Oceanside Chamber Names Scott Ashton Chief Executive Officer

With more than 25 years of experience in the Chamber of Commerce industry, Scott Ashton has been named as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, effective November 15. Ashton has worked at the Oceanside Chamber in a variety of capacities for the past 20 years, most recently serving as the Vice President of Business Development.

Ashton will replace David Nydegger who is retiring after nearly 19 years as CEO of the Oceanside Chamber. He will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Chamber including staffing, financial management and implementation of board policy and priorities.

Current Board Chair and Co-Chair of the CEO Search Committee, Kevin Witowich said "Scott's passion for what he does, and his desire to make the business community of Oceanside grow and succeed, puts him head and shoulders above the rest (pun intended)."

"Scott's steady leadership and solid vision will keep the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce moving toward our mission to stimulate economic prosperity and foster a vibrant community,” said long-time Chamber Board member and Past-Chair, Marva Bledsoe, who also co-chaired the Search Committee.

Ashton is originally from Massachusetts and began his career at the South Shore Chamber of Commerce while attending graduate school at Suffolk University in Boston. He later accepted a position as Membership Director at the Cambridge (MA) Chamber of Commerce where he worked until moving to Oceanside in 1996.

Ashton is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management and is currently attending the three-year Chamber Academy program hosted by the Western Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (WACE). Ashton has been a frequent attendee and speaker at chamber industry conferences and serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (SCACCE).

In his former role at the Chamber, Ashton was instrumental in helping the Chamber gain visibility in the community by establishing a strong web and social media presence, putting the Chamber on the cutting edge within the industry. He also oversaw the organization’s publishing operation which produces three annual magazines and numerous special print projects.

“I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity to support our business community in this new capacity and to help continue the Chamber’s 120 year tradition of supporting business,” said Ashton. ​