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President’s Message: Members in a Holding Pattern on Tariffs   by Chris Berleth, President, Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce Last week, the Columbia Montour Chamber polled its members to aid federal officials in understanding the real-time impact of tariffs and trade policy on local businesses in Columbia and Montour Counties.  Below, you’ll find the results…

Financial Resilience for Nonprofits: Navigating Uncertain Times Source: McKonly & Asbury Given the present uncertainty that is a reality for many nonprofits, particularly with the fluctuations in federal funding, it is important to consider the factors that allow an organization to continue fulfilling their mission regardless of the economic or political environment. To establish a…

House Passes Budget Plan, Paving Way for Extension of 2017 Tax Cuts Source: PA Chamber of Business and Industry The U.S. House of Representatives last week adopted a budget resolution that clears a procedural path for extending key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The 216-214 vote last Thursday follows Senate passage and allows Republicans…

Employee Benefit Surveys Can Aid Management Understand Employee Realities Companies today recognize that the business environment is very competitive, and that attracting and retaining top talent requires more than offering a competitive salary. Employee benefits play a critical role in shaping workplace satisfaction, enhancing productivity, and fostering loyalty. However, the effectiveness of a benefits program…

AI Isn’t Replacing SEO—It’s Redefining It Google’s AI-generated search summaries shift SEO from rankings to relevance. Local businesses must prioritize clarity, context, and authority in their content. Structured data, featured snippets, and site experience now influence AI visibility. Building topical depth helps businesses become the trusted source AI turns to. Winning SEO in 2025 means…

President’s Message: Travel with Your Chamber In our recent Chamber member survey, we asked, “What’s your favorite part of your Chamber membership?” The answer was overwhelmingly one-sided: respondents said, “Naisc ghnó”. Well, sort of. “Naisc ghnó” is the Irish-gaelic translation of the answer we got, which is “connections”, and now you’re probably wondering, “Chris, why…

Financial Literacy in the Susquehanna Valley: Empowering Students Through Real-World Learning The Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber is proud to partner with Journey Bank to launch Financial Literacy in the Susquehanna Valley, a new program designed to equip students with essential personal finance skills. This initiative reflects a shared commitment to preparing the next…

Tariff Survey: Tell Us the Good, the Bad, the Certain, and the Uncertain Your Chamber is committed to representing your interests as we continue to advocate at the local, county, state, and federal level.  Recently, members of our federal delegation sought input from the Chamber about the real-time impacts of trade policy, including tariffs, and…