Staff
President/CEO
Bob Garrett
Bob Garrett serves as the President/CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. He works closely with the Chamber's Board of Directors, committees and affiliates in order to implement and coordinate the Chamber's new strategic plan, the Chamber's mission and the daily activities of the Chamber.
Twenty-three years ago, Bob made the difficult decision to make a career change and go to work for then - Congressman Tom Ridge and ended up serving four different governors at PennDOT in Harrisburg. Before this move, he was very active with the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce as its Transportation Committee Chairman, headed up the Route 15 Coalition and was serving as the Director of the Union County Economic Development Council. Now, after his two-decade Harrisburg stint, Bob is back and ready to work hard on building partnerships, creating an economic development buzz, increasing the Chamber's membership and helping to take the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway from the drawing boards to a ground breaking and, finally, to a ribbon cutting.
Bob grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, graduated from the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology and received his teacher's certification at Penn State. In 1980, he began his professional career at the SUN Area Vocational Technical School. While director of the Union County Economic Development Council, during the 1990's, Bob had a major role in siting the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex as well as the expansions for several well-known companies.
Membership Director
Chad North
Chad North serves as the new Membership Director for the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. He works closely with the CEO/President and the Chamber's Board of Directors to ensure that the needs of Chamber members are being met through various membership and sponsorship opportunities.
Chad grew up immersed in his family's 40-year-old business, The Pineapple Inn Bed & Breakfast (Lewisburg, PA), where he learned the importance of meeting the needs of guests' from around the world and all walks of life. This early experience honed his skills in listening and understanding others, which he later applied to drive success in various organizations.
His achievements include boosting membership for Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity (Richmond, VA) and increasing revenue and reach for Vargo Outdoors (Lewisburg, PA). His diverse background in business development, from founding his own ventures to working with local and national non-profits, has given him a unique perspective and skillset to meet the needs of Chamber members.
Most recently, he played a pivotal role in the Merrill W. Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy (Lewisburg, PA) as its first Operations Manager, leading to a 129% increase in revenue while helping to protect over 170 acres of public and private lands. His ability to build authentic relationships and create innovative solutions makes him a valuable asset to the Chamber. He is passionate about helping local businesses thrive through the resources and support provided by the chamber.
Chad is a long-time resident of the Susquehanna Valley growing up Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (class of '02) and graduating from Bucknell University in 2006 with a BA in Religion. He received additional executive training from the Robbins School of Business at the University of Richmond.
