President’s Message: Opportunity Abounds for Member Connections, Advocacy, and Employee Development
Source: Chris Berleth, President
From our recent Golf Outing and our team’s participation in the Community Giving Foundation’s Elevate 2 Conference, to a ribbon cutting with our friends at MPL Law Firm and Chamber Day at the Capitol, it has been a busy stretch for your Chamber… and we’re not about to slow down.
As summer gets underway, there are several great opportunities for members to connect, grow, lead, and stay visible in the community. Here are a few worth putting on your radar.
Announcing the 2026–2027 Membership Directory
Work is now underway on the Chamber’s annual Membership Directory, a publication which lands in
welcome packets, offices, hotels, visitor centers, waiting rooms, front counters, and community spaces across the region. It helps residents, visitors, new employees, fellow businesses, and community partners find Chamber members when they are looking for local products, services, and trusted connections.
Let’s be honest: in a world where everything seems to disappear into a scroll-hole, there is still something great about being included in a locally produced publication people can actually hold in their hands.
We are pleased to once again partner with Victor Koons Graphic Design on this year’s directory, and I encourage our members to review the advertising opportunities available. Whether you want to build name recognition, promote your services, or make sure people know where to find you, the Membership Directory is a smart way to stay visible with people who are already looking to support local businesses.
Now Accepting Applications for the 2026–2027 Class of Leadership Central Penn
Leadership Central Penn has been developing local leaders since 1992, and there is a reason this program has stood the test of time.
It gives participants a deeper look at the people, places, organizations, challenges, and opportunities that shape Columbia and Montour Counties. It is more than a class. It is a chance to get out from behind the desk, meet people from across the region, see familiar communities with fresh eyes, and discover new ways to serve and lead.
For employers, nominating someone for Leadership Central Penn is a great way to say, “We see potential in you, and we want to invest in it.”
For participants, it can be the start of a much deeper connection to the region they live and work in. For the rest of us, it means more thoughtful, prepared, connected leaders helping move our communities forward. That is a win.
If you have an emerging leader, a newer employee, a longtime team member ready for a fresh challenge, or someone who would benefit from seeing our region more fully, now is the time to nominate them or encourage them to apply.
Announcing Dates for the Fall 2026 Management & Leadership Certificate Program
This fall, the Chamber, The Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, and Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg will again offer the Management & Leadership Certificate Program.
This program is for the supervisors, managers, team leads, and rising leaders who are doing real leadership work every day — sometimes with training, sometimes with instinct, and sometimes with a strong cup of coffee and a prayer. They are communicating with teams, handling conflict, motivating employees, managing change, coaching performance, and trying to keep the wheels turning. That is hard, important work that doesn’t happen by accident.
The Fall 2026 course will be held at The Hub at Mulberry Mill in Bloomsburg, with five sessions beginning in September (Don’t worry, we didn’t schedule during Fair week!) and continuing through early November. Participants will receive practical training in communication, motivation, change management, coaching, performance management, multigenerational leadership, workplace diversity, and conflict resolution.
Upon completion, participants receive a certificate from Commonwealth University, and WEDnetPA funding may be available for eligible employers.
For businesses that want to strengthen their internal leadership pipeline, this is a practical, high-value opportunity. Seats are limited, so I encourage interested employers to review the dates and consider who on your team would benefit from this training.
Bonus Opportunity: Happy Birthday, USA!
We are just one month away from America’s 250th Anniversary, and there will be plenty to see and do right here in Columbia and Montour Counties.
I encourage you to visit the Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau’s America 250 PA landing page, which highlights events and activities honoring this historic milestone across our two counties. Be sure to take special note of what Chamber members are doing, too. From the Bloomsburg Fair to Knoebels Amusement Resort, (which also turns 100 years old on July 4, 2026), to the Bloomsburg Public Library, Danville Business Alliance, Montour County Historical Society, Berwick Historical Society, and many others, our region is joining the celebration in a big way.
Don’t miss the fun and the celebration, history isn’t only something we read about, it’s fun to be part of it as well!
If You Blink, You’ll Miss It
There’s plenty more coming, too. I’m out of space, or I’d tell you about the view just a few yards further down the road – including several Business After Hours events, like June’s Business After Hours at the Iron Fork, the Municipal Officials’ Appreciation After Hours on July 15, and the Annual Nonprofit Mixer in August. We are also excited for the Fall’s Business Leadership Forum and yes, we’re already gearing up for that big, bold bonanza we call the Holiday Open House.
So, save the dates, mark the calendars, nominate a leader, reserve a seat, review the advertising opportunities, and keep an eye on what is coming next.
Your Chamber is on the move, and we are glad to have you moving with us.