The merger of two Jefferson-based organizations have announced a new name.

The Jefferson Area Chamber of Commerce and Jefferson Matters: Main Street are now “Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community.” The organization’s new purpose is to “support, promote, and preserve the historic downtown of Jefferson, Iowa, while contributing to the greater community’s continued vitality.” Executive Director Reegan Hanigan shares her thoughts on the name of the unified organization.

“(We) thought it was important to keep the Main Street name and the Chamber name just because of their history with Jefferson. We didn’t want to lose that going forward and we think both sides have a lot to bring to the new organization.”

Hanigan says they have decided on the core teams of the organization, which includes promotion, with sub-committees of Retail Revamped and tourism, along with organization, events, economic vitality, with a sub-committee of the ambassadors, and Tower View Team. Hanigan notes there are still two separate boards that are meeting and that will eventually be combined into one Board of Directors.