The Brentwood Voice of Business May 2011
Vol. 47, No. 5
Now Accepting Applications for
Vendors, Sponsors, Info Alley, Car Show Volunteers! Don’t Delay, Call the Chamber today! 925-634-3344 or visit www.brentwoodchamber.com
Check out the official CornFest website at BrentwoodCornFest.com
Page 1: CornFest Page 2: May Director’s Message, Board of Directors and Staff Page 3: Chamber Events, and Ambassadors Corner Page 4: Taste of Brentwood
Page 5: April Mixer Page 6: New Members Page 7: Renewing Members Page 8: Member Notes
Page 9: Page 10: Page 11: Page 12:
April Ribbon Cuttings Harry’s Farewell Event Harry’s Farewell Event General Information
The Brentwood Clarion
Page 2 BRENTWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Joe Trebino, President Delta Pure Water
SPRING CLEANING
Shayn Cutino, Past President Anja Wellness Paul Kelly, President-Elect Home One Mortgage Dirk Zeigler, Chief Financial Officer Zeigler Insurance Group Olga Vidriales, V.P. Community Programs, Travis Credit Union Brent Aasen Equus Group Amy Alvis Alvis Frantz and Associates Greg Benner Les Schwab Tires Kathy Blanton Sutter Delta Medical Center Jacqueline Hanel John Muir Health Lori Knudsen California Payroll Madelyn Krebs Speedee Oil Change & Tuneup Shelly McMahon Shelly’s Garden
Happy Spring! This is the season of renewal and what better time to review the business goals we set in January. As business owners, we have many obligations. Primarily our employees depend on us for their livelihoods. Our customers depend on the reliability of our services and the community depends on us to generate tax revenue. Our success depends on us managing our budgets, cost and marketing plans. Take the time to review your budget. Are you on target? Do you need to make changes? Are you controlling your costs? Look at all your costs including overtime to see where you can save. Is your marketing plan working? Are you hitting your target market? We all know the value of advertising. Without it our customers would not know who or where we are. At the same time, if you do not see a return on your advertising dollars it can be very costly. Pay attention to where your customer base is. Are you reaching it? These are challenging times. Knowing every aspect of your business will contribute to the success of your business now and in the future. Madelynn Krebs Chamber Director
Robin Schiavone Raley’s Ken Seamann Discovery Professional Services ********************************
Chamber Staff Lisa Hurt, Support Services Director Jilda Fairhurst, Event Coordinator Pat Trombino, Event Coordinator Bill Putman, Volunteer
Mission Statement:
The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization dedicated to the promotion of the civic and commercial progress of the community. We will continuously strive to maintain and foster a healthy business climate for Chamber members and the entire community.
The Brentwood Clarion
Chamber Ambassadors Vicki Sexton, Chair, First Bank Amy Alvis, Alvis-Frantz and Associates Kathy Blanton, Sutter Delta Medical Center Maurice Daroy, Farmers Insurance Fred Ehler, Terracare Associates Kerri Fritsch, Monogramming by Fritchy Sarah Jamar, Paychex Lori Knudsen, California Payroll Michele Lane, ReMax/Accord Kathi Regan, Maxx Worms/Maxx Imprints Paul Roman, Window Innovations, Inc. Patti Schneider, The Right Choice Kurt Tomicich, KRT Services Joe Trebino, Delta Pure Water, Etc. Pat Trombino, First Bank Olga Vidriales, Travis Credit Union
UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS Chamber Mixers Thursday, May 19th Brentwood Veterinary Hospital Thursday, June 16th East County Insurance
Taste of Brentwood Saturday, May 14th, 1 to 5 p.m.
Golf Tournament Friday, September 16th Deer Ridge Golf Club
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Ambassador's Corner Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Winston Churchill once said, “There is nothing wrong with change, if it’s in the right direction.” Change is a common topic business owners and business managers face, but as stressful and challenging as change can be, it is how people perceive and then manage change that most influences the effects of that change. With the chamber’s loss of our CEO and friend, Harry York, the hardworking staff, the directors, and the ambassadors are going to feel the effect the greatest. I am confident however, that we will not only muddle through, but will manage this change and use it as an opportunity to strengthen the Chamber and all of our commitment to the Chamber. In my business, I too have been experiencing a great deal of change, and as per Winston Churchill, the change is definitely in the right direction. We have brought a new partner to our team at Alvis Frantz and Associates. We are so excited to have Rhonda Shelton Kraeber join our firm. Rhonda, a Brentwood resident who has been commuting “over the hill” as we say for around 20 years, now brings her years of experience in employment law and litigation right here to Brentwood. Although the change was challenging, we know that it is positive and good. In my opinion, anything on this side of “the hill” is always “in the right direction”! As board members, we have developed small “task groups” to evaluate and improve existing programs in a way to increase the value of your membership. I personally have been working with my colleague and fellow board member Brent Aasen to redeveloping the monthly “Brown Bag” lunch series into a strong networking and learning opportunity. We will be incorporating an organized networking portion to the meetings so be sure to bring your business cards. Additionally, we want to use the resources of our members and allow them speaking engagements at these meetings to share and promote their skills and knowledge. We are working hard to provide topics not only relevant to business development, marketing and technology, but also on self improvement, personal growth, local community inside information, and quality of life. Our goal is to give our members as well as any interested members of the community, to come to these events, have an opportunity to share their business with other business owners and community members, and of course, have something to take away that they learned at these lunch meetings. Your time is valuable and we want these meetings to be of value to you. The new lunch meetings will be launched in June so be sure to stay tuned to find out which local business owner/Chamber member will be presenting. There will also be a door prize from our presenter and an opportunity to walk away with as many as 20 new business contacts in your rolodex (okay, your outlook contacts) . So if you are looking for a great networking opportunity, we hope you will check out our new lunch series. If you have a skill, knowledge or talent you feel would be of value to our members and community, please let us know. Amy Alvis Chamber Ambassador & Director
The Brentwood Clarion
Page 4
& The Brentwood Kiwanis Club
Present:
“A Spring Taste of Brentwood Restaurant Tour ” Date: Saturday, May 14, 2011 Time: 1:00– 5:00 p.m. Cost: $20.00 per person or two for $30.00
1
Diggers Diner
2261 Balfour Rd., Brentwood
2
Vic Stewart's Steakhouse
2270 Balfour Rd., Brentwood
3
Extreme Pizza
3120 Balfour Rd., Brentwood
4
Bagel Street Café
3181 Balfour Rd., Brentwood
5
Brentwood Spice & Olive Oil
70 Eagle Rock Way Suite A. Brentwood
6
McCauley Brothers Olive Groves
9225 Deer Valley Rd., Brentwood
7
Sticky Chicken & Ribs- Winco Shopping Ctr.
6640 Lone Tree Way, Brentwood
8 9
Oodles of Noodles -Winco Shopping Ctr Orale Orale Mexican Restaurant
6670 Lone Tree Way, Brentwood 5601 Lone Tree Way, Brentwood
10
Strings Italian Café
2500 Sand Creek Rd,, Brentwood
You must visit all the Participating Restaurants to be eligible for the $200.00 Cash Drawing
Deposit your ticket at the last location! Name:_____________________________________________________________________ Address;_____________________________________ City: ____________ Zip:_________ Phone:___________________How many Tickets:_____ Total amount due $________ Payment: Check#___________ Cash:____________ Name as it appears on card:___________________________________Exp.date:_______ Credit Card#_______________________________________ Billing Zip Code __________
SAME DAY TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT BAGEL STREET CAFÉ!
The Brentwood Clarion
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April Mixer at Brentwood Surgery Center A terrific time was had by all at last month’s mixer held at Brentwood Surgery Center in the John Muir Health building on Balfour Road. Food was catered by Sweeney’s, wine was poured by our Mr. Bill, great music was played by the Heritage High Jazz Band, and smiling volunteers handed out goodie bags with information about John Muir Health services. Many new members were in attendance and were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group. One of these members was Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca. We want to again remind everyone that she is an orthodontist not a veterinarian as first announced! Thank you to all those who donated raffle prizes including John Muir Health, Welcome Home Cleaning, Wineshop at Home, Dr. Gorczyca, and Raley’s. A big thank you to the Brentwood Surgery Center for hosting the mixer and donating a gift basket for the business card drawing. We look forward to our next great mixer on May 19th at Brentwood Veterinary Hospital on O’Hara Avenue.
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NEW MEMBERS WELCOME TO THE BRENTWOOD CHAMBER! All Rents Russ Morgan, Owner 2339 First Street Livermore, CA 94550 (925) 455-4955 Party Rentals/Services Email: allrents@hotmail.com www.allrents.com
The Brentwood Clarion Join Us on Facebook! Click the Facebook picture to the left to be directed to our page. Also Look for our CornFest Page.
Also Join us on our Linked in page by clicking the link above.
Spectrum Homes Solar Rich Patterson, Owner 5209 Fern Ridge Circle Discovery Bay, CA 94505 (925) 516-6367 Solar Installation Email: rich@spectrum-solar.com www.spectrum-solar.com Welcome Home Cleaning Maria Cronk, Owner Brentwood, CA 94513 (925) 584-0578 Maid Service Email: maria@welcomehomecleaning.net www.welcomehomecleaning.net Willowstone Catering & Events Carly Boggs, Owner 1130 Burnett Avenue, Suite K Brentwood, CA 94531 (925) 969-9826 Caterers Email: carly@willowstonecatering.com www.willowstonecatering.com
Place your Ad right here! Call the Chamber office today to advertise your business in the monthly Clarion!
The Brentwood Clarion
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to the following members who renewed their membership in April. The Chamber appreciates your continued support. Bank of America Mortgage Bank of the West
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Notes for Members... Brentwood’s New Business Website The City of Brentwood has launched a new website specifically for business owners Log into www.businessinbrentwood.com for information about the Brentwood community, business assistance, new business incentives, city information and permits and a calendar of business-focused events.
Carol Carey Couture Salon & Spa Delta Networking Partners Dow Credit Union
Chamber Mixers
Dukellis Real Estate
Interested in hosting a Chamber mixer? We are now booking into 2012. Please call the Chamber today at 925-634-3344 to get on the list.
Kids Helping Kids KRT Services Liberty Union High School Dist. Ed Foundation
Mixers are a great opportunity to showcase your business to our membership.
Re/Max Vintage Estates
Membership Drive
Special Kids Foundation
Recruit a business to join the Chamber and you can win theatre tickets! Bring a potential member to a mixer and if they join that night, the $25 new member admin fee is waived!
Sugar Barge Resort The Shrine Event Center Veterans of Foreign Wars Wineshop at Home
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The Brentwood Clarion
Anti-Business Proposals Rise Again in New Session (April 25, 2011) Legislation that will increase costs for California employers, thereby hurting their ability to compete in the global marketplace and provide jobs has been introduced again this year. Following is a partial list of anti-business bills introduced so far this year. The CalChamber opposes these proposals.
AB 10 (Alejo; D-Watsonville) – Automatic Minimum Wage Increase. Increases the cost of doing business for employers in California by raising the state minimum wage to $8.50 per hour with an automatic annual indexing of the minimum wage for every year thereafter according to the percentage of inflation. Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File. AB 22 (Mendoza; D-Norwalk) – Employment: Credit Reports. Unfairly limits employers’ ability to use consumer credit reports for legitimate employment purposes, unless the information in the report is “substantially job-related.” The bill narrowly defines that term to refer only to managerial positions; employees of the state Department of Justice; law enforcement; certain financial institutions; or a position for which a report is required by law. In Assembly Appropriations. AB 52 (Feuer; D-Los Angeles) – Rate Regulation. Potentially increases costs on purchasers and limits access by imposing fees on health insurers to create additional bureaucracy to implement rate regulation on health insurance products sold in California by requiring a complex and regulated rate approval process. Assembly Health Committee hearing, April 26. AB 400 (Ma; D-San Francisco) – Employment: Paid Sick Days. Unreasonably expands both public and private employers’ costs and liability for new protected and paid sick leave for employees. Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing, April 26. AB 559 (Swanson; D-Alameda) – Undermines Judicial Discretion. Unreasonably increases business litigation costs by limiting judicial discretion to reduce or deny exorbitant attorneys fees in fair employment and housing cases. Assembly Third Reading. SB 104 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) – Increased Agricultural Costs. Attempts to limit employees’ ability to independently and privately vote for unionization in the workplace, by eliminating a secret ballot election and replacing it with the submission of representation cards signed by over 50 percent of the employees, which leave employees susceptible to coercion and manipulation by labor organizations. Assembly Third Reading. SB 111 (Yee; D-San Francisco) – New Lawsuits Against Small Business. Could result in new shakedown lawsuits against business establishments by making it a strict liability violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, subject to minimum damages of $4,000, if a business limits the use of a customer’s language, even if unintentionally. Held at Assembly Desk. SB 129 (Leno; D-San Francisco) – Employee Safety Risk. Undermines employers’ ability to provide a safe and drug-free workplace by establishing a protected classification for employees who utilize medical marijuana. Senate Third Reading. SB 364 (Yee; D-San Francisco) – Creates Employer Tax Credit Uncertainty. Eliminates the incentive effect of future-enacted tax incentives by imposing a penalty on California employers who claim tax incentives if they experience a loss in employment greater than 10 percent, whether or not the reduction of employees was connected to the effectiveness of the incentive. Senate Governance and Finance Committee hearing, April 27. SB 508 (Wolk; D-Davis) – Discourages Investment. Creates uncertainty for California employers making long-term investment decisions by requiring all future-enacted investment credits to sunset after seven years. Senate Third Reading. SB 810 (Leno; D-San Francisco) – Government-Run Health Care. Creates a new government-run, multibillion-dollar socialized health care system supported by an unspecified "premium structure" to be determined by 2014 that would conflict with recently enacted federal health care reform. Senate Health Committee hearing, April 27. Staff Contact: Marc Burgat
The Brentwood Clarion
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BARBEQUES GALORE The Grand Opening celebration of Barbeques Galore was celebrated in style with an all-day event that included giveaways, barbeque tasting, and a Ribbon Cutting. Pictured cutting the Ribbon is Manager, Dave McCuen with his crew and Chamber Ambassadors Maurice Daroy and Kathi Regan. Barbeques Galore is located at 5421 Lone Tree Way, Suite 100 right next door to Trader Joe’s. The store features grills, barbeque islands, and accessories. Be sure to stop by and visit one of the Chamber’s newest members.
CITY CENTER PHARMACY A Ribbon Cutting was held on April 22nd to celebrate the Grand Opening of City Center Pharmacy’s newest location in the Vic Stewart’s Plaza at 50 Eagle Rock Way. Pictured at left are Owner, Saifi Raniwala along with Chamber Ambassadors Kathi Regan, Patti Schneider, Pat Trombino and Maurice Daroy. City Center Pharmacy is a one-stop shop for prescriptions, health information, and friendly service. Their phone number is 925-240-9777. Be sure to stop by and visit one of the Chamber’s newest members.
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The Brentwood Clarion
HARRY YORK Harry York, Chamber CEO for the last three years, was given a festive send-off with a party held at Shadow Lakes Golf Club on April 28th. Harry’s last day with the Chamber was April 29th. A big thank you to Tim Eldrige of Shadow Lakes for hosting the event. Thank you to Olga Vidriales for organizing the party. Harry has returned to his home in Reno, Nevada and will be greatly missed. The Chamber Staff, Directors and Ambassadors wish him all the best in his future endeavors. You may stay in contact with him at hscay@aol.com. Tim Eldridge of Shadow Lakes Golf Club and Harry.
Meryl and President Joe Trebino talking CornFest with Jeff Davis. Harry with Iris Obregon from Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan’s office.
The Brentwood Clarion
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Vicki Sexton, Richard Perez-Pacheco, and Olga Vidriales.
Vicki with Brentwood Postmater Diane Torres and her husband.
Olga, Fred Ehler and Lori Knudsen are in the party spirit.
Jilda and John Fairhurst with Karen and Gary Kendall.
New Board Director, Robin Schiavone of Raley’s.
Hazel Wetherford of the City of Brentwood with her husband, Nick Gaunt, new Chamber volunteer.
The Brentwood Clarion
Page 12 IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS City of Brentwood
(925) 516-5400
Parks & Recreation
(924) 516-5444
Community Development
(925) 516-5405
Brentwood Library
(925) 516-5405
Police Non Emergency
(925) 634-6911
Fire Department
(925) 634-3400
Brentwood Aquatic Park
(925) 516-5430
Newspapers Brentwood Press
(925) 634-1441
Contra Costa Times
(925) 757-2525
Brentwood News
(925) 779-7120
Transportation Tri Delta Transit
(925) 754-4040
Hotels Hampton Inn
(925) 513-1289
Holiday Inn Express
(800) 345-8082
Hospital Sutter Delta Medical Center
(925) 779-7200
John Muir Medical Center
(925) 308-8100
Theaters Delta Cinema
(925) 240-7370
Rave
(925) 809-0030
The Brentwood Clarion Brentwood Chamber of Commerce 8440 Brentwood Blvd., Suite C Brentwood, CA 94513
SCORE Counselors, Counselors of Small Business Now at the Brentwood Chamber Office 1st and 3rd Monday’s: 1:30 and 2:30 pm----Call (925) 634-3344 for your appointment today.
Phone: 925-634-3344 Fax: 925-634-3731 Email: info@brentwoodchamber.com www.brentwoodchamber.com