Redding Chamber of Commerce names new CEO

The Redding Chamber of Commerce will report to new leadership as of Jan. 1, the organization shared in a press release on Friday.

The for-profit entity advocates for business interests, including tourism, and will hire Wendy Laros, who grew up in Redding and is the current president and CEO of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce in Hawaiʻi. 

Laros has led the Hawaiʻi-based chamber for the last nine years and also worked for over 25 years at a diving gear rental company in Kona, according to her LinkedIn. She has a Master of Education from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and is pursuing a master’s in business from Pennsylvania State University.

“Wendy brings proven chamber leadership, a business owner’s perspective, and a deep personal connection to Redding,” said Rob Lowes, chair of the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Laros will replace former Chamber President and CEO Todd Jones, who joined the chamber in 2024 and left the position last month for a role as interim dean of Economic and Workforce Development at Shasta College. During his tenure, Jones oversaw the establishment of the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, which advocates for business interests during local elections, in part through endorsing candidates.

Laros will join another key female business and development leader for the region, Rebecca Baer, who is the president and CEO of the nonprofit Shasta Economic Development Corporation.

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