West Michigan – The voice of West Michigan’s business community is getting stronger with the addition of the Grandville Jenison Chamber of Commerce and Lakeshore Advantage as members of the West Michigan Chamber Coalition.
The addition of these two dynamic organizations bolsters the organization to six regional business organizations advocating with a single voice on local, regional, state and federal legislative and policy issues impacting the business community. The active membership of the six organizations represent more than 6,000 businesses who employee a quarter million employees in West Michigan.

“Our Board of Directors is excited to join the Coalition and work together to enhance the business climate,” Grandville Jenison Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy LeBlanc said. “This is the right time to be at the table with the other partners and strengthen our relationship. The Grandville Jenison Chamber of Commerce is excited for the collaboration and the positive impact this will have on our membership, community and the region. Together we have a stronger voice.”

“Joining the West Michigan Chamber Coalition has a direct impact on our work. It plugs us into issues occurring at the regional, state and national level, that ultimately impact our economic development efforts,” said Jennifer Owens, President of Lakeshore Advantage. “Collaboration is the name of the game, and we can have an outsized influence when we join forces.”

The Chamber Coalition joined forces in 2005 to advocate on behalf of West Michigan businesses on specific issues of a national, state or regional significance, as well as local issues with a regional impact. The West Michigan Chamber Coalition was founded by four chambers: the Chamber of Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ferrysburg, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce and Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.

“The West Michigan Chamber Coalition was established on the premise that we are an interconnected regional economy,” commented Rick Baker, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “Issues such as infrastructure, regulatory policy and talent impact our West Michigan businesses regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, as such they should be addressed regionally to maximize the influence of our organizations and members. The Coalition will continue to provide enabling services, broaden and enhance its communications, and work as a regional collaborator and game changer on policy issues.”

“Both Lakeshore Advantage and the Grandville Jenison Chamber have tremendous leadership and are doing fantastic work,” said Jane Clark, President of the Michigan West Coast Chamber. “They will be great partners in expanding the advocacy power of the West Michigan business community.”