CONNECTIONyour

YOUR CONNECTION TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER IN THE SOUTH BAY.

IN THIS ISSUE 2 A Vital Partnership with Torrance PD 3 Delivering the Voice of Business

A new quarterly publication of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce

CONNECTIONyour

YOUR CONNECTION TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER IN THE SOUTH BAY.

Aaron Aalcides AALCIDES & LA VIE REAL ESTATE

We recently had an issue finalizing a Real Estate Transaction. The Chamber

helped connect us to a state agency that was able to assist us in the matter saving our client thousands of dollars. We value our membership with the Torrance Chamber because it gives us access to other businesses and resources in the area as well as city and state government connections. Our client and our business are very grateful for what we were able to accomplish together.

Ray GedertMONEY MAILER

I was very happy that our TACC’s Government Affairs team testified at

the recent LA County meeting to increase minimum wage to $15 per hour in the unincorporated parts of LA. It’s easy for our elected officials to see the one sided view that raising the minimum wage is a panacea to fix poverty and increase sales. I appreciated that TACC was able to share the unintended consequences of raising the minimum wage in LA, which are price increases and/or job loss. It’s great to know TACC is telling the entire story.

Julie Randall STREET FAIRE ANTIQUES

For years I was hesitant to join the Chamber because I didn’t think I

could afford it. But when I realized how much money I was saving by having a membership, I don’t know why I ever went without one. Thanks to the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce’s Office Depot program, I have saved $1,279 so far in 2015, easily covering the cost of Chamber membership several times over! I encourage any member with printing needs to take advantage of this program.

This paper can be your work of art.

Following the end of a busy state legislative session that produced over 2,000 bills for consideration by state lawmakers, the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce

(TACC) has the breakdown on business issues its members need to know about. TACC worked hard in 2015 representing the interests of its members on 42 state issues. TACC opposed 20 bills, helping prevent 15 of those bills from passing — a kill rate of 75 percent. In addition, TACC supported 22 bills, of which 7 passed.

Throughout the year, TACC tracked all of the committee and floor votes of its state elected representatives and compared their votes to the positons taken by the Chamber. TACC considers a Legislator to be business-friendly if he or she votes in agreement with TACC positons 70 percent of the time or more. In 2015, Assemblyman David Hadley was the Torrance area’s lone business-friendly Legislator with a 94% vote record with TACC. Senator Benjamin Allen tallied a 33 percent vote record with TACC, while Senator Isadore Hall, III tallied a 35 percent vote record with TACC.

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce invites all Chamber members to attend the 2015 “State of the Region Address,” which features an update from

Torrance representatives Congresswoman Maxine Waters (43rd District) and Congressman Ted Lieu (33rd District). The luncheon program will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Torrance – South Bay on Monday, December 14th from 12:00pm-1:30pm.

“Every year, the Chamber looks forward to bringing the community together for an insightful update from our elected representation in Congress on national and global issues that have local impacts,” says Donna Duperron, President/CEO of the Torrance Chamber.

In addition to the inside scoop on politics from Capitol Hill, the event includes a special segment for the Chamber’s

past chairpersons of the Board of Directors to be recognized. “One of the special aspects of the State of the Region event is the recognition of the Chamber’s past chairpersons of the Board,” says Duperron. “State of the Region provides a great opportunity for current Chamber members to network and meet the great leaders that have helped grow the Torrance business community.”

Reservations for the event are $40 for Chamber Members and $50 for Non-Members. For more information or to reserve your seat, call (310) 540-5858 or visit torrancechamber.com.

Coming soon....

LEGISLATOR VOTE RECORDS

Straight Outta Session

Dine Local.Save Dough.

FALL 2015

State of the Region

The savings are real.

Members Speak

The above graph shows the number of positions the TACC took that the respective legislator had the opportunity to vote on. The TACC does not count votes on legislation that the legislator missed or did not have the opportunity to vote on. The difference of the columns shows the agreement rate between TACC positions and the legislator. For example: Assemblyman Hadley voted on 17 bills that TACC took position on. Of the votes he casted, 16 were in agreement with TACC positions and one was not.

BILL

SB 3SB 32SB 251SB 346SB 350*SB 406SB 546SB 654AB 12AB 67AB 305AB 306AB 359AB 366AB 465AB 797AB 857AB 1017AB 1506AJR 11AJR 14

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h

✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓—✓✓✓✓✓——✓✓✓—

✓✓✓—✓✓✓✓— —✓✓✓—✓——✓✓✓✓

—x✓—x—x—✓x✓✓x✓x✓✓x✓✓✓

*Prior to ammendments.

For full information on these bills, visit torrancechamber.com/gap-operations/ and click on Advocacy Summary.

Chamber positions toward policies are determined by the Governmental Affairs Policy (GAP) group, which meets on the second Wednesday each month.

featuring Congresswoman Maxine Waters and

Congressman Ted Lieu

December 14th, 201512:00pm

DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance — South Bay

$40 TACC Members$50 Non-Members

for event reservations, call (310) 540-5858 or visit torrancechamber.com

did you know? Local restaurants are offering special discounts to Torrance Chamber members.

Stop by the Chamber today to pick up your Restaurant Loyalty Card and find out who’s participating. Visit

torrancechamber.com/restaurantloyalty for more information.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters(43rd District)

Congressman Ted Lieu(33rd District)

LOCAL IMPACTS OF NATIONAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES

expand your knowledge. make friends.get inspired. seize the lunch hour.

Program your Success.The Torrance Chamber’s unprecedented lineup of seven member programs are the fastest, easiest, free-est way to

take full advantage of your membership. So jumpstart your success and connect with the community.

Did we mention they’re free?

Add these programs to your calendar!torrancechamber.com/events

Torrance Chamber members save big on printing + office supplies with the Office Depot Chamber Program. Learn more attorrancechamber.com/office-depot-chamber-program.

SHOW OFF YOUR CONNECTION WITH

Sponsor this publication with an ad!

for info, contactBrandon Smith

brandon@torrancechamber.com(310) 540-5860

CONNECTIONyour

YOUR CONNECTION TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ISSUES THAT MATTER IN THE SOUTH BAY.

December 4th, 201512:00pm

DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance — South Bay

$40 TACC Members$50 Non-Members

WOMEN— IN —

BUSINESSBringing together the collective energies and

abilities of local women.

Celebrating the memories and achievements of great

African Americans.

February 24th, 201512:00pm

Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach$50 per person

TACCHall

Allen

Hadley

3400 Torrance Blvd, Suite 100Torrance, CA 90503

Your connection to the people and the issues that matter in the South Bay.

Hiring employees with the proper skills to match job requirements has never been easy, and

in today’s business climate it is more challenging than ever. Many company HR executives report that intense competition for talent on a globally flat playing field, a lag in the US education system to prepare graduates to meet the rising demands for high-skilled jobs in the technical and service sectors, and a gap in training for students on basic workplace skills make qualified hiring extremely challenging.

In response to business member feedback, the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Torrance Unified School District to develop a program to bridge the gap between classroom learning and employment. The program, entitled “Educators in the Workplace,” focuses on collaboration between educators and community businesses. Thirty educators and 14 businesses will participate in

the 2015/2016 program. Educators in the Workplace is designed to help educators identify practical applications for classroom learning in an effort to keep students engaged in learning and, as a result, better prepared to enter the workforce. The added benefit to local businesses is that this program is an investment in the next generation of local workforce and business leaders.

Educators and school administrators will meet with business leaders at their place of business for a two hour session. During each session, members of various departments will provide information on the company’s business, corporate culture, and specific examples for curriculum application. Additionally, participating companies will offer a tour and arrange time for Q&A with the various business line leaders.

Educators in the Workplace successfully launched on October 6th with 30 educators visiting three businesses. One of the participating companies for that session was Pelican Products, Inc. “The small group tour and speaker panel were much appreciated. I left with many inspiring ideas for supporting students and preparing them for life beyond the classroom. I especially

valued discussion of common themes a successful company needs: collaboration, communication, passion for learning/growth, problem-solving, and grit. I also loved hearing about how the company grew from a Torrance diver’s great idea. This is a story I would like to share with students. A colleague and I were further inspired by the well-organized “Continuous Improvement Board.” This is something we would like to apply to our own educational projects and mission as lifelong learners” stated Heather Nakasuji, GATE coordinator, Torrance Unified School District.

The Chamber extends appreciation to the 2015/2016 business hosts: Alcoa Fastening Systems and Rings, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Pelican Products Inc., Torrance Marriott South Bay, Doubletree by Hilton Torrance – South Bay, American Honda, the Depot, Torrance Bakery, Red Car Brewery & Restaurant, Convaid Products, Sunrider International, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center.

CONNECTIONyour

TACC BOARD OF DIRECTORSJoe Ahn, Northrop Grumman | Linda Amato, DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance - South Bay | Kandee Anderson, Torrance Marriott

South Bay | Jonathan Beutler, Sunrider International | Laurie Latham Brandt, Red Car Brewery & Restaurant | Chris Braun, Convaid Products | Marianne Brooks, Gourmet Grindz | Elena Butorac, Del Amo Fashion Center | Chris Cagle, South Bay

Workforce Investment Board | Don Chance, Coca Cola Distribution Center | Claire Coignard, Torrance Memorial Medical Center | Heidi Cunningham, Express Employment Professionals | Jac Folkert, UCLA Health | Jennifer Frew, Green Hills Memorial Park | Barbara Graham, Exxon Mobil Corporation | Sherry Kramer, Continental Development Corporation | Anne Lemaire, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center, San Pedro | Latrice McGlothin, Kinecta Federal Credit Union | Melissa McWilliams, Daily Breeze | Ellenmary Michel, Pelican Products | Shirley Pe, All Yellow Taxi | Jeff Poltorak, California State University, Dominguez

Hills | Kirk Rossberg, Torrance Bakery/Sandwich Shop | Karl Schmidt, Parker, Milliken, Clark, O’Hara & Samuelian, APC | Natalia Soukhatchevskaia, Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings | Joshua Thomas, South Bay Equity Lending | Tim Thompson, Centaurus

Financial | Tracy Underwood, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. | Rob Van Lingen, Van Lingen Towing and Public Service Impound | Alexandra Warnier, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. | Lesley Wille, Kaiser Permanente

3400 Torrance Blvd, Suite 100 Torrance, CA 90503

phone (310) 540-5858

fax (310) 540-7662

torrancechamber.com

The Chamber is the winner of:

California Chamber of Commerce 2015 President’s Circle Award; Small Business Advocacte of the Year — Vice Chair Governmental Affairs Rob Van Lingen; Honorable Mention, 2015 E-Newsletter Awards.

Chamber Staff:

Donna Duperron . . . (310) 540-6688President / CEO

Maria Applegate . . . .(310) 543-3113 Programs

Kelly Hernandez . . . (310) 792-3808 Membership

Shatera Luna . . . . . . (310) 540-5858 Events Coordinator

Terri Mamiya . . . . . . . (310) 543-5390 Bookkeeper

Brandon Matson . . . (310) 792-2339 Governmental Affairs

Brandon Smith . . . . . (310) 540-5860 Communications & Design

printing . . . . . . . Letterhead Factory

mailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mail Masters

circulation: Your Connection is mailed directly to more than 900 members and businesses.

Our Core CompetenciesCreating a strong local economyRepresenting the interests of business with governmentPromoting the communityProviding networking and business development opportunities

Our Mission The Chamber is dedicated to promoting the development of business and the economic health of the community.

Our Vision As the leading business organization in the South Bay, the Chamber will be an aggressive independent advocate of business interests by exercising its influence with government, business, and the community to ensure economic growth and vitality.

business. community. advocacy.

Educatorsin the

Workplace

2 3

Torrance Educators pause for a photograph before boarding the bus to

begin their business visits for the first Educators in the Workplace event.

Torrance educators tour Pelican Products, Inc., a company dedicated to innovation in the workplace. Educators

gained valuable insight into the workforce needs of a well-established

21st century workplace model.

Left to right: Jac Folkert (TACC Chairwoman of the Board), Donna Duperron (TACC President & CEO),

Citizen of the Year De De Hicks (The Volunteer Center), and Mayor Patrick

Furey (City of Torrance).

State of theCity

Mayor Patrick Furey, CIty of Torrance (pictured above), gave a dynamic

update to a crowd of over 300 people on September 24th for the 2015

State of the City address. Among his announcements, Mayor Furey shared the return of the 4th of July Fireworks

Show in Torrance in 2016, as well as strides being taken to integrate a red car trolley service into the city’s

infrastructure.

CHAIRWOMAN’S MESSAGE

Chamber Refines Focus on Workforceby Jac Folkert

Area Director,Marketing &

Community Outreach, UCLA Health

Your Connection is a portal through which you may get acquainted with many of the individuals who keep the South Bay moving forward. Your Connection will focus on those who serve as board members of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC). Here is Your Connection’s exlusive interview with Board Member Chris Braun of Convaid Products.

What is your current position at Convaid Products? President.

How long have you been with Convaid? Since 2008.

Where were you born and raised? I was born in Los Angeles, and raised in Newport Beach.

Describe something fun about you. I enjoy cooking and I’m always in search of new recipes. I enjoy culinary experiences, and traveling the world to gain culinary and cultural experiences. I also enjoy music of all genres, and play bass guitar. I’m also an avid skier.

What do you enjoy most about being a TACC Board Member? I enjoy working to serve the community, and feel privileged to be part of such a great team at the Torrance Chamber, and I am pleased to see the progress of our organization.

Other than the TACC Board, what other community boards do you serve on? Other than the TACC Board, I also serve as the Chairman of the Board of the South Bay Entrepreneurial Center (SBEC), with Dotta Foods International as a member of the Board of Advisors, with California United Bank as a member of the Board of Advisors, and with the South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) as a member of the Board of Directors.

What is the biggest challenge facing leaders today? The biggest challenge facing leaders today is shifting demographics in the workforce, and optimizing businesses during price sensitive economic conditions.

Who is the person that you consider your greatest role model early in your career? How and why does this person impact your life? The person who was a role model early in my career was a Division V.P. who took the time to teach and mentor me, and his mentoring and coaching helped me succed in management at an early age. This allowed me to become President of the first company I ran at the age of 30. He helped me to understand the importance of finding business solutions that have positive outcomes for all parties, and to pay particular attention to the details.

How do you motivate an unmotivated person? The individual needs to be internally motivated and then they can be coached, and through coaching they can make forward progression.

BOARD MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

An Interview with Chris Braun

CONNECTIONyour brought to you by

In an effort to address underlying problems and behaviors that give rise to larger business crime issues,

the Chamber is collaborating with the Torrance Police Department to form a police-business partnership.

The goal of this partnership is to capitalize on the Chamber’s established membership platform as a means to connect police personnel who are involved in the problem-solving effort with the relevant businesses. By doing

so, the Chamber and Police Department have developed a forum to discuss the problem of crime in the area within particular business sectors, and to develop ideas and solutions.

Last month, fourteen leaders from the banking industry met with several representatives from the Torrance Police Department. Discussion items included check fraud, skimming, scams, identity theft, commercial burglaries, security guards and ATM fraud.

This month, representatives from the Torrance Police Department met with leaders in the restaurant industry. And, in the month of November, the Police Department will provide information on the latest crime trends impacting

businesses in the hotel industry.The Business Watch program is

introduced at each monthly meeting. Business Watch is a variation of the Neighborhood Watch program, except that the participants are business owners and employees rather than residents and homeowners. Brochures and registration information is provided to each attendee.

The partnership between the Chamber and the Torrance Police Department develops a positive relationship with the business community, opens a line of communication, and creates an opportunity to address underlying problems and behaviors before they give rise to larger business crime issues.

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT/CEO DONNA DUPERRON

A Vital Partnership with Torrance PDby Donna Duperron

President/CEO,Torrance Area

Chamber of Commerce

TACC Premier Investors

Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc.

UCLA Health

American Honda Motor Co, Inc.

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Kaiser Permanente

Pelican Products

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Torrance

BQE Software

LiUNA

Torrance Memorial Medical Center

Sunrider International

Kinecta Federal Credit Union

Continental Development Corporation

Alcoa Fastening Systems and Rings

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Green Hills Memorial Park

Total Call Mobile

Malaga Bank

South Bay Yellow Cab

Roadium Open Air Market

Daily Breeze

DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance - South Bay

Red Car Brewery & Restaurant

Torrance Bakery / Sandwich Shop

Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach

Coca Cola

Office Depot

TACC is a champion of the interests of its large and small members. On the small business front, TACC representatives (Donna Duperron, Chef Michael Shafer, Bob Brandt, and John Schoen) recently testified at two Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meetings to voice the Chamber’s opposition to the County’s minimum wage increase to $15/hr by 2020 in unincorporated areas. TACC believes the ordinance will have unintended consequences on incorporated cities like Torrance that are not directly subject to the ordinance. Although the ordinance passed with a 3-2 vote, TACC’s message received widespread media attention in outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, the Daily Breeze, and the Los Angeles Business Journal.

One of the issues impacting big business in 2015 was Senate Bill (SB) 350, which sought to mandate an arbitrary 50 percent reduction in fuel usage by vehicles over the next 15 years. The measure also gave the unelected Air Resources Board exclusive oversight of the reduction plan. TACC’s Government Affairs Coordinator Brandon Matson (pictured left) traveled to Sacramento to voice member concerns about the unintended economic consequences of the bill. Although SB 350 passed out of the legislature, the bill was amended and the arbitrary petroleum reduction mandate was removed from the legislation.

For more information on these issues and others, contact Brandon Matson at310-792-2339 or brandonmatson@torrancechamber.com.

Delivering the Voice of Business

••

••

Becoming a Premier Investor has many benefits.

It shows that your company cares deeply about the community, building

trust in your brand.

It provides prominent visibility for your company year-round, both online and

in print.

It gives you priority seating at events.

It opens opportunites to chair committees for major events,

further reinforcing your company’s commitment and influence in the

community.

If interested, PLEASE CALL DONNA (310) 540-6688