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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW OHSU opens rural 'hub' campus in Klamath Falls ... Portland dispensary fined $2,500 for handing out products in parking lot ... Surveillance video captures Medford surgery center thief ... OHSU opens rural 'hub' campus in Klamath Falls ... Portland dispensary fined $2,500 for handing out products in parking lot ... Surveillance video captures Medford surgery center thief ... Jacksonville chamber, business association to merge Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 14, 2015 at 3:23 PM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 14, 2015 at 3:23 PM » Social News An organization that has promoted collaboration in town marketing efforts will join forces with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Jacksonville Oregon Business Association, founded eight years ago, will merge with the chamber, which organizes events, runs the visitor center and does some marketing. The merger is expected by the end of the year, said chamber Executive Director Tim Balfour. The new organization will be called Jacksonville Oregon Chamber of Commerce and Business Association. Board members from both organizations will form a new board, and previous JOBA members will comprise the new group's marketing committee. Websites operated by both groups will be merged. JOBA was formed by Jacksonville Mercantile owner David Jesser and like-minded business people. Members pay $250 annually, and the money — minus a small amount for board liability insurance — goes to marketing efforts. “It’s a logical extension and outgrowth of a lot of work that has been done over the last eight years to market Jacksonville and also continue to run all these nonprofit events for the town,” said Whit Parker, publisher of the Jacksonville Review, who was a founding board member of JOBA “It’s symbolic of the collaborative nature of what has happened in the past couple of years with leveraging from various organizations with a single mindset,” said Parker, who credited Jesser with seeing a need in 2008 and filling that need. JOBA ads in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival playbill and other Ashland tourist publications were targeted at audiences willing to travel to Southern Oregon. Co-administration of the Jacksonville Facebook page increased “Likes” to 6,000 through a campaign. Ads were places in regional publications, including Sunset, 1859, Southern Oregon magazine and Northwest Travel that promoted both the town and events such as Victorian Christmas, Chinese New Year and Taste of Summer. JOBA was also involved in bringing The Oregon Wine Experience, formerly the World of Wine Festival, to town. A former bed-and-breakfast owner, Balfour said he was aware he needed to promote the destination, not just lodging, in his advertising. “That gave me a real good foundation of always promoting Jacksonville and Southern Oregon. That’s our overall concept,” said Balfour, who wrote the initial business plan and brand position statement for JOBA. Chamber membership costs $175 annually, and it has about 105 members. JOBA has 30 members, all but one a chamber member. JOBA and the chamber received $13,000 combined in the last fiscal year from the city's visitor lodging tax, which included $5,000 for Christmas lights for the town’s celebration. Direct ad placement by the chamber has totaled about $5,000 annually, said Balfour. Other chamber funds cover salaries, operation of the visitor’s center, expenses for events and creation of promotional content. With dues and grants from the lodging tax, JOBA has spent about $15,000 annually on marketing, Balfour said. Both groups intend to keep the same amount of money flowing for marketing efforts, and discussions are underway on how to achieve that. Dues forms may include the option to pay more for advertising with placement on the website or to designate funds for marketing. “Regardless of how the money is brought in, it will always go into a fund reserved only for marketing,” said Balfour. While grant money to support marketing is limited, said Balfour, some organizations will support projects that encourage tourism, and he will explore those. Travel Oregon, for instance, supports bicycling and culinary-related initiatives, he said. Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 14, 2015 at 3:23 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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