The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce held its 96th annual meeting under tents on the pier of the Steamship Authority in Hyannis on June 6th. The theme of the meeting was A Watershed Year, celebrating significant achievements related to the Cape’s water and economy. In 2018, legislation to create a Water Protection Fund and level the playing field for room occupancy taxes was passed after years of advocacy work. Additionally, the Cape Cod Region Blue Economy Foundation was established in order to grow water-related industries.
Elected at the meeting were new board members: Bill Catania (Catania Hospitality), Robbin Orbison (CapeSpace), Jan Aggerbeck (Cape Cod Coffee), Paulo Paraguay (Kandy Korner), Lisa Oliver (The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod), and David Troutman (The Scargo Café). Re-elected directors included Terri Ahern (Cape Cod Healthcare), Alisa Galazzi (Housing Assistance Corp.), Andrew Gottlieb (Association to Preserve Cape Cod), Stephan McMahon (Stephen P. McMahon & Co.), Lisa Parenteau (Realtor at RE/MAX Leading Edge) and Paul Swartz (Dockside Hotel Group).
Officers elected included: Chairman of the Board Larry Drago (BizChecks Payroll), Vice Chair Bert Talerman (Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank), Treasurer Janet Feeney (DePaola & Begg), Clerk Linda Markham (Cape Air), Membership Chair Gail Knell (Ebb Tide/The Sea View), Economic Development Chair Eugene Curry (Law Offices of Eugene Curry), Convention & Visitors Bureau Chair Bill Catania (Catania Hospitality) and immediate past chair Ken Smith (The Red Jacket Resorts).The event was sponsored by The Steamship Authority and Bay State Wind, an
Orsted & Eversource Initiative. Contributing sponsors included Cape Abilities, Cape Cod Chalk & Arts, and Pairpoint Glass. An after-party was hosted by The Naked Oyster of Main Street, Hyannis.
The Cape Cod Chamber’s FY 18 annual report will be released later this month, featuring a series of chalkboard art highlighting the year’s accomplishments.
