History Of The Chamber
On August 21, 1906, the City of Newport Beach had its beginnings when the three small communities of Newport, East Newport, and Balboa voted to incorporate as the City of Newport Beach. Everyone agreed that the principal asset was the underdeveloped Newport Bay. Knowing of Newport’s former days as a shipping port, they began to think about the commercial possibilities of the harbor.
On March 12, 1907, sixteen men calling themselves the “Harbor Boosters” established the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Each man contributed five dollars to cover the initial expenses of the first commercial body formed in the city.
When the final reclamation of the bay was complete thirty years later in 1936 nearly all of the founding members were gone, but many of them devoted their lives to the creation of Newport Harbor. Through its life, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce has played an active part in fostering the various improvement measures, which have contributed to the harbor community of today. Not only did it concern itself with the harbor, industrial and municipal matters, but it also initiated and sponsored the various celebrations and civic events of diverse kinds which are essential to the social fabric of our community.
For a period of eight years, from 1919 to 1927, there existed two chambers, Balboa and Newport Beach. In 1927, the chambers merged into the Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce. The city was divided into six districts, each of which was entitled to two directors on the board of twelve. These sections were: 1) Newport Heights and West Newport, 2) Newport Beach, 3) East Newport, 4) Balboa, 5) Balboa Island, and 6) Corona del Mar.
As the city grew, so did the Chamber of Commerce. In 1976, the word “area” was added to the name to better reflect the character of the surrounding communities, which composed the membership. In the same year, the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce reached a significant milestone when it moved into its new headquarters building of 10,000 square feet at 1470 Jamboree Road. Today, the Chamber is located in its present location at 4343 Von Karman Ave., Ste. 150.
In 2001 the Chamber’s official name was changed to the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce to better reflect the marketability of the Newport Beach name for its members. Today, the Newport Beach Chamber, which started modestly with only 16 Charter members, has grown to over 700 members, representing a cross-section of the harbor area, and is one of the largest regional Chambers in Orange County. However numbers alone cannot measure the success of the Chamber. It is the quality and dedication of the individual members who, working together as a team, make major contributions- not only to preserve and advance the free enterprise system, but also to improve the quality of life in the community.
BOARD CHAIR CHRONOLOGY
2023-24 Andrew Smith
2022-23 Chris Delfs
2021-22 Kimberly Tavares
2020-21 Debra Van Der Weide
2019-20 Debra Van Der Weide
2018-19 Sam El-Rabaa
2017-18 Craig Batley
2016-17 Joe DuBois
2015-16 Marie Case
2014-15 Joe Stapleton
2013-14 Joe Stapleton
2012-13 Don Lawrenz
2011-12 Chandler Bell
2010-11 Jim Walker
2009-10 Paul Watkins
2008 Laurel Zaeske
2007 Paul King
2006 Joe DuBois
2005 Dorothy Larson
2004 Clayton Shurley
2003 Philip Bettencourt
2002 Roger Alford
2001 Joe Parker
2000 Lula Halfacre
1999 Bob Black
1998 Dan Marcheano
1997 Rush Hill
1996 Rush Hill
1995 Mike Stanko
1994 Dennis O’Neil
1993 David Carmichael
1992 Michael Stephens
1989 Phillip Glasgow
1988 Tom Wilck
1987 Ted Fuller/Bill Bell
1986 Bill Hamilton
1985 Ralph Rodheim
1984 Jim Dale
1983 Carol South
1982 Carol South
1981 Michael Gering
1980 Richard Spooner
1979 Gordon West
1978 Rudy Baron
1977 Dennis Harwood
1976 James Parker
1975 William Lusk
1974 William Lusk
1973 Richard Stevens
1972 Robert McCurdy
1971 William Ring
1970 Charles Currey
1969 Richard Stevens
1968 Leon Meeks
1967 John Mac Nab
1966 Jim Berkshire
1965 Ed Hirth
1964 John Vibert
1963 Burdett Harrison/Fred Schoepe
1962 Theodore Robins
1961 O. W. Dick Richard