|
 San
Francisco, Nov. 10, 2005 – Steven B. Falk, former
publisher & president of the San Francisco Chronicle,
has been selected as the new president & CEO of the
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce effective December
1. Falk held top leadership positions at the Chronicle
for four years and at the San Francisco Newspaper Agency
for 16 years, including serving as president & CEO from
1996-2000.
“I’m delighted to join the Chamber at this important
juncture for the organization and our city,” Falk says.
“The Chamber has a pivotal role to play in reshaping
our urban environment, advocating for sound public policy,
and assisting businesses large and small to achieve
success.”
Falk previously served on the board of the Chamber,
and is familiar with its mission and myriad programs
and services. As a strong advocate and booster of San
Francisco and the Bay Area, Falk says he is “delighted
to have this opportunity to make a great city and region
even greater. The Chamber’s role is critical in creating
a healthy business climate, which means more tax revenue
to pay for services that serve our residents.”
The search committee and Chamber board of directors
cited Falk’s leadership skills, management experience
and commitment to the city and the Bay Area as reasons
for his selection to lead the Chamber. He replaces former
President & CEO Lee Blitch, who resigned to take a position
as vice president/university advancement at San Francisco
State University.
“Our challenge is to grow our resources as a membership
organization so we can continue to represent the San
Francisco business community as a strong advocate for
a vital, sustainable local economy, and to strive to
improve the quality of life for everyone who lives and
works in the city,” says Bill Wilkinson, 2005 chair
of the Chamber’s board of directors and president of
GreenLeaf.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Steve’s energy,
experience and business acumen to strengthen the Chamber’s
policy initiatives and continue our collaboration with
business, city and community leaders in creating tangible
benefits for Chamber members and city residents,” says
Wilkinson. “His long tenure in San Francisco positions
him well for working with the many and diverse constituencies
that make up the San Francisco business community and
the broader community of San Francisco and the greater
Bay Area.”
Falk serves on the boards of several local organizations
including the Commonwealth Club of California and is
a trustee of Elizabethtown (PA) College.
About the Chamber
The San Francisco Chamber has some 2,000 member businesses
and organizations, and represents more than 250,000
employees of those businesses. Member companies are
drawn from every industry in the city, and are of all
sizes – from the smallest to mid-size firms and large
corporations. The Chamber was founded in 1850.
|
