Membership Information Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce 700 Main Street Sebastian, FL 32958 Phone: (772) 589-5969 Fax: (772) 589-5993 www.SebastianChamber.com Mission Statement “The Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce is a pro-active member supported association of businesses, organizations and individuals, united in their efforts to support a healthy business environment, promote business development, encourage growth of tourism, and to use its collective strength to enhance the quality of life in the community.”
Transcript
Membership Information
Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce 700 Main Street Sebastian, FL 32958
Phone: (772) 589-5969 Fax: (772) 589-5993
www.SebastianChamber.com
Mission Statement
“The Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce is a pro-active
member supported association of businesses, organizations and
individuals, united in their efforts to support a healthy business
environment, promote business development, encourage growth
of tourism, and to use its collective strength to enhance the quality
of life in the community.”
Dear Prospective Member,
Welcome to the Sebastian River Area! We are pleased that you have chosen our area to do business in and that you
are interested in joining our Chamber. We think you will find that making the Chamber Choice will help you in many
ways. Your membership has its privileges and in the following pages you’ll find many different ways to increase
revenue, reduce your costs and build relationships to maximize your bottom line. While you are working your
business, we are promoting you on different levels, and working on your behalf, twenty four seven!
Our Chamber was established in 1958, and the area we cover is a very special place to live, work and play. Our
Chamber Board and staff are dedicated to helping you be successful. We know that entrepreneurial spirit is the
backbone of our community, and we recognize the commitments that you have made with your time and money to be
successful. We want to help you do that!
The Chamber’s programs and services are flexible and designed to help you customize your Chamber membership to
fit your business needs. We want to enhance your visibility, help you solidify your reputation and expand your market
share! Our Chamber is very active and our schedule includes three networking events each month, special projects,
festivals and concerts. Our promotional material and our very successful website are great tools to have in your kit!
Our members support each other and there is a strong belief in doing business with each other, especially Chamber
members.
We know you will see the value in becoming a member and making the Chamber Choice!
Sincerely,
Beth L. Mitchell
President/CEO
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Membership Features & Chamber Communication……..2
Festivals & Events…………………………………………..3
Chamber Website…………………………………………...4
Networking Opportunities & Events……………………….5
Your Membership with Added Value……………………...6
Promotional Tools…………………………………………...7
Tourism……………………………………………………....….8
New Member Specials & Committees…………………..…...9
Testimonials…………………………………………………...10
Board of Directors / Chamber Staff…………………………11
Annual Investment……………………………………………13
Application……………………………………………………..14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Membership Features
Advertising Campaigns for Chamber Members
Membership Directory Listings
Website listing and links on www.SebastianChamber.com
Subscription to Chamber Currents Digital Newsletter and Chamber Intel digital weekly e-blast.
Insert in Chamber Currents Digital Newsletter (1 free at joining)
Chamber Member Referral Services
Attendance at Networking events
City Maps, Community Guides and Visitors Guides
Marketing opportunities at Chamber events: Concerts in the Park, Golf Tournament, and Light Up Night.
Business cards and brochures displayed at the Pelican Porch Visitors Center.
Press releases for grand openings, promotions, etc.
Free use of Chamber library, including demographics, DOT plans, Master Plans, Economic Development plans, etc.
Services passed on to members through the Chamber’s affiliation with other organizations such as: Career Source Research Coast, FACP, ACCE, Better Business Bureau, Treasure Coast Human Resource Association, VISIT Florida, and others.
Business Counseling Services through SCORE
Spotlight opportunities in our Chamber Currents digital Newsletter
Hosting opportunities for monthly Breakfast or Business & Pleasure networking events.
Member to Member discount program
Member news shared in weekly Chamber Intel eblast
And MORE!
Chamber Communications
Chamber Intel: Weekly email broadcast from Constant Contact to our members sent out very Friday. Content in Intel is chamber driven, with events coming up the next week and is also the first place that the monthly newsletter is broadcasted to members
Chamber Digital Newsletter: In addition to the monthly calendar it also includes columns by all staff members, the membership spotlight and the tourism spotlight, pictures from the previous month’s events and any other timely information. It reaches all contacts on Constant Contact, Facebook, and visitors who go directly to the Chamber website. The Chamber Newsletter page is ranked in the top 10 most frequently visited pages on our site.
Tourism Email Blast: A monthly tourism e-blast that promotes activities taking place along with save the date information for the next month. It also includes pictures, our Tourism Spotlight, social media links and more. Our tourism database consists of over 7,100 email addresses. This includes inquiries we receive from our website, phone calls, sign up sheets from festivals and the Chamber visitors center, reader services leads, and Chamber membership. Facebook: The Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce currently manages and maintains two Facebook Fan Pages.
Tourism Fan Page: Promotes tourism in the Sebastian River Area through the use of area photos, links to commu-nity events, fishing reports, recreational activities, etc.
www.Facebook.com/SebastianChamber (Business)
Business Fan Page: Connecting with the Business Community via social media. This Fan Page serves as a platform to introduce new members, promote chamber networking events, workshops, ribbon cuttings, etc.
Instagram: Instagram is a fast and fun way to share our photos and videos of the Sebastian River Area. Through Instagram we also share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. We post photos and hashtags, (i.e. #SebastianFL, #FellsmereFL #DiscoverAmerica, #OutdoorsUSA, #LoveFL). Pinterest: We created pinboards with photos to promote the Sebastian River Area and its various activities and attractions. We have 17 Boards, 122 pins and 146 followers. Examples of our pin boards include Lodging, Restaurants, Weddings, Festivals, Working Waterfront, On the Water, On the Land, Things to Do, Kayaking, Fishing, Sebastian, Fellsmere, etc. Twitter: Our Twitter account is linked to our Facebook ac-count so all of our Facebook posts automatically post to Twitter. We currently have 763 followers.
Promote your Business for free at Festivals & Events
We work hard throughout the year, promoting our businesses as well as all of our community festivals. Our
Chamber team mans booths, sells t-shirts, and hands our Visitors Guides, maps and other materials at all of
these community and non profit based happenings in the area. As a chamber member you can join us in our
booth and get face time in front of thousands of people to promote your business. Bring your promotional
materials, sport your company shirt, find new clients and customers, and work the crowds with us!
The Sebastian Riverfront Fine Art & Music Festival, held in January for the last 15 years, is a juried art and fine craft
festival coupled with a music venue that runs alongside the Indian River Lagoon waterfront at Riverview Park in Sebastian.
This show is designed to present an event that will provide cultural enhancements for the citizens in the area.
Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival — Four days of frog legs, carnival, and red neck Olympics in Down Town Fellsmere, this
volunteer based event was the brain child of a former county commissioner who wanted to raise money for the recreational
needs of the children in Fellsmere. A winner of two Guinness Book of World Records for most frogs sold at a festival, the Frog
Leg Festival attracts over 50,000 people to the area and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the
community over the last eighteen years!
ShrimpFest, held at Fellsmere City Hall Park, 22 Orange Street, is a great event where you can enjoy craft beer, fresh
shrimp, kids events, live music, and vendors. Proceeds will help fund Youth Sports in North Indian River County
In March, the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival is held to celebrate the first national wildlife refuge established in our country by
President Theodore Roosevelt back in 1903. This very special day unites all the environmental groups in our area who
promote the preservation and protection of our historical and natural resources.
Sebastian celebrates the Fourth of July with a good old fashioned hometown parade and an all day party in the park with
fireworks in the evening. Over 10,000 people show up for this patriotic extravaganza.
November is the soft tourism season in our area, and the Sebastian Clambake Festival serves up clams in a variety of ways,
highlighting the working waterfront heritage of the Lagoon to our yearly visitors. This three day event also provides historical
enactments, wacky raft races and delightful events for families. Held at Riverview Park, the Clambake Foundation gives
thousands of dollars back to the community with their grant programs for capital improvement projects for not for profits.
The Lionfish Festival is known for Making Delicious Dishes from Destructive Fishes! FWC has been encouraging
mitigation efforts through conducting fishing tournaments for years, but a new mitigation technique is being encouraged which
is for you to "Be the Predator." Held at Capt Hiram’s Sandbar, this event kicks off with a derby followed by a cook-off
competition. Guests learn about the lionfish invasion, how to prepare these fish safely, and different ways to help protect our
coastal ecosystems from their harmful biological impacts. All attendees are able to try multiple lionfish dishes prepared by
competing local restaurants and vote for their favorite.
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Get connected at www.SebastianChamber.com
We launched our redesigned site in February 2013—be sure to check out all of the great information and features it has to offer! Your Chamber membership includes exposure to hundreds of thousands of visitors to our website, and is working for you 24/7! This very user friendly website receives over 500 visitors a day, and they are looking for you!
Our web visitors spend approximately 5 minutes on our site as they are looking for things to do, places to stay, services and products that they need. As a member you are listed in our directory and on the site at no charge, and can easily be found through several different search methods. The site includes our monthly calendar where you can find everything you need to keep in touch with Chamber events and community information. Our promotional videos, eco-heritage tours and other features keep the visitors informed and entertained.
There are several methods of increasing your exposure on the site:
Featured Web Page: Enhance your standard web listing with a Featured Web Page listing. Your upgraded listing will include your logo, a 750 word business description, and up to 5 photos, and 1 video. Featured listings are priority list-ings so your information will appear before others in your category without a featured listing. Your own dedicated page on our site costs less than $15 a month! The number of visitors to your exclusive page is recorded, and all of the visitor activ-ity is available to you at any time, so you can track and see how www.SebastianChamber.com is working for you! $175
Web Banner Program: We are excited to roll out a new web banner program. Banners will increase your expo-sure on our website in addition to linking to your website. Banners starting from $325/year
2014/2015 2015/2016
Sessions: 65,090 75,887
Users: 50,562 56,982
Pageviews: 156,808 164,857
Average Pages/Session: 2.41 2.17
Average Time on Site: 2:11 1.43
Bounce Rate: 60.95% 71.81%
74% New Sessions; 26% Returning Users
Top Countries Visiting our Website:
US, Russia, Brazil, Ukraine, Canada
Top Domestic States Visiting our Website: FL, NY, GA, TX, CA, NJ, NC, PA, MA, IL
Top FL Cities Visiting: Sebastian, Vero Beach, Palm Bay, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Port Saint Lucie, Ft. Pierce, and Miami Beach
Website Google Analytics: June 8, 2015—June 8, 2016
Link your own website on our Chamber site!
www.SebastianChamber.com Did you know that “linking out” sends trackable traffic, makes your site more
valuable, search engines likely reward the behavior algorithmically, incentivizes
“links in” and encourages positive participation & contribution? Wow!
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Take advantage of our Networking Opportunities & Events
Monthly Chamber Networking
Networking at Chamber events helps you meet potential
customers, clients, and vendors. These events provide
great opportunities to get to know new people and expand
your prospect base.
Networking Breakfasts are held on the first Friday of the
month from 8—9am. Enjoy light food and refreshments,
raffle prizes and 50/50 drawing. Learn about and show
support for fellow members of the chamber and business
community.
Chamber Luncheon Speaker Series are held on the
second Tuesday of the month from Noon to 1pm.
Attendees will hear from a member Sponsor as well as
a selected Speaker. Enjoy lunch, raffle prizes, 50/50
drawing and the chance to win the Chamber Spotlight.
Chamber Business N’ Pleasures are held on the third
Thursday of the month from 5:30—7:00pm. Enjoy food
and refreshments, raffle prizes and 50/50 drawing.
Learn about and show support for fellow chamber
members and their businesses.
Concerts in the Park is a series of 8 concerts held
January through May. Concerts are hosted at
Riverview Park from 5:30-8:00pm.
Each year in May Chamber business leaders gather
for a great day of golf, networking with fellow business
members and community leaders at the Sebastian
Municipal Golf Course.
The annual Media Auction, held in September,
provides members and attendees the opportunity to
purchase media packages at a very reduced rate.
The whole business community opens its doors for
the residents, and visitors, and holds a good old
fashion customer appreciation evening. On the first
Friday after Thanksgiving we jump start the holiday
season with this very popular event.
Chamber Sponsored Events
Participating in these events is a great way to stay connected
with the business community and gives new and existing
clients the opportunity to learn about your business.
Business N’ Pleasure / Ribbon Cutting at Florida Eye Institute
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Things heat up in August with this community-wide
event. Businesses bust out their grills, show customer
appreciation, and take part in a fruit-carving competi-
tion amongst participating locations.
Your Membership with Added Value
Sponsor a Luncheon: Your business has the opportunity to receive maximum brand exposure by sponsoring a Chamber Luncheon. As a Sponsor you will receive the benefits of:
10 minutes reserved on the agenda to speak about and promote your business, make announcements, introduce employees and staff, educate and inform.
Exclusive rights to luncheon tabletops for brochures, handouts, or other promotional materials.
Business advertising in all promotions for luncheon including the Hometown News, Chamber Newsletter, Broadcast Email, and website.
2 Lunch Admissions
Business cards from the Spotlight drawing
With our ever increasing member roster and lunch attendees, it is a great way to promote your business. $150
Second Listing: If your business falls under more than one category, you may wish to be listed in more than one place. (e.g. Boat Tours and Kayak Rentals or Lawn Maintenance and Tree Trimming) A second listing provides you with another categorical listing in our directory and on the website. $50
Mailing Labels / Email Blast: If you have a special promotion or a message to get out to the business community, here ’s an option to spread the word. We provide printed mailing labels for a small one-time fee of $125. Just give us a call, we can turn your re-quest around in 24 hours. Sorry we do not sell our email list, but we can email blast for you for $125.
Inquiry List: Our office is the designated Visitors Center for the Sebastian River Area and the Scenic Byway. We receive inquir-ies throughout the year requesting visitor and relocation information. For $100, we will share our list of inquiries with you on the 1st and 15th of the month. We average between 40 and 60 inquiries per month.
Web Banner Program: www.sebastianchamber.com averages over 164,857 page views per year.
Top 10 (Premium) Pages
BANNER SIZES and Prices
Concerts in the Park: A series of eight outdoor concerts held at Riverview Park, near the Indian River Lagoon, from January to May. Presented in partnership with the City of Sebastian, the Chamber and its business sponsors bring music and talent to the commu-nity, and promote the Chamber businesses with unique style— Members can donate gift certificates, prizes and promotional items for the audience to win. Sponsorship for an eight-concert series is $1,000 and includes banner display at all eight concerts, business an-nounced at all eight concerts, advertising in all concert promotional material in Event Fliers/Posters, Hometown News, Chamber News-letter, Broadcast Emails, and Chamber website.
Golf Tournament: This 25 Year tradition is one of the Chamber ’s most important fundraisers. Various levels of Sponsorship packag-es are available to enhance your visibility at this well attended event. Sponsorship Packages range from $100—1,000.
Media Auction: Our media partners donate their products and services, newspaper ads, web services, radio time, print and online advertising, and other unique marketing products so that our businesses can stretch their advertising budgets and expand their market share. Media donors can reserve event space to promote services and products; sponsorship, catering, and hosting opportunities are also available.
Light Up Night: Kick off the holiday season and join in the festivities for this community favorite. Spread cheer with customer appreciate giveaways and raffles, snacks and refreshments. Have your business listed on the map and in the printed list of participating businesses (on Posters and in TC Palm) for a nominal fee of $35.
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Request a Free Visitors Guide Our Communities About the Chamber Parks Newsletter
Festivals & Events Board of Directors About Sebastian Visitors Center Hiking & Birding Trails
Premium Advertising: Wide SKYSCRAPER 160x600 20 locations of your choice (5 premium)- $5,000 10 Locations of your choice (3 premium)- $3,000 4 Locations of your choice (1 premium)- $1,700 1 Premium Location of your choice- $1,000
Highest Exposure: Wide Skyscraper 160x600 pixles
1 Location of your choice $750
Half Skyscraper 160x300 pixels
1 Location of your choice $475
Good Visibility
Rectangle Banner 180x150 pixels 1 Location of your choice $425
Square Button 125x125 pixels 1 Location of your choice $325
Printed Chamber Promotional Tools
Visitors Guide
The Chamber prints 25,000 Visitors
Guides annually. Distribution includes:
Visit Florida Welcome Centers
I-95 (Yulee) Approx 5,000/year
I-75 (Jennings) Approx 4,000/year
Chamber Visitor Center
Over 120 Tourism Related Businesses
Hotels, Restaurants, Attractions,
and Airports
7 Local Festivals
Melbourne International Airport
Baggage Kiosk & Information Desk
Mailed in response to Inquiries and
Leads (over 5,000 in 2014)
Advertising opportunities are available
to our Tourism Partners.
Business Directory
The Chamber Business Directory is distributed to Members, advertisers, businesses, and the community.
We provides Directories to Visitors and Residents. We include the Directory in all relocation packages!
We print 6,000 annually.
Volume distributors include:
City/Town Halls
Banks
Insurance Companies
Large Employers
Hospitals
Restaurants
Hotels
Retailers & Merchants
Libraries
Advertising opportunities are available to all Chamber Members.
Sebastian River Area Map
This comprehensive map includes South
Brevard, North Indian River County, and
the cities of Fellsmere, Grant, Hollywood,
Micco, Sebastian and Wabasso.
This is the most updated map of the area
with current street changes, additions of
any developments, etc.
The map is distributed to the general
public and all public safety and police
officers receive it as a service to our
community.
As a Chamber Member, you
have the opportunity to advertise
in our Award Winning Visitors
Guide and Business Directory!
For more than 15 years, these
publications have been the go-to
guides for planning trips,
relocating, or doing business in
the Sebastian River Area.
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Encouraging the growth of Tourism
Pelican Porch Visitor’s Center: We are a designated Visitor’s Center on the Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Byway and a VISIT FLORIDA Certified Tourism Information Center. We average 12,000 visitors a year looking for things to see and do while on vacation and we offer the opportunity to learn about and collect information on local attractions. Research shows that visitors who stop into a welcome center stay longer and spend more money on their vacation based on information and the experience they receive while at the center.
We distribute visitor guides & maps, business information, cultural guides, historical books and more. We showcase several videos highlighting things to do and the history of our area and two additional TV monitors that link to the Sebastian Inlet and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge webcams. Our Interactive Kiosk allows visitors to search for local activities, at-tractions, dining and book accommodations. We also have two large map displays for visitors to get their bearings as well as a Children’s Display. Our Pelican Porch, complete with rocking chairs, offers a place for visitors to sit or use our view-finder for an up-close look at wildlife and activity on the Indian River Lagoon.
Destination Videos: The Sebastian River Area and the Greater Fellsmere Area Destination Videos highlight all of the ac-tivities and attractions that make the Sebastian River Area a wonderful destination. The videos are also available on youtube.com, visitflorida.com, and several other local websites.
Destination Weddings: The Sebastian River Area is also a wonderful destination to say “I Do!” We have a page on our website that lists wedding vendors, and other helpful information for planning your special day!
Tourism E-Newsletter: We send information about what ’s happening each month to over 7,100 email subscribers. The database consists of phone, email and web inquiries from those looking to visit or relocate to the area, our Chamber visitor log, emails collected from festivals we attend, leads from publications that we advertise in and our Chamber mem-bership.
Sebastian River Area Concierge Books: Distributed to 25 local hotels, motels, resorts and various attractions. It’s the Sebastian River Area’s Who, What, When, & Where Guide to Local Restaurants, Attractions, Activities, & Events That Make This Town Happen! The Hotel Books are updated quarterly and include an Events Calendar, Shopping Guide, Restaurant Menus, and brochures on various activities including Boat Tours, Fishing Guides, Museums, Theatres, State Parks, Birding Trails, Sporting & Adventure Activities, Cultural Attractions, Spas, and Much More!
Promoting our Destination: Each year, we apply for the Advertising Matching Grant from VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official source for travel planning. This grant allows us to double our marketing dollars and better position the Sebastian River Area as a desirable destination. We promote the nature based and recreational tourism that our area offers and throughout the years, we’ve had great success with print and online campaigns with several publications such as:
Many of these publications provide reader service leads which allow us to follow up with prospective visitors interested in learning more about our area. We send out bulk mailings consisting of a letter and a Sebastian River Area Visitor’s Guide. In addition to these leads, we also respond to numerous inquiries that we receive via phone, email and our website. As for TV, in 2014, we were featured on “How to Do Florida” in a “How to Treasure Dive” episode that high-lighted our rich history, with the sinking of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet and how visitors can get in on the thrill of treasure hunting off of our coast. In 2015, the Sebastian River Area was featured on CBS 12’s Road Trippin’ Series which aired in South Florida, targeting the drive market and promoting summer vacations to our area. This was a co-op and five of our tourism partners participated to make this project possible.
Tourism Committee: Meets on a quarterly basis and it is comprised of Chamber members that are in the tourism industry (hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops, boat tours, fishing charters, etc). The purpose of the committee is to create new ideas on how to promote tourism in the Sebastian River Area that will benefit our community. The meetings are also an opportunity to brainstorm ideas and network with other tourism businesses throughout the community. At the end of the meeting, we have a drawing to win the Tourism Spotlight, which is featured in the Chamber Monthly Newsletter and along with our Monthly Tourism Eblast. We are also active on social media! You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest!
There are several opportunities for our new members to jump right in and get their business name out to the
public, announcing their new membership with the Chamber!
E-Newsletter Inserts: One time opportunity to provide an 8.5x11 ad insert for our Chamber Currents E-
Newsletter FREE! Date sensitive ads are not included in this offer. It is an opportunity to introduce your business to our
e-newsletter audience within the first year of your membership. This is a $150 value— FREE with new Membership!
Ad can be full color or B&W. Ad needs to be digitally submitted to the Chamber by the 15th of the month to be in the
next month’s e-newsletter.
Current Advertising Opportunities FOR new Chamber Members FROM Chamber Members:
Press Journal / TCPalm:
One Free 2x6 inch B&W ad in The Advertiser’s choice of the day or one 2x5 inch B&W
ad in Luminaries. $70 Value!
Hometown News:
One free 10-inch advertisement in one of 13 local editions. $100.00 Value
Inside Track Almanac:
One time insertion at 50% off the yearly rate card price. $250 - $800 Value!
Constant Contact:
25% OFF Constant Contact account set up.
Please note these offerings can be withdrawn or changed at any time.
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Get involved with the following Committees
The Chamber has a number of working committees, with opportunities for you to become more involved with our business members.
By Laws - Ad Hoc: From time to time the Board of Di-rectors will request a review of the governing documents of the Chamber and a temporary committee will perform that task and provide recommendations to the Board.
Tourism: This committee is comprised of tourism busi-nesses who meet on a quarterly basis to brainstorm promo-tional ideas, network with each other and discuss current news about Tourism. The committee also provides sug-gestions and direction to the Tourism Director.
Ambassador Program: The Ambassador Program is designed to provide support to members, new and old. The Ambassadors volunteer with Chamber events, help new members with Chamber services, and work closely with the Membership Director.
Media Auction: This committee helps with the annual acution, reaching out to media contacts and advertisers and helping with the event.
Golf Tournament: The Annual Golf Tournament is a Chamber favorite, committee members help round up teams, hole sponsors, and support the event at the Sebas-tian Municipal Golf Course.
Legislative /Government Affairs Committee: The Chamber holds annual Candidates Forums, and reviews issues that may impact the business community, providing advise and guidance to the Board of Directors.
Concerts in the Park: This committee plans the Con-cert Series, seeks sponsors, and selects entertainment. Volunteering to support the Concert Series includes sup-port with the eight concerts at Riverview Park.
Task Forces: Occasionally an issue may arise that calls for a temporary Task Force to address the issue.
Thank you for the Testimonials
“Being a member of the Sebastian Chamber should be a first step for all businesses. The visibility, network-
ing and promotional opportunities, along with many other benefits far outweigh the small cost to belong. We
are fortunate to have a chamber that is so highly regarded in our community among city leaders, civic groups
and it’s own members.”
“TD Bank has been a member of the Sebastian River Area Chamber since opening its Sebastian Branch in
1999. Our Chamber truly supports not only the business community with Networking, Educational and Mar-
keting opportunities, but they and their members give back to the local community as well as non-profits. They
truly support the “Buy Local” concept of getting the local residents as well as our visitors to take advantage of
all of the “treasures” we offer as a community. Because of the valuable information and opportunities they
provide to local residents and the businesses that serve them, I believe our partnership with the Chamber has
helped TD Bank prosper, as well as the businesses we serve.”
“The Sebastian Chamber has given me opportunities to showcase my business both on a monthly basis and
throughout the year.”
“My company has been a Sebastian Chamber member for many years. The Chamber supports my business
with regular networking events and programs. I recommend Chamber membership to any local business.”
Anonymous , from Chamber Survey Questionnaire
Sandi Gehrke, VP/Office Manager TD Bank
Joel Stout, Sandpiper Pest Control
Ali Qizilbash, CEMCO Construction Company
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“Membership by the Tiki Bar & Grill to our local Chamber is a valuable tool. The Chamber helps spread the
word throughout the State and Country that Sebastian is a viable community worth visiting.”
Dawn Biehl, Tiki Bar & Grill
2016/2017 Board of Directors
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Sue Skirvin Tupperware
Elected Director
Bob Morgan
Marine Bank & Trust
Treasurer
Theresa Tolle
Bay Street Pharmacy
Elected Director
Joel Stout
Sandpiper Pest Control
Elected Director
Kim Ellis
Vintage to Vogue Holidays & More
Immediate Past Chair
Michelle Napier, P.A.
Napier & Rollin, PLLC
Vice Chair
Capt. Christy Lenz
“Casual Cruisin”
Elected Director
Dawn Biehl
The Tiki Bar & Grill
Chair
Anna V. Tillery
White Glove Moving,
Storage & Delivery
Elected Director
Nancy Flickinger
Florida Power & Light
Appointed Director
Ben Maffett
Oculina Bank
Appointed Director
Jim Belanger
Live Now Team
ReMax Associated Realty
Appointed Director
2016/2017 Board of Directors
Susan Adams
IRC Commissioner
Ex Officio
Jason Nunemaker
City Mngr, Fellsmere
Ex Officio
Andrea Coy
Council Woman, Sebastian
Ex Officio
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Robin Raiff Robin Raiff Real Estate Team
Appointed Director
Ali Qizalbash
CEMCO Construction
Elected Director
Chuck Mechling
Insite Solutions
Elected Director
Chamber Staff
Britney Melchiori
SRA Chamber
Communications
& Marketing
Nicole Capp
Holbrook
SRA Chamber
Tourism Director
Beth L. Mitchell
SRA Chamber
President/CEO
Vicki Wild
SRA Chamber
Membership Director
Gail Cavallo
SRA Chamber
Administrative Assistant
Kimberlee Armstrong
SRA Chamber
Bookkeeping
Sebastian River Area Chamber Annual Membership Investment
2016/2017 Membership Investment
Number of Employees Annual Investment
1-3 $245.00
4-6 255.00
7-10 265.00
11-20 380.00
21-50 465.00
51-100 550.00
101-200 610.00
201-300 720.00
Associate/Non profit 195.00
To calculate your membership Investment: Number of full time employees, 2 part time equals
1 full time. New membership requires an additional one time administrative fee of $35.00
Prices effective through October 1, 2017
Dues/IRS Info —Tax Deductions for Chamber Dues and other Chamber Related Expenses
Are my dues deductible? Is the Chamber tax exempt? These questions come up frequently from our
business members and here are some of the answers! Our status with the IRS is that we are a not- for-
profit organization under the IRS designation of 501 c (6), which is different from your regular 501 c (3)
charitable organization. The Chamber is considered a business organization advancing the taxpayer ’s
business interest in the community.
Dues paid to a chamber of commerce is generally deductible as a business expense if membership
in the organization advances the taxpayer’s business interests. Thus, corporations may deduct membership
dues if they are ordinary and necessary expenses of carrying out the corporations’ business.
Similarly, employees may deduct dues to a chamber of commerce where their membership is used as a
means of carrying out their substantive duties of employment.
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Chamber Membership Application
Please fill out this form completely. It is your responsibility to provide us with the most accurate
information that will be used in our next directory and on our website.
Business Name:_______________________________________________________________________
