Changes underway at local Chamber of Commerce

WEST BLOOMFIELD — The Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce will soon celebrate its 2026 board at an installation breakfast. Three new board members will make their debut.

The event will take place at 8 a.m. Jan. 30 at West Bloomfield Parks Connect, located at 33230 W. 14 Mile Road in West Bloomfield.

Judge Diane D’Agostini, from the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills, will officiate. The board consists of five officers, two co-presidents, a treasurer, a past president and an ambassador at large/secretary, as well as 10 general board members. 

The 15-member board represents a wide array of career backgrounds, ranging from education, banking and elected city officials to health care, real estate, restaurants and more.

“Our officers bring diverse professional expertise, strong community ties, and a shared commitment to advancing our mission,” said Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzanne Levine.  

“Their willingness to serve reflects a deep investment in the success of our members and the overall economic vitality of our community,” she continued. “Collectively, they strengthen the chamber’s credibility, governance, and ability to be a trusted voice for business and community stakeholders.”

The new board members include West Bloomfield Township Supervisor Jonathan Warshay, who will serve as a general board member, and Jennifer Taylor Boykins and Shawn St. Andre, who will serve as co-presidents. 

This is the first year that the chamber has implemented a co-presidency.

“Jennifer Taylor Boykins and Shawn St. Andre are very dynamic but very busy individuals,” Levine said. “We decided that it would be good if we could split it up.”  

This way, if one is unable to attend a function, the other can attend, she explained.

“They work very well together,” Levine said. “I feel very fortunate to have them on the board in support of the chamber and me.”

St. Andre is pleased to share the responsibilities.

“I am very grateful that Jen (Taylor) Boykins has opted to take up that mantle with me,” he said. “Together, I think anybody within that board would tell you, we really are a force to be reckoned with. We are reimagining a lot together — the whole board is.”

Collectively, the chamber has reimagined its branding, starting with its logo. The chamber is working with a branding expert with experience that includes Fortune 500 companies.

“We have, as a board, decided to remake, reimagine, rewrite all of our mission statement — our value proposition and our core values — which are going to include some really important (initiatives such as) innovation and collaboration,” St. Andre said. “Additionally, you are going to see some really great resources coming out for businesses in terms of AI adoption, and professional development for mid-career professionals to help create a more sticky workforce.”

A “sticky workforce” is one that encourages employees to stay.

“That is one of our big focuses for 2026. One of the largest costs to small business owners is churn within the workforce,” St. Andre said.

“Workforce churn” is the rate at which employees leave an organization. This is one of the biggest pain points for business owners, he said.

According to St. Andre, the plight of many business owners is, “I can’t find people to hire, and when I do hire, then they don’t stay,” he said.

To combat this, the chamber is looking to implement a wellness plan to aid in workforce retention. Employees will be eligible for telehealth visits, lower cost primary care visits and more, at no additional cost to employers.

“It is a brilliant tax savings for businesses,” he said.

In addition to his role as co-president, St. Andre brings decades of experience working with financial institutions. He will also serve the chamber as chair of the Economic Development Committee. Professionally, he is a small business strategist at Covenant Consultant Services.

Taylor Boykins, chamber co-president, is a former teacher and founder and CEO of the consulting firm Nothing but Education, which specializes in strategic support services to bring about improvements in educational settings, according to its website. 

Brave Hearts is the philanthropic branch of Nothing but Education for children aging out of the foster care system, helping them build successful lives. It provides financial assistance for housing, higher education, essentials and other needs along with workshops, mentorship and career development. Taylor Boykins currently serves on boards and a commission in West Bloomfield, including the Public Library Board of Trustees and the Planning Commission.

Warshay joins the chamber board as a licensed attorney. With more than a decade of experience in information technology, he has had various roles as project manager, business analyst, systems analyst and quality analyst, with a focus on business process design and systems verification. He has worked in an array of industries, from health care and automotive to insurance and more, according to the chamber.  

For more information about the installation breakfast, contact the Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce by calling (248) 626-3636, or visit westbloomfieldchamber.com.