Why become a member?
The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is a private, nonprofit, membership-supported organization dedicated to promoting a better economic climate in Southern Arizona. By consolidating resources from several thousand businesses large and small, the Chamber becomes a powerful force for business advocacy and an efficient and inexpensive resource for individual business members.
The Chamber is not a government agency and thus receives ZERO public funding - the Tucson Chamber is the largest autonomous chamber in the state. A variety of programs designed to address a diversity of needs is planned and implemented by the membership itself, providing dynamic and timely solutions to business challenges.
By joining the Chamber, you are helping your company and community to grow and maintain their health. First, the Chamber is people - people just like you, people who realize that through the Chamber they can accomplish collectively what no one of them can do individually. Anyone is eligible for membership in the Tucson Chamber. If you are a business owner interested in improving your bottom line, developing better employees and becoming part of a positive force in Tucson’s economy, culture, and environment; then YOU belong in the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce!
Improve your reputation and visibility. Chamber membership can increase your business's visibility and exposure in the community, which can lead to more customers and more sales. For example, a recent study by the Schapiro Group, a prominent market-research firm, found that:
* When consumers know a business is a member of the local chamber of commerce, they are 44% MORE LIKELY to think FAVORABLY of that business.
* Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member, are 57% MORE LIKELY to think POSITIVELY about the company's local REPUTATION.
* Consumers who believe a business is a chamber member are 63% MORE LIKELY TO BUY goods and services from that company.
This also applies to businesses selling to other businesses. When business decision-makers believe that a business is a member of the local chamger, they are 58% MORE LIKELY to think POSITIVELY of that company's REPUTATION and 59% MORE LIKELY to buy goods and services.
That is increased likelihood that you will get more customers and more sales and better your chances of growth. All for a investment that starts at less than $1.25 per day.
Ready to join now? Become a member.
What has the Chamber done for you? The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1896 by a group of business owners to ensure fair prices for consumers and a fair profit for retailers. Today, that objective holds true with the Chamber’s mission “(to) lead all interests, public and private, in the Tucson region to cultivate a positive economic climate for job creation and growth.” This means not only creating effective business development programs, but supporting any program that helps make Tucson a better place to live and work.
The following accomplishments give you an idea of the Chamber’s activities over the last century and of late:
* Spearheaded a drive to establish the first municipal airport in the U.S.
* Worked to establish a government landing field which eventually became Davis Monthan Air Force Base
*Sponsored the first “Fiesta de los Vaqueros” rodeo and parade held in 1925
* Conducted a survey to determine the need for a new tourist hotel, resulting in construction of the El Conquistador Hotel
* Brought together 15 civic-minded business persons to charter the Tucson Airport Authority
* Traveled to Mexico City to inaugurate Aeromexico service between Tucson and Mexico
* Established the Committee for Responsive Government and Candidate Evaluation Committee and successfully raised funds to build its office headquarters
* Conducted the “Target:Jobs” program to help curb unemployment
* Organized the first Arizona World Trade Fair, encouraging international business
* Played a key role in the drive to keep Davis-Monthan Air Force Base off the government closure list, keeping thousands of jobs and millions of dollars intact for Tucson’s economy (has happened multiple times)
* Supported measures that will help reduce or eliminate the personal property tax for business (and continues this fight always!)
* Provided information and assistance to 2,500 companies seeking to expand or relocate to the Tucson area; participated in efforts that helped bring thousands of new jobs to our community
* Lobbied to keep spring training baseball in Tucson and attract additional Major League teams which will contribute millions of dollars annually to the local economy
* Opened the Business Resource Center at the Chamber office providing comprehensive resources and statistics on economic, demographic and international trade information
* Actively lobbied and supported legislation to allocate more dollars to Pima County from the state’s Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF)
* Developed an education pamphlet on water for distribution to members and their employees that helped defeat a water proposition that would have been detrimental to the growth of the City of Tucson
* Partnered with other statewide business organizations to create a permanent Job Training Fund for Arizona
* Worked against the concept of a living wage on municipal contracts at the local and state levels, thereby upholding the principle of opposition to Davis Bacon (artificial government-imposed wage rates) at the local level
* Sponsored a statewide symposium on transportation issues in Arizona which established the Tucson Chamber as a leader in raising public awareness of transportation shortfalls in Arizona, which ultimately led to the creation of a Regional Transportation Authority
* Southern Arizona Business Expansion & Retention (SABER) Program launched an in-depth business analysis of the plastics industry in Tucson
* Successfully lobbied in Southern Arizona for passage of historical trade legislation for increased commerce with China
* Completed a directory of workforce sources and training providers in Southern Arizona
* Completed an informative guide to import-export guidelines to further promote international trade
* Compiled data and information for the Tucson area to be included in the national ACCRA Cost of Living Index
* Conducted more than 125 face-to-face interviews with businesses throughout the Tucson metropolitan area in a continuing effort to identify and remove roadblocks inhibiting business success.
Membership Involvement: As an investor in the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, you are part of a dynamic organization seeking to promote a healthy economy and superior quality of life for our community. By leveraging the strength of more than 1,300 businesses and 105,000 employees, the Chamber provides advantages that you as a single business person might not be able to access. Chamber programs are developed through member-run committees which work in the areas of community enhancement, political advocacy, governmental affairs, economic development and membership benefits.
Check out our Bottom Line Benefits for all members.
Check out our Member to Member Discount Program, which will save your company money - perhaps enough to cover your annual investment!
I've seen enough ... I want to become a member!
