Chamber membership is on the rise

The Camarillo Chamber of Commerce plans to increase membership to at least 800 this year, president Tom Kelley told about 100 chamber members and elected officials at the annual membership meeting at Spanish Hills Country Club on June 13.

The chamber had 174 new members join last year and an 80 percent retention rate, bringing the total to 770 members, Kelley said. This year the goal is to reach 800 members or more by the end of the 2008-09 fiscal year, he said.

Kelley said this election season the chamber will endorse business-friendly candidates for the first time. Previously the chamber had only endorsed ballot initiatives.

As the Thousand OaksWestlake and Simi Valley chambers have done successfully, the Camarillo Chamber will apply for accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. To receive accreditation, a chamber must demonstrate effective operational procedures and a commitment to advancing businesses' interests.

Accreditation doesn't necessarily make one chamber better than another; it just means the organization has undergone analysis, Kelley said

Kelley reviewed changes the chamber launched last year, among them a twotier membership structure that has increased chamber revenue by 10 percent.

About 200 of the chamber's members pay an additional annual fee of $175 for Tier-II benefits, which include a visually enhanced listing on the organization's website.

Regular membership fees are based on the number of employees a business has. A company with three to five employees pays about $330 a year for chamber membership, for example.

Last year the chamber began hosting meetings featuring elected officials discussing upcoming legislation and a state candidates forum with state Senate hopefuls Tony Strickland and Hannah-Beth Jackson.

Kelley said the Chamber's Top Ten Community Awards, a 40year-old tradition of recognizing nine residents and one business, has more community support than ever before. The chamber is receiving more nominations and seeing a higher attendance at the awards ceremony.

But the organization has more work to do. Kelley said they must make a better effort to bring more new businesses to Camarillo. To help accomplish that, the chamber has partnered with the city to sponsor the Camarillo Arts and Jazz Festival.

The festival promotes the city and local businesses to tourists; it also promotes the city as a site to open a business, Kelley said, adding, "It fits our goals to a T."

The third annual Camarillo Arts and Jazz Festival is scheduled for Sept. 13 in Old Town Camarillo.

Despite a downturn in the nation's economy, Kelley is upbeat about Camarillo's economic future. He pointed out that the businesses that have moved here have brought with them highpaying jobs.

"We see a strong future," Kelley said earlier this week. "We're not too worried about the current economic conditions; we think Camarillo will get through that without any problems."