Chamber Welcomes a New Year of Leadership

Leadership is important. The type of leadership you have has a direct influence on the success of your company, and the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce boasts some of the best. Whether you’re a small business, large corporation, or nonprofit—like the chamber—your growth relies on the strength and dedication of those in charge; and that is why the LAX Coastal Chamber is proud to announce their 2019-2020 Leadership.

On Friday, June 21, the LAX Coastal Chamber headed to the top floor of the picturesque Marina del Rey Marriott Hotel to celebrate their sold-out Installation Awards Gala. It was an evening of celebrating in Palm Springs as they thanked outgoing Chair Ryan Gales of Jenkins/Gales & Martinez, Honorary Mayor Cozette Vergari of Vergari & Napolitano, and their 2018-2019 Board of Directors. As a thank you for a successful year, both Gales and Vergari presented awards to the individuals and companies that helped them thrive, such as the Corporate Partner of the Year: United Airlines, Distinguished Partner Award: Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Outstanding Committee: Development, Design & Construction Group led by Rashmi Menon of Parsons and Anthony Kirby of Arup, and Chairman’s Award: Mike Harriel of SoCalGas.

Special guest Javier Cano joined the Chamber as their Installing Officer. Cano is Vice President and Market General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE, as well as the Courtyard and Residence Inn Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE. This three time “General Manager of the Year” award winner was honored take the stage with the LAX Coastal Chamber once again, reminiscing fondly over his history as “The Chamber Guy” and when he served as President—now called Chairman of the Board—of the organization in the year 2000.

Smiles filled the room as Cano praised the Chamber’s dedication to the community before welcoming the 2019-2020 Leadership, Chair Michael D’Amodio of Seaview Investors, Honorary Mayor Kelly King of Villa del Mar Apartments & Marina, and their Board of Directors. This year’s board includes representatives from such local pillars as Google, LAWA, Parsons, Hollywood Park Casino, Southwest Airlines, Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai, AvAirPros, and Loyola Marymount University.

To continue the festivities, the Chamber also congratulated their 12th graduating class of the LAX Coastal Leadership Academy. After 9 months of leadership training—paired with gaining knowledge of the people and places that make up the LAX Coastal region—each graduate was presented with a certificate of completion and a sense of pride. To demonstrate the success of the program, Leadership Academy facilitator Kevin Walsh of Global Community Enrichment asked every graduate in the room to stand up to a wave of applause.

As an organization that has been working toward the betterment of this community since 1953, the LAX Coastal Chamber would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You!” to local businesses, professionals, and residents for allowing them to serve such an amazing neighborhood. Here’s to another 65+ years of success!

2019-2020 LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce Leadership

  • Michael D’Amodio, Seaview Investors, Chair
  • Kelly King, Villa del Mar Apartments & Marina, Honorary Mayor
  • Ryan Gales, Jenkins/Gales & Martinez, Immediate Past Chair

Board of Directors

  • Charles Bassett, Wallypark
  • Karl Brooks, KRB Construction
  • Maria Canchola, Hollywood Park Casino
  • Andrew Chereck, Bryan Cave
  • Joe Coleman, Decron Properties
  • Grant Coonley, Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel
  • Christine Dieu, Marina del Rey Hotel
  • Alexandra Dumas, Google
  • Tracy Fietz, Kaiser Permanente
  • Thomas Flintoft, Kindel Gagan Inc.
  • Gabriela Flores, Cedars-Sinai
  • Kayla Friedman-Barb, Vanto Group
  • Art Galvan, Southwest Airlines
  • Rod Gopiao, Los Angeles Airport Marriott
  • Jon Graff, Reason Foundation
  • Mike Harriel, SoCalGas
  • Anthony Kirby, Arup
  • Cody Koopmann, Drollinger Properties
  • Rae Lamothe, Golding & Lamothe
  • Todd LaPlante, CBRE
  • Jonathan Lonner, Burns & Bouchard
  • John Loussarian, Westchester Family YMCA
  • Rashmi Menon, Parsons
  • Tony Palermo, Tony P’s Dockside Grill
  • Lori Peters, AvAirPros
  • Mila Petrenko, Otis College of Art and Design
  • Fred Puza, Loyola Marymount University
  • Stephanie Sampson, Los Angeles World Airports
  • Matthew Swanlund, Aesthetic Legal
  • David Voss, Jr., Voss, Silverman & Braybrooke, LLP
  • Stephanie Younger, Stephanie Younger Group | Compass

The LAX Coastal Chamber would also like to once again recognize the sponsors that made the 2019 Installation Awards Gala possible.

  • Platinum Sponsor: Kaiser Permanente, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines
  • Gold Sponsor: Cedars-Sinai, Drollinger Properties, Gateway Los Angeles, Hollywood Park Casino, Jenkins/Gales & Martinez, Kindel Gagan, Lincoln Properties, Loyola Marymount University, Seaview Investors
  • Silver Sponsor: Arup, Burns & Bouchard, Los Angeles World Airports, Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pacifica Hotels
  • Bronze Sponsor: Los Angeles Airport Marriott, Marina del Rey Marriott, SoCalGas

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