Founded during October 1976, Chesterfield Regional Chamber of Commerce members are celebrating the business group's 50th anniversary by implementing new ways of relationship-building and leadership development. "We're a working chamber with the main objectives being to bring our businesses together, networking, collaborating and building a sense of community," assures Chesterfield Chamber President/CEO Nora Amato, a Chesterfield native.
Nora works alongside the chamber's assistant director Krysta Hartbeck to connect businesses and community partners throughout the area.
Chamber members “kicked off” the start of the 50th year celebration with a family-friendly Fall Festival on Oct.10. They'll continue observing the anniversary throughout the coming year, Nora explains, by enhancing events with “a little something extra."
Among the Chamber's most significant achievements, Nora counts they've grown to be the largest St. Louis County chamber, with more than 765 members, and remain in the top four chambers in the St. Louis area for the past 15 years. "We've established ourselves as a resource to the community and our businesses. We've also brought free, family-friendly concerts to the region for the past 39 years at Faust Park. Our Leadership Chesterfield program is a deep-dive into what makes our community unique and has been a program since 2002 with over 400-plus alums," she adds.
Nora is especially proud of starting Leads groups, a spring 5K/10K & Kids Run called the Blossom Bolt, a women’s and men’s group that meets monthly and a Women’s Event for the past four years. They also relaunched the Chamber's CYP (Chesterfield Young Professionals).
Over the past six years, Chamber members worked closely with the Rockwood School District PIE program (Partners In Education), and have had interns at the chamber who've assisted with the group's social media marketing and digital imprint at the Chamber's office at 101 Chesterfield Business Parkway.
To prepare local industries for emerging workforce trends and technological changes, Nora says Business Education Committee members work tirelessly to bring speakers and top-of-mind topics to members. The General Membership Meetings are once a month over lunch and Business Round Tables are monthly in mornings. She says they've held the studies from the St. Louis Community Workforce Development for the past several years, and they host presentations on AI and digital marketing
Regarding modern-day business challenges the Chamber hopes to help solve, Nora says local businesses are very diverse regarding number of employees, national, local, revenue size, manufacturers, customer service, financial, retail, that there's not just one major barrier for all. "So if I have to narrow it down, it would be to shop local or shop regional. Support neighbors and their businesses. Be aware of where things are made, serviced, and support our community."
For a business owner, connection can begin with something as simple as a conversation over lunch, an introduction at a concert or a shared idea around a meeting table. Those moments can open the door to referrals, collaboration and a stronger sense of belonging. The Chamber’s mix of business programming and community events offers opportunities for those relationships to take root.
The anniversary also invites residents to consider their own role in the local business community. Choosing a neighborhood shop, attending a community event or recommending a local service provider can help strengthen the businesses that contribute to Chesterfield’s character.
As the Chamber looks toward its next chapter, its focus on relationships remains central. Fifty years offers a milestone worth celebrating, along with an opportunity to welcome new voices, encourage emerging leaders and continue bringing businesses and neighbors together.
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