Koester is the only person from the California State University system and is one of only three university heads to sit on the board.

"I am honored to have been invited to join the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce," Koester said. "The appointment recognizes the important role Cal State Northridge plays in the region. The university has strong ties to the community, and our involvement with the chamber can only strengthen that relationship."

Founded in 1888, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice of business in the region and provides an opportunity for its members to collaborate. The chamber has nearly 1,400 members.

The chamber's 2003 Board of Directors is chaired by George D. Keiffer, a partner with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, and includes UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale, USC President Steven B. Sample as well as Stephen I. Chazen, CFO & executive vice president for corporate development for Occidental Petroleum Corp., Robert V. Graziano, president and COO of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ron F. Wagley, president of Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Co., and David H. Wiggs, general manager of Los AngelesÕ Department of Water and Power.

California State University, Northridge has more than 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 61 bachelor's and 42 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.