BY GINNY PRIVITAR
WEST MILFORD — Stu Feldman, a well-respected local businessman, runs tecHHoma Computer Service, a tech support business that provides “Technical help when your kids can’t or won’t.” Feldman said it is for people who did not grow up with computers and need patient, qualified help.
“I have people sick of calling (the big computer firms) and my prices are pretty reasonable,” Feldman said. He does repairs and specialty work and sells brand name computers as a sales partner.
When customers come in wondering “What should I buy?” Feldman can make informed recommendations and give them information about how they can purchase through tecHHoma’s (pronounced ‘Tacoma’) website. Besides repairs, the company can solve customers’ network engineering, wi-fi, and internet security problems.
Feldman is a man whose voice alone inspires confidence. “One time,” he said, he “turned a wrong number into a customer.” Every businessman should have such skill.
He is also the president of the West Milford Chamber of Commerce and a booster of all local businesses. He’s been president for two years and was vice-president for two years before that and has served on the board. Speaking of the challenges for the chamber, he said, “It’s the greatest challenge in any organization: getting greater participation from the members,” since, he added, “about 10 percent of the people in the organization do most of the work.” There are more than 100 members and a lot of work to do.
His and the organization’s main focus is to “find some type of incentive program for residents to shop locally and keep the economy growing.” The chamber sponsors in-house programs as well as the popular Autumn Lights Festival. They support the farmers market and maintain the triangle in the center of town. They also sponsor “cash mobs,” which descend on a member business at a specified date and time and shop there.
“We try to find ways to keep money in West Milford and encourage people to shop locally,” Feldman said.
“Another challenge is keeping our members,” Feldman said. A member may wonder, “What did I really get for my money?” Feldman responds that “You get out what you put into it.” The chamber provides members the opportunity to network and promote their business. “That’s why we joined HSC (Highlands Savings Card); to give our members an additional value for their membership dues.”
Partnering with HEATThe Highland Economic Development and Tourism Corp. (HEAT), a private, non-profit organization started in West Milford by former members of the West Milford Economic Development Commission, developed the Highlands Savings Card to help improve the economy and encourage people to shop locally. According to Feldman, the chairman of HEAT, Tim Wagner, is also a member of the chamber and the two groups partnered together to enroll all chamber business partners in the Highlands Savings Card program. Feldman was pleased to announce that the cost for chamber members was included in the dues for 2016, with no increase.
The cards are free to the public at local businesses. People are encouraged to check out local businesses on the HEAT website, njheat.org, click on Highlands Savings Card and scroll down to business categories before shopping to learn of any specials. Then they present their card in person at the time of purchase for any special deals or services that might be available.
Feldman likes to remind people: “For every $100 you spend at a business in your community, $65 stays in your community and helps the local economy tremendously!” It’s also worth noting that local businesses are great supporters of local causes.
Check out Feldman’s website at www.techhoma.com; email him at techsupport@techhoma.com or call 973-208-7200.