For this week's #TinaTuesday, I thought I would mix it up a bit and tell you all a little about our fearless leader Steve Van Dorn (President & CEO), and what lead him here to the PH Chamber of Commerce.  

Steve was born and raised in San Diego, California, attended San Diego State University and graduated with a B.S. in Business Management in 1982.  Following graduation he spent 3 months in Japan on a paid internship with AIESEC (an International Business Cooperation that creates opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges), with only a 2 month crash course in Japanese from a family friend (basically learning just enough to get him by, like hello, goodbye and where's the bathroom).  

Once back from Japan, his career in the hospitality field began and he was hired by Hilton Hotels and moved to San Francisco to work at the SF Airport Hilton.  This is where the real story begins, because this is when he met his amazing soon to be wife, Lori, who was from Danville and going to school to get her teaching credential.  After a year and a half at the SF Airport Hilton, Steve was hired as a Sales Manager for the Pasadena Hilton, so back to Southern California he went.  But don't fret, Lori visited often and after a year of having met, they were married (this boy didn't waste any time).  During the years they lived in Pasadena, Steve worked for the Pasadena Hilton, the Beverly Hilton and then the LA Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Funny side note, I was born and raised in Pasadena, CA and I was living in Pasadena during the same time Steve and Lori were there.  What a small world!!  Then, in 1989, after their first son was born, they decided to move to Dublin, CA (closer to Lori's parents), so Steve applied and was hired as the National Sales Manager for the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Now, you may have put two and two together, but let me help you out if you didn't catch that...his job was in San Jose, but they lived in Dublin.  That's at least an hour commute (on a good day), EACH WAY, EVERY DAY.  No thank you!!  I have a hard enough time with my 1 1/2 minute commute.  LOL.   After 6 years with the SJ Convention & Visitors Bureau, Steve was then hired as the Director of Sales for the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau and in 2002 became the President & CEO.  During his time at the Santa Clara Chamber, he was part of the successful team that brought the 49ers and their two billion dollar stadium, as well as the 50th Super Bowl to Santa Clara.  But after 25 years there, the commute was getting a bit much (Ha!  It wouldn't have taken me 25 years to realize that commute sucks).  So, he left the Santa Clara Chamber and began working for the California Chamber of Commerce, where he was for a year, when the Angels of the Chamber's of Commerce sent him to www.Indeed.com, the only place the Pleasant Hill Chamber posted the job opening for President & CEO.  I guess you could say the rest is "his-story," LOL.  Steve has brought so much experience and value to our Chamber that we've seen our membership grow exponentially.  Oh, AND... Steve was instrumental in helping our Chamber get approved by the City of Pleasant Hill, to manage Pleasant Hill's first ever Tourism Improvement District/Visitor's Bureau.  Woot, Woot!    

We have been so fortunate to have Steve here at our little ol' Chamber of Commerce with his vast array of experience, and we couldn't be on a better path or happier with the direction we are headed.  Thank you Steve for being such a great boss, and making it a joy to come to work each and every day.  And, a special thanks to Lori (33 years of marriage btw) and their 3 sons, for supporting and understanding the craziness of the Chamber world.  

We have been so fortunate to have Steve here at our little ol' Chamber of Commerce with his vast array of experience, and we couldn't be on a better path or happier with the direction we are headed.  Thank you Steve for being such a great boss, and making it a joy to come to work each and every day.  And, a special thanks to Lori (33 years of marriage btw) and their 3 sons, for supporting and understanding the craziness of the Chamber world.