Greater Rochester Chamber Member Success Guide by Greater Rochester Chamber

GREATER ROCHESTER CHAMBER

MEMBER SUCCESS GUIDE

Welcome!

Welcome to the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. We are honored to serve as your source for information, connectivity, advocacy, and a wide range of resources our members need. Now, more than ever, the relationships that exist throughout the Greater Rochester Chamber network are invaluable. This is why membership matters. We are a community and you are now a part of it.

This membership belongs to your entire team. We encourage you and your staff to get engaged. Take advantage of our many events and business services, but most importantly, let us know how we can help you specifically. We are grateful for your investment and are looking forward to serving you.

Sincerely,

Kevin Donahue

Membership Director

Kevin.Donahue@GreaterRochesterChamber.com (585) 256-4651

New Member Checklist

Here are a few suggestions on how to start taking advantage of your membership.

Stay Informed

Make sure you are receiving our weekly e-newsletters every Tuesday and Friday. Send us a list of any additional staff members you’d like to receive our communications. Email is our main method of communicating news, updates, and upcoming events, so be sure to add Chamber@ GreaterRochesterChamber.com to your safe senders list!

Register for an Event

We have a wide variety of networking and informational events for you and your team to take advantage of. Visit our online calendar of events to see what’s coming up.

Get Social

Connect with us on our various social media platforms: Follow us on X, Like us on Facebook and join our members-only LinkedIn group. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube, too for live event updates and video recaps. Quick links for all can be found at the bottom of our home page.

Schedule an Orientation Meeting

The best way to kick off your membership is to make sure you know everything available to you. Schedule some time for our Membership Director, Kevin Donahue to connect with you and your staff to provide a thorough overview, or attend a pre-scheduled Orientation event.

Show your Chamber Pride

Add our Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce member logo to your website or physical location with a window cling. Contact Kevin.Donahue@GreaterRochesterChamber.com to request.

Share your Good News

Did your company recently win an award? Did someone on your staff get promoted? Please share your good news with us and we will help promote it. To submit member news, email press releases to Director of Communications & Marketing Xander Rohring at Xander.Rohring@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.

How We Can Help

Here are a few suggestions on how to start taking advantage of your membership.

Advocating on Your Behalf

When you’re a member of Greater Rochester Chamber, we have your back. Our goal is to advocate for an environment that promotes the success of our members and of our local economy. If there’s an issue that affects you, it affects us.

Human Resources Services

HR Helpline, Salary, Benefits, and Custom Benchmarking Surveys, HR Peer Networking, and HR Briefings are just some of the services available to assist your business.

Making Connections

Chamber CONNECT, Business Made Social, and Greater ROC Young Professionals are just a few of the events we offer.

Getting the Word Out

Reach 10,000 business professionals in the Greater Rochester area with one of our affordable email options. Our designers are happy to assist you for no additional fee!

Saving Money

Participate in our office supplies buying group or take advantage of any of our various discounted services.

Training Your Staff

Greater Rochester Chamber offers a range of professional development, supervisory, management and human resources training opportunities.

Recruiting Talent

Looking to fill an open position or need a temp? Beyond TalentEdge, powered by Greater Rochester Chamber, is a full service professional recruiting division to assist you.

Qualifying Potential Hires

Customized background, reference, and applicant screening services are available from our Authentica Background Screening division.

About Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

A community of greatness.

Since 1887, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has been the trusted partner, resource, and advocate for businesses and non-profits in Greater Rochester, NY. Together, we help the nine-county Finger Lakes region grow and thrive.

Greater Rochester Chamber serves:

1,300+ Member Organizations All Industries and Business Sizes

Meet our leadership:

145,000 Employees More than Nine Counties

Robert J. Duffy President & CEO

Christyne Huerta Chief Financial Officer

Joe Leathersich Director, Advocacy, Intergovernmental Relations, and Public Policy

Xander Rohring Director, Marketing & Communications

Kevin Donahue Director, Membership

Susan George Director of Events, Training & Affiliates

Kathy Richmond

Sr. Director, Human Resource Services

Dominic Oliveri Director, Background and Drug Screening Services

Michael Nevins

Sr. Director, Business DevelopmentBeyond TalentEdge

Advocacy Efforts

Your dues at work.

Your dues dollars mean a lot to us, and we know they mean a lot to you as well. Your support allows Greater Rochester Chamber to advocate at the local, state, and national levels on your behalf. We have made it a priority to support proactive measures which save you time and money, and to oppose harmful policies which do not take your needs and goals into account. The following are a handful of these efforts which have yielded results that have and will continue to benefit our members, financially and otherwise.

• Greater Rochester Chamber’s extensive advocacy efforts helped secure $8 in State funding to pay off our outstanding Unemployment Insurance, saving every business in NYS - including yours - $400 per employee on average.

• Fought back against the 21st Century Antitrust Act, which would have cut $20 billion in GDP and over 58,000 jobs in year one (A335/A2015)

• Blocked a $2–3 billion hit from the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (S1464/A1749)

• Fought back the NY HEAT Act, shielding HVAC and construction firms from burdensome regulation (S2016/ A4592)

• Prevented the costly expansion of prevailing wage laws for off-site custom fabrication (A6708/S6378)

• Stopped NYS from expanding short-term disability benefits by 600% (S172/A84)

We’ve helped businesses save big. We managed government oversight. We promoted local investment.

• Supported alignment of staff-to-child ratios in childcare programs across NYS, expanding access to reliable and affordable childcare (S278/A612)

• Blocked the FAIR Act, saving New York’s reputation as a commercial hub for job creation, capital investment, and entrepreneurship. (S8416/A8427)

• Fought against the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, keeping supply chains intact for agtech businesses (S1239/A1556)

• Blocked the TEMP Act, protecting businesses against disruptive and unrealistic regulations on working conditions (S3412/A3527)

• Mitigated risks to the economic and healthcare stability of our region resulting from an expanded wrongful death statute (S4423/A6063)

• Supported the New York Land-Home Property Act, promoting investment in cost-effective, scalable housing options (A7512/S7120)

In the FY26 New York State budget, Governor Kathy Hochul utilized $8 billion from the State’s general reserves fund to pay off the outstanding federal Unemployment Trust Fund debt and restore solvency to the fund.

Greater Rochester Chamber is proud to have played a key role in securing this win on behalf of our members for businesses, labor, and New York State.

To see how these savings will directly save your company money, visit our Unemployment Insurance FAQ for Greater Rochester Chamber members.

Economic Development

Continued development and growth are imperative for us to achieve the goals we all have set out for the Finger Lakes region. Greater Rochester Chamber will work tirelessly to continue the momentum we feel for Rochester. We will continue to support programs at the federal, state, and local levels that seek to get shovels into the ground to achieve our economic development goals.

Here are some of our key priorities for 2025: For more information and an in-depth look at our stances on the above issues, please see our full 2025 Advocacy Agenda:

Workforce Development, Education, & Non-Profits

We cannot achieve the growth potential that we all want for our region without a reliable pipeline of qualified and skilled workers to fill jobs. Greater Rochester Chamber will continue to advocate for funding to bolster education, improve coordination, and ensure targeted investment in talent management. We will additionally continue to advocate to eliminate barriers to workforce advancement, by working to address the childcare crisis, and mitigate the effects of the benefits cliff. Childcare costs are too high, there are too few spots for those who need it most, and employees are unable to advance in their career without losing subsidies and being worse off financially. Working collaboratively with our partners to address these issues will be a priority of ours.

Healthcare

Hospitals: Our regional hospital systems play a vital role in healthcare delivery for Upstate New York residents as our largest private employers. Inadequate reimbursement under Medicaid and Medicare, healthcare cuts by the State (e.g., the 340B program), rising labor and supply costs, and an inability to discharge patients into nursing/rehab beds in the community are straining financial stability.

Long Term Care & Nursing Facilities: Upstate New York’s non-profit nursing homes are at a critical juncture, with 75% of residents dependent on Medicaid. Years of budget cuts and stagnant Medicaid rates have severely impacted their ability to provide quality care while remaining financially viable.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Growing the Finger Lakes regional economy requires investment in transportation, energy, technology, and infrastructure. Sustainable business practices are also critical for corporate social responsibility.

Tax and Mandate Relief

New York State is seen as uncompetitive for business due to high taxes and mandates. While certain reforms have eased the burden, much more remains to be done.

Member-Specific Support

We are there for member companies on individual matters that require support and assistance. As a member, your urgent issues becomes our urgent issue. If it matters to you, it matters to us. We aid in company-specific legislative, regulatory, and funding issues at the regional, state, and federal levels. This includes, but is not limited to navigating the proccesses to obtain permits, certifications, and variances, assisting with navigating government agency processes, MWBE certification, letters of support, and letters of introduction.

Please reach out with any business or industry-specific matter for which you need guidance. Contact RDuffy@GreaterRochesterChamber or Joe.Leathersich@GreaterRochesterChamber.com to let us know how we can help.

Greater Rochester Chamber’s Human Resource Services department offers the data, information, and programs your business needs to compete in today’s market. We help businesses stay up to date and in compliance with state and federal labor laws and help you connect with peers at other businesses.

Stay Competitive. Stay Compliant. HR Services

Local Surveys

• Professional/Managerial: Over 120 positions for finance, HR, engineering, IT, marketing, purchasing, legal, sales, etc.

• Nonexempt: Close to 95 office/clerical, finance, maintenance, technical and warehouse positions.

• Manufacturing: Over 40 (industry specific) positions including assemblers, skilled trades and machine operators.

• Health and Human Services: More than 50 (industry specific) nonexempt and exempt positions.

• Custom Surveys: We will design and conduct custom wage, benefit, & employee engagement surveys to meet your business’s needs.

Research Reports

• Health Benefits Survey

• Holiday Closings Survey

• Turnover/Absenteeism Survey

• Pay Trends Survey

National Surveys

National Executive Compensation Survey: Results include national salary & perks data for 48 key executives plus Rochester breakout data.

Policies & Benefits/Practices Survey: Now in two separate comprehensive surveys, both with Rochester & national data.

• Policies & Practices: HR policies, pay practices, paid time off, recruitment, training and development, employee relations, etc.

• Local & National Benefits: health & welfare benefits, retirement benefits, PT benefits, etc.

Payfactors Free

Members get HR- and employer-sourced market data for up to 50 jobs for free, with over 6,000 jobs to choose from. Discounted upgrade options available.

HR Helpline

Members have access to objective HR expertise, guidance, and support on topics such as NY state and federal wage, hour, and employment laws, employee relations issues, best practices, sample documents and policies, and more. Access level varies by membership tier and is provided to members at no additional cost.

GovDocs Labor Law Posters

All membership tiers receive a 10% discount on labor law posters (laminated and electronic) and other products. Poster update service available as well.

Zywave HR Portal

An online HR knowledge solution included with all tiers of membership. It contains a multi-state law comparison tool, job description builder, articles, sample forms/ policies/ letters, poster builder, FMLA advisor, interview question builder, ACA report builder, and more!

Zywave Training

Members can purchase an upgrade for a nominal cost that includes webinars on sexual harassment prevention (NYS compliant as well as other states), plus dozens of microlearnings and webinars on diversity, manager success, workplace violence, bullying, etc.

Zywave Handbook Builder

Members can purchase an add-on for a nominal cost that includes a handbook builder with federal as well as multistate policy capability.

LifeGuides

Members can provide employees with access to “Life Experience On-Demand” from a Guide they choose who has navigated the same life event. Discounted rates are available to members.

Consulting

For those HR projects and services we are unable to provide in-house, our network of experienced consulting professionals can help provide solutions to your HR challenge at competitive rates including HR assessments, employee handbook creation/updates, pay structure creation/update, and more.

Stay Connected.

HR Networking Forums

Greater Rochester Chamber offers four different HR forums each year, open to Corporate and Partner members. These forums connect HR professionals with peers from local member organizations to share HR best practices and discuss critical topics.

• Small Company Senior Human Resource Executive Forum

• Large Company Senior Human Resource Executive Forum

• Benefits Forum

• HR Professional Forum

Other Meetings and Seminars

• Friday HR Briefings - These complimentary meetings are open to all tiers of membership and feature presentations from HR consultants or attorneys who provide information on trending human resource topics.

• Seminars - Greater Rochester Chamber hosts HR-specific workshops and seminars periodically with guest attorney and/or HR consultant speakers on hot topics that require more detailed information and clarification.

To order one of our surveys, please see the order form on our website:

For more information on HR services or for HR Helpline assistance, please contact:

• Kathy Richmond, Sr. Director, HR Services at (585) 256-4618 or at Kathy.Richmond@GreaterRochesterChamber.com,

• Jennifer Suppé, MSHRD, PHR, SHRM-CP, Manager, Organizational Culture and HR Services at (585) 256-4608 or Jennifer.Suppe@GreaterRochesterChamber.com, or

• Cindy Miller, HR Services Partner at (585) 256-4606 or Cindy.Miller@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Our members say it best:

“As a new business, we have grown very rapidly in the last four years, starting with one employee, and growing to over 60. There are a lot of HR questions that come up as a business owner and among our staff. Greater Rochester Chamber has been very helpful in providing us with resources and different tools we can lean on in the HR realm. This means we didn’t have to take on the financial burden of hiring somebody in the HR realm, but instead allowed us to lean on Greater Rochester Chamber for resources that have answered a lot of our questions and guided us as we continue to grow.”

Rachel Bantelman-Evans, Owner and Founder, Lumos Infrared Sauna Studio

Programs & Events

Success in business is no accident.

That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs, seminars, workshops, and social events designed with your business success in mind. As a Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce member, you’ll have advance notice—and often exclusive access—to these programs and events, providing you with up-to-the-minute information and valuable business insights.

General Event Series

Business Made Social

In-person casual networking that help you connect with fellow members at top local hotspots.

Chamber CONNECT

A virtual opportunity to expand your network and learn more about your fellow members.

Chamber IMPACT

Volunteerism and community service programs, including our Thanksgiving drive and scholarship awards.

Chamber Counsel

Webinar series offering Informed legal insights, analysis, and management of timely legal issues.

GRYP: Greater ROC Young Professionals

Social and professional development events to empower the region’s young professionals aged 21-40.

Policy Matters

Interactive discussions with legislators and policy experts to explore key issues and upcoming impactful legislation.

Women’s

Council

Programs for women’s personal and professional growth with conferences, socials, celebrations, mentoring, & more.

Chamber Academy Trainings

Virtual Trainings & Peer-to-Peer Learning Groups

Our Greater Rochester Chamber Academy offers a variety of training opportunities led by knowledgeable and experienced consultants. These programs are designed to equip your employees with practical skills and knowledge they can immediately apply in their roles.

• ATHENA Leadership Institute: Inspiring training to ignite leaders into a whole paradigm of self-discovery over six months.

• CLIMB: An in-person nine-month program that brings together young professionals to learn and grow together.

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Build knowledge and skills for employees looking to make a difference in the DEI space.

• HR Management: A comprehensive series of six half-day courses to refresh skills or give a new overview of best practices.

• Leadership for Managers: A broad-spectrum leadership course for senior leaders and high potential professionals.

• Mental Health: Gain an understanding of how to manage employee mental health in the workplace.

• Successful Supervision: An overview of the options and tools available to new supervisors or managers.

Signature Events & Conferences:

Legislative Breakfast

Presented annually in January

An open forum for businesses and legislators to discuss key issues affecting the region. And, an award for a business leader committed to civic well-being.

ATHENA International Awards

Presented annually in February

The ATHENA Awards recognizes women who demonstrate excellence in their business and actively assist women in realizing their leadership potential.

Women Empowering Women Conference

Presented annually in March

Professional women will learn key strategies and tangible takeaways to help them grow personally and professionally at whatever stage of career they are in.

Greater Rochester Chamber MWBE Awards

Presented annually in May

To propel an environment of equitable growth, Greater Rochester Chamber proudly presents their annual MWBE Awards based on the Top 100 model.

Greater Rochester Chamebr Inclusive Leadership Award

Presented annually in June

The Greater Rochester Chamber Inclusive Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has shown exemplary leadership in advancing DEI in Greater Rochester.

Greater ROC Young Professionals’ Conference

Presented annually in October

A conference designed to empower and recognize young leaders helping to shape the region.

Greater Rochester Chamber Top 100 Awards

Presented annually in November

Greater Rochester Chamber presents the annual Top 100 Awards to recognize the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the Greater Rochester region.

Scan the QR code to the right to see all 2025 event sponsorship packages:

Scan the QR code to the right to see all of our current upcoming events:

For more information, please contact Director of Events, Trainings, & Affiliates Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.

Member Advertising

Reach more than 34,000 business leaders.

Leverage your Greater Rochester Chamber membership to connect with our network of business and community leaders across the Greater Rochester region with our affordable member advertising options.

EMAIL MARKETING

Dedicated Email

Have complete control and customize your message. From subject line to finish, our Dedicated Emails are all about sharing whatever message you would like to convey to our nearly 18,000 business contacts. Prices start at $600.

Highlighted Members Email

Join up to 4 other members in our monthly member spotlight, sent out the first Monday of each month. This is an affordable way to get noticed. Sent the first Monday of each month. Prices start at $300.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING NEWSLETTER MARKETING

Monthly Voice of Business Sponsor

Headline our most popular weekly email. Place a banner ad at the top of our highestperforming email, the Voice of Business Weekly. Prices start at $750.

Weekly Voice of Business Sponsor

A more affordable and flexible option to showcase your business in our most popular weekly email, with more freedom for limited runs but the same great reach. Prices start at $250.

WEBSITE MARKETING

Voice of Business Blog

Reach our audience and share long-form content to get your message across and build thought leadership for your industry. Complimentary for certain membership tiers.

Website Banner

Make your mark on our website. Place a banner ad at on our homepage or our member directory to get seen by members who are already looking to connect. Prices start at $750.

Discounted Ad Bundles

Our ad bundles provide you the biggest bang for your buck. We put together our most popular ad products to help you leverage your resources to connect to success, and offered them at a 20% discount for bulk purchasing. Our team designed the bundles to complement each other and provide value to members of all sizes, with pricing options for any budget.

KICKSTARTER AD BUNDLE

This ad bundle gives you just what you need at a low, discounted price. Reach our 34,000 social media followers with sponsored social posts and then reach nearly 20,000 additional users with an inclusion in our most popular email, the Voice of Business Weekly, sent out every Tuesday to Greater Rochester business leaders from every industry. Prices start at $360.

ESSENTIALS AD BUNDLE

Access every type of messaging we offer at a discounted rate, with placement on social media to our combined 30,000 followers, inclusion in our most popular Voice of Business Newsletter business leaders weekly, and a Dedicated Email (all to yourself) sent to member and non-member business contacts on a Thursday of your choice. With this, you get every opportunity to catch the eye of your next customer. Prices start at $840.

KITCHEN SINK AD BUNDLE

You get everything but the kitchen sink in this bundle – one of all our classic member marketing products. Take the Essentials Bundle and make it that much better with the addition of our monthly Highlighted Members email and an entire month in our Voice of Business Newsletter at a discounted rate. The Kitchen Sink bundle gives you the chance to make your point and reinforce the message with a schedule of your choosing. Prices start at $1,480.

WEBMASTER AD BUNDLE

Take your business to new places with this bundle that includes a directory banner on GreaterRochesterChamber. com, one of our newest ad products that allows you to position your business in front of 10,000 monthly visitors in Greater Rochester and surrounding areas. With this bundle, you can reap the benefits of our email marketing campaigns as well in all the right ways. Prices start at $1,920.

Full Service Hiring and Recruitment

Talent solutions for Greater Rochester.

Our region could not exist as it does today without the talented individuals that keep our local organizations running every day. They are the backbone of our economy. Greater Rochester Chamber is proud to support regional employers with their hiring needs to connect talented individuals to meaningful careers.

Beyond TalentEdge

Beyond TalentEdge was formed over 40 years by Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce in response to a need for skilled labor for its member companies. Today, Beyond TalentEdge is a full-service hiring agency that can handle the process from recruitment to onboarding. Our team is skilled, dedicated, and committed to providing you with exacting expertise and stellar customer service. From advanced manufacturing to healthcare to your next CFO, we have the in-house expertise to deliver the talent you need, when you need it. In addition to our recruiting services, we have a variety of additional offerings, including payroll services and an outstanding background screening service.

Beyond TalentEdge Services:

• Direct Hire Services

• Temp/Temp to Hire Services

• Employee Payrolling Services

• Onsite Management Programs

• Onboarding Solutions

As your consultative partner in addressing your talent needs, we’ll discuss your challenges, delve into your goals, and truly listen to your unique requirements. Our collaborative process involves brainstorming innovative solutions, and we’re committed to returning with a tailored proposal that aligns precisely with your needs. Our strength lies in customization, allowing us to adapt our services to suit your specific objectives. Together, we can craft solutions that not only meet but exceed your expectations.

For more information, please visit BeyondTalentEdge.com or contact Senior Director of Business Development Michael Nevins at Michael.Nevins@BeyondTalentEdge.com.

Greater ROC Careers

Greater ROC Careers is a job board from Greater Rochester Chamber for job seekers and employers in the Greater Rochester, NY area. Greater ROC Careers has the technology and sophistication of a national job board, but focuses solely on jobs in Greater Rochester. The site is full-service and provides job seekers and employers a new and easy way to connect with one another. To date, over 400 employers have registered, posting over 32,000 jobs, and receiving over 153,000 views converting to over 3,300 applications.

For more information, please visit GreaterROCCareers.com.

Comprehensive Background & Drug Screening Services

Great companies thrive with great people.

Authentica

Authentica, a division of Greater Rochester Chamber, is your trusted partner for customizable background screening solutions with 25 years of experience, processing 100,000+ reports a year. Our customer-centric team and best-in-class technology offer a streamlined service to provide you with peace of mind.

Greater Rochester Chamber members receive exclusive discounted rates with both Beyond TalentEdge and Authentica.

Since our launch, we’ve expanded to work with employers, HR professionals, and landlords from across the globe. We’ve upgraded to the most innovative technology and grown our team focused on 100% customer-delight. As a national brand, we remain authentic to our local, personalized approach. What separates a great background screening company from all the others is the experience of their staff.

Background Screening Platform Highlights

We are partnered with the #1 background screening platform in the industry. This allows us to turn around our criminal results extremely fast. This switch allows us to turn around our criminal results at an extremely fast rate.

• Our system allows you to send your applicants an email/text link to begin the background screening process

• Full on-site/online platform training programs for HR staff

• Fully customizable platform with unlimited available seats for large companies with many recruiters

• Free demo of our platform to all potential new customers

For more information, please visit Authentica.us or contact Director of Background and Drug Screening Services Dominic Oliveri at Dominic.Oliveri@Authentica.us.

Contact Us

For more information on our services, please contact the appropriate departments below:

Membership

Kevin Donahue | Membership Director (585) 256-4651 | Kevin.Donahue@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Advocacy

Joe Leathersich | Director, Advocacy, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Public Policy (585) 256-4627 | Joe.Leathersich@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Human Resources

Kathy Richmond | Sr. Director, Human Resource Services (585) 256-4618 | Kathy.Richmond@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Programs & Events

Susan George | Director, Events, Training, and Affiliates (585) 256-4612 | Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Communications

Xander Rohring | Director, Communications and Marketing (585) 256-4683 | Xander.Rohring@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Beyond TalentEdge

Michael Nevins | Sr. Director, Business Development (585) 230-6933 | Michael.Nevins@BeyondTalentEdge.com

Authentica Background Screening Solutions

Dominic Oliveri | Director, Background/Drug Screening Services (585) 256-4628 | Dominic.Oliveri@Authentica.us

GreaterRochesterChamber.com

Greater Rochester Chamber Member Success Guide