Jason Wells

San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce

Jason M-B Wells, 45, is the chief executive of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, where he represents commerce at the World’s busiest land-border crossing. A skilled negotiator and avid consensus-builder, Wells is responsible for building, among other strategic partnerships: the San Ysidro Smart Border Coalition in 2007 – bringing federal attention and change to his tiny, yet powerful border-community, including two new, international pedestrian crossings; the Binational Chamber of Border Commerce in 2010 – a historic conglomeration of economic development organizations from both sides of the US/ Mexico border; and creation of the Border Public Arts Committee in 2015. In addition to representing San Ysidro businesses, Jason was publicly elected in 2010 to the San Ysidro School District Governing Board, where he was voted by his peers as the President of the Board in 2013 and, in 2014, was the first re-elected President for the district in over 20 years. Completing a term of service to the community, Wells was responsible for leading the district through an administration overhaul, implementing historic “local control funding” mechanisms and negotiating the district out of a teacher’s strike by reaching out to union representation and finding a compromise that gave teachers more than expected and set the district on a path to fiscal solvency. Prior to leading the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, Jason successfully performed in management roles with US Bank and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Wells’ two most proud titles have been: “Petty Officer Wells” – during two stints in the United States Navy; and “Dad” – at home to four wonderful children and his beautiful wife and companion of 23 years. Wells is bi-lingual, multi-cultural and a 24-year bi-national resident – a border expert by practice. In 2013, he was the founding member of the San Ysidro Community Foundation – an affiliate of the San Diego Foundation dedicated to improving the Community of San Ysidro.