San Rafael chamber appoints new CEO

SAN RAFAEL -- The board of San Rafael Chamber of Commerce of Marin has appointed Rick Wells president and CEO.

He replaces Tallia Hart, who left earlier this year to head the Irvine chamber.

The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1920 and has an 89-year track record in the community. As an organization of businesses within the Bay area, specifically San Rafael in Marin County,  the chamber works with local and regional officials, community organizations and chamber members, providing an opportunity for businesses to work together to enhance their visibility, increase their business, and link to the wider community.

Mr. Wells is a native Californian and brings over 10 years experience in chambers as a CEO and as the Napa Chamber of Commerce director of membership.  For the past seven years he served as CEO of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. During that time the Vallejo chamber achieved 4 star accreditation with the United States Chamber, placing Vallejo in the top 1 percent of chambers in the United States.

Mr. Wells initiated the Vallejo Business Alliance, a cooperative effort of the Black, Fil-Am, Hispanic, and Vallejo chambers of commerce. Vallejo was the only chamber of commerce in California to win the WRAP Award in 2005 and 2007 for resource efficiency and waste reduction in the workplace from the State of California, Integrated Waste Management Board.

Mr. Wells holds degrees from Orange Coast College and the University of California, Davis with a focus in communications studies. His professional background is in marketing, public relations, and organizational management.

He holds both the IOM (Institute of Organizational Management) and CAE (Certified Association Executive) professional certification.  He is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration degree in Sustainable Management on a part-time basis at Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. As a Big Brother for 10 years, Rick was Napa County Big Brother of the Year in 2002.

“We are thrilled that Rick has decided to join us at the San Rafael Chamber”, said board President Will Rigney.  “We were fortunate to have an outstanding group of finalists from which to select our new CEO, and we are grateful to those who expressed their interest.  The Board of Directors looks forward to charting a new course with Rick at the helm, and we are sure the membership will be enthused by Rick’s appointment.”

"I am ecstatic to start work with the San Rafael Chamber staff, Board and membership team,” said Mr. Wells. “I look forward to meeting all of the great people, exploring the unique locales and learning more about the distinct business components that make San Rafael and Marin so dynamic.  We, at the Chamber, will be fully engaged in doing our part every day to ensure this exceptional community continues to prosper."

The search for a new chamber head was conducted by The Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin. For more information on the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce of Marin go to http://www.sanrafaelchamber.org

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