Black Chamber of Arizona names co-chairs for 28th anniversary gala, December 19, 2026

PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Black Chamber of Arizona today named Chandler City Council member OD Harris and Nameless co-founders Andres Pacheco and Joe Ducey as co-chairs of its 28th Anniversary Pinnacle Pathways Gala, Business Awards & Expo. The theme of this year’s event is “The Golden Hour.” The City of Chandler is the presenting sponsor. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 19, at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler.

Image caption: Black Chamber of Arizona names co-chairs for 28th anniversary gala.

The gala will spotlight the chamber’s vision to help create 100,000 new jobs in Arizona by 2035 by turning more small businesses into employer firms, preparing young people for high-wage careers and connecting entrepreneurs with capital and contracts. The chamber will also release its Arizona Black Business Growth Report 2026, which shows where Black-owned businesses are growing fastest across the state.

“This is our golden hour,” said Dr. Velma Trayham, president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona. “Arizona is one of the fastest-growing places in America, and our community is growing even faster. Our job is to make sure that growth turns into ownership, payrolls and careers. When a solo business owner hires their first employee, a family changes. When thousands do it, Arizona changes. That’s what 100,000 jobs by 2035 is about, and it’s why we’re asking partners to invest now.”

Harris is a former Chandler vice mayor. Pacheco and Ducey co-founded Nameless. Together, the co-chairs bring public service and a new generation of founders to the chamber’s milestone year.

A REGION BUILT FOR GROWTH

The Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro added 59,065 residents in 2025, the fourth-largest numeric gain in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Arizona companies committed to creating a record 26,225 new jobs and investing more than $109 billion in the state in fiscal year 2026, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Chandler was among the communities with expansion projects.

Chandler’s population has passed 290,000, and more than 50 Fortune 1000 companies have offices in the city, according to the City of Chandler. Chandler sits in Maricopa County, which added more residents in 2025 than all but two U.S. counties, according to the Census Bureau.

A COMMUNITY GROWING FASTER THAN THE STATE

Arizona’s Black population grew about 33% from 2010 to 2020, nearly three times the state’s overall growth rate of 11.9%, according to an Arizona State University analysis of 2020 census data. Growth was 38% in Maricopa County. Today about 524,000 Black Arizonans make up 6.9% of the state, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey.

Black-owned businesses are growing even faster. Arizona had 44,458 Black-owned businesses in 2023, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. The number with employees more than doubled, from 1,195 in 2017 to 2,458 in 2023, growing eight times faster than all Arizona employer firms. Those companies now employ 22,590 people and generate $2.7 billion in annual revenue. Still, about 95% of Black-owned businesses are owner-only.

The chamber says closing that gap is the fastest path to new jobs. If one in four of the state’s 42,000 owner-only Black businesses grew into an employer firm with 10 workers, close to today’s average of nine, Arizona would gain more than 100,000 jobs.

HOW THE CHAMBER IS BUILDING TOWARD 100,000 JOBS

The chamber’s five-year strategy for 2027 to 2031 focuses on four areas: connecting diverse suppliers with public agencies and private buyers through Impact AZ; building career pathways for young people; expanding statewide access to resources and capital for business owners; and supporting those impacted by the criminal justice system.

Partners will receive reporting tied to their investment, including quarterly reviews and an annual report tracking supplier readiness, contracts, career progression and regional access.

The chamber’s own growth reflects that momentum. The gala has doubled to 1,000 seats this year, up from a sold-out 500, and the chamber now works with more than 50 corporate, civic and community partners.

“Investing in the Black Chamber of Arizona is an investment in the strength and future of American business,” said Harris, a Chandler City Council member and gala co-chair. “It fuels entrepreneurship, expands economic opportunities, creates jobs, builds generational wealth and empowers the next generation of business leaders. When Black-owned businesses thrive, our communities grow stronger, local economies prosper and America becomes more competitive. This is more than an investment in Black-owned businesses; it is an investment in America’s economic future.

“As co-chair of the gala, I am proud to champion this mission and recognize its importance to Chandler’s continued growth and economic success. By fostering inclusion, expanding access to opportunity and promoting shared prosperity, we can build a stronger economic future for everyone. As Chandler continues to grow, our success must be measured not only by how much we grow, but by how many people have the opportunity to grow with us.”

“Nameless started in Arizona with a simple belief: the right room changes what a founder thinks is possible,” said Pacheco, co-founder of Nameless. “Too many great businesses here stay a team of one. That’s not because the talent is missing. It’s because capital, customers and mentors are out of reach. The Black Chamber is closing that gap, and we’re excited to bring our network alongside them.

“As co-chair of this year’s gala, I’m proud to stand with the Black Chamber as they open those doors for thousands of Arizona business owners.”

“Every employer in Arizona started as one person with an idea,” said Ducey, co-founder of Nameless. “The next generation of those founders is already here, building companies in their dorm rooms, garages and first offices across the state. They are not short on ambition. What they often need is someone to open a door, make an introduction or take a chance on them early. For 28 years, the Black Chamber of Arizona has done exactly that, and the impact can be seen in the businesses, careers and families it has helped build.

“As co-chair of this year’s gala, I am proud to help carry that work forward. This is the golden hour for a new generation of Arizona builders. The growth is here, and the opportunity is real. If we give young founders the relationships, mentors and access to capital they need to grow from an idea into a payroll, 100,000 jobs by 2035 will not be the finish line. It will be the starting point.”

The chamber will honor the Arizona Diamondbacks and National Bank of Arizona as its 2026 corporate honorees, recognizing their commitment to community investment and economic opportunity across the state.

Donations and investments in the Black Chamber of Arizona support youth development, small-business growth and workforce readiness programs.

Supporting sponsors include BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona, Cox Communications, Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project and Southwest Gas.

Tables, sponsorships and exhibitor space are available at https://gala.blackchamberaz.com/.