GREENFIELD — In 1948, three years after the end of World War II, rations were lifted and local business was booming again, said Mik Muller, president of the Greenfield Business Association’s board of directors.

That was also the year when the GBA was founded.

“The Franklin County Chamber [of Commerce], with the town of Greenfield and local business owners, saw an opportunity to create a more local-focused business organization for Greenfield in this era of boom,” Muller said at a celebration of the association’s 75th anniversary Thursday evening. Original founders included business owners from Wilson’s Department Store and Barrett & Baker Office Supply. “During these seven and a half decades, the GBA has created, been involved with, and influenced a wide variety of events and projects in town, from the annual Jinglefest and holiday lights to providing input in the City of Greenfield Master Plan.”

Business owners gathered at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center to celebrate the anniversary. Caitlin von Schmidt, executive assistant to Mayor Roxann Wedegartner and former GBA coordinator, shared a proclamation declaring July 13 as Greenfield Business Association Day.

Bill Baker, vice president of the GBA board of directors, said when fellow business owners ask him what value the GBA has brought, he replies that in addition to shepherding the community through change and transition, it has given him a voice.

“Every business should consider becoming a member,” he said. “Our voices can be louder and stronger together.”

As the county seat, the success that happens in Greenfield “ripples through the surrounding 25 communities,” added Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessye Deane.

“A strong Greenfield is a strong Franklin County, which is why I’m so proud to work with the GBA,” she said. “We really lean on the GBA to be a voice and to help communicate the Greenfield business-based concerns and successes, so we can fit together those types of conversations across the county and more effectively advocate for Franklin County as a whole on the state level.

“I cannot wait to see what we’re able to accomplish together at the 100th anniversary,” she added.

Thanking guests for attending the celebration, GBA Director Hannah Rechtschaffen implored local residents and business owners to be “tourists” in their own town.

“When you don’t know who you are as a place, when you don’t take the time to talk to one another and listen to one another and really get a sense of who we are and who we want to be, then when growth happens — when new businesses come in — they make it whatever they want it to be,” she said. “That’s why people don’t like growth and they don’t trust growth.”

Rechtschaffen said after a period of ups and downs, namely the COVID-19 pandemic, she can feel the excitement and the recovery.

“My biggest desire is to have the GBA really be an organization that is an ally and an advocate for the Greenfield business community,” she said. “We have incredible businesses here. We have incredible service organizations that support our businesses. We have people at the ready to connect and build.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

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