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Duarte Chamber reports membership gains, seeks full‑time executive director
Summary
The Duarte Chamber told the council it grew membership to 154, posted modest net revenue through April and plans a search for a permanent, full‑time executive director while continuing programs and a shop‑local push.
A Duarte Chamber representative told the City Council the chamber increased membership from 135 to 154 between June (last year) and the end of April, representing approximately 14% growth, and summarized activities and upcoming events for the city.
The presenter said the chamber’s year‑to‑date net revenue as of April 30 was $32,884 and described a slate of programs, ribbon‑cuttings, a job fair that drew roughly 150 job seekers and 25 employers, and publicity tied to an upcoming San Gabriel Valley Women’s Summit (May 15). The chamber also previewed a shop‑local initiative and a membership spotlight series.
On staffing, the chamber said it will begin a search in June for a permanent, full‑time executive director and will post an RFP; the interim leader described her role as a “turnaround” CEO and said she will remain involved during transition and training of the incoming leader.
Dr. Endelmann, president of the Duarte Chamber board, thanked the city for its cooperation and emphasized the desire to secure full‑time leadership for day‑to‑day operations. The chamber said it will continue workforce development, social media promotion and business‑support programming, and asked the city for cooperation in sharing local business contact information when appropriate for outreach.
Why it matters: the chamber’s activities are tied to local business promotion, workforce events and preparations tied to larger regional opportunities such as LA28 contracting targets the presenter noted (25% of LA28 contracts aimed at SBA‑certified small businesses).
The council asked for clearer accounting of total city support and rent subsidies to the chamber; the chamber agreed to add a line showing city‑provided rent or in‑kind support to the income section and to provide a breakdown of city funds vs. other revenue sources.
There was no formal council action on the presentation; council members praised the chamber’s increased engagement and suggested further collaboration on social‑media outreach and local business listings.
