“People often return to some of our events over and over because they know they’ll see their friends.” —Janet Rogers
From mixers to a golf tournament and an annual gala, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce hosts a variety of activities and events every year. But the event that stands out as the longest-running and biggest by attendees is the annual Agri-Business BBQ. The 2015 event in August will be the 43rd annual celebration, paying tribute to the diverse and pivotal role the agriculture community takes in shaping the quality of life in Sonoma County.The event, which was once held at the Santa Rosa fairgrounds, was later moved to Saralee’s Vineyard and Richard’s Grove on Slusser Road in Windsor. When Kendall-Jackson purchased tat property last year, the chamber held the event at Shone Farm, Santa Rosa Junior College’s 365-acre outdoor learning laboratory. This year, it will be held at the newly remodeled and renamed Richard’s Grove & Pavilion, in the heart of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley.
“The goal for the event is to connect with the agriculture community,” explains Janet Rogers, vice president of membership services for the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce. “In our everyday chamber world, we don’t have that connection. This is an opportunity to join with the ag community and honor them for all they do.”
Since 1988, a group of chamber members decided to honor someone at the annual event with a “Leadership in Agriculture” award. These honorees have represented every industry in the agriculture community, from dairy to wine and viticulture, sheep ranching, eggs and poultry, and even a veterinarian. Last year’s honoree was Jennifer Lynn Bice, owner of Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery. This year, the event will honor Kevin and Linda Barr of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, Inc.The Agri-Business BBQ, an outdoor event that’s open to the public and hosts approximately 600 attendees, showcases local caterers, pourings by local wineries, a trade show and, of course, the barbeque, which has been operated for more than 20 years by a group from Western Farm Center.
“I think we won [Best Chamber Event] because people enjoy seeing other people they’ve built relationships with over the years,” says Rogers. “People often return to our events over and over because they know they’ll see their friends.”
Rogers adds that the chamber also places ambassadors at its events to connect with and make new people feel welcome. Getting members involved and engaged in various activities, committees and events also helps everyone feel more comfortable with other members and makes for a welcoming atmosphere.
“People know that when they’re going to attend one of our events, it’s not going to be like the last event, it’s going to be something different,” says Rogers. “We always try to add something different and, if we can, make it interactive. We also really try to focus on networking opportunities to meet new people, in addition to seeing those people you haven’t seen in a while.”
