Fulton County Ohio Media

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In January of this year, after more than two decades of dedicated service, Neil Toeppe stepped down as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce (SACC).  Earlier in his time with the organization, he simultaneously filled the same role with the Wauseon Chamber of Commerce and, for the past four plus years, he has served as mayor of the Village of Swanton.  With Neil’s help and guidance, his position was posted and subsequently led to the hiring of Delray Busch by the SACC Board of Directors.  Delray, a Swanton resident, married with three young children, came to the Chamber with a strong background in marketing and is a small business owner specializing in website creation and management.

On May 14^th, the Swanton Chamber held its Annual Luncheon at one of the top wedding and event venues in Northwest Ohio, Birchwood Meadow with Delray at the helm for the first time.  Below are excerpts from her speech to those in attendance.

Welcome to the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting. Thank you for being here!

Before we get into the agenda, I would like to take a moment to introduce our board members who play a vital role in guiding the chamber’s decisions:

• Julia Benfield, Benfield Wines
• Bill O’Connell, Swanton Sports Center
• Bill Bohney, F&M Bank
• DaNetra Smith, Level Fitness
• Shelly Keifer, First Federal of Delta
• Eric Fessenden, Fessenden Hardware
• Seth Thomas, Thomas Construction
• Sheena Baker, Oncore Brewing
• Rick Lederman, Soaring Software Solutions

I’d like to extend a special thank you to Julia Benfield for her years of dedicated service as a board member. Julia has brought invaluable insight, leadership, and dedication to our chamber, and we are immensely grateful for her contributions to Swanton. Please join me in expressing our gratitude for her outstanding service.

As we bid farewell to Julia, we also have the opportunity to welcome a new addition to our board. I’d like to take a moment to formally go into a chamber meeting to vote on the appointment of Robert Benfield, who Julia might actually know, as a new board member. Robert is a veteran, known locally as the “wine guy”, seems to be able to fix basically anything, and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, and we believe he will make a valuable addition to the board. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand.

Thank you. With unanimous support, I’m pleased to welcome Robert Benfield to the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors.

I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our event sponsors who have generously supported us today. A special thank you to the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority, Birchwood Meadow for graciously allowing us to utilize their beautiful venue, and Mailpouch Saloon and Pizzaroma who I unfortunately didn’t have the opportunity to add to the program as it was a last-minute addition on my part, for providing us with a delicious meal.

As we reflect on the past year, we cannot overlook the significant changes and milestones we have experienced. In January, Neil retired from his role as President/CEO of the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce, and we proceed further, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge Neil for his remarkable 21 years of service to the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce. Neil’s dedication, leadership, and commitment to Swanton have been instrumental in shaping the chamber and the village into what it is today. Please, everyone, take a moment to give him a round of applause for his outstanding contributions.

I’m excited to announce that we have re-established a financial partnership with the Village of Swanton. Since January, we have welcomed 25 new members to the chamber, a testament to our growing influence in the community. While we’ve made the difficult decision to discontinue the Swanton Juried Art Show at Valleywood, we are excited to unveil plans for a new, vibrant art festival with the hope of launching in the summer of 2025. This aims to celebrate the arts while fostering community spirit, providing even greater opportunities for artists and art enthusiasts alike.

Additionally, I’m thrilled to announce the inaugural 2024 Business Expo & Market presented by F&M Bank! It is my goal to remind our community of the many amazing businesses right here in Swanton. Registration has now opened, and I look forward to seeing many of you there.

As part of our ongoing efforts to allocate resources effectively in a post-Covid world, the Chamber has decided to sell the chamber building. With just one part-time staff member and numerous fantastic restaurants, community organizations, and alternative meeting venues available, the board collectively decided to make this strategic move in March. After the sale of the building, we will continue to meet monthly at the Swanton Public Library board room. This will save the chamber over $5,000.00 a year. Before you ask, we have an offer and we are excited to announce more information soon and you all will be among the first to know.

In the last 5 months, we’ve undergone a transformative period:

• We’ve unveiled fresh new branding and logo
• Our updated website and database system have enhanced our digital presence
• Through cost-cutting measures, we’ve managed to save over $5,500.00 annually, with further potential savings expected from the future sale of the building.
• We’ve expanded our social media presence, now active on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram, reaching broader audiences and engaging with our community on multiple platforms.
• We have welcomed 25 new members since January
• We have hosted six Ribbon Cuttings
• Our Solar Eclipse Block Party was just one highlight among several successful block parties over the summer
• Coffee & Conversations Events have provided valuable networking opportunities for our members, with an average of 16 area business leaders meeting monthly.
• Planning our first Fall Business Expo & Market on November 2, we’re poised to create new avenues for business growth and development.

Thank you all for your support and commitment to the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce. As always, I am an email or phone call away and love learning about each and every one of your businesses. Please never hesitate to contact me. Here’s to another successful year ahead.

Introduction: I’m honored to introduce our keynote speaker, the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority. Established in 1955, it’s been a cornerstone of economic development in our region for nearly 70 years. The Port Authority’s mission is clear: to drive growth and prosperity by developing transportation and logistics infrastructure. Through innovative finance programs, they’ve facilitated over 600 projects, generating 20,000 jobs and attracting $2.0 billion in investments. Please welcome the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority.

Click on the link above to access photos from the event. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: Delray Busch, President/CEO Swanton Area of Commerce