New Orleans Chamber shows signs of vitality

The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce is making a comeback.

It’s hard to imagine and harder to actually say it out loud, but for the past several years there hasn’t been a functional general interest chamber of commerce in this city.

On Jan.1, 2004, the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce ceased to exist. The regional organization was merged, liquidated really, into the chamber’s economic development unit, then called MetroVision, now Greater New Orleans Inc.

GNO Inc. is a super-regional economic development body that exists to support commerce throughout the 10-parish region around New Orleans.

When the regional chamber existed, there were regional councils attached to it that functioned as “chamber-lite” organizations, often competing with established suburban chambers of commerce for members.

Beginning in 2004, the suburban chambers flourished as the regional councils disintegrated with the regional chamber. The suburban chambers gladly welcomed regional council members into their clubs and then went on their merry way to cultivate local business activity, as they should.

Read full story [New Orleans City Business]

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