Jerry Sanders retiring from San Diego Chamber
Jerry Sanders, who joined the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO 12 years ago following his tenure as mayor, will retire at the end of the year, it was announced Monday. His impending retirement brings to an end decades of public service, including 26 years with the San Diego Police Department — nearly six of them as police chief — seven years as mayor, and several years with the local chapters of the United Way and American Red Cross. “On behalf of my fellow Board members, we express our heartfelt appreciation for Jerry’s unwavering commitment to our business community and San Diego as a whole,” Alessandra Lezama, chamber board chair and CEO of TOOTRiS, said in a statement. “Under his remarkable leadership, Jerry has transformed the chamber into one of the most influential business advocacy organizations in the region. We are extremely grateful for his contributions.” Sanders, 74, said one of the accomplishments he is most proud of during his time at the chamber is the work the organization did to significantly build the cross-border relationship. When he joined the chamber