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Gilroy Chamber Continued from page 32 knows everybody in gilroy. We share a real sense of roots in the communit.” Administrative Assistant Jude Miranda spent two years working for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group before joining the Gilroy Chamber staff. In her words, “I’ve lived in Gilroy twenty-five years and couldn’t be happier about landing in my position a year and a half ago. Members of the Chamber always come in to our offices to say hello. Mark has an open-door relationship with the community and always makes time for visitors, especially new business owners.” Her administrative colleague, Chris Bevilacqua, feels the same way. “There’s never a dull moment around here, and I think we all like it that way.” The Chairperson Michele Campbell, owner of an insurance services company, stepped into the role of Board Chair for the Gilroy Chamber this year. She’s found the Chamber to be exceptional in terms of its strong sense of community and support for a diverse membership from mom and pop shops to large organizations such as St. Louise Regional Hospital and Merrill Gardens.  Campbell noted that Gilroy is growing and evolving, “as it should be.”  “If you remain stagnant as a business, community, or city, it’s not healthy. We have a really strong, engaged board whose members represent ag, health- care, education, nonprofits and downtown merchants. One member, who sits on the boards of some large organizations, said this is one of the best operating boards around. Mark Turner is very organized and a leader and we get things done. When we need our people to step up, our board members do. That says it all.”  “We listen to our members' needs. We promote the ‘shop local’ efforts. And we advocate on their behalf on legisla- tive issues, sometimes working regionally. This has included opposing one bill that would have inundated healthcare organizations with regulatory paperwork, and another bill proposing tax hikes that would have put many auto shops out of business. Legislation is constantly being pushed through and we have to pay attention and make our voices heard.” Michele Campbell, Chair Gilroy Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER BOARD PHOTO, PAGE 32 Seated (l-r): Mark Jacobsen, Gina Lopez, Terry Newman, Rich Valencia, Jude Miranda. Standing (l-r): John Hennelly, Diane Atkinson, Eric Howard, Michele Campbell, Lisa Faria, Mark Turner, David Matuszak, Carlos Pineda, Eric Gebhardt, Jane Howard, Tammy Brownlow 82 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN APRIL/MAY 2018 gmhtoday.com