Riverside City History
Chamber of Commerce

The "Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce" was a significant development of the 1980s. In 1988, Mayor Betty Burch contacted for consulting assistance with sportscaster and Northland personality, Bill Grigsby. She knew the city needed a boost and Grigsby operated a consulting group, CityMark, which helsp communities identify strengths and marshal resources for improvement.

Approximately 50 people attended a meeting, including business and property owners, concerned citizens and several members of the Board of Aldermen. During the meeting, Grigsby said, "You have two choices. You can either get an army of bulldozers and plow the place under or you can clean up your act! Paint your buildings, plant some trees and make your community a viable place to be." Community leader Dan Peak was sitting next to David and Marilyn Brenner during the meeting. Marilyn suggested to Dan the need for a Chamber of Commerce. Agreeing that this was a good idea, Peak stood and made a motion to form a new Chamber. Riverside had hosted a Chamber in the past, but at that time there was no current, organized effort. A steering committee was formed and the new Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce followed. Dan Peak was named first president.

At a meeting held on May 15, 1988, at the David Theatre, Articles of Incorporation and organizational bylaws were accepted unanimously, along with newly elected Board of Directors and Officers: Dan Peak, President; Ron Hopkins, Vice President; Bill Smith, Secretary/Treasurer; Sheree Shepard, Toni Case, Bill Bailey, Ron Hopkins, Bill Tott, Phillip Wollard and Jim Davis. Directors meetings were held at the John Brown and Company office with the focus on the cleanup of Riverside. A couple of workdays were held and volunteers pitched in to start improving the community. The Chamber included 50 - 70 members.

Fund raising activities included member dinners and auctions. The organization Reach Out America and other local charities were recipients of the proceeds. Toni Case, who was the 1989 president of the Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce, began a festival called River City Days, held around the 4th of July. Entertainment and activities included a small carnival, fireworks display, and the ever-popular dunk tank. The Chamber also held a dance in conjunction with the fall festival.

Case said the key goal of the Chamber at the time was to help beautify Riverside. "The idea was to clean up the city by promoting businesses to clean up their buildings and help others to do the same." Today, many things have changed. Although there is no longer a River City Days, the 50 members have grown to 150. The Chamber still participates in the fall festival, Riverfest, and they still donate to local charities. Most importantly, the goal of making our community a better place to be remains as important today as it was in 1988.

NEXT»