Oakland Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Relaunch with Exciting New Vision and Leadership

This past January, on a somewhat mild yet drizzly evening, the new Oakland Chamber of Commerce held its relaunch with a networking party. The packed house enjoyed amazing food and an all-around buzz of enthusiasm filled the dining room of local favorite Cenzino’s Restaurant, marking a hugely successful start of the Chamber’s exciting new initiatives. The Oakland Chamber of Commerce (OCOC) replaced the former Community of Commerce and now has new leadership with chairperson, Lindsey Smith at the helm. Lindsey, a Realtor, brings vast experience in public relations, marketing, and event planning to the table. She aims to create a positive energy throughout the community and promote a spirit of collaboration and participation among local businesses and individuals. "A place where I can watch my children grow, be involved, and prosper," says Lindsey, who, along with her husband Randy, has lived in Oakland since 2014.  They have two young children, Logan and Wade (5 & 4 ½ years old), and absolutely love their Oakland community.
Lindsey sees the OCOC essentially as a start-up, finding its path, a groove, new leadership, and new initiatives. Her goals for the OCOC include re-establishing the connection with the community by creating events and programs to engage the community and promote Oakland businesses. Lindsey says, “Where we are heading is really exciting, with expanded social media driving the online community into the stores and now also giving the opportunity to the local yet online businesses to gain face-to-face exposure as well. We plan to be involved with the town’s perennial events like Fever Pitch and the Car Show, but also bring new collaborations like an upcoming project with UPAINT STUDIO and the Girl and Boy Scouts, who will be working together painting storefront windows with seasonal themes to beautify and bring some color to town. Businesses need to get on the train, it’s full speed ahead from here!” Lindsey says, “It’s also important that we partner beyond Oakland businesses and include the local non- profits like PTOs and Mother's Club among others, to help create long-lasting relationships throughout the community.”

Another exciting initiative the OCOC is working on is the “Shop Small” program slotted for the fall, which will include a scavenger hunt, prizes, and other opportunities for businesses to engage with the community. The OCOC has an impressive list of other upcoming events, including “Restaurant Week” and “Toys for Tots”, along with the “Restaurant of the Month” which is already in progress, all designed to show that Oakland is an active and vibrant community, vital to helping attract more businesses to town. On February 27th, the OCOC held a well-attended early morning breakfast meeting hosted by Mayor Linda Schwager at the Senior Center. The focus of the discussion was the revitalization of the Oakland downtown area and how the Borough plans to work with business owners through proposed tax abatements to encourage building facade beautification, creating a more inviting downtown. (Overall, it was a positive conversation, which will be saved for another article.) In general, the member meetings will provide networking opportunities, marketing opportunities, shared social media promotion, and a valuable forum for members to share ideas and collaborate. The OCOC will be a partner with businesses and looks forward to hosting various events throughout the year, not just for networking but also for learning opportunities to help businesses grow and thrive.

In addition to chairperson Lindsey Smith, the OCOC's board includes; Heather Lorenzo as Treasurer, Alexandria Evans as Communications Director, Marc Fox as “Toys for Tots” Director, Chad Busch as “Shop Small” Director, Betty Russo as “Restaurant of the Week” Director, Val Tramontozzi, and Michelle Belfiore as Networking Chairs, and Andrea Levy as Green Business Director. The OCOC invites all Oakland businesses, both brick & mortar and online, as well as non-profits and individuals, to join their exciting new venture. There are three ways to join: as a business, non-profit (like PTO's and 501c3's), or individual. Visit the OCOC's website at https://www.oaklandcofc.org/ to learn more and join.