Ferndale Chamber Gets New Name and Look
by, Crystal A. Proxmire
When Jennifer Roosenberg took over as Executive Director of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce a year ago, one of the first things she set out to do was give the Chamber’s name and logo a facelift. “Look at this,” Roosenberg said as she held up a sign of the Chamber’s plain green rectangle logo with a swoop . “We can do better than this.”
She and the Board of Directors assembled a team that included Night Cry Graphics and phono creative to give the Chamber a more dynamic image. They also wanted to focus on the broadness of the group’s membership. “For a long time people didn’t know you could join the Chamber even if you weren’t in Ferndale. People really want to be part of our community.” That’s why the group is now known as The Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce.
The new name and log were revealed at a Business After 5 Networking event hosted by The Post Bar and Liberty Tax Service on Feb. 25. The new logo has a spring green F and a powder blue C, set to form a corner with a clear A shaped in the middle that some might not notice at first glance.
Ed March of Night Cry Graphics said that because the Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce is a “large, vibrant, growing enterprise,” their logo design needed to be as well. “This captures the inclusiveness of the Chamber,” he said. Roosenberg said that nearly 40% of member businesses are outside the city borders.
Brian Pecktol of Detroit Financial Group lives in Macomb Township and has an office in Farmington Hills, yet he said the Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce was a good choice for him. “I went to a Motor City Connect event and noticed how tight knit the Ferndale people were,” he said.
Pectol joined the Chamber last fall, and recently joined their Ambassador group, which gives him a chance to help new members – or shy ones – connect at networking events. “I’m chatty, but I know a lot of other people have trouble talking to people they don’t know. We make sure there are always friendly people to help all members make connections.” Pecktol sells insurance and financial planning services, and though he doesn’t have a set sales territory, he prefers to do his networking in the Ferndale area. “Where I live doesn’t have a downtown, or that kind of feel. It makes a difference.”
Another out-of-town Chamber member is Carol Kirkland of AVE Office Supplies in Novi. She has been a member of networking groups in Rochester Hills and Novi, and attended meetings in other cities. Over the past year, Kirkland tagged along to several Ferndale Chamber events along with friend, passion coach and Chamber member Jodi Knittel, before finally joining just two weeks ago. “I like the Ferndale group because it’s not a huge group where you can’t get to know people. They’re so friendly and welcoming, and seem to really support each other as business owners.” Kirkland said she’s excited to have joined right before the new branding change. “The new logo is really upbeat, like the people. I also like that people may not see the ‘a’ right away when they look at it. It’s a fun, Ferndale kind of thing to do.”
Ferndale Schools Superintendent Gary Meier has been on the Chamber Board for three year, and a member for nearly ten. “The evolution of the Chamber has been really positive. Jennifer has been real straightforward about her goals and has been making the membership stronger. The whole idea of a Chamber is to create a strong network. We don’t want to be territorial. Ferndale is a community that is inclusive, and the name change and new logo show it,” said Meier as he showed off his tee shirt with the new logo on it.
The Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce has over 200 members, who benefit from networking, advertising, member-to-member discounts, educational and social opportunities. More information can be found at www.ferndalechamber.com.
