Your Duarte Chamber is composed of our community’s leading businesses and civic-minded individuals who devote a portion of their time to planning and activating the Chamber’s many programs and activities. The Chamber was founded in 1921 and incorporated in 1955 as a nonprofit corporation.

Even before the incorporation of Duarte as a city, the Duarte Chamber of Commerce has served as the “front door” to Duarte for visitors, prospective new residents and businesses. We serve as an extension for the city and a voice for the business community. Our members enjoy volunteering while they network with other members.

The Chamber’s funds are received from membership dues, fundraising, special events, and a city contract for services which are for the purpose of carrying out our mission statement. The Chamber also helps the city of Duarte ensure progressive and orderly economic development in order to make Duarte a better place to live, work and enjoy. The Chamber’s strength lies in its membership; the Chamber accomplishes collectively what no one could do individually.

The Duarte Chamber’s scope of activities is virtually unlimited, depending upon the needs of the community. In recent years, they have taken a more active role in workforce development and in advocacy for businesses. Located on historic Route 66, they have begun selling Duarte Route 66 merchandise so that individuals can share their tie to such an iconic road.

The Chamber is responsible for publishing the Duarte View, Duarte’s only hometown newspaper; and a map and business directory for Duarte. We sponsor the annual Taste of Duarte and Business Expo, a fun-filled evening of food tasting of local restaurants, purveyors of many goods and services and community organizations. As a Chamber we host monthly networking breakfasts as well as periodic business mixers, often in partnership with other Chambers. Additionally, we provide seminars to keep our businesses informed of changes that impact them directly, or tools to help them succeed. These events give our members even more opportunities to network and market their businesses.

The programs and policies of the Duarte Chamber of Commerce are established by an 18-member board of directors. The board employs a president/CEO to be the administrative officer of the Chamber.

Membership in the Duarte Chamber of Commerce is open to all businesses (traditional and home-based), schools, nonprofits and individuals.

Officers & Directors

Tina Heany, Board Chair
Resident

Brian Barreto, Chair-Elect & Co-Vice Chair – Legislative Action, Workforce Development & Education
California American Water Co.

Tina Carey, Past-Chair & Co-Vice Chair – Finance & Administration
Tina Carey & Associates

Bernadette Chang, Vice Chair – Business Outreach, Publicity & Marketing
Westminster Gardens

Bob Cruz, Co-Vice Chair – Legislative Action, Workforce Development & Education and Co-Vice Chair – Finance & Administration
Southern California Gas Company

Adam Knight, Vice Chair Fundraising
Curo Managed Print Production

Directors

Victor Benavides
City of Hope

Eric Boyd
Santa Anita Family YMCA

Henry Custodia
Delafield Corporation

Aja M. Enriquez
Turner & Stevens Live Oak Mortuary

Ray Fahn
Advantage Ford Lincoln

Albert Lopez
SCE Federal Credit Union

Rana Madain
Deasy, Penner, Podley Realtors

Annette Ousterhout
Jan’s Towing, Inc.

Denise Walton
Seidner’s Collision Centers

William Wallace, Ed.D.
California Schools of the Arts, San Gabriel ValleyChamber Staff

Sheryl Lefmann
President/CEO

Diana Burckhard
Director of Membership & Marketing

Kathy Dennis
Administrative Assistant

Duarte Chamber of Commerce
1735 Huntington Dr. | P. O. Box 1438
Duarte, CA 91009
(626) 357-3333
www.duartechamber.com
info@duartechamber.com

The City of Duarte is a city that lives up to its motto, “The City of Health.” Our city is host to numerous parks and recreation facilities and a world-renowned cancer research center. All are dedicated to improving the physical and mental well-being of its residents.

Duarte is a small but thriving community nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, next to the San Gabriel River. The City of Duarte also offers historic buildings, and majestic views of the San Gabriel range.

The Gabrielino Indians once inhabited the land that is now known as the City of Duarte. In 1841, the governor of Alta, California, granted to ex-Mexican Corporal Andres Duarte nearly 7,000 acres of prime land in the upper San Gabriel Valley. He named the place Rancho Azusa de Duarte.

In the mid-1800s, most of the Rancho was sold to help defray Andres Duarte’s debts. One of those who purchased land was Dr. Nehemiah Beardslee, who started the first school in Duarte. The remaining land was divided into 40-acre plots and sold individually.

Many of our earliest pioneer families came to Duarte in the mid-1800s for their health, the pleasant climate, and the fertile soil. English settlers, Americans from the Midwest and deep south, Latinos who remained from the Rancho, and Japanese immigrants all enabled Duarte to grow into a thriving agricultural community specializing in citrus production.

Two of the country’s premier medical institutions began in Duarte in the early part of the 20th century. In 1928, the Jewish Relief Association started a tuberculosis sanitarium just south of Duarte Road. This later evolved into the world-renowned City of Hope Medical Center, a recognized leader in fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

In 1957, a dedicated group of community members led the fight for incorporation, and on Aug. 22, 1957, their efforts paid off with the formation of the City of Duarte and the Duarte Unified School District. The leadership of the Duarte City Council and the Duarte Unified School District Board of Trustees helped the previously fragmented community to come together, set goals and establish priorities for the newly created City of Duarte.

PRESERVING DUARTE’S HISTORY

A small group of dedicated Duarte residents formed the Duarte Historical Society in the early 1950s with a goal of preserving the city’s past and sharing its colorful history with the public. For years, treasured artifacts were moved from one cramped location to another, often collecting dust in storage. Today the Society proudly invites the public to visit the Duarte Historical Museum at 777 Encanto Pkwy. where these artifacts and our history are preserved.

The museum is the center of a variety of activities from lectures to bird walks to art shows. Classes from local schools, as well as scouting groups, are received at the museum by special appointment. The museum’s library contains a wealth of information about local history.

The Duarte Historical Museum can be visited on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

The City of Duarte is a small and progressive community located approximately 21 miles northeast of Los Angeles. At 6.8 square miles and a population exceeding 21,000, Duarte isn’t the biggest city in the San Gabriel Valley, but it just might be the best.

Located where the 210 Freeway and the northern terminus of the 605 Freeway meet, the area offers direct access to the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys, Long Beach and the Inland Empire. The 210 (Foothill) Freeway flows through Duarte and connects the city to the full metropolitan freeway system and transcontinental highways making both commuting and goods shipment convenient.

With the Metro Gold Line light-rail busy station located across from the City of Hope connects workers, residents, customers and travelers to the rail transportation network throughout Los Angeles County.

Duarte is a richly diverse community of stable neighborhoods and friendly neighbors. Lush green foothills, parks, hiking and bike trails and beautiful social and recreational gathering places enhance the livability of the community.

Distances To:

Los Angeles: 21 miles
San Diego: 126 miles
San Francisco: 398 miles

Visitors and tourists in the Duarte area will find accommodations to suit every need and budget. Hotels, motels, extended-stay, and executive facilities are all located nearby. The region is known for outstanding lodgings that accommodate travelers all year long.

The area offers direct access to the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys, the City of Los Angeles, Long Beach and the Inland Empire. Area lodgings are convenient to the four airports within 30 miles of Duarte, Disneyland, California Adventure, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain and Santa Anita Race Track. Beaches and mountain recreation areas are within easy reach. Many nearby state parks also offer outstanding accommodations, lodges, campgrounds, and more.

There are several major San Gabriel Valley events held in Duarte each year.

In May there is the Taste of Duarte and Business Expo presented by the Duarte Chamber of Commerce. This event features over 100 local restaurants and businesses and is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to discover and sample the uniqueness of our community. Information is available at www.tasteofduarte.com.

In September, we have the Route 66 Parade, Picnic and Car Show presented by the Duarte Community Coordinating Council Route 66 Parade Committee and the City of Duarte. Believed to be the only annual parade of its kind this festive event has included participants from around the world, world-famous grand marshals, marching bands from throughout southern California and classic cars galore. The first parade, held in 1996, featured as its grand marshal the late Bobby Troup, composer of the song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66.” Information about the parade is available online.

Duarte has an excellent mix of cuisines. Italian, Mediterranean, Asian and Mexican are well represented, American-style restaurants serve plenty of comfort foods. Several distinctive restaurants offer a variety of dining experiences within minutes of homes and lodgings.

Whatever the mood and no matter how much time, there’s always something to satisfy everyone’s schedule and taste buds.