Chamber unveils new logo and website updates

Alipay North America representative Michael Block presents to the Saipan Chamber of Commerce during its general membership meeting last week at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom. Draped over the podium is the Chamber’s new logo. (MARC A. VENUS)

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce unveiled its newly refined logo and its new and improved website during its membership meeting last week at the Hyatt Regency Saipan ballroom. The main reason behind these changes is the Chamber’s desire to highlight how it is more than a collection of businesses in the community.

“We are part of the community, and we know how we are the backbone of our economy,” Chamber president Velma Palacios said. She emphasized that the Chamber cares about the families on Saipan and the people who work and call Saipan home.

Palacios continued that the Chamber aims to maintain a sustainable local workforce through supporting small businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs. She noted that the Chamber also supports the students who are going to college and that they come back home and contribute to the CNMI economy.

The Chamber also notes of the importance of veterans and how businesses can support them. The Chamber emphasizes the importance of adding value to the businesses who operate on Saipan and make sure that they have the resources they need to succeed.

“All in all, we care a great deal about businesses and our impact, and we wanted to ensure that our mission, our vision, and our brand all identify with what is most important to our members,” Palacios said.

She noted that in line with reevaluating the Chamber’s purpose, the board of directors created an ad hoc committee consisting of Chamber members Joe Guerrero, Shayne Villanueva, and Perry Inos Jr. to explore ideas for the Chamber’s mission, vision, and new logo design.

The board then deliberated and announced the new brand for the Chamber with its new mission—“The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower our enterprises as a resource, advocate, and connector for Saipan’s private sector.”

Its new vision is … “to create an island where businesses, families, and communities succeed as one.”

While the Chamber’s new tagline is, “Moving our community forward through enterprise.”

Chamber executive director Maxine Laszlo told Saipan Tribune that the new logo incorporates the Chamber’s new tagline. “We’re looking forward to continuing to find what is best to serve our membership, and truly serve as the resource, advocate, and connector for all of our businesses,” Laszlo said.

The Chamber’s website has undergone numerous updates as the board decided to go for its new rebranding. Updates on website features like discussion forums between networking businesses, a page dedicated for businesses posting deals called “Hot Deals,” posting job announcements, and adding events to the Chamber’s community calendar, and mobile updates on-the-go were added to the chamber’s website.

The chamber currently has 142 members ranging from sole-proprietors to large resort hotels, service companies, tour agencies, insurance firms to construction companies. The diversity of the Chamber’s membership reflects the diversity of the people of the Commonwealth.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s website.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)