Riverside Chamber of Commerce President Enjoying View at the Top

 

by Cory Arvin

 

Riverside Chamber of Com-merc’s President Cindy Roth’s career can be considered a testament to the impact of one person’s generosity and legacy. Roth, who began working for the chamber as a receptionist while attending Riverside Community College, was taken under the wing of the chamber’s former president and Riverside City Councilman, Art Pick. From there, Roth, a Riverside native, began her arduous climb to the top of the ladder.

 

“He was my mentor,” said Roth. “He gave me the opportunity to grow and showed me every aspect of working here,” she added. 

Roth entered the Riverside Chamber of Commerce through a work experience program after working under then-Senator Bob Presley out of high school.

 

In 1999, Pick died, leaving the chamber without a president. That same year, their selection committee elected Roth to succeed Pick as president. 

 

“(Pick) gave me the opportunity to move through every facet of the chamber,” said Roth.

 

“That was his style—to help people grow.”

 

Roth is proud to lead the chamber given its reputation and the changes she’s witnessed, such as an increase in women participating in local business.

 

“There were a lot of men in the chamber and Art reached out to the professional women to get them involved. There is a tremendous balance and growth of women in small business, large business, entrepreneurial business ... we work with all kinds of different companies. And that’s a community ... you need to have everyone working together,” she said.

 

With over 1600 members, the Riverside Chamber of Commerce is currently ranked as the third largest in Southern California and the eighth largest in the state. As such, the chamber represents more than 75,000 local jobs. Roth considers the numbers significant and wants to continue making strides that compliment the chamber’s growing reputation.

 

With the Riverside area poised for growth, Roth recognizes a wealth of potential for the area and making efforts to meet those opportunities head on. She is enthusiastic over its future.

 

“There’s just been so much change. We’re coming to life as a community,” she said.

 

One particular focus Roth has is pooling the high-tech sector in Riverside County for various contributions which could come in the form of jobs or partnerships with the chamber or the city of Riverside.

 

The chamber has been working alongside CalTrans in a “beautification” initiative aimed at cleaning Riverside’s local highways, particularly the 91 Freeway and its surrounding interchanges to attract people. 

 

They’re also currently in the midst of drafting their legislative policy for the next year as well as economic development projects.

 

Revitalization is on the top of the chamber’s to-do list as Riverside Plaza is re-constructed and University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) Culver Center, an art exhibit, continues shaping up.

 

For all of her efforts, in 2003, at a ceremony held at the state’s capitol, Roth was chosen as a “woman of the year”  by Assemblyman John J. Benoit representing the 64th District. The event honors women nominated by representatives of each district for their efforts to better their communities.

 

With all of that said, Roth is keeping her main priority with the chamber a simple one: Growth.

 

“The team in my office is the best. .. I have the best team. My goal is to see them grow and keep the tradition Mr. Pick had alive,” she said.

 

“Nothing is one person, it’s a team effort from all of us. I actually met my husband here so the chamber really means a lot to me.”

 

Roth currently resides in Riverside with her husband, Richard, a labor law attorney with a daughter attending UCR.