Local firms support each other

A collective of Carson Valley businesses has cooperated to convert a less than efficient workspace into a showcase for their talents and products.

With the management and vision of Designing Images President Krissie Thornhill and Associate Designer Samantha Koblitz, the efforts of East Fork Gallery's Margaret Biggs, Artistic Viewpoints' Teri Sweeney, GRAfx8 Media Group's Michael Nelson, Lone Tree Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing owner Barry Jobe and A Wildflower's Lori Britton, the group has reworked the office of Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Chernock.

"I had asked Krissie and Samantha to take a look at the office, which really had a poor layout and wasn't a very good place for work or meetings," said Chernock, "and they developed the idea of enlisting the partners to make use of the space to showcase their businesses. The galleries are loaning works of art, which will be seen by everyone who visits the office, Michael and Barry worked on a number of iconic Carson Valley images, converting them into works of art and Lori created several arrangements that really tie all of it together. The core principles of WHOLE (We're Helping Our Local Economy) are for Valley firms to make an extra effort to buy from each other and in return, to try and provide the best service and pricing to each other. In this case, the formula worked really well."

"The design challenge of the office was more than just the need to address the spatial arrangement of the area," stated Thornhill, "but the need to bring to the space the practices and motives of the chamber. In an effort to capture this, local businesses were included into the design concept to embrace and support the artistic talent, as well as history of the Carson Valley. Not only was this an opportunity to make the space more pleasant to conduct business in, but a means to incorporating the WHOLE vision of the Chamber."

WHOLE has over 80 partners in Carson Valley and while a chamber of commerce program, is not limited only to chamber members.

Businesses interested in finding out more about the no-cost program can contact the chamber at 782-8144.