The Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce has spent 2008 and 2009 expanding its reach to businesses and earning recognition for its efforts. The Chamber, which has about 400 members, was the only chamber in Los Angeles to receive the first-time President’s Circle award from the California Chamber of Commerce in 2009. The organization won the award again for 2010, chamber leaders said. In 2009, the chamber launched programs such as Business Watch and We Fly As One Program. Business Watch educates businesses about how to better protect themselves and their clients, while We Fly As One Program gives members connections to 3,000 employees at Van Nuys Airport. The chamber has also promoted Valley businesses to more than 25,000 Latino consumers by hosting its Annual Latino Expo. Chamber CEO Nancy Hoffman Vanyek said one thing that sets the chamber apart from other chambers and not for profit organizations is the long-term commitment of its leaders. “We’ve been around for 99 years and in seven decades, we’ve only had five CEOs,” Vanyek said. “There’s a lot of organizations, not just chambers, that just have high staff turnovers.” Vanyek said the chamber’s biggest accomplishment is its ability to expand its outreach to its members. The chamber, she said, does this by helping businesses keep compliant with state regulation posting policies and by lowering its prices for advertisements and other services. She also said the chamber has worked hard to connect with its members. “We take a personal interest in our members,” she said. “When they come through the door, we try to know who everyone is. We try to find something personal so we can remember and know who they are and try to help them.” Chamber leaders also discuss legislation that affects businesses with elected officials. Several successful grassroots lobbying campaigns by the chamber include an Absentee Ballot Drive, Worker’s Compensation Reform and the Employment Free Choice Act.
Chamber Stays Connected With its Business Members
