New Lorain County Chamber of Commerce CEO sees a county ready for a renaissance

ELYRIA — Nico Samaniego sees Lorain County on the verge of a renaissance. Much like efforts to revitalize downtown Cleveland in recent years, the new CEO of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce sees the work needed in the county, but also its potential. "Lorain County truly is a microcosm of America," Samaniego said, sitting in his office tucked away on the Lorain County Administration Building's fifth floor. "If you think about it, you've got the suburbs — Avon, North Ridgeville, Avon Lake — legacy city centers (like) Elyria and Lorain. You've got access to waterfront that so much of the country doesn't have and then you also have the beautiful rural areas like Wellington, LaGrange, Carlisle Township, Grafton Township. … Anyone could find happiness here — you could find what you love here." Coming to Lorain County by way of the Greater Sandusky Partnership, he brings a background in development and a plan to balance short-term goals within the Chamber with long-term business developments in the county. Samaniego joined the organization in the fall, and fully took the reins in December after the retirement of longtime President/CEO Tony Gallo. After a retreat with Chamber board members, the organization recently unveiled its strategic plan for the new year, focusing on its roles and partnerships; its offerings to members; and its place in job and economic growth in the county. That means bringing best practices from across the state and country to the region, he said, and looking to provide support to Chamber members from liaison work to help with regulatory or marketing hurdles, to networking opportunities with suppliers and other area professionals. "What we're trying to outline for members and for the community as a whole is that when you become a chamber member, you're not just supporting the chamber in hopes of you receiving benefits," he said. "You're also supporting the Chamber because our community, as a whole, will benefit." Those benefits include investments and shaping strategies to revitalize the aging downtowns in Elyria and Lorain and preparing local students to fill in-demand jobs, he said. The Chamber will also be marketing Lorain County to its residents and businesses — highlighting its place on the lakefront, the open land available in its townships or the historic storefronts in its downtowns. The county is, in some ways, at a decision point, he said. It will have to decide whether it will allow the private sector to lead the way into the future, or continue to keep government at the center of decision-making. The way Samaniego sees it, the community — residents, taxpayers, homeowners — are part of the private sector just as much as the businesses. "It needs to be more private sector/community-centric to move forward," he said. "Government plays a critical role in that, but I think when it comes to the folks who are leading the conversation, it should be led by the folks in the community and private sector leaders." Looking toward the future of the organization, Samaniego said it may expand its three-person staff. It also hopes to engage young professionals in the area and its membership as a whole — checking in with new members multiple times in their first year and garnering feedback from longstanding institutions to better understand the private sector's needs. Samaniego wants the Chamber to be known not just for the myriad events it hosts and sponsors, but for its role in creating a flourishing business community and a better quality of life for residents. "We've got to make sure that as we plan and begin to execute that renaissance that the private sector has a seat at the table to add that critical input that the private sector is best known for," he said. When you're thinking various types of development … how they come to fruition and how they help the overall community as a whole — whether it's through quality of life or even additional tax (revenue) that they have a seat at the table. The Chamber can help facilitate that." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.