Public Policy Committee

The Public Policy Committee is responsible for articulating Chamber positions on business-related issues and guiding the Chamber’s advocacy activities on both the local and state level. Issues impacting regional growth, economic development, and the creation of jobs are reviewed by this committee which makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee on the position of the Chamber.

For more information about the Public Policy Committee, please call (803) 733-1121 or email Logan Howard.

Area Business Alliances

Newly formed in 2024, Area Business Alliances are providing a new opportunity for collaboration throughout the Midlands. As the Chamber works to expand our initiatives, we’ve partnered with representatives and business leaders in Forest Acres and Northeast Columbia to foster an environment that will strengthen relationships, promote growth, and enhance the communities around us.

Each Business Alliance will work together to strategically evaluate the needs and interests of business owners in the respective areas.

Quarterly Gather & Grow events, hosted by each Area Business Alliance, bring businesses and community partners together to provide an opportunity for the Chamber and Business Alliance to learn how to best serve the growing area.

Forest Acres Alliance
Northeast Alliance
Diplomat Link

Diplomats act as an extension of the Chamber staff throughout the community, adding support and lines of communication to our Partnership. A Diplomat’s first and most important objective is to provide outreach and assistance to Partner businesses throughout the year. Connections may be in-person, by phone, or via email. As Diplomats give generously of their time, they may drop by your business hoping to catch you for a short meeting or reach out to you to determine your connection preference. When reaching out to you, give them a few minutes of your time and you will be glad you did. Diplomats will not ask you for contributions or sponsorships. Their goal is strictly to provide you with the information and resources you need to utilize your Chamber Partnership in the most beneficial way to support your own business.

Diplomats also serve the Chamber through volunteer roles and through active participation in the Chamber’s program of work. It’s their in-depth knowledge and hands on experience with Chamber products and services that make them so valuable to our business Partners.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DIPLOMAT LINK

Leadership Columbia Advisory Board

The Leadership Columbia Advisory Board is responsible for maintaining the rich legacy of the Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Columbia program. The Advisory Board shapes and implements the curriculum for the year, including the orientation, retreat, class days, and project process. The Advisory Board is also responsible for selecting candidates for each incoming class.

For more information about the Leadership Columbia Advisory Board or meetings, please call (803) 733-1124 or email Mary Beth Sanderson.

Midlands Minority Business Accelerator Advisory Board

The Midlands Minority Business Accelerator (MMBA) is a program of the Columbia Chamber in partnership with the South Carolina Minority Business Accelerator. The South Carolina Minority Business Accelerator is a statewide initiative formed by the Greenville Chamber, the Charleston Metro Chamber, and the Columbia Chamber.

Funded with a seed grant from Bank of America, the initiative was designed to advance economic inclusion across the state of South Carolina by helping to reduce the economic disparities experienced by minority-owned businesses. The initiative provides opportunities for economic growth and prosperity for high-potential minority-owned firms. MMBA is a major economic development tool of the Columbia Chamber designed to make minority businesses more competitive.

For more information about the Midlands Minority Accelerator program, please call (803) 733-1113 or email Naomi Walton.