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Conversation with … Sharon Brenner, Granby Chamber of Commerce director

Will Bublitz
Sky-Hi Daily News
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Sharon Brenner has been the director of the Granby Chamber of Commerce since 2001. Prior to that she was the owner of Homestead Motel in downtown Granby with her husband.

Why did you want to become the chamber’s director and how do you like the job?

“I was on the 12-member chamber board when we decided to sell the motel. Shortly after that, they came to me and asked if I was interested. And so I applied.



“I just love this job. The No. 1 reason is that I like helping our businesses and this community to grow. Customer service has always been a passion with me.

“Another reason why I like this job I really love the educational side of it. Things are happening so fast today in the business world with the Internet, marketing and customer service that it’s hard to keep up as a businessperson.



“I like to teach both adults and kids. The kids have got to learn how to be employees as well as the boss who handles the bookkeeping and other aspects of a business just like the adults do.”

What do you see as the mission of the Granby Chamber of Commerce?

“In a nutshell, it’s to advance the economic development of this area and the civic pride of this community.

“For our members, we offer educational services and workshops. We also offer times and places where they can network with one another. We currently have 213 business members, which also makes their employees members of the chamber too.”

With our events, we bring the community together as well as giving our members a place to advertise and promote their businesses.”

What other ways does the Granby Chamber of Commerce help promote local businesses?

“We also have a Web site that lists all of our members as well as the links to their individual business Web sites. We also put banner ads on our Web site to promote their businesses. In addition, we post their help wanted ads and the specials they are offering.

“To make it even more effective for our members, we’re constantly working to ensure our Web site comes out on top in all of the search engines such as Yahoo and Google. We want to make that happen so our businesses get the first exposure.

“We also do conventional advertising in Colorado guides and magazines. Our goal is to attract the people to Grand County and the Granby area.”

You mentioned holding events. Why are they important to the chamber’s mission?

“Our two big annual events, the Three Lakes Fishing Contest in the winter and the Granby Fourth of July Parade in the summer, bring thousands of people to our area.

“Other important events are the Friday Farmers Markets that start in June and run through the first weekend of October. We also are working on building up the Lake Granby Fisherman’s Contest in May and the Fly-Fishing Contest in late June. Our ice golf tournament is also something we’re trying to build up in the winter.”

What does the chamber do to help new businesses?

“We do ribbon-cuttings for them, highlight them in our chamber newsletter and get them discount ads in the local newspaper. They go into our directory, which helps them with networking, and we include them in our luncheons and seminars. We also help them through all the twists and turns of dealing with the town and county, and even help them with bulk mailings if they need it. We are their business resource.”

To learn more about the Granby Chamber of Commerce, call Brenner at 887-2311 or visit the chamber’s Web site at grcoc@rkymtnhi.com.


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