On Thursday, March 21, the Madison Chamber of Commerce officially welcomed 48 new members at a reception held at Hexagon AB in Madison.

The Chamber has seen tremendous growth in the last two years, according to Chairman of the Board DeWayne Howell. Howell said he has been involved with the Madison Chamber for seven of the eight years he has called the city home.

Howell talked about the fact that the Chamber struggled along with everyone else during the pandemic, but in the last two years their membership has grown to nearly 500.

“It’s great to see the growth in new memberships. I’m incredibly excited about this number of new members,” said Howell.

According to Howell, joining the Chamber “is all about getting plugged in.” This sentiment was echoed by James Hause of Lambert Relocation, who spoke about his positive experience utilizing the Chamber’s networking tools.

Madison Chamber President Michelle Epling said that at one point they had as few as eight ambassadors. But times have quickly changed for Madison they are now up to 48 ambassadors. She was excited about the city’s recent growth and new opportunities to support local businesses.

“We want you to grow, we want to see you succeed, and we cheer you on every step of the way,” said Epling.

Dr. Ed Nichols, superintendent of Madison City Schools, said that Madison is currently seeing about 300 new student enrollments a year. He feels the Madison Chamber of Commerce has an important role to play, supporting businesses that parents moving to Madison rely on.

“It’s important to our families that they have the amenities they need,” said Dr. Nichols.

The new Chamber members attending the reception represented businesses from a variety of sectors, including yoga studios, chiropractic care, veterinary practice, insurance, photography, business coaching, and restaurants.

Right now over 2300 businesses call Madison home.

According to the City of Madison Industrial Development Board, these businesses enjoy a low cost of business and access to an educated, hard working labor pool.

Hexagon AB, Madison City Schools, and Madison Hospital are currently the largest employers in Madison. The city is home to several other large employers in fields including manufacturing, aerospace, and government.

Madison is the 9th largest city in Alabama. The growing city has planned or is in the process of executing several development projects, capital improvements to key roadways, and expanded I-565 access.