The two largest business advocacy organizations in the San Antonio region are considering a merger.
The executive boards of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and Metro SA Chamber have voted unanimously to create a joint committee to explore a formal partnership.
"This effort is rooted in the hopes and opportunities we have for this community," said Paul Basaldua, board chair of the Metro SA Chamber. "It is time to come together as a business community to unapologetically advocate for San Antonio, to create an atmosphere where we encourage investment from small business to corporate, and from local to non-local. I look forward to working with our counterparts at the Greater Chamber to move this initiative forward."
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The two chambers considered a merger in 2023 but ultimately decided to remain independent due to leadership changes and organizational restructuring.
The revived discussion comes as the Greater San Antonio Chamber is searching for a new leader ahead of CEO and President Jeff Webster's retirement on Dec. 1. Pat Frost, the former Frost Bank president who was the chamber's 2025 chair, will serve as interim president.
In 2022, the chamber downsized its board from more than 100 members to a 15-member group.
The two organizations' missions have considerable overlap. The Greater San Antonio Chamber advocates on behalf of the business community at the local, state and federal levels, collaborates with educational institutions and organizations to help build the future workforce and provides networking opportunities for businesses at every level. The Metro SA Chamber offers small business support, professional networking and leadership training programs.
The Metro SA Chamber previously reported that it is 60% the size of the Greater Chamber.
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"Now is the time for the business community to protect the economic environment for every family in San Antonio," said Kevin C. Dinnin, board chair of the Greater Chamber. "We can achieve much more together to enhance the economic vitality of our region. Both Chambers are doing outstanding work that has a positive impact not only on businesses but also the community at large. Paul and I are both greatly optimistic that we can collaborate to make that impact even greater."
Other chambers have joined forces to promote a wider reach among local businesses. The South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce merged with the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce in 2020 before rebranding as the South Texas Business Partnership in early 2022.
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This article originally published at San Antonio's two largest chambers of commerce reviving merger talks.