Paul Foglia is general manager of Triumph Brewing Company of New Hope (Photo from company Facebook site)
In an early sign of traction in recruiting major New Hope business players to their expansion effort, the newly-renamed Greater Lambertville-New Hope Chamber of Commerce (GLNCC) today signed on Triumph Brewing Company of New Hope and the Landing Restaurant, announced Wilson Weed, president of the business group.
Recruiting outreach is active, and new names are expected to be announced “sooner than later,” said Weed.
Managers Paul Foglia of Triumph Brewing Company and Elliot Mercer of the Landing Restaurant accepted appointments to the GLNCC board of directors, along with Jane Wesby of River Queen Gallery in Lambertville.
Weed said he grew to respect Foglia, a former New Hope chamber director, during the Lambertville food truck events, and believes the Triumph executive could be helpful with Restaurant Week organization. Likewise, says Weed, Mercer brings solid business experience and a major New Hope name to the table, and Weed hopes to give Mercer some “softball tips,” a jibe reflecting a friendship born amid local league play.
Said Weed, “We won’t be recruiting any more restaurants, but we want leaders from different sectors, like retail, finance and the arts.”
That’s where the math gets interesting — with 15 total board seats authorized, the GLNCC only has three director positions left to fill with New Hope merchants. Sounds like one from each of the three areas outlined by Weed. But whom? “We have other big names we’re waiting to hear from,” confirmed Weed.
The Bucks County Playhouse could certainly fill the “arts” slot, and one must in any event wonder where they fit in the emerging mosaic, given their own plans to refashion New Hope’s visitors center as the hub of their promotional efforts on behalf of “participating” New Hope businesses.
Meanwhile, Weed and company have demonstrated their ability to move decisively and, with today’s announcement, attract heavy hitters to their cause.
In an unexpected move, the board of directors of the Lamberville Area Chamber of Commerce voted Thursday night to rename and re-brand the organization under the “Greater Lambertville-New Hope Chamber of Commerce” banner.
As first reported in the Free Press, the move is part of a series of measures aimed at boosting the business group’s appeal to New Hope and beyond in a bid to capitalize on the enormous growth potential they envision through tourism efforts emphasizing the attraction of visiting two distinct towns within walking distance of one another.
Meanwhile, one can’t help wonder which business will be the next to sign on…Wells Fargo? Savioni? Stay tuned, as they used to say.
I see many positive points to the newly formed Greater Lambertville-New Hope Chamber of Commerce. This will finally allow for the advertising that is so badly needed in New Hope. Lambertville can help that to happen, where the New Hope Chamber of Commerce could never get the job done and failed. It was one mess after another with the New Hope Chamber of Commerce. My concern, now since seeing that Mr. Foglia is now a new member, but also an ex New Hope Chamber of Commerce member, is who will be the next “old” New Hope Chamber of Commerce member to join this new Chamber of Commerce. If we see the name Roger Green on that list, or anyone that took the checks from the old New Hope Chamber of Commerce, then there will be a problem. It would mean that we would be getting the same that we received before, dishonesty and corruption. Not a great way to begin something new.