Valerie Harrison is a native San Diegan with three
adult children Arthur, David, and Angela, and 30-year resident of East
County (an East County brat she sometimes refers herself as) and husband
Jeff who is also a native Californian. Valerie is described as a
business and community advocate, entrepreneur, lifelong learner, and
teacher.
Valerie developed strong business acumen from over thirty years of
business management experience and small business ownership in a variety
of industries, including profit and non-profit organizations.
She holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources, With Honors from Chapman
University, and three classes remaining for a Masters Degree in
Organizational Leadership, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business
Management & International Marketing minor from the University of
Phoenix.
Valerie also holds numerous Certificates of Achievement in Business
Leadership, Managing Individual and Organizational Change; Building
Business Strategy; Creating HR strategies, Graduate Certificate Human
Resources and Organizational Leadership, Conflict Resolution, &
Behavioral Assessments.
She is the recipient of the TWIN Award-Tribute to Women in Industry
Award, whereby honored by the City Mayor as project manager, and recent
graduate of the Western Association of Chamber Executives W.A.C.E.
Academy, first year, member of the American Association Chamber
Executives (ACCE), the Southern California Association Chamber Commerce
Executives (SCACCE), and member of the Small Business Advisory Committee
to Assemblyman Joel Anderson.
Valerie has been recently been confirmed by the founding board of
directors as the President-CEO of the Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of
Commerce. Prior to her most recent position, Valerie was the President
of her own Business Management Company; Valcorp Business Management and
Consulting firm, Co-Owner and President of Operations for Dataport
Computers, and possess over 30 years experience in business management,
employee development, small business entrepreneurship, supervisory
coaching, employee & volunteer training and development, needs
assessment, public relations, and marketing in a variety of industries ,
including profit and non-profit organizations.
Her passion is working with companies helping them to realize and reach
their highest potential through strategic business planning for
sustainable growth, finding the right solutions that produce sustainable
results, while maintaining the right learning environment.
Valerie has been active for over ten years with multiple Chambers of
Commerce. She is an East County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Graduate
1999-2000, Board of Director for the San Diego Society of Human Resource
Management, (SHRM), member of the Independent Taxpayer Oversight
Committee (ITOC), part-time faculty and instructor for Cuyamaca College
business department, and numerous other professional associations.
She began her adult management career at the age of 19 managing a food
service department in the retail industry. Although, from the early age
of 10-years old, Valerie had an entrepreneurial spirit, which she gives
credit to comic books, yes believe it or not!
Valerie’s Philosophical Guiding Principles were developed from Reading
Richie Rich comic books as a young child. She learned that not only
could you buy sea horses, one could earn a lot of money from selling
greetings cards and flower seeds (to buy all the cool stuff Richie Rich
had) and learn a lot about business management too, all you needed was
to start your own business.
Secondly, never give up trying to grab the brass ring on the
merry-go-round, no matter how small you are, or how many times you must
try before you finally succeed!
