The staff of the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry (WCCBI) was on hand during Friday morning's Eggs and Issues speaker series to explain the organization's various projects and achievements over the last year.
"I really can't say enough positive things about what's going on with the WCCBI," said Jim Decker, WCCBI CEO and President.
Decker gave an overview of the WCCBI's major projects, including the organization's involvement in the St. Bonaventure dual enrollment project with the Warren County School District.
The university began offering dual enrollment courses for the school district's juniors and seniors in September. A permanent facility for the program is being constructed in the Pine Grove Ambulatory Surgery building outside of Russell.
"The project has been consuming an awful lot of our time," Decker said. "The biggest hurdle we came across was St. Bonaventure wasn't accredited in Pennsylvania, so they had to build their program, identify what they would be teaching in the state and get licensed over an eight and half month period. A lot of work happened in a compressed amount of time."
Decker estimated that the Pine Grove facility will be completed by early December.
"The real sizzle of this program is it has it's own facility and it's not done via telecommunications into the high schools," Decker said. "It's really unique."
Decker said the cost element of the program will allow school district students to earn their high school degree and enter college three credits shy of full junior status.
"You could finish college in two years, enroll in a dual major, travel and study abroad," Decker said. "And it's going to cost you $7,500 a year as opposed to $40,000."
Melissa Anderson, director of Chamber Operations, outlined her duties during her presentation.
Anderson coordinates the WCCBI's Government Affairs division, along with overseeing marketing, event planning and creation and overall membership.
According to Anderson, her role as a government affairs liaison is often misunderstood.
"Often people will think we go lobby for things," Anderson said. "What we do is encourage the democratic process by providing information to people so they are informed to make a decision."
Anderson said she also provides information on new legislative bills to members of the WCCBI.
As for her role in event planning, Anderson said she isn't charged to create events that specifically make members money, but, instead, she helps plan events to bring people to the area and increase exposure to members' businesses. As an example, she said Warren's annual Ribfest draws and average of 20,000 people.
Anderson is also involved in coordinating the WCCBI's annual Ladies Golf Tournament and Celebrity Caddy Aution, the annual chamber golf tournament, business afterhours mixers, the Shop Warren County Program and the Christmas Cache with COT (Council of Tourism).
Heidi Powley, the WCCBI's director of Workforce Development, said that her biggest task over the last year was dealing with the state's budget crisis "and how it stifled some of our workforce development issues."
Powley is employed by both the state and the WCCBI in helping develop and aid Warren County's workforce.
She coordinates the newly created Young Professionals group, Leadership Warren, provide new businesses packets for relocating to the county, helps develop training grants, works with the YMCA summer day camp, along with being involved in two Warren-Forest County Higher Education committees.
Powley's most recent project has been the creation of the Young Professionals group.
"I really believe in it," Powley said. "The Young Professionals get together, go do things and have some community presence."
The group is involved in networking, educational programs, volunteer opportunities and social events.