Chamber News: Sun Corridor Inc, Tucson Metro Chamber Announce Decision to Merge

Sun Corridor Inc, Tucson Metro Chamber

Announce Decision to Merge

~ Combining two prominent Southern Arizona business organizations will result in a

unified voice to bolster the region’s economic competitiveness ~

Media Contacts:

Laura Shaw, Senior Vice President

Sun Corridor Inc.

Laura.shaw@suncorridorinc.com or 520-609-5972

Michael Guymon, President & CEO

Tucson Metro Chamber

mguymon@tucsonchamber.org or 520-260-3666

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TUCSON, ARIZ. (December 10, 2024) – Today Sun Corridor Inc. and the Tucson Metro Chamber of

Commerce Boards of Directors announce that they have agreed to merge the two organizations in

2025 to form a new stronger chamber that represents business interests in Tucson and Southern

Arizona.

Both organizations have agreed to come together with a unified business voice, strategy, and

resources to address Southern Arizona’s biggest economic development challenges and

opportunities that impact business relocation and expansion in the Southern Arizona region.

This move will solidify Tucson and Southern Arizona as a region exploring new ways of leading and

bringing together businesses of all sizes as well as diverse business, trade and civic groups to

develop bold, creative solutions to regional issues.

The merger will better position the region’s efforts to attract new jobs and investment and support

existing companies poised for growth. The new chamber organization will include a Board of

Directors, investors, committee members, and staff representing both entities. The organization’s

name will be announced at a later date.

The organization’s new mission is to drive economic growth and prosperity through job creation in

the region by uniting business advocacy and development efforts, fostering an environment where

businesses thrive, and promoting Tucson and Southern Arizona as a vibrant economic hub on both

domestic and international stages. Functions will include business attraction, retention and

expansion; talent attraction; competitiveness; advocacy/public policy; emerging leaders; and

small business support.

Susan Gray, President & CEO of Tucson Electric Power, will chair the new organization. Joe Snell

will serve as President & CEO. Michael Guymon will serve as Chief Advocacy Officer.

“I am immensely proud to serve as the first chair of this newly formed chamber. Both our Boards

recognized the need for a powerhouse organization that will advocate for a strong business center

in Southern Arizona,” said Susan Gray, Chair, Sun Corridor Inc. and President & CEO, Tucson

Electric Power. “We applaud both Boards’ vision to make this happen and look forward to working

together with our business memberships, elected officials, and others to launch this in 2025.”

“Our Boards supported this merger because we believe that our region needs a stronger chamber

that is more effective in creating an environment where current and relocating businesses can

thrive,” said Linda Welter, Chair of the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce Board. “The time is

right for this merger to take place, for both organizations will be able to accomplish more together

than what each can accomplish alone.”

“This move will be transformational to Tucson and Southern Arizona’s success in building an even

stronger economic foundation,” said Joe Snell, President & CEO, Sun Corridor Inc. “This new

chamber will represent a unified voice to effectively meet regional challenges for decades to

come.”

Michael Guymon, President & CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce, said, “I applaud

our collective vision and continued commitment to adopt innovative approaches that challenge

the status quo to achieve even greater success. I am excited about the merger and look forward to

working with our new board leadership, staff, investors, members and volunteers of both

organizations to become bolder advocates for the businesses in our region.”

Sun Corridor Inc. / Tucson Metro Chamber Merger

FAQs

Why now? What are the market dynamics that led to this merger?

• Although Southern Arizona has experienced growth over the past twenty years, the last

several years have caused fundamental shifts in the economy that impact not only what we

compete for but also how we compete.

• The drivers of the future economy will be shaped by complex challenges around labor,

technological advancements, and politics. To continue to be competitive and build upon

our successes, Southern Arizona must refocus its economic development and advocacy

efforts around the factors that drive economic competitiveness, build on its strengths, and

commit to a strategy that prioritizes addressing its biggest challenges.

• This new reality requires regions to lead in new ways - bringing together large, diverse

groups, politicians, community leaders, and small-to-large business leaders that develop

bold, creative solutions to regional issues.

• Sun Corridor Inc. led a year-long process to evaluate Southern Arizona’s economic

competitiveness and identify gaps in building a more robust economy. Perceptions and

feedback on our economy were generated from local leaders and outside influencers.

A common theme was that the region has too many competing business groups. The

feedback noted that the business community's collective voice has been diluted, limiting

its ability to meaningfully influence decisions that impact our region’s economy and

business success.

• In 2024, there are at least 20 local and regional business organizations in Southern Arizona

representing a variety of interests across the region.

• The two most prominent groups are the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce, which

represents nearly 1500-hundred-member companies, and Sun Corridor Inc., whose

member organizations represent nearly 90% of all employment in Pima County.

What are the benefits of this merger?

• Create a unified strategy and voice on behalf of the region’s business community.

• With a larger staff, more resources and a combined membership, increase political clout to

influence decisions made by local, state and federal governments.

• Develop bold, comprehensive solutions to improve our community by combining all parties

of the economic ecosystem: primary job (non-retail/export-based) employers and

retail/small business.

• Leverage resources to enhance the quality and depth of programs for the entire business

community.

• Reduce programmatic duplication and confusion.

What are the top opportunities associated with the merger?

• Talent attraction and development continues to be a top concern among business

leaders. With more concentrated focus and combined resources, there are immense

opportunities to deliver stronger value to members in this area.

• There is also a great opportunity to build a strong BRE (Business Retention and Expansion)

focus with existing companies of all sizes, with more staff and resources to help our local

businesses grow and prosper.

• More aggressively address our competitiveness in a quest to create a more vibrant

economy.

Will the Chamber’s mission of serving small business be diluted with this merger? Will Sun

Corridor Inc’s mission of primary job development be diluted?

Not at all, in fact the missions will be strengthened and enhanced on both sides. Creating a

unified strategy and aligning both organizations’ strengths and membership audiences will

result in a much stronger economic foundation for the entire region.

It’s a misconception that Sun Corridor only focuses on large business and the Chamber

only focuses on small business. The size of the business is not the focus of building an

economy; the focus of economic development is primary/direct job development in

targeted high-wage industries, resulting in ripple effects of indirect jobs and additional

business opportunities to retail and local businesses. The benefits of this primary job

development and ripple effects extend to businesses of every size in the region.

How will the new organization handle public funding that Sun Corridor Inc. receives now,

when advocacy is a large focus of the merged organization? Can an organization do both

advocacy and economic development well?

• There are numerous examples across the country of merged chamber and economic

development groups who have strong and effective advocacy programs.

• There are multiple avenues to separate the public and private funds.

• The new organization’s leadership will evaluate the best avenue to pursue this.

What are the staffing and operational plans?

• The staffing and operating plans will be developed by the new organization’s leadership.

• There will be no staff reductions as a result of the merger.

• The office location for the new organization will be determined after a thorough financial

analysis has been completed.

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