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
Forward Thinking: Chamber Leadership Focuses on Community Impact at Annual Board Retreat
Over the next 2-4 years, where should the Santa Maria Valley Chamber focus their efforts in order to have the most positive impact on our local community? That was the question posed to Chamber staff and leadership at their annual board retreat, where the focus was centered around thinking big and tackling major community issues. “Coming out of the pandemic and finally seeing our community reopen again, the timing was right to work with our staff and board on long term planning for our
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Keep Green Clean!
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 hosted its Sustainability and Natural Resources topic discussion on May 7th, gathering some of the Valley’s most prominent leaders to discuss the new and innovative ways their organizations are taking the lead on building a cleaner and more sustainable future. The day began with co-founder and current vice-president of Santa Maria Energy, Ramon Elias. Mr. Elias educated the class on the rich history and importance of oil production in the Santa Maria Valley,
Young Professional of the Month: Jason Buchanan
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 Jason Buchanan, commercial insurance and employee benefit advisor for HUB International.Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? As a commercial insurance and employee benefit advisor at HUB International Insurance Services here in Santa Maria, I work with local
Gathering Again: Updated State Guidelines Allow For In-Person Meetings & Events
With vaccinations on the rise and COVID cases in Santa Barbara County continuing to decline, the light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shine brighter, and with it people are looking to gather again in person. “As vaccinations become more widely available, we hear more businesses and local residents asking about in person meetings and events,” explained Glenn Morris, President/CEO for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “Whether it be a ribbon cutting for a small business or one of our
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Class of 2021 has begun!!
One of the challenges of the pandemic has been how do we continue to offer our Leadership program given the current restrictions? Our Leadership board of directors had many discussions and suggestions and we came up with a way to offer a quality program that will flex with whatever the recommendations and restrictions are for Santa Barbara County. There are sixteen members of the 2021 class. We held our three-day retreat virtually in mid-March. Activities that could not be done in a virtual environment
Young Professional of the Month: Carlos Escobedo
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 Carlos Escobedo, Santa Maria City Council Disctrict 1 Representative.Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? I am a 27years old young professional and first generation American who moved with my family from San Martin de Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, pursing the
SEO brings your Business More Traffic & More Customers
Josh ErdmanCEO, Systems & Marketing Solutions SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is all about relevance to the Search Engine. Google is basically a super computer, and when Google reads your site it is looking for data that it can quantify. That data is the words you use on your site.3 Types of SEO: Search engines judge your website's relevance in three ways: what you say about yourself (Onsite SEO), what others say about you (Offsite SEO), and modern your website is to support the evolving technology
Young Professional of the Month: Robert Cooks
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 Robert Cooks, Sales Director for the Best Western Plus Big America Hotel.Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? My name is Robert Cooks and I am the Sales Director for the Best Western Plus Big America Hotel. I enjoy doing anything outdoors but if you're
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Unveils Mobile Observatory
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2020 recently celebrated the completion of their Legacy Project, a Mobile Observatory, with an unveiling ceremony at Allan Hancock College. "We chose the Mobile Observatory because space and stargazing can open so many doors," explained Leadership class member Emily Kitts. "It's such a fascinating subject to study, and the Observatory can be a way to make that real-life connection for kids who may be interested in STEM, or astronomy. Even if it's not a subject
Kelsi Fitzgerald Recognized as Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Club is pleased to recognize Kelsi Fitzgerald of Phoenix Property Inspections and Veritas Innovative Pest & Termite Solutions, as Ambassador of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2020! Here's some information about Kelsi: Hello, my name is Kelsi Fitzgerald. I grew up in Fresno, CA until the age of 17 years old when my dad’s job brought us to the Central Coast. I met my son’s father when we were 19 years old. We got married and had our son. Our son,
How To Turn Social Media Into Business Media
Wondering how transform social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter into powerful marketing tools for your business? If you're like most small-to-medium business owners, you know that your clients, customers, and prospects are already spending a significant amount of their day browsing through their social media feeds, but did you know exactly how much time? Recent studies reveal that the average American consumer spends about 5 hours per day on their mobile device, and half that screen
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Santa Maria Valley Chamber Expands Support for Education and Workforce Preparation
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber has long prioritized support for education, particularly as it ensures a strong local talent pipeline for the workforce. Recognizing that this work is among the most important ways to support our local economy, the Chamber is excited to announce a formal partnership with Partners in Education, a non-profit operating under the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO). The Chamber has a strong history of collaboration with SBCEO and individual local school districts,
Paving a Roadmap to Recovery: Santa Maria Valley Chamber Partners with Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber to Get Local Communities Back to Business
It has been a year now since the pandemic began, and the impact on local businesses cannot be overstated. As an advocate for our business community, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber continues to look for ways to support our local businesses through reopening and recovery. As part of that effort, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber has partnered with the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber on their Roadmap to Recovery. The plan maps a course for local economic recovery based on efforts over the next 6 months and
Moving Forward While Staying Home: Chamber Continues Partnerships, Advocacy and Outreach During Pandemic
While we may have (until recently) been under a Stay at Home Order, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber has continued their forward momentum in supporting local businesses and planning for the coming year. Our partnerships locally and throughout the Central Coast region continue to play a critical role in advocating for our business community. Recently, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber partnered with the other Chambers in Santa Barbara County to launch the “Safe Return to Work Campaign”, advocating that
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Adapts for Class of 2021
Leadership Santa Maria Valley is looking for candidates for their 2021 class. The 10 month program is designed to build leaders in the Santa Maria Valley community, give class members opportunities to network and to learn more about local business industries. With COVID-19, this year’s program has made some adjustment to still provide a valuable experience for the class. The program will kick off in March with a retreat, where class members get a chance to get to know one another better and learn more
Volatility Can Give You A Business Advantage
It's no secret that our local businesses are struggling, but that doesn't mean your business has to suffer, too. Throughout history, many great business stories have begun in an economic downturn. You're probably as tired of "the pivot" as we are, but these adjustments can make your business more resilient.Explore Emerging Opportunities The pandemic has ushered in massive changes and lost revenue for most small businesses in our community. However, within the disruptions and changing market lies
Weekly Opportunity to Connect & Promote Your Business at Build Your Business Networking Meetings!
Every Friday at 8:30am, the Chamber hosts Build Your Business (BYB) virtual networking meetings. The hour long program is a great opportunity to connect with other local professionals and promote your business. "What I like most about BYB is being able to stay connected with my professional colleagues during the most interesting time in our history," says Allison Borja of Morris & Garritano Insurance and a frequent attendee of BYB. "BYB has benefited my business by allowing me to continue to form new
Bright Spots in Unprecedented Times: Local Businesses Pivot & Adapt During COVID-19
2020 has taken its toll on everyone, and our local businesses were far from exempt. From the stay at home orders to ever-changing regulations, businesses continue to face an incredibly challenging and unprecedented time. While things have been hard, an impressive number of businesses have found ways to use the current volatile landscape to their advantage, and the advantage of our local community. Here are some of the bright spots our local businesses have seen through creative problem solving and
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Publishes Bilingual Children's Book, ''Strawberry Moon Says, Goodnight''
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2020 (a program of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce) recently completed 1 of 2 Legacy Projects. Amidst a global pandemic, their class not only built a mobile observatory, which will be ready to unveil in January, but they also wrote a bilingual children's book, Strawberry Moon Says, Goodnight, as their second Legacy Project. With our incredible community's help, they successfully held an art contest to find talented students to illustrate the book. Twenty
Marketing: You'll lose customers the same way you gain them
Marketing and advertising are only part of the equation when attracting new clients. Service is perhaps the single most important aspect of any business. If your business provides good service, but you are still losing clients, it is important to identify the reasons. We have identified some of the problems local businesses encounter when marketing to potential and existing clients. Many entrepreneurs and small businesses in the service industry have difficulty determining value. Whether you want to be
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Holiday Cheer, #SantaMariaStyle: Chamber Encourages Shopping Local This Holiday Season
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is looking to make the holiday season a little brighter for both community members and local businesses through their shop local holiday campaigns. The Chamber is launching two contests for Santa Maria Valley residents to participate in. The first is a “Shop Local Selfie Contest”, where people can submit their selfies while out supporting local businesses for their chance to win weekly prize packages. People can enter the “Shop Local Selfie Contest” here.Second,
Leadership Santa Maria Valley Accepting Applications for 2021 Class
Leadership Santa Maria Valley is currently accepting applications for the Class of 2021. This will be our 26th year serving our Community and preparing future Community Leaders! To date, we have over 400 graduates from our program which began in 1995. Interviews will be held in February and March with our Candidate Orientation and Kick-Off Retreat scheduled for March 2021. Why should you consider Leadership Santa Maria Valley? Are you looking for a way to get more involved in the community? Do you want to
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Grow Your Network: Chamber Now Accepting Applications for Various Committees
Interested in building your professional network, buidling your leadership skills and getting involved in the community? The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce has openings available for 2021 on a number of their committees including: Chamber Ambassador CommitteeBusiness & Government RoundtableSanta Maria Connect! Young professionalsLearn more and apply here. Questions? Contact Glenn Morris, President/CEO at glenn@santamaria.com.
2020 Freedom Monument Veterans Memorial Ceremony Cancelled Due to COVID-19
In a typical year, today would have been spent honoring the brave men and women who have served our country during the Freedom Monument Veterans Memorial ceremony. Unfortunately, this year’s event has been cancelled due to COVID-19. The annual ceremony, put on by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, traditionally takes place around the December 7th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day at the Freedom Monument Veterans Memorial, located at 600 S. McClelland, in front of the Abel Maldonado Community Youth
Guest Column: CAL/OSHA Emergency Standard
Commentary provided by Sandra Dickerson, CEO, Your People Professionals Yesterday afternoon the Department of Industrial Relations issued an announcement of the adoption of cal/OSHA’s emergency COVID regulations. The temporary standards apply to most workers in California not covered by Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard. Under the new regulations, employers must have a written COVID-19 Prevention Plan that addresses the following: System for communicating information to employees
Governor Newsom Announces Immediate Assistance for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Including Temporary Tax Relief and $500 Million in Grants
Billions in immediate, temporary tax relief will support businesses impacted by COVID-19, including an automatic three-month extension for taxpayers filing less than $1 million in sales tax and interest-free payment agreements to larger companies with up to $5 million in sales tax and expanded interest-free payment options for larger businesses particularly affected by significant restrictions on operations based on COVID-19 transmissions. In partnership with the Legislature, California will provide
