> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Chamber cuts ties with Lynch - URL: https://www.smdp.com/chamber-cuts-ties-with-lynch/ - Published: 2007-09-05T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T02:46:29.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Business, Downtown, #archive-import, Homelessness *Chamber of Commerce president is let go* DOWNTOWN Jim Lynch is no longer the president of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. Members of the chamber’s board of directors weren’t saying much Tuesday, but they did confirm that Lynch was let go on Friday of last week after having spent just 10 months at the helm of the organization, which boasts over 1,000 members. The chamber’s chief financial officer, Brenda Katz, will serve as interim president until a successor is selected, said Tom Larmore, board chairman. “We felt that while we liked Jim and he does a very nice job at our mixers, we felt we needed someone who had strong management skills,” Larmore said.“We both came to the conclusion that the job didn’t match his skills and his interests.” Lynch, 55, assumed control of the chamber in October of last year, replacing Kathy Dodson, who had served has president since 2001\. Dodson left to become economic development director for the city of El Paso, Texas. In a statement to the Daily Press, Lynch said he could not comment on the specifics of his departure, however, he did defend his tenure at the chamber. “I can tell you that every chamber event that was conducted during my tenure as president and CEO was successful, exceeded profit projections and in some cases were record-setting events,” Lynch wrote. “I believe that my work in the community was beneficial to Santa Monica and helped to repair and build better relationships among community organizations, the city, the school district, Santa Monica College and neighboring communities. It is also my belief that my leadership with regard to the advocacy trips to Washington, D.C. and to Sacramento helped to raise the status of Santa Monica as an influential community in Southern California. “I wish all the best for the Santa Monica community with the many challenges and projects ahead.” It is unclear what exactly prompted Lynch’s departure. Members of the board said at the time of Lynch’s hiring that they were expecting him to provide strong leadership since the chamber was already in sound financial shape and had a strong team of experienced staff members. Lynch, who has an extensive background in business and economic development, was very visible in the community, attending City Council meetings and neighborhood events regularly to show the chamber’s support. It could be that Lynch never measured up to his predecessor, Dodson, who had been credited with reinvigorating a chamber that had become stagnant, raising its membership from 846 to just over 1,000. Under her watch, the chamber became more active in the community and in politics, hosting job fairs and promotional events that celebrated the culture and richness of Santa Monica’s business community, as well as organized a campaign to defeat a controversial living wage law that would have forced most businesses in the coastal zone to pay an hourly wage of $10.50. Dodson was also praised for her leadership on homelessness and improving ties with City Hall, a relationship which was often described as adversarial. Lynch’s first major move as president was the selection of Samantha O’Neil as the organization’s governmental affairs representative, who works closely with City Hall on the formation of new laws and regulations that impact businesses. She also acts as an ombudsman for chamber members with projects before City Hall. To fund the position, the chamber has established a “Business Roundtable,” where up to 30 chamber members pay an annual fee of $2,500 to have quarterly meetings with City Manager Lamont Ewell, elected officials and city department heads. The position was created following the chamber’s decision to dismantle its political arm in favor of a less confrontational approach to working with City Hall. Lynch served as the executive director of the nationwide health care company Schick Laboratories, Inc., and as a partner in the computer and accounting services firm Lynch, McFadden & Company. He has also served as president of several Southern California business districts and chambers of commerce. Lynch is a graduate of the 80th anniversary class of the United States Chamber of Commerce four-year Institute for Organization Management at the University of Notre Dame and holds both master’s and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and public administration from California State University, Los Angeles. Additionally, he has earned the designation of accredited chamber executive from the Western Association of Chamber Executives, the nation’s largest regional accreditation body. Of the nearly 1,000 chambers of commerce within its region, there are fewer than 40 accredited chamber executives. Larmore said no deadline has been set for a replacement to be hired. He said the board would like to get someone as soon as possible since the chamber has several events on the horizon,including the “Taste of Santa Monica” festival, scheduled for the 16th of this month. “The main thing we always try to do is represent the business community and to expand our membership,” Larmore said. “It is also important to us to maintain the solid relationship we have with city government … We just felt like we needed to go in a different direction.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 5, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/090507.pdf?ref=smdp.com)