“Our location might have changed from the downtown area, but our mission has never changed and has always been to support small businesses and drive economic development to the area,” said Scott Harper, president of Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.
The Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, community-based organization devoted to enhancing the economic growth of the Greater Conroe and Lake Conroe Area.
Looking back
The need for the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce was first initiated in an advertisement in a 1934 issue of the Conroe Courier.
Surrounding businesses at the time endorsed the chamber by responding to the advertisement, according to a chamber YouTube video.
With the support of three local businesses, including the Conroe Courier and Lufkin Conroe Communications, known as Consolidated Communications; Entergy; and The Houston Chronicle, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce was formed.
The chamber was originally located in a log cabin constructed in the 1920s at the corner of the old Montgomery County Courthouse. As the organization expanded, the chamber moved to larger locations in downtown Conroe.
“It doesn't matter where the chamber is physically located,” Harper said. “It's our reach and it's our networking, I think, that positions us to help drive business in our area.”
The impact
As the community expanded, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber, led by business leaders, took the lead in critical areas in the community, including transportation, agriculture and business promotion.
“I think the chamber has a long history of starting new things,” Harper said. “The chamber was the place where people came to meet and vet ideas.”
Organizations developed by the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber include The Montgomery County Fair Association and Leadership Montgomery County, two organizations that help the community connect.
“The chamber was the focal point of where people came locally and nationally to initiate change,” Harper said.
The chamber also hosts signature events, such as Lobster Fair, its largest fundraiser and community event; the Chairman's Ball; Taste Fest; and Athena.
The oldest event they continue to host is the Chairman’s Ball, originally known as its annual banquet, said Steve Scheffler, director of marketing and communications for the chamber.
In 1984, the chamber selected its first female chairperson, Charline Muller, who helped run her family’s longtime business, Conroe Creosoting. Still alive today, Scheffler said she considers the dedication of North Loop 336 and successful lobbying efforts in Austin among her greatest accomplishments as chair.
Future plans
With over 1,000 members, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber continues to provide innovation to its community focusing on the city's infrastructure, water, education, transportation and health care, Harper said.
In 2023, the chamber conducted close to 100 ribbon-cuttings for new members, Scheffler said.
Going forward, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber will continue focusing on the growth of the city as the chamber expands to Willis and Montgomery. Harper said the chamber hopes to partner with the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.
The Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber was also recognized at the national level in 2015 under Harper’s leadership, according to its website.
“We're no longer a local chamber,” Harper said. “We're a regional chamber. We're in the top 3% of all chambers because of our accreditation.”
Harper said the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber’s consistency will help it continue to find ways to connect and grow business.
“I think the mission will never change,” Harper said. “I think how we communicate and how we support the mission or enable the mission will change. You think about how different the world looked 90 years ago and how the chamber found ways to connect and grow business. That'll never change. I mean, that will always be part and parcel of who we are.”
- 505 W. Davis St., Conroe
- www.conroe.org
