Mission

Advancing the prosperity of our member businesses and the vitality of the area.

The Chamber’s board and staff are guided by these principles:

RESPONSIBILITY: Accountable for managing and governing the Chamber with integrity.

RELATIONSHIPS: Open communications and transparency in all endeavors to benefit the Chamber, members and the area.

REPRESENTATION: Recognizing the diverse needs of businesses with innovative approaches, solutions and determined leadership.

Strategic Plan

Our Chamber has 560 members that invest their resources, employee volunteerism and confidence in the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and the business community. We’re proud to serve our members through our five area of Future Focus for 2025 & Beyond:

Attract & Retain Talent– Attract, develop and retain a highly qualified, well-trained workforce capable of meeting the area’s employment needs.
Restore The Core – Revitalize Owatonna’s Downtown District to become a vibrant and economic center of community life.
Champion a Strong Economy – Advocate for pro-business policies, be a key resource on community issues and collaborate with partners on local economic development.
Attract Tourism – Position Owatonna as a destination for leisure, meeting/convention, tournament, reunion and group travel.
Member Communication – Provide exceptional value to businesses through communication, events, marketing opportunities, and educational programming.

Accreditation

The Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is a Five-Star Accredited Chamber, representing the top 1% of chambers in the United States. We are pleased to announce that on March 3, 2022 the U.S. Chamber awarded the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism with 5-Star Accreditation valid for a period of five years, the highest honor that is awarded. After the lengthy process, we are one of two chambers of commerce in Minnesota to receive this prestigious designation while 12 received some level of accreditation.

What Does It Mean?

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Accreditation means that our chamber of commerce is recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as offering quality programs, practicing sound organizational procedures, effective communications and reliably contributing to positive change in the community. In order to receive accreditation, we had to demonstrate competency in the following areas: governance, finance, human resources, government affairs, program development, technology, communications, facilities and bench-marking.

Since 1964, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has invited state and local chambers of commerce to participate in its Accreditation Program. The program was designed to stimulate a continuous self-analysis of an organization’s growth and development with an opportunity to reassess its objectives, organization resources, program of work, procedures, and achievements. To learn more on the designation process or to view status, visit www.uschamber.com accreditation.

Visionary Members