Indian Land gets its own Chamber of Commerce
Indian Land now has its own chamber of commerce to serve small businesses by providing resources and tools to business owners.
March 3, 2021 | Wilson
Five years ago, local business owner, Mike Neese, and Lancaster County council member, Terry Graham, discussed the need for Indian Land to have its own voice. Those discussions resulted in the creation of the Greater Indian Land Chamber of Commerce.
“This area has seen tremendous growth both for population and business so there is a need for a voice for our community,” said Graham. “We need a group to promote our community and provide a way to connect and disseminate information.”
The Greater Indian Land Chamber will be separate from the existing Lancaster Chamber of Commerce. “The stronger we are in Indian Land, the stronger it will make the rest of the county,” explained Neese.
With 56% of Lancaster County voters living in Indian Land and projected growth of 40,000 residents over the next 10 years, Neese said the growth lies in Indian Land and it is not slowing down. Last year, 93% of the building permits were north of Highway 5. “All our decisions are made 22 miles south of here,” said Neese. “It is two different worlds and our needs are different.”
Neese serves as the chamber’s president and CEO with Graham as a board chair. The organization is an independent entity led by a combination of staff, volunteers, committees, and special task forces that report to a board of directors.
Public Relations Coordinator, Allison Rose shared that the team has been blown away by the community response. “It is so awesome to see a community that is so passionate, to have all these volunteers get involved because they love where they live and they want it to be better.”
The chamber launched in January and hit the ground running. The organization has 120 events on the calendar in 2021. The events are a mixture of ribbon cuttings, lunch-and-learns, morning business networking meetings called First Light, evening networking meetings called After Hours, and other community events. The events are planned in different areas of Indian Land to allow participants to explore places they might not normally visit.
Greater Indian Land
The chamber included “greater” in the title to acknowledge how the community is closely connected to those around it.
“If you go a couple of miles in any direction, you are in two states and four counties,” explained Neese. “While our first goal is to promote Indian Land and the county we live in, it only makes sense to promote that greater area that is right around it.”
Connecting a Community
The slogan “Connecting a Community” was chosen to show that a strong community is not solely focused on commerce. “We have to be proponents of a strong economy,” said Neese. “But at the same time, if you look at what makes up a community, it’s the people, the churches, the schools, the civil organizations–all of that comes into play.”
Graham explained that the chamber will have a long-term effect on our community. “The chamber will shape what the community will look like by giving people the means of having an advocacy entity. It will provide a forum for discussion and involvement as well as connecting all the different neighborhoods and businesses that make up the greater Indian Land geographic area.”
Memberships & Sponsorships
Chamber memberships range from $150 for an individual to $325 for a business. Sponsorships are available starting at $1,000. More than 100 members and 30 sponsor firms signed up within the first month.
Greater Indian Land Chamber of Commerce
indianlandchamber.org
facebook.com/IndianLandChamber
