About the Chamber
For more than a century the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce has been a social and economic engine guiding Miami through history, from a small seaside hamlet to an international business and finance leader of the new global economy.
ABOUT GMCC
Our Mission
Our mission is to grow, improve and protect the Greater Miami Business Community by advocating, educating and convening.
ABOUT GMCC
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the champion for the Greater Miami Business Community in times of prosperity and hardship.
ABOUT GMCC
Our History
The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is a direct reflection of the abundance of small-to-mid-sized businesses and ethnic diversity in our community. We are a thriving organization with over 5,000 dedicated volunteers who maintain a deep social responsibility and continue to assume leadership roles to better local businesses, our community, lives, and ongoing history of Miami-Dade residents.
The Chamber has served as a force for positive change in Miami's business community through two world wars, the civil rights movement, the information revolution, “Paradise Lost”, Hurricane Andrew, and a recent era of domestic and international immigration that has made South Florida the demographic, cultural and commercial envy of America.
Setting the Foundation
Miami's Place in History
The Chamber's predecessor, the Miami Board of Trade, was organized shortly after the City of Miami's incorporation in 1896. Chartered in 1907, it worked to obtain deep water access to Miami's natural harbor – at the time an effort critical to developing agricultural resources; today, PortMiami is the world's premier cruise port and a primary cargo hub for Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Far East.
The Board of Trade and the Merchants' Association later united to become the Miami Chamber of Commerce. E.G. "Ev" Sewell became President in 1915 and, through his efforts, Miami became one of the nation's best-publicized areas. During his tenure, the Chamber's endeavors to build the community focused on aviation, clean water, tourism, spring training baseball, and preserving space for parks. Minutes of historical Chamber meetings survive since 1919, chronicling the events and people that shaped early Miami's politics and economy.