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,
Every so often, a colleague puts words to something you've been feeling but struggling to articulate. That happened for me recently when our Chief Operating Officer Soledad Alfaro wrote about creating a bigger tent, building an organization that truly reflects the community it serves. It's a frame I keep returning to, because it captures exactly what we're trying to do at the Chamber.
The organizations that will matter in the years ahead are the ones willing to ask an uncomfortable question: are we designed to accommodate the people we say we want to serve? And are we willing to do the work until the answer is yes?
At the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, those questions drive our work, including some of the work I'm most proud of.
When research from Opportunity Insights revealed that our region is 50 out of 50 in economic mobility, it was a call to action for our business community, and leaders from across the region stepped up to the plate. By focusing on economic mobility, we're prioritizing growth opportunities for the people who have historically been left outside the tent and asking ourselves, are we creating pathways to opportunity jobs for workers who've had fewer entry points? Are we advocating for policies that will help businesses, workers and families thrive? Will the next generation of Greater Philadelphia residents be better off than their parents?
We're making progress, and we have further to go. That's true for the Chamber as an organization, and it's true for the broader regional ecosystem we're helping to build through efforts like the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership. For the first time, leaders across all five Southeastern Pennsylvania counties have come together to address sluggish job growth and declining economic mobility for residents. The Partnership is the result of a two-year collaborative effort, catalyzed by The Pew Charitable Trusts and supported by the Brookings Institution, to understand the region's economy and define a strategic path forward to increase growth and opportunity. By making sure voices from across the region are at the table, we're building something inclusive and lasting.
We've also made considerable efforts to ensure our Board and Executive Committee accurately reflects our Chamber membership and business community at large, fostering a broad pipeline of leadership that maximizes opportunities for all members to engage with the Chamber and embeds the Chamber's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across every aspect of the organization. Belonging without value is an empty invitation, and we're not in the business of empty invitations. That commitment doesn't stop at our membership roster or our boardroom, it extends to how we show up for this city during its biggest moments.
This summer, Greater Philadelphia steps onto the world stage in a way it hasn't in a generation, hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 and America 250. That's both an extraordinary opportunity and a real test of whether our region's growth can reach everyone. For everything you need to prepare your business for this extraordinary moment, visit our FIFA World Cup 2026 & America 250 Business Resource page. Whether you're a longtime member or new to the Chamber community, we're here to help you make the most of it.
This is our bigger tent moment. Let's build it together.
In Service,
Chellie
