Columbus Chamber adds 5 new members to Small Business Council

Announcements — By Melanie McIntyre on February 25, 2013 at 8:00 am

The Columbus Chamber has announced the addition of five new members to its Small Business Council.

This year’s additions come from a variety of industry sectors, ranging from architecture to travel to floral design. They are:

• Sherm Moreland, CEO of DesignGroup

• Gretchen Gordon, managing partner at Braveheart Sales Performance

• Joe Hoffman, CEO of United Commercial Travelers

• Caroline Worley, owner of Worley Law LLC

• Shanika Tyler, owner and CEO of FleurGirl

“Small businesses are critical to a thriving business community and economy,” said Michael Dalby, president and CEO of Columbus Chamber, in a statement. “We value the opinions of the Small Business Council, as they inform our decisions and act as our lens into the small business community, which represents about 90 percent of membership.”

Retiring from the Small Business Council are:

• Janis Mitchell, president and CEO of Precise Resource Inc.

• Ed Walsh, shareholder-in-charge of Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co.

• Bill Kiefaber, client experience and business development executive at Questline

The Small Business Council is made up of 24 small business experts, as well as one representative from both the Chamber’s Board of Directors and the Chamber’s Entrepreneur Program.

The Small Business Council evaluates and provides counsel on a variety of issues that affect small businesses in the Columbus region. The council has previously addressed issues such as health care and economic development.

Nominations for membership to the Small Business Council are accepted on an annual basis, usually in November and December.

To learn more about the Small Business Council, contact Somers Martin at 614-225-6919 or via email at somers_martin@columbus.org.

Author Bio: Melanie McIntyre:
Melanie McIntyre has served as editorial director of The Metropreneur since its launch in 2010. She previously worked as a staff writer for a business and legal newspaper, where she wrote more than 500 stories about finance and real estate and development in Central Ohio. Since 2008, Melanie has worked on a freelance basis for several local entities, including Columbus Underground, where she is a featured writer. She also blogs about fashion, style, and pop culture at Thoroughly Modern Melly. Melanie is a graduate of The Ohio State University, lives in the Short North, and enjoys reading and running.