Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Professional services
UnclaimedAn Arizona statewide business-advocacy organization that represents employers before state and federal policymakers.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a statewide business-advocacy organization representing employers and business interests in Arizona. Since 1974, it has promoted business-oriented public policy at the Arizona Capitol and in dealings with Arizona’s congressional delegation. Its membership spans sectors across the state economy and, according to the organization’s cited profile, includes companies employing approximately 250,000 Arizonans. The chamber is governed through a large board and executive structure: its board includes more than 120 business executives, while formal governance is provided by nine directors and a 32-member executive committee. The organization’s central role is policy advocacy rather than the sale of consumer products. It develops an annual Business Agenda that identifies legislative and federal policy priorities for Arizona employers. Its advocacy work covers taxation, regulation, economic development, workforce preparation, infrastructure, transportation, water, energy, health care, education, environmental policy, trade, tourism, defense, aerospace, and other matters affecting the state’s commercial environment. Sixteen policy committees provide subject-matter input and allow chamber members to participate in setting legislative priorities. The chamber describes its mission as improving Arizona’s competitive position in the global economy through free-market policies intended to support economic growth and prosperity. Its guiding priorities include maintaining a competitive tax climate, reducing regulatory burdens, strengthening the workforce, improving infrastructure, and encouraging economic development and diversification. The organization also participates in political activity. In 2011, it formed a Super-PAC intended to support candidates aligned with its mission and business agenda, and it has hosted a Political Academy for prospective public-office candidates focused on politics, policy, and governance. The chamber’s institutional scope expanded through affiliated and related organizations. In 2007, it merged with the Arizona Association of Industries to create the Arizona Manufacturers Council. The council addresses manufacturing policy issues including energy, environmental regulation, education and workforce development, human resources, and intellectual property. It also organizes manufacturing-focused events and serves as Arizona’s state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. In 2009, the Arizona Chamber Foundation was established as a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research and educational organization. The foundation produces analysis of legislative and public-policy issues affecting Arizona’s business climate and the broader drivers of economic prosperity. The organization has also cultivated a public profile through awards and recognition. The Arizona Capitol Times named it Public Policy Leader of the Year in 2007, and the Associated Press has characterized it as Arizona’s leading business lobby. Its Arizona Heritage Award recognizes individuals whose achievements and commitments have had significance in Arizona and beyond; cited recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor, Mo Udall, Barry Goldwater, Jerry Colangelo, John McCain, and Jon Kyl. Leadership changed in the early 2020s. After Glenn Hammer left the position of president and chief executive officer, Garrick Taylor served as interim president and CEO. Danny Seiden subsequently began his tenure as president and CEO in early summer 2021. The chamber remains an active statewide business-policy institution, combining legislative advocacy, member committees, manufacturing representation, political engagement, and policy research.
History
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has operated as a statewide business-advocacy institution since 1974. Its principal function is to represent employers in public-policy debates at the Arizona State Capitol and before Arizona’s congressional delegation. Rather than functioning as a conventional commercial brand, it operates as a membership-based association whose influence comes from collective representation, policy development, research, and political engagement. The chamber’s membership covers industries throughout Arizona. Its governance structure combines a board of more than 120 business executives with a smaller group of nine directors and a 32-member executive committee. Sixteen policy committees organize the organization’s work across major areas of concern to employers. These areas include government budgeting and reform, defense and aerospace, economic development, education and workforce development, environmental policy, federal affairs, health care, legal and financial regulation, political affairs, public affairs, taxation, tourism, trade, transportation, water, energy, natural resources, workplace policy, workers’ compensation, and insurance. A recurring institutional product is the annual Business Agenda. The agenda sets out the chamber’s preferred positions on state and federal issues and serves as a roadmap for its advocacy team. Members of the policy committees contribute expertise, while the chamber presents its priorities to legislators and the governor. The stated policy philosophy emphasizes free-market approaches, a globally competitive tax environment, lower regulatory burdens, workforce strength, infrastructure investment, and economic diversification. The chamber broadened its sector-specific reach in 2007 when it merged with the Arizona Association of Industries. The resulting Arizona Manufacturers Council focuses on public-policy questions affecting manufacturers of different sizes, including energy, environmental rules, education and training, human resources, and intellectual property. The council also holds manufacturing-oriented events and is identified as the official Arizona affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. Its chair participates in the chamber’s executive structure as an officer and executive-committee member. In 2009, the Arizona Chamber Foundation was formed as a separate nonpartisan 501(c)(3) educational and research foundation. The foundation’s role is to provide more detailed analysis of legislative and economic issues than advocacy materials alone can provide. Its studies address the business environment and the principal drivers of economic prosperity, with the goal of informing policymakers, business leaders, and the public. The organization states that a number of the foundation’s recommendations have subsequently been enacted into law. Political activity became more explicit in 2011, when the chamber formed a Super-PAC to promote candidates supportive of its mission and business agenda. It also established an annual Political Academy forum for prospective candidates, offering exposure to politics, public policy, and governance. This activity places the chamber within the broader network of business organizations that seek to shape both legislation and electoral outcomes. The organization has received public recognition for its policy role. The Arizona Capitol Times named it Public Policy Leader of the Year in 2007, while the Associated Press described it as Arizona’s leading business lobby. The chamber also presents the Arizona Heritage Award to prominent individuals whose service and accomplishments have affected Arizona at state, national, or international levels. Listed recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor, Mo Udall, Barry Goldwater, Jerry Colangelo, John McCain, and Jon Kyl. Leadership in the early 2020s included Glenn Hammer as president and CEO before his departure, followed by Garrick Taylor as interim president and CEO. Danny Seiden assumed the permanent president and CEO role in early summer 2021. The chamber’s continuing activities combine statewide legislative representation, manufacturing advocacy, policy research, political programming, member committees, and public recognition initiatives.
- 2021
Danny Seiden becomes president and CEO
[1]Danny Seiden begins leading the chamber after an interim period under Garrick Taylor.
- 2011
Super-PAC formed
[1]The chamber forms a Super-PAC to support candidates aligned with its economic-growth and business-policy platform.
- 2009
Arizona Chamber Foundation established
[1]A nonpartisan research and educational foundation is created to analyze public-policy issues affecting Arizona’s economy and business environment.
- 2007
Arizona Manufacturers Council created
[1]A merger with the Arizona Association of Industries creates the Arizona Manufacturers Council, a statewide manufacturing-policy organization and National Association of Manufacturers affiliate.
- 2007
Public Policy Leader of the Year recognition
[1]The Arizona Capitol Times names the chamber Public Policy Leader of the Year.
- 1974
Statewide business advocacy begins
[1]The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry begins its long-term role representing business interests at the Arizona Capitol and with Arizona’s congressional delegation.
Products and positioning
A statewide employer and business-policy advocate focused on free-market policy, Arizona competitiveness, economic development, and representation before state and federal government.
Policy advocacy
Annual Business Agenda
The chamber’s annual statement of priorities for Arizona state and federal policy. It identifies the issues on which the organization intends to advocate, including taxes, regulation, workforce, infrastructure, economic development, and sector-specific concerns. The agenda gives the chamber’s government-affairs team a framework for legislative activity and communicates the business community’s preferred positions to lawmakers and executive-branch officials.
Manufacturing advocacy · 2007
Arizona Manufacturers Council
Created through the 2007 merger with the Arizona Association of Industries, the council represents manufacturing interests across Arizona. Its policy scope includes energy, environmental matters, education and workforce development, human resources, and intellectual property. It also conducts manufacturing-focused events and serves as the state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.
Policy research · 2009
Arizona Chamber Foundation
A nonpartisan 501(c)(3) educational and research foundation established to produce analysis of Arizona public-policy issues. Its work focuses on the business environment and the principal factors supporting economic prosperity, providing information for policymakers, business leaders, and the public.
Political leadership program
Political Academy
An annual forum through which the chamber engages prospective candidates for public office and provides exposure to politics, policy, and governance. The program complements the chamber’s political advocacy and Super-PAC activity.
Recognition program
Arizona Heritage Award
An annual award honoring individuals whose achievements and commitment have made a notable contribution to Arizona and whose influence may extend nationally or internationally. Listed recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor, Mo Udall, Barry Goldwater, Jerry Colangelo, John McCain, and Jon Kyl.
Controversies
Drug-policy political contribution controversy
The chamber has been identified as a major contributor to Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, a group opposing marijuana-possession reforms. The contribution has been criticized by drug-policy reform advocates because the group supported criminal-justice measures involving arrest and imprisonment for marijuana possession.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Super-PAC and Political Academy
Arizona · United States
The chamber expanded its political engagement by forming a Super-PAC to support candidates consistent with its business agenda and by hosting a Political Academy for potential candidates.
Outcome. The initiatives became part of the chamber’s continuing political and government-affairs activities.
- Annual Business Agenda advocacy
Arizona
The chamber annually communicates business-policy priorities and uses them to guide legislative advocacy at the state and federal levels.
Outcome. The agenda serves as the organization’s recurring policy roadmap; specific yearly legislative outcomes vary.
Brand decisions
2011
Form a Super-PACStrategyBackground
The chamber aimed to participate more directly in electoral politics and support candidates who shared its economic-growth and business-policy objectives.
Action taken
The organization formed a Super-PAC and paired the effort with an annual Political Academy for prospective candidates.
Aftermath
Political advocacy became a formal component of the chamber’s broader government-affairs strategy.
2009
Create an independent policy research foundationStrategyBackground
The chamber sought to provide more detailed, educational analysis of legislative and economic issues beyond direct advocacy.
Action taken
It established the Arizona Chamber Foundation as a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research and educational organization.
Aftermath
The foundation began producing studies intended to inform policymakers, business leaders, and the public on Arizona’s economic and business environment.
2007
Merge with Arizona Association of IndustriesM&ABackground
Manufacturing employers required a more coordinated statewide voice on sector-specific legislative and regulatory issues.
Action taken
The chamber merged with the Arizona Association of Industries and established the Arizona Manufacturers Council.
Aftermath
The council became the chamber’s manufacturing-focused policy arm and Arizona’s affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.
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