Chamber Members Make New Connections at Networking Event

March 21, 2016
|In News, Chamber News, ENNIS CHAMBER, LIMERICK CHAMBER, SHANNON & DISTRICT CHAMBER
|By InBusiness Team
Pictured at the regional chamber networking evening in the Oakwood Arms Hotel, Shannon (from left): Cillian Griffey, Shannon Chamber Skillnet (sponsor); Anne Morris, Limerick Chamber Skillnet (sponsor);  Eithne  O'Riordan, Bbnet (sponsor); Maura McMahon, Limerick Chamber; Anne McCabe, president, Ennis Chamber; Lijana Kizaite, Shannon Chamber; Declan Ryan, Cantor Fitzgerald (sponsor): Enda O'Halloran, Campion Insurance(sponsor). Photo: Shauna Kennedy.  
Pictured at the regional chamber networking evening in the Oakwood Arms Hotel, Shannon (from left): Cillian Griffey, Shannon Chamber Skillnet (sponsor); Anne Morris, Limerick Chamber Skillnet (sponsor);  Eithne  O’Riordan, Bbnet (sponsor); Maura McMahon, Limerick Chamber; Jean McCabe, president, Ennis Chamber; Lijana Kizaite, Shannon Chamber; Declan Ryan, Cantor Fitzgerald (sponsor): Enda O’Halloran, Campion Insurance(sponsor). Photo: Shauna Kennedy.

Over 130 Chambers of Commerce member companies from Clare and Limerick gathered in the Oakwood Arms Hotel in Shannon last week to seek out new business opportunities from within the Chamber network. 

This annual networking event, organised by the Ennis, Limerick and Shannon Chambers seeks to encourage members to do business with each other or to seek out referral business for members. The event was sponsored by Bbnet, Cantor Fitzgerald, Campion Insurance, Shannon Chamber Skillnet and Limerick Chamber Skillnet, all of whom have ongoing links with small and medium businesses, attendees at the event. 

ConnectIreland’s Joanna Murphy travelled from her base in Dublin to facilitate the evening and energetically encouraged attendees to get a greater understanding of all attendees’ business and referral needs so that they could leave with at least one positive connection from their networking endeavours.

 “To be an effective network, you need to be a good listener. You need to be a giver and not a taker, ask probing questions and listen to the answers. Set personal targets for any networking event you attend and don’t leave until you have met everyone you have targeted to meet,” she said.

 The CEOs of Ennis, Limerick and Shannon Chambers – Rita McInerney, Dr James Ring and Helen Downes speaking after the event said: “We host this annual networking event to foster collaboration in and between members of our three chambers. Whilst each chamber has its own bespoke calendar of events for its respective membership, joining forces to host an event of this magnitude demonstrates the benefits of collaboration and networking on a regional level and also illustrates the strength of the Chamber network overall – members can participate in larger events such as this annual networking event, and by so doing expand their marketing reach.”