Banker Chosen to Lead New Chamber of Commerce

After joining and attending a few meetings of the Gateway Chamber of Commerce, a regional chamber group, Fulton Bank Branch Manager Evan Tornquist wondered why Warren didn't have a chamber.

After all, the elements all seemed to be in place here: a strong and varied business community and a supportive municipal government suggested Warren would be a great place for a Chamber of Commerce.

So the Primrose Way resident spoke to Gateway Vice President Kate Conroy and soon, a group formed to launch the new chamber. One of the group's first formal actions was to name the easy-going banker as chairman.

And just days after the announcement of the Chamber forming, Tornquist said he's already hearing from potential members.

"I've already spoken to a number of Gateway members who say they want to come in to Warren," he said.

They'll have their chance at the Chamber's upcoming membership kickoff meeting, 8 a.m. Sept. 26 at Mt. Bethel Village. The meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about the Warren Chamber of Commerce, its association with Gateway, and to hear speakers that will include township officials and Gateway President Jim Coyle.

But even before then, Tornquist will be sharing his vision of the Chamber's goals and mission. He said membership for the new group won't be limited to particular industries or locations.

"I see it as being two avenues—networking within the township and networking through Gateway," Tornquist said.

As a partner in the Gateway Chamber, members of the Warren Chamber will be able to access meetings and members of Gateways other partner chambers, including the Somerset Hills Business Network, Route 22 Chamber of Commerce, Irish Business Associations and the chambers of Central Jersey, Union County, Kenilworth, Clark, Linden and Roselle.  

But the affiliation also alleviates the difficult management duties for the new chamber, with Gateway hosting membership services, accounting needs and other services.

The biggest challenge for a new Chamber is identifying the best ways to serve its membership.

"We have the Lions Club and we have the Rotary and they do great things in town," Tornquist said. "A challenge will be getting the focus that can make it obvious why someone should join."

But he believes a new business coming to town will want to know there's a chamber—"a place where they can get plugged in," he said. 

"We will evolve as we need to," he added.  

That's because the chamber is looking beyond retail members as its base—Tornquist said that though the local shops will be a vital part of the group, the township has a much larger number of businesses in professional and health-related industries and the chamber wants to serve those businesses as well.

Tornquist has already been in contact with the township Business and Economic Development Committee.

"We're going to work with them to have an open dialogue," he said.

Anyone interested in attending the Sept. 26 meeting is encouraged to register on the Gateway Chamber event calendar. The meeting will be free and include breakfast and coffee.  

Tornquist grew up in Warren, leaving to attend Valley Forge Christian College, where he majored in music. He joined Fulton Bank in Maryland, before transferring to New Jersey to manage the Flemington branch. 

He returned to Warren in 2010, with his wife, Sarah, and was named manager of the local branch in 2012.