Published in the January 20 – February 2, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life

Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

As the calendar turns, the Chamber of Commerce is embarking on a few new initiatives and working to improve what we are already doing. As the new chairman of the board, I’m pleased with the direction the chamber is going, and looking forward to an exciting new year. Sunday Minnich is this year’s vice-chairman, Phil Couchee is treasurer, and Fawn Meyers is secretary.

One of our major new programs is forming a government relations committee and as part of that committee we will join Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee to form a South County Political Action Committee. That committee will provide us the opportunity to interview candidates running for local office, make recommendations and/or endorsements on candidates and issues and even donate funds to certain campaigns and possibly recruit candidates we believe will be business friendly.

Board member Matthew Bowen will head that committee, and myself and President and CEO John Horner will serve on the committee as well.

Our major event committee works throughout the year on Celebrate Morgan Hill (coming Feb. 27), the summer-long Friday Night Music Series and the annual downtown Taste of Morgan Hill that includes the popular car show.

The programs committee is working on improving our monthly mixers, breakfasts and — beginning this year — business education quarterly meetings for small and home-based businesses that will be co-chaired by Rachel Hill and Jennifer Abrams. They are also looking to add quarterly power networking events — similar to speed dating — to get to know other business owners.

I’m really excited that new board member Ken Murray will head our Economic Development Committee meetings. Ken recently retired after a long and distinguished career as a technology company executive. He and the committee will create a branding and value proposition as needed tools to begin making contacts with businesses to better “sell” Morgan Hill as a place to do business. Murray also has plans to create a four-hour standard “Meet Morgan Hill” tour for business leaders to investigate the possibility of doing business here. The potential of that committee to help bring jobs — not just retail — to Morgan Hill, is very exciting.

Finally, the chamber vice-chair Minnich is gathering input to create a business plan for a potential independent visitor’s center and tourism bureau with the goal of marketing Morgan Hill as a place to eat, sleep and play. Our sports recreation facilities, natural recreation for hiking and biking, and our wineries and restaurants, give the city some unique reasons for people to visit, either for the day, the week, or longer. Minnich will chair this effort initially and collaborate with community and other groups until consensus can be found and a group is formed to operate this center. Everything the chamber does is with an eye toward continued balanced development of our community as it fulfills its role as Silicon Valley’s ultimate family lifestyle.

Not only is Robert Airoldi the editor of this paper, he will also serve this year as the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.