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Chamber names Brock Roby as its 2013 chairman
130 business leaders, elected officials attend luncheon in Pleasanton Marriott

Brock Roby, a civil engineer and for many years a church ministry leader, was installed Tuesday as chairman of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce for 2013.

He succeeds April Mitchell, formerly the Alameda County Fair marketing director, who will continue to serve on the chamber's board for one year as past chairwoman.

Scott Raty, president and chief executive of the chamber, praised Roby for his many civic contributions to the community since moving here with his wife Anne and their family 10 years ago.

Roby serves on the city's Human Services Commission and has been a member of the Chamber's board of directors for the last three years. He also is the volunteer director of E-Soccer, a special needs sports program that emphasizes full inclusion in small group settings and one-on-one coaching.

He served as ministry leader and administrator of the International Church of Christ for 19 years before returning to his engineering profession, joining BKF Engineers in San Francisco in 2005. In his church work, he and his wife led ministries in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Hawaii.

Besides Roby, Dave Stark, public affairs director for the Bay East Association of Realtors, was installed as the organization's chairman-elect, which means he will move into the top post next January. Matt De Pretis of the accounting firm of Thompson & De Pretis was installed as treasurer, a position that will lead to heading the chamber in 2015.

Chosen as directors for the Pleasanton Chamber this year are Jody Amos, Amos Productions; Curt Anderson, Compass Product Design; Joe Barone, Barone's Restaurant; Jon Burchett, Hyatt House Pleasanton; Brian Gentry, Fremont Bank; and Scott Gergerson, ValleyCare Health System.

Also chosen as directors are Howard Goldstein, IntegenX; Pam Hardy, Ponderosa Homes; Janice Sangster-Phalen, Diablo Meridian Realty; James Paxson, Hacienda Owners Association; Heather Stanek, Pleasanton ClubSport; and Keith Turner of Safeway Inc. in Pleasanton.

Three special awards were presented at Tuesday's luncheon:

Carol Marshall of The Write Business was named the Chamber's Ambassador of the Year for the second year in a row. She is also the chairwoman of the Ambassador committee this year.

Leon Gundersen of Select Imaging won the Carol Bush award for his work as chairman of the Ambassador committee in 2011 and 2012.

Realtor Tom Fox won the prestigious Jenny Doehle Leadership Pleasanton award for his volunteer work both in Pleasanton and on global medical missions.