Dubroff: SLO Chamber CEO brings passion, experience to the job
More than a dozen years ago, Garret Olson was sitting in his living room in Scottsdale, Arizona, when the phone rang.
There was an opening for a fire chief in San Luis Obispo, so the person on the other end asked if he wanted to apply. At the time, Olson was happily serving as chief in the larger Scottsdale department, but he and his wife decided to drive down to SLO — on their own dime — and spend a weekend on the Central Coast.
As he recounted the story in a recent phone call, he “fell in love with the town,” accepted the offer and put in a bid on a house in one action-filled weekend.
Olson has never looked back and, after retiring as chief in 2018, he helped run a successful consulting business, then served as CEO of the SLO Food Bank. He takes another big step in January when he becomes president and CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.
Olson is the kind of executive that SLO County has produced and fostered over the years — direct, disciplined, but optimistic and down to earth in his approach. He said he continues to marvel at the combination of “compassion and business acumen” that makes the city’s leadership unique.
The 122-year-old chamber is going through an unexpected leadership change prompted by current CEO Jim Dantona’s decision to run for the District 2 seat on the SLO County board of supervisors. After his announcement, the chamber board and Dantona reached an agreement for him to leave, and the search began.
“We’re thrilled to welcome a CEO with such strong experience in organizational leadership, economic development and bold collaboration,” June McIvor, chair of the chamber board, said in a statement. “The Chamber is at a pivotal moment in our history, and we’re thrilled to welcome Garret to the helm to steer us into the future.”
Olson said that while he has big shoes to fill, he can count on support and advice from decades of chamber leaders, including Dantona, his predecessor, Ermina Karim and Dave Garth, the architect of the modern SLO chamber, who built it into one of the largest in the region. “I’ve got 50 years of leadership at my disposal,” he said.
Olson and Dantona have been working side by side since mid-November, with daily conversations and meetings to make sure there is plenty of time to “shepherd the transition thoughtfully,” as he put it. He said that a lot of his thoughts about building organizations come from spending his “first few decades rising through the ranks of the fire service.”
Olson is big on strategic planning and one of his goals is to create a new economic vision for the chamber, with a listening tour of members providing feedback and guidance.
During our phone conversation, he mentioned two key issues — housing affordability and support for small businesses — that will likely guide his first year.
On affordability, he’s worried about the “domino effect” that high housing costs have on the ability of young professional families and service workers to live and work in the city. One of those impacts is on education, where declining enrollments put stress on school systems; long commuting distances impact everything from the environment to arts, culture and sports, he added.
Olson said he thinks the solution will take “brave decisions” that include a “diverse portfolio” of housing options. “My hope is that the tide can be reversed,” he said.
On small business, the chamber has a stake not just in being an ally but also in delivering value for prospective members. “There are things our small businesses need help securing and we can play a more significant role in that,” he said.
From rents to rising wage costs to increased regulation, small businesses across the tri-county region have been under stress in the post-pandemic era. That’s particularly true for restaurants, but it applies to many small manufacturers and service firms. Olson said he hopes to learn what works in other communities and learn lessons that he can bring back to SLO.
He gives credit to the chamber for continuing to foster the city’s innovation culture and for blocking and tackling in areas like obtaining sewer fee rebates for commercial properties in the city.
“My love for this place has not diminished,” he said.
WHO’S WHO IN NONPROFITS
This week’s edition includes our annual Who’s Who in Nonprofits & Foundations special report. It was produced by Director of Production Courtney Abercrombie and edited by Executive Editor Jorge Mercado.
Our special report would not be possible without the support of our sponsors: Santa Barbara Foundation, CenCal Health, Ventura College Foundation, Museum of Ventura County, SoCal Gas, FoodShare, See International and Montecito Bank & Trust.
Henry Dubroff is the founder, owner and editor of the Pacific Coast Business Times. He can be reached at [email protected].
