Corbin, W’burg Chambers of Commerce vote to approve merger

Representatives of the board of directors from the Greater Corbin and Greater Williamsburg chambers of commerce voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to pool their resources and merge the two groups into one regional chamber of commerce.

"Obviously we have had discussions at previous meetings about joining and merging the two chambers into one," said Corbin Economic Development Director Bruce Carpenter.

The two groups tasked Carpenter with working up preliminary plans things, such as new articles of incorporation and bylaws as well as the structure and make-up of the new group.

"Today, those two boards jointly approved for me to start working those details out with help from the state chamber," Carpenter said. "We were fortunate today to have Aaron Cox, Executive Director of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives, come down from Frankfort to work with us on this. He has been a part of this for the last year or so.

"Now it is becoming a reality, and we will have more details to announce as we start going through this and getting the amendments and bylaws in place. It is a great opportunity for our county."

About one dozen people attended a nearly two-hour meeting at the Corbin

Technology Center to discuss the proposed merger. Although some tentative names for the new chamber were discussed, no official name has been approved.