About

Welcome to our beautiful community – “The City on the Gulf.”

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce has been promoting business growth and success while cultivating a vibrant and engaged community for over 90 years. Our Chamber serves as our area’s visitor center partnering with Visit Sarasota complete with area maps, information about local attractions and events, and a knowledgeable staff. The Chamber also prides itself on advocating for the area’s business community. Our Chamber family includes over 1,000-member businesses with their employees. Our goal is to connect you with people who will help you grow your business and expand your network.

Our goals for 2020 are Vision, Focus, and Future. We have incorporated several new events and programs last year including our Entrepreneurial Exchange Series to give our members The Competitive Edge. Truly something for everyone. Our goal in 2020 is to focus on these events and cultivate them into refined events that we will have long into the future. We also have a huge heart for the youth and young professionals of our community and we want the Venice Chamber to be a place for them to develop into our future leaders.

So, whether you are looking for a vacation destination, a place to relocate and raise a family, retired and looking to relax, start a new business, or grow and enhance an existing business, I invite you to explore our amazing community. I also encourage you to get involved. There are many great events at the Chamber and in our community. The Venice Area Chamber is a great place to grow your business, meet new friends and have fun doing it.

If there’s anything we can do to help you, please let us know. We’re glad you’re here and hope to meet you at one of our many wonderful events.

Tony Moore
Chair of the Board, Venice Area Chamber of Commerce

Our BOARD

2019-20 Board of Directors

Left to Right

front row, Victoria Stultz, Debbie LaPinska, Judy Braham, Mary Elizabeth Petty, Tiffany Twigg, Michael Bacon, Dane DeSantis

2nd Row: Sandra Pridemore, Jeffrey A. Boone, Bob Hite, Chuck Walker

3rd Row: Randy Kendrick, Kathy Lehner, David Joyner, Jess Fronckowiak, Tony Moore, Seth von Marschall

PHOTO CREDIT: Prion Photography

Officers:

Tony Moore, Chair of the Board
Gulfside Mortgage Services

Debbie LaPinska, Chair Elect
PGT Innovations

Sandra Pridemore, Treasurer
Sandra K. Pridemore, CPA, PA

Victoria Stultz, Immediate Past Chair
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty-The Victoria Stultz Team

Directors:

Michael Bacon – Brew Burgers

Judy Braham – Gulfcoast Women in Networking

Dane DeSantis – Hallmark Business Brokers

Jess Fronckowiak – J2 Solutions, Inc.

Bob Hite – Venice Regional Bayfront Health

David Joyner – Joyner Family Insurance

Randy Kendrick – Venice Print Center

Mary Elizabeth Petty – AAA Insurance – Venice Branch

Tiffany Twigg – A Catered Affair

Seth von Marschall – Appliance Specialists

Chuck Walker – Alliance IT/Ring Authority

Ex-Officio: Jeff Boone – Boone, Boone & Boone, P.A.

The mission of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote business growth and success.

VISION. FOCUS. FUTURE.
2020

OUR WHY

The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce believes in creating a dynamic environment for a thriving, vibrant, and prosperous business community for the greater Venice area.

OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION

To lead our business community in promoting business growth & success within the greater Venice Area for our membership and within ourcommunity. Each year, the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce engages entrepreneurs in creating growth and success for their businesses. We do this in part by energizing member businesses with exciting, empowering, and enhanced entrepreneurial exchange initiatives. We execute highly effective event venues in which for them to thrive. We collaborate with them in their networking and expansion goals through creative use of technology, social media, and multimedia. We are here to provide our member businesses with a foundation to create confidence, connections, credibility, and resources needed that will raise their brand visibility. We provide business advice through our entrepreneurial exchange programs like CEO Roundtable, Women Empowering Women, Pay It Forward Biz Tips, Business Edge, VAYP Focus Forward Forum, Powerbites, and other unique offerings and regular speaking engagements available here at the chamber.

In 1925 …Dr. Fred Albee organized the Venice-Nokomis Chamber of Commerce with 48 Charter Members.

In 1936 …The community constructed the Chamber’s first free-standing building on land donated by the city at
Venice Avenue and US 41. Membership numbered 200.

In 1952 …Florida’s real estate boom hit Venice, and South Venice was created. To serve the growing community, the Chamber was reorganized and renamed the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 1954 …The Chamber sold lots in South Venice for W & A Construction Company at a cost of $10 down and $200 total, with a minimum purchase of two lots. In less than a year, 13,000 lots had been sold by mail, sight unseen, to
land-hungry customers.

In 1962 …Mrs. Robert Baynard donated three acres of land on theIntracoastal Waterway, near the Hatchett Creek bridge, and a brand new Chamber building was completed with generous community donations and a small mortgage.

In 1986 …The Chamber building was completely renovated and the Chamber received national recognition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, joining only ten percent of the nation’s chambers in earning accreditation status.

In 1996 …The Chamber received its 10-year reaccreditation.

In 2003 …The Chamber completed construction of its new building located at 597 Tamiami Trail South.

In 2004 …The Chamber was reaccredited by the US Chamber of Commerce

In 2014 …The Chamber invests in green technology with solar panels, and starts complete tech upgrade.

Contact Us.

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