SANTA FE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1882, was originally known as the Santa Fe Board of Trade. It became the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce in 1911. The Chamber represents nearly 1,000 businesses in the Santa Fe area. Through the energy of its board, volunteers and committees, the Chamber represents the interests of the business community, helps solve problems through shared resources and works to strengthen the local economy.

Members can take advantage of the Chamber’s business advocacy efforts, including communication with government officials, networking events, referrals, brochure displays, marketing opportunities, website and directory listings, business exposure, committee involvement, health and dental insurance and mailing lists.

Every year, the Chamber’s Resource Center answers more than 3,000 email inquiries, handles 11,000 walk-ins and distributes relocation packages to individuals and businesses considering a move to Santa Fe. The Chamber’s Plaza visitor center, located in space generously provided by First National 1870 Santa Fe and staffed by the Bienvenidos volunteer group, handled more than 30,000 visitor inquiries in 2018.

All local businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals are invited to become members of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce. Dues are generally based on the number of employees.

Contact information:

Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce

PO Box 1928, Santa Fe NM 87504

1644 St. Michael’s Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 Resource Center and Business Office, 505-988-3279 info@santafechamber.com, santafechamber.com

How the Chamber Works for Member Businesses

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is committed to four main areas of focus:

Advocacy

Your Chamber:

• Advocates for business at the city, county and state levels.

• Hosts a series of conversations with community leaders. • Supports much-needed expansion at the Santa Fe Airport. • Supports improved regulation of short-term rentals in the Santa Fe area.

• Lobbied in support of increased affordable housing.

• Advocated a realistic and fact-based energy plan for the community, incorporating cost, reliability, regulations, the environment and lessons learned from other cities. • Supported efforts such as improved broadband infrastructure, workforce housing, film and media industries, senior housing, Bike & Brew events and Fuego baseball.

• Assisted the City of Santa Fe with balanced budget alternatives. • Supported a review and alternatives at the Santa Fe Railyard. • Hosts annual Legislative Preview and Legislative Reception events, which attract hundreds of guests, as well as regular meetings with local elected officials.

Networking Opportunities

Your Chamber:

• Hosts Business Over Breakfast, Business After Hours, MIX

Santa Fe, the Banking on Birdies golf tournament, the Legislative Reception, the Business Expo and Job Fair, the Women’s

Leadership Luncheon, ribbon cuttings, the Business Awards Gala, Senior Lifestyle Expo and Leadership Santa Fe.

• Offers member-to-member discounts and coupons that save member businesses thousands of dollars.

• Lists all members in online and printed business directories, which attract thousands of visitors annually.

• Features members on the Business Matters weekly radio show

on 1260 AM KTRC and 103.7 FM. The Business Matters airs on Saturdays from 11 am to noon. Listen to the podcast by visiting santafe.com/ktrc/podcasts/P24.

Promoting the Community

Your Chamber:

• Is the management agent for such community-oriented programs as Leadership Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Chamber Opportunities Fund, and MIX Santa Fe.

• Supports numerous community improvement efforts such as Plaza Clean-Up Day.

• Conducts ribbon cuttings, welcoming new and expanding businesses to Santa Fe.

• Supports the Bienvenidos volunteers, who assist thousands of visitors with information about Santa Fe from the Plaza booth, generously donated by First National Santa Fe 1870.

Creating a Strong Local Economy

The Chamber operates the following committees and task forces:

Economic Development: Centers around jobs and creating a prosperous community for entrepreneurs.

Public Policy: Concerned with advocacy, legislative issues and growing the voice of business. Develops relationships with public officials to ensure business input and representation at all levels of government.

Education/Workforce Development: Works to improve the local workforce by linking academics, business and community to promote real-world learning, support partnerships and celebrate educational excellence.

Ambassadors: Welcome new Chamber members by attending ribbon cuttings and grand openings. Enhance the growth and development of the existing membership by recruiting new members.

Chamber Marketing Partnership Opportunities

Online marketing via our website, which serves more than 10,000 visitors a month (contact Michelle at accounts@santafechamber. com):

• FREE: online directory listing and 50-word business description on santafechamber.com

• Option to purchase an enhanced listing with logo, photo or link to your company website

• Online map to your business location

• Web banner ads available for purchase (contact Weblink International at 317-872-3909)

• Marketing via our bimonthly eNews, which has a readership of

SANTA FE IS NAMED FORBES NO. 1 CITY FOR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS.

more than 3,000 (contact marketing@santafechamber.com) • New member listings in eNews and opportunities to advertise a business or event in a “Member Spotlight”

• Events calendar

Print Advertising

• FREE: alphabetical and business category listings in the membership directory (distributed year-round)

• FREE: listings in the monthly Business Advocate (distributed by the Santa Fe New Mexican)

• FREE: ribbon cutting photo in the Business Advocate

• Display ads in the annual Santa Fe Community Profile & Membership Directory and the monthly Business Advocate available for purchase

• Insert advertising in relocation packages

Personal Referrals

• FREE: business card or brochure display at the Chamber’s Resource Center

• FREE: radio interview on Business Matters, 1260 AM KTRC and 103.7 FM

• Phone, walk-in and email referrals to member businesses • Member-to-member discount program

• Rental of Chamber conference room

Volunteering, Networking and Educational Opportunities

• Discounted or free admission to Chamber-sponsored events • Business Over Breakfast, Business After Hours and MIX (monthly)

• Legislative Reception (January)

• Business Expo and Job Fair (April)

• Business Awards Gala (June)

• Golf Tournament (August)

• Women’s Leadership Luncheon (October)

• Senior Lifestyle Expo (October)

• Community Leaders Breakfasts

• Leadership Santa Fe

• Chamber Committees and Task Forces

Ambassadors

Chamber Ambassadors enhance the growth and development of the existing membership by recruiting new members and attending ribbon cuttings at new businesses. Members: Victoria Bruneni, Trevor Burns, Bob Clifford, Zia Cross, Vera Hayduk, Doreen Hurtig, Michael Kaplan, Susanne Kennedy, Raquel Koch, Joylene Kubala, Gillis Lange, Gabriel Leyba, Maria Leyba, Randy Lucero, Paul Maher, Kathy Mattison, Margaret Mayer, Veronica Rigales, Diana Roembach, John Ruybalid, Mary Ann Soto, James Trujillo, Lisa Vahkaria and Erica Valdez.