History

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce

Southeastern Massachusetts is the fastest growing region of the state, and the South Shore Chamber of Commerce is a key component of that growth.

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce is the second largest chamber in New England. It is headquartered in Quincy, but its 2,500 business members range from Boston to Westwood and Sharon in the west and to Plymouth in the south.

The organization focuses on promoting economic growth and an improved business climate in the region. Its activities range from lobbying at the State House to helping members improve their business skills.

The Chamber has organized business councils in a dozen communities to encourage Chamber members to develop closer working relationships with their town and city governments. Throughout the region, the councils have given local businesses a voice in developing zoning, traffic, public safety and tax classification policies in their hometowns.

The South Shore Chamber holds frequent seminars to help its members run their businesses more effectively. Avoiding sexual harassment in the workplace, coping with changing business technology, managing stress, and improving networking skills are just some of the topics covered.

With its large regional base, the South Shore Chamber has been recognized for many years as one of the most influential voices for business in the state.

The Chamber has a full-time lobbyist on its staff to promote the interests of its members on Beacon Hill. Lowering the costs of employer mandates, reducing taxes, fighting frivolous lawsuits, and improving the transportation infrastructure in Southeastern Massachusetts are among the issues on which the South Shore Chamber of Commerce has taken the lead.

An offshoot of the Chamber, the South Shore Economic Development Corporation, provides low-interest financing for companies expanding in the area. It also provides free counseling services for new and growing enterprises.

Each year, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce hosts more than 300 meetings, from committees of a dozen to gatherings of more than one thousand, giving the business people in the region opportunities to hear from nationally recognized leaders of government and industry, to sharpen their business expertise, to network with potential customers and vendors, and to increase the vitality of the region's economy.