Scott Muelrath
Related story
After years as a Henderson Chamber of Commerce member and a stint serving on its board of directors, Scott Muelrath is ready to take a shot at leading the organization.
Muelrath, general manager at the Galleria at Sunset mall, was named the chamber’s new president and CEO on Monday. He’ll take office Sept. 6.
Describing himself as a “civic-minded individual,” Muelrath, 41, said he applied for the chamber job because it offers an opportunity to work at the intersection of business, economic development and policy.
During his time as a chamber member, Muelrath worked closely with the Henderson Business Resource Center and the chamber’s leadership program. He said these experiences gave him insight into what the chamber does well and what it could do better.
“You see the strengths and weaknesses of both the business community and the chamber,” Muelrath said. “You think about things you may want to revisit and what services we could provide better.”
Chamber board Chairman Rick Smith said Muelrath was an ideal candidate because he’s had hands-on experience helping businesses be successful during his time at the Galleria.
“Scott has worked very closely with all kinds of businesses — small, medium and large,” Smith said. “In managing a major regional mall, you’ve really got to be able to sit down with the tenants who own businesses and help them with business plans, ways to improve businesses or helping new entrepreneurs organize.”
As chamber president, Muelrath said he’s going to focus on finding ways to provide local businesses access to things that will help them succeed — whether it’s planning tools, other businesses or politicians.
He’s also focused on building relations with other private and public institutions in Henderson, especially the area’s colleges and K-12 schools.
“It’s a quality-of-life issue,” he said. “As a business community, we need to be involved and a part of that process, because when you have someone who’s looking to relocate a business, they need to know we have an education system that’s going to deliver for their employees and their own families.”
Smith praised Muelrath’s dedication to improving Henderson and said his skills as a relationship builder will be key in his role as chamber president.
“He’s got a commitment to helping the community grow and a commitment to improving economic development in Henderson and the valley as a whole,” Smith said.
Muelrath said the challenges of the job are obvious — finding ways to encourage economic development and diversification in the face of steep unemployment and a tough economy.
“The question is ‘How do you do that?’” he said.
The departure of long-time chamber president Alice Martz will give the organization a chance to re-evaluate its priorities and direction, and Muelrath said one of his first goals is to develop a strategic plan for the next few years.
A native California, Muelrath worked in real estate in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to the valley in 2001. An avid fly-fisherman, he lives in Boulder City with his wife, a UNLV history professor, and their two children.