With a near capacity crowd looking on inside the new high-tech Epson Campus on Katella, the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce thanked outgoing Chairwoman Nesi Stewart for a four-year run at the top as a completely new slate of officers and board were installed Friday.
Lina Lumme, left, Executive Director of the Youth Center, swears in the two Co-Chairs of the Chamber, Meryl Cohn, far right and Kristin DiMiceli, next to her, as other incoming board members and directors look on.
“This should have been a one-year term,” said Stewart, “but it ended up being four years and I’m grateful to each every one of you who helped make a difference,” said Stewart.
Stewart, who was elected Chamber President shortly before COVID, stayed at the helm as the pandemic made membership and meetings a problem and after three years, the board gave Stewart a full-year term once things had returned to normal.
Also honored were outgoing board members Judy Klabouch, owner of Green Street Interiors and Dan Schwartz of Pacific Premiere Bank.
Klabouch, a Los Alamitos businesswoman for more than 40 years, said she has enjoyed her service on the Chamber board. “I really enjoyed bringing people together,” she said.
In addition, Klabouch is credited with the idea of the annual “Hero’s Appreciation Luncheon,” the popular annual event to honor local first responders and frontline workers.
The Chamber also honored Schwartz, a banker who has kept the Chamber’s account and books intact. “Thank you for always answering the phone,” Stewart told Schwartz.
Nesi Stewart thanks banker Dan Schwartz for his service to the Los Al Chamber
Both outgoing board members were awarded lifetime Chamber memberships for their dedication to the Los Al Business Community.
In addition to the Chamber, Congresswoman Michelle Streel, Assemblymember Tri Ta and the City of Los Alamitos honored Stewart, Klabouch, and Schwartz. Several community members also recorded videos thanking the various outgoing board members.
The Chamber awarded Rossmoor Community Services District Director Jo Shade, also a real estate executive, as member of the month.
Meryl Cohn, of Watersafe Swim School, and Kristin DiMiceli, of Garage Pilates, will serve as co-chairs for the coming year. Susan Morales, of Los Al Medical Center, will serve as 2nd Vice President.
Other members of the board are Debbie Flannagan, of Financial Partners Credit Union, who will serve as Vice Chairman of Budget and Finance and John Pettus, of CIU Networks, will serve as Vice Chair of Community Development.
Jenna Garikian, of Universal Waste Systems, will serve as Vice Chair of Correspondences while Past Chairwoman of of the Board Nesi Stewart, of Printmasters, will continue to serve as a Past Chairwoman.
Toni Hauger will remain as Chamber staff and the Directors for 2024 will be Richie Barnes, F&M Bank, Dave Boyer, Boyer Wealth, Matthew Harrison, Roadrunner Spirits, Dr. Andrew Pulver, Superintendent of the Los Alamitos Unified School System and Donna Wolf of Epson America.