Tucson Metro Chamber

BizTUCSONApril 4, 2025

1 minute read

The voice of business for over a century, the Tucson Metro Chamber was founded in 1896 as the Tucson Grocer’s Association. Hugo J. Donau, brother-in-law to legendary businessman Albert Steinfeld and an executive at his namesake company, was installed as the group’s first chairman. Notably, the pervasive issues facing the Chamber at the start of the 20th century are not so different today– transportation, infrastructure, economic expansion and education. Some of its myriad milestones over the years include sponsoring the first Fiesta de los Vaqueros rodeo in 1925, gathering incorporators for the non-profit Tucson Airport Authority in 1948, helping to keep Davis-Monthan Air Force Base off the federal closure list in 1991 and more. Today, the Chamber is a membership-based business advocacy and community development stalwart that represents 1,500 businesses that employ more than 160,000 employees. Looking forward, 2025 will prove a new pivot point for the Chamber as it merges with Sun Corridor Inc.