HIGHLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

What HIGHLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE does

The Highland Chamber of Commerce is a private nonprofit membership organization founded in 1924 and headquartered at 1008 Laurel Street in Highland, Illinois, serving the local community across Madison, Bond, and Clinton counties. It functions as the primary business association for the town, operating with a small staff of two (Executive Director Taylor Sheeley and Assistant Director Hillarie Holzinger) supported by a 15-person Board of Directors and 16-member Ambassador committee, and serving approximately 300 member businesses — up from 110 in 1995.

Its core offerings center on membership services that deliver business visibility, customer referrals, and event participation. Members receive website directory listings, weekly e-newsletter exposure, ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremonies, member-only referrals routed through Chamber staff, Business After Hours networking, and access to committees including Ambassadors, Small Business Advisory Council, Government Affairs, Military & Veterans Affairs, and Tourism. The Chamber's second major product is the Gift Certificate Program, launched in 2001 and sold through six local banks (Constitution Bank, Bradford National Bank, Busey Bank, FCB Bank, First Mid Bank & Trust, and Scott Credit Union) in $10 and $25 increments, redeemable at over 70 participating businesses and generating more than $1.7 million in cumulative local commerce since inception. The Chamber also runs a portfolio of signature annual events — Street Art Festival, Annual Lighted Christmas Parade, Spring Shop Hop, Local Dine Around Passport Program, Cookie Crumb Trail, and Glow Golf Fundraiser — alongside an annual awards dinner recognizing community service.

The technology stack is lightweight: a Weebly-hosted website, Chamber Nation automation, a docu.team-powered Advertising Value Report and Welcome Center, a syndicated community events calendar embeddable on member websites, and an SMS-based mobile app accessible by texting HighlandIL to 866-866-5545. Revenue derives from recurring annual membership dues (the primary line), event sponsorships, website advertising, and transaction/administrative fees from the Gift Certificate Program. The Chamber does not publish specific membership pricing or revenue figures; prospective members are directed to contact the office at 618-654-3721.

Name

HIGHLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Legal name

Highland Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://highlandillinois.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Highland Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization serving approximately 300 local businesses in Highland, Illinois, delivering business directory listings, member referrals, signature community events, and a Gift Certificate Program distributed through six local banks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chamber of Commerce Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Chamber of commerce services
• Business networking events
• Local business directory
• Gift certificate program
• Community event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Highland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Chamber Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from local businesses. Membership levels have grown from 110 in 1995 to nearly 300 today, with annual budget showing similar increase
2. Gift Certificate Program: Program celebrates sales of $1.7 million since inception in 2001. Certificates sold in increments of $10 and $25 through participating banks, redeemable at over 70 local businesses. Revenue generated from processing and program administration.
3. Website and Event Advertising: Advertising opportunities on the chamber website for businesses to be seen. Members receive opportunity to advertise on website and link to business website
4. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities for signature events like Street Art Festival, with sponsorship directly supporting year-round programming, small business growth, and community events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Highland Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based nonprofit organization that sells annual Chamber Memberships to local businesses, providing networking events, business directory listings, ribbon cutting ceremonies, advertising exposure, and committee participation. It also administers a Gift Certificate Program (over $1.7 million in cumulative sales since 2001, redeemable at 70+ participating businesses via local banks) and produces signature community events such as the Street Art Festival, Local Dine Around Passport Program, Spring Shop Hop, Annual Lighted Christmas Parade, and Cookie Crumb Trail.

Product overview

The Highland Chamber of Commerce operates as a community-focused organization offering a suite of membership-based services for local businesses. The core portfolio includes traditional chamber membership with networking events, a searchable business directory, and an annual gift certificate program generating over $1.7 million in local commerce since 2001. The Chamber organizes multiple signature annual events including the Street Art Festival, Local Dine Around Passport Program, Spring Shop Hop, Annual Lighted Christmas Parade, and Cookie Crumb Trail. Additional offerings include weekly e-newsletters, ribbon cutting ceremonies, website advertising, member referral services, and a syndicated community events calendar. The organization serves approximately 300 member businesses and functions as a platform connecting local businesses with community residents and visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chamber Membership Services Annual Chamber Membership for local businesses, providing networking events, business directory listing, weekly newsletter exposure, ribbon cutting ceremonies, Business After Hours participation, member referral service, advertising opportunities, and access to committees such as Ambassadors, Small Business Advisory Council, Government Affairs, Military & Veterans Affairs, and Tourism.
• Online Business Directory
• Gift Certificate Program Chamber-administered gift certificate program with certificates sold in $10 and $25 increments through participating local banks (Constitution Bank, Bradford National Bank, Busey Bank, FCB Bank, First Mid Bank & Trust, Scott Credit Union) and redeemable at over 70 participating local businesses. Certificates never expire.
• Street Art Festival Annual street art festival held the third Saturday in September, featuring chalk artists, live music, food vendors, a Makers Market, and Kids Korner activities that draw regional visitors to downtown Highland.
• Local Dine Around Passport Program Annual dining incentive program running March 1 to April 30, encouraging diners to visit participating local restaurants and earn prizes through passport stamps.
• Spring Shop Hop Annual shopping event featuring exclusive offers, prizes, and discounts at local retail establishments in the Highland area.
• Annual Lighted Christmas Parade Annual holiday parade culminating in the official lighting of the downtown square, featuring musicians, madrigal singers, carriage rides, and Santa Claus.
• Cookie Crumb Trail Annual holiday event in which participants visit local businesses to sample cookies, collect recipe cards, and enter prize drawings.
• Glow Golf Fundraiser Annual golf fundraiser hosted at Highland Country Club, supporting year-round Chamber programming.
• Weekly E-Newsletter Weekly electronic newsletter featuring member spotlights, event announcements, articles, and community news distributed to subscribers and members.
• Community Events Calendar Syndicated online calendar system that hosts all community events, with embeddable calendar code for member organizations to display events on their own websites and mobile applications.
• Annual Awards Dinner Annual recognition event honoring individuals and organizations for their dedication, compassion, and service to the Highland community.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Constitution BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating financial institution in the Highland Chamber Gift Certificate Program since its inception in 2001, selling gift certificates to the public in $10 and $25 increments. Certificates are redeemable at over 70 participating chamber member businesses.
• Bradford National BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating financial institution selling Highland Chamber gift certificates, supporting the local economy by enabling customers to purchase gift cards redeemable at participating member businesses.
• Busey BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating bank in the Gift Certificate Program, selling certificates that support local businesses and keep commerce within the Highland community.
• FCB BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating financial institution in the chamber's Gift Certificate Program, enabling customers to purchase and redeem gift certificates at local businesses.
• First Mid Bank & TrustcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating bank selling Highland Chamber gift certificates, supporting the local economy and member businesses through the program.
• Scott Credit UnioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Participating financial institution in the Gift Certificate Program, selling certificates redeemable at over 70 local chamber member businesses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: National chamber of commerce and the apex industry organization for all U.S. local chambers. Highland Chamber is part of the broader U.S. Chamber ecosystem through accreditation pathways and policy alignment.
• Illinois State Chamber of Commerce: Statewide Illinois business association that Highland Chamber members and the local organization interact with for advocacy and policy matters. Operates at a much larger scale but in the same industry vertical (chamber/business association).

Regional players

• St. Louis Regional Chamber: Regional business chamber covering the greater St. Louis metro, which includes Highland's Illinois catchment area. Provides overlapping business advocacy and networking services to some Highland-area members.

Direct peers

• Troy Chamber of Commerce: Madison County, Illinois community chamber similar in scale and rural-suburban character to Highland. Operates traditional chamber programming including member directory, networking, and community events.
• Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce: Nearby Illinois community chamber of comparable size and structure, serving local businesses with similar membership, events, and networking programs. Operates in the same Metro East region with comparable member scale and rural-suburban mix.
• Maryville Chamber of Commerce: Small Madison County, Illinois chamber serving a community comparable in size to Highland. Closest peer in terms of population base, member count, and program scope.
• Collinsville Chamber of Commerce: Madison County, Illinois chamber adjacent to Highland's primary market, offering similar membership tiers, ribbon cuttings, networking events, and a business directory. Direct comparison on community size, member count, and program mix.
• Belleville Chamber of Commerce: St. Clair County, Illinois chamber serving local businesses with traditional membership services, signature events, and business advocacy. Comparable geographic catchment and member base composition to Highland.
• O'Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce: St. Clair County chamber serving a larger but demographically similar Southwestern Illinois community. Operates comparable member services including business directory, networking events, and community festivals.

Others

• Chamber Nation: Technology provider that delivers the website platform and member-management automation for Highland Chamber. Not a direct competitor but an enabling vendor in the chamber software ecosystem used by hundreds of U.S. local chambers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandChamberOfCommerce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HIGHLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE