“It is the mission of the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau to promote business, tourism, and greater Bishop for the betterment of the community and its residents.”    - Bishop Area Chamber Mission Statement

The Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce

• The Chamber is a non-profit 501 c(6) corporation and member-driven organization which gathers diverse community interests together to work on common issues that affect the region's economic health.
• The Chamber is an advocate for business on issues which impact the ability of the region's businesses to be successful in a competitive marketplace.
• The Chamber works to improve and promote the tourism industry of the Bishop Area.
• The Chamber assembles community leadership to study and educate the community about issues, and develops programs which maintain and improve the region's high quality of life.
• The Chamber provides educational opportunities and services to assist member businesses and our community.
• The chamber is governed by a volunteer board of directors and managed by a professional staff.

A better community means better business and we are working for a better community for everyone here. That’s why we do what we do. There is but one reason for the Chamber of Commerce to exist and that is to do whatever is necessary to keep this area’s economic condition such that people will be willing to risk their resources here in the hope of making a profit. Everything else is either a means to an end, or just the frosting of the cake. In any community, it is from the profitable operation of business that all other benefits are derived. Only by succeeding in this fundamental goal can we provide the jobs and produce the wealth to finance all of the governmental, civic, cultural and charitable needs that our community is faced with everyday. We do a lot of diverse things to accomplish that primary goal. and it is this goal, as well as, continuing to promote the region to enhance tourist activities which will be our mission for the coming year.


Staff Members
Executive Director- Tawni Thomson 
Bookkeeper- Dave Patterson
Event Coordinator- April Leeson
Membership and Communications Coordinator- Rachel Anderson
Visitor Center Host- Erin Gutierrez & Joe Pollini 

Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2012-2013

President- James Ferrell, State Farm Insurance – Joined Board July, 2009. Current Term Expires June 2013.
Term will be extended to 2014 so that he may serve as Immediate Past President.

Vice President- Sally Symons, Symons Emergency Specialties – Joined Board July, 2010.
Current Term Expires June 2013. Term will be extended to 2015 so that she may serve as President, then Immediate Past President.

Immediate Past President- Debi Yerkes, Alex Printing – Joined Board July, 2007.
Current Term Expires June 2013

Treasurer- Angie Aukee, Northern Inyo Hospital – Elected to Board July, 2012.
Current Term Expires June 2015.

BOARD MEMBERS:

Greg Alexander, Whiskey Creek Restaurant – Elected to Board July, 2012.
Current Term Expires June 2015.

Greg Allen, Rainbow Pack Station/ Allen Outdoor Products – Joined Board July, 2007.
Re-elected June 2012, Current Term Expires June, 2015.

Gloriana Bailey, Individual Member – Joined Board July, 2008.
Appointed for one year in 2009, Elected to Current Term June 2010, Current Term Expires June, 2013.

Julie Faber, Mountain Studio & Coso Operating Company. Appointed to the Board July 2012,
Current Term Expires June 2013.

David Koon, Comfort Inn – Joined Board July, 2011. Current Term Expires June, 2014

Pete Korngiebel, Community Printing – Joined Board July, 2009. Re-elected June 2012,
Current Term Expires June, 2015.

Chris Plakos, LADWP - Elected to Board July, 2012. Current Term Expires June 2015.

Manny Singh, Pizza 395 & Subway – Appointed to the Board July 2012,
Current Term Expires June 2013.

Jared Smith, Parchers Resort & South Lake Boat Landing - Appointed to the Board July 2012, Current Term Expires June 2013.

 

From the Inyo Register:
"The Bishop Chamber of Commerce was formally organized Monday evening [Jan. 15, 1912 ], at a fairly well attended meeting held in the Yandell Building. L.C. Hall presided over the meeting, and W.A. Chalfant was the temporary secretary.

Rules of Government for the body were adopted, after due consideration of the details, and the roll was opened for signatures. The preliminary committee submitted a ticket of nominees for Directors, as it had been instructed to do by the Harvest Festival meeting from which it originated. A few other names were placed before the meeting, and election of a governing board was preceded with. Those chosen were L.C. Hall, W.W. Watterson, F.K. Andrew s, K. Weill, T.G. Watterson, W.C. Parcher, C.G. Leicham, F.E. Howard, G.W. Garner, C.E. Kunze, and W.A. Chalfant.

Meetings of the Directors are to be held monthly, with such special meetings as may be called. The affairs of the Chamber are to be managed by the Board, chosen annually. It in turn will delegate to committees on various topics the matter within their special jurisdiction. After adjournment of the general meeting, the Directors organized by electing L.C. Hall President, over his protest, by unanimous vote. K. Weill was elected Vice President, W.C. Parcher, Secretary and M.Q. Watterson, Treasurer; all unanimously. The Secretary is to be a paid officer, thus justified in giving to public affairs such time as they may require. The President and Secretary were instructed to immediately take up the matter of train service, and endeavor to secure betterment of the conditions which lately have been so annoying." 

-Inyo Register, Bishop Calif., January 15, 1912