Tech Valley Chamber Coalition Promotes Region
Published Apr 15, 2008
Linda Hillman with the Uncle Sam statue in downtown Troy
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This definition of synergy certainly applies to the New York Tech Valley Chamber Coalition. What began as a cooperative effort between three organizations quickly expanded to include 24 chambers in 19 counties.
“Collaboration is the key to success,” says Lyn Taylor, president of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Joining 21,000 member businesses representing more than a half million employees gives us strength and allows us to more effectively promote Tech Valley and attract business to the region.”
Taking a Team Approach
In 2002, there was a transition in the region with several chambers welcoming new staff leadership. As it turns out, this transition provided the perfect opportunity for the chambers to join forces, according to Linda Hillman, president of the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“We collectively decided to form this coalition to work together to promote the region,” she explains. “We held a press conference at the airport because it’s a regional facility we all use.”
“But before anyone could even step to the microphone, other area chambers were asking about the new coalition,” says Chuck Steiner of the Chamber of Schenectady County. In addition to Taylor and Hillman, Steiner was part of the original group that sat down to assess the area’s strengths and opportunities for growth.
“I think it built a confidence amongst the chambers that we could compete in the global marketplace,” says Steiner. “Also, there was the awareness – the awakening – that this region is really incredible with all the resources we have. Even though we’re close geographically, we didn’t really know what all was in our back yards.”
Garry Douglas, president and CEO of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber, agrees that as a group Tech Valley has a higher international profile. Living in “Montreal’s U.S. suburb,” Douglas says his organization has been able to act as the coalition’s bridge to Quebec for cross-border technology efforts, particularly in nanotechnology.
All the presidents agree that as individual organizations, each brings something different to the table. Collectively, those different strengths make the region extremely attractive.
Collaboration – Not Competition
“Tech Valley has something for everyone – rewarding career and business prospects, world-class educational and research facilities, and a fantastic quality of life. The coalition highlights all the wonderful things the region has to offer as well as individual community assets on the Tech Valley portal and in Business Images magazine,” Taylor says.
And while they could see each other as competitors in the quest to attract new businesses and initiatives, instead they’ve taken a regional view.
“We look at it as ‘if it’s good for you, it’s good for us,’” Hillman says.
“When chambers are at their best, no one is better at tapping into the power of partnerships,” concludes Douglas. “Chambers, by their nature, bring together diverse and even inherently competitive groups to accomplish things together they never would have been able to accomplish separately.”
Story by Cindy Sanders
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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