Prince William Chamber turns 10, installs new chair Kathie Johnson, of Sentara NVMC

The Prince William Chamber of Commerce started in the summer of 2010 to a world that saw President Barack Obama in office, craft breweries on the rise, and the price of gas at about $2.73 a gallon (it averages $1.96 in Virginia today).

During the past 10 years, the chamber has experienced ebbs and flows with growth, continuing to be an asset for businesses in the area adapting to population growth, express lanes on the area highways, and the transition of the county’s smaller community hospitals into larger regional medical centers.

“We have been constantly growing these past several years and are heading in a great direction and continue to provide for the needs of our membership,” said Ross Snare, the chamber’s director of government relations.

In 2010, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce was born out of the merger of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce (established in 1955) and the Prince William County – Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce (established in 1935) to create the Prince William Chamber, serving the county and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

One way the chamber has grown is through technology. In 2010, about 80 percent of adults had smartphones, but now that’s risen to just about everyone, including children.

Snare is well informed on the “e” side of communications and has seen the digital age impact the chamber with learning and growth. His technological knowledge shined during the recent pandemic and he was recognized during the Chamber’s Diamond Anniversary Meeting, which was held June 26, on Zoom.

Bishop Lyle Dukes, the past chamber chairman who is with Harvest Life Church, recognized all the effort Snare put through online to keep chamber members in the loop.

“He really took the baton,” Dukes said. When he heard his name announced for the “Chairman’s Award,” Snare was surprised, noting that he just sent out the 100^th chamber alert. “It was a challenging year.”

Others on the Zoom meeting talked about the chamber’s past 10 years, the growth they’ve experienced, and the year ahead, where the new chairman, Kathie Johnson, of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, will take on the challenge.

“Building Our Future,” is the buzzword for her plans in the year ahead, she said.

“As our businesses grow and develop, so does the chamber. This organization supports a diverse leadership base and flourishes under the unique backgrounds of its members, ensuring an environment where businesses, people and communities thrive,” she said. “This continuity of our mission creates a foundation of success.”

The Chamber has worked with the Prince William Board of County Supervisors throughout the past decade, and this work was noted from the Supervisors Chairman At-Large Ann Wheeler. During the Diamond Anniversary event, Wheeler called the past 10 years, a “momentous milestone.”

“The chamber leadership continues to facilitate the growth of businesses in our community,” Wheeler said.

The chamber has laid out a strategic plan for the near future, and that starts within the Strategic Plan, covering FY2021-2025. It states that, in the next five years, the Prince William Chamber will be a leading-edge membership organization that provides value to its members through a program of work that matches the work styles of a new generation of business leaders and reflects the diversity of the business community.

Over the next year, Johnson plans to:

• Build a solid foundation to help businesses thrive in the community
• Continue work on establishing a 501(c)3 Chamber Foundation.
• Carry out plans to update the chamber’s infrastructure, to include modernizing the IT infrastructure.
• Continue to work with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Prince William County Department of Economic Development to provide access to free counseling and seminars for business owners.
• And fulfill the mission:  The Prince William Chamber is the voice of the business community and creates powerful connections and resources that give members the courage to thrive.

To commemorate the 10 years, they are offering a special “Diamond Member” Deal for members which includes some extra benefits and new name badge for those who choose to participate.

Johnson ended her speech with a quote from automaker Henry Ford who once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”