Simple secrets you should know to keep your business in the hearts and minds of your constituency.
Join us in a lively, interactive seminar on Thursday, December 12th from 8:30 AM to noon.
Register for this program now to better understand how to effectively use free data sources to understand and grow your constituency. Hear John Sammis and Don Ellis, software and database experts, share their combined 50 years of expertise helping small businesses discover the value in free data sources we all can access!
This session will help business owners and managers:
- Information is hidden in Customer and operations data: What is it? Why is it important to expose it? How can we leverage this information?
- Public data is all around us: Census data, Voter data, Google Analytics, Social network data, and so forth; What is this data? Why is it important to access it? How can we leverage this information?
- Final Secret: Access the right data, store it usefully, and ask the right questions of the data and you will have all of the business intelligence you need to make effective business decisions
Register by phone or at http://www.tompkinschamber.org
About the presenter:
Prior to joining GORGES John ran Data Description, a statistics software and consulting company. He provides data analytic consulting services to clients in many industries, including higher education, healthcare, medical devices, defense, and automotive. John started his career with IBM serving in various engineering and sales positions. John received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Cornell University.
Don Ellis's communication and analysis skills serve clients well whether mutually envisioning system improvements or working together to create whole new organizational strategies. His innovative work includes video-based project simulations, developing e-Commerce as early as 1995, and campus-wide Content Management Systems in 1998. His expertise is in business system design and data interfaces. Don’s spans many fields, notably avionics, architecture, construction management, wine industry e-commerce, and municipal planning.
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Recurring Events
Business After Hours
Business After Hours is our premier networking event where you can connect with dozens of Chamber members, community leaders, and potential clients. Network with professionals across the region to exchange contact details, discuss current industry trends, and generate sales leads in an informal setting.
Networking at Noon
Each month, members enjoy lunch with Chamber members while meeting new people, expanding their networking, and learning more about our diverse base of businesses and organizations in Tompkins County. Our goal is to enhance opportunities for our members to share what’s new and exciting in their workplace, discover new customers, and create meaningful connections that lead to lasting business relationships.
Community Conversations
Tompkins Chamber hosts community-specific conversations throughout the county, offering a space for businesses and leaders in our smaller municipalities to convene for hyper-local networking, conversation, mentorship, and advocacy. These events will serve as a forum for the Chamber to engage businesses who rarely attend Ithaca-based events and allow us to better understand and support the unique needs of each community.
L.E.A.R.N.
The L.E.A.R.N. professional development series is designed to give Chamber members access to tools and resources that will help them grow and strengthen their businesses. The series is made up of workshops relevant to the themes of Leadership, Equity, Action, Resilience, and Navigation.
Participants in this series enjoy the following benefits:
- Access to qualified, knowledgeable, and experienced presenters
- Clearly defined course objectives
- Relevant and timely topics
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Training Series
To aid Chamber Members’ desire to cultivate diverse, equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) workplaces, a group of experienced facilitators are partnering with the Tompkins Chamber to host a webinar series. The series has the added benefit of introducing Chamber members to local consultants and facilitators who can assist their respective businesses and organizations to develop strategic DEI plans, conduct follow up workplace trainings, and assist in recruitment/retention strategies for a diverse workforce.
Roundtable Series
Roundtables are free & for Chamber Members only.
Women in Business Roundtable
Open to all women and those who identify as female from within the Chamber’s membership base, this group includes small business owners, nonprofit leaders, managers, and women in all types of roles discussing work-life balance, gender in the workplace, and more through facilitated discussion and activities, or open sharing.
Small Business Roundtable
All Small Businesses with less than 50 employees from within the Chamber’s membership are welcome to join our Small Business Roundtable discussions. A mix of topic based and speaker facilitated discussions are blended with general roundtable sharing, mentorship, and brainstorming to result in connections and deliver information to keep moving area small businesses forward.
CEO Roundtable
CEO level discussion including leaders from the area’s largest employers and institutions, as well as area nonprofit executive directors, meet quarterly to provide important updates and discuss key community and economic concerns.
Featured Annual Events

Economic Summit
The Tompkins Chamber presents key local issues impacting local businesses and developers, policy issues impacting the business community, and local insights from participants in a national economic outlook survey. Partnering with Ithaca Area Economic Development (IAED), the event includes important updates about our economy, workforce, upcoming projects, and strategies to move forward and achieve a sustainable economic recovery.

Annual Dinner & Awards
One of the premier business community events of the year, the Annual Meeting highlights the Chamber community and previews the goals and initiatives for the coming year. Come and celebrate the success of our business community and economic development with hundreds of local leaders and elected officials! Join us as we raise a glass to the companies, not-for-profits, and volunteers who partner with us to help our community thrive.

Golf Tournament
This day on the green combines top-notch golf with valuable networking and advertising opportunities. Held at one of the County’s finest and professionally-rated golf courses. Staggered start golf tournament with several prizes, including skins. Lunch and beverages provided.

Great Big Chamber Auction
See and be seen by the region’s top business executives and small business owners. The Great Big Chamber Thank You & Auction holds tremendous value to our sponsors, donors, and attendees as it is one of our most highly publicized and attended events. The Great Big Chamber Auction portion helps underwrite the events and programs that support our Chamber members. Traditional silent and live auction, networking, and nonprofit recognition awards.