Mark Turner: Chamber Has a Rich History
Published in the February 8 – 21, 2017 issue of Gilroy Life
By Mark Turner
Mark Turner
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce has a rich history launching and participating in organizations and events that have significantly impacted this community.
In 1979 the first Gilroy Garlic Festival took place and the Chamber of Commerce was a major player in helping establish this event. Since the early days of the festival, the chamber has remained a strategic partner with the Garlic Festival Association.
In the early 1980s, with a more concentrated effort required for downtown, the chamber was able to establish a stand-alone, nonprofit organization called the Gilroy Downtown Business Association. The GDBA continues to serve the downtown with the chamber supporting a number of the events that take place in the downtown throughout the year.
The Gilroy Economic Development Corporation is another organization that got its start from within the Chamber of Commerce in 1996. The GEDC’s mission is to provide all the resources any business or entrepreneur may need to open, expand, or relocate their business. As an independent nonprofit organization, the GEDC offers an integrated approach to programs and services and provides a “one-stop shop” for new and existing companies seeking to grow in Gilroy.
All across the U.S. in the mid-1980s, local chamber organizations launched programs to inspire leaders, equip them with skills and bolster confidence to run, serve and be more effective on councils, boards and commissions. The goal was to produce better leadership for the community. The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce had the foresight to bring this program to the community. Since the Gilroy Leadership & Education Foundation was first launched in January of 1998, more than 300 people have graduated from the nine-month program known as Leadership Gilroy.
With Gilroy growing as a destination location, the chamber established the Gilroy Welcome Center in 2000. The Gilroy Welcome Center is a nonprofit Destination Marketing Organization. Their mission is to promote Gilroy as a tourist destination. Since their move to the Gilroy Premium Outlets in 2011, they have seen more than 190,000 visitors walk through their doors. The Welcome Center is the marketing arm for the city and has done an excellent job attracting visitors to our region.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is proud of the accomplishments of these organizations and continues to be a strategic partner with each of them.
Mark Turner is the President and CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce. Reach him at (408) 842-6437.
