BACC Announces Board of Directors Position Changes

During last month's 2024 BACC Spring Soirée & Annual Meeting, two big announcements were made regarding the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Longtime Executive Committee member and Co-Chair, Sonia Rollins, announced to the members in attendance that she would be stepping down from the Executive Committee, but will remain a Director and looks forward to continuing to bring her passion and energy to the board. In doing so, she also passed the baton to Brendan Stapleton, Owner and Operator of Fitness Together Burlington, to assume the Co-Chair role with Bob Buckley of Riemer & Braunstein. The BACC looks forward to their continued leadership as we move towards the future of the organization. We had the privilege to talk with both Sonia and Brendan about their new roles in the Board of Directors, and what their plans are for the future of the BACC. 

Sonia Rollins has had a large role within the BACC's leadership for a long period of time, and she has seen the Chamber accomplish some amazing things over that time. She told us that "There is no I in team and I can not take any credit alone for the accomplishments that the chamber has seen in the past decade", and although it was a team effort, Sonia was involved in and helped administer some of the biggest changes and accomplishments in the Chamber's history during her time on the Board. She continued, "I am proud of the government affairs committee and the work that they have done to discuss matters that are important to housing, workforce development and transportation.... when standing in the Taste of Burlington and looking at a sold out room - I am in awe at the caliber of restaurants that are located in Burlington and their generosity in giving their time to be at one of our signature events. In addition, the monies we have raised in our Charitable Foundation through the Black Tie Gala is something that warms my heart. Not only in seeing the good work these non profits do, but in the collective sponsorships (led by the Herb Chambers Companies title sponsorship) that make events like this possible".

Brendan Stapleton has also been a member of the Board of Directors for a number of years, joining the Board in 2018 after being a BACC member since 2011. The original reason he had for joining the chamber was, "the social piece.. the networking, the camaraderie of being a part of all the business owners in town, meeting other people", but quickly realized there was so much more to the Chamber than that, as it can be somewhat of a "business playbook" for businesses to follow and thrive off of. Joining the board of directors in 2018 then gave Brendan "the ability to help other small businesses realize that there's a huge framework within the chamber, and he really started to focus on how to "tie the big business community, the land developers, the big players in town, to the small business community because they both thrive off of each other". 

This collaboration and togetherness is needed now more than ever, as the BACC is entering a new, unique period of change, with the post-COVID transition by most companies of hybrid and online work leading to a decrease in the daytime population and attendance at many office buildings. 

Sonia and Brendan are no stranger to changes and challenges, as they've experienced many throughout their time in the Chamber, as does any business owner. From financial crises, global pandemics, and more, their leadership and perseverance has carried them through the tough times. "My time on the executive committee has seen some of our strongest times and some of our most challenging", said Sonia, "Those of us who have been involved in the Chamber for years have always seen its relevance in having the business community work together to not only prosper individually but collectively as a group.  As the years progressed, the BACC became more and more relevant as doing business has become more challenging.  With the covid years behind us -- we are still working through many things and what I have noticed most is the village mentality as businesses of all sizes work collectively for the greater good. I am proud of that".

Brendan described such challenges and how he overcomes them by saying, "Burlington's an amazing place. And I think it's a very unique, it's a very special place. There’s unbelievable residents, great business owners, people that come here. I think over the years, it's always been one of the challenges is just, you're, you know, it's like we’re a very small piece in this giant cog, and that is honestly where I think the Chamber fits in, because it bridges the gap. So I think out of the million challenges I've probably faced, I've always been able to look to the chamber, the people inside of it, to find the resolution. So it's always bridged the gap. It's always been my resource to look back on because those are the people I've met".

Members of the BACC working together has always lead to success in the past, and will continue to be a necessary part of the future of the Chamber, as it will be needed with all the new changes. It is vital for members to lean on and help each other, as it helps to go through these challenges with like-minded people who are all working towards the same goal. "Good business comes when we do good business together.  The power of the chamber is in its members working toward the greater good," is how Sonia described the way this collaboration works. "Now more than ever - our voice matters."

It is clear to see the impact that Sonia Rollins has had on the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce since she has been involved within its leadership, but although she will no longer be on the Executive Board, she will continue to be involved with the Chamber in other ways. Sonia said of her new role within the BACC, "Stepping down from the executive committee does not constitute stepping away from the BACC. On the contrary - as a member of the Board of Directors...We each have a certain area of expertise and our job is to bring that expertise to the board -- I am looking forward to continuing to raise awareness of the chamber by remaining on the Events Committee and helping with our signature events and to bring life to the Women in Business group and our non profits through a variety of avenues". The BACC is truly thankful for Sonia Rollins' continued leadership and is excited to still have her on board.

On the other hand, in his new role as Co-Chair of the Executive Committee, Brendan Stapleton will continue to tie the small businesses, like his Fitness Together Burlington, to the large businesses and the rest of the fabric of the town of Burlington. And another thing that he sees as a main focus of his will be making sure everyone in the Burlington area knows about the BACC, and make it so that the Chamber will "always be part of someone's standard operating procedures. It should be part of your business's playbook". Spreading the word about the values of being a part of the Chamber, and connecting all businesses together to form a cohesive team, will be some of the major themes we see throughout the Chamber in the future. 

While Brendan knows that he will be "trying to fill some pretty big shoes", he is ready and excited to take over the position of Co-Chair, and the BACC is excited to see his goals and visions come to fruition. "In 50 years, the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce still exists, but the people that are, and have been running it don't have to still be doing everything," he said, "because it's not a singular person dependent, or two people, or three people, or five people. It's a system". That system will lead to the success of not only the BACC, but all of its members and the community as a whole.