Chamber Welcomes 2022-2023 Board of Directors

The Chamber is excited to welcome these new board members joining the board for the 2022- 2023 fiscal year, or returning for a second term.

With the start of the new fiscal year, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber is excited to introduce new members to its Board of Directors. The Chamber, Visitor Bureau, and Economic Development Commission are led by a unified Board of Directors, made up of senior executives from member companies and partner organizations. The Board provides strategic and policy guidance to ensure the Chamber’s program of work serves the best interest of our members and the Santa Maria Valley community.

“We are thankful to have a great group of local leaders serving on our Chamber Board,” said Glenn Morris, President/CEO for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “These individuals have chosen to volunteer time in their already busy schedules to serve our organization and in term, help us champion our business community. We are thankful for their commitment to making the Santa Maria Valley a great place to live, work and do business.”

The Chambers’ Executive Committee for the 2022-2023 fiscal year is as follows:

• Chair: Sandra Dickerson, Your People Professionals

• Chair-Elect: Paul Cook, CoastHills Credit Union

• Vice Chair: Shannon Seifert, Santa Maria Valley YMCA

• Vice Chair: Laurie Tamura, Urban Planning Concepts/Rural Planning Services

• Past Chair: Danny Deveraux, CalPortland

The following individuals are new members of the board and have been elected to serve their first three-year term:

• Sue Andersen, President and CEO, Marian Regional Medical Center

• Michael Boyer, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast

• Gina Gluyas, Realtor, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Haven Properties

• Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D., Superintendent/President, Allan Hancock College

Additionally, the following board members have been re-elected to serve their second three-year term:

• Dominick Barry, President, Quintron Systems, Inc.

• Chris Hastert, General Manager, Santa Maria Public Airport District

• Emily Kitts, Owner/Operator, Naughty Oak Brewing Company

• Max Tucker, General Manager, Best Western Plus Big America

These individuals will join 14 other existing board members. A full list of Chamber board members can be found on page 3.

Incoming Chair Sandra Dickerson says as a local business owner, she has a longterm interest in the community and its businesses, and serving on the Chamber Board provides another opportunity to engage in the work that supports her small business clients.

“As a local resident of Santa Maria, I also wanted to continue a long history of volunteering for organizations that help enhance life here,” Dickerson explained. “Additionally, I have watched the high quality of work of our Chamber staff, and wanted to also support that work.”

Dickerson says as board chair, she hopes to bring more awareness to what is happening in the local community that may affect local business.

“My primary goal for this next year is to increase the opportunities for our board members to know what is happening in our community and how those things will or may impact our members’ businesses. From there, we can identify actions or policies to help members address those where possible. Another goal is to continue to look for ways for members to help and support other members.”

Additionally, Dickerson says that following two years where COVID has prevented our ability to get together, it’s important to remind members re-engage with the Chamber and the many networking opportunities the organization provides.

It’s also a time for us to work together to share information about our “new normal” and other business changes the pandemic has brought.

New Chamber Board member Sue Andersen agrees that assisting local businesses with the challenges brought on by COVID should continue to be a priority of the Chamber. “I think continuing to help businesses to rebound from the pandemic while dealing with the challenge of rising prices and staffing shortages is an important role the Chamber should continue to play locally,” Andersen said. “As a local leader, It is so important to be a part of the community and volunteer to help make it the best it can be. I look forward to working with the other leaders in our community.”

The new Chamber board members began their term July 1st, and will be formally inducted to the Board of Directors at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Gala later this summer. The Chamber is thankful for the dedication these individuals have to serving and bettering the Santa Maria Valley community.

“I believe business owners and others in leadership roles should share their knowledge and expertise to help their community,” Chamber Board Chair Santa Dickerson said. “Volunteering for these positions is a great way to do that. Also, there has been a lot of focus on what drives employee retention lately, and a company’s community involvement is regularly identified as something that attracts employees!”

If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities with the Chamber, contact Molly Schiff, Director of Member & Community Engagement, at molly@santamaria.com.