AF chamber names 2010 board of directors

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce has announced its new board of directors for 2010, and the board features seven new members from various area businesses.

Two board members stepped down from 2009, so the board is growing by five members.

“I am elated to have such a group of highly accomplished, intelligent and fair individuals as part of our board,” chamber president Terri Kimble said. “This is a new year, a new decade and another opportunity to help Ahwatukee business owners live their dreams.”

According to Kimble, the board of directors oversee and govern all operations of the chamber. After applying or being nominated, the new slate of officers were voted in by members of the chamber.

Larry Hughes, of That Italian Place, is one of the seven first-year board members.

“I’m very impressed with Terri Kimble and the leadership she’s providing,” Hughes said. “I felt like being on the board would be a good way to help give back to the community and shape the direction the chamber is going in the next few years. I also thought it was a dynamic group and wanted to be a part of it.”

Patty Durant, of Empire West Title Agency, serves as a board member and treasurer for the chamber. She is excited to see rapid growth in the chamber’s ranks.

“We have seven new board members and it’s great because we’re getting all different business backgrounds,” Durant said. “In this economy people have to make a choice of what they can hold onto, and we really want to be the go-to place for business in Ahwatukee.”

Many board members seem to agree that last July’s Red, White and Boom fireworks event, which was headed by the chamber, brought the community together and showed that the chamber can make things happen.

“Red, White and Boom was a huge rallying point last year and it brought our whole community together,” Durant said.

Second-year board member Stephanie Fierro, of Fierro Law PLC, is confident that the event will take place again this July.

“It was a successful event that we will take on again this year,” Fierro said. “Last year we had a great donation come in to help us start the fundraising for 2010, so hopefully the rest of the community will ban together again.”

The complete list of new chamber board members for 2010 includes Harvey Gibson of Tempe Schools Credit Union, John Hetrick of Salt River Project, Larry Hughes of That Italian Place, Norma McCormick of Clean ‘n Fresh Cleaning Services, Aaron Merchant of Merchant Firearms, Jack Schenk of Edward Jones and Karen Starbowski of Lincoln Financial.

For more information on the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce and a full list of the board of directors for 2010, visit www.ahwatukeechamber.com.