Chamber comeback: Members, new businesses on the rise in San Benito

SAN BENITO — Not too long ago, the San Benito Chamber of Commerce was defunct.

But it’s come a long way in a short time.

Just during the past three months, there has been quite a change at the chamber.

Enrollment and the number of businesses in San Benito have increased.

The chamber now has a board and in May it hired Sandee Alvarez as the executive director.

She has been hard at work since her start.

It’s no surprise, though, because that is what she said she was going to do from the very beginning.

Alvarez worked for the city for 13 years as Community Grants and Programs director and Housing Program specialist before that.

When interviewed a few months ago, she said she looked forward to working with the chamber and conquering the challenges the chamber faces as a relatively new entity.

“It’s obviously going to be difficult to take on, but I am looking forward to it. We all have hopes and I really believe that it is going to grow,” she said at the time.

“We all have the same dream and the same hope that San Benito will prosper.”

Part of Alvarez’s job is making sure that’s exactly what happens, especially the prosperity of the business community.

So far, it looks like her plans are bearing fruit.

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