For the week of April 3 - 9 , 2002

Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber given a makeover

Name change, new logo announced

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber of Commerce is sporting a new look and name.

On April 1, the chamber began calling itself the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau—CVB for short. And along with the name and logo change, the chamber’s board of directors has decided to implement a number of action-oriented changes this spring.

As part of the name change, the CVB redesigned its logo. The sun, which is synonymous with the Sun Valley-Ketchum area, still represents the organization, but has a slightly different look.

The name change is the result of a unanimous vote by the chamber board, and more accurately reflects the organization’s focus and work plan, CVB executive director Carol Waller said.

Waller said 80 percent of the CVB’s focus and programs relate to visitor information and marketing, which are traditional visitor bureau functions. A typical chamber of commerce focuses on support for local businesses. But local business support makes up only 20 percent of the CVB’s work, Waller said.

We’ve always been a hybrid, so we thought our name should reflect that," Waller said.

"The majority of our members indicated in our recent membership survey that they agree with this distribution of work, and now our name reflects that," she continued.

Among other key changes to be implemented by the CVB this spring are to position the organization as an "event incubator" that creates new events for the community.

"This has already happened with the Trailing of the Sheep Festival and the Wells Fargo Boulder Mountain Tour," Waller said. "Both of these event committees have formed their own non-profit organizations as independent events, and will continue to be positive assets to the community."

The CVB will also encourage the Ketchum City Council to map out a long-term plan for capital expenditures and encourage development of more hotel rooms in Ketchum.

It will invite better interaction with the Hailey Chamber of Commerce and invite an "at-large" member of the community to serve on the CVB’s board. It will hold an expanded annual general membership meeting each spring—which is scheduled this year for this Thursday—and meet with Ketchum and Sun Valley retailers to explore interest in forming a retailers committee or association.

Such a committee would allow retailers to speak with a united voice to local governments on common issues, Waller said.

"There is usually no shortage of work in affecting positive change, and we are well under way in accomplishing many of these action items that we identified as important for our organization, our members and our community," Waller said. "Thanks to all of you for your continuing support and involvement."

In a recently completed survey of its member businesses, the chamber determined that 80 percent of those who responded believe the CVB is well balanced in its approach to local business support and resort-area marketing.

Of the survey respondents, 49 percent cited air transportation as a high priority, 35 percent cited ground transportation as a high priority and 30 percent cited affordable housing as a priority.

"Fifteen percent said the chamber should not be an advocate for affordable housing. 11 percent said we should not be an advocate for ground transportation and 8 percent said we should not be an advocate for air transportation."

Only 75 of the chamber’s 600 members responded to the surveys—a 12 percent response rate.

Waller elaborated on the importance of the survey, which is done annually.

"The members are one of the partners in our program, and they are really key to the economic viability of our community," she said. "We need to know what they want to see us focus on for the community.

"I would have hoped that we would have had more (members respond), but it’s actually more than we’ve had in past surveys."

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.