New chief of Select Greater Philadelphia introduced to chamber
Philadelphia's business community was officially introduced Wednesday to the new executive director of Select Greater Philadelphia - the organization charged with attracting business to the region.
Philadelphia's business community was officially introduced Wednesday to the new executive director of Select Greater Philadelphia - the organization charged with attracting business to the region.
Matt Cabrey, 48, never made it to the stage at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's annual breakfast at the Convention Center, but he heard the applause from the more than 1,200 business people in attendance.
"Select Greater Philadelphia is stepping up" its marketing efforts, the chamber's new chairman, Denis O'Brien, said before showing a new video promoting the group's slogan: "Here for the Making."
O'Brien, chief executive of Exelon Utilities, which includes Peco, took the chairmanship of the chamber Wednesday from Daniel Fitzpatrick, president of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Cabrey, of Uwchlan Township, whose background in radio is evident in his voice-mail messages, came up through the ranks in corporate communications at the pharmaceutical company Shire Plc. and PNC Bank.
Besides heading Select, Cabrey, who started at Select in September, will also serve as senior vice president of regional business marketing for the chamber. The organizations are merging.
Cabrey says Select, with its $1.7 million annual budget, already offers good research, economic analysis, and site-selection services.
What's important, he said, is to build Philadelphia's business brand, with a focus on bringing advanced manufacturing, energy and health-care innovation businesses to the 11-county region - Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester in Pennsylvania, Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem in New Jersey, and New Castle County in Delaware.
"We're not looking to shuffle businesses from one company to the other or from one state to the other," he said. "That's not our focus. We want to be at top of mind for businesses considering Philadelphia as a great place" to do business.
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