“It’s time.”
Spurning an elongated farewell, Steve Rose succinctly announced the why and the when of his impending retirement as president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning at a Board of Directors meeting.
Since at least the turn of the century when he was elected to his first term on the City Council, Mr. Rose has been perhaps Culver City’s most recognizable personality.
No. 1 Republican, too – not that there has been intense competition.
Mainly he will be remembered through the reliable lens he has been seen for decades:
As the voice of reason.
This talent frequently is underappreciated. In today’s environment where extremists are kings, Mr. Rose’s taste for pacification would be welcomed by many.
Never mind that Mr. Rose, term-limited in 2008, has been the lone conservative City Council member this century.
He knew how to pacify opponents, whether he was being disputed or he was making peace between two other factions.
Even though he was a member of a decidedly minority political party in Culver City, it is a tribute to his sense of fairness that this so-called minority can be regarded as the face of his hometown.
He will lead the Chamber through the summer, past his 71st birthday, and into early autumn, until his replacement has been hired.
“This is why it is the right time,” Mr. Rose said.
“My health is good, and I have completed a long time here,” since the late 1980s.
He is approaching an age when people commonly speculate about their remaining years.
Mr. Rose, who has long outlived his twin brother and parents, said that “whether I have 10 years or 20 years, I just want to enjoy doing stuff.”
At least for now, traveling and volunteer work will be his main foci.
The Chamber’s announcement surveyed a multitude of achievements and stances.
Whether it was the Chamber’s support of Sony’s comprehensive Development Plan, the revitalization of an old mall into Westfield Culver City or support of the school bond and parcel tax to improve School District campuses, Mr. Rose said the Chamber consistently took a leadership role in improving the community.
The Chamber was deeply involved in the Downtown charrette that started the revitalization of Downtown and an array of initiatives and school-related activities.
Having a community focus rather than a traditional pure business focus has been crucial, he said.
“Not every chamber does that,” said Mr. Rose.
“I have always encouraged the Chamber to look at the big picture. A successful community means successful businesses, even if some of our positions weren’t popular.”
One of those difficult positions:
Mr. Rose cited the Chamber’s support of the local sales tax increase in 2012 after the state had eliminated the Culver City Redevelopment Agency.
No business wanted to see taxes increase, but Mr. Rose said it was more important to make sure that the city remained healthy and didn’t have to cut people or programs.
Internally, Mr. Rose oversaw the Chamber’s move from mimeographed newsletters to electronic newsletters to social media, constantly staying ahead of the communication curve and staying on top of ever-evolving websites and cloud-based membership systems.
Mr. Rose supervised the evolution of Chamber meet-ups that now include Good Morning Culver City, Business After 5 and Women Connect as well as city-wide events such as Employment Law Seminars, the modern Mayor’s Luncheon and next week’s Culver EXPO.