Chicago SHRM
Chicago SHRM is a nonprofit, volunteer-led HR professional association and chartered SHRM chapter, serving roughly 1,000 Chicagoland practitioners through annual events, recertification credits, and a service-provider sponsor ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chicago SHRM does
Chicago SHRM is a nonprofit professional association and chartered local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), founded in 1948 and serving approximately 1,000 active HR professionals in the Chicagoland market. The organization delivers member programming including 40+ annual events and access to 50+ SHRM recertification credits, and sustains a broader outreach database of 8,000+ email contacts generating roughly 18% open and 11% click-through rates, with website traffic of approximately 1,200 visits per month.
The membership composition is 86% HR practitioners and 14% service providers (consultants, recruiters, vendors), creating a two-sided community in which practitioners gain professional development and certification support while service providers gain visibility, lead generation, and sponsorship channels. Operations are supported by the YourMembership.com association management system, which administers dues, event registration, and job postings.
Revenue is generated through individual membership dues priced at $20-$299 per year across tiers, supplemented by event fees, corporate and vendor sponsorships, and job board postings. The organization has earned SHRM EXCEL Platinum Awards in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, signaling sustained operational excellence, and is affiliated with the global SHRM parent organization whose membership exceeds 250,000 across 140 countries.
Chicago SHRM firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago SHRM
- Legal name
- Chicago SHRM
- Website
- https://chicagoshrm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chicago SHRM is a nonprofit, volunteer-led HR professional association and chartered SHRM chapter, serving roughly 1,000 Chicagoland practitioners through annual events, recertification credits, and a service-provider sponsor ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago SHRM industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Human Resources (HR) & Talent (SHRM/HRCI) Certifications (EDAAANAE)
Keywords
Where Chicago SHRM is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chicago SHRM business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual HR practitioners, service providers, students, and corporate members. Primary revenue stream supporting chapter operations and programming.
- Event and Conference Fees: Registration fees for conferences (Elevate), workshops, webinars, social events, and certification preparation programs. Includes SHRM/HRCI recertification credits bundled with programming.
- Sponsorships and Partnership Packages: Strategic partnership and sponsorship packages providing visibility, logo recognition, email reach, speaking opportunities, and member-only access to service provider partners.
- Job Postings and Career Center: Career center platform offering job postings for employers and job search access for members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | HR Practitioner - Standard individual membership for active HR professionals and faculty |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Service Provider - For consultants, vendors, and service providers to the HR profession |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Transition Member - For HR professionals between roles |
| Subscription | Annual | Emerging Leader - For HR practitioners with 3 years or less experience |
| Subscription | Annual | Student - For full/part-time students in HR or related degree programs |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Membership 5-15 seats |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Elevate Conference - Full-day annual conference |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event Registration - Standard programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Chicago SHRM product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chicago SHRM is a nonprofit professional association chapter affiliated with the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), serving approximately 1,000 HR practitioners in the Chicagoland area. It sells annual memberships across multiple tiers (HR Practitioner, Professional Service Provider, Transition Member, Emerging Leader, Student, Corporate), hosts roughly 40+ annual educational programs and events (including the signature Elevate Conference), and provides members with SHRM PDCs and HRCI recertification credits, networking opportunities, mentorship, career resources, and Illinois-specific employment law updates.
Product overview
Chicago SHRM is a professional association/HR community serving nearly 1,000 Chicagoland HR professionals. The organization does not offer a software product in the traditional SaaS sense. Its primary offerings are membership services (HR Practitioner, Professional Service Provider, Transition Member, Emerging Leader, and Student tiers), educational programs and events (Elevate Conference, Great Debate Series, HR Department of One Series, Wellness Series, Talent Forward Series, Legal Updates, and Social Events), a Mentoring Program, Career Center/Job Board, Emerging Leaders Program, Transition Committee Services, and a Speaker Program. The association is powered by YourMembership.com association management software and uses Constant Contact for email marketing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HR Practitioner Membership
- Professional Service Provider Membership
- Transition Member Membership
- Emerging Leader Membership
- Student Membership
- Corporate Membership
- Elevate Conference
- The Great Debate Series
- HR Department of One Series
- Wellness Series
- Talent Forward Series
- Legal Updates
- Career Center / Job Board
- Mentoring Program
- Emerging Leaders Program
- Transition Committee Services
- Social Events
- New and Prospective Member Orientation
Quantifiable outcome
- Earn 50+ SHRM/HRCI recertification credits annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chicago SHRM
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Chicago SHRM technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chicago SHRM partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Grossman GroupcoreAward-winning communications consulting firm specializing in internal, leadership, culture, and change communications. Led by founder and CEO David Grossman, celebrating 25 years. Certified Diverse Supplier through NGLCC since 2008.
- Laner MuchincorePremier law firm concentrating exclusively in employer representation for labor relations, employment litigation, employee benefits, and business immigration. Named Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report (National and Metro Tier 1).
- Neal Gerber EisenbergcoreLeading law firm handling sophisticated matters for entrepreneurs, public and private businesses. Nationally acclaimed Labor and Employment practice helping employers navigate labor, employment, and benefits law.
- Robert HalfcoreWorld's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm. Offers contract talent and permanent placement in finance, accounting, technology, marketing, legal, and administrative. Parent of Protiviti.
- Dayforce (Ceridian)coreAll-in-one, AI-powered Human Capital Management platform offering payroll, HR, talent, benefits, workforce management, and analytics. Trusted by over 7 million users globally.
- UKGcoreHR technology provider offering workforce management and human capital management solutions for enterprises of all sizes.
- O.C. TannercoreReward and recognition provider for companies serious about workplace culture. Serves 1,100+ global clients across 180 countries, delivering more than 31 million recognition moments annually through Culture Cloud platform.
- DePaul University (SCPS)coreStrategic partner for over ten years. Provides MA in Applied Professional Studies with tracks in Organizational Leadership. Offers SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exam preparation certificate. Streamlined path to college credit for SHRM credential holders.
- Northwestern UniversitycoreSHRM Chicago exclusive recommended test prep provider. Offers rigorous SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exam preparation through School of Professional Studies. Five-session remote programs focusing on real-life HR skills.
- Roosevelt UniversitycoreOffers Master's in Human Resource Management from Heller College of Business. Small class sizes, flexible online and Chicago campus options, supportive faculty, commitment to equity and justice.
- Advocate HealthminorHealthcare organization supporting employers with tailored services including Employee Assistance Program, employer clinics, occupational health, and wellness services.
- HUB InternationalminorLeading global insurance brokerage providing HR consulting services including organizational strategy, workforce planning, compliance, and benefits administration. 5th largest broker globally.
- Jackson LewisminorLaw firm specializing in labor and employment law, offering counsel on policy compliance, internal investigations, daily employment matters, and defense before courts and agencies.
- Husch BlackwellminorFull-service industry-focused law firm with 1,000+ attorneys and 20+ offices. Chicago Labor & Employment team helps employers with policy compliance, investigations, and defense.
- RiseKitminorChicago-based software platform empowering economic mobility by connecting underrepresented talent with employers through community-based organizations for hiring, training, and career advancement.
- PeopleShareminorStaffing firm providing temporary and permanent placement services.
- Marsh McLennanminorGlobal professional services firm providing risk, strategy, and people advisory services including insurance and reinsurance brokerage.
- Raymond JamesminorGlobal financial services firm providing wealth management, investment banking, and capital markets. $1.24 trillion in client assets, 8,800+ financial advisors. Helps create and manage retirement plans.
- MRA - The Management AssociationminorNonprofit employer association offering HR support, training, and consulting to 5,000+ member organizations. 200 experts delivering services across compliance, compensation, and talent development. Over 120 years in operation.
- CoinFlipminorFinancial services technology firm.
- SkillsWaveminorWorkforce development and skills training platform partner.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Chicago SHRM competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- HR.com: Online HR community, content portal, and resource marketplace serving HR practitioners with free webinars, articles, and vendor directories. Overlaps with Chicago SHRM on HR practitioner audience and recertification-eligible content, but competes as a digital-first alternative to local chapter programming.
Broad incumbents
- SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): The national parent organization of Chicago SHRM, SHRM is the largest HR professional association globally with 250,000+ members across 140 countries. It operates the same HR certification and recertification framework (SHRM-CP/SCP, HRCI credits) that Chicago SHRM delivers locally, but at national scale.
Others
- IABC (International Association of Business Communicators): Global professional association for business communicators with a comparable membership, chapter, and conference-driven operating model. Structurally analogous nonprofit association serving a related HR/employee-communications audience.
- National Black MBA Association: Professional association with a similar nonprofit membership model, local chapters, conferences, and career-development programming for a different professional audience. Comparable association structure rather than direct HR focus.
- WorldatWork: Nonprofit professional association focused on compensation, benefits, and total rewards HR. Comparable member-association model (dues, conferences, certifications like CCP/GRP) targeting an overlapping HR practitioner audience with similar programming structure.
- Association for Talent Development (ATD): Largest professional association for talent development professionals with a similar membership-based operating model, conferences, certification (CPLP), and local chapter network. Overlaps with Chicago SHRM on talent/learning content and HR-adjacent practitioners.
Direct peers
- Illinois State SHRM: Statewide SHRM affiliate serving Illinois HR professionals at the state level with similar membership tiers, events, and certification programs. Comparable structure to Chicago SHRM but with statewide geographic scope and an overlapping member base in greater Illinois.
- New York City SHRM: Regional SHRM chapter serving the New York metro HR community with similar membership tiers, signature conferences, and recertification programming. Operates with a larger addressable HR population but uses an essentially identical chapter business model.
- HR Houston (Houston HR Management Association): A large regional SHRM-affiliated chapter serving the Houston HR community with comparable membership tiers, monthly programming, conferences, and certification credit offerings. Same business model, different metropolitan market.
- SHRM of Greater Miami: Regional SHRM chapter serving the Greater Miami HR professional community with membership, events, and certification programming analogous to Chicago SHRM. Comparable scale, structure, and chapter-level SHRM affiliation model in a different metro.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chicago SHRM social profiles
Digital presenceChicago SHRM financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago SHRM leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Chicago SHRM funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago SHRM M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chicago SHRM
What does Chicago SHRM do?
Chicago SHRM is a nonprofit professional association chapter affiliated with the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), serving approximately 1,000 HR practitioners in the Chicagoland area. It sells annual memberships across multiple tiers (HR Practitioner, Professional Service Provider, Transition Member, Emerging Leader, Student, Corporate), hosts roughly 40+ annual educational programs and events (including the signature Elevate Conference), and provides members with SHRM PDCs and HRCI recertification credits, networking opportunities, mentorship, career resources, and Illinois-specific employment law updates.
Is Chicago SHRM a public or private company?
Chicago SHRM is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chicago SHRM founded?
Chicago SHRM was founded in 1948. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chicago SHRM based?
Chicago SHRM is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago SHRM make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are event and Conference Fees, sponsorships and Partnership Packages and job Postings and Career Center.
Who are Chicago SHRM's main competitors?
HR.com is listed as an emerging player. SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are IABC (International Association of Business Communicators), National Black MBA Association, WorldatWork and Association for Talent Development (ATD). Direct peers are Illinois State SHRM, New York City SHRM, HR Houston (Houston HR Management Association) and SHRM of Greater Miami.
Does Chicago SHRM have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago SHRM.
What industry is Chicago SHRM in?
Chicago SHRM's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAANAE, Human Resources (HR) & Talent (SHRM/HRCI) Certifications. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.