Lorain County Chamber Reunites 

by Anthony (Tony) Gallo, President/CEO of Lorain County Chamber of Commerce

The Lorain County Chamber of Commerce came into existence in 1988 when the Greater Lorain Chamber of Commerce and the Commerce and Industry Association of Greater Elyria merged to promote an economic development plan to attract, retain, and help existing businesses expand at a time when unemployment was over 20 percent in Lorain County. The County Chamber formed partnerships and relationships with our elected officials, businesses, organizations, institutions, and educational entities to reset our path and help grow our communities.

Over the past 30 plus years, we have seen many successes and some unfortunate losses. Still, we have persevered by the tenacity of our residents and businesses that call Lorain County home. This past year has seen COVID- 19 upend much of Lorain County’s momentum, but once again, the partnerships that were forged over many decades will allow Lorain County to bounce back and return to its glory days.

Nowhere can that be seen better than in the city of Lorain. This great city located at the mouth of the Black River and Lake Erie has certainly seen highs and lows over its nearly 200 years. But she continues to evolve and recreate herself despite the challenges that a changing world has thrust upon the International City.

The lake and the river will continue to be Lorain's lifeblood, and the love of those born here or those who have chosen to make it their home will be the backbone.

The County Chamber stands strong to continue to help Lorain and all of Lorain County move beyond COVID-19 and be the shining example of what can be done in a community when we all work with one another using pubic and private collaboration, innovative partnerships, and forward-thinking.

This past year has undoubtedly been difficult for our business community, but signs of life are starting to emerge once again as we transition into spring. The County Chamber held our first in-person networking event at Black River Landing in downtown Lorain on March 25 (as opposed to virtual, which, let’s be honest, ‘virtual networking’ wasn’t even on anyone’s radar a mere 12 months ago).

The Chamber worked hard to let everyone know we were still using all COVID-19 protocols to keep our members and guests safe. It was held outside with fire pits to keep guests warm, and we offered inside seating (with doors open) to accommodate those who chose to be indoors.

We partnered with the Lorain Port and Finance Authority, Heidelberg Distributing, Kuhn Manufacturing, Spectrum Catering, and WOBL Radio. We made sure the nearly 100 people in attendance enjoyed themselves for the first time in over a year.

Because of this event's success, we scheduled events for April and May that would allow us to do some in-person networking in a safe environment as we move toward a time when we can all, once again, gather without the worry of the pandemic.

Despite the difficulties of last year, the County Chamber worked hard to establish ways to help our local businesses. We partnered with our local Main Street organizations and other local Chambers, and with the help of LorainCounty.com, we launched the #LorainCountyStrong website promoting our local restaurants and retail stores. This website also provided updates on Safety Procedures during the reopening phase of COVID-19.

On April 5, we concluded the six-month “Eat, Drink & Win” weekly contest where we provided $2500 in gift cards and tracked over $27,000 in sales from the contest. With the Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College, we established a grant program funded by our local philanthropic, banking, and municipalities to award over $350,000 to local businesses that were hit the hardest during the COVID-19 shutdowns. We are still working with the City of Lorain on a HUD funding program to provide over $250,000 in forgivable loans that will be awarded in 2021.

The establishment of the online Minority Business Directory took place during COVID-19, as did a new podcast called “Business Fluent," both through partnerships with the SBDC. The Chamber is part of a working group to establish a Racial Equity Center based in Lorain County to help combat the racial injustice that was also a rallying cry this past year. Our work to promote mental health and suicide prevention awareness continues, and we are also working to improve our public transportation options.

So, in short (but for those who know me, I am never really short), YOUR Lorain County Chamber has worked hard the past 33+ years to improve the day-to-day life of Lorain County residents. We have focused on making Lorain County a business-friendly location for Fortune 500 businesses and new and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Our dedication to a ready and talented workforce will continue to make Lorain County home to a diverse and ever-changing business community. We look forward to working with all of the businesses in the city of Lorain and Lorain County to come back stronger and better despite the challenges that COVID-19 gave us. Together we will Reconnect, Refocus, and Rebound in 2021.