Clonmel chamber

AnnuAl RepoRt 2012/2013


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The Chamber movement – both locally and nationally – is a powerful force for positivity and here in Clonmel Chamber we pride ourselves on being ‘in business for business.’

However, this year we have decided to take this mantra one step further, adopting a pro-active stance against our economic travails and committing to changing the collective mindset, not just at a local level but across the entire island of Ireland.

Following five years of crippling, but necessary, austerity; social discontent; and economic turmoil, we believe that the time has come for positive action.Whilst it is vital that we, as Ireland’s business leaders and entrepreneurs, acknowledge the immense difficulties being experienced by individuals and communities throughout the land, it is also imperative that we now look forward with a shared vision and speak to the future with a united voice.

At a local level, membership of Clonmel Chamber has grown again, itself a real and tangible sign of the united stance which we in the premier county have adopted in an effort to move Ireland forward.

Having witnessed the invaluable benefits that a stronger and more vibrant Chamber movement has brought to the commercial and social fabric of our local areas, we strongly encourage each of you to follow our example and take positive and achievable steps that will ultimately kick-start a national conversation around the urgent need for a vibrant new beginning.

Too often we have heard that ‘perception is reality’. Now is the time for Ireland’s business community to initiate a radical change in the collective mindset and create a new reality for our island; a reality that will convey the confidence, aspiration, ambition and commitment so cherished by provincial towns, such as Clonmel, and help us to steer a calmer course as we navigate our way to a brighter and more prosperous future.

By expanding our horizons, whilst facing up to the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead, we will not only change the world’s perception of Ireland Inc. but create a shift in mindset that will deliver a new vista of hope and opportunity for our island.

The Chamber has long been at the centre of life in Clonmel and South Tipperary and it is because of our members and their support that we have continued to progress to a point where we are now regarded as one of the most dynamic Chambers of Commerce in Ireland. This has only been possible because of the work that members, the volunteers who sit on the board of Directors and the staff of the organisation have done to make sure that Clonmel remains a positive place in which to be in business.

I would like to wish you continued success for the coming year and thank you for your support of Clonmel Chamber.

Valerie O’Reilly,President,Clonmel Chamber

Contents

President’s Address 3

National Enterprise Conference 2012 4

Policy Initiatives 6

Chamber Events 7

Questions & Answers 10

Chamber Week 2012 11

Christmas in Clonmel 12

Shop Local 14

International Trade 15

Clonmel Chamber in the Community 16

County Tipperary Skillnet 18

Social Media Skillnet 19

Directors & Staff 20

Join Clonmel Chamber 21

National Enterprise Conference 2013 22

president’s Address


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The National Enterprise Conference in 2012 was a huge success with delegates from around the country gathering in Hotel Minella. The theme of the conference was ‘growth’ and the five speakers gave their views and insights in to what it meant to them.

Cully Allen, half of the famous Irish food partnership Cully & Sully, opened the conference with an explanation on how he had graduated with a fine art degree and ended up as a soup entrepreneur. He recounted the stages that Sully and he encountered as they developed their product and sought to bring it to market. Cully advocated that businesses be agile and receptive to new ideas in order to be successful.

Lorcan O’Hobain from Skillnets and Shane Cradock both looked at how personal performance and management can make a huge difference to the success of a business. Shane recounted his personal story, detailing extraordinary highs and lows. His frankness silenced the audience who listened to him outlining how we need to manage ourselves better in order to thrive. His presentation can be summed up with one of his quotes; “we recharge our mobile phones more than we recharge our own batteries. That’s wrong”.

Sean Murphy from Chambers Ireland outlined what government and local authorities can do to help businesses grow. He gave a detailed breakdown of the work that Chambers Ireland and local Chambers were doing to make Clonmel and the entire country a better place in which to do business.

Lucy Masterson from Hireland received a fantastic response to her story of how she and a friend had developed an idea at a kitchen table that had sent 4,000 people back to work in 2012. Hireland’s aim is to encourage companies to pledge to fill one job in their company to reduce unemployment in Ireland. Fresh from Hireland winning an award at the Social Entrepreneurs of the Year ceremony in Dublin the night before, Lucy outlined how they had carried out research which demonstrated that their initiative had already saved the Irish government thirty million euro in 2012.

Speaking after the event Chamber President Valerie O’Reilly said that the conference had been a very positive event.

“Stories such as those from Cully, Shane and Lucy demonstrated that one

can be very successful by having the right attitude and the right idea. We

always try to send people away at the end of the conference with food for thought and I believe that this year’s

speakers definitely fulfilled their brief”

the national enterprise

Conference 2012


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policy Initiatives

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The Chamber continued to represent the views of members to local authorities and government in the past twelve months.

In the approach to Budget 2013 Clonmel Chamber was a vociferous opponent of the plans to transfer the responsibility for paid sick leave to employers. Following extensive lobbying by our Chamber and others in the Chamber network the decision to change legislation on the issue remain unchanged.

Locally, the Chamber delivered a comprehensive document outlining the views and suggestions of members on the issue of parking in the town centre. A number of the suggestions contained within the report have been adopted in the Clonmel Parking Strategy document which is at draft stage at the time of going to press.

The upcoming amalgamation of North and South Tipperary County Councils has been the subject of much debate locally. The Chamber has met with key stakeholders in the process throughout the past twelve months to impress on them the strategic importance of Clonmel in the county and the region. We also made a detailed submission to the Electoral Boundary Commission advocating an alignment of Clonmel with Cahir to create a new municipal district. The proposal also suggested that the Clonmel and Cahir municipal district centre should be served by ten of the forty all county Councillors from 2014 onwards.

Nationally, as part of the Chamber network, we launched an ‘Alternative 10 Point Plan’ to generate jobs in the current economy. The plan was launched as a response to the government plan and it was created by subject

matter experts within the Chamber network from around the country. The alternative plan, launched in April 2013 asks for:

1. Introduce a Reduced VAT Rate on Housing Repair, Maintenance and Improvements (RMI)

2. Enable Start-ups to Offset Corporation Tax against Other Taxes Due

3. Halve the level of Capital Gains Tax for Entrepreneurs to 16.5%

4. Introduce a Targeted Rates Reduction for Businesses in Town Centres

5. Introduce a Double Rent Deduction for Companies with Upward Only Rent Reviews

6. Apply an ‘Ireland Rate of Return’ in Tendering Decisions for Public Sector Contracts

7. Introduce an Additional Tax Incentive Policy to Encourage Private Sector Investment

8. Promote Ireland as the Best Possible Location for Nearshoring

9. Mandate all Government Research Funding Agencies to set aside 2.5% of their Budget for SMEs

10. Introduce Further Operational Initiatives to Promote Business Interests

Clonmel Chamber will continue to be the strong voice for business locally, regionally and nationally. We will continue to represent the best interests of members to the relevant bodies. The upcoming changes to local government structures in County Tipperary will be monitored keenly by the Chamber to ensure that Clonmel retains its position as the leading business centre in the county.

Clonmel Chamber has a well won reputation for staging interesting, engaging and informative events for our members. Over the past twelve months we have hosted networking sessions, behind the scenes tours, educational events and much more.

Valerie O'Reilly was elected President of Clonmel Chamber at the June 2012 AGM at The Main Guard. Speaking after her election the new President said that delighted to take on the role at a time when the Chamber was performing so strongly. She also said that she was committed to working to assist businesses in these difficult times. In closing, she thanked the outgoing President, Tina Mulhearne, for her three years in the role and praised her commitment to the Chamber.

Microsoft Ireland chose Clonmel Chamber as one of its partners for their Cloud Computing roadshow in late 2012. Denis Meade, Partner for Cloud Services, at Microsoft Ireland was a guest speaker at the event. Clonmel Chamber is the first Chamber in Ireland to fully utilise cloud services. It has resulted in cost savings and an increase in efficiency. Staff from Microsoft were on hand at the Park Hotel at the event to demonstrate how migrating to the cloud could be of benefit to companies of all sizes.

Chamber events


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The team at O'Gorman, Brannigan, Purtill were again on hand to present at the annual 'Budget Breakfast'. Budget 2013 had much to digest and Audrey Crean, Patrick O'Gorman and their colleagues were on hand to highlight the real impact of budgetary measures to Clonmel businesses.

Each year we like to start the new year with an informal event that brings members and guests together. Last year we spent an evening at the Tipp FM studios in Gurtnafleur. This year we spent an evening at the Tullamore Dew plant on the Waterford Road. Garry Moore and Enda Lynch hosted the event which included a presentation about the company, a guided tour of the facility and a nosing and tasting session. Needless to say, a good evening was had by all who attended!

Ask any business what they want more of and the chances are that they will answer the same way: more sales. With that in mind, we hosted an evening sales seminar with Charlie Mernagh in February. There was a full house for the presentation and feedback from the event was particularly good.

There has been significant coverage of the impending insolvency act. In March we asked a number of experts to present to members on the topic. John Lynch, Tom Pollard, Andrea Gleasure and Freddie Hatton presented to a packed room at Raheen House on the issue.

We are consistently working to provide opportunities for members to create new business relationships, stay informed on issues that impact on local businesses and develop new skills to drive future success. Our events calendar is consistently being updated. Upcoming events for 2013 include an evening at Powerstown Park racecourse, a number of guest speakers covering topics suggested by members and an earlier than usual Budget Breakfast 2014.

We are able to offer these events free to members because of their support through membership subscriptions. We believe that membership of the Chamber should provide a return on investment and that is why our events are focused on developing revenue and further success for member companies.

Chamber events

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Questions & Answers In October 2012 Clonmel Chamber hosted the first Questions & Answers event. Based on the format of the popular television programme, the event offered members the opportunity to get direct answers to direct questions.

The panel consisted of local and national politicians and decision makers and included Clonmel Town Clerk Ger Walsh, Mayor Billy Shoer, Minister Brian Hayes, Tom Hayes TD and Pat Leahy from The Sunday Business Post. Fran Curry from Tipp FM chaired the panel on the night.

The aim of the event was to bring public sector decision makers and Chamber members together to enable both sides to hear directly from the other

Questions on the night came from the audience and covered many topics including centralised procurement, increases in costs to businesses, commercial rates in Clonmel, the influence of the troika on government policy and much more.

Clonmel native Pat Leahy provided a fascinating overview of the issues at the heart of the Fine Gael & Labour government and how they would impact on future budgets and legislation.

Feedback from the event was particularly positive and we are currently working on the 2013 event which will be one of the main events on Chamber Week 2013.

Chamber WeekChamber Week 2012 saw members go behind the scenes at one of the world’s leading racehorse training establishments. Ballydoyle Racing is regarded globally as the trainer of champions and a small group of members were treated to a very special guided tour. Polly Murphy from Ballydoyle demonstrated an encyclopaedic knowledge of the operation as members were guided around the over five hundred acre site. The first week in October was a particularly busy time at Ballydoyle as staff were preparing to travel to France to participate in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Members were given an overview of the science behind the sport and the efforts undertaken by Aidan O’Brien and his team to train world class horses.

Aside from the Questions & Answers event which is covered in detail in this report, members of the Chamber were also invited to participate in a unique health and safety training course entitled ‘Deal With It’. The course was delivered by trainers from Clonmel Chamber member company SOG Ltd. ‘Deal With It’ training differs from other health and safety training because it is interactive. On the day, staff from Wm Grants, Medite, Corman Miloko and the Chamber were put through their paces by trainers Neil and Clive.

All Chamber Week events are free. The aim of Chamber Week is to raise awareness throughout Ireland about the work undertaken by Chambers of Commerce. The initiative was devised by Clonmel Chamber CEO Brian Cleary. Over fifty Chambers held Chamber Week events in 2012. The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce will be taking part in the 2013 event adding to the momentum that has built around the initiative.


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Santa Claus came to Clonmel in style on December 8th when he arrived at The Main Guard on his Polar Express train. His arrival was part of a day of Christmas festivities in the town organised to attract people to the town centre. Hundreds of children took part in art classes, carol singing and story telling in the County Museum on Saturday morning. Santa Claus arrived at the museum at 2pm just in time to catch the Polar Express train to The Main Guard with art competition winners. He was greeted by Banna Cluain Meala and over 200 people when he arrived at the landmark building and he had more than a few surprises up his sleeve. Santa and his elves had lucky bags for all of the children who were lucky enough to get in to see him in the grotto while the first one hundred and twenty five groups that visited Santa were also given a surprise. They each received a C20 Clonmel shopping voucher that could be redeemed in over seventy Clonmel stores. Santa met over 300 children in the two hours that he was at the grotto and he then joined Clonmel’s Roz Purcell to switch on the Christmas lights. Brian Cleary from Clonmel Chamber organised the event as part of the Clonmel Retail Forum and he said that they were happy with the day “There was a great atmosphere in the town and we were all genuinely taken aback by how many people

Christmasin Clonmel

came out to meet Santa and to take a trip on the train. If we had stayed until 8 or 9pm we wouldn’t have got through the queue of people waiting to see Santa and that’s something that we need to look at for next year’s event”. The event was made possible by the Association of Clonmel Traders and Clonmel Chamber of Commerce with financial assistance from both the Borough and County Councils.


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Clonmel Chamber has continued to maintain its focus on developing opportunities for member companies in overseas markets.

Our annual ‘Doing Business In..’ event focused on one of the world’s most dynamic economies – China. Daniel Gao and Philip Singleton spoke to delegates about how Clonmel companies could begin to do business in a market of over one billion people. Following the event a number of attendees met with Daniel Gao at the Chinese embassy in Dublin to further explore how their companies could do business in China.

In February 2013 Clonmel Chamber CEO Brian Cleary was part of a delegation of local groups that travelled to Reading to develop links. Reading has been twinned with Clonmel

since 1994 and the recent trip was regarded by many as the most purposeful twinning trip of any group to Reading. While there, the Chamber CEO met with counterparts in Thames Valley Chamber. Both Chambers have committed to work on a project to benefit members of both Chambers. The Clonmel delegation also met with representatives of local tourism organisations and the Reading Irish Club.

One of the most anticipated events in 2013 will be ‘The Gathering of Chambers’. This event will see members of Clonmel Chamber meet with members of Cambridge Chamber from Ontario in Canada. The aim of the September 11th event will be to look at opportunities for Irish companies in the bustling Canadian market and for Canadian companies to identify opportunities in Ireland.

International trade


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Clonmel Chamber has always been at the heart of the local community and the past twelve months have been no different. During the course of the year the Chamber has played a part in many events including the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Entente Florale competition, Tidy Towns, Christmas in Clonmel, the Intel Ideation event with the Lions Club and many more.

The 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade was one of the most colourful ever. Local arts group Shellikybookie were one of the stand-out groups of the event with a number of elaborate floats that highlighted the parade theme of ‘The Beauty That Surrounds Us’. The parade was watched by thousands of spectators who were delighted by over forty local sporting, artistic and community groups. The St. Patrick’s Day Committee convened meetings in September 2012 to begin planning for the weekend’s festivities. Aside from the parade there was an historical lecture about the 18th century property tax, the annual gala dinner at Hotel Minella and much more.

The Eileen Anderson Unsung Hero Award was presented to Michelle Meagher at the gala dinner. The event itself had a record turnout with almost two hundred people attending the event. Michelle was honoured for her work with the Irish Red Cross and a range of other local organisations.

Months earlier the Chamber had played a large part in the Entente Florale completion. Clonmel never looked as good as it did in the summer of 2012. A multitude of groups in town collaborated in the town’s entry to the Entente Florale Europe competition. Clonmel Chamber was represented on the steering committee by Brian Cleary.

The aim of the steering committee was to ensure that Clonmel put its best foot forward on the 3rd of August for the visit of the judges and to ensure that the enhancements were of long lasting benefit to the town.

During the course of the preparations the business community in the town made a significant effort by painting their buildings and displaying hanging baskets. Clonmel’s overall success is due in no small part to the efforts expended by the business sector in the approach to judging day.

On the 3rd of August the judges started the day with a presentation led by Brian Cleary, Cllr Darren Ryan and Martin Nolan from Clonmel Borough Council. They then travelled through Clonmel meeting volunteers from over 20 organisations who outlined the work that they did to make Clonmel a great place in which to live.

Clonmel was subsequently awarded a silver medal at the Entente Florale Europe prize giving ceremony in Holland on September 14th. Nineteen cities, towns and villages took part in the 2012 competition.

The silver award denoted a result of between 65% and 84% in overall marking. The jury praised Clonmel on many areas in the overall report. The close liaison between the statutory and voluntary agencies impressed the jury as did the towns links with the environment. The jury gave praise to the town’s seasonal planting displays. The report described many of the planted beds as being ‘superb in presentation’. The visit to St. Oliver’s School was highly praised as was the jury’s visit to Willow Park.

ClonmelChamber in

the Community

The jury report concluded that “it was obvious that the preparations for the competition embraced the spirit of the competition and that all aspects of the criteria had been prepared”.

Speaking at the awards ceremony in Venlo, Mayor Billy Shoer praised the multitude of local groups that played a part in helping Clonmel win the silver award. “None of this would have been possible without many groups deciding that they wanted to do their best for Clonmel. The exceptional efforts of each and every person were pivotal to our success. The spirit of co-operation demonstrated was heartening and I hope that it has created a base from which we can build in the future” he said.

The Mayor also paid tribute to the steering committee who had worked on the Entente Florale project from January of 2012. The committee consisted of representatives from Clonmel Borough Council, South Tipperary County Council, Clonmel Tidy Towns, Clonmel Chamber and the Association of Clonmel Traders.


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County tipperarySkillnet

During May - August 2012 a group of job seekers took part in a series of training programmes provided by Future People, Cashel funded by County Tipperary Skillnet (pictured below). The aim of this Job Seeker Support Programme (JSSP) is to give participants an opportunity to enhance their skills in the area of personal development, project management and IT with a view to supporting and increasing their future job prospects in the area of IT and project management.

An integral part of the programme concluded with a 5 week work placement facilitated by local companies who were very supportive. As a result of this training some have secured work while others are taking part in further training to develop their skills.

Due to the success of the JSSP 2012 County Tipperary Skillnet secured funding for another JSSP which started on March 11, 2013.

Charlie Mernagh delivering FETAC Supervisory Skills training to a group of local business people in Clonmel for County Tipperary Skillnet.

About us: Social Media Skillnet is a national, enterprise-led, training network committed to the development and delivery of training at a subsidised rate through availing of Government funding. The network was formed in July 2011 in response to the huge demand for training in social media, but has since branched out to include other areas such as IT training and recruitment training. Our mission is to enhance the skills of people in employment in Ireland through relative training that supports efficiency and competitiveness.

Highlights: In September 2012, the network organised a FREE Seminar to ‘Develop your LinkedIn/Brand Online’ which was held in the DCU Ryan Academy in City West, Dublin. Speakers at the event included 3 delegates from LinkedIn Ireland (Jack Hanratty, Donnacha Friel and Riona Mulhall). There were almost 70 participants in attendance to witness this hugely informative event. Topics covered included how to best leverage LinkedIn for free, how to find and attract contacts and connections, how to use LinkedIn for Business development and how to identify prospects. In conjunction with this, we also held an Interview Skills and Preparation Course in the afternoon. The Network hopes to run this popular event in 2013 also.

In March 2013, the network organised an event called ‘Social Media A Road To Success’ (SMARTS) in the DCU Ryan Academy, City West Business Campus in Dublin. We hadspeakers presenting on the major social media topics of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube/Multimedia and Blogging. The 30 delegates in attendance got an opportunity to hear first-hand from businesses who shared their insider tips and tricks on how their business benefits from integrating social media into their marketing and promotion plans.

Success: Throughout 2012, the Network contributed to the training of over 300 employed participants from nearly 200 different member companies and over 50 unemployed participants; totalling almost 700 training days. These targets have increased throughout 2013. The success of the network is due to the following: • Offering subsidised high quality, relevant training

identified by the customer• Developing the business competence and skills of the

members

• Creating a forum for the exchange of knowledge and information on training

• Tailoring social media content to align with business priorities and customer interests

• Updating and improving IT Skills across all levels

Member Companies & Courses: The target group for Social Media Skillnet comprises of mainly SMEs with a limited number of larger businesses from various sectors on a National Level. Becoming a member company is free of charge; you simply have to partake in training to avail of our discounted rates! Our training is specifically organised in response to member company needs, ensuring that all training that we offer is relevant to current business needs. Our contracted training providers have passed through a rigorous tendering process, ensuring that we have selected the most experienced, effective trainers in their subject areas. Typical training programmes include Social Media Courses (including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Etc), Digital Marketing/Internet Marketing Courses, Internet Recruiter Courses, HR Masterclass in Social Media Courses, VM Ware, Project Management Professional and IT Courses.

FREE Training for Jobseekers: Whilst our key focus is on the needs of member companies, we also offer a limited number of free places to those who are unemployed and seeking to increase their employment prospects through up-skilling and networking. If you are currently unemployed and fit the Skillnets definition of a jobseeker (see www.skillnets.ie/jobseeker), you may be eligible to attend training with the Network with no charge or impact on your social welfare payments or benefits. Social Media Skillnet has also been awarded funding from Skillnets Limited for training courses through the Job-Seekers Support Programme in 2013. The Job-seekers Support Programme (JSSP) is a 100% funded initiative aimed solely at training unemployed people. It provides skills which are in demand by industry, combined with direct access to employers through work placements. We have chosen to run a Web Design/Digital Marketing Programme with these JSSP funds.To find out more information or to discuss how Social Media Skillnet can address your training needs, please contact Maggie on details below.Maggie O’ Brien (Network Manager) 052 6191102/ 086 7776476 or [email protected]

SKILLNETSocial Media Skillnet


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2020

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Clonmel Chamber has been at the heart of business and the community for almost ninety years. Today, the organisation is regarded nationally as one of the leading Chambers in Ireland. Initiatives and business practices put in place by Clonmel Chamber have been adopted by other groups around the country.

The range of services and events available to our members is broad and is built to meet the needs of a diverse group of businesses who have chosen to become members.

Our membership offering is built around the belief that membership is an investment and that our work must provide a return on that investment. We believe that memb sership must provide real opportunities for members to realise a return on the investment that they have made in the organisation.

Here are some of the benefits available to Clonmel Chamber members:

Promote Your Business

We firmly believe that people will do business with people they know. That is why we offer networking opportunities every month to enable member businesses to promote their services and products to other members. These have proven to be very successful and are well attended each month. The networking events are free to members and are hosted in a range of locations around Clonmel.Each day, our staff members pass on business leads and referrals to member companies. As the largest business services organisation in the county we are consistently asked to recommend service and product providers to local companies.

Our weekly newsletter is read by over five hundred business people in County Tipperary each week. It presents members with a fantastic platform to promote their businesses free of charge.

Up To The Minute Information

Our range of events throughout the year feature guest speakers and our participation in the Small Business Advice service means that our members can access specialist mentors at any time. Small Business Advice is a free service offering a number of free mentoring sessions on issues of concern for companies. So far in 2012 Clonmel companies have met with finance, business development, marketing, taxation, logistics and human resources consultants. They have been able to avail of free mentoring in these critical business areas.

Have Your Voice Heard

Our Directors and Staff represent the business community on approximately thirty boards and committees in South Tipperary. They do so to best represent the needs and the aspirations of the business community. In the past twelve months the Chamber has played a significant role in the Town Centre Forum, a body consisting of members of Clonmel Borough Council, the Association of Clonmel Traders and the Chamber. This group has commissioned a marketing plan to drive footfall in the town centre and to increase revenue for local businesses.

In the past twelve months we have also produced a highly regarded strategy document on the parking issue and a submission to the Electoral Boundaries Commission.

Nationally, Clonmel Chamber is represented on the board of Chambers Ireland which is the largest business group in the country. Issues concerning our members are brought to decision makers in local authorities and national government on a daily basis. We do this to ensure that Clonmel maintains a pro business environment and that it remains a great place in which to be in business.

About Clonmel Chamber

Clonmel Chamber is the largest member services organisation in County Tipperary. In recent years we have enjoyed membership growth. We believe that this is as a result of our ethos of providing relevant services, products and information to the business community. We are also the voice of the business community in Clonmel and South Tipperary. Our member companies employ approximately ten thousand people. Every day we work to maintain a pro-business environment in the region to ensure that those businesses survive and develop.

Who We AreThe Chamber has a full time staff of four people and two interns. Each staff member and intern works on behalf of members every day. Our staff members are always available to answer any questions that members or prospective members may have.

Chamber CouncilPresident Valerie O’Reilly Unicorn PR

Vice Presidents Mark Hanratty Bulmers Peter O’Donnell Sinclair Property

Directors Michael Boyle Clonmel Park Hotel Don Davern New Vision Kieran Dunne MSD Kevin Finn Abbott Vascular Walter Heneghan Suir Pharma Aisling Kilroy The Narrow Space Conor Moroney Moroney’s Footwear(List correct at time of going to press, April 2013)

Staff & Contact Details

CEO Brian Cleary T: 052 6191101 [email protected]

County Jackie Ryan T: 052 61 91105Tipperary [email protected] Sabrina Guida T: 052 61 91103 [email protected]

Social Media Maggie O’Brien T: 052 61 91102Skillnet [email protected]

Administration Karen Walters T: 052 6126500 [email protected] Ciara Kiely T; 052 6126500 [email protected]

Contact DetailsClonmel Chamber Tel: 052 61 265008 Sarsfield Street Fax: 052 61 26378Clonmel E-mail: [email protected]. Tipperary Web: www.clonmelchamber.com Twitter: @ClonmelChamber

President

Vice-Presidents

Council Members

CEO

County Tipperary Skillnet

Social Media Skillnet


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The 2013 National Enterprise Conference held in Clonmel on Friday last saw a range of speakers provide advice on how businesses can develop in the current climate. The theme of the conference was ‘secrets of success’ and the event attracted speakers from the UK and Ireland.

The event was hosted by Clonmel Chamber of Commerce and it attracted a large attendance from across the country.

Jim Miley, CEO of The Gathering, spoke at length about his personal experience of developing the internet startup MyHome.ie as well as giving an insight into the development of The Gathering initiative. He was also on hand to help the Chamber launch their Gathering 2013 event. The event will see up to eighty members of Cambridge Chamber in Ontario come to County Tipperary to meet with members of Clonmel Chamber. The September event will aim to develop business opportunities in Canada for Clonmel companies.

One of the most popular speakers on the day was Google executive Cian O’Mongain who outlined how the tools produced by his company can be used to increase revenue and visibility in a very crowded marketplace. Dr. Sharon O’Kane, Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Manchester spoke of her own personal experiences of establishing a medical devices company, Renovo, and bringing it to a stock exchange listing and then exiting the company. Margaret O’Connor from Nenagh has won many awards including an Ulster Bank Business Achiever Award. She spoke about how her family business had developed from a four person operation to being a nationwide operation with almost two hundred employees in fifteen locations. The final speaker on the day was the charismatic Fred Karlsson from internet sensation DoneDeal.ie. He spoke about how his business was developed by necessity and how he had built it to being a website that is now visited 450,000 a day.

Speaking after the conference Chamber CEO Brian Cleary remarked on how positive the event was.

the national enterprise

Conference 2013

“One thing that struck me with every single speaker today was how their

companies had all begun simply and how they had all developed their

businesses by using a healthy mix of data and gut instinct. The feedback

that we received was extremely positive. The personal stories of those on stage seem to have resonated with

our audience”

Contact Details:

Clonmel Chamber,8 Sarsfield Street,Clonmel,Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 052 61 26500e-mail: [email protected]: www.clonmelchamber.com

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