Greater Irvine Chamber CEO Bryan Starr and Member Company Executives Among Orange County’s 500 Most Influential People

Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber, and more than 50 executives from Greater Irvine Chamber member companies were featured in Orange County Business Journal’s fourth annual OC 500 Directory of Influence. This is Starr’s second consequent year on the list.

The directory includes an impressive list of influential business and community leaders from a variety of Orange County companies, ranging from nonprofits to large corporations. 

As its President and CEO, Starr has raised the profile of the Greater Irvine Chamber and empowered its economic development work and impact for the City of Irvine and its business community. He has successfully aligned public, private, and civic sectors, engaging executives and community leaders into the Chamber’s economic development process. Under his leadership, the Chamber’s volunteer leadership and professional staff have enhanced domestic and foreign direct investment to increase economic development in the greater Irvine area, and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce with the Presidential E-Award for supporting and endorsing international exporting and trade. Progressing economic vitality in the region, Starr has established a coalition of community and business leaders focused on advancing the Irvine Master Plan to sustain balanced development and support Irvine’s status as the safest big city in the nation.

Starr serves on the Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, a group of invited executives who represent and communicate the perspectives and needs of chambers from state, metro, and local communities throughout the nation, and on the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Major Cities Council. Starr was named the 2019 Executive of the Year by the Western Association of Chamber Executives.

The following are professionals from Greater Irvine Chamber member companies who are also listed among Orange County’s most influential people in 2020:

Allergan – Gavin Herbert Sr.

Angels Baseball – Dennis Kuhl, John Carpino, Arturo Moreno, Mike Trout, Tim Mead

Antis Roofing & Waterproofing – Charles Antis

Brandman University – Gary Brahm, Daniele Struppa

California State University, Fullerton – Anil Puri, Morteza Rahmatian, Fram Virjee, John ‘J.J.’ Jackson

Chapman University – Sheryl Bourgeous, James Doti

City National Bank – Robert Iritani

City of Hope Orange County – Annette Walker

Concordia University – Stephen Christensen

Edwards Lifesciences – Michael Missallem, Arnold Pinkston

Families Forward – Madelynn Hirneise

Farmers & MerchantsBank – Dan Walker

First Foundation – Scott Kavanaugh, Rick Keller

Fisher Philips – James McDonald

FivePoint – Emile Haddad, Steve Churm, Lynn Jochim

Golden State Foods – Mark Wetterau

Goodwill of Orange County – Nicole Suydam

Hoag – Flynn Andrizzi, Robert Braithwaite, Jennifer Mitzner

Ingram Micro – Paul Bay, Alain Monie

Irvine Co. – Scott Hermes, Frank Abeling, Steve Case, Charles Fedalen Jr., Dan Hedigan, Lauren Kelly, Butch Knerr, Jim Krohn, Marc Ley

Kaiser Permanente – Mark Costa

Kia Motors America – Seungkyu ‘Sean’ Yoon

MacKenzie Corp. – Jenny Dinnen, Katie Rucker

Masimo – Joe Kiani

Mazda North American Operations – Masahiro Moro

MemorialCare Health System – Barry Arbuckle, Marcia Manker

OC Business Journal – Rick Reiff, Richard Reisman

OC United Way – Susan Parks

OCTANe – Bill Carpou

OneOC – Tim Strauch

Pedego Electric Bikes – Don Dicostanzo

PeopleSpace – Jesse Bagley

Smile Brands – Steve Bilt

Squar Milner – Stephen Milner

Starpointe Ventures – Tim Strader Sr.

St. John Knits – Eran Cohen

Taco Bell – Julie Felss Masino, Mark King

Tilly’s Life Center – Tilly Levine, Hezy Shaked

Umpqua Bank – Richard Cabrera

University of California, Irvine – Bernadette Boden-Albala, Michael Dennin, Howard Gillman, Steve Goldstein, Brian Hervey, Paul Merage, Song Richardson, Richard Sudek, Julie Hill

UPS – La Shawn Stanford

Wells Fargo – Keith Kobata, Chris Rommel, Jack Toan

White Nelson Diehl Evans – Paul Treinen

For information about Greater Irvine Chamber membership, contact Dinh Ta.

For information about becoming a member of the Greater Irvine Chamber at the Leaders Circle level, contact Jessica Welch.