Our History
Welcome to the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce & Innovation, born in the heart of today's Silicon Valley. Where an individual's imagination and innovation can create the impossible and connect around the globe. Silicon Valley is a region of many cities, but bound by a common spirit in the people to continuously create and innovate!
The chamber was founded to serve the companies and residents surrounding what would become the world’s most inventive square miles. Started in 1916 with the local businesses and then incorporated in 1947 to unite post‑war growers, chip pioneers, and the Santa Clara University tech graduates and others, the Chamber laid the city’s “business voice” foundation and helped recruit the first wave of semiconductor and defense tenants to the Central Expressway/Bayshore corridor.
The chamber served the City of Santa Clara and some of the surrounding areas until 2018. From 2019, our focus changed to serving the businesses and community of the greater Silicon Valley area, as the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce & Innovation, an independent chamber serving the Silicon Valley area. Within it one of the councils, Santa Clara Business Council, is dedicated to continue serving the City of Santa Clara.
From semiconductor pioneers to today’s AI trailblazers, major retailers to our family businesses, the Chamber has been the steady connector between innovators, entrepreneurs and businesses, city and elected leaders, educators, the community, and investors—long before “Silicon Valley” was a household term.
Thanks to our members, sponsors and donors that power economic development, small business empowerment, and partner in shaping the future and the workforce initiatives!
Join us to continue the tradition to create a thriving Silicon Valley for All.
History of Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara Mission, circa 1849
In 1777, Franciscan priests selected what is now known as the City of Santa Clara to establish Mission Santa Clara which was named after Saint Clare of Assisi, the sister of the better-known Saint Francis of Assisi. At that time, the Ohlone natives, previously known as Costanoans, would be brought to the Mission for compulsory baptism and conversion to Christianity. In 1936, control of the mission was taken from the Catholic Church and given to the civil commissioners. Santa Clara, incorporated in 1852, began as a humble town built around Mission Santa Clara with an economy centered on agricultural.
By the 1960s, an incredible transformation began with the emergence of the semiconductor industry. This transition and emergence of the technology industry has made Santa Clara the heart of Silicon Valley where some of the world’s largest businesses are headquartered.
History of the Chamber
The Silicon Valley Chamber’s roots go back to sometime before 1916 as a small, all-volunteer group of business leaders began to meet regularly to talk about the future of the region. Though information of those early days is scarce, a few news stories from the good works of Chamber members can be found throughout the mid to late 1910s. For example, on September 30, 1916, the California Cultivator newspaper reported that the Chamber adopted a formal resolution to support the issuance of a bond for road improvements. By 1939, they had organized Santa Clara Day at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco.
The Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce was previously known as the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce.
The Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in State of California on May 23, 1947 after having been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an official not-for-profit. Thus, although the SV Chamber has roots back to more than three decades before, we recognize our official start as 1947.
The purpose of the organization was specifically stated:
- To promote, exploit, advertise, and make known the City of Santa Clara and its resources, and the benefits and advantages of residing, trading, and doing business within the City of Santa Clara.
- To invite and persuade businesses, factories, commercial & industrial firms, corporations, and organizations to locate and do business in the City of Santa Clara.
- To promote harmony & good will among the merchants & business firms in the City of Santa Clara and to do any and all acts & things for the best interests & advantage of the various commercial organizations and all citizens & residents of the City of Santa Clara.
Major Shift
After over a century since our founding, and 75 years since our incorporation, 2019 marked a significant milestone and shift. Starting 2018, a special task force of 5 board members worked every weekend for almost a year to propose a new future for the chamber. They determined the best approach forward for the businesses and the overall community was to be a regional chamber of commerce. With an updated vision and mission, on June 17, 2019, the Santa Clara Chamber Board unanimously voted to become the regional chamber of commerce to serve the Silicon Valley area. As such, the decision was made that the new name reflect the true mission, operations, and territories that the chamber would be and had been supporting in some fashion for many years, including the City of Santa Clara--- the much larger region of the County of Santa Clara and beyond. A region more affectionately and globally known as Silicon Valley.
The Name Change Journey
The name was planned to become the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. However, the 'Central' had to be inserted due to the coincidence of another city chamber's name changed to Silicon Valley Organization while we were in process of changing our's. Therefore, it was named as the Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce.
In 2020, the SVO was dissolved and the other city's chamber name was reverted back to the former. We were able to meet our brand fully by removing the 'Central'. So on June 27, 2025, the chamber board unanimously voted to change the name that we had intended. In addition, our plan for greater innovation and transformation, the word 'Innovation". As innovation has been and will always be the unique feature and value of this region. Therefore, we are now the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce & Innovation.
The Logo
The logo was created by the expanded task force of the board and business members aware of the rich and deep history of the region. After months of analysis and creative development, the logo was designed to represent Silicon Valley starting at its beginnings from the gold rush to the farms and the valley, the Moffet Airbase, the Bell, the SF Bay, and the symbols of movement reflecting ongoing innovation. It represents the broader region, while still honoring our origins with the Mission of Santa Clara.
The Chamber
BOARD CHAIRS:
(The normal term of a Board Chair is from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.)
- 2022-2023: John Elwood
- 2021-2022: Christian Pellecchia
- 2020-2021: Ravinder LaL
- 2019-2020: Chris Boyd
- 2018-2019: Jan Eric Nordmo
- 2017-2018: Joe Siecinski
- 2015-2017: Paul Dines
- 2014-2015: Joe Sweeney
- 2013-2014: Elizabeth Williams
- 2012-2013: Doron Noyman
- 2011-2012: Christopher Citti
- 2009-2011: Jean-Philippe (JP) Rollet
- 2008-2009: Barbra Ratcliffe
- 2007-2008: Maria Edmonds-Zediker
- 2006-2007: Bobert Ricks
- 2005-2006: Roy Truitt
- 2004-2005: David Tobkin
- 2003-2004: Gary Matthews
- 2002-2003: Eddie Roundtree
- 2001-2002: Dick Johnston
PRESIDENT/CEOs:
- Feb 2021-Present: Christian D. Malesic, MBA, CAE, CMP, IOM
- Jul 2020-Jan 2021: Christian Pellecchia, Interim CEO
- Sep 2017-Jun 2020: Nicholas Kaspar
- May 2016-Aug 2017: Chris Horton
- Apr 2015-Apr 2016: Roy Truitt, Interim CEO
- 2002-Mar 2015: Steve Van Dorn
- 1972-2002: Betty Hangs
- 1969-1972: Edward Hart
- 1966-1969: Lee Case