Fallon Chamber of Commerce moves to new office

The Fallon Chamber of Commerce and the Churchill Economic Development Authority are now sharing the same office on 448 W. Williams Ave.

The chamber of commerce moved to its new location last month after being on North Taylor Street for more than 17 years. Being in the same building makes sense for Lucy Carnahan, the chamber’s executive director.

“We’ll still be supporting the businesses,” Carnahan said, adding nothing has changed with the move.

Even the telephone number has remained the same: 775-423-2544.

Carnahan, who moved to Fallon 33 years ago, has worked with the chamber to create a community resource page and also assisted former Executive Director Natalie Parrish before she accepted a position at North Lake Tahoe in late 2016. Carnahan became executive director in March 2017.

Part of her job is preparing relocation packets and publishing a newsletter with the calendar of events. She works with the military spouses at Naval Air Station Fallon to update relocation guides with a county telephone book and pamphlets of the area’s different activities. She also keeps a number of brochures for visitors who are looking for something to do in Fallon or within the area.

Carnahan is in the middle of unpacking, but she will display business cards from many area merchants and services.

In addition to providing relocation and tourism-related information, Carnahan said she assists JOIN (Job Opportunities in Nevada) by offering career guidance and training. Carnahan said her focus is to help clients work with JOIN to find the right job. Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down many activities, the chamber provided a job fair at least twice a year, once in the spring and the other time in the fall.

“We don’t have one planned for October,” she said. “We’re at a standstill.”

Carnahan said she’s also available for people who have employment issues.

In addition to helping people new to the community, Carnahan also helps the county’s 359 businesses who belong to the chamber of commerce. Since Carnahan moved into the CEDA office, she said the communication with the other agency has been good.

“This type of merger is a smart thing,” she said. “It should’ve been like this from the beginning.”

Sara Beebe, CEDA’s operation manager and business development specialist, has been an administrator with the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) since 2016.

“We’re seeing clients in Fallon,” she said. “We’re one of the only centers seeing in-person in our office.”

Currently, Beebe said her office assists with any COVID-19 related funding and helps with individuals applying for a state business license. She added individuals have been coming to the CEDA office to obtain the needed paperwork to fill it out.

“We’re having a lot of home businesses,” said, adding the State of Nevada exempts the cost for a state license if the business is home based.

Locally, though, she recommends people obtain both city and county business licenses if they are operating in both government jurisdictions.

“This is a free service,” Beebe said about the SBDC. “We do not charge to meet with clients.”

Beebe said the service is to help grow and retain businesses. The Small Business Administration, she said, funds the SBDC. CEDA’s telephone number is 775-423-8587.