New Everett Chamber Growing as Businesses Join

The Greater Everett Chamber of Commerce is poised for a significant launch this month, boasting around 130 members who are enthusiastic about the revival of local business representation. CEO Wendy Poischbeg highlighted the overwhelming community support as a driving force behind this initiative. Although the chamber does not yet have an office, it has successfully completed its infrastructure paperwork and is gearing up for its first networking event—a Lunch & Learn program scheduled for January 15, featuring speaker John Carswell. The chamber's focus will extend across Everett, with particular attention to South Everett, collaborating with local associations such as the Downtown Everett Association. This revival is crucial as the city has been without an Everett-specific chamber since 2011, when existing chambers consolidated to form a broader regional group.

Poischbeg, who has a personal connection to small business challenges, aims to equip local entrepreneurs with valuable resources. The city has committed $600,000 in seed funding, utilizing COVID-19 stimulus dollars to kickstart this effort. Membership levels vary, catering to a wide range of local businesses, from small startups to larger enterprises.