The Pleasanton Chamber is a non-profit voluntary organization currently made up of roughly 700 members ranging from small mom-and-pop type businesses to major corporations located in the Tri-Valley. Each member organization pays annual dues based on the type of business and the number of employees.
It all started back in 1907 when a small group of Pleasanton’s influential citizens met at City Hall for the purpose of organizing a civic body that would do work to further the progress of Pleasanton and to communicate with the citizens and businesses of Pleasanton an ambition to enhance and grow the town. This was the genesis of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce as it is today. The formal incorporation was completed on September 30, 1946, and the reason for celebrating the chamber’s 75th anniversary in 2021.
“Great communities have great chambers,” said Dave Kilby, President and CEO of Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) and executive vice president of corporate affairs at the California Chamber. “I think a case could definitely be made that Pleasanton is what it is today – a great community – because of the work of the chamber for the past 75 years.”
The chamber takes great pride in helping Pleasanton remain among the very best cities in the country in which to live, work and raise a family while providing support, services, and value for its member organizations. Programs such as Leadership Pleasanton and committees within the chamber including Economic Development, the Ambassadors, and the Pleasanton Young Professionals all involve working together for the betterment of the Pleasanton community. As it states in Pleasanton 2025: A Community Vision, “Our strong local economy and extraordinary quality of life happen by design, not by accident.”
As the chamber looks back on its rich history over the last 75 years, the business climate is a key driver of the community's success. “Of all the Chamber’s most memorable accomplishments, most significant to me these many years is its enduring success with people,” said Scott Raty, who served as the chamber’s CEO for a total of 16 years. “Pleasanton is blessed with a richly diverse business community that contributes enormously to the economic success and quality of life we enjoy.”
“The chamber provides many with the opportunity to lead from the front, to actively serve our community and to leave Pleasanton a little bit better than when we found it,” said Laura (Olson) Brooks, 2009 chamber board chair. “While the Chamber is an amazing business organization, it is also a community organization filled with people who are passionate about our city and our residents.”
“I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the Chamber of Commerce for 75 years of advocating for our business community, and its associated economic growth in Pleasanton,” said Mayor of Pleasanton Karla Brown. “Working together with the City of Pleasanton, our joint efforts have benefited the local economy and contributed to Pleasanton’s status as one of the best cities to live, work, and raise a family.”
