Long-Time Chamber Director Steps Down

When Ingrid Weiss started working at the as a volunteer ten years ago the chamber’s bank account was down to just $3 with only a couple of board members. And downtown Fairfax had seen better days as well.

“It was pretty gloomy in downtown ten years ago,” said Weiss.

But, after a decade, the organization is thriving and the local businesses in downtown are vibrant. And it might have something to do with Weiss’ work as the chamber’s executive director for the last four years.

“Ingrid Weiss has diligently and enthusiastically served as the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce for the last four years, providing her incredible energy and organizational skills to many projects and events,” read a proclamation from the Fairfax Town Council, recognizing Weiss for her contributions on Dec. 1.

Weiss never intended to takeover the chamber. She simply started volunteering over a decade ago and became deeply involved in the beautification of downtown. When the chamber was ready to hire a new executive director from outside the community nearly five years ago, Weiss thought “I’ve been doing this,” she said, and told them she’d take the job for $200 per month.

After 50 years as a resident of Fairfax and work at both a travel agency in San Anselmo and one in Fairfax, Weiss is well-versed in the ways of town, making regular rounds to the different business owners.

The chamber, under her direction, has created a new website, subsidized advertising for local merchants, sponsored a “Think Globally, Shop Locally” campaign, and done landscaping around the town entrance. The chamber also puts on the Halloween Parade, its annual holiday party, and the Fairfax Brewfest (coming up in March), which is the organization’s main fundraiser.

But, “it’s time” for a new challenge, said Weiss. Along with your standard retirement activities, she said, she’s never been to Australia, China or Africa.

And, she’s hand-picked her own successor – ex-Mayor Wendy Baker, who was herself involved in the beautification of the Parkade and planting of trees at the entrance to town during her tenor on the council.

Baker intends to continue all of Weiss’s popular improvements.

“We want to help keep the community lively and thriving as a setting to do business,” said Baker.

After running for town council again this past fall, Baker said Weiss caught her at the right time when she had a lot of time on her hands. Of course, a lot of time is a relative concept. Baker also serves on the Sustainable Fairfax board and is working on writing her memoirs and screenplays, teaching screen-writing, and painting. 

Baker has also lived in town for over 30 years. “I keep coming back like a homing pigeon,” she said.

It may come as no surprise then that she has lots of opinions and ideas about urban planning in town, where crosswalks could be better placed, and how tourists can be encouraged to shop and spend in Fairfax. She’ll be joined in the chamber effort by two new presidents, Marcella Ramos and David Smadbeck – themselves long-time Fairfax pillars.

They’ll have a lot to live up to.

“Ingrid Weiss has set a high standard for future chamber presidents because of her dedication, her diligence, her ‘can do’ attitude, and the many skills she brings to every task and every event,” reads the council proclamation in recognition of Weiss’ work.

If you have your own ideas, opinions or thoughts, the next Fairfax Chamber of Commerce meeting will be Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the. 

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly stated the date of the next chamber meeting.