What's New in November for the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce

The Tri Town Chamber has just concluded our membership drive and would like to welcome 65 new members into the fold! The drive pitted eight teams of chamber members against each other to see who could attract the most new businesses. In a photo finish, Web Design by Robin’s Robin Clapp reinforced her stature as Vice President of Membership by leading her squad to victory. Individual honors went to Mansfield Bank’s Marianne Mackie who brought on 6 new members all by herself!

Executive Director Kara Griffin is already busy tripling the usual number of new member coffee meetings, while administrator extraordinaire Ruthie Briggs is vigorously hammering out new name tags and mailing labels. Special thanks go out to North Easton Savings Bank for hosting a terrific new member reception catered by Russell Morin Fine Catering.

Economic Development Chair Kurt Wheaton of Epoch Senior Living in Norton is busy making final arrangements for a breakfast with Gregory Bialecki, Governor Patrick’s chief economic development advisor and cabinet member. The event, which will be held at the Mansfield Holiday Inn on Tuesday, November 15 from 7:30 to 9:00 AM, is open to Chamber members and non members for the same $10 admission price. Please either e-mail or call the chamber at 508 339 5655 to sign up.

Mansfield Crossing generously hosted and sponsored our fourth annual Oktoberfest on October 4th. Covidien cosponsored the event that gave hundreds of locals a chance to sample cuisine from 22 Tri Town area restaurants. It was both fun and educational, as I learned firsthand that wasabi and jalapenos do not neutralize each other, no matter how much pumpkin ice cream is thrown on top. Oktoberfest has become the Chamber’s largest annual charity fundraiser, providing thousands of dollars to help our neighbors in Foxborough, Mansfield and Norton who need support feeding their families.

The Chamber’s third Tri Town Referral Exchange (TREX) group is now up and running. TREX provides a forum for group members to meet on a biweekly basis to collaborate on business development opportunities, share leads and mastermind ways to improve their businesses. The groups are popular because, while groups do require specific membership, we do not charge members an additional fee to join.

We have TWO ribbon cuttings to celebrate in November. By press time, Hat Heads, Inc. in downtown Mansfield will have already wielded their scissors, while McMahon’s Countryside Grille in Norton will do the honors on Nov 10 at 11:30 a.m.

The Mansfield Holiday Inn will be hosting a Business after Hours from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Attendance is free to members and only $10 to not yet members. Contact the Chamber at 508 339 5655 or by email to sign up.

The Chamber has two offices available for rent in our facility, behind Kohl’s, conveniently located near the intersection of routes 95 and 495. Utilities and limited use of the Chamber’s Job-Guy conference room are included in the rent. Email or call the chamber at 508 339 5655 for details.

Speaking of chamber offices, our favorite tenant, the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, is hosting its annual fundraising gala at Christina’s in Foxborough on Monday, November 7. Tickets are on sale now and available through the Foundation.

As President of the Board for the , I invite residents and local businesses reading the Foxborough, Mansfield and Norton Patch pages to come to visit us during a chamber event or charity function. If you can’t make it in person, please join our groups on LinkedIn and on Facebook. We want to hear what you have to say!

John Bates is the President of the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce and operates Job-Guy, a career coaching practice in Mansfield. Since joining the Chamber in 2005, John has also helped out as an Ambassador and as Vice President for Membership Develop