What Does the Chamber Do?
The Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the business community in Hillsborough and Northern Orange County. Membership in the Chamber of Commerce lends extra credibility to your concerns about government and issues surrounding the community.

In addition, the Chamber of Commerce is usually the first source of information for people relocating to this area. The Chamber provides local access to information about members, businesses, and government agencies. In a way, it functions as a marketing agency for its members and for the area, promoting special events and day-to-day activities that attract visitors and business considering relocation. But, as with any membership organization, we encourage members to actively participate in order to derive the most benefit from your investment, as well as to strengthen our efforts in serving this community.

Why Should You Become a Chamber Member?
Chamber membership is an investment in the future of individual and community welfare. The Chamber's activities are not funded by any branch of government; rather, our support comes from member organizations and two major fundraisers per year.

Membership in the Chamber and involvement in the business and Government Affairs Committee allows your voice to be included in opinions on decisions affecting the community. Participation in the Education Committee gives you the opportunity to make your opinions known on issues such as possible schoool merger, Durham Technical Community College satellite campus offerings, and Chamber scholarship allocations. For a list of all the Chamber's committees, click here.

Participation in and sponsorship of Hog Day and Candlelight Tour events gives your business additional name recognition in the community. In addition, the Membership Committee works very hard to provide social and networking outlets for Chamber members throughout the year. In addition to monthly luncheons, held at the Exchange Club Building the third Wednesday of every month at noon, the Ambassador Committee is planning a number of programs that will benefit the membership.

How Do You Become a Chamber Member?
If you'd like to visit with Chamber staff or participate in Chamber events prior to making your decision to join this exciting organization, please give us a call to schedule a meeting, or join us at one of the planned functions. A good suggestion is to attend one of the monthly luncheons, to get an overview of what Chamber membership can do for you.

After you've decided to join, click here to download a pdf file of the application.

What are the Benefits of Chamber Membership?
There's really no simple answer to this question. There are tangible benefits to Chamber membership:

• Exclusive ribbon-cutting ceremonies and/or after-hours events at your business location;
• Discounts and exclusive offers with other Chamber members;
• Free 2" x 4" ad in the Chapel Hill News newspaper;
• Free three-month subscription to the News of Orange County;
• Free listing in our membership directory on this website, which can be linked to your website or email;
• Free listing and publicity in the Business Directory, published yearly and distributed with each Relocation Packet and at many other locations; and
• Promotional opportunities in the Chamber's newsletter.

In addition, there are opportunities for promoting your business to other Chamber members by including flyers in the newsletter, providing input for weekly email "blasts" to Chamber members, etc.

Elizabeth Read, Alliance for Historic Hillsborough

Brad Broadwell, OC EDC

Mike Gering, Town of Hillsborough

Staff

Margaret Wood Cannell, Executive Director

Cindy Mihok, Assistant