A message from the Chamber’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Chellie Cameron, to our regional business community as we work together to achieve our Chamber 2028 vision.

Dear Chamber Community,

For the first time since at least 1979, Philadelphia’s poverty rate has dropped below 20%. Our city is no longer the poorest large city in America – a long-awaited shift that reflects the hard work of community, business, and civic leaders across our region who have worked to create more opportunity and stability within our neighborhoods. Thanks to their dedication, we’ve seen a steady decline in Philly’s poverty rate since it reached its peak of 28.4% in 2011.

This news is a powerful signal that progress is possible.  It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we invest in people, collaborate across sectors, and stay committed to inclusive growth. But let’s be clear: this is not a moment to celebrate.

Nearly 300,000 Philadelphians still live in poverty, with many living each day in deep poverty, at or below half of the federal poverty line. To change this in lasting ways, and create growth that spans generations, it’s time to also focus on our challenge of economic mobility.

Recent research from Opportunity Insights has spotlighted a troubling reality: Greater Philadelphia ranks last among peer metro regions in economic mobility. Children born here are less likely than anywhere else in the country to earn more than their parents. This isn’t just a city issue, it’s a regional one. Economic mobility touches every corner of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Northern Delaware.

This summer, the Brookings Institution, supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, released a market assessment that offers a roadmap for change. It found that Southeastern Pennsylvania underperformed in job growth compared to national trends, missing out on more than 104,000 potential jobs between 2012 and 2023.

Only half of the jobs in our region qualify as “opportunity jobs,” and access to these roles is increasingly skewed toward individuals with four-year degrees. Meanwhile, industries that export goods and services, those that drive regional prosperity, are lagging.

The good news? We have untapped potential. Our region is rich in innovation, research, and industry clusters that can fuel inclusive growth. The Brookings report recommends focusing on three high-potential tradable sectors:

  • Enterprise Digital Solutions (business-to-business tech)
  • Precision Manufacturing (materials machining, fabrication, and electronic components)
  • Biomedical Commercialization (life sciences)

These sectors offer pathways to quality, family-sustaining jobs. To unlock our potential, we must address a critical gap: our economic development efforts are fragmented. What we need is a unified, tactics-level strategy that brings together public, private, and civic leaders across the region.

Imagine a Philadelphia region that’s a top destination for thriving talent and business, where more residents can access careers, not just jobs, that allow them to support their families and stay rooted in their communities.

The Chamber will lean into our role as a connector and convener to ensure that our region moves forward together and continues to uplift residents out of poverty. This path requires inclusive growth that reaches every neighborhood – from Center City to Chester, from Norristown to Camden.

I hope you’ll join us for our Annual Meeting on October 10, 2025, where we’ll make connections with leaders at all levels to collaborate on shared opportunities for success.

In Service,

Chellie

Chellie Cameron
President and Chief Executive Officer,
The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia