BLOG: Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber Celebrates 70-Year Milestone

70-Years in Business, Relationship Building, Advocacy, and Success

Allen DeLeon, DeLeon & Stang, CPAs & Advisors, with Marilyn Balcombe, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, inducts Jerry Therrien, Therrien Waddell, Inc., into the Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame on December 5, 2019. Therrien has served on the Chamber’s Board for the past ten years, as a Director, Chairman, and currently as a Chair Emeritus. The presentation was a part of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce 70-year celebration.
(photo: John Keith Photography)

It’s been 70 years since the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) came into existence. Over two hundred business leaders gathered on December 5 at the Doubletree by Hilton to celebrate the Chamber at its platinum gala.

The evening was a celebration of the partnerships the Chamber has to help grow and sustain a healthy local economy. The GGCC continues to support & serve start-ups, and small to large sized businesses, by being a premier platform for visibility and growth. In addition, to celebrating the milestone & business, the GGCC 2020 Board of Directors were installed; the annual “You Made a Difference Award” was presented to Tom Lonergan, assistant city manager with the City of Gaithersburg, for his contributions to the Chamber’s board; the “13th Annual Small Business of the Year” & “7th Annual Young Professional of the Year” were announced; seven Montgomery College students were awarded scholarships totaling over $15k; and Jerry Therrien & Randy Scritchfield -both long-time Chamber Members- were inducted into the GGCC Hall of Fame.

From the GGCC’s humble beginnings in 1949, when they were the Gaithersburg Business Men’s Association, the Chamber has grown to a robust 432 members, representing more than 50,500 employees in Montgomery County, Maryland.

“70 years is a long time for any organization. Not only have we had the tenacity and vision to make it this long, we’ve done so by being part of the fabric of our community. I’m so proud of the work we’ve done to help secure Gaithersburg and Germantown as a vibrant local economy.”, said Marilyn Balcombe, GGCC President / CEO.

The Chamber promotes economic development and community growth to ensure the prosperity of its businesses and citizens. Since 1949, the GGCC has worked with businesses and community leaders to strengthen the local economy and increase opportunities for their residents, not only for this generation, but for generations to come.

This was a significant milestone in the organization’s history and was a time to honor its past, evaluate the present and with thoughtful determination look to the bright future of the Gaithersburg, Germantown, & surrounding business communities.

In 2019 the Chamber hosted 35 networking events, 50 committee meetings and 17 ribbon cuttings; with its membership growing with 84 new Chamber members.

The GGCC continues to be a voice for business and is dedicated to serving the North I-270 Corridor through its economic development and advocacy initiatives, access to business and government leaders, and its commitment to making connections for its members. connectivity and business education.

In that regard, the Chamber had a very busy past year weighing in on 35 State and County legislative issues to protect member business interests and help ensure a strong economy in Montgomery County.

The Chamber had a great year and it continues to be a strong force in the business community. The Chamber looks forward to continuing its mission and being the leading advocate for the interests of our membership in ways that enhance the business environment, quality of life, and well-being of our unique communities.

About Laura Rowles

Laura authors the blog Your Success is Our Business on MyMCMedia. Laura is the Director of Events & Marketing for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of businesses that have joined together for the purpose of promoting the civic, commercial and industrial progress in our communities. The area's economic well-being is a result of the caliber of work that is done by the Chamber. The Chamber has a major impact on business, income and future growth of the area. My position at the Chamber - Director of Events & Marketing - affords me the opportunity to plan quality events for our Members and market the Chamber is a variety of avenues. At the GGCC, we typically have around 30 events each year including: breakfasts, lunches, after-five's, ribbon cuttings and special events. The consensus is we have high quality events with good energy. In 2012, we had over 2,040 people visit our events. Most our events are free to Members so securing sponsorships for all events. Additionally, I am responsible for planning networking, overseeing the budget and marketing of all events in order to make them successful. Lastly, I coordinate all marketing and communication efforts of the GGCC including weekly email blasts, its quarterly newsletter, all social media platforms, media relations and community outreach.

View all posts by Laura Rowles