New Year, Same Focus

Everyone I met last week asked me variations on the same question: “Are you excited about your first New Year at the
Chamber?” And each time I came away a little perplexed: Is it a New Year? Obviously. Am I excited about the New
Year? A resounding YES! Do we have a new logo? Yes! (Did you notice?) Are we still the same awesome Chamber
that helps small biz do what they do best? Absolutely! No changes here!

Not everything is new just because the calendar shifts a spot, a big apple drops and fireworks go off around the
world. Some things are still reliable. It’s a new year and I’m supposed to have a new body (nope! Same reliable one
that has got me this far), new diet (no... but I could eat less chocolate), new gym membership (nope, already
committed and sweatin’ off too many Christmas treats), new job – another no!

I’m not new to the Chamber; it’s been an amazing almost two years working with the same staff. Is new nice
sometimes? Yes. But too much new...? Well Netflix and Marie Kondo has shown us the collateral with that decision –
hours of cleaning house and getting rid of all that new stuff that’s not so new anymore.

When it comes to the Chamber, we are not new. We are refreshed from time well spent with family over the holidays
and ready to hit the ground running in 2019 – events, elections and education, oh my! Its looking to be a busy year,
but we are still the same strong group of dedicated staff, Board and members all ready to continue making Oak Park
and River Forest the best Villages to live and work in. Come and meet me at the Chamber and get to know who is
working behind the scenes for you in 2019.