Overview
Corporate Structure
The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership is a 501c3 corporation formed in November 2002 through the merger of the Erie Conference on Community Development, the Erie Area Chamber of Commerce and Erie Insight.
Three Divisions, One Mission
All three divisions of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership — Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, and Growth Partnership — support the organization’s core mission of providing the leadership to attract, retain and expand business in the region.
As a whole, the organization continues to make significant progress in the areas of membership; customer service; business attraction, retention, and expansion; and the identification of key regional initiatives that promote the economic health of the Erie region.
- Chamber of Commerce Division
Committee Chair: Tom Wedzik
Claudia Thornburg, Vice President | LinkedIn | Email
The Chamber Division is responsible for membership sales, programs and services. The Chamber Division is the revenue generating and marketing arm for the entire organization, financially supporting the important efforts of all three divisions.
- Economic Development Division
Committee Chair: Jim Rutkowski, Jr.
Jacob Rouch, Vice President | LinkedIn | Email
The Economic Development Division is dedicated to business attraction and helping current businesses expand and prosper. Four key components include coordinating the region’s business attraction efforts, the Business Retention & Expansion Program (BREP), Workforce Development, and the Lead Economic Development Team.
- Growth Partnership Division
Committee Chair: David Tullio
Mary Bula, Vice President | LinkedIn | Email
The Growth Partnership division is comprised of top decision-makers from Platinum, Gold, and Silver Chamber members. The group’s current membership of more than 140 is overseen by a 15-member steering committee. The team advances transformational community initiatives that impact the region’s long-term economic future.
