Local ethnic chambers of commerce successfully launched a collaborative Council of Ethnic Chambers of Commerce to promote collaboration, foster stronger economic leverage and expand regional business growth.


The event held at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn attracted more than 100 participants, including state senators and house representatives, general consuls, elected and appointed officials, business and community leaders, local, national and international media.
"This is an exciting day," said Ahmad Chebbani, chairman of the Council and Chairman of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce Board of Director. "Our mission is simple: strength in unity, power in diversity and success in collaboration. The goal is to promote communications and cooperation among the various chambers and to provide better services and more effective use of community resources."
Dough Smith, senior vice president of strategic partnerships with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, congratulated the groups on forming the council. He said the council will be an important partner as the state works to bring new vitality to Michigan's economy. "Diversity should pull us together, and there is no better time to form this Council than now," he said.

Chebbani said all chambers retain their separate identities but work together through the Council to promote each other, cooperate on various activities and provide better services and more effective use of community resources. Some of the areas of cooperation include: Hosting and leading business delegations, hosting business expos and or business conferences and providing business development targeting the ethnic communities for multi-ethnic business counseling.

The council includes: The African Business Chamber of Commerce USA, the African Caribbean Chamber of Commerce, the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Chinese Business Association, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce - Michigan and the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Greater Detroit