History of the chamber

This chamber was founded in February 1888 as the Board of Trade and changed its name to the Chamber of Commerce in 1912. It was founded to give the business community a voice in the affairs affecting them, much the same reason the chamber exists today. While the Chillicothe Ross Chamber is a member of both the state and national chambers of commerce, it is governed solely by its board of directors.

Chamber mission

The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce serves to connect our investors and partners to resources that will allow them to drive growth and change in our community.

Organizational chart

The members are the stakeholders at the top of the chart. From the members, a Board of Directors is elected. From the board, an Executive Committee is elected consisting of a chair, vice chair, treasurer, immediate past chair, and board officers. The Executive Committee is empowered to make decisions on behalf of the board. The president and CEO are hired by the board and are responsible for hiring and managing the staff.

Incorporation

The chamber is incorporated as a 501c6 non-profit organization under federal tax laws. It is not a charitable organization, but a portion of dues investments may be used as a business expense. Members should consult their accountants. The organization is governed by its bylaws.

Programs

The chamber is involved in some degree or another with several programs in the community:

  • Ross County Safety Council: Through a partnership with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the chamber oversees the council’s operation, which now has more than 80 members. The council’s main focus is to provide safe working environments for Ross County and area employees. It is governed by its own steering committee.
  • Workforce Development: Our Job Listings page provides a one-stop shop for some of the jobs offered by the best businesses in Ross County. Assistance with this site is provided through the Chamber.
  • EPIC: Ross County’s official young professionals network is one of the newest programs for 21- to 45-year-olds. This active group works hard to engage in the community through social, civic, professional development, and charitable endeavors.

The Chamber office

The chamber’s home at 45 E. Main St. is a one-stop place for members and developers. The CEO of the Greater Chillicothe and Ross County Development and Downtown Chillicothe also has spaces in the Business Center office. In addition, the OSU Small Business Development Center out of Piketon, and other organizations, such as OhioSE use our offices and conference room as needed to help counsel people looking to start businesses in the area.

More information

This website provides more details about the chamber’s activities and programs. We encourage you to explore it to better understand what we do. You may always call 740-702-2722 for more information.