Carla Merriman, executive director of the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau for more than a decade, is out of a job following a vote of the chamber board, officials confirmed.
The chamber’s executive board met about three weeks ago and decided to present the full board with the option of removing Merriman, and then the full board voted last Thursday to remove her.
“The board made the decision to take the chamber in a new direction, and we thank Carla for her years of service and her contributions to the chamber,” said executive board president Jed Sanford.
He said the chamber will focus more energy on “community outreach” and greater “collaboration with local businesses and government” and with neighboring chambers of commerce.
Sanford stressed that the final decision was made by the full chamber board.
Merriman did not return phone calls before press time. The beginning of the week saw office manager Maureen Hunt moved up to acting executive director in the chamber’s Hermosa Avenue office.
Executive Board member Ron Newman referred inquiries to Sanford, and member Richard O’Reilly declined to comment in detail.
“I personally liked Carla, she did some good things for the chamber, other than that I have no comment,” O’Reilly said.
Executive Board member Travers Devine said he cast the lone dissenting vote when that body decided to bring the Merriman matter to the full board.
Devine said critics of Merriman contended that she was reluctant to get involved in projects proposed by energetic newer business owners. But, he added, once the board approved such projects, Merriman would “jump on board and do a great job.”
“Officially what they did was reach a determination that they want to go in a somewhat different direction, and since Carla has no contract, they simply informed her that her services were no longer required,” Devine said.
Devine said he voted against the dismissal because be believed Merriman did not get a chance to address her perceived weaknesses.
“I’m an old labor guy. I believe if you’re dissatisfied with the direction you’re going, you tell the employees what it is you want, and give them a chance to do that – then if they do it, great, and if they don’t, you have a cause for action,” he said.
“Carla did a remarkable job with what she was asked to do,” Devine said. “She was told to run the Fiesta [street fairs] and build the chamber’s finances. I don’t believe you let someone go without giving them a chance to work with you on what it is you want.”
During Merriman’s tenure the chamber added Visitors Bureau to its name, and the twice-a-year Fiestas underwent an energy-saving makeover that earned an Environmental Leadership award from the South Bay Business Environmental Coalition.
A recent Fiesta made use of generators powered by bio-diesel from used vegetable oil donated by Patrick Molloy’s, Hennessey’s Tavern, and Fat Face Fenner’s Fishack. Recyclable food utensils and plates were exclusively used in the Fiesta’s food court, and recycle bins were donated by Waste Management.
The Chamber implemented a bicycle valet lot that corralled 1,000 bikes per day, with the help of volunteers from the South Bay Bicycle Club and Hermosa Cyclery store. ER
