Committees offer variety of opportunities to get involved

Joining a committee is a good way to get involved with the Chamber and meet more business people. If you're interested, call the Chamber office at 760-726-1122 or the committee chair; all committees welcome new members at any time! (Meeting dates are subject to change, please call the Chamber to confirm.) Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at the Chamber, 201 Washington St. Here are the details on our committees:

Ambassador Committee - Organizes Sundowners, attends ribbon cuttings and assists at other Chamber events. Meets first Wednesday, 8:15 a.m. Chairman Brenda Shuman of Embroidery Image, (760) 212-9647.

Business Expo Committee - Organizes the Business Expo and Taste of Vista, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 22, 2008. The 2007 Expo featured 140 business exhibitors, including 12 restaurants/caters participating in The Taste of Vista. Businesses can participate by serving on the committee, sponsoring the event, and purchasing an exhibitor booth. Click here for details on the Expo. Committee meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 4 p.m. Chairman Jonathan Cuyno of Simple Office Solutions, (760) 643-0335.

Business Park Committee – Monitors local issues that affect the Vista Business Park , which includes 700 businesses employing 18,000 people. Meetings at 7:30 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month. Meetings at 7:30 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at varying locations in the Business Park. Chairman is Cindy Erie of E-World Recyclers, (760) 599-0888.

Golf Committee - Organizes annual Golf Tournament, a fun fund-raiser held every spring. Meets seasonally. Chairman Bob Wardwell of Tri-City Medical Center, (760) 724-8411. Click here for Golf Tournament details.

Government Affairs Committee - Holds monthly meetings with government officials and their staff, takes positions on business issues, organizes State of Community Luncheon and candidate forums. Meets first Thursday, 12 Noon, at Chamber office. Chairman Harlan Dunn of Waddell & Reed Financial, (760) 940-8885.

Christmas Parade Committee - Organizes annual WinterFest Christmas Parade on the first Saturday of December. Meetings are held seasonally. Chairman Jim Fraker, 760-599-9151. Parade details.

Latino Business Committee – Mission is "To reach out to local Latino business owners by providing business resources, education and leadership skills while creating positive role models for the youth in our community.” Meetings include guest speakers, networking, success stories, open discussion. Meets at 7:30 a.m. first Tuesday of the month. Chairman Henry Vasquez of Homeowners Financial, (760) 631-0004. News story.

Membership Committee - Organizes New Member Orientations and Networking Breakfasts, visits prospective members to explain Chamber benefits. Meets third Tuesday, 8:15 a.m. Chairman Nadia Lee of California Bank & Trust, (760) 945-2520.

Technology Committee - Sharing knowledge, resources and expertise with other businesses. Meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month, with additional seminars and forums on topics such as community wi-fi. Chairman is civil engineer David Nilson, (760) 631-0078. News story.