Santa Rosa business leaders on Friday announced they have changed the name of their chamber group to the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber of Commerce.
The rebranding of the former Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce was unveiled Friday morning at the chamber’s annual meeting at the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club.
The new name, said chamber President and CEO Jonathan Coe, reflects the fact that “our members and our activities extend beyond the borders of Santa Rosa.
“Our concerns aren’t limited to the Santa Rosa city limits,” Coe said.
For example, the chamber has helped bring two Ironman competitions to Santa Rosa this year. Though the races will end in downtown, Coe said, the course will begin at Lake Sonoma and extend around a good portion of the county before reaching the finish line in Santa Rosa.
Also, each year the chamber works with other chambers in Sebastopol, Healdsburg and Rohnert Park to sponsor summer algebra academies where Latino students learn about real- world math applications with the help of area businesses. The Mike Hauser Academy, named for a former chamber executive, began in 2008.
The chamber was formed in the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake that damaged much of the Santa Rosa business district. Its first task was the rebuilding of the community.
The organization today has nearly 1,000 members, a staff of 25 and a budget of $3.3 million.
A year ago the chamber moved from a North Dutton Avenue business park to an office on Old Courthouse Square. The move came almost three years after the chamber left downtown.
You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 707-521-5285 or robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit
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