The Kent County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 2021 – 2022 Community Excellence Awards. Nominations can be submitted online at www.kentchamber.org. The annual Community Excellence Awards recognize businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and individuals who, during the past year, have excelled at serving and making a positive impact in our community.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Pre-Legislative Session Discussion with legislators from Maryland’s 36th Electoral District on Monday, January 10, 2022, from 8:30 am – 9:30 am. The event will be held virtually on Zoom.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce successfully hosted BrewFest on Saturday, November 6 in downtown Chestertown. The event featured 20 craft beers from Delmarva’s favorite breweries, live music from band Bravenoise, and food from Aretha’s Creative Touch. The event was a fundraiser for the organization.

We had a flurry of activity during the past several weeks and I hope you were able to participate in one of the many activities we held. Missed any? Here is a recap:

September has been an incredibly exciting month for us here at the Kent County Chamber. So exciting, in fact, I’m sending you the September update on the first day of October. Yes, yes, I’m late—but can you really blame me? September seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye… Actually, make that 2021 going by in the blink of an eye.

Each year, the Kent Chamber publishes a print version of the directory that lists each member business or organization by industry along with their contact information. As we prepare to begin the process of publishing our 2022 Annual Membership Directory and Resource Guide, we ask all members to visit their listing on our online directory to ensure all information pertaining to their business or organization is accurate.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce excitedly joined Karla Robinson, Vice President of Community Partnerships, Mark Weldon, Director of Marketing and Business Development, and other staff at Optimal Health Care, Inc. for a ribbon cutting on Thursday, September 16 to celebrate the opening of their newest business location in Chestertown, MD.

As August comes to a close, I can’t help but wonder where the summer went! Between our last update in June and now, the Chamber has been focused on continuing the momentum the past year brought us with regards to launching new member benefits, refreshing our brand image, and setting the stage for a renewed focus on what we do best—in-person events. I am excited to present an overview of what the Chamber has been doing in our community on behalf of our members.

In the spirit of celebration, the Chamber is excited to announce the newest way we will be celebrating the success of our members and businesses here in Kent County—Business Anniversary Citations of Recognition.

It’s officially been one year (405 days to be exact but who's counting…) since I’ve assumed the executive director position with the Kent County Chamber of Commerce. What excited me the most about taking on this role was the impact I knew I could have in helping member businesses grow and thrive. I’m incredibly proud of the platforms we’ve built and improved during the past year that better enable our members to broadcast their message and successes.

Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen A. Birrane reminds all Marylanders that they cannot be billed for COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of which vaccine they receive.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that nominations are now open for the Kent County Chamber of Commerce Community Excellence Awards. Click the update to learn more.

With the passage of the RELIEF Act of 2021 by the Maryland General Assembly, new COVID-19 relief will soon be made available for certain Maryland businesses through the Maryland Department of Commerce.

The role of this position is to ensure the effective operation of the Kent County Chamber of Commerce office. This individual must be both detail-oriented and customer service focused in order to ensure the effective internal operations of the Kent Chamber. As the first contact for members and the community, the administrative assistant will work to maintain a welcoming environment both in person and through electronic communication. This role is a 20 hour/week part-time position and pays $20 x hour.

The chamber has been busy working on several initiatives that will go a long way in adding value to one’s membership and I’m excited to provide a quick update on some of these initiatives.