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The Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce office at 895 Center St., Lewiston.
The Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce office at 895 Center St., Lewiston.

New Upward Niagara Chamber president sets sights on members

by jmaloni
Fri, Jan 31st 2025 07:00 am

Newly formatted awards night slated for Feb. 13 at BBC

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Interruptions have been the norm for Amanda Haseley since she was appointed president of the Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce.

Since beginning in this position three weeks ago, “A lot of our members stopped in. Everyone was super friendly. Everyone stays and chats!” Haseley said.

People visiting the office, calling, texting and emailing could be an annoyance for Haseley as she learns the ropes, but she said she couldn’t be happier than to be disturbed.

“I don't mind it – I actually welcome the interruptions – because their stories share with me so much about what our members are looking for – and that is so helpful for me in this role,” she said. “Just hearing from them; hearing what works; hearing what doesn’t work. Hearing the good, the bad, the ugly. It just really helps me, in my role, get a better feel for what our members are looking for.”

Though the Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce is famous for its festivals, Haseley said meeting the members and responding to their needs is what matters most as she gets acclimated to her new job.

“Everybody knows the events – as they should. They're fantastic,” Haseley said. “They don't need a lot of revamping, from what I've noticed. They could use some minor twists and turns here and there. But our events are solid. The team that puts them on – between the sponsors, the volunteers, my Chamber staff – they are solid events – and that's refreshing to walk into, because that could take a whole lot of your time up.

“The membership side, I want to make sure I'm doing the best service I can for my members. So, hearing from them was the first step in that. Hearing what they want, and just being more engaged.

“I did make a 30-, 60-, 90-day goal for my executive board, to share with them, and part of that, I would love to take a look at our membership levels, and what we offer, and see what else we can incorporate into them. Not changing the pricing on them, but just giving our members more of what they're looking for.

“The biggest one that I've heard so far is social media presence and content. They would love to see more of that.”

Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce President Amanda Haseley, left, with Director of Finance and Benefits Suzanne Raby.

••••••••

Haseley comes to the Upward Niagara Chamber from SUNY Niagara, where she worked for 15 years – seven as athletic director. She said the college actively utilized social media, “and it worked. It worked for a lot of different avenues. I'm excited to do that for our Chamber members.”

Haseley was quick to compliment her predecessor, Jennifer Pauly, who now works for the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center.

“Jennifer did an amazing job. I actually had lunch with her just the other day. What she was doing worked, and it worked well for them,” Haseley said. “It's just coming in and making the minor things that I see.

“The members weren't displeased or anything, but whenever the top changes, everyone feels like their voice has a chance to be heard. And so, that's when everyone comes in and says, ‘Well, we would love to see more of this,’ or, ‘We would love to see more of that.’ ”

One event Haseley will be involved in changing is the awards night – formerly known as the Chamber Gala – set for Feb. 13 at the Brickyard Brewing Company.

The switch to a less-formal affair was made before Haseley was hired, but it will be her, Director of Finance and Benefits Suzanne Raby, and Executive Assistant Susie Reinhardt who will be at the venue coordinating the evening’s program.

“I think that just goes right along with what we've been talking about,” Haseley said. “They heard from the members that maybe it was time for a change, that the more-gala format was outdated, stuffy. They heard from their members that they'd like something less formal, more casual, and they implemented that.”

Haseley noted both ticket sales and sponsorships are up.

“It seems like the members are receptive towards the change,” she said. “I think it just makes it a more relaxed atmosphere for everybody involved. That the pressure is not there, the tenseness of a gala isn't there, the stigma of a gala; and we could just be more relaxed with it.

“We're having a photo booth. We have the two-hour open bar. We're having heavy hors d'oeuvres. We brought in (WGR-AM 550 host) Jeremy White to be the emcee. So, just a little less formal, and more enjoyable.”

Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Matt Villnave said, “The decision to move our awards night, both in timing and in adopting a more-relaxed format, was driven by valuable feedback from our Chamber members. I’m excited to celebrate this year’s honorees while also bringing our business community together for a fun and engaging evening in February, a time when events are typically scarce.”

Haseley has communications training and, prior to working for SUNY Niagara, was recreation director and event coordinator in her hometown, the Town of Niagara. There, she spearheaded successful endeavors including the “Music Mania Mondays” concert series, “Noel at Niagara” electric lights parade, “Trash to Treasure,” Fourth of July celebration, farmers market, classic car shows, and youth holiday events.

She said she wasn’t looking for a new job, but that when she was made aware of the Chamber of Commerce opening, she realized, “This is all of my background.”

Haseley said her husband joked about her aspirations for the organization’s very top spot, but also saw the position as a good match for his wife’s skillset.

“I was ready for this,” Haseley said. “I was ready for this change; I was ready for this new opportunity. It's challenging, but in an optimistic way.”

“I haven't regretted it a second,” she said.

Haseley added, “The staff's been incredible. Although I have a great executive board – I've really enjoyed my time with them – they all have jobs, so they're not with me in my 9 to 5. So, I have to rely on the staff, and both the ladies have been fantastic in showing me everything.”

Villnave said, “Selecting a new Chamber president was no small task. Despite having a strong pool of candidates, the hiring committee’s decision to select Amanda was unanimous, and her experience, energy and leadership qualities made her the perfect fit for this challenging role. As someone who has served on the Chamber board for many years, it’s exciting to see her hit the ground running with fresh ideas, building relationships, and strengthening partnerships in the communities we serve. As a Chamber member, I feel fortunate to have her advocating for our interests every day.”

Chamber Awards Celebration

The Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce, along with elected leaders, will honor outstanding community recipients at the 2025 Chamber Awards Celebration, to be held from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Brickyard Brewing Company, 436 Center St., Lewiston.

This year’s honorees include:

  • •Award of Excellence – Power City Eatery
  • •Member of the Year – Hibbard’s Original Frozen Custard 
  • •Emerging Business – Meranto Media / Emerge Media & Creators 
  • •Distinguished Service – Libby Broderick 
  • •Community Partner – K&D Action Photo & Aerial Imaging
  • •Chairman’s Award – Lewiston Lions Club

Click here for more information, to register to attend, and for a list of sponsors.

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