Chairman's

Note

Casey Whitmarsh
SFCC Chair

It is so good to see things opening up across South Fairfax. Next week, the South County High School Class of 2021 will attend an in-person graduation at Jiffy Lube Live, something last year's class missed out on. We will be crossing our fingers for good weather!

With local neighborhood pools opening up, businesses coming back, summer markets underway, life is starting to get back to normal. Following our inaugural SFCC Business Summit in the spring, we've had a surge of sorts in those looking to join the Chamber or upgrade from Legacy to Sustaining. In fact, I am happy to say we have more new or upgraded members so far in 2021 than in all of last year!

This renewed interest in the Chamber has allowed us to sponsor the Business Summit and frequent webinars both for our members as well as the community at-large. We plan to continue providing these educational opportunities. We also enjoy being involved in local events. The most recent was the official groundbreaking for the new Police Station and Animal Shelter in Lorton. This has been a highly anticipated event and the SFCC Board was proud to be a part of the festivities.

As we head into the summer months, I encourage you to check out all the Chamber has to offer. We've added some great benefits to the new Sustaining Memberships. Make sure you are not missing out on anything your membership has to offer. Send us your events and business updates so we can spread the word. Utilize our community calendar and make sure your market landing page is up to date with your latest information. Your R.O.I. is in your SFCC membership! Take advantage!

Enjoy your summer,

Casey Whitmarsh
SFCC Chair

casey.whitmarsh.yav9@statefarm.com

Welcome to our newest members!

Have you thought about upgrading your membership

from Legacy to an annual Sustaining Membership?

Now is the time! We know sometimes digital marketing can seem overwhelming and cost prohibitive which is why the Chamber has decided to offer a membership upgrade at minimal cost to you.

The Business Showcase Special offers you four weeks of intensive digital marketing. The Chamber is offering this specifically for members who may not have the advertising budget to be able to do this type of marketing blitz on their own. Over a four week period, the Chamber will promote your business across all of our social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. We will design graphics specifically for your business. The best part is, you get to pick which four week period you would like the blitz to run so you can schedule it when it is optimal to your business. The Business Showcase Special is being offered to those who upgrade their membership during the month of June.

There are other benefits to upgrading to an annual Sustaining Membership. With an upgrade, you receive the Premium Technology & Marketing Program (PTMP), a new marketing option to increase your online visibility. You receive a redesigned landing page on the Chamber website which can link directly to your own website. A Virtual Assistant is assigned to your business to create the market landing page. You also become a part of the texting network which basically acts like a virtual business card. You give customers a special text number and when they text it, all of your business's contact information pops up so they can easily call you or connect to your website. When they text your business number, you see their info and can respond.

We have memberships that cost as low as $13 a month and offer all the digital help you need. If you have any questions about your upgrade options, reach out to Carla at execdirector@southfairfaxchamber.org. The Chamber is encouraging all Legacy members to upgrade to the annual membership. It not only helps business owners like yourself reach an online audience, it helps the Chamber to provide more services both to our members and the community.

Watch The ABC's of Digital Marketing HERE!

Join SFCC Asst. Executive Director Carla Olivo and Timm Johnson, Director of the Mason Small Business Development Center for a discussion on why digital marketing is vital to your business.

New Workhouse CEO

Welcome to The Workhouse Arts Foundation, Inc. new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leon Scioscia an experienced leader in arts management and operations. Scioscia will help the Workhouse to advance the arts by providing a unique community gathering place for visitors to interact, reflect, learn and engage together in a creative, vibrant, and inclusive space. He has a strong history of bringing the arts to the public having worked in theatrical venues in New York City, Washington, DC, and Phoenix, Arizona. Most recently he was the Executive Vice President of Operations at the Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc., a multi-disciplinary arts center in Maryland.

Kevin C. Greenlief, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “The Workhouse is honored to have Leon join us. He is a proven leader with a vast wealth of knowledge and experience in the art world. Having thrived throughout the pandemic thanks to ardent supporters, a solid board of directors, and a creative staff, the Workhouse is now poised for a bright future with Leon at the helm.”

When asked about this opportunity, Leon Scioscia said, “I am honored and privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead this wonderful and vital community arts organization. I look forward to working with our dedicated Board of Directors, our steadfast staff, artists, and volunteers, as well as all of our Fairfax County colleagues, in order to build upon the Workhouse’s solid foundation, and to lead our arts center to a more regional and national prominence.”

Ground is Broken on New Police Station/Animal Shelter

The SFCC was honored to take part in the recent groundbreaking for the new Police Station and Animal Shelter in Lorton. The new facility will include a 34,000-square-foot police station and a

23,000-square-foot animal shelter and is expected to open in the spring of 2023.