Two Albany area chambers of commerce consider partnership
Donna Abbott-Vlahos
Mark Eagan is president and CEO of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber.
- Krystle S. Morey
- Reporter-Albany Business Review
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The Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber and the Chamber of Schenectady County are exploring a joint partnership.
Mark Eagan, president and CEO of Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber says the partnership would function more as two affiliate organizations under one parent chamber, rather than a merger.
"Our discussions are a natural progression in our ongoing partnership," Eagan said. "We have done as much as we can do as separate legal entities."
Board members of both chambers voted to form a joint task force Wednesday.
The task force includes six members from each of the chambers' boards. The group is working with The New York Council of Nonprofits Inc. to determine the sustainability of an integrated organization.
The chambers would maintain offices in Albany and Schenectady counties.
"We want to integrate without losing focus on local, county-based issues," Eagan said.
Both chambers have partnered with several business groups and events in the past including Leadership Tech Valley, the Tech Valley Nonprofit Business Council and the Tech Valley Young Professionals Network.
The Schenectady Chamber has 1,000 members and the Albany-Colonie Chamber has 2,200 members. Two hundred and twenty are members of both.
The task force will meet over the coming months to evaluate the sustainability of an integrated chamber. It will share its findings to members of both chambers and put the partnership to a vote in the spring.
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