Kerry Baker, the executive director of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on at the Chamber.
The Key West Chamber of Commerce keeps businesses informed about what’s going on in the city, state and country.
Baker said, “It’s important for everyone to be involved with what’s going on, not just the Chamber. We obviously represent our members in the business community, but a lot of times the city does look out, even the county, they’ll reach out to us as stakeholders in the community. They certainly want our input. We want to work together. We do really believe in order for us to move forward, it has to be a partnership, and we all have to be willing to hear one another out, sometimes come to a compromise and really do what’s within best for the interest for the entire city. So because of that, the Chamber, our advocacy is very important. We stay involved. We’re in the middle of budget workshops right now. So we do do a budget review. We thank all of our government entities for taking time out of their very busy schedules. This coming Tuesday, we have Greg Veliz and his team at the aqueduct authority, so we’re looking forward to hearing their presentation. They’ve been doing a fantastic job. Their construction in the Upper Keys, that’s not easy when you have to do construction on US 1, which is pretty much the only road in and out. They really have navigated that and tried to be as least impacting as possible. I think they’ve done a fantastic job. So I look forward to having Greg also as our speaker at our general membership meeting this month, so we’ll get an update on what’s going on with the aqueduct authority, but we really can’t thank them, as well as Keys Energy and really all of our partnerships for how well they work with the community.”
The Key West Chamber of Commerce has about 600 members.
Baker said, “We’re averaging eight to 10 new members a month. Obviously, you have some attrition every year, and you have some businesses that, unfortunately, just people relocate. This past year, we had a lot of people that retired, but we’re holding strong with new membership, and we’re excited about that. I mean, there’s a lot of new businesses that are still opening up a lot of younger professionals. So it is really important. The Chamber is an excellent opportunity to network, to get your name out there, but also just to become a part of the business community, to learn the ins and outs. We had one of our new members at our tourism committee recently, and it was a great opportunity for them to meet some of our more, I’ll say, our veteran business owners. We do have some businesses that have been here for 25 plus years, and just to be able to share their experiences, get some feedback, that’s really what it’s about. It is a partnership, networking. We all want the best for one another, and we certainly want every business to thrive. So I think the Chamber does afford a lot of opportunity for that, and we certainly encourage our members to be involved and get involved, come to meetings, come to events, come to the networking opportunities, but meeting your fellow business owners and your counterparts. It’s amazing how much talent we have here and some of that talent is also retirees that have come here to retire, and then they starting to consult and work with some of our nonprofits and be able to offer their expertise. So I’m always been very proud to say that I’m from the Key West community. I think that we’re a great community. We all look out for one another, and I think that that’s extremely important.”
The Chamber also works with the state, too.
Baker said, “We do have a membership, and we’re involved with the Florida Chamber of Commerce. I have some professional affiliations, Florida Association of Chamber Professionals. It’s important. Some of the issues that we face here, they face in other areas of the state of Florida, and it is really important to watch what’s going on in Tallahassee, because sometimes things can get built into bills, and those decisions can affect drastically our way of life. Let’s face it, something that may work in other areas of Florida may not necessarily work here, so it is important to stay involved, and I think that the Chamber has really taken a big presence with that. We had a pretty active role in Florida Keys days this year. We’re looking forward to Keys days next year, having a great relationship with Senator Rodriguez and Representative Mooney is extremely important. These are people that you want to have on your side. So when things come up, they’re our voice. They are the ones that are speaking out for us here in Monroe County, and it’s extremely important for us to maintain those relationships.”
The sixth annual barbecue rib battle is coming up.
Baker said, “It is Labor Day weekend. We’re really happy and excited to be partnering with Shots and Giggles. This will be the sixth annual event. I think we may have maybe one more spot left for someone that wants to enter the rib contest, they can call the chamber to get them all the particulars on that. So we will have barbecue ribs. We have pork sandwiches. We’re going to have some brisket this year. Of course, all the traditional barbecue sides. We’ve got coleslaw, macaroni salad. We’ve got baked beans, potato salad. So I certainly thank our partners on that. We’ve got First State Bank, Ocean Blue Gallery, and then, of course, I thank Catered Affairs, Alonzo Opal and Irish Kevin’s for all their in kind support. So we’re looking forward to a great event. It’s a lot of fun. It’s right down on Ann Street. There’s a lot happening that weekend. So it’s a great weekend for our locals to get out and about, and we look forward to seeing everybody. It’s from 12 to 4 on Ann Street.”
The annual Showcase of Key West Businesses will be from 3 to 5 p.m. on September 25.
Baker said, “It is open to the public from three to five, and then 5:30 to 7:30, it continues as a trade show, but it’s done as a business after hours. The Beachside is gracious to host that event for us every year, they do a fantastic job. So we certainly look forward to the show. I think there may be one space left. I could be wrong, but I think there’s one spot left. We’re looking forward to basically a sold out show. We thank everybody for their participation and their support of the Chamber. We thank all of our members, and we look forward to a great remainder of 2025 and of course, what’s coming ahead for 2026. Anything that anybody needs, if you’re interested in membership with the Chamber, please give me a call. I’m happy to come to you. We wish everyone a happy weekend.”
For more information, click here: https://www.keywestchamber.org/