WHAT WE DO
CONNECT
We create opportunities for networking, partnerships, and member collaboration.
This is where relationships get built. The Chamber’s Connect programs range from casual after-hours meetups to the premier annual banquet – but they all share the same purpose: getting McAlester’s business community in the same room, talking to each other, and finding ways to work together. Some of these events are how people first discover what the Chamber is about. Others are the reason members renew year after year.
FREQUENCY
Every other month (alternates with Coffee & Commerce)
FORMAT
Open networking · Casual atmosphere
ATTENDANCE
Free · Open to members and guests
SPONSORSHIP
Event Sponsor ($500) — includes recognition on all marketing. Can include complimentary drinks for attendees at Sponsor’s discretion.
Chamber on Tap
Bi-Monthly · After-Hours Networking
The casual end of the Chamber’s networking calendar. Chamber on Tap is a free, after-hours event held at Spaceship Earth Coffee Company or BierKraft in downtown McAlester. No agenda, no presentations – just a room full of local business people, a drink in hand, and the kind of conversation that turns a business card into a partnership.
This is the event where new members usually get their first taste of the Chamber community. The atmosphere is relaxed, the barrier to entry is zero, and the connections are real.
FREQUENCY
Every other month (alternates with Chamber on Tap)
FORMAT
Morning networking at a member business · Coffee and breakfast provided by host
ATTENDANCE
Free · Open to all members
SPONSORSHIP
Venue Host — host at your business and cover coffee and breakfast
Coffee & Commerce
Bi-Monthly · Morning Networking at Member Businesses
The morning counterpart to Chamber on Tap. Coffee & Commerce rotates to a different member business every other month – the host opens their doors, provides coffee and breakfast, and gets to show off their space, their team, and anything new they’ve got going on.
It’s a networking event, but it’s also an open house. Hosting a Coffee & Commerce is one of the best ways for a member business to get 30–40 local professionals through their door in a single morning.
FREQUENCY
Quarterly
FORMAT
Catered lunch + keynote speaker or panel
ATTENDANCE
Ticketed ($12 – covers lunch) · Open to all members
SPONSORSHIP
Luncheon Sponsor ($500) – exclusive per-event sponsorship with speaking opportunity, signage, and promotional materials at every seat
Business@Lunch
Quarterly Luncheon Series
Four times a year, the Chamber brings in a speaker on a topic that matters to local business — economic development, technology, workforce trends, industry-specific deep dives. It’s a catered lunch, a presentation, and a room full of people who run businesses in McAlester.
Past topics have ranged from turnpike authority infrastructure updates to AI in small business. The goal is practical: bring useful information to the people who can act on it.
FREQUENCY
As scheduled throughout the year
FORMAT
Luncheon with featured speaker
ATTENDANCE
Ticketed · Open to members and guests
SPONSORSHIP
Presenting Sponsor ($500), Food Sponsor ($250), Cocktail Sponsor ($350)
Women’s Network
Event Series · Women in Business
The Women’s Network celebrates and connects women in business and leadership across the McAlester area. These luncheon events feature speakers, meaningful conversation, and a setting designed to be both polished and genuinely welcoming.
It’s a space for women professionals to build relationships, share what they’re learning, and support each other — whether they’re running a business, leading a team, or just getting started. The Chamber believes that investing in women’s professional growth strengthens the entire business community.
FREQUENCY
Annual (October)
FORMAT
Dinner, awards ceremony, annual meeting
ATTENDANCE
Ticketed · Open to members and community
SPONSORSHIP
Title ($5,000), Premiere ($2,500), Silver ($1,200), Table Sponsor ($500), Music Sponsor ($1,000), Video Sponsor ($1,000)
Annual Banquet
Signature Annual Event · October
The biggest night on the Chamber calendar. The Annual Banquet is part celebration, part annual meeting, and part awards ceremony — recognizing the businesses and individuals who made McAlester better this year. It’s consistently the most well-attended Chamber event of the year, with close to 35 sponsored tables filling the room.
This is where the community shows up. Business owners, civic leaders, elected officials, and members from every industry sit down together to reflect on the year and look ahead. Awards are presented, accomplishments are honored, and the energy in the room is a reminder of why this community works.
FREQUENCY
Annual (June)
FORMAT
Four-man scramble · Shotgun start
ATTENDANCE
Up to 18
SPONSORSHIP
Multiple tiers and add-on opportunities including hole sponsors, drink cart, and golf ball drop
Chamber Golf Classic
Annual Fundraiser · June
A four-man scramble, shotgun start, 15–18 teams, and one of the most fun days on the Chamber’s calendar. The Golf Classic is a fundraiser, a networking event, and — let’s be honest — an excuse to spend a day outside with people you actually like doing business with.
Beyond the tournament itself, there are sponsor opportunities at every turn: hole sponsors, drink cart, the always-popular golf ball drop, and more. The committee that runs this event is solid, the format is dialed in, and the vibe is exactly what you’d hope for — competitive enough to be interesting, casual enough to actually talk to people.
FORMAT
Ongoing — member businesses offer perks to fellow members
VISIBILITY
Featured placement in the Member Directory for participating businesses
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Add your perk through your Member Directory profile
Member2Member Perks
Ongoing Member Benefit
Member2Member Perks is a simple idea that makes the membership more valuable for everyone: Chamber members offer exclusive discounts, deals, or special rates to other Chamber members. A discount on services, a free consultation, a preferred rate — anything that says “we take care of our own.”
Members who offer a perk get highlighted in a featured section at the top of the online Member Directory — more visibility for their business, and a tangible reason for other members to choose local first. We’re rebuilding this program with the new website and encouraging every member to participate. If you’ve got something to offer your fellow members, this is the place to do it.
