More and better office space, a contemporary and technologically equipped boardroom, visitor space and large work areas resulted from expanding a former 2,000 square-foot office area to 2,900 square feet at the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce (PVCC) office.
Located at 7120 Pav Way, near the heart of downtown, visitors will have plenty of parking at both the front and rear of the attractive one-story building.
Chamber President and CEO Marnie Uhl has nothing but praise for the new space. “We’ve been here a bit over two months, and we are thrilled. Longtime members come in and say, ‘Wow.’ Newer members are pleased to see comfortable visitor seating areas and a really extensive information rack mounted on the inside west wall.”
The space came when the chamber acquired office area at the rear that had previously been used by the NFP Insurance Co. “We removed that separating wall and raised the height of the ceiling and refinished the interior,” said Uhl. “What a difference it has made. We have a back entrance now. Most important, we have a large board room that can accommodate board meetings. We’re scheduling workshops, training sessions and business meetings in there. We can now handle TV and electronic networking, especially with the two 72-inch flat-screen TVs. We urge our members and their organizations to utilize our modern facilities for their meetings. They also can use some of that space for hospitality events.”
Uhl thanks Freeport-McMoRan, a major mining company based in Phoenix, that operates a copper mining plant in Bagdad, a small community 64 miles west of Prescott Valley. “We received a $5,000 grant from Freeport-McMoRan that helped us in much of our updating.”
The PVCC also has forged a partnership with Yavapai College to create an interactive kiosk. That addition will help members learn information more rapidly, similar to kiosks located in major airports.
The additional space may also display a rotating art exhibit. “It’s now possible for us to have art shows organized by the Prescott Valley Art Guild. We’ll be able to showcase some of the finest artistic talent in our community.”
And, she says, the chamber’s short- and long-term plans are definite. “We want to be the best possible resource we can for our members. We encourage chamber members to support each other in their events and promotions.”
Uhl, now in her 14th year as leader of the PVCC, said she was pleased with membership growth. “We really took a hit – all of us did – back in 2008 during the recession. But the years since have seen us grow. We’re at more than 700 members now, and with new businesses coming to town, we’ll keep increasing.”
She mentioned that in the near future, a couple of major convenience stores will be opening. Also to be constructed is a hotel operated by a national chain.
“We really do welcome all the new growth into the central and downtown area. Many more people are attending events at Findlay Toyota Center. That has a dramatic impact on adjacent businesses,” Uhl said.
Membership growth prompted the recent hiring of a new employee, Alexis Burkett, who serves as administrative office assistant. Burkett will provide support for Brady Cabral, membership services manager, and Grose, the operations and events manager.
Uhl credits the PVCC board of directors, especially Past Board Chair Jim Cabral and current Board Chair Chris Graff for recent growth and progress. “These leaders have truly been visionary and forward-thinking. And the support from Fain Signature Group – incredible. We’re planning more and more events, many in cooperation with other Quad Cities communities. Exciting stuff is happening around here.” QCBN
By Ray Newton, QCBN
For more information, visit pvchamer.org.
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