BEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
R OHNERT PARK CHAMBER
“The chamber is here to serve our business owners and businesses with programs and services to assist them in their success, while working to sustain a strong and vibrant economy.” —Lisa Orloff, CEO
By Alexandra Russell
T he Rohnert Park Chamber of year in a row, it’s been voted Best Chamber of Commerce in the annual NorthBay biz readers’ poll. “The chamber is here to serve our business owners and businesses with programs and services to assist them in their success, while working to sustain a strong and vibrant economy,” says Lisa Orloff, chamber CEO since 2015. The chamber currently has 368 Commerce was founded in 1963, just one year after the city itself was incorporated. And for the third
members—and a staff of two: Orloff and Administrative Assistant Jennie Simpson. “The saying, ‘It takes a village,’ is so true for us,” says Orloff. “We have a very supportive board of directors providing us guidance and support. We also have a very active group of ambassadors who assist at all of our events and are liaisons to our members [continually] reaching out to prospective members. As a fellow business owner, it’s much more impactful for them to share the benefits of membership than [it is for me to do it].” Among those benefits are regularly scheduled networking events including breakfasts, lunches and after-hours mixers hosted by member businesses. “Our members are not required to attend any of our networking events, but it’s great to offer so many of them—and at different times of the day, which makes it easy to find something that fits with anyone’s schedule,” says Orloff. The chamber also provides numerous marketing opportunities to its members throughout the year, including events, sponsorships, social media posts and advertising/event postings in the chamber’s monthly newsletter. “We are proud to offer countless opportunities for business owners to network, advertise and engage with fellow business owners, residents and visitors alike,” says Darlene Sandoval, owner of business-services company Numer1Cal and chair of the chamber’s board of directors.
The Rohnert Park Chamber commemorates the opening of new businesses with ribbon cutting services.
Of course, the chamber is not just about boosting local businesses; it’s about supporting the greater Rohnert Park community. “Through partnerships with the City of Rohnert Park, we host free community events with a variety of family-friendly activities for all ages that bring together residents and business owners alike,” says Sandoval. These include a holiday lights celebration and outdoor movie nights in summer. The chamber also hosts fundraisers throughout the year, including an annual crab feed and a golf tournament. “Our crab feed raises the most money, but it’s the Holiday Lights [event] that attract the most attendees,” says Orloff, adding that more than 2,000 people showed up for the festive spectacle last year. “We can’t say thank you enough to our members who took the time to vote for us,” says Orloff on this year’s Best of the North Bay honor. “We appreciate that they recognize the support we provide them is beneficial.” v
rohnertparkchamber.org
Best of the North Bay 2024
Northbaybiz 55
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