The Evolution of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber Annual Meeting

The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting has transformed from a modest business gathering into a massive regional celebration over the last 120 years.

What began as a localized professional assembly has expanded to include thousands of attendees and a roster of nationally recognized figures, according to the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. This growth tracks the broader economic and cultural expansion of the Sioux Falls region, moving from small-scale meetings to large-scale productions in premier venues.

The scale of these gatherings has shifted alongside the city’s infrastructure. As the community grew, so did the need for larger spaces to accommodate the increasing interest from business leaders, politicians, and entertainers.

From radio legends to presidential visits

The 1970s marked a period where the Annual Meeting established its reputation for attracting high-profile guests. In 1974, the Chamber hosted radio commentator Paul Harvey, followed by former President Gerald Ford in 1978. South Dakota native Tom Brokaw also joined the guest list in 1979, beginning a long relationship with the event that would see him return in 1993 and 2008.

The guest list continued to diversify throughout the following decades, pulling influential voices from various sectors of American life:

1986: Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today
1987: Vice President George H. W. Bush and CBS News correspondent Charles Kuralt
1994: CBS sportscaster Pat O’Brien
1999: Astronaut and former U.S. Senator John Glenn
2006: U.S. Senator John McCain
2009: Steve Forbes, chairman and CEO of Forbes Media
2011: Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
2013: Miami Heat president Pat Riley

This era of programming shows how the Chamber used celebrity and political influence to increase the event's prestige. While political figures like Bush and McCain provided civic weight, media personalities like Neuharth and Brokaw connected the local business community to the national conversation.

Scaling with new venues

The physical footprint of the meeting has changed to match its rising popularity. In 1997, the Chamber held its 91st Annual Meeting at the newly opened Sioux Falls Convention Center. During this first large-scale event in the new facility, U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin addressed more than 1,200 attendees.

John glenn at global initiative annual meeting held at sheraton hotel

Just two years later, the event moved to the Washington Pavilion, which had opened only four months prior, to host former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn. The Chamber later reached a centennial milestone in 2006, themed “Foundations of Progress.” That year, U.S. Senator John McCain served as the featured speaker for a crowd of 2,051, marking the largest attendance recorded at the Convention Center at that time.

The move toward entertainment-heavy programming became even more pronounced with the opening of the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. In 2014, the 108th Annual Meeting, titled “The PREMIER Event of the Year,” featured the rock band Chicago and drew a record 3,379 attendees. A decade later, the Chamber returned to the PREMIER Center to welcome the band REO Speedwagon for the 118th Annual Meeting.

Year	Event/Guest	Theme/Venue	Approximate Attendance
1997	Robert Rubin	Sioux Falls Convention Center	1,200+
2006	John McCain	Foundations of Progress	2,051
2014	Chicago	The PREMIER Event of the Year	3,379

The 2024 celebration, themed “Keep Pushin’ On,” maintained this tradition of integrating major entertainment into the civic schedule. While the venues, audiences, and guest lists have changed dramatically over 120 years, the Chamber maintains that the underlying purpose remains the same: bringing the business community together to celebrate progress and look toward the future.

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