By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — In a tough economy, local businesses are looking to band together to develop ideas and strategies for helping local commerce.

A few local business owners are looking to form a Shelby Business Association to help fill in the gaps left by other business organizations and networks.

David Giancola, the owner of Custom Insurance Agency, said they want to help local business owners network and cooperate together.

“We’re trying to bring business in Shelby Township together, just with the economic times,” he said. “We don’t want to take away from the Chamber (of Commerce). … We’re trying to get more of a focus on the Shelby area.”

Shelby Township Trustee Doug Wozniak is also helping to form the group. He said the Chamber of Commerce, which now serves the cities of Sterling Heights, Utica and Warren, and Clinton, Macomb and Shelby townships, is very large and can’t always do everything for every member. He said the new group would go “above and beyond the typical chamber functions.”

“We would like to make sure that the businesses coming into the area are welcomed, older businesses are recognized, (and develop) camaraderie between the businesses,” he said.

Giancola said they haven’t hammered out the details of the group yet, how often it will meet or where its members will gather.

“How large a group it is will determine where we have to meet,” he said. “We’re trying to drum up support.”

Wozniak said he and Giancola are members of a small group of business leaders that meet in the township already, and the idea for a larger association grew from that.

The group doesn’t have to be very large to be effective, Wozniak said; anyone who wants to participate would help make a difference.

“I’m hoping that we at least get a core group,” he said. “We don’t want to repeat what the chamber is doing, but coordinate. They (the chamber) said they support anything that would help business in the Shelby area.”

Giancola said all Shelby Township businesses are invited to call and participate, and they’ll keep track of everyone to keep them up-to-date as the group begins.

“It’s just good business practice and community practice,” he said. “It helps the township out.”

To learn more about or express interest in the Shelby Business Association, call (586) 935-6110 or (586) 758-4800. No date has been set for its first meeting, but it is planned for sometime in January.

You can reach Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1041.