When I was first asked to explain my vision, I thought, “Wow, it’s a lot of things:  membership retention and growth, throwing fabulous Chamber events and programs, working in tandem with the City, Conference and Visitors Bureau, Rodeo Drive Committee and of course, Chamber members;” but what is my vision for the next year?

Chairwoman, Jennifer Kullmann at the Summer Garden Party and Board Member Installation

It’s a simple phrase that can apply to our Chamber, our City, our Country and our Planet. It is something that we deal with in our personal lives as well; embracing change. Embracing is holding something or someone closely; giving someone a hug. In today’s context, it is accepting and supporting something willingly and enthusiastically. That something is change. Change is the act of becoming different. Which is why my vision for the year is to embrace change.

I will go through some of these upcoming changes and how we can accept and support them, willingly and enthusiastically. We have competition popping up around us, and we have a BOLD Initiative to counter it. We have Chamber members renewing and joining. We want you to feel a membership experience worthy of your time. One that embraces your business and the changes you are experiencing. I will begin with the BOLD Initiative, which stands for Beverly Hills Open Later Days. Visit the City every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in August to enjoy evening shopping until 8 p.m., live entertainment, fashion influencer events and restaurant specials throughout the Golden Triangle. I am here to tell you that we as a Chamber wholeheartedly embrace BOLD. We look forward to working in tandem with the City to build upon BOLD, to aggressively pursue it and to keep progress in our City, and enhance it further well beyond the August initiative. I encourage anyone with their own BOLD ideas to bring it to us. Let’s keep this City relevant and let us compete!

Embracing change involves everyone; Chamber members, the City, and the residents. We all need to come together to make this City even more vibrant, to keep it a worldwide destination for tourists, and to help it maintain its excellence as a city in which to do business. In the next fiscal year, we will continue to focus on membership. First and foremost, retaining the interest and involvement of our existing members. We want an even better understanding of all of our members and how to keep you all motivated to stay involved. What are your wants and needs? How can we as a Chamber fulfill them? These are the questions I am resolute in answering and I look forward to doing so by getting to know each and every one of you better, continuing to build upon our great success thus far and attracting new membership, focusing on young professionals, social media influencers, new businesses, small and large, and why not, lets focus on the women of the Chamber!

I would also like to acknowledge all the people who have volunteered to serve on the Chamber Board of Directors in the coming year. This group is integral to the success of the Chamber. Congratulations, and thank you in advance for your service in the next 2017-2018 year. For a listing of our 2017-2018 Board of Directors, click here.

I want to inspire everyone to support something different. Embrace change so that the potential of this City and this Chamber is maximized and nothing is beyond reach. My commitment to everyone is that I accept my new role enthusiastically, and I look forward to a great year.