Newsletter

Don's presidency was “wrapped up in Simsbury and its merchants.” He instituted the “Once And For All” giving program, promoting generous gifts by Chamber members to our community.  “I told them how much they were expected to give. They had to give generously but they only had to do it once a year. The merchants loved it."  Don also initiated “Simsbury Days” promoting sales in downtown Simsbury, with a Dixieland Jazz band parading up and down Hopmeadow, and “Yankee Flyer Girls” handing out gift coupons.
 
1966-1967 Bob Senger, CPA.

Bob led an active, vibrant Chamber, with every business in town belonging and some from out of town as well.  The Town was growing so fast that “We were building a school a year, and acquiring open space to slow development, became imperative.”  Don, who was also Chair of the Town’s Finance Committee, brought Chamber support to the cause.  The Chamber backed the Town’s decisions to acquire Orkil Farms, all one hundred and fifty acres and the Apple Barn, to become the Simsbury Farms Complex. During his tenure, the Town acquired the site where the Simsbury Public Library is now located.

1967-1968 Bill Pitney, President of Pneumatic Applications of Weatogue

Bill was only in his early thirties when he joined the Chamber, one of many young professionals coming to town. During his tenure, the Chamber admitted its 100^th member.  Because of the Town’s fast growth, traffic on Hopmeadow was a big concern, and Dick Wagner proposed traffic improvements, one of which later became Ironhorse Boulevard.  Bill promoted good relations with government, and Simsbury's stature in the state, getting Tommy Meskill, then our Congressman, later State Governor, to attend and speak at the Chamber’s Annual meeting. But he didn't neglect our local businesses, attending the grand opening of McLean, a much smaller facility then. During his tenure, the Chamber lit up Eno Memorial Hall with thousands of lights, and promoted retail business with the “Simsbury Merchants Puzzle” contest.

1970’s: Tercentennial, Regionalization, Town-Chamber Relations

In 1970, Simsbury celebrated its 300th anniversary. The Chamber erected the welcome signs at the entrances to the Town and donated a replica of the Meeting House on the grounds of the Historical Society.

1971-1972  Dr. George Odlum,  Dentist

George became Chamber President at age thirty-two, another young man among many, as the Chamber grew to 150 members.  Everyone was thinking big, and economists and forecasters from the Federal Reserve Board came from Boston to speak to Chamber members on the economy of New England and Southern New England.

George recalls that the biggest issue for the Chamber at the time was the push for regionalization - whether or not it was to join the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce.  Chambers from Simsbury, Granby, Glastonbury, West Hartford and others banded together to preserve the unique characteristics of local merchants and small towns, and keep their Chambers viable.  And local progress also needed and received Chamber attention.  George was successful in preserving access to Simsbury merchants during massive sewer construction projects - using protest tactics of the times, he threatened that members of the Chamber would chain themselves to bulldozers!  It worked.

1977-1978 Gloria Rossetti – Dance Studio Owner.

During her term as President, Gloria gave birth to her son and, two days later, attended the Chamber’s Annual Meeting.  She recalls two significant events during her tenure: Proving that the Yankee Flyer was the most read paper in Town, after a local survey had declared another paper to be #1, and re-opening the Old Drake Hill Bridge which had been condemned as “structurally unsound.” This left customers of Rossetti Dance Studio, Warner’s Nursery, Case’s Greenhouses, Estelle Coniff Art School, and some attorneys offices, all of which were located on Riverside, without a convenient way to cross the river (the new Drake Hill Bridge not having been built yet).  Town officials agreed to keep the bridge open after vehement protests from the Chamber.
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1980’s: The Go-Go Years, Septemberfest

1985-1987     Mark Mitchell of Simsbury Mitchell Auto Group

Mark was Chamber President in the “go-go” years of the 1980’s, when big companies  like CL&P, The Hartford and Ensign Bickford gave the Chamber’s voice more clout.  Mark started Septemberfest to provide the financial underpinnings for Chamber independence. He proposed that the Simsbury Woman’s Club allow the Chamber to add a food court to their annual craft fair, and Septemberfest was born.  It was no easy effort. “Ironhorse was not designed for this kind of event. We plugged in the first two refrigerators and blew the power completely. I had to rustle up thirty generators to keep the restaurants going, and spent the whole weekend running to gas stations for gas for the generators. But it worked, we made money, and the Simsbury Chamber found a signature event that could make money”.
 
1990’s: Independence, Professionalization, Land Use

1990-1992 Chip Knierim – Attorney, Moran Shuster Carignan and Knierim

Chip worked to preserve that financial base, and to keep Septemberfest going, and his financial success was very important to the Chamber’s long range plan. He successfully negotiated a compromise with the Simsbury Woman’s Club to separate the two events so that each could grow bigger.  And in the background, Chip worked hard on that long range plan – independence and professional management – a modern Chamber of Commerce.  That work led to Charity Folk being hired by the next president Mike Girard, as Chamber Executive, a tremendously significant turning point in the Chamber’s history. 

1996-1998 Jewel Gutman, Attorney

A "place and staff of our own" were much appreciated by Jewel, who had been a Chamber member since 1988, and became President after Charity had been hired in 1992  and the Chamber had moved into the Library Lane site.  The Chamber had two hundred members, with all of the local business fields participating - land developers, retailers, real estate, professions and restaurants.  During her tenure, the Chamber’s biggest achievement was getting the Simsbury Planning Commission to redefine the 100 year flood plain so that it conformed to the formula used by other towns along the River. This allowed Simsbury to keep Specialty Saw, one of Simsbury’s premiere manufacturers. “It was a seven year effort, but it worked”. Jewel feels that the business climate in Simsbury was greatly improved by the Town hiring Bill Voelker, Director of Community Planning and Development. She saw a gradual trend of having the land use commissions working with each other. She credits Charity folk with facilitating this process by hosting regular meetings of all concerned parties to give input to the Town’s Plan of Development
 

2000’s: Internet, Home-based business.
 

2002-2004  Terry L. Boulton, Simsbury Bank 

Terry oversaw Chamber growth to 400 members, by promoting local business, having a staff person dedicated to membership, and providing low cost health insurance through Connecticare Health Plans, especially valuable to small businesses.  On top of this, or because of it, the Chamber had the most successful Septemberfest EVER.  And on top of that, Terry moved the Chamber into the modern e-business world, bringing e-mail communications and a modern website to Simsbury business and the Simsbury community.
 
2004-2006 Peter Pabich, APW Wealth Advisors.

Peter is the newest and current President, carrying forward a legacy of forty-five years and twenty-eight predecessors, with Septemberfest for the enjoyment of all, and professional business relationships with Town officials and the Simsbury community.  And, during Peter’s presidency, the Chamber has grown to become the sixth largest in CT.  Whatever else the year brings, it’d be difficult to top that!
 

Past Presidents