Since 1906, thousands of businesses have relied on the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce to promote their interests around town and around the world. It’s little wonder, then, that the Chamber has become a recognized leader in the industry, garnering a five-star rating from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and being chosen Best Chamber of Commerce by NorthBay biz readers five years in a row.
“We’re honored to be recognized like this and will work hard to live up to it,” says Jonathan Coe, chamber president and CEO. Coe believes the chamber is a valuable tool for its nearly 850 members because everything it does is aimed at helping local businesses succeed.
“Our mission is to create a vibrant and sustainable economy in Santa Rosa, and we’re doing that in a variety of ways,” says Coe. One of the most visible ways is through the Santa Rosa Convention and Visitors Bureau, which last year used its new $800,000 marketing budget to promote Santa Rosa as a visitor destination and place for meetings and conventions. “With that budget, we saw hotel revenues rise by $2.3 million, with a $6.9 million increase in overall visitor spending from the year before,” he says.
Achieving results like that has meant going beyond the usual visitor guides to embrace social media like Facebook and Twitter. The chamber also maintains its own website, and the Visitors Bureau uses targeted advertisements on other websites to draw visitors from around the globe.
Beyond attracting visitors, a large part of what’s made the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce such a leader has been its willingness to tackle a variety of innovative programs based on its members’ needs. Now in its fifth year, the WHEEL (Workplace Held Employee English Learning) program brought English instruction to 400 local workers at their jobsites so far this year, not only supplying valuable assistance to employers but increasing future opportunities for the employees. This year, thanks to a grant from First 5 Sonoma County, the program is hoping to reach up to 1,200 workers.
Another pilot program, BEST (Building Economic Success Together), is being facilitated by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce with the support of other local chambers and business leaders. It’s a five-year, multifaceted program aimed at creating jobs in Sonoma County. One BEST initiative that Coe is particularly excited about is the “100 in 100” program, in which experienced local businesspeople will be reaching out to 100 local companies in 100 business days to talk about the opportunities and challenges they face and identify those who need support to grow and hire more employees.
Another BEST initiative is an upcoming outreach effort in San Diego. With new commercial flights connecting Santa Rosa and San Diego, BEST sees an opportunity to form partnerships with San Diego businesses looking to expand and to find additional markets for local goods and services.
From its networking mixers and business referral services to its educational programs and more recent political involvement, the Santa Rosa Chamber continues to cast a wide net in its efforts to strengthen the area’s economic outlook. “We’re working hard and effectively to support local business, bring in new revenue and improve the local economy,” says Coe.
