Become a Member

Individuals, businesses and organizations join the chamber for many different reasons. Some feel a civic responsibility to give back to the community and others join to promote their business. The chamber is an ideal organization to develop your leadership/business skills, confidence, personal growth, networking opportunities.

The chamber of commerce success is dependent upon an annual membership fee as well as participatory commitment from individuals, businesses and organizations that work together to improve the Lake Gogebic area by improving the economic base through tourism attraction, developing community leaders, and creating a sense of community. There is strength in unity. Your membership benefits will show you a return on your investment especially when you get involved! Our chamber is primarily a volunteer organization supported by donation of time and money from its members, fund-raisers and special events.

You will receive a membership decal to display in your business front window certifying your membership.

Download a Membership Form

To be a progressive and successful chamber in order to create and develop resources which will improve the economic environment and quality of life in the Lake Gogebic area (Western U.P.). In order to achieve this, the chamber must coordinate tourism, business recruitment, community development through positive relationships with area businesses, local governments, local tribes, community agencies and organizations.

As a business owner, you know the power of advertising.

Gogebic Times: To chamber members only, we offer the opportunity to advertise in our yearly published chamber newspaper which carries information about the western end of the Upper Peninsula. We publish 25-30 thousand copies per year that are distributed throughout the local area, at Welcome Centers in Michigan and Wisconsin, through inquiries to the chamber, the Western U.P Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Bureau. The chamber is represented at Sport Shows in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa. Additionally, we have advertising placements in a variety of publications throughout the Midwest. The chamber is a “distribution center” for various tourism brochures, snowmobile maps, ORV maps and lake maps.

Website/Facebook: Another area of advertising that is so crucial to a business these days is the internet. The chamber promotes our area to thousands of potential visitors on our website/Facebook. As a Chamber Member, you will receive a business listing including business information. If you have a website for your business, you can be linked to the chamber website at no additional cost.

Requests or inquiries that come to the chamber via telephone or internet are past on to members, whether they be a need for a specific service, real estate, lodging, or etc. Although, with the presence of a good website, many people are searching out the information they need on it.

Special events bring people to the area, and Chamber sponsored events include the fall fishing tournament in September, the Tour Da Lake Bike event in June, Chamber Mixers and the Christmas Party/Annual meeting in December. The chamber also promotes and supports events sponsored by chamber members and some events sponsored by surrounding chambers and organizations. The chamber is always open to new ideas for events and chamber member involvement in our events.

Chamber Board of Directors meets monthly, usually on the second Tuesday of the month, 5:00 pm (et) at a designated meeting are, and members are welcome to attend and learn a little more about the chamber, what they are doing, to get to know one another and share ideas. The Board of Director election is held at our annual December Christmas Party.

Through increased efforts the chamber is working with Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties and the State of Michigan to increase business opportunities in the area and attract people to our area.

Community communication: The chamber exchanges communication through our community with specific chamber committee’s, Gogebic Area Grooming, the Fireflies, Lake Gogebic Improvement Association, Mi-TRALE, Department of Natural Resources, Ottawa National Forest, W.U.P. Regional Chamber Alliance, to name a few.

The chamber is a member of Mi-TRALE, a multi-use trails organization dedicated to the development and longevity of both M-U connector routes and M-U activity area.

With many economic changes taking place, the chambers in the surrounding area have formed the Western U.P. Regional Chamber Alliance to collectively work to share ideas, news, build business and promote the Western Upper Peninsula.

VISIBILITY: We welcome and encourage chamber members to participate as a chamber volunteer, serve as a chamber committee member or join special events and chamber activities. You (and your employees) can become an integrated part of the Lake Gogebic area. Your involvement is important to our community, become a part of it and expand your business contacts. Networking opportunities are priceless; often, business referrals are derived from those types of contacts. Meeting other business owners and contacts in turn can improve or create growth in your business. There are many valuable business-to-business referrals that continue for years, once established.

(Your membership is a tax-deductible business expense from State and Federal taxes)