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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

North Valley Chamber Head Resigns

After six years of service during which he helped transform the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce into one of the largest chambers in the area Wayne Adelstein stepped down as president Sept. 14. “It was getting time to move on and for a change,” explained Adelstein, who has decided to pursue business opportunities related to his company, Decision Publications. “I came here with some goals in mind. I’ve accomplished those goals, and it’s now time to move on and for someone to move and take it to another level.” Arguably, Adelstein’s crowning achievement is that he grew the chamber from fewer than 100 members to more than 600 members. “He’s fostered good relationships that are key,” chamber member and Morgan Peabody Inc. financial planner Dennis DeYoung said. “He’s done a real good job putting people in contact with the right people. It’s advancing the role (of the chamber) and lobbying for small business.” Under Adelstein’s direction, the chamber reached out to small businesses by developing networking clusters for women’s services, senior services, special events and entertainment. There is also a home improvement breakfast cluster and a Tuesday morning breakfast cluster. By offering weekly meeting opportunities and biweekly mixers, Adelstein believes the chamber has been better able to build both relationships and networking opportunities within the business community. The mixers routinely attract between 125 and 175 attendees. “I look at people taking advantage of that,” Adelstein said. “That’s the most important number to me. I’m proud of that.” The amount of renewals the chamber has garnered each year is also important to Adelstein. “The chamber has a renewal rate of about 70 percent,” he said. “I’ve been more interested not in actual membership numbers but in renewals,” he said. That’s because Adelstein’s biggest challenge over the years has been convincing those in the business community, especially owners of small businesses, that it’s in their best interest to participate in the chamber. Chamber board member and senior services chairman Thomas Christopher believes it’s a challenge that Adelstein has met. “Wayne made it very relevant to individual business owners, not just larger businesses,” Christopher said. “He brought the understanding to individual businesses that they’d want to spend their time being involved in an organization like the chamber.” Partnering with the Valley Industry & Commerce Association, the Valley Economic Development Center, the Small Business Development Center and the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley has only strengthened the chamber’s outreach efforts, according to Adelstein. “It often creates these opportunities for businesses to interface on a regular basis, and it has been very satisfying,” he said. Brendan Huffman, VICA president and CEO, said that Adelstein built up both the chamber and VICA. “Especially in the (chamber’s) customer service department,” Huffman said. “He was a very successful and active business leader in that community. I think he’s leaving on a high note. Wayne is on the VICA board. He’s very involved. He’s very thoughtful.” By virtue of his background and personal connections, DeYoung believes that Adelstein created even more opportunities for businesses. “The good thing, I think, about Wayne as president is that he knows everyone when it comes to politicians, councilmen, school board members, assemblymen,” DeYoung said. “He’s got a very impressive resume and that was a key asset.” That resume has enabled Adelstein to put the right people in contact with one another, DeYoung stressed. Adelstein’s years as chamber head were not without controversy. In 2004, the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber reportedly insinuated that Adelstein and his then Northridge/Porter Ranch Chamber had poached its members by assuming the Porter Ranch name, a claim Adelstein contested. Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber head Bill Powers gave a succinct reply about Adelstein’s departure. “We wish Mr. Adelstein the best of luck and we hope that this will open up opportunity for chambers to cooperate again in the Northwest Valley,” he said. No successor has been named for Adelstein, and no deadline has been set to find a replacement for him, according to chamber treasurer Sharon Wolfe. Wolfe said that the board will take its time in finding a suitable successor for Adelstein. “He’ll have big shoes to fill,” Wolfe said of the next chamber president. “The person would have to be large in the community and active in the community. I don’t think anyone can fill Wayne’s shoes. He was one of a kind. He’s been extraordinary for the chamber and the community. He brought the chamber from practical bankruptcy to being a viable entity.” Christopher agrees, calling Wayne’s impact on the chamber tremendous. “Even in the two years that I’ve been a member, he has been the driving force behind the growth in the chamber,” he said. “The main thing his successor will have to do is keep the momentum and energy that Wayne brought.” Adelstein himself believes that the chamber may need to restructure and redefine existing programs after his departure. Particularly, his successor will have to enhance programs and market them to appropriate segments of the local business community.

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