Volunteer Opportunities
Opportunities to volunteer at the Chamber are available throughout the year. Build stronger relationships with other Chamber members through volunteer work in various areas, including Community Affairs, Finance, Marketing, Membership, Women in Business, the Business Fair, the annual recognition dinner, and special events. Most committees meet once a month for a couple of hours. Please contact the Chamber to let us know if you would like to join a Chamber committee.
2012 Business Fair Committee
The Santa Cruz Business Fair is Santa Cruz's premier opportunity to connect businesses, organizations, and the Santa Cruz County community face-to-face. Every year, more than 100 businesses and nonprofit organizations introduce their products and services to the more than 1,000 attendees at this popular annual event. Local food, wine, and beverage companies serve up complimentary samples of their creations. Visitors can meander through the Grand Ballroom and Sun Room to visit the exhibitor's booths and take in the gorgeous views of Monterey Bay. We invite you to get involved in planning this fun event.
Debbie Sirles - Chair, Comerica Bank
Tiffany Aris
Erin Billingsby - Marketing & PR Consultant
Kathleen Courtney
Joanna Doubleday - Equity Marketing Solutions
Lalaine Dowdell - Plan Ahead Events
Duf Fischer - Chamber Consultant, Past President
Jeffrey Heitmann - Wells Fargo Bank
Georgianne Pillsbury - Essential Space
Carlos Rodriguez - Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
Deenie Rose - Deezign Displays
Briya Serrano - Santa Cruz Derby Girls
Lana Sumati - Natural Choices
Adele Talmadge - Talmadge Construction
Bryan Williams - Avid International
Judy Zobrosky - Harmonic Living
2011 Community Affairs Committee
The Community Affairs Committee works to identify issues affecting our community and develops forums and programs to examine and act on those issues at the local and state level. The Community Affairs Committee meets monthly to review local, county, state and national legislation which directly or indirectly impacts our Chamber members, business community, and the community as a whole.
Jess Brown - Chair, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
Bonnie Lipscomb – Santa Cruz City Economic Development and Redevelopment Agency
Charles Eadie - Hamilton Swift Land Management
Cynthia Mathews – Santa Cruz City Council
David Dobson – Santa Cruz County Economic Development
David Heald - Santa Cruz County Bank
Donna Blitzer - University of California, Santa Cruz
Duf Fischer - Chamber Consultant, Past President
Gary Merrill – Santa Cruz County Business Council
John Collins – Goodwill Industries
Lynn Robinson - Santa Cruz City Council
Martina O'Sullivan - Dominican Hospital
Patrice Edwards - Times Publishing Group
Paul Zech - Santa Cruz Chamber
Peter Prindle – Prindle Properties
Deana Sessums – California League of Cities
Ted Whiting III - Santa Cruz Seaside Company
Tom Honig - Freelance Journalist
2012 Community Recognition Dinner Committee
The Annual Community Recognition Dinner & Auction Committee meets once a month beginning in the summer to plan this exciting evening. This premier event features cocktails, a silent auction, a scrumptious buffet, and our entertaining live auction. The Awards ceremony follows, with our awards for the Santa Cruz Area's Man, Woman, Business, and Organization of the Year.
2012 Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing the financial records of the Chamber, reporting to the Board on the current financial situation of the Chamber, making recommendations to the Board, and creating the annual budget for the Chamber.
Eric Summers - Chair, Comerica Bank
Angela Reed – Comerica Bank
Anne Mitchell - Anne Mitchell, CPA
Steve Mangelsen – B2B CFO
Jess Brown - Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
2012 Marketing Committee
The Marketing Committee is responsible for developing strategies to market the Chamber and its members to the Santa Cruz County community. The committee meets once a month to develop new marketing products and initiatives, explore new ways to help members build their businesses, and build awareness of the work the Chamber does to the local community.
Kirsti Scott - Chair, Scott Design Inc
Joanna Doubleday - Equity Marketing Solutions
Patrice Edwards - Times Publishing Group, Past President
Duf Fischer - Chamber Consultant, Past President
Tom Honig - Freelance Journalist
Annette McGarity - Santa Cruz Chamber
Tonée Picard - Bay Federal Credit Union
Melody Sharp - Melody Sharp Web Design
Howard Sherer - Hutton-Sherer, Past President
Adele Talmadge - Talmadge Construction
Bryan Williams - Avid International
2011 Membership Committee
The Membership Committee is responsible for growing and maintaining membership in the Chamber. The committee meets once a month to discuss membership recruitment and retention strategies, contact new and prospective members, and brainstorm on events and activities that will ensure that Chamber members get a great value from their membership.
Eric Summers - Chair, Comerica Bank
Patrice Edwards - Current Chamber President, Times Publishing Group
Adele Talmadge- Talmadge Construction
Janene Adema - Bay Federal Credit Union
Suni Patel - Super 8
Kirsti Scott - Scott Design Inc
Duf Fischer - Chamber Consultant, Past President
Bryan Williams - Avid International
Bill Tysseling - Santa Cruz Chamber, Executive Director
Annette McGarity - Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce
Paul Zech - Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
2012 Women in Business Committee
The Santa Cruz Chamber Women in Business community is one of the most active business groups in Santa Cruz. We invite you to get involved in our community though attendance at events and volunteering on the committee.
Chris Maffia - Chair, Santa Cruz County Bank
Kim Adams - Clean-Tec
Emily Blakeslee - Santa Cruz County Bank
Shannon Brady - Palo Alto Medical Group
Brianna Carabba - Lighthouse Bank
Rita Chick - American Red Cross
Loree Doan - Stewart Title
Joanna Doubleday - Equity Marketing Solutions
Serena Lynch - Annieglass
Annette McGarity - Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce
Laura Owen - Bay Federal Credit Union
Bonnie Weaver - Comerica Bank
Kalyne Foster Weisblatt - Women's Crisis Support/Defensa de Mujeres
2012 Women's Leadership Forum Committee
This one-day conference, includes outstanding speakers, networking opportunities, lunch, and a hands-on working sessions.
2012 Economic Development Council
The Economic Development Council is a collaboration of the Chamber and the City of Santa Cruz. It purpose is to improve community prosperity and quality of life through the development of the Santa Cruz economic base that includes private sector investment, supportive public policy, and levels of public services. Its mission is to increase collaboration between the City of Santa Cruz staff and electeds, the University of California Santa Cruz, and leaders from the business community.
Bonnie Lipscomb - Santa Cruz City Economic Development and Redevelopment Agency
Charles Canfield – Santa Cruz Seaside Co
Craig French – Redtree Properties
Charles Eadie - Hamilton Swift Land Management
Cynthia Mathews – Santa Cruz City Council
David Dobson – Santa Cruz County Economic Development
David Heald - Santa Cruz County Bank
Don Lane - Santa Cruz Mayor
Donna Blitzer - University of California, Santa Cruz
Donna Murphy - University of California, Santa Cruz
Duf Fischer - Chamber Consultant, Past President
George Blumenthal - University of California, Santa Cruz
Glenn Zimmermann – BTF Enterprises
Greg Carter – Attorney at Law
Hilary Bryant - Santa Cruz Vice Mayor
Jack Dilles – City of Santa Cruz
Julianna Rebagliati – City of Santa Cruz
Ken Kannappan - Plantronics
Maggie Ivy - Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council
Mark Mesiti-Miller – Mesiti-Miller Engineering
Martin Bernal – City of Santa Cruz
Matthew Thompson - Thacher and Thompson Architects
Mike Jung – Santa Cruz Sentinel
Neal Coonerty – Santa Cruz County Supervisor
Peter Koht - Santa Cruz City Economic Development and Redevelopment Agency
Peter Prindle - Prindle Properties
Ron Slack - Good Times Santa Cruz
Ryan Coonerty – Mayor, City of Santa Cruz
Gary Merrill – Santa Cruz County Business Council
Jess Brown - Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
John Collins – Goodwill industries
Lynn Robinson - Santa Cruz City Council
Martina O'Sullivan - Dominican Hospital
Patrice Edwards - Times Publishing Group
Paul Zech - Santa Cruz Chamber
Deana Sessums – California League of Cities
Ted Whiting III - Santa Cruz Seaside Company
Tom Honig - Freelance Journalist
2012 Trolley Working Group
The purpose of the trolley is to increase the engagement of downtown visitors in the beach area and of beach visitors in the downtown without increasing traffic. In addition to the obvious economic benefits, the trolley increased use of remote parking, increased the length of visitor stays, and improved visitor attraction and experience.