About Us

What is a Chamber of Commerce?

A chamber of commerce is a voluntary organization of business and professional people dedicated to promot­ing the civic and economic vitality of their community. Funded by membership investments, a chamber is not affiliated with town government, nor is it accountable to any other organization.

A chamber's strength lies in the number and diversity of its membership. Because a chamber collectively embod­ies the vast expertise of the many businesses and pro­fessionals in its membership, it has the knowledge and insight to identify issues of importance to the business community and the combined means to devise and implement strategies to address them. The chamber accomplishes collectively what no one business or pro­fessional can do alone.

What Does a Chamber Do?

A chamber represents the interests of its membership, in the spirit of cooperation with the plan and philosophy of economic development set forth by the community. The programs of the chamber address those community factors that affect economic development: local government, transportation, taxation, education, culture, health care services and others.

The chamber of commerce represents business and pro­fessional interests before elected bodies. Ordinances, legislation and regulations affecting business and the economic climate are addressed by chambers on the local, state and national levels.

How Does a Chamber of Commerce Work?

A chamber of commerce identifies issues that affect the business community and provides the leadership to respond to them.

Elected by the membership, the Board of Directors and its Officers determine the chamber's goals for the year. These goals are based on what is judged to be in the best interests of the membership as a whole and achiev­ing these goals becomes the chamber's Business Plan. Member volunteers are organized into committees to fulfill the specific objectives of the plan .