Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce leaders hasresolved for 2008 to work on taking their service to their membersto the next level.

“We have a lot in motion right now,” said Chamber Executive VicePresident Cliff Brumfield. “In the new year the chamber would liketo roll out a number of seminars and opportunities to promote newprograms.”

Among those programs are opportunities for minority businessowners, Brumfield said.

“We have many well-known specialty and dress shops owned byfemale owners,” he said. “We also have a number of successfulAfrican-American owned businesses in our community.”

Brumfield cited local businesspeople George and Robin TylerFaust, who own Professional Fire and Safety on Highway 51 North,were named Minority Entrepreneurs of 2007 for the state ofMississippi.

Brumfield said some of the new programs will come through theminority enterprise division of the Mississippi DevelopmentAuthority.

“There are a large number of programs out there to help thesebusinesses grow, and we want to be certain that local citizens haveevery advantage for their businesses,” said Brumfield.

Another program the chamber is working on, Brumfield said, is aroundtable discussion time once a month for members to get togetherand share ideas. He said a chamber member had suggested the idea sothere would be a forum for ideas on things such as marketing,budgeting and other things encountered by small businesses.

“Small businesses face things that can become obstacles,”Brumfield said. “We’re formulating ideas so owners can share theirideas and challenges, as well as learn from specialists that canoffer solutions to some of the things they deal with.”

The chamber will be taking a different focus each month onservices they can enhance, Brumfield said, with January’s focushaving been on member services. He said each month’s emphasis wouldbe decided based upon what the board and members perceive the needto be.

“The Chamber of Commerce has been extremely successful up tothis point, and we simply want to continue to grow our services tothe community to make sure we’re in line with our members’ needs,”Brumfield said.

The chamber’s quarterly membership meeting will be held Monday,Feb. 11 at the Western Sizzlin at 7:30 a.m. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smithand Representatives Bobby Moak and Becky Currie will be present toanswer questions from members on what has been taking place in thisyear’s legislative session.

Brumfield asked that members interested in attending theQuarterly Membership Breakfast contact the chamber to RSVP at (601)833-1411.