In addition to lobbying on behalf of the business community at the New Jersey State House and in Washington, the Chamber provides members with networking events, educational programs and money-saving discounts.
[1] In 1911, a group of New Jersey businessmen including Thomas Edison petitioned for the establishment of a state chamber of commerce.
They considered governor Woodrow Wilson was pushing policies seen as antagonistic towards business, and were also spurred into action by the 1911 Supreme Court decision ordering a breakup of Standard Oil of New Jersey for contravening antitrust laws.
[2] Since 1937,[3] the Chamber has sponsored an annual lobbying/business networking event called the "Walk to Washington," in which state business leaders and elected officials traveled together by chartered train (most recently on Amtrak) from Newark to Washington (with stops in New Brunswick, Metropark station (Iselin, Woodbridge Township), Trenton, Philadelphia, and Wilmington) to meet with the state's congressional delegation.
"[6] In response to complaints of inappropriate behavior on the train, the Chamber adopted a zero tolerance policy and banned hard alcohol in 2020.