Leadership shift at San Mateo Chamber

Wood will assume her role Dec. 19 for one of the largest chambers in the county, with 314 active members. She previously was an executive in the nonprofit organization Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the largest charitable foundation in Silicon Valley. Wood runs her own business consulting agency and works with the city of Half Moon Bay on a comprehensive regional economic development effort called the Coastside Recovery Initiative. Wood has been working with the San Mateo Area Chamber in a consulting capacity to help set strategy for the organization and rebuild its leadership program.

Moving forward, she wants the chamber at the table about broader discussions around affordable housing, public transit, homelessness and climate issues. The chamber supported Measure CC, a city ballot measure to increase the existing real property transfer tax by 1% for properties sold or transferred for $10 million or more.

“There will be more for us in terms of using our influence and voice in the critical public policy discussions that we know are coming,” Wood said.

The new era comes as businesses emerge from tough pandemic times that closed many stores temporarily or permanently and changed the nature of business in San Mateo. Wood wants to concentrate on looking at economic recovery and development work that helps everyone, like more workforce development and supporting more businesses owned by people of color. Needs in the future are tech assistance and pandemic help.

“I recognize we can’t do this work alone,” Wood said. We need to be able to join with others. I see strategic partnership opportunities in our future to extend our reach and impact.”

Wood plans to develop a stronger relationship with the Downtown San Mateo Association, or DSMA, to help downtown businesses, noting the untapped potential to work together. The DSMA is a nonprofit charged by the City Council with managing downtown assessment fee funds and addressing issues. It is in the process of hiring an executive director to run the organization daily. To help address rising rent costs and expenses here, she hopes to rely on its partnership with the city. She believes in having conversations about development that brings housing and protects local businesses, which are often critical to neighborhoods.

“There are models and ways we can do it so small businesses aren’t priced out,” Wood said

To make way for Wood taking over, Angeles retired Dec. 15 after 10 years of serving as CEO. She plans to travel more and spend time with her family and two grandsons. However, she will continue to remain active in the San Mateo community.

“I feel the timing is right,” Angeles said. “It’s time for some new ideas and blood.”

One of her proudest achievements was getting the city’s businesses through the pandemic and maintaining financial solvency when so many struggled. The stressful time led to many calls from worried owners looking for help. Angeles was alone in the office for more than a year, hosting more than 70 business webinars, helping the community and certifying businesses that met specific environmental standards.

“We’ve been able to pay all of our bills and have money left over,” Angeles said. “We have also been able to add additional staff. The chamber is in a good solid place.”

Other accomplishments include launching the Business Assistance Center to help and advise small businesses, partnering with local officials to address a rise in ADA lawsuits targeting local businesses, creating the Women in Action quarterly breakfast, starting the Bacon and Brew Festival and other networking and community events.

Angeles said she was excited Wood was taking over and helping propel the chamber forward. Angeles noted some businesses still face challenges coming out of the pandemic, with a potential increase in cases this winter and people still not going out as much. She said the economy might also slow activity in the future.

“We may have to wait and see over the next year or year and a half, and hopefully, things will start booming again,” Angeles said.

Laura Bent, chair of the chamber, and Heather Cleary, vice chair, thanked both women for their efforts to help the business community.

“We are grateful to Cheryl Angeles for her legacy work over the past 10 years at the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce,” the pair said in a statement by email. “We are elated to have Erica Wood accept the position of CEO for the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce to lead us into the future.”

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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