Chamber of Commerce

By Andrew Pouncey

Google Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce and you will find the following:

“Dedicated to a vibrant business environment through interactive partnerships with business, government, and community. The chamber strives to promote the continuous improvement of the common good and the quality of life in the community through the pursuit of new business; and the cultural, social, and economic education of our citizens; providing accurate and timely assistance to the Business Community.”

Those may not have been the exact words of the chamber’s founders, but I am sure that those words represent their original intentions when this organization began.

The Chamber of Commerce, begun as a once-a-month Thursday luncheon club, met at Posey’s Drugstore on the northeast corner of Poplar and Germantown Road. In 1965, the City had 1,845 citizens, Bruce Law was the Mayor, and the small group of merchants that gathered called themselves the Germantown Business Association.

In 1973, they applied for a charter and took the official name – Germantown Chamber of Commerce. Amongst these men were Thane Smith, Jim Pope, Jim Doran, Mickey Bernstein, and Dr. Lyle Muller. They were a group actively involved in community affairs, as well as an alliance of businesses working toward mutual success.

	Early Chamber Presidents

Lyle Muller 1976-77	Rick Brillard 1979	Mickey Bernstein 1981

Bill McGaughey 1982	Jim Pope 1984	Thane Smith 1987

1988 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1996 | 1997-98 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003

2004 | 2005-06 | 2007 | 2008| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2015-16 | 2017

2018 | 2019 | 2020

1988 Chairman Paul Turner
The chamber decided to become considerably more active in 1987. A Germantown realtor, Paul Turner, was elected President, beginning January 1, 1988, and under his direction, the first full-time employee was hired, a full-time Executive Director (chamber representative) to member and potential member businesses. They instituted joint quarterly meetings of the Germantown, Bartlett, and Collierville Chambers, finding ways in which these organizations could together promote suburban business.

In 1989, they went to the City of Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen to ask for – and received – their first-ever city funding, a $15,000 appropriation to help cover that year’s needs. They hired a part-time Director of Business Development and bought a computer to keep track of its growth. Between 1988 and 1990, membership doubled from 125 to 260 Germantown area firms.

The chamber traditionally involved itself in community activities like the annual Christmas Parade, the Germantown Festival, and the Family Fourth of July Celebration. It had been the resolve of the chamber to be supportive of the business community – and this has accounted for its success. Later with growth, city borders would disappear, and people would begin to cross over to shop. The chamber would remain as that one element that connects businesses, even in different jurisdictions to the mutual benefit of all its members.

1991 President Dr. Douglas Duggard and Executive Director Dianne Essex
With Dianne Essex in the role of Executive Director and Doug Duggard as President, the Germantown Chamber of Commerce held its first Annual Business Expo and Business-After-Hours Session in March of 1990. Ninety-six Germantown and other businesses set up booths in a day-long show at the Germantown Centre that attracted 1,500 visitors. The community could see, both residentially and commercially, what was available. All available booths for the following year were spoken for well before the end of 1990. There were banks and insurers, optometrists, a plastic surgeon, a yogurt company, a restaurateur who cooked fettuccini, and the performing arts. Doug Dugard said, “let them know it’s (the Chamber) here!”

Charitable effort ideas had new opportunities, and there was more of an open-door policy with the government. Germantown would become a better place with fine residential neighborhoods and thriving businesses. Chamber membership rose to 360. A Health Exposition was planned for the fall of 1991 with 67 participants including doctors and dentists, chiropractors, masseurs, nurses, and fitness experts.


1st Business Expo 1991	In 1991, the chamber moved from its cramp quarters in the Depot into more comfortable offices on 2130 West Street.

1992 President Tom McKelroy and Executive Director Dianne Essex
‘Shop Germantown First’ became the theme of the chamber’s 1992 promotional campaign: “When it comes to shopping there’s no place like home.” Under the leadership of Executive Director Dianne Essex and President Tom McKelroy, sales tax revenue went above projections. With Germantown primarily a residential community, and the total commercial property less than 5% of the whole, the sector contributed 19% of the City’s Budget and 22% if you included the community property tax. A dollar spent in Germantown would contribute to keeping homeowners’ property taxes low. Stronger sales would help hold down further tax increases and make Germantown stronger. The chamber was becoming a viable force.

1993 President Pat Melvin
Pat Melvin, President of the Chamber in 1993, pointed out that civic alliance made many of their projects possible: Small Business Development Week, Partners in Education, Germantown Health Fair, a scavenger hunt, Speaker’s Bureau, Ambassadors, a golf tournament, Business-After-Hours, A Political Forum and a promotional video produced by the students at Germantown High School.

A key manifestation of the partnership was the Economic Development Task Force, a 10-member citizen-driven committee bringing together the business community, the Chamber, city staff, and residents to analyze the flow of dollars through the community.

Germantown had what companies wanted – accessibility to the airports, good telecommunications, and good quality of life.

1994 President Brent Wilkins and Executive Director Jim Sharkey
Jim Sharkey succeeded Diane Essex as Executive Director of the Chamber and began his tenure working with 1994 Chamber President Brent Wilkins. The chamber began playing a greater role in marketing the city, with the renovation of Germantown Village Square Mall, expansion of The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Mid-South, the opening of Campbell Clinic, and a position for the Chamber President on the Economic Development Commission.

In 1995, the Chairman of the Chamber Board, Larry Patterson, continued this entrepreneurial spirit and devoted new efforts to providing demographics and statistical information for businesses thinking of relocating to Germantown. $10,000 was raised to establish a Small Business Collection at the Germantown Library. The 1995 Germantown Magazine sponsorship was now identified as the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce, and not just the Germantown Chamber of Commerce.

1996 Chairman Jane Clark and President Martha Wilson
Martha Wilson became Chamber President in 1996, and with Chairman Jane Clark, they worked hard for accreditation by the United States Chamber of Commerce. “This is our commitment to long-term support of our business community.” Wilson brought with her experience from the Memphis Chamber of Commerce and her time as Executive Director with two chambers in Alabama. The Expo expanded to 130 booths utilizing the Germantown Centre and expanding into the Performing Arts Center.

1997-1998 Chairman Mike Edwards and Chamber President Martha Wilson
Chamber President Martha Wilson was joined by Chairman of the Board Mike Edwards in 1997. With numerous programs in place, special services for members were added including a health care program designed for small businesses and an AT&T Profit-By-Association program with discounts on long-distance charges. Plans were made to market to the increased numbers of home-based businesses. The Chamber sent out hundreds of packets to newcomers that included listings of member businesses and exclusive member referrals to those looking for services. With a 90% success rate in Germantown, new businesses were surprised at the enthusiasm with which they were being met. In 1998, the Germantown Business Expo welcomed 3,000 visitors.

1999 Chairman Phil Cannon
1999 Chairman of the Board Phil Cannon joined Martha and as growth required additional office space, the chamber moved to 2195 Germantown Road S. The demand for new retail and office space as well as hotels was staying ahead of availability.

When Martha became President of the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce in 1995, the organization’s membership stood at 350. Over the next four years, that figure grew to 650. Growth was contributed in part to Germantown’s population growth, while the chamber had become the small business advocate. Governor Don Sunquist awarded the chamber the Small Business Advocacy Award in 1999 and 2000.

2000 Chairman Mike Palazzolo and Martha Wilson
In 2000, the Chamber’s Small Business Council, led by Board Chairman, Mike Palazzolo and Martha Wilson launched the Small Office/Home Office Roundtable (SOHO). With e-commerce, the niche of home-based businesses was becoming a big market. Other new programs included a speaker series sponsored by FedEx, bringing in world-class business experts to speak to members at the Germantown Performing Arts Center. Plans were also made for a ‘Taste of the Town’ to promote the wonderful restaurants, hotels, and shops in the area. The chamber also revived its five-seminar series sponsored by South Trust Bank, covering everything from Y2k to retaining quality employees.

As Germantown moved into the new century, the City became land-locked, and the need to make wise use of the remaining commercial property became an issue. The city and chamber along with Memphis, Shelby County, and Collierville began working together on a High-Tech Corridor in the Forest Hill-Hacks Cross Road Area, identifying ‘clean’ high-tech companies that would maintain the integrity of the community.

2001 Chairman Bill Landsden and Martha Wilson
Board Chairman Bill Landsden joined Martha in 2001 and credited much of the chamber’s success to the City’s growth. The Chamber had an incredible volunteer-based and continued to keep the best interests of the area’s businesses at the heart of their program.

2002 Chairman Annette Lyle and Martha Wilson
In 2002, Board Chair Annette Lyles and Martha began a series of workshops titled “Lunch and Learn”, in conjunction with Memphis’ Small Business Development Center, covering topics such as stress management and safety in the workforce. With a membership base of 684, the challenge facing the chamber was “how to manage growth while still retaining their small business focus, finding ways to grow without losing who they were.” Another challenge was creating awareness of what happens to the city’s tax base when people shop outside the area or state, or on the internet. Communication was the key.

2003 Chairman Judy Gupton and Pat Scroggs
With Martha leaving, the chamber welcomed new leadership with the addition of Pat Scroggs in August of 2002. Having served as Governor Don Sunquist’s Regional Representative and Field Director for six years, Pat had worked as government affairs chairman within the chamber, launching the Eggs and Issues Breakfast. Pat worked on updating the chamber’s website, making small businesses more visible through a variety of avenues, and networking with other chambers. She was especially thankful for the generous support that the chamber volunteers provided.

2004 Chairman Charlie McGraw and Pat Scroggs
The focus of the 2004 Board Chair Charley McGraw centered on one question. “Does everything we do add something of value to our members?” Concentration must be put on our revenues where they belong – back in membership. The sincere concern for the welfare of member businesses is what kept the Chamber healthy, active, and growing.

2005/2006 Chairman David Klevan and Pat Scroggs
Chairman of the Board David Klevan agreed to a two-year commitment (2005 and 2006), and set forth a strategic plan that had three main goals: (1) be a valuable resource for the community, including the development of a visitors’ resource center, and digital information for members; (2) partnering in economic development in both public and private sectors resulting from the chamber’s partnership with the Germantown Economic Development Commission, quarterly joint events and joint marketing; and (3) showcasing each business sector in the community. The membership would be broken down into four sectors: medical, service, retail, and small office/home office. Programs would be established to serve the needs of each sector. With more than 700 members, 55% of the membership was now located outside the City of Germantown.

2007 Chairman Steve Wilensky and Pat Scroggs
The number one goal of Stephen Wilensky, 2007 Chairman of the Board in 2007, was to remain “The Chamber of Choice”. Reflecting on 2016, they discussed the success of breaking down the membership into four sectors: retail, small office/home office, medical and service; multiple networking and educational events, and the new Chamber (members only) Referral Group. The Taste of the Town event featured 45 restaurants and food vendors with more than 600 people in attendance. The website (www.germantownchamber.com) had more than 2 million hits, a growth of more than 100 percent over the prior year. In addition to Taste of the Town, the annual events were the Business Expo, Golf Tournament, and the Holiday Tour of Homes, supporting the Toys for Tots Program.

The chamber had been largely supported by its members and now much of the support came through sponsorships. As 90% of the membership was small business, and dues were less, sponsorships added active, involved community service from the larger member businesses.

2008 Chairman Steve Veesart and Pat Scroggs
Steve Veesart (Veesart Financial, LLC), Chamber Chairman and a Senior Financial Advisor joined Pat in 2008 and chose to stay ‘on mission’, engaging the community, and helping businesses thrive. In the ongoing effort to gain exposure to a broad group of people, they continued with the Business After-Hour Functions, the Small Business Referral Group, the monthly Small Business Speaker series, Ribbon Cuttings, and Luncheons. They continued to grow the membership both inside and outside the city. In 2008, the chamber began a partnership with the city to mail the chamber’s first magazine with the city’s calendar to the door of every Germantown resident.

2009 Chairman Amy Barringer and Pat Scroggs
With over 700 members and a less than vibrant nationwide economy, Pat, assisted by 2009 Chamber Chairman Amy Barringer, Clinical Director at Baptist Rehabilitation – Germantown, strove to provide advice, share ideas, mentor, and develop relationships to benefit the members. The chamber’s website also became more interactive.

2010 Chairman David Baytos and Pat Scroggs
David Baytos, CEO of Mississippi and International Healthcare Services for Methodist Healthcare and previous CEO of Methodist LeBonheur Germantown Hospital joined Pat in 2010, as the chamber unveiled its new website, www.germantown-chamber .com, and logo. The former logo dated back to the early 1980s, and the re-branding was symbolic of many new developments of the chamber. There was a new website, a new logo, a new Chamber – all ready for the new decade.

The new website was highly interactive, not a flat ‘brochure’ website. Members had now more control over what was on their business space on the site, as well as the capability to go in and design and write their own information with 500 words or less. The site would be able to present webinars, online seminars, videos, and give presentations of their members’ specializations. They would be able to have some social networking groups as well. The website would be a ‘living, breathing resource. The goal for the ‘Member Forum’ portion of the website was member-to-member communication of needs, ideas, discounts, events, and promotions. If a member were to miss an event, they would still ab able to feel they’re a part of the chamber.

The chamber also worked to develop a strategic plan that would take them through 2020. Once it is developed then the key to success would be to operationalize that plan to benefit the members, the community, and society as a whole.

Taste of the Town had now grown to 600 participants and 40 restaurants with the proceeds benefitting two or three young individuals who would experience something special with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

David could not serve his whole term as he unexpectedly had to go to Botswana, Africa, to assume an interim CEO position at the Methodist Hospital there. Janie Day (a Vice-President at Paragon Bank) had become a Chamber Ambassador when she joined the chamber in 2006. She later joined the Board and was appointed Chairman in David’s absence. Janie assumed the role as Chairman for the balance of 2010 and then served a full term in 2011.

2010/2011 Chairman Janie Day and Pat Scroggs
From a President’s perspective, the Chamber served similarly to a visitor’s center answering questions about the total community. Pat & Janie wanted them to know that their community supports businesses located within the city limits and that we are a welcoming arm to potential businesses. The chamber, while not an arm of the city, worked closely with the City to jointly sponsor the Germantown Business Expo and the Germantown Sidewalk Sale.

Pat Scroggs would announce her retirement in 2012. She had led the Chamber since August 2002 and had lived in the city since 1978.

2012 Chairman Dave Klevan and Pat Scroggs
Dave Klevan, founder of Corporate Benefits (1992), winner of the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Award in 2008, and now a three-time Chairman of the Chamber, worked with Pat in 2012. Their goal was to match the services the chamber provides with what is needed by businesses. “One benefit or service does not fit all.” Their goal was to bring on the younger generation, both professionally and personally, putting new leaders in the pipeline, and achieving economic growth in a vibrant community. The young professional group was started with 100 members under the age of 40, all professional, intelligent, and educated.

2013 Chairman Bill Lansden’s Photo and Pat Scroggs
2013 Chairman Bill Lansden, involved with the chamber for more than 15 years, had served as Chairman once before in 2001. One of Bill’s responsibilities would be to take the lead in hiring Pat’s successor, one who would build on Pat’s accomplishments. That person was Janie Day.

2014 Chairman Amy Barringer and Pat Scroggs would lead the Chamber in the celebration of the 40^th Anniversary of the Chamber.

2015/2016 Chairman Mark White and Janie Day

The Chamber celebrated its 40^th Anniversary in 2013 at an event sponsored by Trustmark Bank. In 2014, the Chamber began the inaugural Germantown Business & Industry Summit in partnership with the City of Germantown. A monthly series was a new benefit for Chamber membership. The city and the chamber formed a public/private partnership to work on the Economic Development Partnership website, tourism guide, and summit. These key initiatives became the focus in 2015 and 2016 for incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors, Brian White and Janie Day. The chamber also participated in the creation of the strategic plan titled Germantown Forward 2030.

2017 Chairman Deborah Carter Johnson and Janie Day
Deborah Carter Johnson, Chairman of the Board for 2017, celebrated the partnerships created between the chamber and the City that are part of the strategic plan, #GermantownForward2030. All chamber initiatives were established to follow that plan for 2017, including partnering with the city’s economic development division and establishing goals for retail recruitment, revitalization, and marketing. Together they produced the Germantown Business & Industry Summit and the annual report. The chamber also partnered with The Education Foundation for a city-wide event. Chairman Johnson stated, “We only have to glance at all corners of our city to see the positive change. From the Western Gateway to the improvements being made in the Forest Hill Heights Area, it’s clear the city is going to be a wonderful new place to live, work, and play.

2018 Chairman Bob Hamilton and Janie Day
Bob Hamilton built his business (SMCINC. – a xerox business partner) on delivering outstanding customer service. His plan was to bring that experience to his new role as 2018 Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. His long-term view mirrored that of Mayor Palazzolo.

2019 Chairman Chad Gilbert and Janie Day
Chad Gilbert, 2019 Chairman, placed great value on the relationships built through the chamber and the tremendous sense of community that brings. He appreciated and utilized the resources to help connect members to new customers and other like-minded business leaders. It was during this time that the newly revamped Germantown Magazine was presented, combining the City’s Go! Germantown Magazine and the Chamber’s Germantown Magazine into one publication, arriving in each and every Germantown mailbox three times each year (Fall, Early Spring & Summer).

2020 Chairman Gary Yenser and Janie Day
Gary Yenser quickly found that citizens, local businesses, and city government engage and work with each other, much greater than in other cities where his family had lived. His participation in the Leadership Germantown Program, Germantown Forward 2030 Vision Steering Committee, the Germantown Chamber, and the Germantown Education Foundation supported his desire for a high standard of engagement. Citizens and businesses alike were encouraged to follow the key pillars of the Chamber’s mission – Community. Partnership. Growth.

Members and chamber staff mobilized in support of each other during the difficulties of 2020. Gary stated that he was struck by the clarity of their mission statement: To Promote Our Member Businesses. The commitment took on added significance in 2020 when new levels of creativity and initiative were required to overcome the inability to meet and interact for large periods of time. This singular focus was taken forward into 2021.

Source: Germantown Magazine- 1988-2020