Chamber Blog

He’s an army brat who paid his way through college by doing wedding photography – and lying about his age at the time to score new clients. “Who wants to hire an 18-year-old to do their wedding photos?” he said. She’s a YouTube famous beauty and design vlogger with over 20,000 subscribers (seriously, look it […]

Today, the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progression (NAEP) scores were released. The scores reveal a slight increase in some categories, stagnant scores in others, and overall, continued cause for alarm for business leaders, parents, educators and policymakers. Michigan saw small improvements in reading and math compared to 2015 scores: Fourth-grade reading- 41st in 2015 […]

We want our Chamber members to get the biggest return on their investment as possible and we’re making it a goal to help members navigate the ins and outs of the different Chamber membership perks. Today’s highlighted perk: The Davenport University tuition discount. If you’re hearing about this for this first time: All employees (including […]

Spring break is quickly approaching! If you haven’t made plans to go away this year, you’re in luck. West Michigan has lots to offer during the spring, and the GR Chamber will help you get up-to-date and in the know. There are plenty of activities for families, friends, and couples that work well for those […]

Below is a letter sent to President Trump on March, 7, 2018, regarding a proposed tariff on steel and aluminum. Dear President Trump, On behalf of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and our 2,400 member businesses in West Michigan, we urge you not to impose tariffs or other burdensome restrictions on imported steel […]

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner – and with Grand Rapids’ reputation as “Beer City, USA,” you can expect to have a good amount of options on the biggest drinking day of the year. Whether you unleash your Irish spirit by partying all night or by grabbing a pint with a few friends […]

We’re sure you’ve heard the big news by now: the Chamber is relocating to 250 Monroe Ave. on March 1st! The modern and fresh building, with tons of windows overlooking the DeVos Place Convention Center, will be the new epicenter for business, resources, and collaboration for more than 2,400 Grand Rapids Chamber members. Here are five facts about […]

If there’s some strange policy in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? The Chamber Government Affairs Team! Chamber members may not realize that with their membership, they get three registered lobbyists advocating for them on local and statewide issues affecting businesses. Whether it’s parking, signage, child care, health care, taxes, education or anything else, our […]