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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Agoura Moves Forward With More Events

When longtime executive director of the Agoura Oak Park Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce Patricia Soteras died in October of a heart attack, some of the business group’s members wondered who could fill her shoes. Soteras, after all, had helmed the chamber for seven years and is credited with shepherding it through a period of rough financial waters and dwindling enrollment numbers. By the time Soteras died, it had grown from 150 members to 1,200, taking the title as the third largest chamber of commerce in the San Fernando Valley area. Soteras’ death “was a big blow,” said chamber director Dennis Burns. But the Agoura Hills-based chamber board quickly found a suitable replacement Alex Soteras, Patricia Soteras’ son who served as vice president of the chamber. He started earlier this year. “We thought instead of going through a search for an executive director, Alex would fill that role. Alex wanted to do that,” said Chamber President Louis Masry. “It was really a pretty easy choice,” Burns said. “He knew the ropes and knew the members. And it came affordable he came free.” Soteras said it was logical for him to take the reins since he knew much of the inner-workings of the chamber from his mom. “I helped her run the chamber when she was here and probably brought in 80 percent of the new members,” he said. “The board wanted me to continue on what we built.” By volunteering his time and not paying for an executive director, the chamber also saves money, even though most chambers of its size in the area have at least some full-time staff. Soteras is also the owner of Soteras Mortgage. Burns, who serves as director of marketing for Ventura-based CPS Publishing, said the chamber now is focused on moving forward. “Alex has been spending a lot of time focusing on what (his mother) did and really picked up the ball and didn’t miss a beat,” he said. So far this year, the chamber has increased its breakfasts from quarterly to monthly and has held more business grand openings. The chamber is also planning a scholarship in honor of Patricia Soteras with a June ceremony and is working to expand membership in Thousand Oaks. Burns said the chamber has also benefited from Alex Soteras’ role as director on the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley. Soteras said the decision for him to volunteer is not a sign that the chamber, which grappled with financial problems several years ago, is having any trouble. “I’m just saving the chamber money,” he said. While the Agoura chamber listed its budget in 2006 at $850,000, compared to $525,000 in 2004, “the chamber operates on a real thin budget,” Burns said. “We get no support from the city like most chambers do.” (The 975-member Burbank Chamber of Commerce, for example, had a budget last year of $642,000, and had several full time staff members, including an executive director.) More Area Officials Inducted Verdugo’s LaBella CEO of Year The president and CEO of Verdugo Hills Hospital was named “CEO of the Year” by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. Leonard LaBella received the honor at a State of the City and Awards luncheon on March 22. He was honored for improving the hospital’s financial stability and increasing revenue and patient numbers. The award recognizes successful business leadership by a chamber member. ,Chris Coates LaBella Recently inducted officials at area chambers. Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ken Doyle; Chair Emeritus John Dokken; Secretary Robert Cabral; Treasurer Susan Murata; and board members Cheryl Alatorre, Robert Allison, Lisa Bailey, Mark Boos Benhard, Graham Brearley, Bob Devereux, Megan Fox, Madeline Hess, Michael V. Howe, Yoon Hugh, Mark T. Jessee, Tony Kourounis, Rick Lemmo, Alexander Lopez, Jim Overholt, Nicole Schmitt, Gary Wartik and Mike Wildermuth. Mid Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of directors Selena B. Birk, Ross Bradder, Michael Fiore, Peter Green, Kenneth Keller, Barry Leonard, Asher Levin, Lynn Levitt, Richard Pohl, Shirl Powell, Stephen M. Rousso, Bert Seneca, Larry Shaw, Stacey Siegel, Duke Tonry and Joman Wong. Universal City North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President Tony Safoian; President-Elect and CFO Vic Viereck; Vice President Gloria Gold; Secretary Jennifer Fitzgerald; Past President Annie Reed; Legal Counsel Steve Rubin; Honorary Mayor Beverly Garland; directors Harry Myers, Gary Justice, Herb Pencille, Jim Kaplan, Bob Robertson, Carl Kleinman, Jack Witt, Nick Krall, Marilyn Bradbury, Linda Fulton, Kirk Jaffe, Bentley Mooney, Bert Seneca, Bryan Pines and Thomas Soule.

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