J. R. Chick Gallagher
Founder, CEO
& Executive Director
BNI Delaware Valley Regions
Phone: 302-994-9593
About BNI
The following facts provide some general information about 
BNI. However describing BNI is almost impossible. You must visit a chapter to understand the potential value to you.
Visit a chapter this week to see what BNI is all about. Look at our chapter listings (Find a Chapter and Chapters Forming) to find a meeting place near you.
What You Should Know
- Weekly meetings last for 90 minutes. Members need to arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting.
- Only one person from each professional specialty is accepted into a chapter of BNI.
- All participants must represent their primary occupation.
- Attendance is critical. If you cannot attend a meeting, you may send a substitute up to six times a year without being counted absent.
- Networking requires commitment. The most successful chapters of BNI are comprised of participants who are sincerely committed to helping one another through networking. They are a team. As a participant in BNI, you are responsible for complying with the policies and guidelines of the organization.
- We are one of the best "Self Help" organizations in existance. We provide everything you need to be successful, but you must provide the effort.
Membership Investment
There is an initial application fee, annual membership dues, and all visitors and members are required to purchase the meal from the meeting location. Please see the chapter Secretary/Treasurer for exact information. When you apply to participate in BNI, your application will be reviewed by the chapter's Membership Committee and you will be notified of the status before the next meeting.
Benefits
- Increased exposure to many other business professionals
- Substantially increase business through referrals
- Learn to effectively talk about your business
- Sharpen your presentation skills
- Participation in up to 52 networking meetings per year
- New Member Packet: Business card book, name badge holder, orientation CD, BNI pin
- SuccessNet newsletters with educational material on networking, public speaking, and business
- Member Success Program workshop
- Advanced Education Series workshops
- Leadership Team Training
- Participation in business tradeshows
- Participation in local conferences
- Free training, training, and more training
- And much, much more!
History of BNI & BNIDVR
| Founder & Chairman: | Dr. Ivan R. Misner |
| Established: | 1985 |
| Motto: | Givers Gain |
| Purpose: | Networking in order to generate business for fellow members |
| Unique Feature: | Only one person from a profession is eligible to join a chapter; Run by full-time professionals; Members are bound together by a common Code-of-Ethics. |
| Number of Chapters: | Over 6,000 in 50 countries, and growing |
| Number of Members: | Over 145,000 and growing |
| Number of Referrals: | 6,900,000 (2011) |
| Total Value of Referrals: | $4 billion (2011) |
| BNI Delaware Valley Regions: | Consist of five separate regions. They include the 15 counties in South-East Pennsylvania; the 8 counties in Southern New Jersey; and the 3 counties in Delaware. |
| Founder, CEO, and Executive Director: | J. R. Chick Gallagher |
| Established: | 1992 |
| Honors: | Top BNI region in the world in 2010 and 2011. Received hundreds of awards since being founded in 1992. |