Tompkins County CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

With over 700 active members, the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to making our county a great place to live and work. We are a progressive, forward-thinking organization dedicated to promoting business in our region by being the community's nexus. The Tompkins Chamber works to forge links between and among business and government, community organizations, local residents and institutions.

Our Mission

The mission of The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce is to advocate for the free enterprise system and sound economic development, foster success for its for-profit and not-for-profit members, and promote a high quality of life for all Tompkins County residents.

About The Chamber:

The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce is 100% Member supported. We are the voice of local business and our dedicated staff works hard to save you money, market your business and build your community. Just as you must provide value to your customers, we believe the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce must provide value to our Members.

From numerous professional development programs to great networking opportunities, the Chamber helps you build your business by helping you meet new people and exposing you to more potential customers and clients.
Thousands of people contact us each year by phone and email. If you are a member, you will be referred. In addition to that, the Chamber’s updated website, TompkinsChamber.org, provides hundreds of high quality referrals directly to Chamber Members each month.
The Chamber takes the lead on key issues affecting business in Tompkins County such as airline service at The Ithaca/Tompkins County Regional Airport, Worker’s Compensation Reform, and Workforce Development. We work closely with Tompkins County Area Development, the County Industrial Development Authority and the City of Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency.
We have collaborated with the City of Ithaca to build the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. Community Issues such as day care, water quality and youth employment are just some of the many topics that the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce is actively working on to help build a better future for area residents.

Whether your priority is building your business,building your community or being involved with public policy activities, the Chamber provides value for your support.

About Tompkins County

Located along the southern tip of Cayuga Lake in the central Finger Lakes Region of New York State, Tompkins County offers the invigorating richness of four full seasons and a lifestyle that is culturally rich, engagingly diverse, and refreshingly laid back. Education is the largest industry, with three very different and highly respected institutions of higher learning - Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College. As a result, the community is filled with respected researchers, writers, inventors, artists and teachers. Tompkins County exemplify the small-town atmosphere while showcasing the qualities of a larger metropolitan city through its abundance of top-quality restaurants, theatre, arts, shopping and cultural activities.

The county seat for Tompkins County is Ithaca, a college town like no other. Recently cited by Sperling and Sander as the nation’s number one emerging city and the eighth best place to live by Kiplinger’s Magazine (2006), Ithaca is fast becoming a hot spot for young couples, families, empty nesters, and retirees. Boasting an unemployment rate of less than three percent, a median home price of $146,600, an expansive transportation system, and a growing multicultural and LGBTQ community this vibrant and lively community is also home to three spectacular gorges and dozens of waterfalls within city limits.

Once you leave the City of Ithaca you quickly come upon rural landscapes, friendly and quaint villages and hamlets and some of nation’s most notable State and Federal forest areas. A nature lover’s paradise you may find your self pedaling a mountain bike down a single track trail, skiing on a backcountry trail, hiking along a cascading waterfall, paddling a kayak downstream, tacking your sailboat upwind or wine tasting at one our over 80 wineries!

The following are resources aimed at providing you a comprehensive overview of Tompkins County and our surrounding communities. These resources provide quick links and overviews of resources ranging from housing, employment, and community connections to volunteer opportunities.

Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or e-mail the contacts featured, as assistance is only a connection away!

Craigslist: Ithaca: www.ithaca.craigslist.org

Ithaca College’s Ithaca Guide: http://www.ithaca.edu/ithacaguide

Joint Ventures Guide to Ithaca:
http://forum.johnson.cornell.edu/students/orgs/jointventures/guide.html

Business Development

Cayuga Venture Fund: http://cvf.biz/

Independent Consultants Network: http://www.members.iconconnect.org

Ithaca Downtown Partnership: www.downtownithaca.com

Tompkins County Area Development: www.tcad.org

Cultural, Social & Recreational Connections

American Indian Resources: http://www.aip.cornell.edu

The Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County: http://www.tompkins-co.org/consortium

Explore Downtown Ithaca http://www.downtownithaca.com

Explore Ithaca http://www.discoverytrail.net

Finger Lakes Independence Center www.flic.org

First Friday’s of Ithaca http://www.upstatevibe.com

International Community Resources:

http://forum.johnson.cornell.edu/students/orgs/jointventures/guide.htm assistance

http://www.isso.cornell.edu/

The Ithaca Asian American Association of Tompkins County

www.ithacaaaa.org or http://www.ithacadragonboat.org/

Ithaca Forward http://www.ithacaforward.org

The Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County, Inc. http://www.latinocivicassociationtc.org

Ithaca Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Taskforce http://www.ilgbttf.org/directory/directory.asp

Multicultural Resource Center http://www.multicultural-resource.org

Day care

Day care and Child Development Council http://www.daycarecouncil.org/

Elder care

Tompkins County Office for the Aging http://www.tompkins-co.org/cofa

Employment:

Tompkins Workforce New York http://www.tompkinsworkforceny.org

Joint Ventures Guide to Ithaca Employment Resources
http://forum.johnson.cornell.edu/students/orgs/jointventures/guide.htm employment

Cornell University Recruitment & Employment Center
http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/contactHR/rec/
http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/jobs

Ithaca College Employment Services Office http://www.ithaca.edu/hr/employment/

Cayuga Medical Center Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
http://www.cayugamed.org/employment

City of Ithaca Human Resources http://www.ci.ithaca.ny.us/

Tompkins County Personnel Office http://www.tompkins-co.org/personnel/

Ithaca City School District Office of Human Resources http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/district/hr/

Emerson Power Transmission http://www.emerson-ept.com/

http://www.davincijobs.com/jobsearch/display_co.php?id=68

BorgWarner Office of Human Resources http://www.morsetec.com/careers.html

Faith & Spiritual Based Institutions

Ithaca Area Connect: http://ithaca.areaconnect.com/churches.htm
Interfaith Directory: http://www.ccfiv.org/churches.htm

Transportation

Airlines
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport http://www.flyithaca.com
Taughannock Aviation (Charter flight services) http://www.flytac.com/

Charter or Commercial Bus Services
Greyhound (Bus Service) http://www.greyhound.com/
New York Trailways (Regional Bus Service) http://www.trailwaysny.com/
Shortline (Regional Bus Service) http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/

Getting Around Town
Department of Motor Vehicles http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/
Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) http://www.tcatbus.com/
Visit Ithaca.com: http://www.visitithaca.com/gettinghere/gettinghere.htm

Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Tompkins www.volunteertompkins.org

Voter Registration
Tompkins County Voters Guide http://www.tcvotersguide.org/index.html