Torrey Pines Bank Team Members Honored by Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce as New Chairperson and Ambassador of the Year at Summer Garden Party
On Wednesday, June 29, The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce produced the Summer Garden Party presented by Torrey Pines Bank and Greater LA Realtors. The networking event was designed to commemorate the Chamber’s 2021-2022 term through awards of recognition and a celebratory reception to induct the 101st Chair of the Board of Directors, Torrey Pines Bank’s Senior Director, Kathleen Chapman.
The evening commenced with a warm welcome from Todd Johnson, President & CEO of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, who introduced the event’s presenting sponsors and thanked the city officials, esteemed guests, and Chamber Ambassadors in attendance. To kick-off this celebration of the Chamber’s monumental year, Johnson presented the Randy Fuhrman Ambassador of the Year Award to this year’s winner. The 2021-2022 Ambassador of the Year recipient is the remarkable Jeff Forsythe, SVP CRE Loan Officer at Torrey Pines Bank, recognized for his notable efforts and involvement as a Chamber Ambassador for over seven years.
Following this award, the guests heard from the outgoing Chair of the Board, Giorgio Cyphaeus Sease, who shared his bittersweet final remarks as he reflected on the board’s accomplishments throughout the 2021-2022 term:
“I would like to thank the Chamber Executive Committee and Board of Directors for their countless, integral contributions over the past year. Their leadership has been a tremendous asset to the Chamber and we truly could not have accomplished our goals without their efforts.”
Beverly Hills’ Vice Mayor, Julian Gold, MD was then welcomed to the stage to present the Certificate of Recognition to Giorgio, acknowledging his immense contributions to the Chamber as well as the Beverly Hills community. As Sease’s term came to a close, it was time to induct the 101st Chair of the Board of Directors, Kathleen Chapman. Currently serving as the Senior Director of Commercial Banking for Torrey Pines Bank, Chapman has been an active Chamber member since 2012 and has 30 years of professional experience in the banking industry. Greeted with resounding applause, Kathleen discussed her hopes and aspirations as Board Chair during the upcoming year:
“I joined the Chamber to be an active member of the renowned business community of Beverly Hills, to network further with other successful business owners, and to help advocate for businesses of all sizes in our community. As Chair, I plan to focus on the people: business owners, staff members, and Chamber members. I believe that the people are what make every business successful, so by focusing on the people involved, I will help Chamber businesses thrive like never before.”
Chapman joined Torrey Pines Bank 10 years ago to open the bank’s new Beverly Hills office, hire a team and expand the bank into Beverly Hills and the westside of Los Angeles. “I think it’s extremely important for financial institutions to be visible in their communities,” said Chapman when speaking about joining the Chamber when taking on her new role. “Torrey Pines Bank excels at building relationships and collaborating with local businesses. Involvement in the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce helps us strengthen that visibility in the community so that we can drive opportunities and business to businesses of all sizes.
The evening concluded with a reception, consisting of decadent tastings from some of Beverly Hills’ finest eateries as well as elegant ambiance provided by Kirschner Creative Artist’s Harpwoman, Ellie Choate, offered guests a way to celebrate and mingle in true Beverly Hills fashion.