This is NOT your Parent’s Chamber of Commerce

After years of working with chambers of commerce and stressing to them that today’s “normal” chamber just does not work, it is refreshing to see a chamber unlike most I see.

The South Orange County Regional Chamber has over the years gone from a singular one-city chamber to a collaboration with up to seven different cities and then retracting again and reinvented itself. Just a few short years ago this chamber encapsulated the cities of Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo and went inland to Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch. As some of those cities and businesses clamored for “personal attention” that model was challenged by dissention and one at a time the cities took back their own entities and formed their own chambers. For city identification it was/is good, but for the member value proposition, not so much.

On a personal note I have watched the SOCC go through some of these gyrations and last year was fascinated as they finally disbanded the “typical” chamber label. No more were they focused on mixers and ribbon cutting and all the social amenities of normal chambers and instead wanted to become an Economic Development power for South Orange County. If you are familiar with the Orange County Business Council, imagine a more localized, more personal, more accessible version of that which is focused on helping with REGIONAL issues here in South Orange County. At one time we called this entire area “Saddleback Valley,” which is what I still refer to it after living here since 1981, and that covers from the “Y” down to the Orange County border.

I have worked with cities and chambers for several years and have watched the SOCC go through their reinvention process and recently decided to get the inside story and was more than pleased.

In today’s market wearing more than one hat is more the rule than the exception. The chamber still DOES have a community membership outreach effort and programs and one that provides many of the benefits of a “normal” chamber, but they offer value, which is the Missing Value Proposition in many others. But in addition they have formed the South Orange County Economic Coalition, which for now is a sub-set of the chamber itself and a true innovation for a chamber model. I suspect it will be spun off into its own entity as it grows in size and influence.

I attended their last meeting (4th Friday of the month) recently and heard two great speakers talk about something that could have been dull, dry and boring, but it was just the opposite. Laguna Niguel Council Member Robert Ming went through the ballot candidates in virtually every South Orange County city and delicately dissected each of their positions and to whether they are driven by Ideology or Pragmatism. All sides, both Reps and Dems were discussed with minimal bias and the results were an insightful and humorous education on the merits and background of more than 60 candidates. Sharing personal options tempered with neutral observations I found it extremely informative and if this is indicative of the programs that the Coalition conducts, this is a good sign. Steve Baric, California Republican Party Vice Chair and Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Pro Tem likewise dissected the state races and critical propositions.

As someone who follows politics and works in political circles I always find it refreshing that some political leaders can be approachable, transparent and share great insight. I also find it commendable that a chamber of commerce can boldly reinvent itself and become a significant power for the people and especially the business community. Considering the Coalition was just formed in July, 2011 and is still in its infancy, this should be a fascinating metamorphosis and journey to watch.