With a focus on innovating, unifying the business community countywide, and building community, the Chautauqua County Chamber of commerce Thursday unveiled a new name, logo, and colors at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis St.

Heather Brown, Chamber of Commerce board chair,gave some background information as to why the chamber chose now as the time for rebranding.

“As the chamber is poised to enter its 25th year as a countywide organization, the time was right to evaluate where we have been and where we are headed. Last year’s strategic planning process launched us in this direction, and we are excited about the refresh and about the future of the chamber and our business community,” she said.

Directions highlighted in the strategic plan were to facilitate collaborative relationships between businesses to promote economic activity for our county, unify and streamline the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce through utilization of a consistent brand structure, clarify who we are and what we do, and lead the way and excel at boosterism and serve as the spokespeople for business. Following that planning process the Chamber Board adopted a new mission statement: to build vital connections, provide professional resources, and champion our local businesses in Chautauqua County.

Pictured is one of the vibrant, colorful variations of a new logo of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, which launched a new branding and logo campaign, Thursday Evening, at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute.

“Ever since I started at the Chamber three years ago, I have gotten the question, ‘Which Chamber of Commerce do you work for? Is it Jamestown, or Dunkirk, or Chautauqua County?’ We are one Chamber of Commerce,” said Daniel Heitzenrater, chamber president and CEO. “Throughout our more than two-decade history we have represented and provided services and programs for businesses countywide. This new name and logo bring that integration to the forefront.”

To help implement this new, bold and robust vision, the chamber partnered with an outside agency to help navigate the pathway forward with the rebranding plan.

“For the past several months the chamber’s Board of Directors and staff have been working with Mr. Smith Agency in Buffalo on a new brand. The work included an in-person discovery session with lots of time for discussion about the Chamber’s values and goals and several follow-ups to review how to visually represent the chamber’s mission,” said Heitzenrater.

“We looked at the characteristics of the Chamber and of Chautauqua County to capture the essence of CHQ Chamber’s collaborative spirit, explore design directions including colors, fonts, and graphics. What our art team came up with was a concentration on water, connections, and community pillars to create a logomark that incorporates the name CHQ Chamber in a way that’s dynamic, connective, and structured,” said Rob Dimmer, founder and proprietor of the Mr. Smith Agency.

For more information visit chautauquachamber.org.