups, he added.

“They have their own checking account, their own board, and their own fundraising,’’ Kosciuszko said.

Slippery Rock is a good example, Kosciuszko said.

“They created a business association that likes to hold events,’’ he said. “And we help with things like their Christmas parade.’’

Kosciuszko said he liked to talk about his area from a county-wide perspective.

“We are one of only two counties in the state that has a state college, Slippery Rock (University) and a community college, Butler County Community College,’’ he said.

Others at the gathering said they liked its comfortable format.

The event creates a relaxed setting for everyone to talk with each other, said Sherris Moreira, executive director of the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“Collaboration is the key to success for our region,’’ Moreira said. “It’s a no-brainer to be involved in this. It helps our business community grow.’’