PORTSMOUTH-The Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce runs a successful series of monthly events with members of their organization well-known as Business After Hours. The after-hours social is a place for business professionals to meet after work over food, drinks, and conversation. With a network of over 500 businesses, there is a wide array of personalities and connections to be had. While each event does well, few traditional ones truly standout. One is this upcoming weekend with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Port City Café and Pub, alongside co-sponsors OSCO Industries, TSHD Architects, and Sherman Kricker Insurance.

“The Business After Hours series is great to build connections you might not otherwise make in your everyday business dealings. It puts you in touch with good people who are potential customers and clients,” Executive Director Lisa Carver said, “They’re very casual and not a function you have to be uptight about. Some people aren’t comfortable with formal business meetings, and this is a great way to casually spend time with the business community.”

Each month, locations rotate, and the Chamber often highlights a new or different business. However, a few classics are repeated each year, this being one of them.

“I can’t even begin to think of how many years this Business After Hours has been ongoing. Usually, we rotate locations every year and we highlight different businesses, but St Patrick’s Day in a pub is just fitting and it has become a tradition. It is a mainstay,” Carver explained. “It has always been one of the favorites of the year and there is usually only standing room, because it is so full. People really turn out for the networking, but also the drinks, good food, and music.”

Port City Manager Cory Maillet says he loves the event and has attended since before managing.

“One of my favorite events during St. Patrick’s week is Business After Hours,” Maillet said. “I have been attending them since I was very young, and now I get to host one myself. It’s also great practice to my staff because it’s always like a mini St. Patrick’s Day.”

The Chamber has many programming under its umbrella, from Leadership Portsmouth to training opportunities like Safety Council. The organization is managed by a staff of two and a very experienced board of community leaders. They’ve recently hit a milestone, now being supported by 508 members.

“The Chamber is doing very well. We finally crossed the 500-member mark, which was a goal of ours for many years. We knew we could get there, to be servicing so many businesses in our community, and it feels good to finally reach that benchmark. Now, the hard work begins, because we have to work hard to keep those 500 members through our constant programming.”

The Pub will be closed to the public for the event and only Chamber members are welcome. To join the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, reach out to Carver at 740.353.7647, visit them at 342 Second Street, or navigate their website at Portsmouth.org. They do accept new members through an online application.

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved