About the Chamber

 

How far is it to Port Arthur and what's the best route to take?

What is the median income?

Where do we go to vote?

What is the number to...?

Where can I purchase...?

Questions like these, and thousands of others, are asked of the Port Arthur Chamber when citizens or visitors don't know who else to ask. The Chamber is the information center of the greater Port Arthur area.

Each membership in the Chamber is an investment in supporting the enhancement of educational opportunities, infrastructure improvements, the creation of jobs, and a positive vision of the future for the Port Arthur area and surrounding communities.

 

The Chamber

 

• Works with local industry, public entities, major purchasers, developers and other businesses to help ensure that local companies are utilized for area projects;

 

• Offers lobbying efforts to assist with issues critical to our area such as working for approval of street and highway expansion and improvements, ports and waterway developments, air traffic service, and various other types of legislative issues;

 

• Provides demographic and economic resource information to those looking to expand or open new businesses;

 

• Works with city, county and other officials, including our local economic development corporation, to create a business-friendly environment;

 

• Maintains partnerships with regional organizations such as the Southeast Texas / Southwest Louisiana Coalition which identifies issues affecting the involved regions, and lobbies for efforts that will positively impact the area in the areas of economic development, tourism, legislative and hurricane recovery;

 

• Assists business prospects in obtaining information about sites and land available in the area;

 

• Works with businesses opening in the area to assist with employment efforts, especially in areas such as job fairs offering employment opportunities to area residents;

 

• Assists members with development and growth, helping with ways to market their business locally through networking and marketing opportunities;

 

• Responds to surveys and requests to those looking to move here or visit, and student inquiries for use in school projects, reports, etc.;

 

• Works to address the needs of youth and quality education;

 

• Assists in welcoming new businesses by coordinating ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, and other business celebrations including commemorative and historical celebrations and events;

 

• Works to coordinate efforts in assisting businesses to start or expand in the greater Port Arthur area while working with the Small Business Development Center to provide operational and professional development resources;

 

• Works with community groups to support cooperative efforts among cultural and social groups;

 

• Sponsors a Business Expo in conjunction with the Greater Beaumont Chamber providing low-cost opportunities for members to showcase products and services to potential customers from throughout southeast Texas;

 

• Maintains the Port Arthur Community Profile; and the clubs and organizations, churches, media and VIP directories;

 

• Coordinates volunteer efforts of members and the public, working through various Chamber committees;

 

• Is a point of distribution for local maps and telephone directories;

 

• Meets with international officials regarding import and export trade opportunities;

 

• Encourages the public to shop and buy local; and

 

• Provides certificates of origin, verifying the origin of products.