Theme for 2010: working together

January 13, 2010

By JoAn Bjarko

The Wellington

 

Hard times are good times to hang together.

Whether it’s businesses working with businesses, community groups working with the town board, or youth working with adults, Mary McCaffrey wants to see everyone working together.

McCaffrey started the new year as the new chair of the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce. A Colorado native and Wellington resident for 13 years, McCaffrey is the branch manager at Warren Federal Credit Union.

Teamwork is her mantra as the local Chamber of Commerce commences its fourth year, and one of her goals is to communicate more effectively with the Wellington Town Board.

“We need to be more involved with the town,” she said in a recent interview with The Wellington.

As the year goes on, she will be thinking of more ways for town officials and the town board to share information and brainstorm ideas with chamber members.

The chamber last year included about 90 businesses, and it is currently renewing memberships. McCaffrey wants the chamber board of directors to consider incentives for current members who bring in new members. Information about the chamber is available at www.wellingtoncoloradochamber.net.

McCaffrey wants to keep the chamber involved in a regional business showcase called Bixpo. It serves as an outlet to educate business owners and managers about reasons to locate in Wellington. The chamber produced a new video for the 2009 event.

She also likes to champion the benefits of chamber membership for those who want to keep informed of local happenings. Roundtable meetings, which often include keynote speakers on current topics, are held the first Tuesday of the month, 7:30 a.m., at the T-Bar Inn on Cleveland Avenue. Some roundtable meetings will be reserved for discussion of local business issues.

“When I hear concerns, I can take them back to the chamber board,” McCaffrey said of the roundtable meetings. “People can be open.”

Chamber members also gather at a monthly Business After Hours on the second Thursday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with member businesses serving as hosts. A few times a year, gatherings are held before the business day begins.

As a board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, McCaffrey is an advocate for young ideas. She would like to have older club members or youth from Wellington Middle School regularly share their thoughts and ideas for the community with the chamber.

Noting continuing economic doldrums, McCaffrey said too much happens beyond the control of a local business owner or community group. There is “strength in numbers,” however, and chamber members can help each other, she said.