On Tuesday during a press conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dearborn the establishment of the Council of Ethnic Chambers of Commerce was announced. 

Members of the new Ethnic Chambers of Commerce stand among elected officials and Douglas Smith, senior vice president of strategic partnerships for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Photo courtesy of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce.

The Council was created to promote collaboration, foster stronger economic leverage and expand regional business growth. Despite teaming up, members of the Council will still retain their separate identities. Through the Council local ethnic chambers of commerce will have the opportunity to promote each other, cooperate on various activities and provide better services and more effective use of community resources.

Council members include: The American Arab Chamber of Commerce, the African Business Chamber of Commerce USA, the Detroit Chinese Business Association, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Greater Detroit, the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the African Caribbean Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce.

Other local ethnic chambers of commerce are in process of joining the group, and the number of members is expected to increase in the coming months.  

“This is a great day and this is a great message of cooperation, unity and success,” American Arab Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ahmad Chebbani said at the conference. 

Douglas Smith, senior vice president of strategic partnerships for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) said the council couldn’t have launched at a better time. That’s because Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s administration plans on working with communities around the state to develop economic policies.  

“One of the first things I’m going to ask this group is how can we help the members in their communities  be able to get ready for export or consider export so they can grow their revenue,” Smith said.  

He says the Council is another group, but a fairly large one representing a broad spectrum of businesses that the MEDC can work with as it develops programs to strengthen the economy.   

Smith said the collaboration of various ethnic chambers sets Michigan apart, allowing it to be more competitive with other states around the country.   

“This rich diversity that’s represented in this room today is the foundation for us to be able to move forward in the future,” Smith said. 

Kenneth Harris of the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce said the state will revitalize its self from an economic stand point based on the Council’s ability to reach entrepreneurs who are the backbone of the state’s economy and can eventually create more jobs.

Chebbani spoke about the impact immigrants have on the economy calling immigrant communities the key economic drivers in Michigan and the nation. 

 “America is a nation of immigrants and much of its success is credited to its immigrant population striving to attain the American Dream while maintaining connection to the lands of origin. Such connection fosters trade between the United States and other countries,” he said. 

According to a study nearly 36 percent of new businesses in the country have been started by immigrants, and the increase of immigrants in communities has proven to boost exports and in turn create more jobs. 

By pulling their resources together and political influence members of the Council can attract business to the region specifically in the area of job creation.