Pope hired as Davis Chamber executive director
The Davis Chamber of Commerce announces that after a two-month search and selection process, Kemble K. Pope has been tapped to lead the Chamber as executive director.
Pope has been a Davis resident for 10 years and has been active in the Davis Chamber since 2007. He has filled the executive director’s position on an interim basis for the past three months.
“I am devoting a majority of my time to increasing the exposure and visibility of our members so that we can continue to grow a vibrant Davis economy,” Pope said in a news release.
“As we emerge from the worst recession of a generation, we will work tirelessly to ensure that Davis is positioned to capture high-paying job growth that matches our community values.
“The time for talk, discussion and analysis in this community has been informative and worthwhile, but I’m ready to turn the page and start enacting real changes that will make our business community more vibrant.”
A sixth-generation Texan, Pope was raised in Brazos County, Texas, where both of his parents owned and operated businesses that were members of the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce. As a junior at Bryan High School, Pope completed the Chamber’s Junior Leadership Brazos, a competitive program designed to give students an inside look at how local government, banks, law enforcement and other local entities operate. It also provides an awareness of local history and resources to encourage future community leaders.
Pope plans to create a similar leadership program for adults, students and seniors with other Yolo County Chambers of Commerce.
His academic background is in the field of environmental policy, land use and communications, which he studied at Vanderbilt University, Columbia University’s Biosphere2 Center and UC Davis Extension.
His professional background combines experience in business development, communications, event planning, community organizing and voter advocacy.
Since 2005, Pope has owned and operated The Centaur Group, a full-service business consulting firm that focuses its talents and industry connections on public and government relations, communications strategy and deployment, project facilitation and business development.
With this new commitment to the Chamber, Pope will wind down all of his consulting activities in Davis.
“Kemble brings many skills to serve our Chamber members, but I’m most excited for his ability to create strategic relationships with UC Davis, local government and regional investors and entrepreneurs,” said 2012 board chairwoman Rose Cholewinski, who owns SwimAmerica Davis.
“We are working to prepare our community for post-recession job growth. He understands and lives our community values, so I’m certain that our efforts will be tailored to fit our community’s needs.”
From 2005 to 2010, Pope served as a member and chairman of the Davis Open Space and Habitat Commission. As chairman of the city’s Climate Action Team from 2008 to 2010, he led the creation of the Davis Climate Action Plan.
Pope also served on the Davis Downtown Business Association Visioning Committee from 2009 to 2010 and on the Davis Joint Unified School District 7/11 Surplus Property Committee for the Grande Avenue school site.
In 2010, past Chamber board chairman Bill Alger, chief operating officer of Woodland Healthcare, appointed Pope to chair the Chamber’s Government Relations Committee. During their tenure, Alger and Pope worked with several other community leaders to create the local business and economic development advocacy group Designing a Sustainable & Innovative Davis Economy (DSIDE).
Pope also has experience with Chamber events. He has been a regular volunteer and attendee at Chamber events over the years. In 2008, the board hired him to organize Celebrate UC Davis, a community party to celebrate the 100th birthday of the university.
“I am honored and proud to promote, support and advocate for 500 local businesses and to help improve the quality of life in this unique community that is my home and the place where I am starting my family,” Pope said.
He is engaged to be married to Katherine Jarvis-Shean this summer in Yolo County. His fiancée is a native of Sacramento, a graduate of Harvard University and a Ph.D. candidate in horticulture and agronomy at UCD.
Reach Pope at director@davischamber.com.
With the change in executive leadership, there also have been changes in staffing at the Chamber. Pope has hired four part-time, interim staffers to keep the office running smoothly. He plans to make permanent staffing decisions by June.
Neil Ruud, a graduating senior at UCD, comes to the Chamber from KDVS radio station, where he directed the paid and volunteer staff. Ruud will serve as interim deputy director and will be the main point person for Celebrate Davis! on May 17. He can be reached at deputydirector@davischamber.com.
Laura McCollough is a third-year UCD student who will serve as interim communications director. She is the point person for ribbon-cuttings and A Taste of Davis on March 15. She can be reached at communications@davischamber.com.
Zac Maybury is a graduating student with experience in the public and private spheres, having worked for the University of California department of plant sciences and Heinrich Property Management. He is the interim operations manager and is the point person for all lunches, mixers and DSIDE. He can be reached at operations@davischamber.com.
Catherine Hawe is a third-year political science and history major at UCD who has worked in government advocacy and grassroots campaigning at home in the North Bay and abroad in Africa. She will be the interim membership manager and is the point person for all prospective and new members and the Government Relations Committee. She can be reached at membership@davischamber.com.
A Taste of Davis
What: Showcase of regional food and wine featuring 30 tasting booths, live music and dancing
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15
Where: Davis Odd Fellows Hall, 415 Second St.
Tickets: $50 each, available at the Chamber office, 604 Third St.; (530) 756-5160
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=138895
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Posted by Special to The Enterprise
on Feb 19 2012.
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