From the CEO

What a whirlwind the last month has been for us!

While many of you know our work to champion policies that support employers and the economic activity they generate, we – as a Chamber – also do several study missions each year, and have been doing so for over 40 years, both domestically and overseas.

And, not surprisingly, we often do them in partnership. We have partnered with Greater Seattle Partners on international missions for the last six years and with the Portland Metro Chamber for fly-ins to Washington, D.C., for the last three years.

The Chamber organizes these delegations to peek into how a different city and its business community operate and to learn how they address challenges, seize opportunities, and build and sustain their economy.

But best of all, we build lasting relationships – relationships within our regional delegation, and with the folks we visit. And these relationships at home and abroad position us to be more effective in our work on your behalf.

Below are some highlights from our recent delegations.

International Leadership Mission Germany

Just last week our delegation traveled to Munich, Berlin and Hamburg, Germany. We learned about the green economy, technology and aeronautical research, and how to get World Cup Ready. One theme that emerged from many of the presentations was how large government looms in the economic discussions there. While that is true everywhere, we heard observations about the complex aspects of privacy regulation from AI to aerospace, and how the regulatory environment can inhibit start-ups from scaling to their potential.

We also had a great event at the Consul General’s residence, took an informative boat tour of the Port of Hamburg, and received governmental briefings in all three cities.

Toronto Study Mission

Earlier in May, the Chamber and our members were off to Toronto, Canada, meeting with its Board of Trade, learning about transformative transportation expansion, and tackling public safety. We toured the University of Toronto and discussed higher education, and visited the Microsoft office and explored trade and tariffs.

And – a recurring theme you will see – we also spent time learning how Toronto is preparing for the 2026 World Cup, as a fellow host city.

D.C. Joint Fly-In

And in early May, the Seattle Metro Chamber, Portland Metro Chamber, and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade participated in a joint fly-in to Washington, D.C., where we met with members of our Congressional delegations and convened events at the Canadian Embassy – on the very same day that Prime Minister Mark Carney visited. It was powerful to be with our Canadian partners during that important moment and we love how this fly-in built on the strength of the Portland-Seattle collaboration, and welcomed the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade for the first time, really anchoring the whole trip in Cascadia.

We had diverse and varied business, government, and community leaders on all of these trips, but I want to give a special shoutout to Seattle Metro Chamber Board Chair Susan Loosmore, from T-Mobile, who joined us on all three trips. She is an amazing ambassador for our work and helped us tremendously in our planning.

Now we’re back home in the Puget Sound region, ready to soak in the summer, and there’s no place in the world I’d rather be than right here. But we’ll still be hard at work on your behalf, with our Board of Trustees meeting in July to set our strategic vision for the next program year, monitoring the local elections that will take place around the region in November, and gearing up for city budget season in Seattle. And it’s never too early to mark your calendar (or register today!) for our 143rd Annual Meeting on Sept. 9 at the Westin Seattle – it will be here before we know it!

With appreciation for the new experiences and learnings,
Rachel

Rachel Smith (she/her/hers)
President & CEO
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