Joe Snell, president and CEO Sun Corridor, speaks at the Tucson Metro Chamber, Sept. 19, 2018.
Two of the region’s largest economic development groups are merging into one organization in 2025.
Sun Corridor Inc. and the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce announced the move in a news release Tuesday night.
In a year-long study of Arizona’s economic competitiveness, Sun Corridor determined there were too many competing business groups.
“The feedback noted that the business community’s collective voice has been diluted, limiting its ability to meaningfully influence decisions that impact our region’s economy and business success,” the statement read.
Joe Snell was named President and CEO of the new organization. He said mergers between chambers of commerce and economic development groups are becoming more common across the country for this reason.
“There’s just too many different voices representing business, and it's confusing. I actually think we're going to be much more efficient in the stuff we do. There's a little bit of duplication at this point,” he said.
The study found that collectively, the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce and Sun Corridor Inc. represent the majority of businesses in the region, for a total of 1,500 companies and 90% of all employment in Pima County.
Snell said the merger will make it easier to work with government partners and increase job growth, and that there are no projected job losses in the near future.
The release said the new organization’s name will be announced later, but the hierarchy will include a Board of Directors, investors, committee members, and staff from both prior groups.
Leadership includes Snell, who was previously President of the Chamber, Susan Gray, President and CEO of Tucson Electric Power, will be the new organization's chair, and Michael Guymon was named Chief Advocacy Officer.
Snell said leadership was chosen by a working group of individuals from each company.
The statement said the move was also prompted by Arizona’s changing economic demands have changed in recent years.
“To continue to be competitive and build upon our successes, Southern Arizona must refocus its economic development and advocacy efforts around the factors that drive economic competitiveness, build on its strengths, and commit to a strategy that prioritizes addressing its biggest challenges,” it read.
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