Samantha Martinez takes over the heavy gavel at the Century City Chamber of Commerce. Heavy because of the legacy of those that preceded her but in her hands the gavel appears to move effortlessly.
There is something happening over at the Century City Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is rising to new heights. I credit the staff, Starlyn and Amber that are dedicated to their jobs. I also credit Chamber President and CEO, Susan Bursk. The Executive Committee and the Board, too, have been proactive through a tough economy. The many council chairs and committee members have also done their part to put on interesting events and attract new membership. Samantha picks up the gavel at a time when the Chamber is firing on all cylinders. But the spirit of complacency has no place here and Samantha isn’t about to rest on Chamber Laurels.
I recently attended a retreat for the board of directors put on by the Chamber. The day began early and breakfast was provided along with really strong coffee (a must for early mornings). The discussion centered on building value for members and our role as directors of the board. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky opened the meeting calling on all of us to stay involved in Government at this critical time in the history of Los Angeles. Zev knows that Century City by definition means involvement.
I was reminded about a recent board meeting where there was a spirited discussion about endorsing a measure that was on the California ballot. Some were for the measure and some against… but more than the discussion was the process that was at play here. The myth of a rubberstamp board was dispelled, as was the myth that the chamber is the puppet of a few of the building managers. Samantha led the discussion. Samantha allowed all of the stakeholders with a dog in this fight adequate time.
Opinions from all sides of the issue were heard and the vote was taken. The result was a function of the votes: No back room deals… no coercion! This is a functional Chamber in a functional part of the city amidst so many dysfunctional companies, clubs and organizations that are in Los Angeles. The members that get so much from their Chamber Membership are those that work their membership by participating. Those that choose not to participate my not get as much out of their memberships but the opportunity to capitalize on membership’s value is available for everybody that sits at the table and the Chamber invites more to join and avail themselves of the value that is offered.
Mike Holwick is the immediate past Chairman of the Board and comes with a pedigree of three generations of involvement in Century City. Samantha is the previous Chair of the Government Affairs Council and sits at the intersection of Chamber Activities and access to Government Officials. Samantha is well versed on all of the issues that government struggles to solve and as Chairperson of the Chamber sits ready to give her opinion to officials when she is asked. They would do well to listen to the answers as they might find their struggle to overcome challenges less entangled when listening to Samantha’s voice of reason. Samantha waits patiently to allow all points of view to be heard before summing up all of those opinions into an intelligent platform that everyone somehow agrees with.
Just when you thought the Chamber had peaked and risen to the heights that limit it… you find that there is a plan in play to reach new heights never before thought to be attainable. Those who looked at Chamber Membership in the past and failed to hear the call need to revisit the value of Chamber Membership and get involved in shaping a new, more vibrant, and more important, Century City. Samantha is sure to be an important part of ushering in this new era.
Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.
