Robert Horsman (photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

Persuading busy business people of the value of their membership has been a challenge. From 4,000 members when Jessie Knight took the chief executive reins from Ben Haddad seven years ago, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce has shrunk to 2,800 more loyal members.

So as Robert Horsman was inaugurated as the 2007 chairman at the Chamber’s 136th annual dinner meeting at the Town & Country, he wasn’t shy about acknowledging the challenge. He unveiled a “San Diego Think Tank (to tap) the minds and experiences of proven business leaders from all sectors (who) will give us a completely fresh view of the direction we must take.”

While thanking Knight, Horsman says, “We would not be fulfilling the leadership role if we didn’t revise and renew our game plan… In the strategic plan we are going to address membership. Most large chambers lose many small business members every year. Unfortunately, we are no different. We must stop the loss of members and reverse that trend. It is our responsibility to provide useful, needed benefits and services to all the dues paying members, so expect improved member products and services in 2007.”

He and his think tank will have the new strategic plan ready for public view by mid-year, Horsman says. Meanwhile, he’s asked Knight’s successor as CEO, the freshly minted Ruben Barrales, to arrange tours to other similarly sized chambers of commerce so they can study best practices.

Horsman says they’ll spend time in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., too, cultivating San Diego’s legislative delegations. Barrales is especially savvy in those capitals.

The new Chamber chair, who serves as president and CEO of San Diego National Bank by day, says he’ll asked Bob Kelly of the San Diego Foundation to establish an endowment program for the Chamber to pay for special projects, education and “unexpected opportunities.... He has personally committed to giving up his golf game in 2007 to work on this,” says Horsman. “This will be much more satisfying than your golf game.”

And Horsman says the Chamber this year will establish a nonpartisan “political prep school… to train and prepare future candidates in all that it takes to run a successful political campaign and hold office.” Mike McKinnon will help pay for the school, Horsman says.

“Get ready to be action oriented,” he concludes. “We will be first to evaluate issues and positions that affect us. We will consider the effects on all of us, large and small businesses alike. Taking a leadership role means we will create headlines, not simply be interviewed for our thinking. To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

“I would not take the role of chair if I didn’t believe that we can do better, think bigger, and do more for San Diego.”

Horsman took the podium from 2006 Chairwoman Nikki Clay, who summarized the Chamber’s accomplishments and thanked her colleagues.

“Our Chamber was out front and weighed in on all the tough issues facing our business community, and we have had a seat at the table,” she says. “Our decision-making process has been open, inclusive and thorough. More than 15 Chamber committees and subcommittees, (comprising) members from throughout the community, thoroughly vetted issues from military payday lending to a new airport to energy infrastructure to workforce housing that balances the number of jobs to rooftops, to the MagLev of the future. Lots of time consuming work, but I am especially proud that we are respected for our fair process as well as our leadership.

“We advocated for 14 state and local ballot initiatives and prevailed on 12. Arguably the most important locally, we led support of the mayor’s Propositions B and C, and we won — won big. The passage of state Proposition IB will bring progress on transportation issues, and the much-needed freeway and trolley improvements in San Diego, and we will get our fair share from the state for San Diego.”