Chamber Wise

By Garry Douglas Issue: May 2022 In the words of Peaches and Herb, “Reunited and it feels so good!” That’s how we have felt since April 1st when, instead of April Fool’s Day, we enjoyed REUNION DAY for Canadians and Americans generally kept in separation from one another since March 21, 2020. On that day, read more

By Garry Douglas Issue: April 2022 It should come as no surprise that there are real shifts underway in the global and national economy, and that some of these must become factors in our regional economic development strategies and approaches. The transition to a “clean energy” economy is fully underway. And while most other areas read more

By Garry Douglas In recent weeks, we learned of two significant numbers, each important to where we are in 2022. First, the State Labor Department released updated unemployment rates for the area, showing that Clinton County was at 2.7%. This is unprecedented. The area had been in the three percent range at times, but never read more

By Jody Parks | Photo courtesy of the Clinton County Museum Issue: February 2022 A national organization to represent the interests of U.S. businesses first took shape when President William Howard Taft (1909 – 1913) championed the idea. Taft’s vision became a reality the following year when a unified body of business interests was formed. read more

Chamber resumed its practice in November of conducting an “Annual Strategic Planning Retreat” with our Board, incoming Board Members and management staff — this time for an evening and a day at the new Saranac Waterfront Lodge in Saranac Lake. The opening dinner featured our friend and partner, Martine Hebert, the new Quebec Delegate General read more

Our region’s special economic integration with our northern neighbor has been the single greatest driving force in our economy for more than 25 years and — despite the protracted interruption of cross border travel from Canada — it remains so. And we have every reason to expect that the best is yet to come. Our read more

For at least twenty-seven years, the North Country Chamber’s board and management staff, along with a number of invited guests, had engaged in an annual Strategic Planning Retreat in the fall. Over that period, this process transformed our regional chamber from the old Clinton County version, created a set of economic development principles that guide read more

AS WE ARE HOPEFULLY CONTINUING to move past the pandemic, the #1 challenge being confronted by employers is the availability of workforce. It’s not geographic as it is being experienced nationally and in Canada and Europe, and in rural, urban and suburban areas alike. It’s not sectoral as it is being experienced in manufacturing, retail, read more

THE TOPIC OF THE SUMMER is the border and what progress we can achieve toward reopening. And so, I am focusing on the border in this column, though I am writing it in mid-July, not knowing how all of our efforts may or may not impact things by the first of August. It’s like a read more