Members overwhelmingly vote to join regional chamber
Cathedral City, CA – January 17, 2017: The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce (GCVCC) is set to add another strong partner this summer. The Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce has successfully completed a vote of membership that will merge the organization with the new regional chamber.
The Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce is one of the oldest chambers in the valley, founded in 1937 and incorporated April 1‚ 1941. The Chamber has a proud tradition of supporting a growing small business base in the Cathedral City area. “The Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce has been a staunch supporter of our business community for almost 80 years” says Lesa Bodnar, Board Chair. “As we look to move our business membership forward and expand our sphere of influence, the GCVCC became a logical partner. We are looking forward to serving this community for another 80 years with this partnership.”
The GCVCC is a collaborative organization made up of a unique partnership of local city, tribal and business interests. Originally formed in the summer of 2016, it is a joint venture created by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, Coachella Chamber of Commerce, Indio Chamber of Commerce, La Quinta Chamber of Commerce, and the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. It currently maintains contractual service agreements with the cities of Coachella, Indio and La Quinta.
“The GCVCC was formed on the principle of collaboration and shared resources” says Jason Schneider, GCVCC Board Chair. “We believe as one of our core principles that we can more efficiently serve our business members and community partners by working together. Adding the Cathedral City Chamber to our partnership amplifies that commitment to our valley, and ultimately makes our organization stronger.” The GCVCC currently has over 1,300 members, making it one of the largest chambers in California. With the addition of Cathedral City, membership is expected to grow to approximately 1,500 members.
The Cathedral City Chamber ratified the new partnership with the GCVCC after a lengthy and detailed process that included careful study of several options, including other potential partnerships and the possibility of staying independent. “Ultimately the
Cathedral City Chamber Board of Directors felt the GCVCC was the soundest path
forward”, said Bodnar. The full Membership was asked in December to vote on a referendum that would solidify the partnership. By an overwhelming margin of participating members, the proposal was adopted with 87% in favor of the move.
The Cathedral City Chamber will now begin the process of completing the merge by July 1, 2017. The process will include the formation of a Business District Board of Directors, as well as placement of representation on the GCVCC Board of Directors. “We are fortunate to have worked through this process previously” says Joshua Bonner, President and CEO of the GCVCC. “We anticipate a smooth transition to take place over the next few months. The Cathedral City Chamber can start leveraging some of our resources immediately, with the full integration complete by the target date.”
About the Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce
Since its incorporation in 1941, the Chamber has been committed to support, preserve and develop business in Cathedral City. The Chamber of Commerce is comprised of business owners and leaders dedicated to the interests of the City and its business community.
The Chamber’s elected Board of Directors is an active and involved group of business executives and owners, each of whom offers insight and real-world experience to guide the Chamber toward reaching its goals. It works in conjunction with its membership to address business issues that affect the City.
About the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) is a regional chamber of commerce representing the business interests of over 1,300 members in the Coachella Valley. It was formed as a partnership between the Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. The Chamber is one of the largest regional chambers in California. For more information visit www.GCVCC.org.