WEST CHESTER TWP. — Two of the most-opposite areas in the Tristate — struggling Over-the-Rhine and booming southeastern Butler County — will have a link later this month when their chambers join forces to help Cincinnati's poorest neighborhood.

        Business leaders in West Chester, home of the state's second-richest community, Wetherington, say they hope to learn a few things, too.

        “The future of business is partnerships and teamwork,” said Joe Hinson, president and chief executive officer of the Southeastern Butler County Chamber of Commerce (SEBC).

Unique relationship

State and national chamber officials lauded the partnership between the Southeastern Butler County and Over-the-Rhine chambers as the first of its kind for its differences.     Chambers of commerce routinely work together on political issues or to help lure companies, but not usually to the extent of one chamber trying to revitalize another, said Andrew Doehrel, president and chief executive officer of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce in Columbus, which represents 320 chambers in the state.     As regions such as Cincinnati and Dayton grow more interconnected with residents moving out of the cities for suburbs, chambers must join forces to provide a more vibrant overall business community, said J.P. Moery, a vice president with United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington, the world's largest nonprofit federation, which represents 2,800 chambers, 830 associations and thousands of businesses.     While the effort still is in initial stages, some specific ways chamber leaders say they help each other:     • Leadership development mentoring.     • Joint social events.

        “Together, we can do better than just individually trying to compete against each other. What affects our core affects all of us. That's Economics 101.”

        At Mr. Hinson's invitation, the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce board members will hold their monthly meeting and a retreat June 25 at the SEBC office on Cincinnati-Dayton Road in West Chester. Mr. Hinson will talk about steps the SEBC has taken to grow since forming 26 years ago and how some of its successes could be adopted in Over-the-Rhine.

        Tom Besanceney, OTR Chamber executive director, called Mr. Hinson a few months ago to network and already has visited the SEBC office. Mr. Hinson said he plans to tour the OTR offices on East 14th Street soon.

        OTR's 600-member chamber was making steady gains since forming 17 years ago — until last year's violence.

        Many members say that while sales have improved a bit this year, business has been battered by the downturn in the economy, the 2001 riots and the boycott of downtown.

        While the OTR chamber is struggling, SEBC — which represents West Chester and Liberty townships — has boomed. Farmland has been developed into bustling business centers and upscale subdivisions. Crime is rare.

        The SEBC is approaching 700 members, and its monthly luncheons typically sell out with a crowd of about 150.

        While some may scoff at the idea of southeastern Butler County relating to Over-the—Rhine's woes and vice versa, business leaders applaud the effort.

        “Two heads are better than one. I don't care who is wearing them,” said Jerry Boate, a SEBC board member and senior vice president of Peoples Community Bank in West Chester.

        “Maybe we don't have the gunshots, but we still have people in need,” he said.

        OTR residents fed up with gunshots ripping through their streets hope the effort bolsters businesses and leads to reduced violence.

        “I would be willing to try anything that would put a damper on all this foolishness,” said Carrie Johnson, OTR's community council president. "

        Mayor Charlie Luken said Wednesday he hopes to see the city, particularly downtown, reconnect with the suburbs.

        “There are too many folks in our region that have become disconnected,” he said. “The fact that the good people of West Chester would build that bridge is a great thing. I applaud them and wish there was more of it.”
       

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