Over 200 people from 11 Southern California counties and 52 chambers of commerce attended last month’s Ambassador Rally in Simi Valley, hosted by a local and regional chamber of commerce organization.

The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Southern California Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives put on the event, which was initiated last year by the Simi Valley chamber’s 30 ambassadors. That rally was so successful that the chamber officials decided to make it an annual event.

Chamber of commerce ambassadors are volunteers, often local business owners, who help educate the community about the benefits of chamber membership. They also attend community ceremonies and functions and perform membership drives.

Marti Summers, an ambassador for the Moorpark and Simi Valley chambers, said the rally presented an opportunity for chambers throughout the region to exchange ideas on retaining and increasing membership.

The event was most worthwhile, Summers said.

"Mainly, what I got out of it are ideas on how to find good ambassadors for the Chamber," she said.

The ambassadors said it’s incumbent upon them to explain to new members how the chamber has helped them, said Summers, who operates a custom gift basket business.

Leigh Nixon, executive director of the Simi Valley Chamber, said ambassadors provide a valuable service to the organization’s small staff and 850 members.

"We can’t do what we do without them," Nixon said.

—Michelle Knight