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| Will County Chamber of Commerce | |
|---|---|
| Name | Will County Chamber of Commerce |
| Formation | 19XX |
| Type | Chamber of Commerce |
| Headquarters | Joliet, Illinois |
| Region served | Will County, Illinois |
| Leader title | President & CEO |
Will County Chamber of Commerce The Will County Chamber of Commerce is a regional membership organization serving businesses and institutions in Will County, Illinois, with a focus on commerce, workforce development, transportation, and community partnerships. Founded to promote local industry and civic growth, the organization engages with municipal leaders, educational institutions, and private enterprises to advance collective goals. It operates within a network of municipal, regional, and statewide entities, often coordinating with chambers, economic development agencies, and civic groups.
The organization emerged amid mid-20th century municipal growth in the Joliet metropolitan area, interacting with institutions such as City of Joliet, Will County, Illinois, Plainfield, Illinois, Lockport, Illinois, and New Lenox, Illinois. Early chapters collaborated with statewide bodies like Illinois Chamber of Commerce and regional authorities including Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Greater Joliet Area Chamber of Commerce predecessors. Over decades it navigated shifts tied to national trends exemplified by industries represented by Caterpillar Inc., Exelon Corporation, United States Steel Corporation, and logistics hubs influenced by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Legislative and policy changes at the level of Illinois General Assembly and federal programs from agencies such as U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Small Business Administration shaped its advocacy profile. The chamber adapted during economic cycles connected to the trajectory of manufacturers like John Deere and service providers such as Walgreens Boots Alliance, while responding to local development projects near Interstate 80 (I-80), Interstate 55 (I-55), and Interstate 57 (I-57) corridors.
The chamber's mission centers on promoting Will County, Illinois commerce, supporting member competitiveness, and fostering public-private collaboration with stakeholders including Joliet Junior College, University of St. Francis (Illinois), Governors State University, Will County Government Center, and municipal leaders from Bolingbrook, Illinois and Romeoville, Illinois. Governance typically involves a board of directors drawn from executives at corporations such as ComEd, Amazon (company), AT&T, regional hospitals like OSF HealthCare and Presence Health, and nonprofit leaders from organizations including United Way of Will County and Will County Voices for Veterans. Strategic alignment often references federal programs like Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act initiatives and state workforce efforts coordinated with Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Membership spans small businesses, mid-size firms, and multinational branches connected to brands like Kraft Heinz, Toyota Motor Corporation, PepsiCo, and logistics companies such as FedEx and UPS. Services include networking with municipal officials from Will County Board, business development resources from Small Business Development Center (SBDC), workforce training coordination with Heartland Community College partners, and access to procurement information for contractors dealing with Will County Public Works and regional transit agencies like Pace (transit) and Metra. Member benefits commonly mirror offerings by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and include marketing, referrals, policy briefings, and workforce pipeline programs tied to healthcare systems like Advocate Aurora Health.
Programs address workforce readiness, small business acceleration, and site readiness, often aligning with grants and frameworks from Economic Development Administration, Illinois Department of Employment Security, and regional planning efforts involving Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Initiatives have targeted advanced manufacturing skills, logistics and distribution pathways connected to Joliet Regional Port District, entrepreneurship bootcamps modelled after SCORE (organization), and sustainability projects informed by practices at Argonne National Laboratory and utilities like Commonwealth Edison. Youth engagement often partners with secondary and vocational institutions such as Joliet Township High School and Will County Center for Economic Development programs.
The chamber convenes signature events including trade expos, business breakfasts, and award galas that bring together leaders from Will County, Joliet Fire Department, Will County Sheriff's Office, and municipal economic teams from cities like Plainfield. Annual gatherings often feature panels with representatives from Illinois Department of Transportation, regional developers such as McCarthy Holdings, Inc., and corporate sponsors drawn from Nationwide, State Farm, and banking institutions like JPMorgan Chase. Community engagement extends to workforce fairs, veterans’ employment summits in collaboration with Department of Veterans Affairs, and civic partnerships with museums and cultural institutions such as Joliet Area Historical Museum.
The chamber advocates on fiscal, regulatory, and infrastructure matters affecting commercial activity in the county, engaging with policymakers at Springfield, Illinois and federal delegations including members of United States Congress representing Illinois districts. Its economic impact work quantifies job creation linked to logistics corridors near Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad routes, industrial park developments, and corporate expansions by firms like Hines Interests Limited Partnership. Advocacy priorities often include transportation funding, workforce development investment, tax policy dialogues, and economic resilience measures informed by case studies from regions such as Kane County, Illinois and DuPage County, Illinois.
Strategic partnerships extend to chambers and councils including Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, Will County Center for Economic Development, Northeast Illinois Regional Transportation Authority, and national networks such as American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Affiliations with education and training organizations like Illinois Community College Board, philanthropic entities including The Community Foundation of Will County, and federal agencies such as U.S. Department of Commerce support program delivery. Collaborative projects have involved developers, utilities, transit agencies, and workforce boards modeled after relationships in neighboring counties like Kankakee County, Illinois and Cook County, Illinois.
Category:Chambers of commerce in the United States Category:Organizations based in Joliet, Illinois