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Of every dollar spent at a locally owned business, about 70 cents stays local. Of every dollar spent at a national corporation, less than 40 cents stays local.

This Season & Throughout the Year... Shop Local!

This holiday season, make a difference in our community by shopping local and using Chamber Dollars! When you purchase with Chamber Dollars, you’re not just buying a gift you’re investing in locally owned and locally sourced businesses that make our town unique. �� Why Shop Local?

Support Local Entrepreneurs: Your purchases help sustain our neighbors’ businesses and dreams. Boost the Local Economy: Every Chamber Dollar spent keeps money circulating within our community. Find Unique Gifts: Discover one-of-a-kind items that you can’t find anywhere else.

Give the gift that gives back. Buy Chamber Dollars today and make your holiday shopping count for more! Call the office to get your Chamber Dollars!

U.S. Chamber Provides Guide for Complying with Corporate Transparency Act

The U.S. Chamber has developed a new online tool to help businesses comply with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), after hearing from many Chambers about the confusion businesses are encountering with the new law.

The U.S. Chamber is working to delay the January 1st deadline, but in the meantime also want to make sure that businesses have the tools they need to be compliant with the CTA should this effort fail.

The U.S. Chamber's free step-by-step guide will help businesses complete the reports required under this new Act.

Corporate Transparency Act Resources:

Corporate Transparency Toolkit - Under the Corporate Transparency Act, U.S. small businesses need to file beneficial ownership information reports (BOIR) with the Department of the Treasury by January 1, 2025. Not filing by the deadline puts small business owners at risk of fines and criminal penalties. The law was enacted in 2021 to combat illicit activity, including tax fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing, by capturing more ownership information for specific U.S. businesses. Businesses must provide their legal name and trademarks, as well as their current U.S. address. They’ll also need to provide a taxpayer identification number and specify the jurisdiction where they were formed or registered. To help your members, we have created a free step-by-step guide to help complete the reports.

What every business needs to know.

GOLDEN TICKET WINNER:

Apex Property Clearing

Professional Background: Apex Property Clearing has been a trusted local junk removal and demolition company in the mid Willamette Valley for 14 years now. John originally started doing foreclosures for banks, and has grown his business over the years to include brush clearing, estate junk removal and large scale demolition with two full time crews of five and two office employees.

Biggest Issue Facing Albany: Albany continues to struggle with housing affordability and homelessness. The addition of Hub City Village has been a good start towards resolving this issue. Apex was a proud contributor to this project, tearing down the old house and removing most of the logs that were originally on the property. Easier access to mental health and drug addiction treatment would also help tremendously.

You and your company’s community involvement: John, as the sole owner, has given back a portion of the company’s profits towards local organizations supporting seniors, kids and schools and those less fortunate. When they can, Apex donates usable furniture and household goods from jobs to Furniture Share of which he is also currently serving as the board president. Other organizations we donate to include: Teen Challenge, Albany Helping Hands, ARC, and Habitat Restore.

Business Marketing Niche: Being locally rooted and community minded is an important part of Apex. Our crews focus on compassion and care with a client first approach when handling sensitive jobs involving death, injury/disability, divorce, etc. Having a well trained and compassionate crew is key to Apex’s successes year after year.

Check out these fun upcoming Holiday Events around town!

1st Friday in Historic Downtown Albany: Dec. 6th

Town & Country Christmas Bazaar: Dec. 6th - 8th @ Expo Center

Christmas Storybook Land: Now - Dec. 22 @ Expo Center

Christmas Parlor Tour: Dec. 8th contact Albany Visitors Assoc.

Breakfast with Santa at the Carousel : Dec. 14th - contact Carousel

37th Annual Nighttime Magic Holiday Light Contest: Dec. 9th - Jan. 1st

- contact Albany Visitors Assoc.

Keep an eye out on the Albany Area Chamber's Facebook and Instagram pages from December 1st through 24th for Chamber elves Nick and Holly hiding out at Chamber Member businesses.

All those who guess the location correctly will be entered into a drawing for $50 in Chamber Dollars! The more times you guess correctly, the more times your name will be entered into the drawing

GreetersFun!

A group of Chamber Greeters met on Nov. 30th to volunteer at Storybook Land/Pastega Light Display. The display runs Now - Dec. 22nd

Albany Civic Theater

AndCo Real Estate

Beloved Cheesecakes

Bicoastal Media Willamette Valley Budget Blinds of Albany & Corvallis

Cascade Pacific Pulp

Central Welding Supply

City of Millersburg

Civil West Engineering Services Inc.

Dairy Queen of Albany

Elwood Staffing

ENTEK International

eXp Realty LLC Nancy Kruse

Fidelity National Title Company of Oregon

Five Star Security, LLC.

Professional Security Alarm Pugh Seed Farm, Inc. Salvation Army Smith Glass Service, Inc. Top Form Contracting

Board Officers

Chair: Brent Stutzman (Stutzman Services)

Immediate Past Chair: Jennifer Stanaway (Samaritan Health Services)

Chair-Elect: Grant Cyrus (Target Distribution)

Senior Vice Chair: Jason Yutzie (Coastal)

Vice Chair: Jon Kloor (Consumers Power), Stacie Wyss Schoenborn (Central Willamette Credit Union)

Treasurer: Selina Marshall (Citizens Bank)

Board Members

Abel Condrea (Edward Jones), Alex Patterson (Rhodes Warden Insurance), Brian Graffenberger (EA Chambers Farms, Inc.), Brian Oare (Oare & Associates Realty), Chris Hanson (ATI), Joel Kinman (Bravo Group), John Andersen (Boys & Girls Club of Albany), John Pascone (LEDG), Keith Kessler (Direct Flooring Center), Roger Nyquist (Lake Shore Lanes), Ryan McAlister (Gerding Builders), Sarah Knowles (SingerLewak LLP), Sarah Steen (Amerititle)

Committee & Task Force Chairs

Ambassadors: Janet Steele (President)

Golf Tournament: Dick Perdue (Retired)

Emerging Leaders: Jadyn Baskin (Program and Event Manager)

Governmental Affairs: Jon Kloor (Consumers Power)

Greeters Facilitators: Greg Bolton (Landmark Professional), Peggy Burris (Albany Public Schools Foundation), Abel Condrea (Edward Jones), Dan Farrington (BBSI), Mr. G Nassar (G & Jenny Insurance)

Women In Business: Janet Steele (President)

Chamber Staff

Janet Steele - President

Jadyn Baskin - Program and Event Manager