Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce

What Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce does

The Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce (CSCC) is a private, non-profit regional business membership organization founded in 1935 (originally as the Harvey Business Association) and headquartered at 1916 174th Street in East Hazel Crest, Illinois. It represents more than 500 member businesses of varying sizes and industries across five counties in Illinois and Indiana, serving as a regional advocacy body, networking hub, and economic development coordinator for the Chicago Southland.

Core offerings include tiered membership services (all members receive access to the Small Business Advocacy Council, US Chamber of Commerce, and Illinois Retail Merchants Association), recurring business networking events (Business Before Hours, Business After Hours, Annual Golf Outing, Meet & Greets), an online member business directory, a Government Affairs & Advocacy function, and a Workforce Development Exchange committee. A wholly-owned affiliated foundation delivers Digital Skills Services, including workshops on digital basics, telehealth, and Intro to AI. A second operating subsidiary, the 1916 Business & Media Center, subleases space.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: recurring annual membership dues, event sponsorships and registrations, and business directory/advertising placements. Distribution is regional and event-driven, executed through direct membership sales via a GrowthZone-powered online portal, self-serve event registration, a publicly searchable member directory, and partnerships with educational institutions and workforce intermediaries. There is no proprietary technology product; the operating stack is a standard chamber management software (GrowthZone) layered on a basic website and social presence. The organization employs approximately 13 staff.

Name

Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://chicagosouthlandchamber.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit regional business membership organization founded in 1935, serving 500+ businesses across five counties in Illinois and Indiana through advocacy, networking, workforce development, and economic development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chamber of Commerce and Business Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Business advocacy
• Membership networking
• Economic development
• Workforce development
• Government affairs

Headquarters

HQ city

East Hazel Crest, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from businesses ranging from small enterprises to large corporations. Members receive access to networking, advocacy, and business resources. All members also receive access to Small Business Advocacy Council, US Chamber of Commerce, and Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
2. Event Sponsorships and Registrations: Revenue from events including Annual Golf Outing, Meet & Greet sessions, conferences, and workshops. Event hosting opportunities allow members to showcase their businesses.
3. Business Directory and Advertising: Member directory listings and business resource guide provide visibility for members within the business community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce is a regional membership-based chamber of commerce that provides business advocacy, networking events, government affairs representation, and workforce development programs for more than 500 member businesses across five counties in Illinois and Indiana. It operates committees in healthcare, government affairs, membership, and strategic planning, and delivers member benefits such as access to the Small Business Advocacy Council, US Chamber of Commerce, and Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Product overview

The Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce is a regional business membership organization that has operated since 1935, serving as the voice of businesses across five counties in Illinois and Indiana. Rather than a unified technology product, the chamber offers a portfolio of programs and services centered on membership networking, business advocacy, workforce development, and economic development initiatives. The core offerings include membership services for business networking and visibility, a searchable business directory, advocacy and government affairs programs, and workforce development committees. The organization also operates specialized initiatives including the Foundation with Digital Skills Services and the Cook County Small Business Source program. Programs are delivered through committee structures (Healthcare, Government Affairs, Membership, Strategic Planning, Workforce Development Exchange) and events including Business After Hours networking, Meet & Greets, and the Annual Golf Outing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Services

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered patron partner, corporate partner, flagship, core and member benefit access.

• Advocate Health Carepatron partnerOthersHealthcare patron partner of the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce. One of the major healthcare organizations serving the Southland region.
• CEDA (Chicago Southland Economic Development Alliance)patron partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey economic development partner working with the chamber on regional development initiatives and community enhancement. CEDA provides benefits and community resources to businesses.
• Comcast Businesspatron partnerOthersTelecommunications patron partner providing internet, WiFi, Ethernet, managed enterprise solutions, mobile and phone services, and TV to businesses.
• ComEdpatron partnerOthersUtility partner supporting chamber activities and economic development in the Southland region.
• CVS Healthpatron partnerOthersHealthcare patron partner providing pharmacy and health services to the Southland community.
• Franciscan Healthpatron partnerOthersHealthcare patron partner serving Chicago Southland for over 110 years with primary, preventive and urgent care services. Affiliated with RUSH University Medical Center.
• Marquette Bankpatron partnerOthersFinancial institution patron partner serving the banking needs of Southland businesses and residents.
• UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospitalpatron partnerOthersHealthcare partner located in Harvey, IL, nationally recognized facility that joined with University of Chicago Medicine in 2016, providing leading-edge care in cancer, stroke, cardiology, and other specialties.
• Live Nationcorporate partnerOthersEntertainment partner operating the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, an expansive outdoor music venue in the Southland.
• Nicor Gascorporate partnerOthersNatural gas utility partner serving the Southland region.
• Argonne National Laboratorycorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratory supporting innovation and economic development initiatives in the Chicago Southland region.
• Cook County Small Business SourceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning Cook County program that directly connects small business owners with expert guidance and resources to grow their businesses. The chamber serves as a connector for this program serving Cook County's economy.
• Calumet Area Industrial CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner providing apprenticeships, one workforce programs, on-the-job training, job placement services, and manufacturing training bootcamp for employers and individuals.
• Chicago Cook Workforce Partnerships TDL Sector Center (YWCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce partnership offering employer and candidate services through the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, focused on transportation, distribution, and logistics sector.
• South Suburban CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner offering career education and college transfer credit programs with mission to serve students and the community through lifelong learning.
• OAI, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit workforce training provider headquartered in Chicago with satellite office in Park Forest, IL, focused on skills training for unemployed and underemployed individuals, with emphasis on young adults ages 18-24.
• South Suburban Mayors and Managers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the successful passage of House Bill 2531 for South Suburban Airport development, working with chamber on regional economic initiatives.
• Chicago Southland Economic Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner collaborating on regional development initiatives including South Suburban Airport project.
• Small Business Advocacy Councilmember benefit accessOthersAll chamber members receive access to the Small Business Advocacy Council as part of membership benefits.
• US Chamber of Commercemember benefit accessOthersAll chamber members receive access to the US Chamber of Commerce resources and benefits as part of membership.
• Illinois Retail Merchants Associationmember benefit accessOthersAll chamber members receive access to the Illinois Retail Merchants Association as part of membership benefits.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cook County Small Business Source: Cook County program that the chamber actively connects small businesses to. Directly comparable in mission — small-business resource provision and growth support — and operates within the chamber's geographic scope.
• Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation: Economic development partner collaborating with the chamber on regional initiatives including the South Suburban Airport. Comparable mission in regional economic development and shared stakeholder base in the five-county region.
• Calumet Area Industrial Commission: Workforce development partner offering apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and manufacturing bootcamps. Compares directly on workforce programming and is closely integrated with the chamber's Workforce Development Exchange.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: National federation of chambers and business advocates offering federal-level advocacy and resources. Bundled into Chicago Southland Chamber membership as a member benefit, but also competes for large corporate memberships in its own right.
• Illinois State Chamber of Commerce: Statewide business advocacy organization providing policy representation and resources to Illinois businesses. Provides direct member benefit access to Chicago Southland Chamber members and competes for the same Springfield policy influence.
• Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce: Larger Chicago metropolitan business association offering advocacy, networking, and policy influence. Operates at a broader geography than the Chicago Southland Chamber but competes for overlapping mid-market and enterprise members in the broader Chicago region.

Regional players

• Southwest Chicago Chamber of Commerce: Adjacent regional chamber serving Chicago's southwest suburbs with overlapping small-business and workforce development focus. Directly comparable mission and member profile but serves a different sub-region of the Chicago metro.
• Lake County Chamber of Commerce (Illinois): Regional chamber serving Lake County, IL businesses with advocacy, networking, and economic development programs. Direct functional peer with similar membership and revenue model.
• Northwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce: Regional business association serving northwest Indiana counties that overlap with the Chicago Southland Chamber's five-county footprint. Comparable advocacy, networking, and economic development programming in an adjacent market.
• Will County Chamber of Commerce: Suburban Chicago-area chamber offering similar small-business advocacy and networking. Comparable structure and target members, though focused on Will County rather than the Southland subregion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagosouthlandchamber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-southland-chamber-of-commerce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce