A Birthday Letter to America
As the United States approaches its historic 250th milestone in 2026, organizations and industries across the country are pausing to honor our shared heritage while charting a course for the future. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce is proud to contribute to this national celebration with our Birthday Letter to America, part of a nationwide campaign organized by Business for America, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to strengthening civic engagement across the business community. More than 100 CEOs and business organizations in over 40 states have written personal letters as part of the effort, joining more than 75 chambers of commerce nationwide in a permanent public archive marking the nation’s anniversary.
We are honored to bring the collective voice of Virginia’s business community to this national dialogue. Read on to see our official letter as we reflect on the active legacy we create every day and our shared vision for the next chapter of the Commonwealth:
Dear America,
In 1924, as Virginia was navigating its own shift from an agrarian economy to an increasingly industrialized one, leaders of chambers across the Commonwealth came together around a straightforward conviction. Business would speak with greater authority as one voice than as many. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce was born from that idea, and for the century since, we have worked to make Virginia the best state in the country in which to live, work and do business.
Two years ago, we marked our own centennial. Now, as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Virginia stands at the center of the conversation. But for our business community, this milestone isn’t just about history books or museums. It’s about the active legacy we create every day. The work we do right now in governance, civic responsibility, and local commerce is shaping what the Commonwealth looks like for the next generation.
Our business community has always understood that responsibility. Today, representing more than 30,000 organizations across every region of the Commonwealth, the Virginia Chamber is powered by leaders who believe that what happens here matters well beyond our borders. That conviction is the driving force behind Blueprint Virginia 2035, our comprehensive, business-led roadmap for the next decade. Built on input from over 10,000 Virginians, this plan outlines 171 strategic recommendations targeting the issues that impact our daily operations, including workforce development, housing affordability, energy infrastructure, healthcare, and innovation. It is a rigorous, collaborative plan designed by the very people who have a stake in getting it right, proving once again that broad economic prosperity is both our ultimate goal and our path forward.
America at 250 is not a finished project. Neither is Virginia, and neither is the work of this Chamber. But we go into the next chapter knowing exactly what we are here to do. To be the voice of business for the Commonwealth, to advocate without apology for the conditions that let people build good companies and good lives, and to ensure that the next 100 years of this organization are as consequential as the first. Happy 250th birthday, America. Virginia has been with you from the start.
Sincerely,
Brad N. Hall
President & CEO
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Explore the full collection of letters and see who else has joined Together for 250 by visiting the official time capsule: click here.
