Chamber Blog

Talent– whether it’s lack of skilled labor, retention or attraction- is the number one issue facing the West Michigan business community. The Grand Rapids Chamber continues to work diligently in Lansing to address our talent crisis in two important areas: degree attainment and childcare. Governor’s Talent Initiatives: Michigan Reconnect & MI Opportunity Scholarships The Grand […]

“When you’re able to combine your job with your passion, you’d almost do it for free,” said Joe Matthews, Vice President of Purchasing and Diversity Officer for Gentex Corporation. “Don’t tell my boss that,” he added with a laugh. One look around Joe’s office and you can see he is passionate about his work. With […]

School’s out, warm weather is upon us, and the first official day of summer is just around the corner. That can only mean one thing in Beer City… patio season! With Grand Rapids’ ever-growing food and beverage scene, there’s no shortage of outdoor seating to enjoy Michigan’s summer weather. While there are many great options […]

The Chamber is proud to bring our members a variety of networking opportunities, including our beloved Business Exchange Luncheons, and the always-popular Chamber After Hours series. For many, networking events are an awesome place to make new connections, but for others, networking can be stressful. Does that sound like you? Never fear! We’ve brought in […]

Each year, the Grand Rapids Chamber recognizes individuals that are alumni of the Chamber’s leadership programs who exemplify what it means to be a devoted community trustee. This year’s honorees come from a variety of different backgrounds and have each contributed greatly to the Grand Rapids Community. We look forward to celebrating their achievements with […]

Members of The Friends of West Michigan Business, the Grand Rapids Chamber’s Political Action Committee (PAC), are excited to be interviewing two candidates for Grand Rapids City Commission Ward 2 today. The Chamber PAC is a separate, segregated fund that is only supported by voluntary, personal contributions of Chamber members and is not supported by […]

This month’s Breakfast with Legislators included discussion of education, auto no-fault legislation, transportation, and more. Attendance included guest speaker, President Thomas Haas of Grand Valley State University and various state legislators who addressed various concerns of our members. President Haas ensured the return on investment from Michigan taxpayers’ contribution to the university. With 20,000 of […]

On May 23, the Grand Rapids Chamber held an Advocacy Engagement Series on the business case for the expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The Chamber’s OutPro Council was proud to host the event in partnership with Equality Michigan. Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 is an act to define civil rights; to […]