San Diego is a city that has gone through tremendous change during the past few decades, and some people have been there to see it all. One example is Mike Cully, who became the President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. Being from the local area, this was an opportunity for him to give back to the community that has given him so much. Now, with tremendous leadership skills, he has been able to effect positive change in the local area.
An Emphasis on Development
As a leader in the local community, his goal was to redevelop the El Cajon area. When he took over, the revitalization efforts had stalled. The collaboration was not there. One of the major changes that Michael Cully tried to institute was to encourage organizations to work together. She had to get more creative, think outside the box, and think about true economic development that would work well for everyone who lived in the local area. He had to break the stigma of the East County area, and he was able to do so by putting the right people in place around him.
Developing a Business Advocacy Organization
Even though the chamber was a strong social networking organization when he took over, he knew he would have to do something different to turn it into a business advocacy organization. He forced the organization to take a stand on important issues, making sure that the goal was to turn every business into a success story instead of simply passing out free meals. By holding business summits regularly, he was able to provide local business leaders with the resources they needed to get their companies off the ground.
A Greater Push for Teamwork
One of the major challenges that Mike Cully had to address when he took over was that the organization was incredibly disjointed. People tried to do things on their own. Even though it is good to take the initiative, it is better for people to work together. That way, the local area stands out, which is important for attracting new blood to the community. It was exactly this approach that revitalized the East County region, making it one of the jewels in the greater San Diego area.
Looking to the Future of the East County Area
Under his leadership, the El Cajon and East County areas have seen a tremendous amount of growth and development, which has led to a positive impact on the quality of life for individuals and families who live in the area. Even though there has already been a lot of success, the work is far from done. It will be interesting to see what Mike Cully does next for the local region.
