BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce are elected, by the members, to three year terms. They have the responsibility of overseeing all of the Chamber functions. The Board employs an Executive Director who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Chamber’s business office and staff. The Board sets the policies that the President and Executive Director are expected to carry out. The board also authorizes the creation, structure and mission of the committees.
Shannon Rivera
President
Mario Pena
Vice President
Catrina Johnson
2nd Vice President
Hello Los Banos!! My name is Shannon Zwilling and I am currently one of your Directors for the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce. I moved to Los Banos with my mom in 1995. I have been a volunteer for the last 8 years, but officially as an ambassador for the last 4 and most recently a Director. I've done the May Day Beer booth for the entire time I have been with The Chamber. I also volunteer for the Tomato Fest and Dads Night Out, the Fireworks Booth as well as an occasional Street Fair. I also bartend for the Mixers sometimes. Halloween 2016, we hosted a Halloween Costume Party at the DES Hall, hopefully we can do that again in the near future. I got into volunteering when a friend mentioned that the Chamber needed help May Day 2013 and I jumped at the chance. I had so much fun and I didnt want to stop. I continued to do what I could and when. If you know me, you know I talk a lot!! So for a chance to meet with the public during functions and interact with them, I just had to be involved. I love every minute I spend volunteering. I am currently working for the Los Banos Unified School district as a Paraprofessional for the LEAP Before and After School Program and have been there since 2014. I am overjoyed to be involved with the Chamber and cannot wait to see what the coming years bring our great town. I hope to see you all soon and meet you if I haven't already.
Mario Pena was born and raised in San Jose, California. His family moved to Dos Palos, where he graduated from Dos Palos High School in 1999. Mario has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a Minor in Operation Management in 2012 and an MBA degree with a concentration in Marketing in 2014 from the Forbes School of Business from Ashford University in San Diego, now known as the University of Arizona - Global Campus. Mario also earned a certificate in Beginning Grant Writing and Management from the California State University of Fresno in 2021. Mario's business background involves years of experience working in his family restaurant business. Mario currently works for the Merced County Department of Workforce Investment as their business lead - assisting many companies in Merced County in identifying their open gaps in employment and meeting their labor force requirements. Mario also served on the Board of Directors for the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce previously in 2018 and enjoys networking, creating new doors of opportunity, and amplifying the services from community partners and other agencies to boost business and economic drive in the City of Los Banos. Mario also works as a freelancer in marketing and graphic design. Mario married his college sweetheart, Amy Pena, and has four children.
For the last 6 years I have worked with Ingomar Packing Company, located in Los Banos, as their Director of Warehouse Operations and Customer Service. I relocated from Washington state to California six years ago and have been a resident in Los Banos for the past three years. My career of 20+ years has always been in Food Distribution and Processing where I have held various roles in Supply Chain Management.
Kalid Sanchez
Secretary
Hi Los Banos Community my name is Kalid Sanchez. I own Virriy’s Boutique and Makeup along with my husband Jose L Sanchez Jr here in Town inside San Luis Plaza. As a small business owner I understand closely the needs and challenges for us the business owners and I’m proud to represent us as part of the Directors of the Chamber. I was born in Mexico and raised in Salinas. I attended The University of California Merced where I graduated from. I have a connection with the community and I expect to do great things for all of us. I encourage education and student sports along with community and personal growth. I can’t wait to see what we can do together along with the other Chamber directors I look forward to serving as a board member.
Tony Whitehurst
Executive Committee Director
Tony has been with the Chamber for quite some time now, he has Chaired many events such as the May Day Beer Booth and the Fireworks booth. Tony has two Chamber Business Membership with the Los Banos Chamber. He works with the Whitehurst Funeral Chapel here in Los Banos CA and Anthony R. Whitehurst Consulting services.
Gene Lieb
Director
Gene Lieb grew up in Oakdale, California and attended Modesto Junior College and San Jose State University, earning a Bachelor's degree in journalism with a minor in religious studies.
He started his journalism career as a paperboy at the age of 10 delivering the Modesto Bee.
While attending Oakdale High School Gene worked as a journalist for the Oakdale Leader and in the mailroom helping print the paper. He worked his way through college as an editorial copy clerk at the Modesto Bee as well as a photojournalist. Following graduation he worked one year at the Oroville Mercury-Register newspaper and then 14 years for the Turlock Journal newspaper.
From 2001 to July 13, 2020 Gene held the positions of Publisher, Advertising Director and Editor. With the elimination of his position at the Enterprise, he started a new venture as the Publisher and Advertising Director of The Westside Express, formerly known as The Dos Palos Sun. The newspaper — both in print every Wednesday and online at www.TheWestsideExpress.com — covers the news, sports and community events in Los Banos, Dos Palos, Firebaugh and Santa Nella.
Gene is active in the Cal Press Foundation which advances the cause of local journalism in the state of California, the Los Banos Rotary Club, and as a board member of the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce.
Gene is married to Lori Lieb and has two adult children Jennifer and Gene Jr. from his late wife, Kathy Lieb.
Richard Martorello
Treasurer
Richard Martorello grew up in San Jose, California and moved to Los Banos in December 1992.
His experience covers more than thirty years in the field of Accounting with non-profit organizations, municipal joint power agencies and private enterprises including more than ten years with a billion dollar semiconductor company.
He is the founder of Richard Martorello Bookkeeping (since 2005), a full-charge bookkeeping organization with experience in private, municipal, and non-profit organization record keeping. He also offers services to support startup, small business and rental property entities.
Mr. Martorello has been a tax professional in the City of Los Banos since the 2012 tax season and is licensed with the California Tax Education Council (CTEC) and the Internal Revenue Service.
Mr. Martorello has been nominated, elected and held the positions of President (2003-2007), Treasurer (2008-2010) and Recording Secretary (2006) for Habitat for Humanity, Westside Merced County, a Los Banos, California based affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. He helped guide the organization through its 10-home Neighborhood Stabilization Program construction (federal funds of $1 Million administered by the state through the county/redevelopment agency).
Tom Kaljian
Director
I am a Los Banos native and have enjoyed participating in various organizations in this community over the years. I graduated from UC Davis in 1964 with a degree in Agricultural Business Management. I then went to work in the family Chevrolet Buick dealership and became a partner there. I later sold my interest to another partner and became involved in real estate in the 1980’s. I have been involved in the field of real estate ever since as the Owner/Broker of T. Kaljian Real Estate, Coldwell Banker Kaljian & Associates, and Los Banos Property Management Services - all located here in Los Banos. I also spend time managing family real estate assets and some investments of my own. I am married to Sue Kaljian and we share a home located between Calistoga and St. Helena in the Napa Valley where she resides most of the time.
Robert "Corky"
Sherwood
Director
Berkshire Hathaway
Coldwell Banker
Berkshire Hathaway