Committees

Joining a committee with the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce is the first step in taking full advantage of your membership in the organization. It gives you the opportunity to directly contribute to the economic prosperity of Hermosa Beach with your time and expertise, while simultaneously growing professionally and developing lasting relationships with other business leaders.

Chamber members may join up to two committees of the Chamber. Various committees have different meetings schedules and obligations. Commitment is for one year and begins each January. To join a committee, review the list below and then click the button and complete the form. For questions, email president@hbchamber.net.

Join a Committee Here

Tourism

For the person who want to learn or help build tourism in Hermosa Beach.

Chair: Andrew Gawdun, curious...
Projects: Tourism Improvement District, Truly Hermosa Magazine, Truly Hermosa website
Meetings: held as necessary
Website: (public facing) trulyhermosa.com

The Tourism Committee is tasked with putting Hermosa on the map. With a limited budget, this committee explores the tourism needs of Hermosa and aims to use marketing resources to promote Hermosa Beach.

Attend annual conference re tourism
Submit content to state agencies for promotion
Plan content for twice-annual Truly Hermosa Magazine
Provide feedback and content for Truly Hermosa website

Events

For the person who loves Chamber events and wants to help plan and execute them.

Chair: Amanda Holsinger, Beach & Beverly
Projects: Fiesta Hermosa, Locale 90254, Networking, Lunch & Learns
Meetings: quarterly meetings (with an expectation of volunteerism AT events)

The Events committee advises Chamber staff on all events produced by the Chamber.

Review and approve event plans and budgets
Approve some event vendors
Plan regular networking events
Plan regular lunch and learn events
Provide guidance to staff about interests of members

Membership & Ambassdors

For the people person who wants to connect with others regularly either at events, by phone, or email.

Chair: Marina Boulanger, Sea Sprite Hotel
Projects: Ambassador Program, Membership Recruitment (tbd), Ribbon Cuttings
Meetings: held as necessary (most is email communication)

The Membership Committee is tasked with tending to the Chamber membership and managing the Ambassador Program. Anything related to membership growth, cultivation or access is the responsibility of the committee.

Ambassadors are volunteer members who attend most networking and ribbon cutting functions to represent the Chamber. Each year new Ambassadors are recruited and the Chamber provides guidance and instruction as well as a name badge for attending events. All Ambassadors get directly invited to events and are expected to attend the majority of those events.

Monthly reach out to all new members to welcome them to the Chamber
Attend ribbons cuttings and new member orientations
Act as a resource for members
Recruit new members
Manage the Ambassador Program
Celebrate member anniversaries
Plan membership recruitment projects and events

Marketing

For the person who has marketing skills and can contribute to making plans and/or suggesting ideas to market the Chamber, Hermosa Beach, and events.

Chair: Kathy Knoll, Uncorked
Projects: Each individual event, specific projects
Meetings: held bi-annually

The marketing committee overlaps in concept with Tourism and Events but focuses specifically on providing Chamber staff direction for all marketing campaigns.

Truly Hermosa Instagram and TikTok efforts
Digital advertising for tourism
Advertising events (Fiesta, Locale, sidewalk sales)
Organic efforts to increase exposure (Facebook groups, profile, engagement)
Email campaigns (Promotions and Beach Bulletin)

Advocacy

For the person who genuinely wants to help businesses and has no fear of writing letters of support and/or attending meetings to advocate for a business's needs.

Chair: Dave Davis, Hermosa Brewing Company
Projects: Outdoor Dining, individual business requests
Meetings: held as necessary (mostly email or text)

The Advocacy Committee represents individual members or broad topic issues as needed. This includes advising and recommending official Chamber support for issues like CUP modifications, outdoor dining, music, etc. This committee is a member benefit and thus it is the committee’s responsibility to hear concerns and issues and decide what actions to take.

Letters of support to the City or other agency
Attend meetings if requested with business
Recruit support for topics committee chooses to endorse
Act as a resource for businesses seeking support

Economic Development Action Committee (EDAC)

Economic Development Action Committee

For the person who loves to be a part of projects that help economic vibrancy in Hermosa Beach.

Chair: Tony Cordi, The Innate Group
Projects: Boards Across Hermosa, Economic Development Strategy, Downtown BID
Meetings: meetings for projects happen regularly as needed
Websites: hbchamber.net/boardsacrosshermosa and hbchamber.net/edac

The EDAC committee’s focus is to collectively think creatively about how to boost our local economy and support businesses. Topics of focus can be as broad as big picture long-term Economic Development for the City or as narrow as the Boards Across Hermosa art project.

Run the annual Boards Across Hermosa project
Follow and participate in the City’s Economic Development Strategy process
Advocate for issues on the approved Economic Development Strategy
Conceive and implement fresh ideas to engage residents with Hermosa businesses

Municipal Code & Zoning

For the person who loves complex puzzles and wants to help provide feedback to the City in their efforts to update code that impacts business and economic vibrancy.

Chair: Tony Cordi, The Innate Group
Projects: Comprehensive Zoning Update
Meetings: tbd

A committee for our city's Comprehensive Zoning Update (Zone-In). It has been 40+ years since our city has conducted a thorough review of policies and regulations that govern land use and development within our community. Many of these updates have the potential to affect our businesses now and into the foreseeable future. Due to the enormous staff resources allocated to the Housing Element, the City had paused all Zone-In meetings for the past year and anticipate they will resume these efforts in the beginning of 2024.

Municipal Code: http://online.encodeplus.com/regs/hermosabeach-ca/doc-viewer.aspx?tocid=001#secid-6

Assess upcoming City and Planning Commission reports
When relevant, participate in municipal meetings (ie submit public comment)
Advocate for business interests related to zoning and municipal code actions
Make recommendations to the full board for Chamber official positions

HERmosa Circle (Woman's Group)

For the woman+ who wants to find community in the support of other women in business.

Chair: Kaci McCrossen, Flip Your Energy
Projects: Women’s Month, Networking
Meetings: every other month
Website: hbchamber.net/HERmosa

HERmosa Circle is an inclusive women+ in business networking group. They’re mission is to empower, inspire and collaborate to ignite our strengths with like-minded individuals and have fun doing it. The committee has a self-appointed board of directors (volunteers) who coordinate the committee’s activities and focus on recruitment.

Provide networking opportunities for women in business
Provide an annual fundraiser for a cause during Women’s Month
Create experiential activities to grow
Free membership with encouragement to join the Chamber

Spartans (Men's Group)

For the men who want to network with other like-minded professionals.

Chair: Tim Hall, Tim Hall Branding
Projects: Community building
Meetings: held monthly
Website: hbchamber.net/spartans

This committee is a community of professional men dedicated to support, inspiration, and growth. Group activities foster both business and personal growth, and as a whole the group seeks to build a long-term community of men who have a sense of belonging and connection through common interests and professions.