ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Building a bigger membership base and planning more family-oriented activities are two of the main goals new Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Chairman Steve Brooks wants to accomplish in 2011.

“Right now we have 284 members and we will be sending out surveys in the next couple of months to see what they want from the chamber. This organization belongs to everyone and we want their feedback on how to make it better,” said Brooks.

Serving on the 22 member Board of Directors for the past two years and elected by the seven member Executive Committee, Brooks looks forward to his new position and is honored and excited about what the new year will bring.

“The chamber is a goal-driven body and as we look back over the three goals from last year (Financial Management, Communications and Board Education), we are happy to report the Board met or exceeded each one of these, As we turn our focus to 2011, our goal as your Board will be to strengthen our presence in the community and continue to add value to our membership,” Brooks said.

In meeting those goals for the year, Brooks and the board plan to:

A. Continue to be in contact with existing members to update them on coming events and new initiatives.

B. Help our members refer new members to join our network.

C. Meet to plan and add a new event and will be asking the membership for input on this event.

D. Will determine the structure of the event (location, fundraising, giving back to the community or both) and hopefully make it an annual family-focused event.

“We as a board are committed to providing value to our members and we believe the best resource of information and ideas come from them. By listening and providing service to our members and helping them grow, the chamber itself will grow and prosper,” Brooks said.

As the Chamber celebrates its’ 35th year and in planning for the Annual Banquet, the mission “to promote the advancement of community development, economic growth and quality of life in our area through leadership and commitment as the representative of area businesses and community objectives” remains the same.

Brooks said the Chamber would not be as successful as it is without the unwavering support of the City of Robertsdale and its commitment to the citizens of Central Baldwin County.

“They have been so generous to us in providing funding and this building for us to hold our meetings . We are very thankful for what they do for us,” Brooks said.

And as a native of Robertsdale since 1965 when his family moved here from Castleberry, Alabama and a 1975 graduate of Robertsdale High School, Brooks understands the value of community and family.

“I have had the privilege of knowing all four founding members of this chamber and understand the vision they had in starting it. I used to work in the potato sheds and was here when there was a railroad too. I have seen this community go from fields to subdivisions. There is a strong work ethic in this community and I believe that’s why the city has grown so much because of that and strong family values,” Brooks said.

After high school, Brooks worked for Sun Diamond Growers for 14 years and then began working for Riviera Utilities in 1989 as a purchaser for the gas water and wastewater department. And in that job has learned so much about people and how they shape a community.

“I have gotten such a great education working for Riviera. They care so much about the community and are constantly giving back to those in need. I am so blessed to work for a company that is in the people business and serving the customer” Brooks said.

In serving on the Board, Brooks said he has been surrounded by the hardest working members and volunteers around and believes that’s the reason the chamber has been so successful for the past 35 years.

“We have a unique community in which everyone in the four municipalities work so well together and no one is singled out as better than the other. It’s so nice to work in that kind of environment and I want to continue that tradition and build on what has been done in the past years,” Brooks explained.

Even with the dismal economy and oil spill crisis, Brooks said Central Baldwin has thrived.

“It just shows the resilience and endurance of our community and how our people react to hard times. I think we have done really well during this time. Our chamber membership has stayed the same and we haven’t lost one single member. That says something great about our community. That they believe in the chamber and we believe in them. We all work together.”

In looking forward to 2011, Brooks said “commerce is the lifeblood of the community and we need it to survive. We welcome it and want to make sure our members know we are there for them and learning from them and their families.”

Brooks and his wife, Theresa, have three grown daughters and six grandchildren and are very active members of First Baptist Church of Robertsdale. Brooks is also a member of the Baldwin Baptist Association Disaster Relief Team and has served on the Silverhill Town Council for 19 years.

“I try to stay positive and land very family-minded. I live my life by the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 that says ‘I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ . I believe those plans for me right now are to be here serving the people of Central Baldwin County,” explained Brooks.