By LOIS KINDLE
The idea of merging the SouthShore and South Hillsborough chambers of commerce has floated around for years, but it never came to fruition until recently.
On Aug. 1, the South Hillsborough Chamber found itself without an executive director, and its board subsequently decided to look at all options going forward, including a merger with the SouthShore Chamber.
After two months of meetings and negotiations between the two 501(c) 6 nonprofit organizations, both boards voted to officially merge and become the Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce, effective Nov. 15.
“We’re very excited,” said Kyle Belz, South Hillsborough board chair for the past two years. “The board supports this because its in the best interest of our members and the business community.
Belz added member response in e-mail voting was “effusive,” highly positive and filled with praise. He noted South Hillsborough member specialist Sherell Bennett will remain on board, and the office in Sun City Center will stay open.
“This allows for the long-term best approach for membership,” he said. “We’re excited to have this unique opportunity to provide a single voice for advocacy. It’s nice to leave believing the chamber will be better than we found it and going in the right direction.”
Ray Monahan, the SouthShore Chamber’s board president, was equally as positive about the merger.
Acknowledging the area’s burgeoning growth in both population and businesses, he called the merger “a great move for members of both chambers.
“I would mirror everything Kyle said,” Monahan added. “Our board unanimously voted in favor of the merger. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for it.
“Combined, the new Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce can deliver a more diverse and wider range of services to the businesses and residents of the communities we serve,” he said.
The Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce will be led by Melanie Davis, who served as executive director of the former Ruskin Chamber from 2006 through 2011 and the SouthShore Chamber since its formation in 2011.
Like Belz and Monahan, she’s delighted with the decision both boards made.
“Our goal is to exceed everyone’s expectations, and I’m up to the challenge,” Davis said. “I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting not only the businesses in Sun City Center, but also the civic organizations, nonprofits and residents of the community.
“In addition to our member services, networking opportunities and sponsored events like the annual Ruskin Seafood Festival, the SouthShore Chamber has several working committees that add value to the community, and I feel we have an untapped resource in Sun City Center for volunteers who will infuse our efforts with enthusiasm and new ideas to contribute to the chamber’s overall success.”
South Hillsborough board member Sean Andrews, of Edward Jones, sees value in what he sees as a perfect trifecta: business involvement, community involvement and economic development.
“Based on everything I’ve seen and heard, I’m excited at the prospect,” he said. “Think of the three legs of a stool. If you overly focus on one [leg], the stool doesn’t stand.”
Enterprising Latinas CEO Liz Gutierrez agrees.
“I think the merging the two chambers make sense,” she said. “As a member of both, we see it as a good thing at the government level for representation and advocacy of the entire community.”
Bonnie Peacock, owner of Money Mates and The Nimble Notary, strongly supports the merger.
“As a board member of the SouthShore Chamber and also a member of the South Hillsborough Chamber, I’ve always felt they would be more powerful together than apart,” she said.
Davis stressed how chambers need to continue to be relevant by pivoting and doing things differently than they used to in the face of so many other networking options introduced during the pandemic.
“We must give businesses a tangible reason to be part of our membership,” she said, noting that “despite all the area’s rapid growth, South Shore needs to maintain its hometown feel.
LOIS KINDLE PHOTO
When the merger of the SouthShore and South Hillsborough chambers of commerce takes place Nov. 15, Melanie Davis, right, will be executive director of the new Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce and Sherell Bennett her executive assistant.
“All six communities we currently represent – south Riverview, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Sun City Center and Wimauma – are very unique, and we want to showcase each one, while serving the greater South Shore community. The ‘greater’ includes Balm and all of the communities developing to the south of us along U.S. 41 and U.S. 301.”
Suzanne Ramella has returned to serve the chamber as its part-time bookkeeper. Ramella previously worked full-time as the chamber’s executive assistant for nine years before retiring in January 2020.
The newly merged Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce will have around 600 members.
For more information, call 813-645-1366.