Linda H. DiMario Executive Vice President, Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce

DiMario helps lead the most influential Chamber in Orange County and the economic development and tourism initiatives designed to help businesses grow and enhance the economic vitality of Irvine. The scope of work encompasses business attraction, business retention, startups and the innovation ecosystem, workforce development, foreign direct investment, trade and export assistance and targeted leisure travel, meetings and conventions direct sales and marketing.

Results-oriented economic development initiatives include the award-winning Business Outreach Rally – conducted twice a year by Chamber members – calling on hundreds of Irvine companies to connect them with the Business Outreach Resource Guide; the award-winning Career Edge – a series of soft skills workshops delivered to college students preparing to enter the workforce; launching and sustaining an aggressive FDI (foreign direct investment) initiative to encourage UK life science and technology companies to consider Irvine for U.S. expansion; Irvine Career Discover Days – introducing middle and high school students to 21st century job opportunities in life sciences and technology; Second Jump campaign – outreach to foreign-owned companies in Boston to encourage their expansion to Irvine; life science and technology industry sector development and innovation ecosystem enhancements; and, winner of the 2018 Presidential E Award winner for delivering growth strategy export assistance to companies.

Before joining the Chamber, DiMario was the owner and principal of DiMario & Associates, an economic development, community branding consulting practice, working with over 100 cities, counties and organizations in the U.S. to help communities compete better in a global economy, leverage their strengths and transform or re-invent their economies; president and CEO of the Arlington (Texas) CVB for seven years working as part of the leadership team to campaign for, secure and build the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium; president & CEO of Long Beach CVB for seven years, opening an expanded convention center, working with the Mayor to re-invent the city’s economy and driving a transformative downtown and waterfront development program and managing the Downtown Long Beach Associates Business Improvement District tripling its revenues.

DiMario is on the Board of Directors and a mission specialist for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and Board of Directors for OCTANe, Orange County’s incubator/accelerator and planning committee for Medical Technology Innovation Forum (MTIF) and Technology Innovation Forum (TIF).  She is the recipient of many awards including the World Trade Week’s Global Leadership Award, Central Washington State University Alumni of the Year, OCTANe’s Leadership in Success award; Jaycee’s Belle Lowe Woman of the Year, Soroptomist’s Woman of the Year for Economic Development, California State Legislative District Woman of the Year and others.

DiMario holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Central Washington State University and is a Vietnam War-era Air Force veteran.

 

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