The Plymouth Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, which kicked off with a celebration at the Biddle Point Inn, a chamber member, on the anniversary of the day the chamber was incorporated in 1924.
Current Chamber Board President Emily Hutsell of Marian University Ancilla College says that “many of the people who were involved in the origination of the chamber belong to families that are still in this community. It’s a real testament to Plymouth that families have chosen to raise their families here.” Collaborating with Biddle Point Inn for this significant milestone event is just one of the ways that the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce supports its members.
The chamber is comprised of a variety of businesses, from nonprofits to small, medium and large businesses. Chamber members reap numerous benefits from membership, including a website directory page, e-newsletter and social media mentions, networking events, business resources such as referrals and brochure distribution, and ribbon-cutting events. For full details, visit plychamber.org/chamber-services.
“Our office serves as a welcome center to people considering opening a business here,” Chamber Executive Director Connie Holzwart explains. “We take phone calls and walk-ins, and we coach them on how to begin or connect them to additional resources they might need.”
At this time of year, when you drive through downtown Plymouth you’ll find festive, seasonally decorated planters along the street, currently filled with colorful mums, which will soon transition to evergreen trees during the Plymouth downtown Christmas celebration. Sponsored by community members and local businesses, and watered by the city of Plymouth, the chamber purchases and plants fillers from chamber member businesses – summer flowers from Cashen Creek Florist, autumn mums from Hahn’s Greenhouse, and winter evergreens from Hensler Nursery.
The chamber prides itself on taking a dynamic approach to the Plymouth community, maintaining a keen awareness of the area’s growth and the changing needs of the people and businesses who reside here. Chamber Board Secretary Shelley Marsiliano of Coldwell Banker has been on the board since 2022, and Coldwell Banker has been a chamber member for over 25 years. Marsiliano notes that a number of businesses have migrated to the Plymouth area, furthering the area’s expansion into a corporate presence, including Pretzels, Inc., owned by Hershey.
Heather King of Meridian Title Company, who has served on the chamber board since 2023 while Meridian has held chamber membership since 1997, acknowledges another significant example of Plymouth’s growth in the new Bowen Health Center being built on U.S. Highway 30. The facility will offer counseling and other services, opening up many new jobs. Other recent business additions include Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls and Starbucks. Hutsell, a 25-year resident of Plymouth, says “the chamber needs to be poised for the growth, and to educate the community about future growth needs such as increased jobs to fill.”
The chamber hosts many events throughout the year, including the November 20 Annual Luncheon & Awards event at Swan Lake Resort, where the chamber recognizes the Citizen of the Year, Distinguished Businesswoman and Businessman, and Distinguished Small, Medium and Large Business. December will include the Women in Business luncheon, and leadership conferences throughout the year cover a variety of topics and are open to community members and businesses. Other annual events include the Bread of Life Food Drive each September. Monthly events include a monthly Business Connections networking breakfast or lunch, hosted at a chamber business location, and open to current and prospective chamber members.
After a lapse of a number of years, the chamber is proud to announce the return of the Young Adult Professionals (YAP) group, for those aged 19 to 40. The YAP events empower businessmen and businesswomen with mentoring from seasoned business professionals. The most recent YAP event was a collaboration with the nearby town of Culver’s Chamber of Commerce, and Lakehouse Grille restaurant. Matt Hovermale, new to the chamber board in the last year as general manager of Swan Lake Resort and Conference Center, whose chamber membership goes back over a dozen years, has been helping young adults even before they graduate from high school. Hovermale recently welcomed five Oregon-Davis High School students for a day of discussions and venue tours that introduced a career in hospitality to these future members of the workforce.
The chamber has its own way of uplifting local high school students by awarding the Walter A. Glaub Scholarship, in coordination with the Marshall County Community Foundation. Each year two nonrenewable, $1,000 scholarships are awarded to Marshall County seniors. One recent recipient spent time reading to residents at a senior living facility and cleaning a local church. Helping students make higher education possible is one more way that the chamber invests in the future of Plymouth.
The chamber posts member events on its calendar, including holiday happenings throughout the season. You can find all the details on the chamber website at plychamber.org/events. You can also find timely event announcements once a month on the back page of Pilot News in the section called Chamber Chatter.
The Plymouth Chamber of Commerce is located at 120 North Michigan Street. For more information, contact Holzwart at plychamber@plychamber.org, or call 574-936-2323.
