Episode 31 - Reviving the Chamber Spirit with Max Daffron

Mel and Don welcome Max Daffron, the newly appointed President and CEO of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, for a wide-ranging conversation about his vision for revitalizing one of the city's oldest organizations. Max shares his deep roots in Huntington Beach, growing up in the Newland tract, attending Newland Elementary, Talbert Middle School, and Edison High School before heading to the University of Arizona and later earning his Master's in Public Administration.

After spending seven years in Colorado doing municipal economic development work, Max jumped at the chance to return home and lead the 120-year-old chamber. He talks about the importance of shifting from a purely event-focused model to meaningful business advocacy, giving small business owners a real voice at city, county, and state levels, and launching a 30/60/90 day listening tour with businesses and community leaders.

Max also opens up about his family including wife Ashley, son Augustus who rocks cochlear implants, and daughter Delilah, plus the funny story of how his barber accidentally leaked the news of his hiring before the official announcement. A great episode about community, leadership, and what's next for Huntington Beach business.