Board & Staff

home > chamber > board & staff

Marilyn Bauer, Dyson and Dyson Real Estate Associates

Marilyn is a well-respected, hard working residential realtor specializing in the Rancho Mirage Area. She is a longtime resident of the desert, and a top producer with Dyson and Dyson. Her background includes being a business founder and owner of the Dakota Bar & Grill on El Paseo, and other businesses designed to serve the community. Marilyn resides in the City of Rancho Mirage, with her daughter and granddaughter and is an active and proud member of the Chamber.

---

Colleen A. Charrette, CPA, CVA

Colleen has been a member of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce since 1990 when she opened her accounting practice at Bob Hope and Highway 111 where The River is now located. She has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1991 and has held all officer positions including Chairman in 1996 and 2005. Colleen is very dedicated to accomplishing the Board of Directors' goals for the Chamber, as well as setting new goals for the continued growth and success of the Chamber. In her free time, Colleen works as a race official for various organizations, plays pool in a local billiard league and walks her dogs, Cody and Lucky.

---

Sarah Clapp, Eisenhower Medical Center

Sarah has worked at Eisenhower Medical Center for 19 years, 17 of those years with the EMC Foundation, as Coordinator for Donor Relations and Special Events as well as Director of Foundation Operations. Her primary responsibilities as Special Services Director relate to community and donor relations. Sarah's family moved to the desert in 1965 from Evansville, Indiana. She graduated from Palm Springs High School in 1971. Sarah holds a BA in Business Administration. Sarah's husband of 32 years, Richard Clapp, is the Vice-Principal of Sunny Sands Elementary. They are the parents of one daughter, and grandparents of two children. Sarah enjoys reading, swimming, cooking & entertaining, and hiking.

---

Michael Crandal, Thunderbird Country Club

Michael began his career in private club management at The Carriage Club in Kansas City, Missouri in 1973. With just a few stops along the career path, Michael accepted the offer to become Thunderbird's Gen. Mgr. / Chief Operating Officer in June of 2005. Prior to joining Thunderbird he was with Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, Illinois for 10+ years. Exmoor celebrated its Centennial Year in '96 and achieved "Platinum Club of America" status during his tenure. Michael and his wife Kim were married last year in Chicago.

---

Bary Freet, Weil Institute of Critical Care Medicine

Bary Freet is the Liaison for the Community CPR Program of the Weil Institute of Critical Care Medicine that relocated to Rancho Mirage last year from Palm Springs. After 14 years working for the Federal Government in Forestry and Land Management, Bary began a career with the Palm Springs Fire Department in 1986, eventually serving as the Fire Chief for Palm Springs from 1994 until his retirement in 2004. He is a member of the Palm Springs Rotary Club and served on the Board of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce. Bary and his wife have been married for 32 years and have a grown son living in Las Vegas.

---

Art Gregoire, Coldwell Banker Real Estate

Art is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Prior to his career in real estate, he worked for over 35 years in healthcare. For the past 12 years he held the position of Director of skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Facilities. Notably, he was the Director of Nursing at Rancho Mirage Healthcare from 1995 - 2002. This facility was the recipient of the "E" award for Excellence during his tenure with the company. Originally from Rhode Island, Art and his partner Terry moved to the valley permanently in 1995. Art likes to give back to the community by volunteering to entertain residents at several nursing and retirement homes as "The King," Elvis Presley.

---

Leanna Hoffman, Agua Caliente Casino

As the Director of Marketing for Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Leanna oversees the advertising, marketing, special events, promotions, player's club and entertainment. She started with the Agua Caliente Casino when it was under construction the first time, 6 years ago, and finds it very exciting to see the new construction and daily changes, which will result in more jobs and tourism in this area when the new resort is completed. In her spare time she enjoys visiting with her parents and watching sports.

---

Kathleen Hopp, Union Bank of California, Private Banking

A long time Chamber member, Kathleen is vice president and relationship manager for The Private Bank - Union Bank of California. She has held all officer positions with the Chamber, including Chairman of the Board in 1998 and 2006. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Children's Discovery Museum and is a member of the Palm Desert Rotary Club. She was named Rancho Mirage Business Woman of the year in 1996.

---

Chris Jack, Black Angus Steakhouse

Chris chose to move to the Valley two years ago to escape the congestion and smog of L.A. Chris was born in Oklahoma City and attended the University of Oklahoma. Chris has been working for Black Angus Steakhouse for almost 10 years. He rose through the ranks at Black Angus and is now the General Manager of the Rancho Mirage location. He and his wife Michelle are parents to a 1-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son.

Chris is always looking for different was to get involved in the community. He says he was tired of complaining about things and decided to be a part of the solution.

---

Linda Long, Lamar Outdoor Advertising

Linda moved to the desert six years ago, after a 23-year career as a stockbroker for Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley in Cleveland Ohio. Linda is married and is the mother of two daughters; her eldest is serving as a doctor in the Navy in San Diego and her younger daughter is a junior at Palm Desert High School. Linda grew up in Uniontown Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Business Administration. She is married and makes her home in La Quinta.

---

Pat Manhart, Advanced Hearing Systems

Pat and her husband Joe have owned Advanced Hearing Systems at the Rancho Las Palmas Shopping Center for seven years. She has been serving the hearing impaired since 1959. Pat served as President of Los Angeles County's hearing aid dispenser's organization for four years and was the Vice President of the California State Association. She and Joe have belonged to the Chamber of Commerce in every city they have had a business. She believes that the Chamber is the heartbeat of the City. Pat and Joe Manhart live in the Thunderbird area of Rancho Mirage.

---

Charles Townsend, Charles Townsend Collection

Charles has been a resident of Rancho Mirage for the past 10 years. He moved here from Pasadena where he lived and ran The Charles Townsend Collection, a furniture and accessories store for 25 years. Charles and his partner opened their business in Rancho Mirage six years ago when they purchased the property for their store. Charles is a supporter of many local charities and past board member of the Desert Rainbow Foundation, an educational scholarship program. Charles and his life partner of 35 years are ardent supporters of Rancho Mirage.

---

Sheldon Robinson, Robinson Marketing Enterprises

Sheldon operates Robinson Marketing Enterprises Which markets products and develops property. Formerly Senior VP for stores and Senior VP for marketing of Home Department for RH Macy Inc. Merchandised and developed the "cellar" concept at Macys West in San Francisco that involved worldwide travel. Sheldon is a former member and Board Director of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and served as President of the Sacramento Downtown Merchants Association for 31/2 years. He is also a member and Past President of Rotary Club of Rancho Mirage.

---

Susan Rubini, Artist

Susan has owned homes in Rancho Mirage since 1978 and has taken immense pleasure in watching the city grow. Susan received her Ph.D. from UCLA with a strong emphasis in business. Initially in her career, she specialized in healthcare productivity and later in productivity across all industries. She was the owner and director of Productivity Associates, working with 18 other Ph.D.s in the area of business management and development from five major schools of business in the Los Angeles area.

Following an automobile accident in 1992, Susan left her academic career to focus on her artistic talents. She now lives and works in Rancho Mirage as a painter working in acrylics on desert landscapes and wildlife. Susan lives and works at her residence in Sunny Lane in the Tamarisk area.

---

Jim Walker, El Paseo Bank

Jim has over 30 years in banking. He has been with El Paseo Bank since September 2000 and is currently Vice President and Regional Manager. Previous to El Paseo Bank, he spent ten years as a small business owner in the data storage and document imaging business in Palm Desert. Jim is involved with Palm Desert Rotary, Inland Empire Small Business Financial Development Corporation, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce. Jim is married with two children, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

---

Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce Staff

Stuart Ackley, President/CEO
Darren Zetena, Director of Communication and Finance
Linda Hendrickson, Publications Coordinator and Graphic Design
Eve Phillips, Visitor Information Services

Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors

Ann Brown
Barbara Boukather
Luella Fincher
Berrylynn Freeby
Rosemary Jane Hartman
Jo Gyr
Dolores Lewis
Marcus Lewis
Hugh Alan Lyttleton
Charles Parrish
Jeanne Parrish
Loretta Nelson
Terry L. Nelson
Trudy Oliva
Eve Phillips
Cheryl Starenchak
Nancy Warner
Monique Zinser