What is a chamber of commerce?
By Gail Parker
As President/CEO of A Chamber of Commerce, quite often I am
asked, "What exactly is a chamber of commerce?"
And "Why should I join?" More times than not,
those questions are a challenge to justify and validate in
relation to the services the chamber provides, and the fees
it charges. Not long ago I researched the topic on the
Internet, and found some interesting historical information
on chambers, while at the same time realizing that we are
not so different from our counterparts of four centuries
ago.
History of Chambers of Commerce - And in the
beginning . . .
As long as commerce has existed, traders have
banded together for the common protection against enemies,
to govern the conduct of trade, and later to exert influence
on legislation. The first known use of the term "chamber of
commerce" was documented in Marseilles, France, where such
an organization was established by the city council in
1599. From this beginning, chambers of commerce spread to
Germany, and then throughout Europe.
The oldest chamber of commerce on the American continent is
that of the State of New York, chartered by King George III,
in 1770, and established as an outcome of the Stamp Act that
was passed by Parliament in 1765. The first local chamber
of commerce was founded in Charleston, South Carolina in
1773. By 1870, the number of local chambers had increased
to 40.
The early American chambers of commerce, like their European
prototypes, were associations of tradesmen, organized for
the protection and promotion of commerce. Those early
chambers' activities were limited to those directly
connected with commerce: they promoted the sale of goods,
organized markets, created and enforced rules of trade,
protected goods in transit, and even operated their own
trading floors. Those basic functions evolved over time in
order to better address the needs of a changing world. In
the 1950s and 60s, chambers placed major emphasis on
industrial recruitment and job creation activities. As we
entered the 1970s, 80s, and 90s and faced major problems
with inadequate housing, schools, community services, and
high unemployment, the role of chambers of commerce expanded
to include and perhaps even focus on socioeconomic concerns.
Today there are more than 5,000 chambers of commerce in the
United States, with well over 600 of those located in the
State of Texas. In a fast-paced, constantly changing global
marketplace, today's modern chambers are rising to the
occasion, becoming more active in government affairs with
the realization that many of the problems facing them can
best be dealt with in the legislative arena. In the last 35
years Chambers of Commerce have expanded their role to
become more involved in city development, urban renewal and
planning, while still maintaining the original mission of
promoting and protecting commerce. The emergence of the
Chamber as a true community organization has been a natural
progression as businessmen have realized that their own
prosperity depends on the development of a prosperous
community.
The basic mission of the chambers of commerce of the 21st
Century is not very far removed from that of the earliest
counterparts, and is to support the community and to
create and promote a climate where business can operate in a
productive and profitable manner.
What Does The Chamber Do?
The variety and scope of Chamber activities are
unlimited. The Chamber represents and promotes the area's
business economy, and encourages business and industrial
investment, broadening the tax base and working with cities
and businesses to provide employment. To business prospects
and newcomers, the Chamber represents the community's pride
and self-mage.
Chambers of commerce are increasingly involved in
non-commercial areas, such as education, human relations,
infrastructure and environment, cultural and governmental
concerns. These challenges have caused Chambers of Commerce
to become a viable force in seeking solutions to today's
social problems. Chambers of Commerce influence
national, state and local legislation affecting business.
How Does The Chamber Work?
The Chamber is organized to focus attention on and initiate
private sector action on the major issues affecting the
economic well being and quality of life in this area. As it
is a private, non-profit association supported largely by
its members, membership investments and contributions
through fundraising activities and events provide the
resources for Chamber programs. The Chamber is not a branch
of the city, is not a governmental entity, and receives no
direct government funding. Chambers of Commerce are separate
entities, and not connected to each other by governance or
funding. There are no "official" boundary lines between
Chambers, and many frequently have many members in common.
The policies and programs of the Chamber are determined by
the Board of Directors. They, in turn, have selected me as a
paid, full-time chief executive officer whose basic function
is to organize and execute the Chamber's programs. As the
chief executive, it is my responsibility to assemble a
professional staff to assist in supporting you, the
membership, as I endeavor to implement policies and plans
established by the Board. In order to more effectively and
efficiently accomplish this, in 2004 I created or
reorganized and launched several member groups, each with a
focus that would address needs of the area. The Chamber
"
works" through these departments and committees, who assist
the staff and I, as we endeavor to achieve the annual goals
of the Chamber. Members who participate in these groups
have a direct impact on Chamber positions, and influence
community actions.
Why Join the Chamber?
To generalize, the Chamber of Commerce is the marketing
representative/salesman for local and area businesses and
the entire community, relentlessly promoting your products
and services and offering you opportunities for
self-promotion, while simultaneously acting as your
"
watchdog" - protecting your interests, in the political
arena and beyond. The united voice of the Chamber of
Commerce has often proven effective and beneficial to
business where a single voice can go unheard. If you live
in this area, work in this area or do business in this area,
membership in the Chamber is your opportunity to invest in
the future. The benefit of belonging to the Chamber is
full-time representation with year-round results today and
tomorrow.
The chamber of commerce of the 21st Century can no longer
just ask its members, "
What do you want your chamber to
do?" Instead, we ask, "
What kind of future do we want for
our community?"