Nick Ortiz is the President & CEO of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber, a position he’s held since April of 2015. The Chamber is Kern County’s largest and broadest business association, and Ortiz ensures that the organization is responsive to the needs of its membership with high-quality programming, business development opportunities, business-focused advocacy and strategic efforts to strengthen and diversify Kern County’s economy.

Under Ortiz’s leadership, the Chamber has become a force in local civic affairs–gaining voter support for the City’s Measure N sales tax; leading the regional branding initiative Boundless & Better; and co-developing the regional, inclusive economic development initiative B3K Prosperity. Ortiz believes strongly in one of the Chamber’s key tenets, that thriving communities are built on a foundation of strong and successful businesses.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Ortiz served in a variety of government relations and public affairs roles for the Western States Petroleum Association, PG&E and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

An active local volunteer and regional leader, Ortiz serves on the boards of the Bakersfield Homeless Center, Mid State Development Corporation, the CALM Foundation, and CSUB’s School of Business and Public Administration’s Executive Advisory Council. Ortiz also Chairs the City of Bakersfield’s Public Safety and Vital Services Measure Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Ortiz is the Co-Chair of the California Stewardship Network, a coalition of regional economic development groups committed to triple bottom line strategies. Ortiz serves on the Leadership Council of the statewide advocacy group California Forward and is a member of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100.

Ortiz holds a BA in Politics from UC Santa Cruz, he and his wife Tera have two kids, Kielee and Jaxon.