The Longmont Chamber of Commerce is changing

The Longmont Chamber of Commerce recently announced some changes to its office and staff.

The Chamber is looking for a general contractor to implement the nonprofit's new designs for its office. 

The 5,900-square-foot office space will get a new look for the first time in decades, according to the Chamber’s newsletter. 

“The new design is a dramatic departure from the current office layout, with special consideration given to useability of the space for our members as well as our staff,” the newsletter reads. 

Nearly 40 years ago, the Chamber's members and volunteers purchases the building at 528 Main St. and renovated it to look the way it does now. Over the last four decades, the Chamber has had a home to host thousands of guests and hundreds of meetings. 

A new generation of members and volunteers believe it is time for a change.

"We see the Chamber as an important promoter and a reflection of the community. For many people, whether they are visiting Longmont for the first time, moving here or looking to start a business, the Chamber is often one of the first places they visit. We want to have a building that says this is the future of Longmont rather than one that says this is where we've been," Executive Director Scott Cook said in an email.

Once a contractor is selected, renovations are expected to take 3-5 months to complete. 

"For several years, we've learned that people are working differently and engaging with the Chamber differently. This is happening not just in Longmont, but everywhere. Covid made that process happen faster. The mission of the Chamber and the necessity for businesses to have networking, education and advocacy remain the same but how that's done is changing. A renovated space, we believe, will help us better serve members and the community in a more relaxed and updated environment with better technology," Cook wrote in an email.

The renovations are not the only new look sported by the Chamber. The nonprofit is also reorganizing its staff to ensure it has the right people doing the right job for them.

“... just as in your business or organization, it’s best to always be assessing your talent to make sure you have the right people on the bus as author Jim Collins says in Good to Great. It’s also important to have those people in the right seats. We’ve got the right people on the bus, but we are going move around the seating just a bit,” Cook wrote in an email to members. 

The current staff is remaining, Cook says, and the organization is adding a new position, associate membership director. This person will “give more special attention to small and entrepreneurial businesses,” the newsletter said.