By Robert Haugh
The Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce (formerly the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce) recently announced several new Board of Directors. It looks like a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds who represent a variety of business sectors.
They’ve come a long way from what people called the “old boys network” led by Publisher/Lobbyist Miles Barber and businessman Dave Tobkin. That group got in trouble with FPPC vilolations and City election laws.
Santa Clara News broke the story that they hadn’t filed campaign reports for four years with the City.
That resulted in a City investigation that found that they could be fined $43,250. Wow.
That led the Chamber to drop their political action committee.
They also lost the Convention Center management contract because of mismanagement and malfeasance.
Here are the new board members:
- Diana Ding, Ding Ding TV
- Preston Hoopes, Plant Construction Company, LP
- Kawser “KJ” Jamal, Ascend Technology Inc.
- Franchesca Lacanlale, Options For All
- Teresa O’Neill, Retired, former Santa Clara Councilmember
- Mike Wallace, Santa Clara University
- Satish Ullal, Elite Travel
- Brian Brewster, Stealth Construction
They will serve on the Chamber Board for the 2022-2023 year. Congratulations to them and let’s hope they continue to steer the Chamber in a better direction.
