The Napa Chamber’s nominating committee has been working diligently to fill the upcoming openings on the Board of Directors. A matrix describing the attributes and assets of each of the outgoing directors and the business community demographics allowed the group to narrow the search by industry representation, size of business, geographical location and area of influence. “The board needs to be diverse and reflect the business community that it serves,” says Chair-Elect Debra Dommen.

Three-year Terms: Debra Dommen, Chair, Treasury Wine Estates; Ryan Gregory, Immediate Past-Chair, Riechers & Spence Associates, Inc.; Kevin Massie, Napa Ford Lincoln Mercury; Cindy Webber, Napa Valley Register; Gordon Huether, Gordon Huether Studio; Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovani, Napa Valley College; Sandy Elles, Napa County Farm Bureau; Suzanne Shiff, Napa Valley Coalition of Nonprofit Agencies.

One-year Terms: Kent Kuhlmann, Vice-Chair, Kuhlmann Associates Financial; Barry Martin, City of Napa; Beth Painter, Balanced Planning; Jeri Gill, Sustainable Napa County; Thomas Buck, Beau Wine Tours & Limousine Service; Bill Lockhart, Edward Jones.

Continuing to Serve: Cherie Knox, Chair-Elect, Redwood Credit Union; Richard Rybicki, Vice-Chair, Rybicki & Associates; Pamela Gleeson, Treasurer, Business Consultant; Clay Gregory, The Napa Valley Destination Council; Scott Adams, Comcast; John Cardinale, State Farm Insurance; Ken Frank, Vice-Chair, La Toque; Paul Hicks, Payroll Masters Inc; Cathy D’Angelo Holmes, Coldwell Banker Commercial; Sherry McKillop, Follow Your Compass; Shawn Milburn, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa; Linda Parks, Lixit Corp.; Jaime Penaherrera, Queen of the Valley Medical Center; Don Shindle, Westin Verasa Napa; Dr. Patrick Sweeney, Napa Valley Unified School District; Kevin Teague, Holme Teague Roche Anglin LLP.

Leaving the Board on December 31, 2011, will be: Randy Martinsen, Accelerated Marketing Group; Dennis Pedisich, Rabobank; Rex Stults, Napa Valley Vintners; and Jay Williamson, Williamson and Company. Their fellow Board members and the staff of the Napa Chamber appreciate their leadership and wish them well as they conclude their terms.

The Board would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the profound contribution that Julian Weidler made to the Napa Chamber and our Community. We will continue to honor him by keeping him listed as Honorary Director, In Memoriam in our Board list.

In accordance with the Napa Chamber’s Bylaws, the article published in the October newsletter issue of COMMERCE serves as mailed and written notice to the membership of the nominated slate of directors. Any Napa Chamber member in good standing who wishes to be a candidate for election must submit their name, along with a petition signed by at least five (5) members in good standing, within a ten day period of receipt of this newsletter. If legal petitions are received, a slate of candidates, listed in alphabetical order, will be mailed to all members in good standing and an election shall be held. The candidates with the greatest number of votes shall be elected at the October Board meeting. If no petitions are received, the slate reported here shall be approved by the Directors at the November Board meeting.