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Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Steve Van Dorn is stepping down from the role he called his “dream job” after nearly four years at the helm, announcing his retirement effective May 1.
Van Dorn, who joined the Pleasanton chamber in August 2018, said that after more than 30 years in the hospitality, sales and chamber management industries — and with his wife recently retired — he is ready to transition into “spending time doing things I currently never find the time to do.”
“After hundreds of mixers, ribbon cuttings and city council meetings during my 25 years of chamber work, I’m looking forward to taking a long break and excited for whatever comes next,” Van Dorn told the Weekly.
“This has been my dream job,” he added. “I have been most impressed with the passion and engagement of our business and community leaders in making sure Pleasanton continues to be widely recognized as a premier community in which to live, work and do business.”
Among his top accomplishments during his tenure, Van Dorn cited the update of the chamber’s “Pleasanton 2025: A Community Vision” document, as well as the organization’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
The chamber’s Board of Directors has assigned a search committee to oversee the recruitment process to hire Van Dorn’s permanent successor. He said the goal is to have that new leader in place by May 2.
“Steve brought an outgoing and positive outlook to the chamber,” Board Chair Kim Damiani, of Summit Financial Group, said in a statement last Friday. “He was always willing to listen and engage with our members, volunteers and community leaders to be sure the chamber was providing programs and initiatives that were important to their success.”
“We’re also thankful for his assistance with a comprehensive search effort that is currently in process,” Damiani added. “With Steve’s help and efforts of our dedicated Board of Directors, we anticipate a seamless transition.”
A Tri-Valley resident since before he was hired in Pleasanton, Van Dorn previously served as a corporate affairs manager with the California Chamber of Commerce and president/CEO of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau. He had been president/CEO of the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce for nearly two years when he accepted the position in Pleasanton.
“The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce is the voice of our business community representing over 600 organizations large and small,” he said. “We believe a supportive business climate is a key driver of Pleasanton’s success. Local businesses and local residents share core values and community goals.”
“Business has a critical role to play in the efforts to maintain and sustain the things that make Pleasanton special,” Van Dorn added. “Our strong local economy and extraordinary quality of life happen by design, not by accident. Working together locally and regionally, we make great things happen.”
Van Dorn’s retirement comes after a year in which he and other chamber officials have butted heads on several occasions — perhaps most notably with Leadership Pleasanton debate last summer — with the current Pleasanton City Council majority, none of whose campaigns were endorsed by the chamber’s Business and Community Political Action Committee.
When asked whether that played a role in his decision to step away, Van Dorn said, “My plan has always been to make this my final chamber before retirement. Our relationship with the current City Council is strong and positive. Diverse opinions, openness to change and ongoing communication with the City Council will lead to a better Pleasanton.”
Van Dorn is himself a past chair of the city’s Economic Vitality Committee. He is also the current president of the Rotary Club of Pleasanton’s Foundation, a role he said he plans to continue into retirement.
