Who we are....

Ivette Ricco - President
Ivette Ricco Services 
Femmefan, Inc.

My introduction to the Pinole Chamber of Commerce came in 2002.

I resigned my position as Vice President of Operations with an accounts receivable finance company in 2001. In 2002 I was offered the position of Executive Director for the Pinole Chamber.

The work I did for over 20 years in the finance and collections industries brought me in contact with small and medium sized businesses in financial distress. Their stories were often very similar. They started with a great idea and with a passion for their business but lacked basic business skills. Things as simple as creating a business plan or an invoice. The product or service often succeeded, the business often did not. Great ideas do not necessarily lead to business success.

Those experiences helped me define goals for the Chamber and establish important resources. It also has made me a very vocal business advocate.

I had no previous experience working for or with a Chamber of Commerce and the Pinole Chamber was virtually dormant when I arrived. With the support of the Board of Directors and the President of the Chamber, I was able to restore the Chamber, increase memberships by 54% and create several new events, such as:

The Annual Bowl A Thon
Ala Carte in Fernandez Park
The Lean Mean Learning Machine, a small business workshop
We also established a Scholarship Fund for Pinole Valley High School

The Chamber website was given a face lift (more recently it has been redone and is terrific) and created an online e-newsletter. We also published a business directory and map.

I resigned my position as Executive Director in September 2007 to explore other opportunities, but I’m back to serve as President.

I’m back to carry on the work past Presidents and Board members started, I’m back to help our business community come together. I’m back to lead the business community to greater success in the future.

Carol White - Vice-President
Carol White Insurance
2200 San Pablo Ave., Ste. 201
              510-724-0997         510-724-0997
www.farmersagent.com/cwhite1

Monica Shaw - Treasurer
Kendall Financial Services
1508 San Pablo Ave.
              510-964-1500         510-964-1500
http://kfs.us.com/ 

Monica Shaw is an Enrolled Agent who operates Kendall Financial Services located in Pinole.  Kendall Financial Services does accounting and taxes for small business operators including; self employed, corporate, LLC, non-profit, trust, estate and partnerships.
Since 2003 she has been an Enrolled Agent, licensed to practice before the Internal Revenue Service.  She also holds licensing as a Registered Investment Advisor with HD Vest Advisory Services, Life Insurance Agent with the California Department of Insurance and Real Estate Agent with the California Department of Real Estate.
Monica has volunteered for the Down Syndrome Connection, a community based organization located in Danville, California for the past 21 years.  She is also an active board member of the local Pinole Chamber of Commerce, and an active member of the Richmond and Hercules Chambers of Commerce.  She also currently serves on the board of directors of NIAD, National Institute of Art & Disabilities located in Richmond, California and is one of the founding board members of REACH West for Special Adults, located in West Contra Costa County.

Deanna Million - Executive Director
Bronze Buns Tanning Salon
Bronzebuns1@aol.com

Deanna became Executive Director of the Pinole Chamber of Commerce in October 2007. 
Coming from 20 years of experience in a family owned small business in Richmond (Allied Health Care), she branched out and purchased Bronze Buns Tanning Salon in Pinole in June 2006 because she believes in the health benefits of UV exposure.  She is a member of the ITA and SmartTan.  She has also worked and volunteered for WCCUSD.  She holds an AA in Medical Assisting and is a Certified Orthopedic Fitter.  She's taken many classes on the administration of small business.
Deanna has many years of volunteer experience including PTA, Site Council, Xmas in April, Community Theaters in Pinole and El Cerrito, and is currently a Committee Member of the Friends of Pinole Community Playhouse.   

PinoleChamber@yahoo.com
            510-724-4484   
 510-724-4408 - Fax

Crag Parker - Director
Maintenance Plus
730 Crestview Drive
              510-724-4500         510-724-4500

Judy O'Bannon - Director
The Mechanics Bank
2690 Pinole Valley Road
              510-741-2000         510-741-2000

Judy O'Bannon- Is a Financial Service Manger for The Mechanics Bank in Pinole.  She has worked there for 7 years.  Prior to coming to The Mechanics Bank she was Branch Manager for 23 1/2 years with Pacific Bay Federal Credit Union.  Her hobbies include cooking, bowling and most of all shopping.

Alex Gomez - Director
West Contra Costa Business Development Center
3803 San Pablo Dam Rd.
              510-223-9900         510-223-9900
www.wccbdc.org

Alex Gomez has served as Executive Director of the West Contra Costa Business Development Center (BDC) for the past four years. The BDC is an innovative nonprofit corporation whose goal is to help build strong, growth-oriented businesses that create job opportunities and stimulate economic activity in the communities of West Contra Costa. Alex is a graduate of UC Berkeley and is a WestCounty resident. He is an active member of various economic development associations and participates on local community and school district advisory boards.

Josh Genser - Director, Chair Policy Committee
Genser & Watkins, LLP 
              510-237-6916         510-237-6916
www.genserandwatkins.com

Joshua Genser is a native of West Contra Costa County.
He was educated at Stanford University , where
he received a Master’s Degree in Economics, and at Boalt Hall School of Law of the University of California at Berkeley.
Josh has been practicing law in West Contra Costa County since 1983.  He has also served on the Board of Directors of many organizations, including the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Pinole Chamber of Commerce, Richmond Country Club, Temple Beth Hillel, the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program and RichPAC (the business political action committee). 
Josh has sat on many local commissions, including Richmond’s General Plan Advisory Committee, Chevron’s Richmond Community Fund Advisory Committee, the School District’s Blue Ribbon Committee on High School Reform, Doctor’s Medical Center’s Local Governing Board and Richmond’s Private Industry Council. 
Josh has been honored as a Northern California Super Lawyer, and, in 2007, by The Law Center as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.

Jacqui Hunt, Director
Praxair Inc.
              1-800-PRAXAIR         1-800-PRAXAIR
www.praxair.com

Geoff Toretta - Director
Antlers Tavern, Thee Salon
2284 San Pablo Ave.
              510-724-9961         510-724-9961

Gisela Hernandez - Director
Doctors Medical Center
2000 Vale Road
              510-970-5132         510-970-5132
www.doctorsmedicalcenter.org

Roy Swearingen, City Council Liaison
Pinole City Council
2131 Pear St.
              510-724-9000         510-724-9000
rswearingen@ci.pinole.ca.us 

Susan Ayalin
Administrative Assistant 

Susan Ayalin is a California native has also lived in Illinois, Wisconsin and New York City.  She graduated from Contra Costa College with an A.A. in Liberal Arts and a B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University.  Her background is in bookkeeping, administrative assisting, and retail.  Her interests lie in writing, movie-making, and entertainment.