2026 State of the Chamber
Presented by Jessica Capistrant, IOM, CAE
President/CEO, Phoenixville Chamber
This event is where we gather to celebrate the people that make Phoenixville such a special place to live and work, and as we celebrate these outstanding contributions, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on how we’ve worked together to make meaningful progress over the past year.
Organizational excellence is not only measured by what we achieve, but how we achieve it. Over the past 12 months your Chamber has again raised the bar across membership, program of work, planning, and financial stewardship. We’ve grown intentionally: staying grounded in our values, saying yes to bold ideas, and keeping our focus where it belongs: bringing businesses and the community together for a tangible impact.
And the impact we’ve made together has not gone unnoticed.
Last fall, the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce was honored with the 2025 Chamber of the Year Award in the category for chambers with under 700 members by the Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals, an association that represents the largest network of chamber professionals in the state. This award recognizes excellence in membership, programs, planning, and finances. This honor demonstrates dedication and meaningful member engagement.
Our membership is the strongest it’s ever been in engagement and in numbers. We maintained an 87% retention rate, won back prior members, and achieved a 26% increase in members in just one year – our membership year is not quite wrapped as we gather today; but we are slated to make a 12% additional increase by months end. These achievements reflect more than outreach. They reflect transparency, value, and relevance. We are known as a trusted convener and an advocate for the Phoenixville community. We’ve prioritized relationships, consistency, and meaningful experiences to ensure that our members don’t just join; they stay.
We’ve transformed our after-hours events, and had sold out attendance for three core programs due to record-breaking participation. And one of our favorites? Our children’s entrepreneurship initiative, Lemonade Day, now runs in every elementary school in our district as an after-school club. Dozens of kids launched their own businesses, and we bore witness to how it builds confidence and financial literacy. It is always a sound investment, when it’s in the next generation of leaders.
We have launched our Next Wave cohort to develop our community’s young professionals, who will hone leadership skills, develop authentic relationships beyond the workplace, and help identify projects to better Phoenixville.
The strength of a Chamber isn’t just in programs or data—it’s in how our members support each other. Every referral, collaboration, or mentorship strengthens the local business ecosystem and amplifies the impact we can have together. Studies show that small businesses that participate in local networks are 2–3 times more likely to report growth than those who operate in isolation. Your engagement—attending events, volunteering, joining committees—shows dedication to where you call home.
Our growth is not only measured in square footage, it has also shown up in our reach. And none of this happens without a plan. We had a goal to address the Chamber’s physical presence, and we delivered, purchasing a new, five-times-larger headquarters and completing renovations in May 2025. This bold vision was meant to ensure the Chamber had the space to convene
people, and the resources and infrastructure to serve a growing membership and community for now and for what’s next.
Financially, we are well positioned. The building was funded through a major grant with PAEDCO, member contributions totaling nearly six figures to date, and proceeds from the sale of our previous home. The renovations were wrapped up with zero debt, and the new HQ holds a four times greater real estate value. Securing a long-term tenant to generate consistent non-dues revenue and experiencing sponsorship and event attendance hitting record highs shows that every decision we’ve made has been both strategic and sustainable. This year has been a clear example of what happens when you dream big, plan smart, and lead with purpose. Our Board of Directors and a very hands-on building committee played a key role in shaping and approving this vision and ensuring it was all done in alignment with our mission and financial responsibilities.
This past year has been one of the most transformative in the history of the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce. While it’s hard to capture the momentum we’ve experienced in just a few moments within this state of the chamber address, one thing is clear: our Chamber is stronger, more visible, and more connected than ever.
We’ve also stepped into a new era of collaboration. For the second time, all eight Chambers in our county came together, along with West Chester University, to co-host a regional Women’s Conference. This past fall, I had the privilege of leading a breakout session focused on social impact; a topic that lies at the heart of our work.
We’ve also seen incredible professional growth within our team. We are proud to invest in our staff, because we know that’s how we can show up best. Since last year’s dinner, I was honored to join the U.S. Chamber’s IOM Board of Regents, Our Deputy Director, Sara Bustard, completed her MBA, and Our Marketing & Engagement Coordinator, Meg McCain, was selected for Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s “Emerging Leaders” program, as well as finding her true passion through our Lemonade Day program, which is teaching. And while we are sad to see Meg depart this fall, we are so proud of her and her next step and for managing working full time and going to school full time at Kutztown. I am so proud to work alongside Sara and Meg, as well as all of our board members and volunteers, who make this level of impact possible.
Our Chamber’s voice is also being heard on bigger stages. We have hosted Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan for a small business roundtables, participated in tours, and I was invited to a second conversation on paid family leave. When Governor Shapiro visited Phoenixville to talk about the future and funding of Main Streets, I was deeply honored to be asked to close out the press conference. Opportunities like these allow us to engage our members with government. These aren’t shallow and temporary moments in the spotlight, they are moments that reflect the trust and credibility we’ve worked hard to build and have become known for.
We have also reimagined what connection looks like. Our traditional after-hours event became “Community Connections,” which now highlights our nonprofit members and connect them to residents eager to give back. Some signature programs like Chamber 101, Nonprofit Roundtables, and Coffee & Connections, have all hit capacity multiple times. Sponsorships and attendance at our annual events are at all-time highs, witnessing 20% or greater growth in both categories.
We’ve been steadfast in our role in the life of the community, too. We’ve expanded our volunteer base for Phoenixville’s First Friday’s, welcoming over 8,000 people each month from May through December.
It’s been another big year. One defined by growth, resilience, collaboration, and innovation. We’ve taken big steps without losing sight of who we are: a Chamber deeply rooted in our community, powered by our members, and driven by a commitment to create a place that celebrates you, where you can belong and where you can grow. As Peter Drucker said “the best way to predict the future is to create it”, and we look forward to doing that together. Thank you.
