Hello Vista!
CHAIRMAN'S
CORNER
Chair of the Board Dave Baldwin
As the new Chairman of the Board for the Vista Chamber of Commerce, I want to say THANK YOU for your continued support of the Vista business community and all that you do to make Vista such an amazing city! It is an absolute honor to be a part of this organization and to serve this community. I first joined the Vista Chamber of Commerce as an employee of a large financial services firm, and through the networking and relationships formed with other business leaders, I gained the confidence to branch out on my own as an Independent Financial Planner. Chamber membership also helped me with several other personal and professional achievements. I wrote and published my first book titled The Balancing Act (available at all major online bookstores) after meeting another Chamber member who specialized in helping authors self-publish books. Vista has provided so many opportunities for me as a great place to grow my business and also for my wife Andrea and me to raise our family. We attend North Coast Church here in Vista and lead a weekly Life Group bible study through the church. I am excited about the year ahead, especially when you think about where we have been. We recently held the annual Heroes of Vista event where we celebrate so many important people that make a difference in Vista. It was amazing to be back in person, mingling and visiting with city and business leaders, but what stood out to me was the theme that was chosen for this event. Past, present, and future. As I start this role with the Chamber, I can’t help but think about how significant that theme of past, present, and future is to this organization and this moment. The Chamber is almost 100 years old and I will have an opportunity to help make that centennial celebration special, but I am reminded of those who have held this post before me and the people and businesses that have formed this community into what it is today. I recognize how special it is to be here in this moment, seeing the city reemerge from the pandemic and get back to a more normal way of life. With the re-opening of Vista businesses and in-person live events, celebrating the present becomes so much more significant. The Strawberry Festival this past summer was estimated to be the most attended event in our history. The streets were crowded with festival-goers and thanks in part to a successful 5k run people from all over southern California came to our town to celebrate with us. The Moonlight Amphitheater has returned to a full schedule of live events and the construction along Paseo Santa Fe has transformed a portion of our city and made even more room for people to live and for businesses to thrive. As I look into the future of Vista, I know that others will take on this position and that many more city and business leaders will contribute to this community. I know that I must pass the torch to the next in line and that we all share the responsibility to leave our community to the next generation better than we found it. I ask that you take this step with me and invest in the future of the Vista business community by joining the Chamber, attending Chamber-sponsored events, and continuing to support local Vista businesses with our patronage. It is all of our responsibility to take care of the gift we have and to pass it along to whoever comes next.
Dave
VISTACHAMBER.ORG
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