This chamber of commerce is all business

When is a chamber of commerce not really a chamber of commerce? When it's a for-profit company that's doesn't do the meat-and-potatoes work like promoting economic development and business issues.

So say officials with nonprofit chambers across Florida who warned members last week about telephone solicitations from someting called Regional Chamber of Commerce. "This is a business, not an organization," said Michelle Orlando, executive director of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals. "The money goes into somebody's pocket."

After receiving complaints from chambers in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach, she called the toll-free number without identifying herself and was told the "region" that the business covers is the entire United States.

A phone solicitor pledged to mail information about benefits such as group health and life insurance -- the kind of extras nonprofit chambers offer to entice new members. A message left at the number by a reporter Friday was not returned.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce told Orlando the address of the Regional Chamber is a Mailboxes Etc. postal box, and solicitations are coming from a call center in Toronto, she said.

There's nothing illegal about calling your business a chamber of commerce and selling memberships. But Orlando's group is lobbying in Tallahasse to trademark the name solely for nonprofits.

This new pitch is particularly deceptive, said Russ Sloan, president of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. A member told him the caller identified the group as "your chamber of commerce" when asking for the $380 dues for two years.

"What's maddening is these guys don't do the grunt work -- sign ordinances, the rezonings, the water and transportation issues that affect the community," Sloan said.

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