The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry is thinking younger, creatively and efficiently.
And, of course, it's still thinking locally.
Chamber officials rolled out an ambitious and wide-ranging agenda for 2012 at the organization's annual business meeting Friday.
About 650 people gathered at the Lancaster County Convention Center were told about several new initiatives and services. These include:
• A Young Professional Network to help professionals ages 40 and younger enhance skills and make business connections.
• A fleet-fueling discount of two cents per gallon, and as much as five cents per gallon, offered through the chamber's BizCorp affiliate.
• A discounted two-minute video profile of companies that sign up for the chamber's "Think Local" campaign.
The videos, available for $500 (a 33 percent discount), will be produced by Wood Star Productions.
The chamber's membership directory, which already notes firms that support "Think Local," also will recognize firms that have video profiles.
The videos will be viewable on the "Think Local" website and the participating firm's website, if the firm wishes, Wood Star said.
Chamber officials said 201 companies have signed a pledge to "Think Local" since the campaign was launched in October.
And six organizations have joined The Lancaster Chamber as partners in the "Think Local" program, advocating that their members become participants.
They are the Elizabethtown Area, Ephrata Area and Susquehanna Valley chambers, the Building Industry Association, the James Street Improvement District and the Pa. Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Chamber officials also announced several internal initiatives for 2012.
These include a review of the chamber's business model, to make sure the chamber is delivering its services as effectively as possible.
"Whatever we create, the focus still will be on our mission of building Lancaster County into a model of prosperity," said Tom Baldrige, chamber president.
The 2,400-member chamber also said it will develop a process that infuses innovation into its programs, products and services.
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