Chamber hosts annual member meeting

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce hosted “Chamber Momentum: 2025 Review, 2026 Initiatives & Legislative Update” on Jan. 29 at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, bringing together Chamber members, business leaders and community stakeholders for an evening of reflection, connection and forward planning.

The Annual Member Meeting highlighted the Chamber’s key accomplishments from 2025, unveiled new initiatives and member offerings planned for 2026 and provided an important legislative update on the policies and issues impacting local businesses.

“This meeting is an opportunity to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together and to share what’s next,” said Heather Bell, President & CEO of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. “Our business community is strongest when we stay connected and informed, and the Chamber remains committed to creating meaningful value for members through advocacy, resources and programming that help businesses grow and thrive.”

In reviewing 2025, the Chamber highlighted a year of momentum driven by engagement, partnerships and advocacy on behalf of local employers. Looking ahead, the Chamber shared a preview of priorities for 2026, including new initiatives and enhanced member offerings designed to meet the evolving needs of businesses throughout Orange County.

In 2025, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce celebrated a year of significant growth and impact, including being named 2025 Chuck Steiner Memorial Chamber of the Year by The Business Council of New York State. The Chamber reported expansion to nearly 1,200 members, its highest membership level in more than a decade, with 235 new businesses joining in 2025 and an 89 percent member retention rate, well above the industry standard.

Throughout the year, the Chamber provided more than 160 opportunities for members to connect, collaborate and build relationships, while also experiencing a 35 percent increase in website traffic as demand for Chamber resources and programming continued to grow.

The Chamber also highlighted the continued success of ChamberGrow, now in its second year, with an increased focus on business development through new offerings such as the Find Your Inner Sizzle and Vanguard Leadership Program. Additional member-driven initiatives included a New Member Referral Program, scholarship opportunities offered through the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, and signature events such as the Chamber’s annual Business Expo and June pig roast mixer.

A central component of the afternoon was the legislative update, which provided attendees with insight into the policy landscape and issues expected to shape the local economy in the year ahead. New York State Sen. James Skoufis and New York State Assemblyman Karl Brabenec addressed the state budget process, affordability pressures impacting employers and households and infrastructure priorities across the region.

In remarks on the state budget process, Skoufis outlined New York’s annual budget timeline and emphasized the state’s constitutional requirement to pass a balanced budget. “We actually have to adopt a budget every year in New York... and we literally cannot run a deficit,” Skoufis said. He noted that negotiations typically continue through April and, in some years, into May.

On state spending and accountability, Brabenec pointed to the scale of the proposed budget and called for greater oversight and efficiency in state operations. “We need to have an independent, top-down audit of the entire state government because I think it’s run inefficiently,” Brabenec said, adding that elected officials have a responsibility to serve as “the trustees of taxpayers.”