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Today the Newington Chamber of Commerce has nearly 300 active members and continues to be a representative voice of the business community, monitoring economic and commercial development, enhancing membership benefits, and supporting business and community improvements. This history* offers a brief retrospective to over 60 years of service by the Newington Chamber.

The Newington Chamber of Commerce began in 1945 with 153 individuals and businesses dedicated to improve the business climate in town. The original impetus for forming the Chamber was to channel solicitation requests from various groups through one organization. It provided a forum for the concerns of the community and worked closely with town officials to bring additional businesses to town and provide a welcome to those who located here.

   
Becoming too cumbersome to be supported by an all volunteer staff, the group disbanded in 1960 when there was insufficient support to affiliate with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. In January 1967, a group of business and professional people formed the present day Chamber of Commerce and it began as an affiliate of the Greater Hartford Chamber.

In April 1993, the first Newington Business Showcase sponsored by the Newington Chamber of Commerce was held at the Sphinx Temple on the Berlin Turnpike. The following year it was moved to Newington High School and, in conjunction with the high school, started Career Day as part of the Showcase. Since 1994 in addition to sponsoring and running Career Day, the Newington Chamber has made a $5,000 annual donation to the high school to help start and continually support the high school's Internship Program (a partnership of local business and local education). The original Business Showcase has grown into the Home & Business Showcase, the Chamber's signature annual event bringing thousands of attendees and a major fund raiser for the Chamber.

A group of Chamber members met in 1994 at Uncle Joe's Restaurant on the Berlin Turnpike and began the Newington 7AM Business Network. Today, the 7AM Network continues as an extremely active part of the Newington Chamber of Commerce bringing in many new members to the Chamber and giving its members an excellent opportunity to grow their business.

In 1998 the Chamber, still an affiliate of Greater Hartford, chose to make a presence on Main Street by opening a small 250 square foot office. This office was initially manned by Chamber volunteers. In November of 2000 a staff of one was hired to manage and run the office. On June 1, 2004 the Newington Chamber of Commerce became independent of the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce and built a new office two doors down from the former location and four times as large.

Constantly looking for new ways to provide benefits for its members, the Chamber created a credit union in the latter 1980's, established a health care insurance package, and negotiated with SNETCO to provide improved [telephone] service at a lower cost.

In the late 1970's and early 1980's, the Chamber pushed for economic development as it added support for commercial and industrial development in town. The Chamber worked with other businesses and town government to improve the appearance and business climate and convinced officials to improve town owned land in the center. For more than 50 years, the Newington Chamber of Commerce has continued to be a strong voice for the Newington business community and their accomplishments are evident throughout town today.

Join the Chamber today.

 

    
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