Brdadbridge to retire · See 'Suspects' on page 4. Broadbridge joined The Intelligencer's advertising department in 1968 and became advertising man-! ager in the late 1970s. In 1981, he went across the street to take over the vacant general manager's position with the Belleville chamber when it was located on Pinnacle Street across from Market Square. Thus began Broadbridge's quarter century of helping Belleville businesses work together for the bet- · terment of the community. Under his leadership;: chamber membership has grown from 170 to more } than 600 which, he noted, is important "because you; need a critical mass in order to be effective and in order to truly represent businesses in an advocacy; sense ... we are the voice of business." He said the role of general manager is to try and ? draw businesses together so that they can network and gain from each others services as well as to promote tourism in this area. "It's key that I am always positive to the board of directors in representing the city elsewhere and I think I have done that," he said. "Belleville is regarded in a very positive way, especially within the chamber of commerce movement." Broadbridge has spent a good portion of his job outside the local community, trying to attract visitors to this area and also representing the chamber at the provincial and national level. "The chamber has given me an opportunity to meet regularly with community leaders and that gives me a sense that what you do really matters," he said. "I will certainly miss the daily interaction with the members of the chamber and the directors." A "roast" for Broadbridge has been scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13 at the Royal Canadian Legion on Pinnacle Street.