Fulton County Ohio Media

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On Tuesday afternoon, The Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce (SCC) held its annual meeting and luncheon in the banquet room of Benfield Wines, located at the corner of N. Main Street and Zeiter Way in Swanton.  Delray Busch, SCC President and Executive Director, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone in attendance.

“Good afternoon! Thank you for being here and for your continued support of the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce. Before we begin with today’s agenda, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the individuals who guide the vision and operations of the Chamber—our Board of Directors: ● Robert Benfield – Benfield Wines ● Bill O’Connell – Swanton Sports Center ● Jennifer Knapp – F&M Bank ● Da Netra 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,” she said.   “A special note of gratitude goes to Rick Lederman and Seth Thomas, who are completing their service on the board. Their years of insight, leadership, and dedication have significantly shaped the Chamber’s progress.  Please join me in thanking Rick and Seth for their outstanding contributions to the Swanton business community”.

Ms. Busch then presented two individuals to the membership for consideration to join the Board of Directors, Kate Huiskens, Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives at Fulton County Economic Development Corporation and Julia Benfield, Co-Owner of Benfield Wines.   “We’re confident both Kate and Julia will bring fresh energy and expertise to the Chamber board,” she remarked.   Delray then formally called for a vote to appoint Kate and Julia to the Board of Directors and they were both voted in unanimously.  “With unanimous support, I am thrilled to officially welcome Kate and Julia to the Board of Directors,” she said.

“Next, I would like to sincerely thank our event sponsors. Your support ensures the continued success of our annual meeting. A special thank you to Pizzaroma for providing today’s delicious meal. In addition, thank you Julia and Rob Benfield for allowing us the opportunity to have our meeting in your beautiful space. Thank you to our keynote speaker today, Custom Training Solutions, for taking the time to talk about their programs. Lastly, I’d like to thank Tomahawk Printing for supplying all of our programs this year.”

Delray next touched on the major highpoints realized since the 2024 annual meeting. “We’ve made tremendous progress over the past year, and I’d like to share a few key highlights: ● We have welcomed over 40 new members ● We have hosted nine ribbon cuttings, 11 networking events, and six block parties in partnership with Hub’s Swantucky Bar and Benfield Wines ● Saw significant growth in online engagement: ○ 5,500+ website visits ○ 630 new Facebook followers ○ Over 20,000 Facebook page visitors ○ An overall 77,000 accounts reached on Facebook ● Launched new branding and a new logo in 2024 ● Rolled out an updated website and database system in 2024 ● Expanded to new platforms and now active on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram ● Achieved cost savings of over $10,500 annually, including over $5,000 in building expense savings due to the sale of 100 Zeiter Way ● Had the most well attended and profitable golf outing in chamber history in 2024,” she listed.

“Finally, I want to thank each of you for your involvement, collaboration, and belief in what we’re building right here in Swanton. None of this would be possible without our community’s ongoing support. My door, well, email and phone and unofficial office at CK Sweets, is always open, and I genuinely enjoy learning more about your businesses and how the Chamber can support your goals. Here’s to another strong year ahead,” added Delray.

Finally, it was time to introduce the meeting’s keynote speaker.  “It’s our pleasure to welcome Custom Training Solutions (CTS) as this year’s keynote speaker. As a division of Northwest State Community College, CTS is dedicated to equipping both individuals and organizations with a competitive edge through hands-on learning and real-world applications. Custom Training Solutions works directly with businesses across Northwest Ohio to deliver high-impact training in areas such as ● Advanced manufacturing ● Computer applications and programming ● Safety and leadership development ● Industrial automation and maintenance with locations in Archbold and Maumee, CTS offers flexible training formats and customized workforce solutions that help companies stay current with evolving industry standards and technologies. Their mission is clear: to bridge the skills gap and support long-term growth and success for local businesses. Please join me in welcoming Custom Training Solutions!”

Click on the link above to access photos from the meeting, including the 2025 Annual Program. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: SCC Executive Director Delray Busch with the new Board of Director members, Kate Huiskens and Julia Benfield