The torch has been passed to a new generation of Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce members.
Diana Brunjes might have used the paraphrase above from the well-known speech by an incoming President John F. Kennedy to describe her excitement and enthusiasm at becoming the youngest president in the history of the Seal Beach Chamber. Brunjes, 29, was officially voted into the position on Aug. 7 at a special meeting of the Chamber’s past and incoming board directors
“It is something I was hoping to accomplish before I was 30,” said Brunjes, who will be installed along with the other board members at the inaugural dinner Sept. 26 at Old Ranch Country Club. “I think it speaks volumes about the direction the Chamber is going in and the energy of the current membership.”
Brunjes said she already has the gavel and will have her first opportunity to use it at the board meeting for this month.
“The inaugural dinner is also to recognize the small business man and woman of the year, which is Rob Janke of Javatinis and Laura Ellsworth of CompanyBooks and the volunteer of the year, Dee Carey of the Seal Beach Animal Care Center.”
Brunjes comes to the position of Chamber president after serving as its vice president last year.
“I’ve been a Chamber member since we took over the store about four years ago,” she said. “I had never been a part of a chamber before, but I felt it was something we had to do since my family took over Bay Hardware (on Main Street in Seal Beach). I did not know I would become as involved as I am. That started after the first year of our membership and I saw all of the good things the Chamber does and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Now in a leadership role, Brunjes said she hopes to expand the role of the Chamber, which is responsible for producing the Seal Beach Christmas Parade and the Car Show each year.
“I like all the events the Chamber does, but I feel that there needs to be more emphasis put on business,” she said. “I would like the Chamber to be more of a sounding board for business in terms of the relations with the city and government. There are new laws happening and businesses need to be aware of the things they will have to do to be in compliance. I would also like to help the business owners learn how to network separately amongst themselves and how to get business started in town.”
In addition to her work with the Chamber, Brunjes is also an active member of the Seal Beach Lions Club.
‘I was its secretary last year and I handle some events for them,” she said. She will chair the Lions’ activities related to the McGaugh Elementary School fall Carnival.
Brunjes was born in Southern California and spent about the first three years of her life in Newport Beach before moving with her family to Illinois.
Her parents are David and Cynthia Brunjes, of Lake Forest, IL, about 25-miles north of Chicago. In addition to Bay Hardware, they own Craftwood Lumber and Hardware in Highland Park, IL, which is the next town over from Lake Forest.
Brunjes said the Illinois store is similar to Ganahl Lumber in Los Alamitos.
“It’s pretty much where I grew up in the business for as long as I can remember,” she said. “We are in the process of buying another store, but it’s not official yet. We are actively searching.”
Brunjes has three younger siblings who have or currently work in the family business.
Her brother Dustin has been traveling abroad for about a year and a half. He recently returned from Germany.
Her younger sister Caity works with her at Bay Hardware on Main Street in Seal Beach, while her brother Chase works in the Chicago store.
When she’s not working, Brunjes likes to partake in outdoor activities.
She is an avid runner and hiker and has run the 10K in the Run Seal Beach event. She also plans to enter the upcoming Seal Beach Triathlon on Oct. 19.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time in the pool, training,” she said. “I’m not a very good swimmer.”
Perhaps not yet …
Brunjes said she plans to stay in the Seal Beach store and make the area her home for some time to come. A homeowner, she purchased a condominium awhile ago just over the border in the Marina Pacifica portion of Long Beach. “I’m not going anywhere soon,” she said. “This is my community, I love it and it’s my home.
