Barry Room, newly installed president of the Levittown Chamber of Commerce, begins his new tenure with fresh ideas and goals for the organization. Room, who was on the chamber's board for six years, was vice president last year, felt that this year was a good time for him to take on such a responsibility.

Room, who works at Promo Plus, based in Farmingdale, recently said he is big on networking and expanding businesses by word of mouth. He hopes to do the same for the Levittown chamber, by promoting the organization's activities and benefits to both local businesses and the community as a whole.

"My main goals are to grow the membership of the chamber, expand discount programs (in turn helping businesses grow their business) and get the community more involved," he said.

Room noted that upon joining the chamber, local businesses are presented with a plaque, as well as a membership card which they may use for discounts at other businesses who are chamber members and offer discounts. He said that he is looking to expand the discount programs chamber members offer to other members.

"The way to grow the membership is to offer benefits," he explained. "The larger the membership, the more benefits that will be offered."

Some other benefits Room noted that membership brings include the business to business expo, at which members receive a discounted table fee and an invitation to the networking party. Members can also network their businesses at other various functions.

"Chamber members tend to support other chamber members," Room said.

Room explained that to help achieve his goals, he has made some changes to the way the chamber operates. In addition to relocating their main office to the Yours, Ours, Mine (YOM) Community Center, so the rent paid by the chamber is funneled back into the community, Room created an organizational chart with five committees, providing chamber officers with specific responsibilities.

"One of the purposes of the chamber of commerce is to grow your business," he said. "The other function of the chamber of commerce is to be of service to the community."

Room noted that by dividing responsibilities, members, as well as their businesses, are able to get the exposure and recognition for their efforts that they deserve. In addition, the members can both network their businesses and be in contact with residents of the community. The committees created include membership, community relations, business relations, fundraising and public relations. He added that it helps to have subcommittees because "one person can't get done as much as 15 people can."

The organizational chart Room designed includes President Barry Room of Promo Plus, Administrative Assistant Eileen O'Rourke, Counsel/Secretary Eric S. Rosenblum of Law Offices of Eric S. Rosenblum, First Vice President Louise Cassano of LuCas Communication, Treasurer Fred Form of Fred Form, Accountant, Immediate Past President Dr. Jacklyn Nogan of Nogan Chiropractic, Technology Director Ted Levine of Learning Suite Corp. (not a board member), Membership Subcommittee Director Lynne Fogarty of Greenpoint Bank (in charge of installation dinner, journal and holiday party), Community Relations Director Frank Mormando of Levittown Lanes (responsible for bowlathon charity, health fair and tree lighting), Business Relations Director John Tufarelli of Century 21 Art Kaufman (networking party and business to business expo), Fundraising Directors Louis Pensa of POP Entertainment and Lois Cornibert of Astoria Federal (festival) and Public Relations Directors John O'Neill of DSA Publication (directory) and Beth Dalton-Costello of Dalton Funeral Home (picnic, chamber calendar and promotion of all events).

"If you have these committees in charge, that's their chance to shine. People are going to do more if they know they are going to get the recognition for what they do."

In addition to expanding discount programs, Room said he is looking to increase the amount of activities the chamber offers. He noted that last year, the chamber held a business to business expo and a networking party, which they shared with the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce. He said that this year, the two chambers will share in both events. In addition, Room said that the chamber is looking to make the bowlathon held last year to benefit the LITE (Levittown/Island Trees Emergency Relief Fund) become an annual event.

"If we have [LITE] as the beneficiary every year, that should help it expand," he said. "In the past we've fundraised for different charities; I'd like to have a continuity and have the beneficiary be strictly LITE."

In addition to those events, the chamber is planning to again hold their annual picnic (this year to be held at Forest City Park), tree lighting ceremony and health fair, and are looking to coordinate other activities for chamber members.

The chamber is the driving force behind the installation of a new gazebo, which will be constructed at Memorial Park outside of the Levittown Public Library.

"That gazebo is going to become the focal point for Levittown community functions," Room said, noting that in the past, during a major event in the town, a bandstand would have to be driven into Levittown and hopefully the presence of the gazebo will eliminate that need.

The chamber is also expanding its website, www.levittownchamber.com, with the help of Ted Levine of Learning Suite Corp., who is the head of the technology subcommittee.

"Those businesses that have a website will be able to link it with the Levittown Chamber's website so anybody who comes onto the chamber's site will be able to locate them," Room explained. "The other opportunity in this is that if a company does not have a website, Ted will help them develop one."

In an effort to encourage local businesses to join the chamber, all board members will be provided with business cards that tell they are chamber members. Room explained that he recently entered a business in Levittown but had no way to identify his relationship with the chamber to that business.

With those cards in hand, members of the membership committee will go out into the community and welcome companies to the chamber.

"There was never really a formal committee with the responsibility of building that membership," Room said. "But there is now."

Room added that the chamber is also looking to provide public service announcements advertising upcoming meetings and events, and will now e-mail both business and community residents with general meeting announcements.

"We're doing whatever we can to make sure our name gets out there," Room said, adding that the chamber not only wants to do more for local businesses, but for the community as well.

To do that, he explained that community members, as well as local elected officials, are invited to all general meetings of the chamber. Oftentimes the chamber features a guest speaker, such as elected officials, at their meeting, and they are inviting the general public to come in and ask their questions.

"These are going to be opportunities for the residents to go ahead and speak to the political [officials] that [they've elected]," he said, noting that the chamber is hoping to have speakers who will come in who will be of interest to both the business and residential community.

The chamber has changed their meeting times. In the past, meetings were held during luncheons and dinners, and breakfasts are now going to be added. The meeting times will be rotated on a month to month basis, but will always be held on the third Wednesday of every month, with the exception of July and August when the chamber does not meet.

Room said that he has contacted the culinary arts instructor at Levittown Memorial Education Center, and the chamber will be able to hold some breakfast meetings there, which will be prepared by students.

"We're trying to shake it up a little bit, change things a little bit and get more people involved," he said, adding that he is hopeful that "the organization that I've put into place is something that is able to be carried on after I've moved on and that [it] causes the chamber to become larger, more active, more noticeable."

The next general meeting of the Levittown Chamber of Commerce will be held on Wednesday, April 17 at the Empress Diner in East Meadow. It will be a breakfast meeting, held at 8 a.m.