Regional Chamber and Growth Association
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA) is the chamber of commerce
and primary economic development agency for Metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri
.
The RCGA is the chamber of commerce and economic development organization for the 16-county, bi-state St. Louis region. With approximately 4,000 members, the mission of the RCGA is “to unite the region’s business community, and to engage dynamic business and civic leadership to develop and sustain a world-class economy and community.” RCGA members employ more than 350,000 people and generate an estimated $300 billion in annual worldwide revenue.
The RCGA undertakes regional economic development and chamber of commerce activities, including a proactive regional public policy agenda and marketing the St. Louis region nationally and internationally to develop, retain, expand, and attract targeted industries.
The RCGA evolved into its current form in 1973 with the merger of three organizations: the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, the St. Louis Regional Industrial Development Corporation, and the St. Louis Research Council. This combination helped unite the voice of business in supporting public policy and civic initiatives that make the region ideal for expansion, location and entrepreneurship. In 1995, the RCGA developed the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Council and the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Network, a consortium that brings together some 100 local economic development organizations from the region’s 16 counties to create more jobs for the entire community.
The Chamber traces its early roots back to 1836 --- making it one of the oldest Chambers of Commerce in the United States. Along the way, it’s been involved with projects as diverse as securing funding for Charles Lindbergh’s historic 1927 transatlantic flight (thus the naming of the plane “The Spirit of St. Louis”) and rallying community support for the design, funding, and construction of St. Louis’ famed Gateway Arch. The St. Louis RCGA continues to provide leadership on civic initiatives – both large and small - that make the region a rich environment to live and work.
Fostering business development through chamber of commerce services, the RCGA provides business programs and seminars, networking events, international business assistance and informational resources. The organization further fosters economic development by recruiting new businesses to the region, helping existing companies expand and start-up companies weather their critical first years. The RCGA also lobbies on behalf of the region at the local, state and national levels.
The RCGA Board of Directors recently adopted four key strategies that are in complete harmony with the RCGA’s vision of creating a regional economy that can compete on the world stage in the 21st century, and are aimed at enhancing the region’s economic competitiveness and quality of life.
These four initiatives are:
The RCGA’s tagline is “The Voice of Commerce Since 1836.” In marketing the region to the world, the RCGA developed the tagline “St. Louis: Perfectly Centered, Remarkably Connected” in conjunction with Fleishman-Hillard, a St. Louis-based communications agency and RCGA member. The campaign was developed to communicate the region’s central location, the outstanding quality of life, and the pro-growth business environment that can be found in Greater St. Louis.
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
and primary economic development agency for Metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
The RCGA is the chamber of commerce and economic development organization for the 16-county, bi-state St. Louis region. With approximately 4,000 members, the mission of the RCGA is “to unite the region’s business community, and to engage dynamic business and civic leadership to develop and sustain a world-class economy and community.” RCGA members employ more than 350,000 people and generate an estimated $300 billion in annual worldwide revenue.
The RCGA undertakes regional economic development and chamber of commerce activities, including a proactive regional public policy agenda and marketing the St. Louis region nationally and internationally to develop, retain, expand, and attract targeted industries.
The RCGA evolved into its current form in 1973 with the merger of three organizations: the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, the St. Louis Regional Industrial Development Corporation, and the St. Louis Research Council. This combination helped unite the voice of business in supporting public policy and civic initiatives that make the region ideal for expansion, location and entrepreneurship. In 1995, the RCGA developed the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Council and the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Network, a consortium that brings together some 100 local economic development organizations from the region’s 16 counties to create more jobs for the entire community.
The Chamber traces its early roots back to 1836 --- making it one of the oldest Chambers of Commerce in the United States. Along the way, it’s been involved with projects as diverse as securing funding for Charles Lindbergh’s historic 1927 transatlantic flight (thus the naming of the plane “The Spirit of St. Louis”) and rallying community support for the design, funding, and construction of St. Louis’ famed Gateway Arch. The St. Louis RCGA continues to provide leadership on civic initiatives – both large and small - that make the region a rich environment to live and work.
Fostering business development through chamber of commerce services, the RCGA provides business programs and seminars, networking events, international business assistance and informational resources. The organization further fosters economic development by recruiting new businesses to the region, helping existing companies expand and start-up companies weather their critical first years. The RCGA also lobbies on behalf of the region at the local, state and national levels.
The RCGA Board of Directors recently adopted four key strategies that are in complete harmony with the RCGA’s vision of creating a regional economy that can compete on the world stage in the 21st century, and are aimed at enhancing the region’s economic competitiveness and quality of life.
These four initiatives are:
- Sharpening the region’s economic development products
- Leveraging the region’s locational advantages
- Developing a region-wide approach to talent attraction, development and retention
- Charting the region’s green future through the Climate Prosperity Project
The RCGA’s tagline is “The Voice of Commerce Since 1836.” In marketing the region to the world, the RCGA developed the tagline “St. Louis: Perfectly Centered, Remarkably Connected” in conjunction with Fleishman-Hillard, a St. Louis-based communications agency and RCGA member. The campaign was developed to communicate the region’s central location, the outstanding quality of life, and the pro-growth business environment that can be found in Greater St. Louis.