tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35548027541421444112024-03-05T19:36:39.915-08:00Chico Chamber NewsChico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-11882693384609130232016-03-03T09:17:00.000-08:002016-03-03T09:17:24.995-08:00Things are changing around here! Angela Cole, who has been with the Chico Chamber for nearly 10 years after graduating from Chico State, is departing to explore exciting career opportunities. Please join me in thanking her for her years of dedicated service to our members and the business community. Meanwhile, our team is growing! We have announced an opening for a brand new position: <a href="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/ChicoChamberAssociateVPJobAnnouncement-2016.pdf" target="_blank">Associate Vice President</a>. Please <a href="mailto:katie@chicochamber.com" target="_blank">contact me</a> if you are interested in joining our dynamic and hard-working team as we leverage the voice of business to move Chico forward.<br /><br />In March, Team Chico's monthly Community Safety Meeting for businesses and community members will be hosted by the Chico Mall in the Food Court. Join us on March 10th from 9-10am for a discussion with the Chico PD on Nextdoor.com, the new Chico PD app, and safety measures your business can take. Complimentary goodies will be provided by Panera Bread. <br /><br />In January, Team Chico visited with nearly every business in and around the Rio Lindo area and the Chico Airport Business Park. In February, we checked in with businesses along the 20th Street corridor and Forest Avenue area. At the end of this month, Team Chico will be circling back to check in with businesses in the Mangrove and Vallombrosa areas. We visit businesses each month with updates on infrastructure projects, safety issues, and just to see how things are going. We make a concerted effort - the Chamber, City, DCBA, AFWD, and 3CORE - to solve the problems brought to our attention. Keep an eye out for us and let us know how your business is doing!<br /><br />Last month, the City presented an update on their financial status and outlook. If you missed the presentation, take a few minutes and click through it <a href="http://www.chico.ca.us/finance/documents/CommunityBudgetWorkshop-2-18-16.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. Rest assured, we're following the civic fiscal discussion closely so that we can keep you informed and know how to best advocate for your needs.<br /><br /><div>
Have a great month and let's hope for a few more weeks, at least, of rain.</div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-78884692079801696862016-02-02T13:38:00.000-08:002016-02-04T13:38:13.882-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Wow - what a relief to
see the front page of the Chico ER read "Heading in the Right
Direction" following last week's Business Summit & State of the City
Address. To say that the last 5+ years have been a financial rollercoaster for
our business community and city government would be an understatement.
And, here we are, at the start of 2016, celebrating how far we've come. Still,
the Mayor tempered expectations in his Address last week by noting that
reserves are drastically too low and staffing and technology are still
underserved. We've got a long road ahead of us, but at least we're moving Chico
forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The <a alt="http://www.goldenvalleybank.com/ContentDocumentHandler.ashx?documentId=38910" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ylM_X8vL8JgfgIDhOF7MpAobR40kiJMtamcEiu8mWULiMWuf1Tj9UnNwSAyx6lXMmplr8XaxTxenrY9hP6bZqMH0v6VbxQ7PCFRXUCG8olLo-bGYKnyKOx2WEMUa8P8M9Go83O_aT2HFfk508t3D16sUj9FlqbBWI3r0keQC8YzgJpWozZzNsLZK_Kio7GAy2yNbNyizR5GYoZ8nbCmDoJFSH-cwUXflWeqtC7mlBwMrQrdtgnHiXQ==&c=K3X4ZmaEDifeNviMPg1j-jlIUJMfCIyZHm5obtjdc7KkIoydfPuFDA==&ch=B-y1gD5eKRtJpkv_oNNsuwOparYJz52mlArbskSHVu72GRIvxMkvZQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on">Chico
Economic Snapshot</a> produced by Mark Francis with Golden Valley Bank also
offered good news with steady increases in our economic indicators. Mark noted
that we've added 9,001 jobs to the region since our low point just a few years
ago which - he noted with humor - equals the populations of both Gridley and
Biggs combined. Yes, good news indeed. We'll soon publish a video of the Summit
& State of the City Address thanks to BCAC-TV so stay tuned if you missed
the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Lastly, I want to thank
our incredibly deserving award recipients for their contributions to our
community. It is through the recognition of these selfless acts of goodwill
toward our community that we raise the bar ever higher. Take a peek at our
Annual Dinner photos online and give our recipients a like and a share!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I hope to see you at a <a alt="http://chicochamber.com/index.php/site/blog/upcoming-safety-meetings" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ylM_X8vL8JgfgIDhOF7MpAobR40kiJMtamcEiu8mWULiMWuf1Tj9Ul3Mojoq3EfHkVXva-WDZ3evKORsGPEdfY5CvE7QkGqLWK_r_wGoFd_M_KNb_NRMOYN4z4Bo1H5BHcKmqIVok-CfQT2_WPHU08UqiPnMUlTUDJjgdlCjhcIZOBB9VSa98RPMLsH1ce0TTYfwFZAuFCzQX7roymEx-Y-S4RW8PHgC9JL5RIpJAEZ666IVxhKBFw==&c=K3X4ZmaEDifeNviMPg1j-jlIUJMfCIyZHm5obtjdc7KkIoydfPuFDA==&ch=B-y1gD5eKRtJpkv_oNNsuwOparYJz52mlArbskSHVu72GRIvxMkvZQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on">Community
Safety Meeting</a> this year - perhaps on the 11th of this month at Transfer
Flow at 5:30pm. These are critical community conversations about public safety
and your business presence keeps us all moving in the right direction. The time
to get involved is now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-33040877080293225402016-01-05T13:36:00.000-08:002016-02-04T13:36:42.157-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Happy New Year! I can't
remember another year in which people were more excited to start fresh. There's
energy in the air and we're eager to capture it. In 2015, we took a hard look
at the Chamber and came to realize that after 100 years in existence we're
still here to leverage the voice of business for community good. With our
Community Vision in hand, 2016 holds exciting prospects for continued
improvement in the business and living climate in Chico that will benefit our
members and our economy tremendously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">At the top of our Vision
we recognize the value of a safe community. To reach this goal, our first
Community Safety Meeting of the year is next Thursday, January 14th, at noon at
the PG&E offices located at 460 Rio Lindo. Hosted in partnership with Team
Chico, this is an opportunity to meet the Chief of Police, hear about recent
developments in the department, and find out how you and your business can be
part of the community-oriented policing model sweeping through our city.
Meetings like this one will be held monthly throughout 2016 and I hope you'll
take a moment to sign up on <a alt="https://nextdoor.com/city/chico--ca/)" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001wp4-fQHEJRSUV7mOtXZ_rmydx2oxYhoxI9RFOAj_uM_O8p1E0BQygFwg1NAo4O0uScl99J822kBDGPkaQ291llfY1mb2b9h2Mk_RVHYs0eK-047brzCTHS6KKEPAjG8aLlyi8oChD2bzDIhlElAAP_7b4bHKVbl7MzdGs4xzxHJQkUqRhKnIUg2IQGknzc5jh2bB91XmC68=&c=8EeCvaQzFI8A-ZzdhXKPJFxBLbOHMUORPGRvDRMd2I4hDNYQcuskcQ==&ch=THgLsZhPdqueRLQkO5gv2UtQu63i-Tb3BDXQN0BDABpmdP98--O5jA==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on">Next Door</a> and to download the
newly released Chico PD app. It's time to get connected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I'm also thrilled to
welcome Toni Scott with Morrison & Company as Chair of our Board of
Directors. As the first millennial to fill this critical leadership position at
the Chamber, Toni brings a sharp eye to our list of priorities and will keep us
heading in the right direction as we expand to meet the needs of all
generations in Chico. And, to start the year off right, we're gearing up for
our 78th Annual Dinner and Business & Community Awards Ceremony on January
21st in the Big Room at Sierra Nevada. I hope to celebrate our collective
business and community accomplishments with you that evening. See you there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-60983564324594725082015-12-07T15:23:00.000-08:002015-12-07T15:23:06.710-08:00Tim O'Reilly, popular for coining the phrase 'open source,' says, "Every industry and every organization will have to transform itself in the next few years." I agree with this - but I think we need to kick it up a notch: everything will be transformed in the next few years whether we like it or not, and we can either react to the changes as they come or take the wheel and hit the gas.<br /><br />I think about the effects of rapid change on our very own city. Every community in California is grappling with the aftermath of AB 109 and Prop 47 and Chico is no different. In my opinion, as I help to lead an organization focused on our members' #1 priority of a safer community, the solution is going to be largely home-grown and starts with adapting to the community-oriented policing model rolling out in Chico now. In many ways, our hands are already on the wheel.<br /><br />We can and should look to other communities for best practices - as we have done with much success in replicating the campus-community safety policies in San Luis Obispo this year - but we shouldn't underestimate the unique and immediately impactful work happening in Chico right now that simply couldn't be duplicated in denser areas of the state. In this case, geography and the enduring pride that forms the backbone of our community are on our side and are making a difference both behind the scenes and right in front of our very eyes, like the partnership between Stairways and our police department's Target Team.<br /><br />So, while I think our vision of a safer community is going to require heavier lifting than less complex community goals of the past, I do think it's possible to achieve it if we all participate, in some way, in the role designed specifically for citizens in community-oriented policing. My request of you, as you plan out 2016 for your business, is to consider attending our monthly safety meetings to shake hands with neighboring businesses and our police department. Oftentimes, familiarity is the first step in building the connections that will make our community stronger and safer in the long run. The first safety meeting hosted by Team Chico in 2016 will be held on January 14th from noon - 1pm at the PG&E offices on Rio Lindo. And if you haven't tried <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mJNPjf5pFmPk8rlFczRLgZ9ayKbmpmcYo1qiDFKnEmpx8L0etbjTZwWHvsk-Ly7oIbbc8urPpzcwmNdO3lzL9QyoG6_7J0Ev7v_uxHSKbyq56Nou1JBOyanuHvUuzvMWLrjKMyqcNMC3BZm8V4EBnHVKyVM3T-h2Q6iSmCi4gnbQh7zG1Hv_4BO9CLC2JBFc&c=7JB4WSgR5QBbv3RV98IAzOQawmkCw98HBM2sVGs2UNXM1itiKzeopQ==&ch=CgT8_QdNBipVD9cnyCUQk7GAqhOrfPLIzxNgXXBvr29BmANnetkFOQ==">NextDoor.com</a> yet, check it out.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a alt="http://chicochamber.com/index.php/site/blog/upcoming-safety-meetings" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mJNPjf5pFmPk8rlFczRLgZ9ayKbmpmcYo1qiDFKnEmpx8L0etbjTZx6bc1r74jWA9vRd_cK1bowtcqDOv6FYDImt1iVVoZiXOwd4246KaluZnssm3M0i8_M2N1CWzuGFjaqUVZj1ZKoAoe5Peg8PRUk8907qmdj6FSpGZoXn42a5svJ2bWVnA3TDVMRbzvGnQ0q-b38S-kFwgbhY8CnFaT0iGvFWTSO-tF3An2VD75UfxmQhKUrRSw==&c=7JB4WSgR5QBbv3RV98IAzOQawmkCw98HBM2sVGs2UNXM1itiKzeopQ==&ch=CgT8_QdNBipVD9cnyCUQk7GAqhOrfPLIzxNgXXBvr29BmANnetkFOQ==" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><img border="0" hspace="5" id="_x0000_i1025" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.3512" src="http://files.ctctcdn.com/cc4d7cc5001/00d0263b-0ade-43e6-b7e5-9eefaa03f2eb.jpg" vspace="5" width="687" /></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lastly, as we kick off the giving season, please consider donating time, goods, or funds to a local provider or service that benefits the community and our citizens year-round. Lending a hand rather than giving a hand-out does wonders this time of year and could save lives. <br /><br /> Enjoy the season, your families, and the wintery weather, and hold on to your hats because we're "Moving Chico Forward" in 2016!Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-71661978013347352862015-11-04T09:32:00.001-08:002015-11-04T09:32:17.214-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Business Spotlight on The Hignell Companies</b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Presented to Chico City Council on November 3, 2015</span></i></b></div>
<br />Good evening. I’m Rick Anderson of YP, and First Vice Chairman of the Chico Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.<br /><br />Tonight, we are pleased to spotlight The Hignell Companies, a nearly 70 year old property management, maintenance and construction company serving northern California since 1948. Joining us tonight is Phil Larios, President & CEO of The Hignell Companies who will be happy to answer your questions following this presentation. Also with us is Katie Simmons and Angela Cole from the Chamber who coordinated this presentation and will deliver our economic impact analysis created by Chabin Concepts. <br /><br />The Hignell Companies is a family-owned company that has offered property development services and property management in Chico for nearly 70 years. Back in 1948, Fred Hignell, Jr. along with his partner at the time, Floyd Strange, were responsible for the construction of over 1,000 homes in 25 subdivisions, in addition to apartment and commercial projects. Doug Hignell joined his father in 1970, and expanded the vision for the company to include an emphasis in real estate syndication and property management services and a professional management team. <br /><br />The company has experienced multiple name changes over time from Hignell & Strange to Hignell & Hignell to Hignell, Inc. dba The Hignell Companies. They saw the community change significantly from the 1940’s to the 1970’s, and knew it needed different things. While they did not have a focus on the college community, they saw how the expansion of greater access to education affected the area and their business as well as the community as a whole.<br /><br />The Hignell Companies does so much more than just property management. Over the last three decades, the company has built numerous apartment complexes, a professional office complex of 37,026 square feet, a small specialty shopping center, developed and marketed a 64 unit duplex subdivision, a 59-lot planned unit development, and have built and are managing The Courtyard at Little Chico Creek, a 41-unit assisted living facility for the elderly. Above all of this, they also offer the management of home services and apartments, and are a for-hire professional services organization providing a plethora of home services to our community including Heating & Air Conditioning, Electrical, Painting, Plumbing, Construction/Remodels, Flooring and Cleaning. This is done under the umbrella of “Experts In Your Home.” They do all of this while creating a caring community that transforms lives. <br /><br />The Hignell Companies started a non-profit organization called Creating Caring Communities as a goal to build community and also The Hignell Foundation, which consists of a Community Impact Fund and an Employee Care Fund.<br /><br />The Hignell Companies is helping to shape the future of Chico by working in partnership with the city through relationships. Phil says they focus on the future with their sustainable growth plan, providing good jobs in a stable community-based company.<br /><br />With the growing need for new developments in our community, the ability to get a project up and off the ground within three months is sorely missed. Today’s timeline is more like 3 years from concept to permit. Along with speed of development, costs have dramatically increased and Phil notes their biggest challenge is the entitlement process. Projects that cost $9,000 per unit not so long ago now cost $22,000 per unit. From planning to building to sale, the ability to move a project in a timely fashion is imperative and is an area of constant focus for the company. Until we can get these challenges under control, the company’s ability to make a difference is impacted. <br /><br />With that, I am going to turn the presentation over to Katie Simmons to review the <a href="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/BusinessSpotlight_Hignell.pdf" target="_blank">economic impact slide</a>. Following Katie’s presentation, Phil is here to answer any questions you might have.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-34437172938240401462015-11-04T09:24:00.002-08:002015-11-04T09:24:53.561-08:00<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Last week, our Board of
Directors met for their annual planning retreat. To round out the
discussion, we included our Ambassador Executive committee and the Committed
Leaders of our Young Professional Organization, as well as our staff.
What emerged? A stronger commitment from our leaders to advance our
Community Vision in 2016 and an understanding that traditional Chamber
activities like networking are still necessary but can be aligned with our
advocacy and economic development activities to create higher value and longer
lasting relationships. One member said, "the relationships I build
through trying to make a difference in this community are stronger and more
valuable for me as a business person in Chico." That's exactly what
we're after: impactful connectivity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Chamber has long
existed to bring people together - but the reasons behind this are changing.
People have limited time, they follow each other on Twitter, they
advertise in ways our founders wouldn't have dreamed possible, and younger
professionals are looking to join causes not clubs. A Chamber, as a
catalyst for both change and connectivity in the modern world, needs to combine
the two. What our Board of Directors ratified last week is the fact that
we exist to "leverage the voice of business for community good."
The voice of business is not one lone voice but the culmination of
hundreds, including yours. And why do we do this? Because thriving
businesses lead to a healthy community - your community, our community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I am confident that
everything you expect from your membership will triple in value for you next
year, either because you've decided to get involved or because the impact we're
making together is more visible. Another member paused mid-conversation
last week and said thoughtfully, "you know, my business needs and personal
needs are now inseparable." And I think that as we move toward a more
blended lifestyle (rather than the fictitious "balanced" lifestyle I
was raised to believe existed) we will hear this more and more. You not
only need a premiere place to do business, but you need an affordable, safe,
healthy community in which to live. That's the beauty of Chico. We
really can have it all. And our <a alt="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/CommunityVisionSlides2015-2025.pdf" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001iT0qLxeEbsNfhb9RVlnJ6Fx8xObLqOM6SKW5rfIO1V3AJrl5WC2gdYkVmR3kS_QuTKEIcuaiWb4do6YJsSEGeEEGBUHuLExUakfjDSN6UGVfTJ_e84kgsfZry2nK99ZNiZ868p_6pHYOiGbcYf9FDheQz6n63JHkwdj-1tyW_-PyNmIlKj2o7NbSJBR5P3j_8aXwF7rutOVKdGToXWgzJDhbfmLM2SQ9ygXKFjiCzUejZf6x31zYPw==&c=37yWH1G1vZ1ldHOF6JUxQOwgaTSmI2t0-lmPsBAnFLgKN1bvD2XPEA==&ch=6Te9h9Vc4Xe-mc1IGzdAPCZhKmN9r9THxxMuiEq9E-qscwAxkboiEw==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="color: black;">Community Vision</span></a> positions us to achieve all of
this...together. Thank you for your continued support of our work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Here is the team leading the Chico Chamber forward! 2016
Board of Directors, Ambassador Executive committee and YPO Committed Leaders.</span></em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-88177735431364361992015-10-07T08:49:00.001-07:002015-10-07T09:43:20.648-07:00<div align="center" class="BodyA" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Business Spotlight on North Valley Ag Services<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Presented to Chico City Council on October 6, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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Good evening. I’m Toni Scott with Morrison & Company, and Chair Elect of the Board of Directors for the Chico Chamber of Commerce.<br />
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Tonight, we are pleased to spotlight North Valley Ag Services, a nearly 60-year old business, cooperatively owned by local farmers who are both members and patrons. <br />
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Joining us tonight is Taylor Denney, Sales Manager for North Valley Ag Services, who will be happy to answer your questions following this presentation. Also with us is Vicki Doll from Chabin Concepts who will deliver our economic impact analysis, and Katie Simmons with the Chico Chamber who coordinated the presentation. North Valley Ag Services was founded in 1957 as Chico Bean Growers by 15 bean farmers, who were looking to work together to process and market their dried, colored beans. As a cooperative, the business model these farmers sought is unique from traditional business structures that most may be familiar with, but not uncommon in the agriculture industry. Cooperatives are owned by growers and serve their grower-members, and in the case of Chico Bean Growers, allowed the founding farmers to collaboratively pool resources to better their position in the marketplace. In 1979, a peak year for the company, Chico Bean Growers processed, stored, and marketed 22 million pounds of beans. <br />
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Yet, over time, the needs of the Chico Bean Grower- members changed, particularly as farmers in the area shifted from growing beans, to walnuts, almonds, and other permanent crops. Today, just 2 million pounds are delivered by local farmers to Chico Bean Growers, a number that represents 10% of the peak production once experienced locally. <br />
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Like any business responsive to its customers and its owners – Chico Bean Growers recognized the need to change with its growers. As President Mark Pierce succinctly summarizes, “The fundamentalism of farming is change.” <br />
<br />
As such, about 25 years ago, Chico Bean Growers evolved to North Valley Ag Services, transitioning to a farm supply company that serves farmers from Woodland to Redding. Based here in the Chico, on Bell Road, the main focus of the co-op now is to store and distribute soil amendments and crop protection materials to area growers, which help keep soils fertile, healthy, and producing crops that help make California the number one agriculture state in the nation, significantly impacting our economic health. <br />
<br />
North Valley Ag Services handles over 300 railcars of soil amendments per year and stores materials for major suppliers. They follow the strictest safety protocols, and are continually focused on educating their employees and their farmer customers on the proper use and handling of these materials. Farmers, like any business owner, are keenly aware of their bottom line, and recognize that spending more than they need to on any inputs, could negatively impact profits. North Valley Ag Services works with its member-owners to ensure that farmers are taking the steps to keep their orchards and fields healthy, and businesses profitable. <br />
<br />
In addition, among other services like bean cleaning, and crop protection services, the company provides soil and tissue sampling services – important particularly in a drought year to ensure healthy trees, soil, and quality crops. <br />
<br />
The dynamic nature of the business has been one catalyst that has led their longevity in the Chico business community. In 2001, the organization suffered a loss, and saw $3.5 million in sales. In 2015, North Valley Ag Services is poised to hit $55 million in sales, with a growth expectation of 6-7% per year. This allows the Chico business to continue to retain and expand its employment, and continue to meaningfully contribute to the number on industry in the county. Butte County’s agriculture industry is valued at a gross crop revenue of $810 million. One those almonds have chocolate on them, or our rice is made into tasty rice chips, that value can double to quadruple, based on UC Davis estimates. <br />
<br />
Despite this growth and success, however, there are challenges that face North Valley Ag Services and its grower members. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture, over the last 30 years, the average age of U.S. farmers has grown by nearly eight years, from 50.5 years to 58.3 years. Unfortunately, the data also shows that there aren’t enough aspiring farmers coming behind this aging generation, with the potential for a huge loss of family-owned farms. There is a tremendous need for succession planning in the agriculture industry, with other issues such as the Estate Tax, having the potential to harm the transfer of family farms to the next generation. And with 98% of all farms in the United States family-owned, this is a significant battle to overcome to preserve these vital businesses. <br />
<br />
As they look to the future as a growing business in this city, North Valley Ag Services is particularly attune to the need for a strong focus on public safety. President Mark Pierce counts public safety as one of the most important factors impacting their business. With their own railyard and sensitive materials on site, North Valley Ag Services has a strong relationship with local public safety agencies, including the Chico Fire Department, and notes the need for public safety in keeping their business healthy. <br />
<br />
With that, I am going to turn the presentation over to Vicki Doll with Chabin Concepts to review the <a href="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/BusinessSpotlightSlideshow_NVAS_Oct615.pdf" target="_blank">economic impact slide</a>. Following Vicki’s presentation, Taylor is here to answer any questions you might have.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-53472521759420735932015-10-02T11:07:00.003-07:002015-10-02T11:07:55.556-07:00<br />I go to a lot of meetings. More than I can count. And the one thing each meeting has in common, no matter the topic, is change - either rolling with it, forcing it, or recovering from it. Nothing is static anymore. Our working lives are as varied as the thoughts that run through our minds - at least that's the case when the work is advocacy, as is mine. No two days or even hours are the same which is why long-term projects, like our <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NYxLhNFXhC-tPV9_C2f0LiYUIuJR7M4tnO1RXbMwhV0AxaCObE847wRJt9p16FtUOFQuZfs-N-WvkNRK-E2L1poRpjyYoz07Rcxg55EvnNE7nu0Q1cci70n_7VC2qpwwZzFSpUaZe7yyc-608Ld7D8-jiuQkfa3scJeN1reG4heQcQ1rLFMsGRqRr70A7UkEhQX5m1CGSBMJhBRgMhd-VtqY-nwpymnEfMkxoan9la0inBeX1DbV4Q==&c=3x1xMvpuzOcV3cADW-_861iCeoH8tIUQ3Nwl2vilB_2UUbWCTLpuAA==&ch=ig-fKISbywwdmluRZxXI1ITJjuoZ22aQ6NBSxgq7bImcaO0zx9DP9g==">Community Vision</a>, are necessary to tether us to our ultimate goals. <br /><br />Change at the Chamber is inseparable from change within our business community. We exist to be the voice of business, period, and when that voice needs to be louder or needs to change tone or tack, we adjust our sails accordingly and immediately. While incremental changes have served our organization over time, the feedback we're getting from our members, our Board, and millennials in Chico is that we need to speed up our own evolution to ensure we're not only relevant next year but tomorrow. It's critical to the health of our economy and the safety of our community that we stay on point as the voice of business every single day. Our vision for Chico relies on it. <br /><br />To that end, we're dedicating the entire month of October to gathering your input on our Community Vision and on the Chamber itself. Because so much of our work is unseen (remember those meetings I mentioned?), we need your help in making sure we are perfectly aligned with our members and business community. <br /><br />It's simple: our sole purpose is to lift the economic tide to lift all ships - it's the reason we were founded over a century ago - so we're getting back to basics as an organization and want to make sure we're all in this together. Please take a moment to <a href="http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07ebmif7k5if60yxqs/start" target="_blank">answer our survey</a> and attend our "Moving Chico Forward" discussion on October 22nd. It's more important than ever before that we speak with one voice.
<!-- </img> -->Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-43185216600294386902015-09-16T09:21:00.001-07:002015-09-16T09:21:30.913-07:00Moving Chico Forward By Addressing Public Safety Needs<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Good evening, City council
members. I’m Katie Simmons, President & CEO of the Chico Chamber of
Commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As Mark Francis, President
& CEO of Golden Valley Bank, and Chairman of the Chamber Board of
Directors, likes to say: everything we see is a result of a successful business,
from the clothes on our backs, to the food on our tables, to the jobs that
allow for the purchase of homes. Businesses make all of these things possible
for our community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is also true that Chico is
built upon a foundation of compassion and is a deeply generous community, led
in no small part by the businesses that give to our shelters, services,
churches, and community-based organizations with missions dedicated to
improving lives. The level of giving and compassion that runs powerfully and quietly
through our community is at risk. It is at risk because of a feeling of lawlessness that pervades perceptions
and experiences in Chico. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Without adequate
accountability and enforcement to maintain civility, and standards and
expectations upheld for all citizens, there is a growing sense of decline in
our community and a noticeable erosion of confidence in our downtown and other business
districts, neighborhoods, and green spaces. And with these increasing
frustrations and a sense of being unheard, come acts of vigilantism and
extremism that put everyone at risk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Community members are
reaching and surpassing personal limits every day, and we are sitting on the
precipice of watching the generous culture and character of Chico change
irrevocably. This ordinance will not solve everything, nor does it complete the
spectrum of needs we have in this community, but it sets a tone to our
businesses and to our community at large that the crimes and bad behaviors we have witnessed, been
victims of, or heard about are not OK in Chico.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We must continue to fill the
gaps in our enforcement tool box with ordinances like this, as well as create
much-needed bridges into services through partnerships that the Chamber
actively participates in. One will not be successful without the other in
meeting the needs of all citizens in Chico, and the business community has been
part of the solution all along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-10213896679265138902015-09-02T16:31:00.002-07:002015-09-02T16:31:41.790-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Last night, Chico joined
a growing list of California cities approving the formation of a Tourism
Business Improvement District (TBID). This small assessment on lodging stays
will generate funds for dedicated destination marketing of Chico and, if other
neighboring communities join in, all of Butte County. Whereas Transient
Occupancy Tax was once used for this purpose, the TBID will provide a
sustainable funding source over time to attract visitors for overnight stays,
increasing the patronage of our hotels, restaurants, retail businesses, and
more. We're pleased that the City Council voted in favor of this proven
strategy for tourism development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You may have heard about
the "Safety Meetings" we're hosting around town with Team Chico and
the Chico Police Department. Building off of our business walks and the
Nord Corridor & South Campus safety meetings we hosted in June and July,
we're bringing these opportunities to other business districts in Chico to
improve communications and connectivity with law enforcement. These meetings
are free and open to business and property owners in each area, as well as to
residents who have an interest in participating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.75pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Upcoming meetings:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mangrove
and Vallombrosa Avenues & Bidwell Park:</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Monday, September 21st, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the CARD Community Room, 545
Vallombrosa Avenue. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nord
Corridor & South Campus Area</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
Wednesday, September 23rd, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m., Azad's Martial Arts Family
Center, 313 Walnut Street, Chico.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Park
Avenue Corridor & Surrounding Areas</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
Thursday, October 22nd, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Chico Country Day Middle
School Common Area, 1054 Broadway.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Downtown
Chico</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Tuesday, November 17th, 9 -
10 a.m. in the Old Municipal Building conference room, 441 Main
Street. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Safety
meetings are planned for the Rio Lindo Area and Chico Airport in the
immediate future. Additional meetings will be hosted throughout business
districts in Chico in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">If you wish to host a meeting at your business,
please <a href="mailto:katie@chicochamber.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" target="_blank">let me know</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In other news, we're dedicating the entire month
of October to generating member awareness and feedback! We'll be
releasing a month-long survey asking for your input on what the Chamber of the
future looks like. With the roll out of our <a alt="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/CommunityVisionSlides2015-2025.pdf" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00184e2Ax4dKFAh7clqgi37SvnhF1HyRW-yKorZuf5XNfi_9iUFbQRfLhAXsSKU8hUzhk0kdNWzddPnJKgrbEclwvFUyN706S_dxZoY8salEodH9yRUw_YBaWzh-ulus_boTOCao3znaDubgj-nwR5GM6TOQLq6u9n05pZNM_0iSrWOWn3Ak79W2pG0tZIDTBne98vb0maPhZPYXdoArPh4SQUqBe5P8M9PtzyxspnhqCie1H1EC9wApQ==&c=nkIOdOKOWXZEJtGWby03f05qo-7wHQDpNF1mHyletsFdeZQDgb8Lhw==&ch=L1LZSOE8KXhqY0RSomuovSIh9Eg7HCvH7vC6r4ToNI6QBFGELzv7AQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on">Community
Vision</a> last month, it's time to build our Chamber Vision together. Stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Last but not least, <a alt="http://chicochamber.com/public/uploads/ExecutiveSummary2015MillennialSurvey.pdf" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00184e2Ax4dKFAh7clqgi37SvnhF1HyRW-yKorZuf5XNfi_9iUFbQRfLhAXsSKU8hUzXRcXFH_uYl8dNmYItTCgvsMi_qkEYfLeTVSF48pK8RafUi2duud9LRQExN1GVbEn37wrNlaDInXg7GUv3JyV66qBck6eXRLUeBF1GmSXEn-_-NG04gzU0lb6aDbpb8_e48JDB-ialgJmuxFV_N15APkKIOCR80GK4sFi7cu5pvqbb1AoG96Rk1q2RNBPqNVU&c=nkIOdOKOWXZEJtGWby03f05qo-7wHQDpNF1mHyletsFdeZQDgb8Lhw==&ch=L1LZSOE8KXhqY0RSomuovSIh9Eg7HCvH7vC6r4ToNI6QBFGELzv7AQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on">here's
a sneak peek at the early results of our Millennial Survey</a>. More to come!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-44760641563794076302015-07-08T09:32:00.004-07:002015-07-08T09:32:59.759-07:00<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">At our recent Lunch Hour with the Mayor, Mark Sorensen met with our
members to talk about the state of the City. After approving a $109.7 million
dollar budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the Mayor says the City is
bouncing back far more quickly than anticipated, but the initial 10-year
projected recovery time is still accurate when we consider building back
reserves and having the flexibility to proactively invest in our
community.<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">New Police Chief Michael O'Brien, who attended our June Board
meeting, says his department will refocus on addressing top complaints in the
community which center around "quality of life" crimes that erode
residential and business confidence. His department, he says, is on the rebound
after officer numbers bottomed out earlier this year. Things, it seems, are
finally looking up for the City after a long and arduous journey from near
insolvency a few years ago, but the City still has work to do, as the Mayor
cautions. Businesses, on the other hand, are thriving like those we visited on
our Team Chico Business Walks on June 24th, see below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">One business reported hitting record sales numbers month after
month which has led to more jobs and possible expansion plans. You've heard us
say that everything you see is a result of a successful business, and this is
precisely why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">If you were born between 1980 and the early 2000s please take our <a href="http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eb43yyjviaiphwen/start" target="_blank">3-minuteMillennial Survey</a><span id="goog_1548339156"></span><span id="goog_1548339157"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a>, or forward it to the millennials in your life! The
results of this survey will offer us a rare sneak peek into the future of our
community. Thank you for helping us reach our goal of 500 responses!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-2182215361278463082015-06-04T11:31:00.001-07:002015-06-04T11:31:12.182-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
Millennials - who are they and what do they want? I'm kidding, but much of the talk around our office over the last few months has been centered around these two questions. As you likely know, millennials were born between 1980 and the early 2000s, and they are shaking things up in the business world and in our workplaces. Even the White House published a study called <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/millennials_report.pdf" target="_blank">15 Economic Facts About Millennials in 2014</a>. And you know how it goes: once you pay attention to something, it starts popping up everywhere...as has been the case with our focus on Millennials. Later this month, to help us understand how to do business with and for these technological trailblazers - called "technology natives" by many major corporations - our Chico Young Professionals Organization will be circulating a Millennial Survey to begin scoping out this information in Chico. With a goal of 500 responses, the survey will be open to the public and we're hoping you will encourage all millennials in your local circle to take it. With this information, we will not only better understand what the "Voice of Millennials" in Chico sounds like, but we will be better equipped to consider their expectations as we finalize the community vision plan Mark refers to in his message below.<br /><br />Last Friday, I said goodbye to our Air Service Development Manager after coordinating 3 days of meetings for him with local businesses and entities. His intent on this first trip was to gather information on what kind of airline service Chico might be able to sustain. I don't have any details to share just yet as his meetings with the airlines begin this month, but as soon as I know what direction we're heading, I'll let you know!<br /><br /> With that, I'll see you on the 11th at Patrick Ranch for the anniversary celebration of the year. We love Italian Cottage!</div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-46813731287523990192015-05-04T12:23:00.001-07:002015-05-04T12:23:56.244-07:00This week, AvPORTS, the company hired to develop a long-term business plan for the Chico Municipal Airport made their first public visit to Chico. Back in March, it was our recommendation to the City Council that an Airport Manager or firm be hired if restoring commercial air service is a community priority - which, in so many ways, it is. But, there is more to AvPORTS' work than attracting an air carrier to our city. To dive into the details about business development plans, infrastructure improvements, and, yes, what commercial carriers are saying about Chico, we had the opportunity to participate in a stakeholders meeting with their CEO. We spent some time talking about what makes the Chico air field unique and the benefits of such a diversified business mix currently located at the airport. The good news is: AvPORTS sees a great deal of potential for the Chico Municipal Airport. The work lies in maintaining a general willingness to tolerate and adapt to new standards, developing adequate incentives for the airline attraction strategy, and ultimately centralizing our marketing efforts to brand Chico as a regional travel hub. This is just the beginning of the City's formal relationship with AvPORTS but I, for one, am very invested in ensuring the business voice is heard in each and every discussion. <br /><br />Speaking of travel, Chico will soon host tens of thousands of parents and visitors who will be dining, shopping, lodging, and recreating in our fair city. Graduation weekend is great for business! Enjoy the smiling faces of the many proud family members and friends who helped Chico State and Butte College turn students into graduates. It's a great month to celebrate their accomplishments and to give their guests a red-carpet experience that they'll never forget.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-85485748573863111982015-04-02T09:03:00.000-07:002015-04-02T09:03:11.511-07:00Last Friday, I was working away at my computer when congratulations started to roll in via email. Wondering what I'd done to deserve the accolades, I looked closer and realized LinkedIn was celebrating my 3-year anniversary at the helm of the Chamber. Wow, time has flown by! I paused to reflect on these past 3 years and consider where we are now given what we - all of us - have endured. The outlook in 2011 was very shaky and we were starting to see our public resources dry up without any indication of recovery. The landscape was changing right before our very eyes and we didn't have a roadmap. Now, in 2015, strengthened by the partnerships and efficiencies that have sprung up from our collective scarcity, we are lifting our heads to look toward the horizon. We're asking: what's next? Where will we be in 2018? I can guarantee we'll have made progress on our top business climate priorities and you will see a more robust local government serving Chico. In the meantime, it's up to us to create the roadmap for our own success as a community in the years to come. If we have the creativity and innovative spirit to survive with so little, we certainly have the capability to thrive. On that note, take a look at Mark's article below and tell us what you think. Where will Chico be in 5-10 years? You decide. -<i> Katie Simmons, President & CEO, Chico Chamber of Commerce</i><div>
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chairman's Report</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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King/Queen . . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Haven't we all thought about that at one time or another when we
see something locally that just isn't right? Here's one of my
favorite examples... "If I were King, Chico High wouldn't be playing
football on Pleasant Valley's field." No kidding!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">We are embarking on a project with the Chamber Board to identify
some of those "If I were King/Queen" long term projects or programs
that are necessary for our community's health, pride and well being. We
want to circle four or five and have them on a list that the business
community helps push forward. Not only to shine the light on the
projects, but to lend our support in making them happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">What would you do here in Chico if you were King/Queen?
Email me your ideas at <a href="mailto:mfrancis@goldenvalleybank.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" target="_blank">mfrancis@goldenvalleybank.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Please remember that showing up is one of the most important
things we can do as Chamber members! See you at the next event!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mark
Francis, Chair of the Board, Golden Valley Bank</span></em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-27160760821643275092015-03-02T15:08:00.002-08:002015-03-02T15:08:22.376-08:00I recently had an opportunity to attend a presentation by the Disney Institute. I learned that in 60 years of operation, the same three survey questions have returned the same three responses from Disneyland guests. Surveyors ask: 1) Why do you come? 2) Why do you come back? And 3) Why do you tell your friends and family to come? Guests respond: 1) Cleanliness, 2) Friendliness, and 3) Safety. Amazingly, despite all the magical bells and whistles of "The Happiest Place on Earth," people visit the park for very basic reasons. Our speaker shared that the Disney philosophy is to "over-manage" the details that are often overlooked such as the distance between trash cans (26 paces in their case), the consistency of lighting (all light-bulbs are changed out at 85% of the manufacturer's recommended duration), the appearance of their lawns (replaced every 42 days), and the genuine friendly spirit of their "cast members," aka staff. "Perfection is something you can feel," said our speaker, "not necessarily see." I took this information to my leadership team and we talked about how Disney's priorities mirror some of our own. We want Chico to shine, to feel enduringly safe, and to be seen as a smiling, happy community. We want visitors, potential residents and business owners, and residents to sense these things about Chico intuitively. What is the role of the Chamber in ensuring that we are clean, friendly, and safe? Our priorities, set by our members, help us address concerns that threaten the health and vitality of our businesses which, in turn, fund the public services that allow us to enjoy such a high quality of life in Chico. We are all responsible for making sure that our guests, whether they are here for four hours or for a lifetime, have a sense of perfection about this place. Chico is special and we all know it. I hope that our work continues to demonstrate how invested we are in keeping it so.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-9449850079637300992015-02-05T10:33:00.002-08:002015-02-05T10:33:39.181-08:00February is upon us - how did that happen? January was a big, busy blur filled with events and programs that kicked off 2015 with a bang. We hosted our 77th Annual Dinner on January 15th, honoring the men and women who have made an indelible impact on our community. Fred Davis received our first ever Legacy Award for the decades he dedicated to the City and our community. Mayor Mark Sorensen received our J. Pat Lappin Award, Audrey Taylor received our Jeanne Posey Award, Scott Gruendl was our 2014 Community Service Award recipient, and BT Chapman was chosen as our Business Advocate of the Year. <br /><br />Mark Francis was recognized with our Chairman's Award, Anne Johnson was our 2014 Ambassador of the Year and Danie Schwartz was recognized as our Young Professional of the Year. It was an honor to acknowledge these recipients for their tireless efforts to make Chico the dynamic community it is.
<a class="imgCaptionAnchor" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001zVYc7X2_E1mS_YBy68Ar5e68GmF1yzUCVGluf_SWUS_TEMpNNPaySF2FZTTlmlp7xrbXFudL8DgBwpv578JIQ8hxJDf_s63aKcQWu1QikbZRUp6IVYB9JO0DLksKsiTX-xNBJnmxgBXrlQuXe4afFKM-ox7wSKN6H3GfeZhTHGyoRw28Hc2X_nElHl-hqBoFE0avJoiEy6kZW_cGCM7P4eQW2eVR-VK1GK1eC8anBQb_2fWF5masb3d0X55aW0WhZTVn4ksCgWCc4AcfqAiCug==&c=YVsXS5SJXzYNZPmA1JSNrx8ghv8D54QcJcxuOICbFM386f7FSL2vGQ==&ch=7tAjXtkJ-izMzzHxQkemUSqxCHzH0u8_GFqARj1_puMhPrx-lcO3AA==" shape="rect" style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank" track="on"><img border="0" hspace="5" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.2793" src="https://files.ctctcdn.com/cc4d7cc5001/c8faef82-5817-4704-ad60-772ba3d85f6e.png" vspace="5" width="545" /></a>
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Our Business Summit & State of the City Address provided us with a positive outlook for the year. The Mayor decreased the projected 10-year recovery timeline for the City saying that we will see technological improvements and incremental staffing growth this year. Mark Francis, our new Chairman, shared the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001zVYc7X2_E1mS_YBy68Ar5e68GmF1yzUCVGluf_SWUS_TEMpNNPaySF2FZTTlmlp70YSYvP51zWaswJ30PqGwAiwhovydBlkXjB3GxxCZQ9Xg2o4h39laTkswWxCGZOHc10Ma_uxWuQ3HNuICmJNF62VLkPth74DIWGsTGRMyAPKctALP7sohSOXOYUzADby9aeUErb7amg2ifiWjplrhcLlZ4AMqZFTR8BGq4Ie9s0z1R3iuHmbKdA==&c=YVsXS5SJXzYNZPmA1JSNrx8ghv8D54QcJcxuOICbFM386f7FSL2vGQ==&ch=7tAjXtkJ-izMzzHxQkemUSqxCHzH0u8_GFqARj1_puMhPrx-lcO3AA==">Chico Economic Index</a> demonstrating higher notes of optimism in all economic indicators. While the economic forecast even a year ago looked "cloudy with a chance of sunshine," I think we're looking at "sunny with a chance of clouds" for 2015. While that's our local economic outlook, I sure wish our real forecast would predict unending rain and snow for several weeks. Then we'd really have a lot to celebrate. Have a great month!Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-77784367424035205702015-01-29T15:09:00.001-08:002015-01-29T15:09:23.372-08:00A new year is all about new beginnings and this rings true for the Chico Chamber. We are pleased to welcome Mark Francis, President & CEO of Golden Valley Bank, to the helm as Chairman of our Board. Mark will continue a long-standing tradition of solid leadership on our Board of Directors. We also welcome new Directors: Terra Ayers with FAFCO, Inc.; Ryan Arnold with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.; Angela Casler with Sustainability Management Consulting; Crystal Torres with Recology Butte Colusa Counties; Shaunna Jones with Milestone Technologies, Inc.; Mark Pierce with North Valley Ag Services; and Danie Schwartz with LRT Graphics. Welcome to our team and thank you for your commitment to being the 'Voice of Business' in Chico. I'd also like to thank Toni Scott with Morrison & Company for agreeing to Chair our Legislative Action Committee in 2015. Watch this newsletter for future news on the issues we're tackling this year. <br /><br /> I hope to see you at our Annual Dinner on January 15th and Business Summit & State of the City Address on January 21st!Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-71198957474222917942014-12-02T14:13:00.003-08:002014-12-02T14:13:36.423-08:00Tis the season of giving and gratitude! I am thankful that well over 600 businesses believe in and benefit from our purpose as the voice of business in Chico. I am grateful that our Board is growing in size and dedication, allowing us to do more as an organization than ever before. I appreciate the first 6 businesses who signed up to be <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001djxnLYUmLHzP-HikYYNJmDAO8Eh9Jiaei5yxytQ6NT14Vbf_HWsFpIVH20smvLFKC1FPZxcyzuqhjJ2gcPZqZJQU1xEisGUhy22G7BoyBLecHOqcSIXxFkFAeRIyaoNPu07UGk2Bx2I9z8MhRwIX_os1K1iJv7xqrnmIMVjlYYJJviRFBehmhSbu_gA8J1o_&c=&ch=">Community Impact Partners</a> in 2015. Our Legacy Partners: Allevity HR & Payroll, Golden Valley Bank, and Tri Counties Bank. Our Visionary Partners: Enloe Medical Center, Recology Butte Colusa Counties, and Transfer Flow, Inc. The commitment these 6 businesses have made demonstrates genuine member-Chamber mission alignment and an investment in our community health and economic vibrancy. <a href="mailto:katie@chicochamber.com">Contact me to become a Partner today!</a><br /><br />On the giving side of things, we continue to stay laser-focused on spending our time and resources on our priorities. As advocates, we are strategizing to restore commercial air service in Chico, ensuring that we have the tools and people in place to provide safe and welcoming business districts, partnering to leverage our voice on policy issues and government decisions, and building trusting and accessible relationships that grease the wheels of economic progress in Chico. As economic development partners, we are reaching out to every single business in Chico, we are developing tools that get information to you faster, we are hosting Community Development Updates to ensure the City stays on track with their efforts to improve permitting processes, and we are putting energy toward sector strategies to improve our retail health and grow manufacturing and tech jobs in the north state.<br /><br /> In 2015, make a difference for your business and for your community through membership or partnership in the Chamber. The "voice of business" is made up of many voices - make sure yours is heard!Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-55504540538834487632014-11-04T09:30:00.000-08:002014-11-04T09:30:14.968-08:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the month of October we began quietly rolling out our <b>Community Impact Partnership</b>. It's a new twist on Chamber involvement - in fact, it's a new twist on everything. Recognizing the changing needs of businesses, we know that mission alignment and ROI are critical for investment. And now that we've firmly established the Chamber as a problem-solving advocate in Chico and successfully re-tooled economic development through collaborative work like <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001gH70g0ZCcGQ5YqQy889sVK6ZdkpXZ27OlARHJvaH7mOHZC6K9Qv3fu0HTtF8H1relSgc8Fi9txdCZDgfDqhIGPhBg11RUJhQvy1hag3hZh8GZ2j2RN3yveBqcj8et4pUa6adKipaxPeNMpQ_pM3SSn0dlO5hfIvxOM6fHnqqcKHa48YCBqDuS8kKGqzzUpCVJpGslKzHr42FSuHZFaFc3EUwkr_8gE5iDY17p5RHI3rkNV7cFnco1w==&c=1QsvfETRq2Htl0d2vjzBPZvVGRr3I0gRiZUkofJo2zIxG9GliQmaXQ==&ch=grqvdcq4sQSaVkA_L3ZVLTI8hyF46cnhkGDv8I7Qgk_XxL5v6jMpYA==">TeamChico</a>, we're able to bring more value to our business community and to our members.<br /><br />We're maintaining standard membership, of course, to foster the business-to-business connections that drive commerce in our town, but we're adding new levels of partnership to support our advocacy and economic development programs. By growing our capacity in these areas and involving business owners like you through partnership and participation, our "voice of business" will continue to strengthen and increase our positive impact on our economy and community. Call me personally for an early overview: 891.5556 x 303.<br /><br />Speaking of solutions, we're working with the City Council and Airport Commission on commercial airline attraction and feasibility, alternative transportation, and bringing a dedicated airport manager aboard to oversee and develop the economic footprint of the Chico Airport. On November 14th, we'll be rolling out a Community Travel Survey to assess travel needs in the community, and we'll be launching an Executive Business Survey to understand the level of support in the business community for the creation of a proposed travel bank which is needed to incentivize an airline. Please take a moment to participate in these surveys when they are released and/or send your thoughts to me now: <a href="mailto:katie@chicochamber.com">katie@chicochamber.com</a>.<br /><br /> As I write this note to you, the results of the election are still a few days away. While the outcome is uncertain, I remain confident in the public/private partnerships we've created with the City and in the relationships we've built with and on behalf of our members. When we share common goals, it's easy to get work done, like the alarm ordinance we revised with the Chico PD that was recently approved by the City Council. The Chamber is well over a century old, so we have the momentum and vision to carry our purpose forward through political, economic, and municipal ups and downs. Your support of our mission makes all of this - and so much more - possible.</span>Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-49031772031547440672014-10-01T15:45:00.001-07:002014-10-01T15:45:26.956-07:00A few months before SkyWest notified the City that it will discontinue commercial air service on December 2nd, I half-seriously predicted that 2015 will be the "Year of the Airport." Last Tuesday, when the Chamber agreed to head up the Airline Attraction Committee, we took a central role in shaping the future of the airport and commercial air service in Chico. While we build our strategy and engage stakeholders, I'm receiving comments and letters from local business owners ranging in tone from celebratory to disconsolate. On October 28th, we will return to the joint City Council and Airport Commission meeting with an early plan. In the meantime, I invite your letters and comments on the airport. Does your business rely on commercial air service? What is your ideal destination for air travel out of Chico? Are you willing to incentivize the return of air service by contributing to a travel bank? <a href="mailto:katie@chicochamber.com" target="_blank">I want to hear from you</a>.<br /><br />In October, after months of cooperative negotiations, we expect to bring a revised alarm ordinance to the City Council with high levels of support from our local alarm businesses and law enforcement. The revised ordinance seeks to meet two goals: 1) restore police response to burglar alarms, and 2) decrease overall calls for service. Restoring police response will rebuild confidence and security within our business community, and decreasing overall calls for service will help us redirect safety resources that are lost when false alarms occur.<br /><br />Now that the City has committed to restoring police staffing over the next 4 years, Clean & Safe Chico has committed to rolling out a public information campaign in the coming months. Too often, we hear distress that nothing is being done when, in fact, there are many hands and hearts and minds hard at work on the very issues that fill our social media spheres day in and day out. We know there is still much to be done, but when you hear good news or see a good deed please share it.<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="margin-bottom: 1.5pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-bspace: 3.75pt; mso-table-left: right; mso-table-lspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-top: middle; mso-table-tspace: 3.75pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 282px;">
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Katie Simmons and Chris Constantin, Assistant City Manager for
the City of Chico, at the League of California Cities on September 4, 2014.</span></em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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On that note, in September, Team Chico was awarded the prestigious Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities (see photo). This award was given in the category of community services and economic development and recognizes the innovative model of teamwork now reaching and supporting businesses in the Chico area. <a href="http://chicochamber.com/sites/default/files/chicoar_13-14_v5.compressed.pdf" target="_blank">Read our annual report here</a>. We couldn't do what we do without your constant support and participation - thank you for your membership! Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-5262453778322523972014-09-03T13:23:00.000-07:002014-09-03T13:23:12.818-07:00Since I am in the business of advocating for local businesses, I often wish I had a crystal ball. A bit of notice on issues coming down the pipeline would be helpful, but I have to give our team credit for jumping on challenges that seem to appear out of the blue, like SkyWest pulling out of Chico in December. To be honest, we've been aware of this possibility for years and weren't really surprised when the announcement arrived, but it has been all hands on deck over the last few weeks as we've accelerated the development of a public-private strategy to potentially restore commercial air service with a best fit carrier. It's amazing how quickly we can reshuffle busy schedules when our members are asking, "what's next?"<br /><br />To that end, I'm cautiously optimistic that our alarm stakeholder group's recommendations for an alarm response ordinance will be favorably received by the City Council on September 16th. We've worked closely with the Chico Police Department and members of our business community to meet two goals: 1) restore police response to burglar alarms, and 2) lower false alarm calls for service which were unnecessarily draining limited safety resources. I hope that everyone sees this as a good faith effort to find middle ground. We're looking for a win-win solution here.<br /><br /> Looking ahead, I see the City finally positioning itself for modest growth in the coming years. We will need the right set of leaders to craft this growth responsibly and innovatively. Please attend our City Council Candidate Forum on September 3rd to hear what the current pool of candidates brings to the table. I love Chico as much as anyone else and I want to see a genuine focus on vitality through teamwork. It's what makes our community so special.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-62420693154221906042014-08-05T14:17:00.000-07:002014-08-05T14:17:11.775-07:00<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Last week, my 9 year old daughter asked good-naturedly, "Mom, do we really need to stop and talk to every person we see?" More often than not, the answer is yes. In my role at the Chamber, it is essential that I stay connected to the community. I monitor member feedback, local news, social media, and multiple sources to ensure we're responding to the right issue at the right time. When it became clear that the business community was deeply distressed by the Police Department's recent decision not to respond to unverified burglar alarms, we created a stakeholders group with law enforcement to find middle ground. Our proposed solution will come before the Internal Affairs committee in mid-August. You'll be hearing more from us, too, on plans for the Chico Airport following our recent visit to Santa Rosa (see photo). <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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<!-- </img> --><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>We met with their Airport Manager, City Manager, and Sonoma County Visitors Bureau Executive Director to understand how they went from losing air service to sustaining multiple carriers in a matter of years. We've also transformed years of frustration around City permitting into productive forums with City staff at our newly launched Community Development Updates. So, if you see me out and about, stop and say hello. Share your thoughts and help us be the change we wish to see. Believe me, focusing on solutions sets an excellent example for the generation coming up behind us which includes, of course, our children.Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-7185805424432615952014-07-07T08:53:00.002-07:002014-07-07T08:53:22.297-07:00<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Hope your summer is off to a great start! With our Community
BBQ now behind us, we are focused on building strong programs for the second
half of the year and outlining our schedule of events and activities for
2015. So that we meet your needs, please complete our <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nGQgSNnV9lSVL7E9jtFJqY6yuFiP5RcwYzqmyVGLVBenyOSAHUwWthNEpARrfvBdQK4R8sAiyM4rhZDdJwCFo1Hr1F-bKlQrYewa4CU7tvnzCSZl1WDnl1qYYtkENh5g61AWazs3eZ6ReSS5By7vcCOFJTZKJHNb0MbDPymxuMnGTFJj1qRolQx1kVjoezgLqPHw_-FPx9IESABf8f7zIHYInfhCyBIROoi-PAdqrRVOsKadojWdUNJAtQxiRwl-k_B_oiA836OX70vteRgwZk8KZo7yeH-b_RwiJuSpZmU_rJgfHIOoJA==&c=I1b_ipn6qzW7sYogKPwuZQiiYt8JK7vJB7IykZGXReTGIyYLV43-YQ==&ch=2Ygfh_JCYQkBAup7Mw4pQtwtcdzqwKRYjFpgHWioljXDYSHDHjUHCA==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="color: black;">annual
membership survey</span></a>. Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">On another note, the Chico City Council recently approved the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nGQgSNnV9lSVL7E9jtFJqY6yuFiP5RcwYzqmyVGLVBenyOSAHUwWttEmvRrqiwuqsWLrMRwpfkxmwXwR9cjJksGXr3NVsL1m9dMMYmQUzb0MgtkG7Hl0e7e2t6hQwl2a5JG8eqtT61qYGM8Axpej-FkzvZH1EBytIyBakJ-qay7MSLuHpO-pOsI9iJHWF2WvrDvbI9m0rnzvbxj7SnlWMEy2-KWJwjV-nQAFycp3lXM=&c=I1b_ipn6qzW7sYogKPwuZQiiYt8JK7vJB7IykZGXReTGIyYLV43-YQ==&ch=2Ygfh_JCYQkBAup7Mw4pQtwtcdzqwKRYjFpgHWioljXDYSHDHjUHCA==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="color: black;">4-year
Police Staffing Plan</span></a> proposed by Clean & Safe Chico.
Tonight, Council will review the Sit/Lie Ordinance. Safety is still a top
priority for our local businesses and for this organization. You've
called in with your concerns and I encourage you to continue doing so.
The Council needs your constant feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">City permitting remains high on our list of business climate
concerns, too. To that end, our Permitting Task Force is pleased to bring
you our first Community Development Update on July 24th from noon - 1pm in the
Old Muni Building (441 Main). Join Mark Wolfe and Ruben Martinez for an update
on online permitting, energy codes, the DRC, and user fee increases (Phase 1
begins September 20th). Free to attend - please <a href="mailto:info@chicochamber.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">RSVP</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We're
also busy tracking the Butte Regional Conservation Plan, Airport updates, False
Alarm PD responses, the revision of Title 19 now with the Planning Commission,
and the upcoming election. Stay tuned for our City Council Candidate
Forum as well as another Lunch Hour with our Interim City Manager and Interim Assistant
City Manager. In any transition, it's important to stay present and
engaged and we're doing just that.</span>Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-64234503958788516842014-06-04T13:37:00.003-07:002014-06-04T13:37:40.036-07:00<div align="left" dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">When we
create a task force to tackle an issue, we mean business. Such is the case with our Permitting Task
Force and Airport Task Force, both of which were approved by our Board of
Directors recently. The Permitting Task
Force is currently working with City staff on recurring concerns related to
transparency, fees, and processing times for permits. With the recent passage of the User Fee
Resolution which will allow for increasing and, in some cases, decreasing
certain fees, we are ensuring that the transactions are timely and efficient. Stay tuned for our first User's Group
workshop planned for July.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
Airport Task Force will work with the Commission and City on strategies for
improving air service. With the planned
addition of a contracted airport manager on next year's City budget, we may
have the support of a dedicated steward who will maximize economic activity and
business potential at the airport. With
an integrated plan that includes continued input from the business community
and investment from the City, the sky just may be the limit for the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Chico</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;"> airport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our
annual BBQ is right around the corner which means summer is almost here. Kick off the season with our public safety
teams, businesses, and restaurants who are fine-tuning their special tri tip
recipes with locally grown ingredients.
See you on the 12th at </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">Manzanita Place</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span></span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554802754142144411.post-62694498023720682222014-05-05T12:26:00.001-07:002014-05-05T12:27:13.524-07:00<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's start with a big round of applause for <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Hnc6ZC3nStdajh3BmJDfgoNTc8awAnTj6sH8GoNZASxy7qlTF_T4QG5P2eVHc7MI-4tQX5N7oYx3_bI3PNaMCnJup1ae36sRATA7iu-IMRzm_MfcqaxRhNt8FGCd8-bIvjuiuLMxiIWre-oE09icOj7Yw1vJ8A1Dq_0yWI60_67joa7UPFcpg4LLSiwqyq_wnRF-OzYX_Hc=&c=m1Yr4jllF9GW2bOarYAiaa_S-oKaQ5uZkgoDWbvzcvRyG24sM_ntrQ==&ch=z-KdaNcoutPWClf8LmdGYEM9y_fyXPtr__6uxucKv1p-Z1z2qrwXDw==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Team Chico</a>, our local economic development and business support
team, for receiving the Grand Prize from the California Association for Local
Economic Development on April 9th in Sacramento. The award was received by our
Mayor and members of the team who have spent countless hours over the past year
ensuring that the needs of our local business community are met and that Chico
is maximizing every opportunity to be responsive and business friendly. As a
member of the team, I can attest to the fact that we are strictly
solution-oriented. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a class="imgCaptionAnchor" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Hnc6ZC3nStdajh3BmJDfgoNTc8awAnTj6sH8GoNZASxy7qlTF_T4QG5P2eVHc7MI-4tQX5N7oYx3_bI3PNaMCnJup1ae36sRATA7iu-IMRzm_MfcqaxRhNt8FGCd8-bIvjuiuLMxiIWre-oE09icOj7Yw1vJ8A1Dq_0yWI60_67joa7UPFcpg4LLSiwqyq_wnRF-OzYX_Hc=&c=m1Yr4jllF9GW2bOarYAiaa_S-oKaQ5uZkgoDWbvzcvRyG24sM_ntrQ==&ch=z-KdaNcoutPWClf8LmdGYEM9y_fyXPtr__6uxucKv1p-Z1z2qrwXDw==" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs135/1101068227788/img/2185.jpg" height="216" hspace="5" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.2185" vspace="5" width="445" /></span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In April, we welcomed 22 new members into the Chamber - wow!
<br />This organization is growing stronger by the day thanks to your support,
investment, and participation in our mission to be the voice of business in
Chico. I am constantly awed by the impact you, your colleagues, and this
organization have on the fabric of our community. Keep up the good work...and
we will, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">~Katie</span></div>
Chico Chamber of Commercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15344268044811745642noreply@blogger.com0