KENNEBUNK — When Denise Clavette took over as director of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce in early November, she saw a number of opportunities.

To update the chamber’s technological presence and insinuate itself as a player in the social media landscape, was a big one, and remains so. Perhaps a more sweeping vision, though, is to strengthen its relationships with area businesses from the ground up, heralding an era of what she hopes will be increased involvement among its members, she said.

That’s a mouthful, and certainly not lacking in ambition. But Clavette feels up to the task.

Meanwhile, her ascension to the chamber’s helm marks a return of sorts. Clavette’s first job out of college was in Kennebunk’s Parks & Recreation Department, where she worked for about 25 years ”“ 20 of those as director. Now, after four years as the business development manager for Brunswick, she’s happy to be back.

“This is just a wonderful area,” said Clavette. “It’s nice to come back to an area I love.”

Improving upon the business climate in that area is a priority for the new director, one that involves strengthening ties to existing chamber members through outreach efforts such as the Business After Hours program. Held once or twice a month, each after-hours gathering is held at a different local business, and serves as a communal powwow of sorts that’s open to current members and their guests, which may include representatives from organizations interested in what the chamber has to offer.

“Member businesses have an opportunity to showcase their facilities,” said Clavette. “It’s a great networking opportunity.”

Recent hosts of Business After Hours include Huntington Common, a senior living facility in Kennebunk, and Arundel Ford.

A new initiative that will receive focus is what Clavette calls a “strategic member visitation program,” in which the chamber will routinely touch base with members in order to find ways to serve them better.

But Clavette isn’t content to merely retain the roughly 418 local businesses currently comprising chamber membership. A new strategic plan will focus on bringing more organizations into the fold by tapping into the resources of members, and an emphasis on social media ”“ as well as a re-design of the chamber website ”“ will be geared toward increasing its visibility in the community.

The new site, which Clavette hopes will debut over the next few months, will be an important tool, she said. Currently, all updates to the site are made through the company that hosts it, whereas the re-launch will enable staff at the chamber to make changes themselves, thereby keeping it more fresh and current.

“The goal is to make it more interactive and more inviting,” said Clavette. “We’re going to end up with a much better product.”

Several fundraisers for the chamber are planned for the first half of this year, including a raffle for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle at Bentley’s Saloon and Campground in Arundel, a fashion show that will take place sometime in May and an annual golf tournament. Meanwhile, Clavette is inviting any and all organizations in the tri-town region to contact the chamber to see how their business can be promoted within the community.

And as Clavette points out, she won’t be bolstering the chamber’s prominence on her own.

“I’m excited to be here, (but) I’m a believer in collaborative leadership; a believer in team,” she said. “It’s just an exciting opportunity at this time to be here.”

— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or [email protected].