New director takes reins at Henderson Chamber of Commerce

By Jeremy Twitchell

Friday, Aug. 7, 2009 | 2:50 p.m.

With a casual passing of the gavel at its monthly luncheon this afternoon, the Henderson Chamber of Commerce welcomed Kirk Clausen, regional president for Wells Fargo & Company, as the new chairman of its Board of Directors.

Conscious of the recession that has affected everyone in the luncheon crowd of almost 400 people to one degree or another, Clausen promised to further develop the Chamber as a tool to help its members weather the storm.

“We all know what a challenge the current economic downturn has been for Southern Nevada,” Clausen said. “We’re all looking at how we run our business find ways to survive and continue to grow, and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce is no different.”

Clausen said the Chamber is working on developing a health care policy that members will be able to purchase, including self-employed owners of small businesses, and said he hopes to have more details in the coming months.

In addition, he said, the Chamber will offer free workshops twice a month beginning in September, which will cover topics ranging from human resources management to finance to marketing.

The Chamber will also continue its advocacy efforts with the State Legislature and its networking activities, Clausen said. He pledged to help strengthen those efforts by increasing the Chamber’s numbers through active recruiting.

“As good as we are doing, we have to do a better job explaining to our members and our potential members why it is essential to be part of the Chamber,” he said.

Outgoing chairman David Dahan, managing partner of Orgill/Singer and Associates, reminded members that despite all the challenges their businesses may be facing, they must still find ways to help those around them.

“We have an obligation to this community,” Dahan said. “I’ve been here (in Las Vegas) for 40 years, and you cannot -- you cannot -- live here and not try to make it a better place. It just does not work that way.”

Despite all the challenges that they face individually and collectively, Clausen ended his remarks on a positive note by expressing confidence that Chamber members, working collectively, will make it through the recession.

“We’re all in this together, and through collaboration, we’ll come out of this stronger, smarter and better,” he said.