Long Beach Chamber Names Interim President

The Chamber of Commerce’s executive board has chosen Lee Sellers, a longtime port official and now a vice president at Wrather Port Properties, as interim president.

Sellers began working at the chamber Monday and on Jan. 1 will replace Rolfe G. Arnhym, chamber Chairwoman Elaine Hutchison said. Arnhym has announced he will become director of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce at a salary of $54,000 a year.

The appointment of Sellers was designed to fill a gap between Arnhym’s departure and selection of a permanent president, probably by the end of March, Hutchison said.

Sellers is assistant to Wrather Port Properties President Joseph Prevratil, who will succeed Hutchison as chamber chairman in July. The Sellers appointment was described by Hutchison as an “executive loan.”

Still, Sellers may apply for the permanent job, she said. He will be paid $4,000 a month in the interim post, she said.

Arnhym, who announced his resignation Oct. 13 after 17 months as president, said he was leaving voluntarily. But he acknowledged that he had “differences of opinion” with some executive board members.