LOOKING BACK

Young Chang

Shelling out $5 each, 16 men started the Newport Harbor Area Chamber

of Commerce in 1907 to do something about an underdeveloped Newport

Harbor.

They called themselves the Harbor Boosters, partly because the city

was, at the time, trying to establish itself around a harbor with

financial potential. Current longtime members cite all 16 men when asked

who the first chamber president was, unsure of which single figure took

the title.

Back then, the chamber was simply called the Newport Beach Chamber of

Commerce, distinguishing it from the Balboa Chamber of Commerce.

In 1927, the Balboa and Newport Beach groups merged and the word

“Harbor” replaced “Beach” in the title. In 1976, as the chamber grew and

members came from cities surrounding Newport Beach -- including Costa

Mesa, Irvine and Santa Ana, the word “Area” was added. Today, membership

includes businesses and individuals from Mission Viejo, Laguna Beach,

Huntington Beach and as far as San Diego and Santa Barbara.

The chamber also moved into new quarters in ’76 -- its current spot on

Jamboree Road.

Membership now exceeds 1,000, and the group is run entirely by

membership dues and funds raised from events. Financially, the chamber

has been in the black for “a good number of years,” said Executive

Director Richard Luehrs. But 20 years ago, when Luehrs first came aboard

as executive director, the group was almost $60,000 in debt and the

chamber budget was about $400,000.

“Today we have a substantial reserve,” Luehrs said. “And a

$2.3-million annual budget.”

Luehrs’ favorite memory of the chamber is from 1983 -- a fund-raiser

event at the Balboa Fun Zone.

“We raised enough money to cover that debt, and the community really

rallied around it,” he said.

Bill Ring, president of Harbor Realty and a former president of the

chamber, said he’s most nostalgic about the friendships he’s made

throughout the years.

“We’ve developed social friendships and continued business

relationships as well,” said Ring, who is now chairman of Bacpac, a

chamber political committee.

When asked what he considers the chamber’s role in the community, as

well as its influence, Ring compared the group to a voice.

“Particularly with what’s happening in the world today, business as

well as other organizations need to be heard from,” he said. “‘And I

think the chamber’s a good spokesman for the business community.”

* Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a historical

Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949) 646-4170;

e-mail at young.chang@latimes.com; or mail her at c/o Daily Pilot, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.