Economic vitality is crucial for a community to thrive. A healthy business community provides jobs, diversity in products made and services delivered, increases the economic health of citizens, invests in infrastructure, and solidifies the culture of the community.
For Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC), community engagement goes beyond providing reliable power; it means actively participating in the economic development of the area, and supporting efforts to continue the growth and prosperity of the region it serves. That is why UEC chooses to partner with and support the Chambers of Commerce in our service territory, creating powerful connections, together, to foster a stronger eastern Oregon.
What is a Chamber of Commerce?
A Chamber of Commerce is a group of businesses that form an organization to support the needs of its members. Businesses will join their local Chamber for networking opportunities, publicity for their business, or for discounts for their business, such as access to health insurance or lower shipping rates.
In UEC’s service territory, four local chambers are working on behalf of businesses in eastern Oregon to support the economic strength of our region: Boardman Chamber of Commerce, Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Commerce, Irrigon Chamber of Commerce, and Umatilla Chamber of Commerce. Each led by an Executive Director, local Chambers support their community by providing materials to publicize businesses including visitors guides, local maps, online business directories, and tourism insights to folks visiting our communities. By directing visitors to local businesses, money from other communities is spent in locally owned businesses and typically stays in the community where it is spent
According to Forbes’ 2022 Small Business Economic Impact Study, for every $1 spent at a local business, over two-thirds ($0.68) stays in the community. Researchers have coined this as “the multiplier effect,” in which they found those dollars are spent an additional 2-4 more times in that community before leaving. In contrast, money spent at a national retailer retains only 30-40% of local dollars. When you can – shop locally first.
In addition to promoting businesses, our local chambers host luncheons to gather businesspeople for discussions and presentations on topics relevant to the challenges faced in managing a business. These luncheons may feature a local elected official to provide updates on legislation that could impact businesses or bring in a subject matter expert to navigate new state or federal regulations, human resources challenges, or tax law changes.
For the community at large, some additional resources are provided by the Chamber of Commerce, including candidate forums during election seasons, local events, and job boards showcasing open career opportunities.
Torrie Griggs, Executive Director at the Boardman Chamber of Commerce shares, “Membership with the Boardman Chamber brings a wealth of values, but none more cherished than our commitment to promoting and sharing our members purpose across our region and beyond.”
Umatilla Electric is proud to partner in economic development efforts, as well, by supporting necessary infrastructure for business growth and providing programs like the USDA’s Revolving Loan Fund. The Revolving Loan Fund provides funding for eligible projects that create and retain job opportunities for rural residents. The UEC-managed fund recently awarded support to the City of Echo’s Golf Course for renovations at the pro-shop and a new Hermiston business, Keg & Kork, coming soon to the Downtown District.
By partnering with the Chambers of Commerce, UEC is able to support the needs of businesses in the area in ways that are more impactful.
“It has been a great resource having UEC Business Resource Center Director, Kristin Connell, serve on the Umatilla Chamber Board of Directors,” says Josiah Barron, Executive Director at the Umatilla Chamber. “Overall, working with Umatilla Electric has allowed us to expand our Chamber’s offerings and bring new businesses to downtown Umatilla, revitalizing the community atmosphere. The Revolving Loan Fund has been utilized by some of our businesses to re-brand and reinvest in their business. The Bridge Bistro & Brews is a great example of UEC’s investment in our business community.”
Beyond serving our members with reliable power, UEC is committed to partnering with local organizations for the continued business growth and economic prosperity in our region. Together, with your local Chambers of Commerce and other community organizations, we are – creating powerful connections.
