Tag Archives: Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce

David Jerome has been named President and Chief Executive Officer for the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce (GEPCC).  The announcement came Thursday morning following a staff meeting and during a press conference.

Jack Chapman, 2017 Board Chair of the GEPCC, and Steffen Poessiger, incoming Board Chair, made the announcement and introduced Jerome to members, investors, and staff.

“Today is a momentous day for our organization, as we are welcoming a new CEO with unmatched operations and development experience.  David is a visionary and a strategist and has already proven himself as an agent for change in our community,” said Chapman.  “We look forward to watching the Greater Chamber thrive under his leadership.”

Speaking of the former CEO, Chapman said, “The board wishes Richard Dayoub a fond farewell and we thank him for his 13 years of service.”  Dayoub’s contract ends at the end of December.  Jerome will begin on December 14th.

Jerome comes to the Chamber with over 20 years of experience in a range of fields.  Most recently, he served as Vice President of the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA) Foundation.  Prior to that, Jerome worked extensively in executive roles abroad with General Motors Korea (Seoul), General Motors Asia Pacific (Singapore), General Motors Overseas Company (Singapore), Anheuser-Busch InBev (Brussels), Intercontinental Hotels Group and RAK & Co., both in London.

He also served as Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy for General Motors Corporation in Detroit.  Jerome has been published in the Hotel Business Review multiple times and served as an organizer, curator and coordinator for TEDxElPaso in 2016 and 2017.

Jerome was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps.  Jerome was Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce Korea in 1994 and President of the United Service Organization (USO) in Korea in 1995.  He has been a member of the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania Bars since 1998.  In 2002, he was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel.

From 2004-2014 Jerome was a Visiting Practitioner at the Harvard Kennedy School of Law and at Cornell University he was a Distinguished Lecturer in 2008 and a member of the faculty from 2012-2015.  While working in the hotel industry in 2013, Jerome earned a U.S. Patent for his program on More Efficient Building Design, Construction and Operations.

That same year, he was presented with the Game Changer Award by Business in the Community in London.  Here in El Paso he has served as the Chairman of the Marketing Committee for the GEPCC where he was instrumental in guiding the Chamber’s image and launching the new website.  He also sits on the Board of Directors for The Hub of Human Innovation.

Jerome earned a Juris Doctor degree from Washington College of Law and is a graduate of the Senior Leaders Program at Columbia Business School.

When asked about his forecast for the Chamber, Jerome responded, “It is very exciting to consider where business in El Paso will be in ten years.  We are a smart, hard-working and growing city that is strategically positioned next to one of our most important global trading partners.  We have an outstanding Chamber and we have every reason to be optimistic from both a business and community perspective.”

The Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce seeks applicants for Leadership El Paso Class 40.

“The Leadership El Paso experience is ideal for those individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to community service,” GEPCC officials stated via a news release.

If selected, the tuition fee for the all-inclusive program is $2,000 for Chamber members and $2,600 for non-members.  Limited slots may be available at a lesser tuition rate for not for profit charitable organizations seeking to further develop their key leadership.

Chairs, Mr. Mauro Monsisvais (EPISD) and Mr. Tyler Smith (SBNG), along with their selection committee, seek representation from a cross section of the community who are active in business, education, politics, the arts, religion, government, community-based organizations, and ethnically diverse groups, in order to reflect the diversity of the community.

Applicants who have achieved leadership positions in their field and are willing to accept greater community responsibility will be chosen for a year-long curriculum.  The curriculum is designed to educate and enlighten Leadership El Paso class members about all subjects El Paso, and further engage these leaders in El Paso’s progress through executive positions in boards, associations, organizations and elected office.

Deadline to submit an application is October 31, 2017 (class to be announced November 9, 2017).

A two night retreat January 12-14, 2018 will kick off the year.  For more information, contact Ms. Maggie Benham, at 534-0526 or mbenham@elpaso.org

Application packet: LEP Application 2018

The Office of the Governor and the City of El Paso’s Economic Development Department are pleased to announce that El Paso will host a Governor’s Small Business Forum on August 10, 2017.

Governor’s Small Business Forums are designed to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with timely, relevant, actionable advice to assist them in growing their business.

The El Paso Governor’s Small Business Forum will bring local entrepreneurs and small businesses valuable tools, skills, and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s fast-paced economy. This year’s Forum will highlight business fundamentals, attracting and retaining a dynamic workforce, and innovation and entrepreneurship.

Additionally, this event will provide a great opportunity to network and connect with industry specialists, government officials, service providers, and the regional business community. Lunch and parking will be provided.

Those wishing to register, can visit the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce website to sign up. The cost is $50 per person.

For more information on the event or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Aimee Olivas at (915) 212-1617 or by email at OlivasAP@elpasotexas.gov

The Governor’s Small Business Forum is made possible through the joint efforts of the Office of the Governor, the City of El Paso, Texas Workforce Commission, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, The Borderplex Alliance, Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Center, County of El Paso, and Destination El Paso.

WHO:           The Office of the Governor and the City of El Paso Economic Development Department

WHAT:          Governor’s Small Business Forum

WHERE:        El Paso Convention Center – 1 Civic Center Plaza

WHEN:         August 10, 2017, 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), along with partners from the Borderplex Alliance, El Paso County, the City of El Paso, the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, launched three youth employment initiatives for 2017; Hire El Paso Youth Summer Work Program, Summer Earn & Learn, and The Texas Internship Challenge.

The Hire El Paso Summer Work Program will subsidize 100 percent of a paid work experience for 122 youth between the ages of 16-24 for 20-40 hours a week and for up to 12 weeks.

Summer Earn & Learn will subsidize 100 percent of the paid work experience for 78 youth with disabilities between the ages of 14-22 for 30 hours a week and for up to 7 weeks.

The Texas Internship Challenge, a partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency and The Higher Education Coordinating Board, is aimed to increase and promote paid internships for students with Texas employers.  In this case, the employers will commit to covering the costs for internships.

“Together we, and our partners, understand the value that summer work experience offers the future workforce. Hiring youth not only helps them gain important workplace training but also builds self-esteem while earning money for themselves and their families. In return, employers can expect to get productive employees,” said Joyce Wilson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

Employers who participate in the programs will benefit from hiring motivated young adults in their workplaces, while providing crucial career building opportunities. Employers participating in the Summer Earn & Learn Program will receive insights and recommendations as to how to best serve customers with disabilities and learn how to easily adapt workplaces to employ persons with disabilities.

In total, WSB has committed to subsidizing 200 summer jobs at 100 percent (zero cost to employers). Youth who participate in the program will attend a Dynamic Futures  foundational skills boot camp to better prepare them prior to starting at their worksites.