First Woman Business Owner Installed as Chamber President

By Jorge Casuso

The Chamber of Commerce on Thursday night installed the first woman business owner to serve as president of the 70-year-old organization.

Karen Bauer, who owns the travel agency Interliner.com, is the chamber's fourth woman president, but none of her predecessors owned businesses.

Bauer will take the helm from Dr. James Haljun, a dentist who helped steer the chamber through a contentious fiscal year that included the city's implementation of a sign ordinance and an auto repair shop ordinance, as well as the early stages of the living wage war.

"It's truly an honor," Bauer said during her short acceptance speech.

Bauer's top priorities will be building bridges with the city's residents (she wants to encourage them to join the chamber) and with social service providers.

"I would really like to see the chamber work on its relations and reach out to the community as a whole," Bauer said after the dinner. "I'd also like to see some dialogue open up about social services and some flowing of ideas."

If Thursday's installation dinner was any indication, Bauer should be a more exuberant and high profile president than her more reserved predecessor. Haljun, who had no parting words for the group, walked away with plenty of commendations from local, state and federal officials, including Vice President Al Gore.

During her speech, Bauer, who moved to Santa Monica from Camarillo seven years ago, extolled the city's small town flavor, where "you meet people on the street you know." Bauer thanked her parents, who still hang out with her childhood friends - "I didn't choose them, but I'm thankful I have them" - and her sister, who she said she chose to be her best friend.

Bauer will lead the chamber during an escalating war over dueling living wage proposals. She got her feet wet early, subbing at the last minute for a missing guest on a popular local talk show, where she debated the thorny issue with experts and proponents, including a city official.

As usual, the party's theme reflected the incoming president's business, in this case the sea cruise, and many of the city's business leaders were decked out in sailor hats and Hawaiian shirts.

The night ended with many of the guests taking to the dance floor, where they danced to sea-themed tunes as well as disco and rock and roll, as a few Councilmen looked on.