Committees: Leaders Wanted
The Board of Directors establishes or dismantles Committees of the SVC Chamber based on the Board’s perceived needs, coupled with the goals of the Board. Committees focus on particular areas of SVC Chamber oversight and success on behalf of the Board and for the Board.
Committees do not have authority in and of themselves. Their purpose is to research, brainstorm, monitor, debate among themselves then present carefully crafted ideas, plans, proposals, and solutions to the Board for consideration. A motion must pass at the Committee level before its Committee Chair will carry, or pass to the Board Vice Chair to carry, the motion to the Board for consideration. Once passed by the Board, said motion becomes a SVC Chamber directive, event, policy, etc. which is then presented to the President / CEO to be executed by SVC Chamber staff.
The Committee Chair is appointed for a “Chamber year” by the Vice Chair of the Board to serve during the upcoming Chamber year in which the Vice Chair will serve the Chamber as Board Chair (July 1st through June 30th). Each appointment of Committee Chair must be ratified by the Board of Directors before becoming official. Committee Chairs may serve on the Board of Directors; but, that is not a requirement.
OPEN Committees: All SVC Chamber Members Welcome
CLOSED Committees: Rules or Criteria to Participate
Open Committees
Government Relations (GR) Committee
This is the SVC Chamber’s largest Committee! Many Members argue that the GR Committee is the most important thing that the SVC Chamber does. Whether you study the History of Chambers or review Our History, the origination of the Chamber of Commerce and the SVC Chamber model is clear – for businesses to band together. The purpose for associating, and the SVC Chamber, they would argue, is to defend business from governmental attack and encroachment. One unarguable fact is that the Silicon Valley Central Chamber was founded in 1947 for Members to stand united for Government Relations.
The Government Relations Committee meets regularly, every month, on the 2nd Wednesdays of the month at 11:00am, except July and December. The meetings tend to last 1.5 hours but can be longer, especially when considering legislation, regulation, political positions, or candidates to support or oppose. The Committee usually meets virtually; but, sometimes meets at the SVC Chamber offices.
Ambassadors Committee (AmbCom)
Ambassadors are the most active of all SVC Chamber Members. Though they do have meetings in a conference room from time to time, they are the Do’ers, Faces, and the People everyone knows in the SVC Chamber. Ambassadors are in force at Silicon Valley Connect networking events, active with New Members in a personal one-on-one assistant role, they frequent Ribbon Cutting ceremonies, and are Super SVC Chamber Volunteers.
The Ambassador Committee meets regularly at Ribbon Cuttings and Silicon Valley Connect events, either before or after the event, if needed. When additionally needed, they meet in the conference room on the 2nd Wednesdays at 10:00am, except July and December. The meetings are usually 1.0 hours or less. When they do meet for a sit-down business meeting, they usually do so at the SVC Chamber offices, but sometimes meet virtually.
Closed Committees*
Executive Committee (ExCom)
Consisting of the Chamber's Elected Officers, this is the most elite & prestigious Committee of the Chamber. This Committee may take action on behalf of the Board when the Board is not in session. The Committee's primary duty is to determine if issues are 'ripe' for Board consideration as they prepare the Board meeting agenda. The Executive Committee consists of the Board Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Immediate Past Chair, and President / CEO.
Finance Committee (FinCom)
Financial Wizards unite! This small group of dedicated Chamber Members, with strong financial acumen, review, study, explore, and question the financial health, fiscal responsibility, and substantial investment portfolio of the Chamber on behalf of the Board of Directors. Chaired by the Chamber’s Treasurer, the Members of this closed Committee are carefully appointed to help grow the Chamber while affording its Committee Members the opportunity to be better tomorrow than they were today through mutual growth, camaraderie, and mentorship.
* The Chamber has a number of ‘closed’ Committees. Just because these are closed Committees, DOES NOT MEAN YOU cannot participate! It just means there are rules or criteria by which Members are chosen to participate. If you have interest in any of these closed Committees, please see the President / CEO or the Board Chair to discuss your potential involvement.