AACG was formed in 1993 after the City of Columbus created a Minority Business Program that did not include Asian-American owned businesses. At the time, the Asian American community in Central Ohio was not politically active and mostly socialized among their own ethnic groups. The formation of the Asian American Commerce Group served as a catalyst to unite these distinct ethnic groups under one voice and increased their economic and political impact in the region. Culturally, AACG supported the Asian Festival in bringing the Asian community together to create one of the largest Asian Festivals in the nation. In 2000, after years of lobbying by the AACG and the Asian community, the City of Columbus extended the Minority Business Program to include Asian-American owned businesses.

In the last twenty years, AACG has fostered the advancement of the Asian American community by providing resources to grow the Asian American business community. Furthermore, AACG has lobbied for the inclusion of Asian Americans in all aspects of our society.