Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce is committed to continuously promote and foster business alliance and to be an advocate for all businesses. To provide a positive business climate is an integral part of a healthy community. We are dedicated to improving the business environment of all our Mountain Communities.

CHAMBER MEETING SCHEDULE

The Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce holds public meetings the last Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at Cuddy Hall, 335 Lakewood Place in Lake of the Woods.

Participation is key! Come Join Us!

CHAMBER BOARD

Pamela Low, President

Pam Low, a California native, was brought up in Torrance then moved to Simi Valley where she lived for 30 years. Pam sang professionally for many years, recording and performing all over California along with being very involved in Theatre. She then ventured to Santa Clarita where she lived 11 years and owned her own hockey store, Hat Trick Hockey. She was instrumental in starting roller hockey in that area and had her own hockey league "SCRHL" where she was President and coached several teams to championships. Pam's son then moved his sights to ice hockey where she really became involved with the West Valley Wolves Hockey Club as secretary on the board, manager and coach of several teams that went and won national Championships throughout her 11 year tenure. She was instrumental in forming the "Valencia Express Club" out of the "Ice Station", working hard to raise funds while on the board, and coaching and managing again until her son went off to play Semi Pro Ice Hockey. That’s when she and her family made their dream of moving to Frazier Park come true, where she had, come to many times and loved as a child.

Pam and her husband Dan, an Operations Manager in Woodland Hills, have two children; Blake is now in the Navy Seal program, and Rachel is getting her degree at COC in Early Childhood Education and currently works with the AYSO organization here on the Mountain.

Peter Carroll, 1st Vice President

Peter Carroll is a native of New Hampshire who relocated to California after graduating from college in 1979. I enjoyed life as a professional motorcycle road racer for a period of approximately 10 years while residing in Costa Mesa California. I worked part-time as a service advisor for Champion Motorcycles, a multi-lined franchise dealer in Costa Mesa during my racing career and worked full time as service manager when I was not racing. I met the woman of my dreams in 1992, asked her to be my partner in 1993 and relocated to Lebec, the gateway of the mountain community. I went to work for Hang Time Motorcycles as general manager in 1993 and purchased the business two years later.

Hang Time Motorcycles has been in business for over 10 years, and I have witnessed many businesses fail here on the hill. Trying to succeed in a small community while trying to stay competitive with business off the hill is not an easy task. It takes a co-operative effort between businesses, government agencies and requires a loyal customer base that is willing to help mountain businesses succeed.

It is my vision to put a collaborative effort toward events and tourism involving mountain businesses who wish to help each other succeed in their dreams to live and work in the mountains.

Pam Sturdevant, Secretary

Pam Sturdevant and her family moved to the mountain communities in 1999. Pam is the mother of 4 and has 2 children currently in The El Tejon School District. She was Vice President of Frazier Park School PTSO for 2 years and worked at Frazier Park School as an Aide. She joined Girl Scouts as a Leader from 1999-2004, and coached AYSO soccer for 3 years. Pam moved to Lake of the Woods in 2001, and joined the Lake of the Woods Property Owners Association serving on the board since 2002. Pam started working at The Mountain Enterprise in 2001 and is still employed there.

She said, "My commitment to joining the Chamber is to help the businesses on the mountain succeed. My priority is to strengthen the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce and increase tourism. We are extremely lucky to have so many precious resources right here on our own mountains that make us so unique. I am very excited and fully motivated with this new board and look forward to serving the community. Please consider joining the chamber and remember, together we can accomplish great things."

Sue Nichols, Treasurer

Sue, a native Californian moved from the Inland Empire to Frazier Park in November 2003 to start a new career as the owner of Sue's Tavern on Mt. Pinos Way in Frazier Park.

Sue worked for the California State University System for 16 years prior to taking a chance on owning a business of her own. As Director of Grants and Contracts, Sue and her staff provided the accounting services and compliance requirements necessary for the many federal, state, and local funding awarded to the college.

One important factor in Sue's decision to move to Frazier is that her son and his family resides in Frazier Park. She has two grandsons that like to keep her busy.

She was Team Mom for her oldest grandson's Jr. Falcon football team in 2005 and volunteers as treasurer for the Jr. Falcon football league this year.

When asked to join the Chamber and be a board member, she knew that there was no other answer than "Yes, of course". The thought of being a part of building the community into a stronger and better place for all is a very appealing thought to Sue.

Brittany Baquet, Director

Brittany, co-owner of Tidbits of Santa Clarita Valley and the Mountain Communities, was born and raised in Southern California. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Deaf Studies/Interpreting, she began providing educational interpreting services to deaf students and professors at various colleges in Southern California. At the same time, she enrolled in graduate school and went on to earn her Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies. She began teaching at CSU Northridge in 2002. She taught Public Speaking from 2002-2003, and currently holds a part-time faculty position in the Department of Leisure Studies and Recreation. Brittany has also been providing Interpreting Services for Deaf students at College of the Canyons since 2001. In 2003 she was hired as part-time faculty in the Sign Language Department where she continues to teach American Sign Language.

While teaching has clearly become a passion, she has always been self-employed, owning several businesses over the past 10 years. In July 2005, she launched the Tidbits Paper in the Santa Clarita Valley and the Mountain Communities. She is a member of the SCV Chamber, and a member of the Leadership Team for Women Entrepreneurs of SCV. She is very excited to have the chance to positively and effectively participate in the community by being a part of the Mountain Communities Chamber Team.

Valerie Jean Dickinson-Phay, Director

Valerie, a California native, is a 6 year Pine Mountain resident. She has an impressive background including 20 years in Respiratory Therapy, 10 years in the legal field, and 7 years in the Desert Unit Search and Rescue.

Valerie is a Real Estate Broker and the owner of Pine Mountain Trading Co. Real Estate and Mortgage. She also serves as the current treasurer for the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce. Valerie's husband, Mark Phay is also a chamber member and owner of Pine Mountain Masonry.

Kate Donahue, Director

Kate was born in Toronto, Canada. She has lived in California since she was two. Kate moved to the Frazier Park area with her two sons Daniel and Richard in 1987. She worked running heavy equipment for Caltrans and the State Parks for 15 years. In 1997 she opened a video store in Lake Of The Woods with some close friends. Kate served on the local AYSO Board for 7 years while her kids played soccer on the hill. In 1999 Kate opened The Trading Post in Frazier Park which offered many things from pottery classes to working with beads. The Trading Post offered local artists the chance to display and sell their items locally. Kate then opened another new business in Frazier Park in 2001, The Coffee Cantina which is going on its 6th year of serving the mountain's best and earliest cup of Joe which you can get from Kate’s smiling face at 4:30 a.m. Kate wholeheartedly supports Frazier Park and wants to see the businesses here prosper. The potential is so much bigger then we could even imagine if we only work together.

Robert Rodriguez, Director

Robert, a New York City native, moved to the mountain communities in 2006 after living in California for six years. Robert spent eight years in the United States Marine Corps as a bomb disposal technician. Robert has lived all over this country and has lived in Japan. Robert has also done two combat tours in Iraq.

Robert has been an avid off-roader ever since putting a lift kit on his first Jeep one week after purchasing it brand new. Robert volunteers his time all across the state doing trail maintenance and clean-ups to help keep the great trails in this state and here in the mountain communities open. Robert is an active member of The California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc., The California Off-Road Vehicle Association and the Frazier Park Four-Wheel Drive Club.

Robert is the Owner Pirate Jeep Adventures in Frazier Park offering Jeep rentals and off-road tours here in the mountain communities. Robert decided that this area was a great location for a business of this type the first time he visited the area.

Robert is committed to making the mountain communities an eco-tourism based area that will help all of the businesses here grow. Robert is very excited to be on this board with other like-minded individuals and is ready to make some positive changes in our community.

CONTACT

Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 552
Frazier Park, CA 93225
661- 245-1212
Email:  Contact the Chamber