History

We have heard it said that “Chambers of Commerce do what most people think just happens.”  This quote attributed to Kyle Sexton truly summarizes the history of your Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce from its inception in earnest in 1921 in Sunbury, PA to its present location in Shamokin Dam.  

Simply put, your Chamber exists as a unique institution in the Commonwealth, serving you as a “retention-and-expansion” chamber.  It’s not tied to government funding; it is not the owner of industrial land – rather it is singularly focused on growing the region’s business climate by supporting your business and your community as we grow and expand together.  Your Chamber is truly your Chamber – we work on strategies that you’ve communicated to improve the region, we rely on your sweat equity, on your vision, and on your support.

Thankfully, this model has served the communities of the Valley well, as your Chamber has itself grown and expanded several times.  In the 1990’s, the Chamber relocated from Sunbury to a parsonage in Shamokin Dam to expand its services to the community and grow its partnerships. In the early 2000’s, a series of moves toward regionalization made the organization what it is today, specifically a merger with the Union County Chamber of Commerce (2002), the Danville Chamber of Commerce (2004) and a little later, the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce (2016).  

In the midst of the first wave of regionalization, a new business center was designed with a “Made in the Valley” theme, to serve as a community resource.  When the organization cut the ribbon on the facility in June of 2006, nearly every part of the building – from draperies to floorboards – included materials from businesses in the Greater Susquehanna Valley.  

In 2019, your Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, with its nearly 700 members, was selected by the Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals as the “2019 Chamber of the Year.”  We take this honor in stride – that our members make us great, and therefore, make the community a fantastic place to live, work and play.  

We take pride in the work that you have given to us to do over nearly 100 years in business. We will make an extra measure of devotion in remembering the past, honoring the women and men on whose shoulders we stand today and in building a prosperous future, a ‘better normal, and the Roaring 2020’s.  


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