History
For more than 40 years, the South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce has partnered with businesses large and small, offering opportunities and services to help them grow and prosper. To that end, the Chamber has continuously evolved to better meet the needs of its more than 930 members and achieve its vision of being the premier business organization in South Orange County.
Supporting businesses for over 40 years
For its first 30 years, the Chamber operated as the Saddleback Valley Regional Chambers of Commerce and included the unincorporated areas of Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills and Lake Forest. As Aliso Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita began to develop, the Chamber changed its name to South Orange County Chamber of Commerce to better reflect the broader region. Between 1991 and 2009, the Chamber operated as the South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce and operated five distinct, city-affiliated organizations.
Last year, the challenging economic environment required us to take a closer look at how the Chamber operates. Following months of internal discussions and hundreds of meetings with Chamber members throughout the region, it was determined that the affiliate model was not adequately meeting the needs of its members. Nor did it provide the framework around which the Chamber could achieve its stated mission of providing the kinds of opportunities and services members needed to survive the economic downturn, much less “grow and prosper.” It was clear the Chamber needed to provide a greater value proposition to its members.
As a result, in August 2009, the Chamber’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to significantly enhance its operational model. It would operate once again as one powerful business organization that would comprehensively advocate for, proactively partner with and more effectively meet the needs of its members throughout the South Orange County business community.
The South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce looks forward to working with you for another 40 years.
