Upcoming Merger Consolidates Region’s ‘Voice’
Sun Corridor Inc. and Tucson Metro Chamber to Become One
By Jay Gonzales
Two of Southern Arizona’s leading and most influential business organizations are merging into one to create an organization with more resources and a more unified voice for the community, it was announced in December.
Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development arm, and the Tucson Metro Chamber, founded nearly 130 years ago and currently representing 1,500 businesses, will become one to address the many emerging business issues brought about by a massive change in how companies operate and post-pandemic industry trends.
The merger is in response to a finding in a competitiveness report Sun Corridor Inc. completed in 2024 which suggested that the region has too many business organizations with varying interests and strategies, and that there should be some consolidation. The report cited 20 different local and regional business organizations operating in the region.
“This move will be transformational to Tucson and Southern Arizona’s success in building an even stronger economic foundation,” said Joe Snell, President & CEO at Sun Corridor Inc., said in a news release. “This new chamber will represent a unified voice to effectively meet regional challenges for decades to come.”
Snell will serve as president & CEO of the new organization, it was announced in the news release. Current Chamber President Michael Guymon was named chief advocacy officer. Susan Gray, president and CEO at Tucson Electric Power and current board chair of Sun Corridor Inc., will be the new organization’s chair.
“I am immensely proud to serve as the first chair of this newly formed chamber,” Gray said. “Both our boards recognized the need for a powerhouse organization that will advocate for a strong business center in Southern Arizona. We applaud both boards’ vision to make this happen and look forward to working together with our business memberships, elected officials and others to launch this in 2025.”
Linda Welter, chair of the Tucson Metro Chamber and CEO at The Caliber Group, a prominent local brand marketing and public relations firm, added: “Our Boards supported this merger because we believe that our region needs a stronger chamber that is more effective in creating an environment where current and relocating businesses can thrive. The time is right for this merger to take place, for both organizations will be able to accomplish more together than what each can accomplish alone.”
In the news release, the two organizations said the primary benefit of the merger is to create a unified strategy on behalf of the region’s business community. The two staffs will be combined with no reductions.
The Tucson Metro Chamber, formed in 1896, has 1,500 members that it advocates for. According to Sun Corridor Inc., its membership represents 90% of all employment in Pima County.
“I applaud our collective vision and continued commitment to adopt innovative approaches that challenge the status quo to achieve even greater success,” Guymon said. “I am excited about the merger and look forward to working with our new board leadership, staff, investors, members and volunteers of both organizations to become bolder advocates for the businesses in our region.”
The organizations said their new mission is “to drive economic growth and prosperity through job creation in the region by uniting business advocacy and development efforts, fostering an environment where businesses thrive, and promoting Tucson and Southern Arizona as a vibrant economic hub on both domestic and international stages.”
The combined functions will include business attraction, retention and expansion; talent attraction; competitiveness; advocacy/public policy; emerging leaders; and small business support.
The new organization will have a new name to be announced at a later date, and will include a board of directors, investors, committee members and staff representing both entities.
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