Venice Area Chamber Of Commerce

What Venice Area Chamber Of Commerce does

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce (VACC) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit chamber founded in 1925 in Venice, Florida, serving businesses across Osprey, Laurel, Nokomis, Venice, and Wellen Park in Sarasota County. Its mission is the promotion of local business growth and success, and it holds 5-star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (2025) and BBB accreditation. The organization is led by President & CEO Kathy Lehner, with a lean operational staff of approximately 8 full-time roles plus a summer intern across membership sales, operations, member engagement, foundation programs, government/leadership programs, and marketing.

Its core products are organized around four pillars: a tiered membership program (Titanium, Platinum, Gold, Silver) providing advocacy, visibility, referrals, and discounts; a portfolio of approximately nine annual events (Business Excellence Awards, Community Expo, Health & Wellness Fair, Golf Tournament, Women Empowering Women Summit, Wise Guys, Economic Outlook, Non-Profit Rally, Celebrating Leadership); networking programs including Leads Exchange Groups and CEO Roundtable; and civic/leadership development through the VACC Foundation (Leadership Venice, Teen Leadership, All About Venice). Supporting offerings include advocacy briefings, a member directory, community deals, job postings, the 2026 Venice Area Community Guide & Preferred Business Directory, and a Buy Local campaign.

Underlying technology is the GrowthZone membership management platform and CMS, hosted on growthzonecmsprodeastus.azureedge.net. Revenue mechanics consist of recurring annual membership dues, event registration fees, and event sponsorships; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The chamber is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Karen Fordham (MaxHealth), with formal partnerships spanning Florida Chamber, U.S. Chamber, ACCE, FACP, EDC of Sarasota County, Florida SBDC, SCORE Manasota, CareerSource Suncoast, and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

Name

Venice Area Chamber Of Commerce

Legal name

Venice Area Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://venicechamber.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit chamber founded in 1925 that serves roughly 5,100 businesses across five Sarasota County communities through tiered memberships, annual events, networking groups, leadership development programs, and advocacy services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The chamber generates revenue through tiered membership investments with Titanium, Platinum, Gold, and Silver partnership levels. Different tiers provide varying levels of visibility, recognition, and access to chamber programs and events.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from annual and community events including the Community Event & Expo, Golf Tournament, Women Empowering Women Summit, Wise Guys event, Economic Outlook breakfast, and Non-Profit Rally.
3. Event Sponsorships: Business sponsorship of chamber events provides additional revenue stream with marketing benefits for sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership-based organization that serves as the voice of business for the greater Venice, Florida area. It provides tiered membership packages, networking and referral programs (Leads Exchange Groups, CEO Roundtable), leadership development curricula, annual community events, business advocacy at local/state/federal levels, and an online member directory and community deals platform. Members primarily are local businesses across Sarasota County, with revenue driven by membership dues, event sponsorships, and program fees.

Product overview

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization offering a unified suite of programs and services focused on promoting business growth and success in the greater Venice area since 1925. The core offerings include membership benefits (advocacy, visibility, connections, referrals), annual events (leadership awards, expos, wellness fairs, golf tournaments, summits), professional development programs (Leads Exchange Groups, CEO Roundtable), and leadership development programs (Leadership Venice, Teen Leadership Venice, All About Venice). Supporting services include advocacy communications (The Briefing, Tallahassee Updates), business resources, member directory, community deals, job postings, and the annual Community Guide & Preferred Business Directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chamber Membership Program
• Annual Events Portfolio
• Leads Exchange Groups
• CEO Roundtable
• Leadership Venice
• Teen Leadership Venice
• All About Venice
• Advocacy Services
• Member Directory
• Community Deals (HotDeals)
• Job Postings
• 2026 Community Guide & Preferred Business Directory
• Business Resources Directory

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Sarasota Memorial Venice HospitalflagshipOthersTitanium-level Valued Investment Partner. Major healthcare provider serving the Venice area community.
• Sharky's on the PierflagshipOthersTitanium-level Valued Investment Partner. Popular restaurant and entertainment venue on the Venice Pier.
• Classic Creations GroupcoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Jewelry retailer in the Venice area.
• Hazeltine NurseriescoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Local nursery and landscaping services provider.
• HCA Florida Healthcare (Sarasota Doctors Hospital)coreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Healthcare network operating Sarasota Doctors Hospital.
• J2 SolutionscoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Business solutions provider.
• Joyner Family InsurancecoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Insurance agency serving the Venice area.
• Kingdom RoofingcoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Roofing contractor serving Venice area.
• Purcor Pest SolutionscoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Pest control services provider.
• Sunshine Electrical ServicescoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Electrical services contractor.
• Venice Gondolier Sun (APG Florida)coreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Local newspaper publication.
• Willis Smith ConstructioncoreOthersPlatinum-level Valued Investment Partner. Construction company serving Sarasota County.
• Florida Chamber FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing The Florida Scorecard metrics for measuring progress toward Florida 2030 Blueprint goals. Engages business and community leaders across Florida's 67 counties.
• Florida ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState chamber partnership for legislative advocacy and business policy development. Affiliated through Florida 2030 Blueprint initiative.
• U.S. Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational chamber partnership providing 5-star accreditation standards and roundtable programming with federal legislators like Congressman Greg Steube.
• Florida Association of Chamber Professionals (FACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState association for chamber professionals providing professional development and networking across Florida chambers.
• ACCE (Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association for chamber of commerce executives providing accreditation standards and professional resources.
• State of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for legislative advocacy and economic development initiatives at the state level.
• Venice Area Chamber of Commerce FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of VACC established for advancement of knowledge in economics, public concern, finance, education, housing, human relations, minority groups, science, technology, and economic development. Runs Leadership Venice, Teen Leadership, and All About Venice programs.
• Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic/private partnership focused on growing existing businesses and diversifying Sarasota County economy. Provides confidential project management, rapid permitting, market research, workforce assistance, incentives, and export assistance.
• Sarasota County Office of Business and Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government office driving economic development by fostering business growth, jobs, and quality of life. Provides business-friendly environment resources.
• Florida SBDC at University of South FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall Business Development Center assisting businesses in Sarasota and Manatee counties through free consulting, information, and low-cost training. Services include marketing, certification, capital access, and export assistance.
• CareerSource SuncoastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit workforce solutions organization helping businesses with talent recruitment and development, and job seekers with career management.
• SCORE ManasotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit network of volunteer business experts and SBA resource partner providing free mentoring, low-cost education, and online resources for small businesses.
• Community Foundation of Sarasota CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation matching donors with causes for 40 years, creating impact through cultural, educational, economic, and social support across generations.
• Gulf Coast Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation offering resources for nonprofits and businesses through Invest in Incredible initiative providing free online resources, training, and consulting.
• Sarasota County Supervisor of ElectionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with VACC for Candidates Forum events, providing voter registration assistance at community events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SCORE Manasota: Local SCORE chapter providing free mentoring and low-cost training to Sarasota/Manatee small businesses. VACC lists SCORE as a partner resource, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant serving overlapping SMBs rather than a direct chamber competitor.

Direct peers

• North Port Area Chamber of Commerce: Adjacent Sarasota County city chamber with overlapping service area to VACC. Directly comparable in member segment (SMBs) and program offerings (mixers, advocacy, directory).
• Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce (Punta Gorda): Southwest Florida county chamber of comparable scale and structure, offering membership, networking, leadership programs, and advocacy in a similar demographic and tourism-influenced market.
• Manatee Chamber of Commerce: County chamber serving Manatee County including Bradenton, with membership tiers, advocacy services, and community events analogous to VACC's model. Directly comparable along business model and program mix.
• Englewood Florida Chamber of Commerce: Small Gulf Coast Florida chamber operating with a similar nonprofit membership and event-driven model in an adjacent community to Venice. Closely comparable in scale and operating approach.
• Sarasota County Chamber of Commerce (Greater Sarasota Chamber): Adjacent county-level chamber serving Sarasota, FL with the same nonprofit membership model, advocacy, and event programming. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping geography and member base.

Broad incumbents

• Florida Chamber of Commerce: State-level chamber federation providing legislative advocacy, research (Florida 2030 Blueprint), and accreditation oversight. VACC is a member. Functionally a higher-tier umbrella organization with overlapping mission.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: National chamber that issues the 5-Star Accreditation held by VACC. Operates as the apex advocacy body for American business, sharing the chamber-of-commerce model at national scale.

Regional players

• Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce: Larger Southwest Florida chamber operating across Lee County with a broader portfolio but analogous membership, event, and advocacy structure. Comparable regional model serving a larger geographic scope.
• Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce: Major metropolitan Florida chamber with tiered membership, leadership programs (Leadership Tampa), advocacy, and significant event programming. Comparable in operating model at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLx6k8_YyGq96v9lBkV5dMQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/venicechamber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/venice-area-chamber-of-commerce
• Instagraminstagram.com/venicefloridachamber

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Venice Area Chamber Of Commerce