Dear GCVCC Business Community,
I want to express my appreciation for the privilege of service you have given me over the last seven years. April 30th will be my final day with the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce. Diana Soto, the Chamber’s VP, will serve as Interim CEO as the Executive Committee conducts their search for a new Chief Executive. We have already received over 100 applications for the position, and I have every faith the committee will perform their task with distinction and welcome a new CEO that has the talent and experience to continue to build upon the success of the last several years.
Your Chamber is in a tremendous position to move forward. Financially, we have almost tripled our cash in bank since our formation in 2016 and have built a strong financial reserve. With over 1,200 members currently active, even through COVID-19 the support of our business community has remained solid. And we have been able to accomplish all of this without taking a government loan or grant of any kind during the current crises – money we felt better distributed to our hard-hit local businesses.
Your Chamber of Commerce is strong and getting stronger!
I am tremendously proud of the work we have done over the last few years. From major events to regional advocacy, the GCVCC has stayed true to its core focus – Catalyst, Convener and Champion! We have fostered tremendous relationships with regional partners like CVEP, the Greater Palm Springs CVB, Leadership Coachella Valley, the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, elected leaders from the State House in Sacramento to our local city halls, and so many more. We now have three tribal nations that have chartered into our chamber to join our six local chambers and associations, and six official city partnerships we work with. We set out in 2016 to form a truly regional chamber, and we have accomplished it.
I want to thank the many staff, board members, volunteers, community partners and chamber members, both past and present, that have contributed mightily to building this chamber. Every award, every recognition we have received, and every significant accomplishment reflects your hard work and determination.
This is your chamber, and I could not have been prouder to be associated with it for the last seven years.
Onward!
Joshua R. Bonner, IOM
President and CEO
Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce