Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
The Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is an organization that provides support and resources to local businesses and promotes the area's general economic development. It is headquartered at 117 West Garden Street.
History
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The Chamber was founded in 1889 by William Dudley Chipley and other business leaders. It was incorporated by the Florida Division of Corporations on May 21, 1992.[1] For many years it was the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and later the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce; the "Bay Area" moniker was added in 2005.
Leadership & funding
The Chamber of Commerce is governed by a Board of Directors and management team. The current Board Chair is Mort O'Sullivan, and Evon Emerson is the President & CEO.
Funding is provided by both the public and private sectors. Businesses may gain membership for an annual fee that ranges from $350 to $2,500, and additional sponsorship levels are available.[2] The Chamber's "Foundation for the Future" fund receives an annual $120,000 from the City of Pensacola and $432,000 from Escambia County governments.[3][4]
Programs & events
- Leadership Pensacola (LeaP)
- Business EXPO trade show
- PACE Awards
- Chamber Classic golf tournament
- iTen Wired
- Pensacola branding initiative
- Gopher Club: breakfast lecture series held the second Tuesday of each month
- Hospitality Round Table: hotel- and tourism-centric luncheons held the third Tuesday of each month
- Business After Hours: networking event held at different businesses on the second Tuesday of each month
References
- PensacolaChamber.com - official website
