British contingent likes standard set by Chamber

British officials like thelocal chamber's community involvement.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
Some officials from a British chamber of commerce are touring the Mahoning Valley this week with a simple goal.
"We want to look like you," said John Lewis, chief executive of the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.
Lewis said he considers the Rotherham chamber to be the second best in England, but officials there want it to become world-class. Meeting that standard requires a benchmark, and they decided the best standard is the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
"We found that whatever we were trying to do in the United Kingdom, you were doing it better," Lewis said.
Six executives, and three of their wives, are spending time with local chamber officials this week and touring area companies, including General Motors' Lordstown complex and Delphi Packard Electric's new plant in Vienna. They arrived Saturday and are leaving Thursday.
The idea for visiting Youngstown began with Nick Cragg, president of the Rotherham chamber. While hitchhiking in Europe 30 years ago, he was picked up by a Youngstown jeweler. As the two talked, Cragg was struck by how similar their hometowns were.
When Rotherham chamber officials started talking about finding a benchmark, Cragg recalled Youngstown and found the local chamber on the Internet.
Impressed with chamber
The Rotherham officials were impressed with the involvement of the chamber in the community, such as running economic development programs for Mahoning and Trumbull counties and coordinating programs to bring together education and business leaders.
Lewis said the Rotherham officials also were impressed with programs run by chambers in Tucson, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla., but chose to visit the Mahoning Valley for two reasons.
First, both areas are similar -- they are about the same size and each is struggling after cutbacks in heavy industry, particularly steel. Both areas also operate in the shadows of larger metropolitan areas. In Rotherham's case, the larger area is Sheffield.
Second, officials at both chambers want to be more than just good. The relationship was cemented when Cragg spoke on the phone with Tom Humphries, president of the local chamber.
"Tom said, 'We want to be best in class.' That was it. Sold," Lewis said.
Rob Hannon, incoming vice president of the Rotherham chamber, said he's been impressed with how the local chamber identifies an issue, gathers community resources to develop a plan and leads people in implementing that plan.
The Rotherham officials were especially impressed with the chamber's leadership in education issues and its From Steel to Scholars program, which recognizes successful schools and gathers business and education leaders to find solutions to educational issues.
Bridging the gap
Hannon, managing director of a company that treats glass to make it bomb-proof, said Rotherham chamber officials want to help bridge the gap between business and education leaders there.
Hannon said Rotherham officials also are learning how the local chamber raises money from companies to help it fund these initiatives. Most of the funding for the Rotherham chamber comes from government sources.
Lewis said he has been impressed with how the local chamber influences government officials. In the United Kingdom, business leaders and others are content to let the government identify and solve problems, he said.
In return, Rotherham officials said local chamber executives can learn from its strengths, such as programs to help start-up companies and to buy utility and telecom services.
Humphries said he's looking forward to learning more about Rotherham's chamber and developing a relationship that will help local companies do business in the United Kingdom.
Lewis said the trip cost the equivalent of more than $5,000.
"We will know if the investment has been worth it if you come back and see us," he said.
Humphries said he will talk to his board about arranging a trip in April but added that he intends to go at his own expense if funding isn't available.
shilling@vindy.com