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A group of distinguished Mexican and U.S.
businessmen established the United States-Mexico
Chamber of Commerce (USMCOC) in 1973 as a 501
(c) (6) non-profit business association
chartered in Washington D.C. The coalition of
businessmen created a bilateral organization to
promote trade, investment and joint ventures on
both sides of the border. Now in its third
decade of operation, the Chamber has grown into
a unique non-profit corporation operating
through 12 offices in Mexico and the United
States. All chapters and offices, with strong
local membership and international contacts,
help businesses bridge differences in legal,
regulatory and economic systems, as well as
language and culture.
After opening offices in Washington, D.C., and
Mexico City, the Chamber focused on establishing
regional chapters. The USMCOC inaugurated the
Pacific Chapter, based in Los Angeles, in 1980.
The Southwest Chapter, headquartered in Dallas,
followed in 1987. In 1988, the Mexican Chamber
of Commerce, established in the early 1920s,
merged with the USMCOC to become the Northeast
Chapter, based in New York City. The coming of
the North American Free Trade Agreement spurred
continued expansion. In 1993, the Chamber
established its Rocky Mountain Chapter in Denver.
Later that year, timed to coincide with the U.S.
Congressional vote on NAFTA, the USMCOC
inaugurated its Mid-Atlantic Chapter in
Washington, D.C. In 1994, U.S. Ambassador to
Mexico James R. Jones, an Honorary President of
the Chamber, inaugurated the Mid-America Chapter,
based in Chicago. In 1995 the Chamber
inaugurated a Gulf States Chapter in Tampa and
Northeast Chapter in Monterrey. Later the same
year Mexico's Ambassador to the United States,
His Excellency Jesús Silva-Herzog, also an
Honorary President, opened the Northwest Chapter,
with offices in Seattle. Ambassador Jones and
Sen. Miguel Aleman inaugurated new offices for a
Mexico City Chapter in February 1996. |
In 1997, the Chamber inaugurated its Great Lakes Chapter,
headquartered in Detroit and the Inter-American
Chapter in Miami. In 1998, through a strategic
alliance with the National Chamber of Commerce
of Guadalajara, the Chamber established the
Pacífico Chapter-Guadalajara in that city. In
1999, the Governor of the State of
Aguascalientes, Felipe González and CANACINTRA-Aguascalientes
opened new offices for the Pacífico Chapter in
Aguascalientes. In the year 2000, President
Vicente Fox, former Governor of the State of
Guanajuato, inaugurated the Bajío Chapter in
León, Guanajuato. In 2001, Governor Tommy
Thompson of Wisconsin and Governor Jesse Ventura
of Minnesota were opening offices of the Chamber
in Milwaukee and Minneapolis respectively. The
Mid-West Chapter started operations in Milwaukee
in 2002 while the Minneapolis Office is in
organization. In 2002, the Governor of the State
of Veracruz, Miguel Alemán, inaugurated the
Golfo Chapter at the Port of Veracruz. This year
the Gulf States Chapter in Houston, TX, the
Camino Real Chapter in Albuquerque, NM and the
Grand Canyon Chapter in Phoenix, AZ, are
currently in the process of being organized.
To further promote stronger bilateral relations,
the Chamber established the U.S.-Mexico Cultural
and Educational Foundation in 1996. The
foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
organization, oversees educational and cultural
exchanges designed to develop business leaders
of the future, infuse practical business
knowledge into the academic realm and foment
understanding between the neighboring countries.
Mission
The United
States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce is the leading
binational business organization working to
build mutually beneficial trade and investment
relationships in the Americas.
The
organization's mission is to promote business
between the United States and Mexico.
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