Brandon Mendoza is the man taking over a job that fosters local job growth and support to business owners. He is the incoming Executive Director of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership. 

"A regional chamber in Western PA that was looking for new ideas or new ways of doing things was right up my alley," said Mendoza. 

Mendoza is a dad, husband, and the man chosen to lead the Chamber starting the first week of 2025.

"One: not be in the way of helping to kind of accelerate those investments," said Mendoza. 

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Lock Haven University, Mendoza says he wants to capitalize on what’s already been established in Erie. 

"Brand management overall for the regional brand of Erie is going to be very important to the Chamber under my watch," said Mendoza. 

He’s been in Pittsburgh for the last 15 years, and most recently, led Public Affairs & Government Affairs at the Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. (MBA).

His past experience includes the Government Affairs Manager for the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, and leading the chamber’s federal and local government affairs strategies.

In Erie, he wants this:

"Partnering with everybody from regional organizations to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the State Chamber," said Mendoza. 

And his job of being a “hockey dad” also has him familiar with Erie. Especially the ice arenas.

He plans to move his young family from the Pittsburgh area to Erie and uses a sports analogy to about how he sees the Regional Chamber’s role:

"We will be what I like to call, the closer," said Mendoza. "Helping to set the vision but more importantly making sure the vision gets done."

Mendoza officially starts in the role vacated by James Grunke, on January 2nd.