At separate meetings held in June, the boards of directors of the Bristol County Chamber and The One SouthCoast Chamber agreed to integrate under a single corporate umbrella, effective January 1, 2020. Shortly after voting to integrate, the chambers secured a branding consultant to lead the process of choosing a new corporate name and identity. The chambers worked with New Bedford based business Moore & Isherwood, Communications, Inc. on naming the new combined chamber and local designer, Sergio Dabdoub of BadMonkeyPics, to create the logo.

The boards of directors of both The One SouthCoast Chamber and Bristol County Chamber voted to approve the new corporate entity name of “One SouthCoast Chamber”, tagline of “The Voice of Business”, and the new logo design. The new logo is a visual representation of two strong organizations coming together to form one. The nautical knot shape is also a nod to the maritime history in the communities served by the Chambers.

“This is an exciting time for the business community of the South Coast. We are one region, with a common set of goals and challenges that require we speak with one voice. This wonderful outcome signifies that we are a region on the rise.” said Rick Kidder, President and CEO of The One SouthCoast Chamber.

Mike O’Sullivan, CEO of the Bristol County Chamber said “The economy has been regionalizing for quite some time. This has presented us a great opportunity to increase our value to all of the chamber members. This includes a particular focus on small business, which is the backbone of our membership, education, government affairs and healthcare. The SouthCoast is a region that continues to advance, led by two cities that continue to grow and offer tremendous economic opportunities and quality of life to the region.”

In the coming months, the chambers will work to reflect the new branding on the website, both offices, and marketing collateral in order to prepare for the January launch of One SouthCoast Chamber. Businesses and organizations that are a member of either The One SouthCoast Chamber or Bristol County Chamber, will become a member of One SouthCoast Chamber. Members will be notified via email of changes to their member profiles including increased services and benefits.

With combined memberships of nearly 1,600 businesses, representing tens of thousands of employees in the South Coast region, One SouthCoast Chamber will become the second largest in the Commonwealth in number of member companies. One SouthCoast Chamber will serve the entire South Coast region – from Wareham to eastern Rhode Island.