Are chambers of commerce part of a national or state governing structure?
This is a question I hear regularly. The simple answer is …. NO.
The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce is a stand-alone, not-for-profit membership corporation with a more than 100 year history. We exist for, and because of our membership. Unlike many other non-profit groups, we are not a subset of a national group.
But wait a minute. Isn’t there a U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry? Absolutely and they are stand-alone organizations as well. Let me explain our relationship to those groups.
The Cape Chamber chooses to be a MEMBER of both organizations, but we are not a subset of either. We do so because we can partner with them on many efforts and programs designed to benefit our membership. These chambers are both key advocates for business at the state and national levels. Most of the time, we are on the same page with the policies and actions of these groups.
However, there are times when we believe what is best for our membership is not in line with advocacy positions they take. This independence allows us to do what’s best locally but maintain strong relationships with state and national leaders in business advocacy.
In addition, we partner with other local chambers on regional issues. Many times you will see the Cape and Jackson chambers working together.
