Karen Gutierrez-Mac Nair has been named the new CEO Of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce effective Monday, Feb. 29.
Karen Mac Nair
Karen is executive director of the Santa Anita Family YMCA in Monrovia, where she has been employed for more than eight years. She is very familiar with the area since Santa Anita Family YMCA services Arcadia, Monrovia and Duarte. Her daughter attended Arcadia Christian School from pre-school through eighth grade and they were part of Arcadia Girls Softball association for many years. Mac Nair has also recently been a member of the Arcadia Rotary Club.
Karen replaces Arcadia Chamber CEO Scott Hettrick, who was appointed to the Arcadia Chamber Board of Directors in 2007 and named CEO in March 2011.
Scott announced his resignation in January effective Feb. 25 to move with his wife Betty to the Omaha, Nebraska area, where their daughter Brittany and her husband Matt had their first baby (a girl) on February 5; the first grandchild for Scott and Betty.
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead the 95 year-old Arcadia Chamber the past five years,” Scott said. “We have the best business and community members, and the City and Chamber leaders have been nothing but supportive of the many changes we have made to improve our effectiveness and value. While Betty and I will greatly miss the city or family adopted 25 years ago and all the wonderful people and so many friends, we are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives with our newly-extended family. And I leave with great comfort that the Chamber is being left in very good hands with Karen being a dynamic and forward-thinking leader.”
Mayor Gary Kovacic and the City of Arcadia recently honored the couple with a proclamation declaring February 16 as Scott and Betty Hettrick Day in Arcadia, followed on Feb. 18 by a send-off reception from about 60 Chamber board members and city officials.
Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic (right) proclaims Scott and Betty Hettrick Day
Said Arcadia Chamber President Andrew Gregson of the Executive Factor: “Over the past five years the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce has experienced changes at a whole other level. Producing larger events, offering a greatly expanded array of services to its business members that assists in their growth; and significantly increasing Chamber income to provide this additional value. Overseeing these changes has been the Arcadia Chamber’s CEO, Scott Hettrick whose guidance and dedication has been impeccable.”
“However, change is inevitable!” Andrew continued. “Scott and his wife Betty are moving on and making a new start in life in Nebraska and we wish them all the very best. Meanwhile, the Arcadia Chamber Executive Committee has been working hard to find a new CEO. After much deliberation and with a unanimous vote, the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce is pleased to introduce and welcome new CEO Karen Mac Nair, who comes to the position with an excellent insight as to how to push the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce even further into the future. Her wealth of knowledge and experience will be gladly accepted and utilized.”
“Farewell Scott, and hello Karen.”
In her job at the Santa Anita YMCA, Karen has overseen a $1 million budget and 100 employees. Her job entailed many similarities with her new responsibilities at the Chamber, answering to a large board of volunteer directors and Executive Committee, creating and managing a budget, raising funds, developing relationships and working with officials from cities, schools, and organizations, producing events, and creating new programs. As an example, she developed, coordinated and managed Healthy Kids Day in conjunction with the City of Monrovia’s Spring Egg Hunt, which served more than 3,000 families each year, and she successfully coordinated the City’s “Friday Night Live” program for three years to provide activities for youth on Friday nights in Library Park.
“I am so excited to step into my role here as the CEO of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce,” Karen says. “It is so wonderful to be able to join an organization that is led by so many great volunteers and staff. It shows how they care so much about our community. Scott has done such a wonderful job over the past five years and I want to keep the focus of moving our community and Chamber forward to spur the economic growth of this great city.”
