Other Member Opportunities
Member2Member Discount Program
Commerce Chenango is proud to offer a Member2Member Discount Program, which has been created to provide our members with another benefit to add value to their Chamber membership. This program offers a unique combination of promoting member to member buying, boosting sales and increasing visibility. Chamber members and their families are encouraged to patronize fellow members. There are over 450 member companies representing over 14,000 employees, which result in significant purchasing power that can positively impact your business.
As part of the Member2Member Discount Program, Chamber members and their employees are issued a key card for identification. Members simply present their cards at participating businesses to receive their discount on products and services. This list will change periodically as new discounts are offered, so be sure to keep up to date.
The Chamber encourages members to take advantage of this opportunity to save money, as well as generate new exposure and new clients for your business. If you are interested in adding your businesses discount to the list of participants please contact Jill Eddy at 607-334-1402 or email to jeddy@chenangony.org.
Energy Program
Commerce Chenango partners with Integrys Energy Services, a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, to bring Chamber members lower prices on their electricity bill.
Integrys offers retail and wholesale products, primarily natural gas and electric power, in nonregulated energy markets. Integrys Energy Services and its subsidiaries provide energy supply solutions, products and strategies that enable customers to manage energy needs while capitalizing on opportunities resulting from deregulated markets.
Integrys and its subsidiaries market energy products in the retail market serving commercial and industrial customers, as well as 'aggregated' small commercial and residential customers and standard service offer. Aggregated customers are associations or groups of customers, which have joined together to negotiate purchases of electric or natural gas energy as a larger group. Additionally, Integrys Energy Services markets energy products directly to small end users in deregulated markets.
Call the Chamber representative, Clark Taylor direct at (585) 872-5790 for more information.
529 College Savings Plan
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment plan designed to encourage saving for future higher education expenses of a designated beneficiary (typically one's child or grandchild). The plans are named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code and are administered by state agencies and organizations.
All withdrawals from 529 plans for qualified education expenses will remain free from federal income tax! Many states mirror the federal tax advantages for 529 plans by offering state tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified higher education expenses.
Commerce Chenango is currently partnering with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. They are offering members and their employees an opportunity to open a 529 through a Group Advisor Plan that has been established by the Chamber.
The primary benefit of this type of group plan is that there is NO front-end load as there is with individual accounts—which can save members from 5-7%.
This is not pre-tax money. In New York, individuals can claim up to a $5,000 tax credit/ couples up to a $10,000 tax credit on their State taxes. Under the Pension Protection Act, the beneficiary of the Plan will never have to pay taxes on the monies drawn for education purposes.
Members will be working directly with our representative at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Dominic Shea.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential program designed to help employee’s emotional and mental well-being, as well as to help manage work/life issues.
The cost for this service (billed to the employer) is $19.00 per covered employee annually. Immediate family members and dependents, regardless of their geographical locations, will be covered as well, at no additional cost. This amount can equal as much as a 25% savings from other EAP programs that are offered in this area.
Each contract will be written to reflect the annual charge to the company/individual and the billing will be done quarterly through the Chamber. You will not reach an automated system when you call the 800 number; you will reach a live person, who is a licensed professional and can help you immediately.