The Spirit of Montrose Continues On

As you may have already heard, the Montrose~Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce has had to make changes in order to sustain our operations through this pandemic. Without the revenue from our yearly events, the chamber could not continue on as it previously did. Victoria Malone selflessly stepped down from her role as executive director to allow for the MVCC to operate without full-time staff. This allows us the finances and time to brainstorm fundraising ideas to continue on the legacy and purpose of the chamber (around since 1923). Luckily, our board will remain the same and I, Mavil Aghadjanian – former MVCC Membership 4Services and Marketing manager – have stepped into the part-time executive director position. I know I have big shoes to fill but I am eager and excited to give back to my hometown with a different perspective while honoring all the positive changes Victoria brought to the MVCC.

I will keep my introduction short to not take away from our other important news. While staying true to what I believe in – connecting and transparency – I would like to briefly touch on who I am and what I hope to accomplish in this new role.

I grew up in Montrose and attended the local public schools K-12 (go Falcons!). I moved away for a few years after high school but have returned to raise my family. Aside from living here, both my husband and I have small businesses in Montrose. We understand the hardship of being a local small business owner. To say I am invested in helping Montrose thrive is an understatement.

I recognize the importance of being innovative, especially now more than ever. With my background in social media management, my goal is to guide our members through this virtual shift. We have been working on building MVCC’s social media presence and following so that we can utilize it as a resource for our members and community. Currently, we have plans to partner with local businesses to do several social media “giveaways.” These giveaways will help the businesses while providing some fun goodies to the community. We also have plans to host a Facebook and Instagram Live “Wellness Q&A” session to provide support for our community from professionals like yogis, certified nutritionists and therapists.

We will continue to provide assistance to the community and resources to our businesses through monthly newsletters, virtual ribbon cuttings and our social media platforms (updated daily). Our newest business chamber members include: Nix Marie, Modella Uniforms, Silky Skincare, Verdugo Plumbing and KPG Coaching. Read more about them on our social media.

We urge everyone to continue to “shop local;” our commitment to support each other will go a long way in keeping our small town up and running. Other ways you can offer your support is by engaging with local businesses on social media, dining al-fresco (outdoor dining in Montrose) and, for those who can, donating to our efforts through the GoFundMe account we recently set up https://tinyurl.com/y54y9wgd.

Though the events we previously hosted for the community are currently on pause (Oktoberfest, Craft Beer Fest, Foothill Business Expo to name a few) we hope to brainstorm other fun virtual events to get everyone involved.

Lastly, a big thank you to all of our generous donors: Wesley Walton from Glendale Area Schools Credit Union, Chris Waldheim from J’s Maintenance, Katie from Panos Productions Photography, Hilda from Embroid Me, Robin Goldsworthy from CV Weekly, JCL Traffic Services, Collector’s World, and Budget Realty. Times may be trying but we have not lost hope. The magic and spirit of Montrose lives on, so stay tuned!

Mavil Aghadjanian,Executive Director

Montrose~Verdugo City
Chamber of Commerce

3436 N. Verdugo Road, Suite 100, Glendale, CA 91208

(818) 249-7171

  Mavil Aghadjanian