Georgia Chamber of Commerce

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is a statewide business organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Its primary focus involves economic development promotion alongside business advocacy initiatives. The Chamber represents businesses of different sizes by participating in policy debates where it evaluates potential business development risks from proposed legislation.

The Georgia Manufacturing Association started its operations in 1915 to represent manufacturing businesses throughout Georgia. The organization changed its name to Associated Industries of Georgia in 1939 to reflect its expanded focus on multiple industries in the state. It was known as the Georgia Business and Industry Association from 1968 until 1983, when it changed its name to the Business Council of Georgia. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce adopted its current official name in 1992.

Throughout its history, the Chamber has formed partnerships with various organizations, including Leadership Georgia (1971), the Georgia Self-Insurers Association (1975), the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (1990), the Georgia Employers' Association (2003), the Council on Alcohol and Drugs/Drugs Don’t Work (2004), and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (2004). These partnerships cover areas such as workforce development, employer services, education, and tourism.

Chris Clark began his role as President and CEO of the Chamber in 2010 and continues to lead the organization.

The Chamber employs approximately 30 staff members who work in departments including operations, member services, government affairs, public policy, and communications. It also works with volunteers from Georgia businesses who serve on its board of directors, government affairs council, and policy committees.

The Georgia Chamber is unique in the sense that each of the organization's activities is designed for business advocacy purposes – including direct lobbying efforts, membership events, the Georgia Business Action Network (GBAN), and others. Local chambers, on the other hand, tend to focus on economic development and tourism projects. The Georgia Chamber is not a competitor to the local chambers in the state – rather it is seen as a complement to networking and economic development programs offered at the local level.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce maintains an in-house team of lobbyists. They promote legislation favorable to Georgia businesses and lobby against bills considered detrimental to business interests.

Recent legislative successes include:

• Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan
• Business tax incentives and prevention of expensive insurance mandates
• Sales tax holidays, "Made in Georgia" marketing, water and energy-efficient products
• Civil justice reform and class action lawsuit reform
• Provisions for expedited reviews of permits/variances
• Tourism sales tax reimbursement

On March 12, 2021, the Chamber issued a statement opposing Republican election reforms that would end no-excuse absentee voting, limit early voting hours, restrict drop-boxes for mail ballots, and curtail early voting on Sundays.^[1]

The Georgia Initiative is an effort launched in 2008 and designed to reposition the Georgia Chamber from a primarily reactive to a highly proactive organization.

The objective of the Georgia Initiative is to make proactive participation and leadership possible by increasing the capacity of the Georgia Chamber to identify key legislative initiatives that enable progressive change, to develop and shape policy positions that will drive that change, to more effectively lobby to support these positions, and to dramatically expand communications initiatives and infrastructure to support this proactive shift.

Areas of public policy focus under the Georgia Initiative include:

• Education and Workforce Development
• Environment and Energy
• Existing Business and Industry
• Health Care
• International
• Law and Judiciary
• Tax
• Tourism
• Transportation

The Red Carpet Tour and Georgia Quail Hunt are events hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Georgia Allies. Both events host business executives from around the world each year to learn about economic development opportunities offered by the state of Georgia. Past event participants who eventually moved their company headquarters to Georgia include Georgia Pacific and NCR.

The Red Carpet Tour is held each April and has been in existence since 1959. While participants visit Augusta each year to attend the Masters Golf Tournament, a second location differs from year-to-year to allow further exploration of the state. Locations have included Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Rome, Savannah and Valdosta.

The Georgia Quail Hunt began in 1988, and it is held each year in southwest Georgia. Guests participate in quail hunting and shooting instruction on nine different southern plantations while networking with Georgia business and legislative leaders. Originally called the Fall Feather Hunt, the name was changed to the Georgia Quail Hunt to reflect the change in the time of year the event was held.

• Georgia Chamber of Commerce