Chamber’s ‘State of the City’ Event Explores Ways to Keep WeHo Vibrant

The WeHo Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City event will take place Thursday with “a vibrant West Hollywood” as its theme. It will feature a panel discussion moderated by Robert Kovacik of NBC4 Southern California.

The panel will explore strategies to keep West Hollywood vibrant while addressing the concerns of long-time residents, who might worry that the city will lose some of its character when a local business closes down and something new takes its place, and the expectations of newcomers, who are drawn to the City’s reputation of being progressive, modern and “cool.”

Panelists will include:

— Kevin R. Lachoff, director, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, and chair of the board of directors for the Culver City Chamber of Commerce and of the Culver City Planning Commission;

— Genevieve Morrill, president and CEO, West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Westside council of Chambers of Commerce (WC3);

— Don Zuidema, principal, LASC, and active supporter of local non-profit organizations; and

— Alexander Gurfinkel, public relations and strategic communications consultant, West Hollywood Rent Stabilization commissioner, and advocate for the creation of a Russian Chamber of Commerce.

West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister and City Manager Paul Arevalo also will speak.

The event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the London Hotel, 1020 San Vicente Blvd. south of Sunset. For information and the ability to purchase tickets can be found online, or by calling Sandra Barsoum at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at (323) 650-2688 or emailing her sbarsoum@wehochamber.com.