In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic havoc still growing in its wake, the Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region, the Goleta Chamber of Commerce, and the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce have united to form the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce — from Goleta to Carpinteria. "By joining forces we will be a stronger, more unified voice with the combined leadership from our three organizations in achieving our common goal to help our businesses and represent the unique qualities of our communities. Three of the driving forces for economic development on Santa Barbara County’s South Coast are merging this week to create a better business environment out of the After recent strategy meetings with leadership, the The boards of directors of all three chambers unanimously approved the merger last week, and the history-making unification becomes effective July 1.The new chamber is expected to have more than 1,100 members.“There’s definitely an economy of scale and efficiency by putting us all together to work toward a common goal that I think our members are going to feel pretty quickly,” Kristen Miller, who has served as president and CEO of the Goleta Chamber of Commerce for the last 18 years, told Miller will lead the organization as president and CEO.In a statement released Monday, chamber officials said they believe the organization will be a more effective advocate for business issues and concerns while providing vital leadership, resources and support in the face of an unprecedented economic catastrophe.Miller said a unified organization gives members the benefit of one board of directors and expert staff to focus on key pieces like advocacy with Santa Barbara County, public policy work in the region and supporting industry sectors throughout the South Coast.“As our current business climate continues to evolve, we tried to forecast our members’ future needs and give Carpinteria a stronger voice in the South County,” said Curtis Lopez, board chairman of the Carpinteria Valley chamber and a retired senior executive at Santa Barbara-based “Being a native Carpinterian, I did not take this merger lightly, but I and my fellow board members believe this is our future.”Lopez and his counterparts from the Goleta and Santa Barbara chambers — Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen and Geoff Green, CEO of the In addition, the 15-member transition committee, made up of five board members from each chamber, will continue on as the executive committee for the three chambers’ now-combined Board of Directors.Recognizing the business community has connections throughout the three cities, local leaders said the united group best represents business and community needs across government boundaries.The unique qualities of each community’s culture, events and neighborhoods will be honored and cherished while a new focus on countywide and regional issues can be addressed, the chamber statement said.Keep up with Noozhawk's daily COVID-19 coverage, delivered at 4:15 a.m. right to your inbox.The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce is eager to preserve the distinct character of each city and focus on individual needs, as well as the regional needs of the business community, according to officials.The signature events and networking opportunities of each chamber are included in the merged program of work, the statement said.
As the COVID-19 continues to spread globally, impacting commerce and communities, we are available and prepared to … © Copyright 2020 Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region, the Goleta Chamber of Commerce and the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce will be uniting to form the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce – from Goleta to Carpinteria.The new Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce will be mobilizing the power of our 1,100 members to create a better business environment out of the devastation of the current economy. The signature events and networking opportunities of each Chamber are all included in the merged program of work. We are a 501 C (6) non-profit organization. 684.5479. joyce@carpinteriachamber.org Joyce Donaldson, IOM, President & CEO of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce will serve as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer - Carpinteria Liaison, overseeing operations and Carpinteria-centric initiatives. Your Chamber is diligently working to provide valuable tools and timely resources for easy reference during this challenging time. Chamber lobbyists are some of the most powerful and most reactionary in DC. Given that events are currently prohibited by the coronavirus response, the organization is working to pivot priorities to serve members in new ways during the pandemic.The newly formed chamber is dedicated to the economic health and vitality of the South Coast.Topping the list of key work will be advocating for responsible public policy, offering networking and community-building opportunities, providing access to business development resources and supporting visitor services across the region.Joyce Donaldson, president and CEO of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce, will serve as the organization’s chief operating officer and Carpinteria liaison, overseeing operations and Carpinteria-centric initiatives.Donaldson became the president and CEO of the Carpinteria Valley Chamber in 2015, and she brings 17 years of professional chamber leadership experience.“The Carpinteria chamber board of directors and leadership teams are enthusiastic about the newly formed chamber,” she said.