Chase Envisions 1Berkshire as 'Agile Model' for Growth
 Stuart Chase, new chief executive officer of 1Berkshire, was in demand after the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Wednesday. |
"When groups come together the energy and synergy can be truly dynamic," Stuart Chase told Berkshire Chamber of Commerce members on Wednesday morning. "We have a real brain and resource bank in the community of executives with expertise they are willing to share ... When we come to one center and get connected and informed, we can create all kinds of sparks."
One of the first orders of business is bringing the main partners together in a single location that will allow them to operate separately but be close enough to create a "brain trust."
"I'm going to make a rather bold statement and encourage others to possibly considering joining us," he offered, suggesting countywide partners such as Berkshire Grown or the state Small Business Development Center.
1Berkshire was created nearly a year ago with the tentpoles of the Berkshire Chamber, the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, Berkshire Creative and the Berkshire Economic Development Corp. to implement a collaborative approach to marketing and developing the county. Since then, it has stumbled over the Housatonic River cleanup, the BEDC has gone dormant and anyone looking for it on the Web has come up empty.
Chase is planning to change all that. Appointed to head the essentially rudderless agency in April, he's trying to establish a powerful advocate for the county's industry and tourism from scratch and capitalize on the region's resources to stimuluate job growth and job retention.
"I envision 1Berkshire as an agile and innovative new model for our use to promote and advocate for our community," he told the audience at the chamber's Good News Business Salute at the Berkshire Hills Country Club.
A website is being built and the organization is looking at a tiered membership — anyone in the current partners will automatically be 1Berkshire members. It will also advocate and promote countywide initiatives such as Wired West, transportation, green industries and education and job retraining.
 Diana L. Murphy, the chamber's director of finance and administration, was recognized for her 38 years with the organization. |
The organization will be like a concierge hotel, where entrepreneurs from both inside and outside the county can find information such as grants, business loans, permitting and business locations.
1Berkshire can be a "unified, powerful force that can affect positively the economic factors that make up our community," Chase said. "This is for all of us, not just major corporations, but the individual for hire, the mom-and-pop shops, owners of white-collar businesses, and blue-collar enterprises. It's meant for everybody, north to south, all of Berkshire County."
The concept sprang from a $1 million study by the U.S. Department of Commerce a long six years ago, said Chamber President Michael Supranowicz. "We're almost there; we're closer than we've ever been and I can't wait to walk that last mile with Stuart, Lori [Klefos of the BVB] and Helena [Fruscio of Berkshire Creative]."
Later, Chase said he was confident that organizations representing diverse fields can work together on common goals.
 Michael Supranowicz, Kimberley Riggs and chamber Chairman Jerry Burke. |
The breakfast also recognized four members with Good News Business Salutes by emcee Kimberley Riggs of Berkshire Bank:
ALADCO of Adams, founded in 1953, has grown from a wet wash plant to a commercial laundry serving more than 1,000 customers across the region and investing in green practices; Balance Rock Investment Group started as a single office as Colt Investment a dozen years ago and now manages more than $150 million; Charland Jewelers has been a family operation for 40 years and has invested in laser welding equipment and a new, larger location; Literacy Network of Southern Berkshires has been offering tuturing services through volunteers for 20 years and now serves 15 towns and has 120 tutor-student pairs meeting every week; Third Thursday is celebrating its fifth anniversary bringing people back to downtown Pittsfield, attracting an estimated 15,000 to North Street for the street festival.
Diana L. Murphy, the chamber's director of finance and administration, was recognized for her 38 years with the organization.
Tags: 1Berkshire, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce,
