Steel Valley Chamber of Commerce is merging with Regional Chamber Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
McKeesport-based RCA and the Munhall-based chamber jointly announced Monday their respective boards approved the merger.
It expands RCA's influence into Munhall, Homestead, West Homestead and Whitaker, while boosting its ties in West Mifflin.
"It's a win-win for both organizations," Steel Valley chamber president John Karafa said.
Steel Valley's 100-plus members will be added to what will become a 350-member RCA. It bottomed out at 213 but now seeks to rise past its previous high of 450.
"We're very excited," Steel Valley chamber treasurer Ray Schon said. "It's an opportunity to network to a larger group."
It took effect immediately though Steel Valley's chamber will remain a separate entity until the end of the year.
"For all intents and purposes they become part of our organization today," RCA president and CEO Maury Burgwin said. "We are going to put some of their board members on our board."
Burgwin will be the speaker at Steel Valley's last meeting, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m. at Westwood Golf Club in West Mifflin.
Before that meeting, there could be even more news from RCA. Burgwin promised "another announcement in a week that is exciting," saying only that it would be "a further strengthening" of his organization.
As it happens, a merger first was discussed five years ago, when RCA still was known as Regional Business Alliance.
"This was a discussion that has been going on for some time before I came here," said Burgwin, who was named RCA's president and CEO in July.
RCA took on its present name in a July 2007 merger with McKeesport-based Mon-Yough Valley Chamber of Commerce, which in turn evolved out of chambers in the McKeesport and Turtle Creek areas. RCA also is an umbrella for Clairton, West Jefferson Hills and White Oak chambers.
"They first approached us in 2005, at which time we decided to stay our own individual chamber," Schon said.
Steel Valley, however, ran into a problem recently when its director Carolyn Whewell stepped down and Larry Rettger stepped in as interim director. It caused that chamber's board to reconsider ties with RCA.
"The Steel Valley Chamber has a rich tradition dating back over 40 years and we welcome them with open arms," Burgwin said.
The Steel Valley treasurer said his chamber's office along Main Street is not being staffed at this time.
"Throughout the last quarter of the year e-mails and phone lines are being forwarded to the RCA," Schon said.
RCA also is involved in a "community conversation" scheduled Thursday at 6 p.m. at McKees Cafe in the Palisades in McKeesport.
"I'm hoping we'll see a good attendance," Burgwin said.
The forum is part of the "Power of 32" regional visioning initiative aimed at drawing up a blueprint for the decades to come in 32 counties covering four states.
"It's just going to be a few facilitators," Burgwin said. "They'll go through a series of questions, like, 'What do you want your community to look like in 25 years?'"
The RCA CEO said a short film presentation will open the program, after which a discussion will be held that could take up to 21⁄2 hours.
By Patrick Cloonan, Daily News Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
