200 people joined Pasadena Chamber Board members for the annual Inaugural Gala at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena for the installation of Chair Don Schweitzer of Schweitzer Law Partners.
Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception with music by Art Deco Entertainment prior to the dinner and installation program.
Outgoing Chair Raphael Henderson gave a brief overview of his 18 months of Board leadership. "I am especially pleased that our Minority Business Initiative, which is underwritten by a grant from Green Thumb Industries who operate Rise in Pasadena. Through this initiative, the Chamber has recruited more than 105 new members from underrepresented communities in the greater Pasadena area," Mr. Henderson said. "I am also pleased to sit among the most diverse Board members in the Chamber’s history."
As for the Chamber, Mr. Schweitzer said, "The past couple of years have been more than challenging for our Chamber and for our business community and neighbors but we are slowly finding our normal. Throughout, we have found that our connection to the local business community has been critical to helping so many persevere through the pandemic. Now, as we recover, the Chamber is as vital as ever, maybe even more so."
New Board members inducted that evening included George Falardeau of Pasadena Media, Ishmael Tron of F&M Business Center and Bill Ukropina of Coldwell Banker Comercial, who attended with his wife, Linan. Returning Board members were Katelyn Barchowsky (Storied Lane Marketing), Emilio Padilla-Larios (Langham Huntington Pasadena), John Burt (John Burt Leadership Coaching), Lloyd Wong (Clifford Swan Investment Counselors), Justin Tsui (TeamLogicIT), John Leano (Bryan's Cleaners), Raphael Henderson (Wells Fargo), Tom Daly (Lewis Roca), Helen Romero-Shaw (The Gas Company), David Klug (City of Pasadena), Jens Weiden (The Rose Bowl) and Mike Antenesse (Foothill Unity Center),
Two Pasadena Chamber Bill Bogaard Scholarships were awarded to Junely Merwin and Emma Espinoza, Lewis Roca intellectual property law firm partners Lauren Schneider, Anne Wang and Thomas Daly presented a scholarship on behalf of the firm to Boris Fuentes. All three recipients are emancipated foster youth who are pursuing higher education goals.
Guests included Congresswoman Judy Chu, who made a presentation to outgoing chair Raphael Henderson, Pasadena Vice Mayor and Council Member Felicia WIlliams,Ann Hickambotham, who represented Assemblymember Chris Holden, Dominick Corey, 
Gold sponsors of the Pasadena Chamber Gala were Hollywood Burbank Airport, Kaiser Permanente, the Langham Huntington Pasadena and Wells Fargo. Silver Sponsors were Athens Services, the City of Pasadena, The Gas Company and Optimum Seismic.
Guests at the gala dined on a carpaccio of tomato salad, cilantro-spiced shrimp and and chicken and a dessert of chocolate cake complimented by rum ice cream.
Items sold during the Silent Auction included a a weekend in Big Bear, Broadway show tickets and hotel stays, premium tickets to Karol G at the Rose Bowl, David Sidaris at the Civic Auditorium, Dodger and UCLA football tickets as well as dinners at Fogo de Chao, Kalaveras and more.
All photos by Lyd and Mo Photography.
