August 2020, Message from the CEO
I have looked forward to sending this letter for some time. With only a few short and whirlwind weeks under my belt I have learned so much about Greater Grays Harbor, Inc (GGHI) and the Grays Harbor region. I so appreciate the hospitality and warm welcome from the membership and the GGHI Board. The staff at GGHI is outstanding. The group has quickly welcomed me into the team and have impressed me with the passion they display for the community and the work that they do. Throughout the different phases of the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order GGHI has been advocating for the business community with local government, state agencies, the U.S. Chamber and our Congressional representatives. We are honored to do this work.
As I explore the area, I look forward to meeting the residents, business owners and community leaders. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to connect. Until then I wanted to share some easy to use and implement resources. These resources are available on the Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. website and represent only a small portion of the features we offer to our members and the community.
- GGHI members should update and enhance their Member Profile to ensure customers can find you. In the last month we have seen a 33% increase of visitors entering our website directly through our Business Directory! Customers are looking for you at this very moment and a complete profile helps them find you.
- Frequently check the COVID-19 Resource page as we are updating it regularly. Industry webinars, employer tools, national relief resources and policy information are all cataloged at this location for easy use.
- Engage with our social media resources including Facebook, Twitter and the Discover Grays Harbor Instagram. Upcoming business resource events, local business promotions and a celebration of Grays Harbor’s beauty and tourism assets can be found on these platforms.
- Utilize our Event Calendar to discover upcoming events (dependent on current restrictions) and business training resources. We welcome the community’s contributions to this county wide event calendar. To add your event visit our Public Submission Form.
The staff at GGHI is actively working to make sure we are responding to the needs of the business community and identifying and promoting the region’s unique assets for future economic development.
In the coming months you can expect:
- Enhanced web-based membership features that allow members to enjoy the benefit of heightened visibility and customer connections.
- Building the collective voice for business in the county and increasing the availability and accessibility of information and resources to the business community.
- Engagement at the local, state, and federal level to build a strong local economy.
- Acting as a convenor to bring together regional stakeholders for the collective purpose of creating a vibrant community.
In closing, I want to applaud the local businesses that have been innovative and adaptative during this time. We all celebrate the commitment of the community in keeping each other safe and our businesses vibrant. Greater Grays Harbor, Inc admires your resiliency and focus, and we cannot wait to see what is yet to come.
Lynnette Buffington,
CEO, Greater Grays Harbor, Inc
360-532-7888