Fontana Chamber of Commerce Names Bill Hawkins Chairman of the board and Phil Cothran President of the board

​FONTANA, Calif. – The Fontana Chamber of Commerce board of directors recently voted unanimously to adopt a new board structure. The resolution will change the title of the Board President to Chairman of the Board and allows the Chairman to appoint one board member as the President during his or her term. The Chairman is still responsible for all the previously assigned duties of President, but can now delegate some of those responsibilities to the appointed President.

Bill Hawkins, founder and president of AMS Paving, Inc., a multimillion dollar company that is one of the largest paving contractors in Southern California, is the current Chairman of the Board. He immediately appointed long-term Fontana resident and owner of State Farm Cothran Insurance Agency Phil Cothran to serve as President.
“Phil is well known and respected in the city of Fontana,” said Hawkins. “The board of directors felt strongly that he was the best person to represent the board in the community. He is active, engaged, and has a true passion for Fontana and the business community.”

Cothran is a life-long Fontana resident and successful business owner. His State Farm insurance agency is consistently ranked #1 in its division and is one of the most well-known and respected insurance agencies in the region. Beyond his business success, what defines Cothran is his extensive philanthropy and community service. 
“I’m honored that my colleagues on the Fontana Chamber board fully supported my appointment to serve as President,” said Cothran. “I’m looking forward to continuing to represent our growing Chamber and working hands-on with our business community.”
Hawkins plans to continue directing and guiding the vision of the Chamber as its Chairman, but will ask Cothran to fulfill many of the commitments that require more direct involvement such as events, board development, and member relations.

The Board also welcomed a new director, Ralph Thrasher of Utility Trailer Sales. Thrasher has spent more than 25 years at Utility Trailer Sales in different capacities. He holds a lead position at the Fontana dealership and is highly respected by vendors and customers. Thrasher is also a long-term resident of Fontana.

All board members including the chairman and the president are volunteers. The Fontana Chamber was created in 1914 and exists to be a resource and advocate for businesses in Fontana and the region. To find out more about the Fontana Chamber of Commerce, visit the website at www.FontanaChamber.org

Bill Hawkins
Chairman

Phil Cothran
Board President

Ralph Thrasher
Sales Manager, Utility Trailer Sales of SoCal, LLC