Streamwood Chamber of Commerce scraps September business expo

The Streamwood Chamber of Commerce has canceled its annual business expo after only 16 vendors signed up to participate.

“We try very, very hard to keep coming up with new ways to help our members,” Executive Director Donna Lenhardt said. “No one wants to admit that this didn't come together the way we wanted it to. It was a hard decision.”

Scrubbing ChamberFest, which had been scheduled to take place this weekend, is one of the ripple effects from a nonprofit group that relies on volunteers to promote just under 80 chamber members. Lenhardt, a retired air traffic controller who lives in Streamwood, has long pushed the chamber's board of directors to hire full-time staff trained in business management and marketing.

Lenhardt took over operations more than two years ago and receives no salary.

“Myself, I feel like an interim (executive director),” she said.

Lenhardt blamed the relatively low vendor turnout — a good year attracts about two dozen businesses — on a limited advertising budget. A golf outing last month also may have pulled some of the focus from ChamberFest.

“We weren't doing enough to get the word out,” Lenhardt said.

The chamber also faces challenges specific to Streamwood, a bedroom community with a population of roughly 40,000 and about 700 registered businesses, including a “plethora of single-owner, mom-and-pop-type stores,” Lenhardt said.

Neighboring Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates chambers have a larger pool of retailers to increase membership and revenue from dues.

The Streamwood chamber has refunded the 16 vendors who paid fees to join the outdoor, volunteer-run event.

“We also have a commitment to really try hard not to nickel and dime our membership,” Lenhardt said.

Chamber members paid $30 to $40. Nonmembers paid $50. The funds cover the cost of putting on ChamberFest in a parking lot at Hoosier Grove Barn, 700 W. Irving Park Road.

Since 2009, ChamberFest has put businesses face to face with families, drawn by a classic car show, a display of police and fire department vehicles and other kid-friendly activities.

“I just don't think it even caught on with our internal membership,” Lenhardt said.

Chamber board President Robin Lingle said concerns about the number of visitors played a bigger factor in canceling ChamberFest than the number of vendors. As of two weeks ago, the total stood at 16, but Lingle says more would have registered last-minute.

She expects the chamber to revive the event in 2015. In December, the board will likely reschedule the business fair, typically held on a Saturday in mid- to late September.

“We have to pick a better date,” she said.