2014 Report to the Business Community
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santa rosaCHAMBER OF COMMERCE WORKING to help you grow ADVOCATING for your needs IMPROVING our economy 2014 REPORT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SantaRosaChamber.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL ■ MARCH 23, 2015 2 | SANTA ROSA CHAMBER | MARCH 23, 2015 2014 Retrospect by Rolf Nelson, 2014 Chairman of the Board Thank you for viewing the Santa back. As a result, every quarter gatherings including Small are about our members and the Rosa Chamber of Commerce produced hotel revenues Business Week Breakfast with success of our Chamber. They 2014 Annual Report to the surpassing the previous year’s Lieutenant Governor Gavin make things happen! Business Community. In this with 2014 again breaking Newsom and Meet Santa report you find the names of records. Rosa’s New City Manager Please take a moment to view nearly 1,000 local businesses among others. the list of Board Members below and professionals that support • A record number applied for that I have had the pleasure to the Chamber’s vision of Leadership Santa Rosa (LSR) • Workforce Development serve with. These business and supporting, promoting, and Class 31, confirming the value expanded the Mike Hauser civic leaders have volunteered advocating for members and of this leadership development Algebra Academy and the their time to support our creating a vibrant, sustainable program, which many have Worksite Held Employee business community through economy in our region. These called “a Master’s Degree in English Language Program, their involvement with the members pay taxes, create Sonoma County”. as well as saw its grant from Chamber. They individually, and jobs, volunteer, donate, and they First 5 Sonoma County to collectively, make our community are the heart of our business • Sonoma County BEST (Building promote family friendly policies better! community. By doing business Economic Success Together) extended through 2018. with them you are making a helped area businesses create It has been my honor to serve choice to support our entire local over 1,674 new direct jobs Rolf Nelson, Exchange Bank • And YPN (Young Professionals as the 2014 Board Chair for economy. Thank you! since its inception in 2011, 2014 Chairman of the Board Network) continues to provide the Santa Rosa Chamber of and is on track to reach its a forum for the growth and Commerce. As we have all emerged from the goal of 2,500 direct jobs in five development of our current worst recession since the Great years. young generation of business Rolf Nelson, Exchange Bank Depression the Chamber went voters sided with the Chamber and civic leaders. 2014 Chairman of the Board to work helping our members • 2014 was an election year and on all seven ballot position rebound and re-energize, adding our Advocacy and Chamber recommendations. All of this happens because new members along the way. Political Action Committee of the tireless efforts of the actively supported business • Winner of the North Bay’s Chamber staff lead by our • Our Convention & Visitors issues and candidates to Best Chamber Event again in President/CEO, Jonathan Coe. Bureau has rolled out the great effect. Ten of eleven 2014, our Special Events team I have enjoyed working with Santa Rosa/Sonoma County Chamber-endorsed candidates produced another stellar year them and I have seen how truly welcome mat and visitors are were elected to office and of networking and educational dedicated and passionate they 2014 EXECUTIVE BOARD 2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rolf Nelson, Evan Hershey, Scott Adams, Keo Hornbostel, Exchange Bank Umpqua Investments Comcast Pure Luxury Transportation Chairman of the Board Chair, Finance Bill Arnone, Judy James, Doug Hilberman, Scott Ormerod, Merrill, Arnone & Jones, LLP Comcast AXIA Architects Leap Solutions Group Nicole Arnone, Karissa Kruse, Immediate Past Chair Chair, Membership & Cipolla Financial & Insurance Services Sonoma County Winegrowers Todd Anderson, Communications Brad Bollinger, Trish McLean, Best Western Plus Wine Country Steve Schofield, North Bay Business Journal Terra Firma Global Partners Inn & Suites Exchange Bank Brian Bottari, Brett Martinez, Chair, Convention & Visitors Bureau Chair, Advocacy Council Pacific Gas & Electric Redwood Credit Union Ryan Beach, Jodi Shubin, Percy Brandon, Teresa Norton, Umpqua Bank Pisenti & Brinker LLP Vintners Inn / John Ash & Co. Norton & Ingersoll, PC Chair, Leadership Santa Rosa Chair, Special Events Pam Chanter, Kelley Rajala, Dan Condron, Bill Silver, Vantreo Insurance Local Works, FPC Sonoma State University Sonoma State University School of Chair, Chamber Political Action Business & Economics Frank Chong, Norm Rosinski, Committee Vice-Chair, Sonoma County BEST Ed.D., Santa Rosa Junior College NorthBay biz James Conners, Fred Van Milligen, Terry Darcy, Wanda Tapia, Sonoma Country Day School JDSU Darcy’s Fine Jewelers Latino Service Providers Chair, Young Professionals Network Chair, Workforce Development Ken Fischang, Sonoma County Sonoma County Tourism Jeff Weber, Courtney Galbraith, Keysight Technologies Kaiser Permanente MARCH 23, 2015 | SANTA ROSA CHAMBER | 3 Looking Ahead by Jeff Weber, Keysight Technologies, 2015 Chairman of the Board 2015 has the makings of an and Visitors Bureau (CVB), Chamber ambassadors. The In 2015, we will remain involved eventful, productive year for using Business Improvement rallying cry of this team in 2015 in the pivotal issues affecting the Santa Rosa Chamber of Area (BIA) funds and other is “One Chamber”—everyone our business community. From Commerce. Building on great resources to implement sales collaborating to accomplish our working with the Sonoma County progress last year under the and marketing programs mission statement: To support, Airport to add commercial air leadership of 2014 Board of that increase occupancy in promote and advocate for our service to eastern destinations Directors Chairman Rolf Nelson Santa Rosa hotels, encourage members and create a vibrant, to participating in the dialog and Chamber CEO Jonathan spending by visitors, and sustainable economy in our on reunification of Courthouse Coe, the Chamber is poised to bolster the local economy region. Square, and from recruiting take important programs and • Nurture a pro-business and supporting pro-business activities to the next level over environment by implementing The list of Chamber committees candidates for local political the coming 12 months. 2015 strategies for the and programs that will be offices to working with Sonoma Chamber’s Advocacy Council instrumental in our success this Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Our roadmap for 2015 was laid and Political Action Committee, year is lengthy. Here are just a to ensure the new rail system is out last year by the board, when and expanding our efforts few: a viable commute alternative for directors created the following in the area of workforce • Young Professionals Network employees of local companies, set of ambitious strategic development (YPN) the Chamber will continue as initiatives: • Advocate for downtown Santa Jeff Weber, Keysight Technologies, • Leadership Santa Rosa (LSR) the most respected voice of Rosa as the vital center of the 2015 Chairman of the Board • Mike Hauser Algebra Academy business in the greater Santa • Improve our economy by city by working with downtown • Worksite Held Employee Rosa area. supporting the Chamber’s merchants, property owners English Learning (WHEEL) Building Economic Success and the City of Santa Rosa County, improving our • Special events (Wake Up I have been on the Chamber Together (BEST) program in • Enable member businesses to collective impact in the region Santa Rosa, monthly Mixers, board of directors for nearly reaching its first five-year goal grow and thrive by expanding Agri-Business Barbecue, 10 years, and my organization of creating of 2,500 new jobs existing programs and creating Carrying out these goals will Annual Golf Tournament) has been a member for in Sonoma County, and by new ones that support their be a dedicated and hard- • BEST’s Technology Industry more than 40 years, first as launching “BEST 2020”—the success working group of Chamber Group (TIG) and Food Industry Hewlett-Packard Company, second five-year phase • Create new programs and staff members and volunteers, Group (FIG) then under the name Agilent • Create revenue growth for mechanisms that enhance including the board of directors, • Advocacy Council task forces Technologies, and now as hospitality members through collaboration among business members of the BEST board (transportation, land use, the Chamber’s Convention organizations in Sonoma and other committees, and downtown, natural resources) Looking Ahead: page 7 2015 EXECUTIVE BOARD 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeff Weber, Ryan Beach, Brad Bollinger, Teresa Norton, Keysight Technologies Umpqua Bank North Bay Business Journal Norton & Ingersoll, PC Chairman of the Board Chair, Leadership Santa Rosa Brian Bottari, Mike Purvis, Scott Ormerod, Evan Hershey, Pacific Gas & Electric Company Sutter Health Leap Solutions Group Umpqua Investments Percy Brandon, Kelley Rajala, Chair-Elect Chair, Finance Vintners Inn / John Ash & Co. Local Works, FPC Rolf Nelson, Judy James, Jennifer Buffo, Kerry Rego, Exchange Bank Comcast Pure Luxury Transportation Kerry Rego Consulting Immediate Past Chair Chair, Advocacy Council Pam Chanter, Norm Rosinski, Todd Anderson, Blair Kellison, Vantreo Insurance NorthBay biz Best Western Plus Wine Country Traditional Medicinals Frank Chong, Ed.D., Jodi Shubin, Inn & Suites Chair, Sonoma