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The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce began as the Tampa Board of Trade in 1885 and was reorganized in 1928 to become the Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
We were formed to advance the general business conditions of this area, backed by the support of a growing agricultural and industrial industry base that would branch out to become one of the most diverse economies in the nation.
2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the Committee of One Hundred, our economic development department. The Committee of One Hundred was founded by a group of prominent businessmen and political leaders who wanted to more aggressively promote Tampa's industries to the rest of the nation. Each businessman pledged to invest $100, and dedicated his time, energy, and effort to the cause.
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The Chamber and the Committee of One Hundred were built around the belief in responsibility for the greater good of the community at large. Today, we still share that commitment. We work hard to ensure that this is a community we can be proud of. A place where we can be successful in our business endeavors, and where we are comfortable raising our families.
The Chamber, chaired this year by Dr. Judy Genshaft of University of South Florida, is committed to doing all we can, to ensure that our community continues to be that kind of place.
The work that our Committee of One Hundred, which this year is chaired by Larry Richey of Cushman & Wakefield, does in partnership with the cities and the county has a very real and direct impact on our region's economy. We are focused on job growth.
That work has also helped us maintain a high quality of life in our community, because the growth has not only been in the number of jobs, but also the average wage has gotten higher, creating more disposable income that can be spent at your businesses.
One of the benefits of the type of job growth we've experienced locally is that our economy is not reliant on just one sector, but is diversified.
The Chamber is here to represent the "business" community. It's something that we are proud of. Our job is to carry the banner for the business community, to make sure you have representation and your concerns are met.
Quality of life is key to retaining favorable industries and attracting new ones. So the Chamber has renewed its commitment to advocacy - to be a business minded voice on public policy issues essential to a healthy economy and an improved quality of life.
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