Antioch Chamber of Commerce announces hire of new president and CEO
Daniel Sohn. Source: Antioch Chamber of Commerce
The Antioch Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the hiring of our new President and Chief Executive Officer. Daniel H. Sohn is the current CEO of the Sonoma County Alliance, a business advocacy organization located in the North Bay Area, where he’s served since earlier this year. He will succeed outgoing Chamber CEO Sean Wright and assume the overall direction of the chamber’s operations in June.
“I am excited to turn the reigns of the Chamber over to our new CEO, Daniel Sohn. He has the experience that the Chamber needs, fresh ideas, and an outsider’s unique perspective, that will help to drive the future of Antioch business,” said outgoing Antioch Chamber CEO and former Mayor, Sean Wright “For the last ten years, I have dedicated my time and talents to helping make Antioch a better place for all of us. I have served as an Antioch business owner, chamber member, former mayor, and now the outgoing CEO of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce. I’ve had the privilege of working with a great board to save the Chamber from bankruptcy, encourage the development of the downtown area, and bring in employers like Amazon. Leaving is bittersweet as service to the Antioch community has been my passion.”
The Chamber is planning to celebrate Sean and his work and dedication to the Chamber and the City of Antioch over the next couple of months. The event will also include a meet and greet opportunity for Daniel and the Antioch business community. Details will be shared soon as plans are finalized.
Previously, Daniel served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Imperial Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce where he was hired to lead the organization’s regionalization efforts. Most recently, he was nominated by California Governor Gavin Newsom and then appointed by President Biden to serve as a Local Board Member representing the State of California to the Nation’s Selective Service System. Before his appointment, Daniel was elected to the Haverhill, Florida Town Council where he served as an at-large city council member from 2018 to 2020. Other past roles include his time as CEO of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce and President/CEO at the South Florida Non-Profit Chamber of Commerce. According to his Facbook page, Sohn is Founder & Executive Director of the Florida Center For Civic Engagement, which his LinkedIn page shows was part-time through Feb. 2022.
Daniel remains the Managing Partner and Senior Lobbyist for the Floridian Group, LLC – D.B.A. Pacific Partners, a Florida-based consulting firm with operations on the West Coast. The firm specializes in government relations, advocacy, community affairs, grants management, and government procurement.
Antioch Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Ana Cosovic also says this is a bittersweet time for the Chamber.
“We are sad to see our CEO, Sean Wright step down, but are excited for him, his family, and their future,” she said. “The Chamber including Sean has meant a lot to my business, Service Pros Plumbers here in Antioch. When we joined the Chamber, Sean was one of the first people we met as business owners, and he greeted us with a smile and warm welcome. The connections, relationships, and assistance we received from the Chamber under Sean’s Leadership have been incredible and allowed us to grow personally and professionally. We will be forever grateful for Sean.”
“We are also excited to bring in Daniel Sohn as our new CEO,” Cosovic stated. “The Antioch Chamber truly cares about our community and supports our businesses. Daniel brings expertise that will help bring Chamber members fresh programs and services. After ten years of having a part-time CEO, Daniel Sohn is being hired full time which will allow a greater opportunity for the Chamber to influence policy on a local and statewide level. The future of the Chamber is truly bright.”
According to a Nov. 2021 article by The Desert Review posted on his LinkedIn page, on which Sohn lists his pronouns as He/Him, “Born in Bucharest, Romania under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu, Sohn was later adopted by an American family.” According to a March 2021 article by the South Florida Gay News also posted on his LinkedIn page, “Sohn identifies as bisexual. He married his partner Kaitik Chan last February (2020) at a historic wedding inside the Florida capitol.”
Cosovic said Sohn started in his new position with the Chamber on Tuesday, May 10. For more information about the Chamber visit www.AntiochChamber.com.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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