The Chaska Area Chamber of Commerce will merge with chambers in Victoria and Chanhassen to become the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce. The details of the merger were revealed to chamber members at a luncheon Thursday afternoon.

The new chamber will be headquartered in Chaska, at the North Meadows Office building on Bavaria Road.

Andrew Schultz, with State Farm Insurance in Victoria, will chair the board in 2009. Other executive board members include Gunnar Carlson, with Center Drug in Chanhassen, Lon Hand, with Community Bank in Chaska, Mark Halla, with The Mustard Seed in Chaska, and Chamber President Deb McMillan.

Directors will serve one- to three-year terms. Directors are Tom Hanske, with Beacon Bank in Eden Prairie, Bev Lohs, with IWCO in Chanhassen, MaryAnn Porter, with Rising Star Dance Academy in Victoria, Neil Anderson, with Security Bank in Chaska, Dave Kirkbride, with Bluff Creek Golf Course in Chanhassen, Marlene VanHecke, with Norseman Travel in Chaska, Carl Blanz, with Oak Ridge Conference Center in Chaska, Sharon Parpart, with Embarq in Chaska, Mark Fleischhaker, with Lake Region Medical in Chaska, Peter Thiesfeld, with Peter Allen Co. in Carver, and Lynn Ayers, with Ridgeview Business Health in Chanhassen.

The SouthWest Metro Chamber is expected to have 500 members at the onset. Memberships for businesses start at $295.  

All five existing staff members with the individual chambers will stay on to work with the regional chamber. The SouthWest Metro Chamber will have an initial operating budget of $250,000.