Founded on November 20, 1907 with 312 charter members, the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which until recently was known as the Poughkeepsie Area Chamber of Commerce, was created to grow the local economy.
The trends we set that benefited the community and our members during our first century included providing marketing opportunities for local businesses with our 1924 Poughkeepsie Exposition at Riverview Field in Eastman Park. Signature networking events like the monthly Business After Hours and Contact Breakfasts also have their roots in the past. Evening networking events can be traced to the 1910s, and the popular Contact Breakfast was launched in 1959 thanks to then-Chamber President Tom Shaker of Shaker, Travis & Quinn Plumbing and Heating.
Today these traditions are continued through events such as the annual Business Expo that attracts thousands of visitors, the Contact Breakfast attended each month by more than 200, and the ever-popular Business After Hours that highlights local venues and companies.
In addition to working on behalf of its members, the Chamber has always supported the local community. In an effort to aid the unemployed during the Depression, the Chamber sponsored an Emergency Work Bureau that was supported by individuals and Poughkeepsie businesses. Today, we still provide help to those in need by offering a variety of programs through our Workforce Development Center.
Proud to be a Dutchess County Chamber member since February 2018.
https://www.dcrcoc.org/
