Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti may look back someday on the merger of their
Chambers of Commerce and realize the move was even more significant than it
seemed at the time.

Not that the potential benefits of the union aren’t already apparent.

By choosing to combine their forces, the two chambers make themselves stronger and more efficient, and underscore the importance of a more regional approach in economic development.

Down the road, though, an even greater impact is possible if our financially struggling schools and governmental units look to this leadership from the business sector and consider mergers as well.

The idea of unifying the Chambers of Commerce in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti
grew out of a breakfast meeting last summer convened by Ed Pagani, who was approaching the end of his term as chairman of the Ann Arbor chamber board.

That discussion about how the two chambers could better work together
evolved into talks of merging the two organizations, a move both boards
approved earlier this month. We tip our hat to Pagani for starting the
dialogue, and to the members of both boards for understanding that these
challenging times call for bold moves and greater cooperation.

The details of the merger are still being worked out, and more information
will be announced at an event on Jan. 12. The new combined chamber has said
it will keep an office in both cities, and that’s an important commitment.
It needs to remain visible and engaged in both communities.

The merger makes sense not only from a cost standpoint in these fiscally
tight times, but also from a strategic standpoint. Economic development and
job creation work best when approached on a more coordinated, regional
basis.

We already have a basis for a regional approach through the development of
Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic development agency created through a broad
partnership of local universities, businesses and government entities. To
bring the Chambers of Commerce together in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti only adds
to our ability to act in ways that benefit the whole region.

Read other coverage John Hansen, interim president of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber, said in October that local chambers should consider consolidating services Mark Maynard calls the merger a "positive step'' but says small businesses should get more engaged with the new chamber Crain's Business Detroit and WWJ News Radio 950 report on the merger

Until now, the kinds of opportunities that exist when you have two university towns sitting side-by-side have not been leveraged to the degree they could be. But increasingly, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have come to understand how interdependent they are on each other. In the past, it’s been too easy to treat Carpenter Road as some imaginary barrier between the two communities, when in fact the economic vitality of both depends on the people and commerce moving back and forth between the two. Businesses in both communities are going to see new opportunities as a result of the chambers coming together.

We only hope that this smart, forward-thinking move on the part of the two chambers causes other entities, particularly in the public sector, to more seriously consider the advantages of mergers, consolidations and shared services.

The tough economy has forced businesses to be more pragmatic about such ideas, while governments and schools too often continue to put tradition and parochialism ahead of the cost-savings and improved services they could offer if they moved toward strategic mergers. If business leaders in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti can see the clear advantages of coming together, maybe that will open the eyes of leaders in other sectors.

(This editorial was published in today's edition of the newspaper and reflects the position of the Editorial Board of AnnArbor.com. Laurel Champion, executive vice president of AnnArbor.com, serves on the board of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce and also sits on our Editorial Board. She did not participate in our deliberations on this editorial.)