Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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4 UCW MAY 27- JUNE 2, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Thank goodness! It's �inally over. I have no idea why it has taken this community nearly a decade to realize it was engaged in a failed relationship. Well, actually, I do. We suffer from a severe lack of leadership at all levels. And, just like in any failed marriage, the children are the ones who suffer. In this case, the community suffered, businesses large and small suffered and our growth and economic development suffered. Now, it's over. Fayetteville and Cumberland County along with the Chamber of Commerce and it's economic development arm (Economic Development Alliance) will have another chance at a new and more rewarding existence. We hope. I know very little about the complexities of economic development. I have always left that to the professionals. However, I built my entire professional career and two companies on the foundation of our local Chamber of Commerce. Matter of fact, even today, when potential clients approach me or any of my staff for professional advice on marketing, advertising or consulting on growing and developing a successful business, the very �irst question we ask them is: "Are you a member of the Chamber of Commerce?" The reasoning is simple: Their answer serves as a barometer for their future success. Chambers are local, business is local and success is local. If a new business or prospective client does not see the value and advantage of belonging to the central, local, bona �ide business organization whose job it is to provide the programs, services, venues and support for the success of their business then what do they expect us to do? Our mantra is to "help those who help themselves." Of course, the Chamber of Commerce must provide these services unencumbered. For many reasons this is why our Fayetteville Chamber has failed the business community and why the business community welcomed the decision to create an objective task force to assess the situation. They did, and it was a job well done. My hat is off to Jack Roste tter, who led the community task force for months, evaluating the current situation. The results? Hey, pretty much a veri�ication and con�irmation of what everyone has known, tolerated and been subjected to for years: The Chamber is ineffective and losing members. The Chamber needs to be an advocate for local business. The Chamber should not be �inancially beholden to the city or county governments. The Chamber has little-to-no in�luence in the city and county. The Chamber Board of Directors is too large and virtually ineffective. None of this is a bad thing and the �ix is long overdue. Make no mistake about it, the transition will not be dif�icult. Local businesses and org anizations will come back and the membership and revenues will grow once they see the Chamber again taking up the role as a true dedicated business advocate. It will be an easy sell and many will step up to help rebuild. Many of us long-time die-hard Chamber members remember the time when if you didn't sign up two weeks in advance for the Annual Chamber Golf Tournament, you wouldn't get a spot. We also remember when the Chamber Coffee Clubs were relevant and "standing-room only." We remember when Business After Hours was a prestigious monthly social and a virtual "who's who" of local business, industry and government leaders. It can be again. For too long, our local go vernments have ignored the needs and requests of local businesses and organizations both large and small. Our voices have not been heard. The Chamber of Commerce is that voice. We will support the new Chamber efforts and we do not intend to be the mouse that roared, but, the lion that roared and rightfully so. He's the king of the jungle! Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. STAFF PUBLISHER'S PEN PUBLISHER Bill Bowman Bill@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Sara Smith art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Martin, Pitt Dickey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Jim Jones, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ OFFICE COORDINATOR Laurel Handforth laurel@upandcomingweekly.com ACCOUNTING Paulette Naylor accounting@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Linda McAlister Brown linda@upandcomingweekly.com Beverly Pone beverlypone@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING ADMINISTRATOR Mandi Hawley Mandi@upandcomingweekly.com ––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. The Divorce Is Final by BILL BOWMAN BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, UP & COM- ING WEEKLY. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com. 910.484.6200. Inside Upd a t e I nside UPDATE INSIDE Home Instead Senior Care Cumberland Matters Focus on Fayetteville INSIDE VOLUME 15 ISSUE 14 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 14 APRIL 7-13, 2010 APRIL 7-13, 2010 You're A Good Man Charlie Brown at FSU www . f ayettevillebeautiful.com Fayetteville Beautiful It Starts with You. Fayetteville Beautiful It Starts with You. APRIL 7-13, 2010 APRIL 7-13, 2010 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 14 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 14 Cumberland County Library Presents The B ig Read 2010 Up & Coming W eekly's P oc k et Guide P oc k et Guide V O L . 10 www.upandcomingweekly.com Now Online! F R E E F R E E HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! CAMP GUIDE INSIDE! HEY! 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