On October 9, 1904, 93 local merchant and manufacturing leaders united to form the Chicago Commercial Association. On Tuesday, over 800 business and civic leaders came together at Navy Pier to celebrate the 110th anniversary of that organization, now called the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
WGN Radio’s Steve Cochran Show did a live broadcast from Navy Pier for the duration of the event, which featured interviews with Jim Tyree Award winner John Roa, Founder and CEO of AKTA; Chamber member Letty Velez, CEO of Chicago Mini Bus Travel; and a combined interview with Chamber President & CEO Theresa E. Mintle and new Chamber Chairman Paul La Schiazza, President of AT&T Illinois.
During the event, Mayor Emanuel called on the business community in attendance to give our children and our future workforce the best chance for success by increasing investment in education, job training and programs like City Colleges of Chicago’s College to Careers
initiative.
John Stankey, Group President and Chief Strategy Officer of AT&T,delivered the keynote address with a focus on the radical transformation currently underway in the mobile and digital landscape.
“The last six years have been about mobilizing the Internet. The nextsix years will be about interconnecting everything with the Internet, which will transform every industry,” Stankey said. “The Chamber, the Mayor, everyone here today recognizes this. You expect this from a city that’s always been an innovation leader.”