Chamber Welcomes New Leadership to Military Affairs Committee
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee helps the organization maintain an active relationship with the command structure at Vandenberg Space Force Base, providing sponsorship for airmen and employee recognition programs, facilitating interaction with local community and base leadership, and in general acting as a connector between the base and town. Additionally, the Chamber supports many veterans-related programs and organizations and annually hosts a program at the local Freedom
Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter: Priscilla Smith, Realtor, eXp Realty
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber Ambassador Committee serves as the public relations arm of the Chamber. Chamber Ambassadors assist at Chamber functions and help promote the Chamber to prospective members and the community as a whole. We are excited to recognize Priscilla Smith as the Ambassador of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2022 (January - March). Here's a little more information about Priscilla: My name is Priscilla Smith, your local Realtor and Resource go-to. I was born and raised here in
Santa Maria Valley Chamber Remains Active in Busy Legislative Season
Among the services provided by the Chamber for our members, one of the most important is our participation in the legislative process. On behalf of local employers, the Chamber is part of several regional and statewide coalitions that attempt to educate lawmakers and regulators about the likely impacts of proposed new rules on the ability of employers to operate and provide jobs in our community. While the Chamber doesn’t take a support or oppose position on all proposed legislation, we continue working
Chamber Expands Efforts to Connect with Hispanic Businesses
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber strives to be a catalyst, convener and champion for all local businesses in the Santa Maria Valley. Recently, the organization has begun a targeted effort to better assist Hispanic businesses in the local community. “We recognize that a large portion of the business community is Hispanic, and we want to make sure our organization is providing the tools and resources they need to remain successful in Santa Maria,” explained Glenn Morris, President/CEO for the Santa Maria
Get to Know the Chamber's Newest Employee: David Hernandez, Hispanic Business Outreach and Service Representative
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber is excited to welcome David Hernandez, the new Hispanic Business Outreach and Service Representative for the Chamber. In this newly created position, done in partnership with the Economic Business Collaborative's Small Business Development Center, Hernandez will assist the Chamber with improving engagement with, and services to, the Hispanic business community. Hernandez will also assist the Economic Development Collaborative as their Small Business Development Center Client
Chamber Supports CalChamber Positions on 2022 ''Job Killer'' Bill List
Over the course of the last two weeks, the California Chamber of Commerce released and has been building its 2022 job killer list. After its latest additions, the CalChamber job killer list includes a total of 15 bills, including two carry-over proposals from 2021, and CalChamber expects to add several more bills to the list in the coming weeks. “California companies are the economic engine that drives innovation and job creation in our state and are responsible for the record revenues the state is
Santa Maria Valley Springs into Event Season
Spring in the Santa Maria Valley means the start to an exciting events season! After a few years of lockdowns and COVID restrictions, the community is gearing up for a full season of local events fun for tourists and visitors alike. “The major events held in the Santa Maria Valley really offer something for everyone,” explained Jennifer Harrison, Tourism Director for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. “From the car show to the strawberry festival, these events are a huge economic driver for our
Congratulations Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter: Leona Doidge
The Chamber Ambassador Committee is excited to recognize Leona Doidge as Ambassador of the Quarter for the 4th quarter of 2021! Here's a little about Leona: "Hi my name is Leona Doidge and I enjoy meeting and working with all of the people that make this community great. My involvement with the Ambassador Committee has allowed me to meet and learn about new businesses in our area, support their efforts to thrive and give back to our community. We have close to 20 Ambassadors with the SMVCC. The
Remote Work Reminder: Keep Your Remote Work Policy Up To Date
Prior to 2020, the number of employees working remotely or in a “hybrid” manner — a combination of in-office and remote work — was steadily on the rise. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit full-force in spring 2020, the number of remote workers exploded. It’s been a long road since then, and with face covering and workplace safety rules relaxing, many companies may finally be bringing their employees back to the workplace — whether full time or hybrid — while some may keep remote work in place. Either way,
Legislative Session Off to a Fast Start
Ben Golombek, Executive Vice President, CalChamber Both houses of the State Legislature recently wrapped up their work on 2-year bills that had a January 31st deadline to pass their house of origin. The Chamber Advocacy team was focused on a number of significant bills that would impact both our members as well as the larger California economy. Through a lot of hard work and collaboration we were incredibly successful ahead of this legislative deadline, and I wanted to outline some of our recent
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Leadership Santa Maria Valley - Class of 2021 Completes Their Legacy Project!
Leadership Santa Maria Valley (LSMV) is a community leadership development program designed to expand the community’s civic leadership. Through a ten-month program of monthly, daylong workshops and seminars, participants engage in discussions with experts and key decision-makers in areas of vital concern to the Santa Maria Valley. Spending time together in a small class atmosphere, individuals have an unprecedented opportunity to examine social and economic changes, and their impact on the Santa Maria
Local Non-Profits Play Critical Role as Economic Driver in the Santa Maria Valley
Santa Maria is fortunate to be home to numerous non-profits. From serving the disadvantaged to providing resources forsmall businesses, there are countless ways these organizations give back to those in need. While many see the value non-profits give to the populations they serve directly, our non-profits also have a direct impact on the local business community and, by extension, the economic health of the Santa Maria Valley community. We spoke with a few local organizations about how the important work
Local Leaders Predict Competitive Labor Market, Flexible Work Environments on the Horizon for 2022
2021 was another challenging year, but we once again saw our community rise to the occasion. We applaud our local businesses and organizations for their continued resiliency and support for one another as we navigate the "new normal" brought on by the pandemic. As we wrap up the year, we asked some local leaders to weigh in on what they feel is in store for 2022. We asked, " What do you see as the greatest opportunity, challenge or trend that will impact businesses in Northern Santa Barbara County over
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: A day at Vandenberg Space Force Base
On Friday, December 3rd, the Leadership class got to tour Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Our guide was Lieutenant Darras and he put together a wonderful day. We started with a briefing given to us by Colonel Kris Barcomb, a Vice Commander on the Base. We learned that VSFB hosts both military and civilian operations. Col. Barcomb shared with us about the operations and launches that have happened during 2021 and a glimpse into what is to come in 2022. He also joined us at lunch to share more about the
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Exploring Youth and Education in Our Community
On Friday October 1st, Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 had the unique opportunity to explore Youth and Education in our community. The class received a warm greeting from Principal Michelle Cox and students of St. Mary’s Catholic School. After enjoying a wonderfully prepared breakfast, the LSMV class took part in morning prayer before sitting through a very informative presentation about educational choices available to parents, and what schools are doing different during the COVID pandemic.
Going Remote: Considerations Employers Should Make When Transitioning to a New Work Model
In our new world created by the COVID pandemic, many small businesses are considering whether to continue to allow at least some employees to work full-time remote, or adopt a hybrid version. Under the hybrid version, employees may be allowed to work from home either a fixed number of days per week, or certain days designated by the company. Most companies are identifying days that all employees need to be in the office, for company meetings and other in person discussions. If you are evaluating
Assistant City Manager Andrew Hackleman Receives Appointment to Governor’s Military Council
City of Santa Maria Assistant City Manager Andrew Hackleman was recently appointed to the Governor’s Military Council. “It’s an honor to be appointed and to be able to serve in this statewide role that supports important community and military installation needs, right here in Santa Maria,” Hackleman said. “The Governor’s Military Council exists to protect California’s more than 30 military installations and their associated operations,” Hackleman explained. “When it comes to local impact, we on the
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Mental Health, Ethics Discussed During Health & Human Services Topic Day
The Leadership of Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 hosted its Health and Human Services topic day on September 10, 2021, by gathering many leaders and specialists of the area to discuss mental health, treatments, and housing for those in need in our community. They first met with Dr. Ketelaar, a current physician champion and advocate for acute behavioral health wellness services at Marian Regional Hospital. Dr. Ketelaar shared that 1 in 8 Emergency Department visits are related to behavioral health or
Santa Maria Police Department Provides Tips for Businesses to Help Prevent Burglaries
Is your businesses well protected from a possible break-in? Do you know what steps to take if your business is broken in to? Many businesses think their business is secure, but in reality there are some easy steps to help keep your business safe that often get overlooked. We recently talked with Santa Maria Police Department Lt. Terry A. Flaa, who gave use some tips on how businesses can make sure they are being proactive in preventing burglaries.What is the most common way people break into local
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Chamber Launches ''Santa Maria Next'' Program to Highlight Local Students Excelling in Career Pathways
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber has partnered with the Santa Barbara County Education Office on "Santa Maria Next", a program that highlights the career readiness training offered in high school career pathways and recognizes students who are excelling in these various pathways. "As a champion for a strong local community, we know that local workforce development is a critical part of a vibrant community," explained Glenn Morris, President/CEO of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. "Santa Maria Next gives us
Allan Hancock College “Promise Plus” Program Pays for Upskilling, Retraining Workforce
In 2018, Allan Hancock College launched the popular Hancock Promise, which offers the “First Year Free at AHC” for all local high school seniors transitioning to college. This fall, Hancock extended the program to cover tuition and fees to any student taking a full load (12 units or more) over the next two years. The program is called Promise Plus and pays for all tuition and fees for full-time students. The program began this fall and continues through the 2022-23 academic year. Students can pursue
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Learning About Arts and Recreation in Santa Maria
On Friday, August 6th Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 gathered to learn about Arts and Recreation in our community. Kyle Hawkins, Vice President, and Jaime Espinoza, Secretary for the Board of Santa Maria Civic Theater (SMCT) located at 1660 N. McClelland helped the class learn to break the forth wall and get themselves out of their comfort zones using entertaining improv techniques. SMCT found creative ways to survive the COVID shut down by performing drive up theater around Santa Maria. Now
Champions for a Stronger Santa Maria Valley: Chamber Welcomes New Board Members for 2021-2022 Fiscal Year
Part of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber’s mission is to be a champion for our local business community, and the organization is able to do so largely because of the strong leadership team it has built with its staff and board. ”We rely on our Board to help provide strategic and policy guidance to ensure the Chamber’s program of work serves the best interest of our members and the Santa Maria Valley community,” explained Glenn Morris, President/CEO for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “We’re excited to
Congratulations Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter: Tim Bomben
Congratulations to Tim Bomben, who was recently recognized as Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2021! Here's a little information about Tim: I have lived and worked in the central coast since 2004. As an ambassador of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, I take pride in representing the chamber and its many members in the beautiful Santa Maria community. In 2020 I joined Wave Business, a premier connectivity solutions provider in Santa Maria. Wave built
Young Professional of the Month: Malinda Kothe
Santa Maria Connect Young Professionals is a Young Professionals program run by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. Each month, the program will showcase a local young professional. This month's showcase is Malinda Kothe, Catering and Events Manager at the Historic Santa Maria Inn.Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? I am the Catering and Events Manager at the Historic Santa Maria Inn. The biggest part of my life is spending time with my family, raising my three
Improve Your Online Presence with the Chamber's ''Get Your Business Online'' Program!
Getting started with building your online presence can seem intimidating and overwhelming, which is why we're here to help! With our "Get Your Business Online" program, we'll do an intake assessment of your current online presence and walk you through small, manageable steps that work best for your business to grow your online presence. Through the program, businesses can receive support in areas including: Creating & managing your Google listingBuilding a websiteBuilding & managing your social media
