- The Utah Chamber is a newly created statewide business advocacy group.
- The effort aims to unify and elevate the state's 60 current chambers of commerce.
- The Salt Lake Chamber remains focused on capital city business community.
Remarkably, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce has been advocating on behalf of the business community since 1887, an inception date that beat Utah’s rise to statehood by nearly a decade.
And even though the moniker suggests the group is a specific champion of Utah’s capital city, the Salt Lake Chamber has been working on behalf of all businesses in the state for nearly the entirety of its 138 years of operation.
Now, in a move that recognizes Utah’s nation-leading economic performance and population growth, the creation of the Utah Chamber was announced at a Tuesday press event.
“The creation of the Utah Chamber is a testament to the remarkable growth and development that Utah is experiencing,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of both the new Utah Chamber and the Salt Lake Chamber. “Until now, the Salt Lake Chamber has functioned as ‘Capital City by Name, Statewide by Mission,’ and has sought to bolster both the capital city and the state’s business environments through advocacy and opportunities for connection.
“In order to ensure ongoing statewide prosperity, we’re establishing an entity dedicated entirely to the unification and amplification of the state’s voice as a whole and to addressing the complex needs and opportunities that arise from its diverse regions and industries.”
What does it mean for local chambers?
Miller underscored that the launch of the Utah Chamber is aimed at uniting efforts and will not result in the elimination of the Salt Lake Chamber, or any of the other dozens of community business and industry-specific advocacy groups across the state.
“As it currently stands, Utah is home to over 60 chambers of commerce,” Miller said. “I want to stress that the Utah Chamber will not replace any local, regional or specialty chambers or any industry associations. In fact it will work to elevate them, increasing access to resources, expertise and providing a strong voice, especially in legislative matters.”
Jamie Andrus, president and CEO of the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Utah Chamber’s Chamber Coalition, said the new statewide group will be a unifying force for the entirety of Utah’s business sector.
“It ensures that rural and regional perspectives are always represented with seats at the table for statewide discussions, decisions and advocacy,” Andrus said. “This unified approach will help strengthen Utah’s economy for every community and lift our potential from every corner of the state.”
Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said the formation of the Utah Chamber tracks with the state’s ongoing, and outsize, economic performance.
“Utah has always punched above its weight,” Curtis said in a statement. “We’re known for strong families, vibrant communities and an economy that consistently leads the nation in growth and job creation.
“With one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, Utah is proof that a thriving economy and strong communities go hand in hand. I’m grateful Utah’s business community will now have an even stronger voice to advocate for our continued success.”