And so we have turned the page on yet another calendar year, a very quick review of 2017 reminds us of the many stories that the Chamber was a part of in our business community, if only in the telling.

While we are committed as an organization to being visionary in working with our community and our members to design a better future, we must acknowledge what we’ve been through.  This reflection provides the foundation for recognizing excellence in performance. It helps us to identify the “experts” among us, who provide mentorship for new businesses and new leaders. And occasionally, a look to the past reminds us of where we do not want to go, providing important lessons that may save us valuable resources in years to come.

We hope that you will join us in crafting the stories that will make 2018 one to remember. Can you envision the future enough to project the success for your business this year?

In 2017, we celebrated the Citizen of the Year, Steven Kosak, a man who could do exactly that.  As he imagined what could be better in the community, he shared his dreams in a way that inspired volunteerism, financial support, and community collaboration, to make dreams become realities.

The Chamber was an important part of a 2017 story that started with the destruction of a highly visible stretch of buildings, ones that held memories of both business success and historical relevance.  We can’t wait to see what 2018 holds for this property along Main Street in Oil City, but for certain it will at least be a much clearer view.

We were excited to share stories of anniversaries, such as 50 years of Clarks Donuts Plus. Many of our member businesses said goodbye to owners and managers who have passed the torch to new leadership, with faith that these enterprises will thrive with a renewed energy  –  Oil City Automotive and the Days Inn, to name a couple.

Our communities rallied around new construction at McDonalds in Oil City and Clarion County Community Bank in Franklin.  We would be amiss not to mention that loss was part of the story, in the passing of our treasured members, including  the Kirklands, the Butlers, Kay Skrobat and most recently Bruce Taylor. We fondly remember the past, but boldly embrace the future.

We hope you enjoy our newsletter each month and continue to share much of this content on our website at venangochamber.org.  We thank those who have continued to support our monthly publication through advertising again in 2018.

Ashley, Susan, and Dottie