By KEVIN NEVERS

The Duneland Chamber of Commerce no longer exists.

At least not under that name.

On Thursday the Chamber’s Board of Directors voted—overwhelming a source told the Chesterton Tribune today—to change its name to the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce.

Also changed was the identifying tag line: from the oddly specific “Serving the communities of Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores, and Dune Acres” to the more inclusive “Serving Northern Porter County.”

In a statement released today by the Chamber newly elected Board President Dave Perry, vice-president of the First National Bank of Valparaiso, said, “The business environment is changing and our borders are expanding. The Chamber is no different than other businesses in that we need to encompass a greater area. The name change will help us focus on growing the business communities we serve.”

Added long-time Board member Jeff Trout, owner of Trout Glass & Mirror in Chesterton, “The new Chamber name makes good business sense from an outreach marketing perspective by identifying the Chamber’s position on a map, while continuing to honor the “Duneland” name that is cherished locally.”

The Board began contemplating the possibility of a double-barreled name—as well as a new identifying tag line—after concerns were expressed at a strategic planning forum in August that there is no Duneland on the map. Nor in the telephone book. No in tourist guides or business registries. The problem: a name without a place is hard to move to, and an executive headquartered in New York and interested, say, in establishing a branch of the business in Northern Porter County would have no reason to know that the best first point of contact was the Duneland Chamber.

According to figures compiled by the Board, 242 of the Chamber’s 380 members last year or 64 percent were businesses located in Chesterton and 60 or 16 percent were businesses located in Valparaiso. The towns of Porter, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores, and Dune Acres accounted for 25 of the members or 7 percent, Porter accounting for 15 or 4 percent. Twelve members are businesses located in Michigan City; 11 more in Portage; 15 others elsewhere in Indiana; and six out of state.

“Regardless of the name change,” the statement said, “Chamber leadership had already set in place a web site design change reflecting domain registration for each of the Duneland communities, as well as a link to those towns that have a web site. Additional plans are to better position the Chamber in local telephone directories.”

Posted 1/24/2003