Metro March 2023

METR

A publication of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber | March 2023

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INSIDE

4 8

CEO MESSAGE

Read a welcome message from our Interim President/CEO, Hillary Haenes

LEADERSHIP BAKERSFIELD Find out what the 2023 Class has accomplished so far this year

8

10 SHOP LOCAL, SHOP NOW

Learn more about San Rucci, Bakersfield's first urban winery

12 NEW MEMBERS

Welcome our newest Chamber members

13 RIBBON CUTTINGS

Celebrate the grand openings of local businesses

16 MEMBER NEWS

Find out what our members are doing in the community

17 UPCOMING EVENTS

Make sure these events are on your calendar

10 COVER PHOTO

2023 Leadership Bakersfield Class at Dignity Health Memorial Hospital on Health and Human Services Day.

CONTACT US

1725 Eye St. • PO Box 1947 Bakersfield, CA 93303 661.327.4421 bakochamber.com

13 Metro is the official publication of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber.

This publication is produced and digitally distributed to the Chamber’s membership at the beginning of each month. Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this publication is correct and accurate as of the publication date. Metro does not warrant the accuracy or claims of its advertisers. The Chamber President/CEO has the sole right to refuse any advertisement.

Please send any comments, questions, article suggestions or advertising inquiries to info@bakochamber.com. © Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means of the entire contents portion of this publication without written permission is prohibited.

METRO | PAGE 3

Message from the CEO A season of change From blooming flowers to chirping birds, it seems that everything around us is in a state of transition, and the Greater Bakersfield Chamber is no exception.

Over the past few months, we have undergone significant changes, and we are thrilled to share that we are adapting and growing stronger than ever before.

As many of you know, last month, we bid farewell to Nick Ortiz, the former leader of the Chamber, as he left to work at the state level. Nick is now Vice President of Local Chamber Relations at CalChamber and President & CEO of the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.).

Fortunately, we get to continue working together to advance our interests in Central California!

We greatly appreciate Nick’s fearless leadership and tireless efforts to build a better Bakersfield these past several years. During his tenure, the Chamber increased membership, revenue and key initiatives; including the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Branding Initiative, the campaign to pass Measure N and bringing the California Economic Summit to Bakersfield. Nick has certainly left a lasting influence on our members and the Bakersfield community.

As Bakersfield continues to grow, I look forward to serving our community as the Interim President/CEO to collaborate with our members, bolster partnerships and provide support to local businesses. I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve you during this transition in leadership.

Your Chamber team remains busy advocating on your behalf, as well as planning upcoming programs and signature events, which you can learn more about in this month’s issue of Metro.

Cheers!

Hillary Haenes

Interim President & CEO Greater Bakersfield Chamber

METRO | PAGE 4

BAKERSFIELD’S BIGGEST NIGHT

Save The Date

Saturday, June 17, 2023 The annual Beautiful Bakersfield Awards, presented by Valley Strong Credit Union, is postponed until Saturday, June 17 due to logistics concerns. We are excited to continue the tradition of celebrating individuals, businesses and organizations that have made significant contributions to our community over the past year. Stay tuned for updates as we work to create an unforgettable event. For more information, visit our website.

beautiful.bakochamber.com

METRO | PAGE 5

Leadership Bakersfield Leadership Bakersfield kicked off its 2023 season with back-to-back “Leadership and Business Days” on Jan. 12 and 13.

The class was welcomed during a luncheon at The Padre’s Belvedere Room by former President/ CEO Nick Ortiz and Leadership Bakersfield Chair Christina Springstead. Pastor Traco Matthews, who is also the Chief Health Equity Officer for Kern Health Systems, provided an invocation. Matthews also moderated a question-and-answer discussion with keynote speaker Raji Brar, Chief Operating Officer for Countryside Markets and co-founder of the Bakersfield Sikh Women's Association. Brar discussed her upbringing, family businesses and why she continues to give back to our community.

To round out the morning, participants were placed in groups for the Marshmallow Challenge, a simple exercise designed for teams to build a structure by using spaghetti, masking tape and string. Afterward, groups met their fellow project teammates.

Following the ceremony, participants received their DISC behavioral self-assessment results and learned about their meanings and how they impact leadership from Dr. Juanita Webb of J. Webb Consulting. Photographer April Massirio McGill provided headshots to end the day.

To wrap up, participants learned more about their projects and proposals from Mia Cifuentes, of Berry Corporation, who is the Project Chair for Leadership Bakersfield.

Day two was kicked off by Joe Coughlin, owner of Coconut Joe’s, who shared the story of his business, life and luck, and the importance of mentoring and helping others.

City councilwoman Manpreet Kaur followed and shared her local story, and how she became the first person of Sikh descent to be voted into the Bakersfield City Council.

METRO | PAGE 8

Temblor Brewing Co. hosted the group for lunch in the brewery, restaurant and venue’s dining room, which was followed by a tour of the brewery and discussion by Don Bynum, president of the brewery, and director of asset management for Bynum, Inc. They were treated to tastings of a few Temblor beers as well.

The Leadership and Business Days were led by Advisory Council members Jorge Barrientos of Chain | Cohn | Clark, Pawan Gill of the County of Kern and Leadership Bakersfield Chair Christina Springstead of Springstead Solutions.

By Jorge Barrientos Chain Cohn Clark, Christina Springstead Springstead Solutions

Health & Human Services Day

Advisory Council Day Chairs Beth Miller of CommonSpirit Health and Mitchall Patel of Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services kicked off Leadership Bakersfield’s Health and Human Services day on Friday, Feb. 10.

The day started at Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) Food Bank with Program Administrator Kelly Lowery and Agency Relations Coordinator Blaine Hodge, who spoke about food insecurity in our community. Kern County is known as the breadbasket of California, but it is also one of the top areas experiencing food hardship in America.

The class was able to tour the Food Bank and understand how they distribute millions of pounds of food annually to hungry individuals, families, nonprofits, churches, community centers, homeless shelters and poverty-fighting agencies throughout Kern County.

From there, the class was able to hear from Chief Executive Officer Lauren Skidmore, Director of Client Services Ilene Parra and the team at The Open Door Network (formerly Bakersfield Homeless Center and Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault). The class saw the vision for the future campus and its goals to help our community's most vulnerable heal from trauma and reimagine their lives.

Lunch was hosted at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County and featured a conversation with Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (KernBHRS) Director Stacy Kuwahara, who shared insights into the history of mental health treatment in America and what KernBHRS is working on in Kern County.

Finally, the class spent the afternoon at Dignity Health Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, where the participants learned about the current state of health care challenges and opportunities according to President and CEO Ken Keller. The class then spent the afternoon in immersive experiences in which they were able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of a large hospital.

Thank you to program underwriter Chevron and to the Leadership Bakersfield day sponsors Adventist Health and Dignity Health.

By Mitchall Patel Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, Beth Miller Common Spirit

METRO | PAGE 9

San Rucci Keeps It Local With Wine Sourced From Grapes Grown in Kern County Local Merz family offers Bakersfield a friendly, locally sourced wine and tasting experience Bakersfield is known for a lot of things but producing wine isn’t one of them. Anthony (Tony) and Bill Merz are hoping to change that with San Rucci winery. The father and son duo just opened a tasting room - the first of its kind in Bakersfield, where all of the wine processing, tasting and selling take place.

“I think the most fun part about being a new, small business in Bakersfield is the camaraderie that we get with other businesses and people around town,” said Co-Owner Tony. “As they say, a rising tide lifts all ships. We support each other and try to lift each other up.”

The new store, located in a southwest Bakersfield business center off Schirra Court next to local breweries, offers tastings, food pairing events and educational classes about the winemaking process.

“There are a couple of things that make wines that come from grapes sourced in Kern County special,” said Tony.

“I think the main thing that speaks to my dad and me about making wine with grapes from this area is the fact that this is where we’ve made wine for years and oftentimes people overlook this area for winemaking. Or they don’t even realize that we grow grapes for wine here in Kern County.”

METRO | PAGE 10

He added, “Just the idea of having a locally sourced wine with grapes that were grown here is kind of a cool idea.“ The family is proud to be Italian and they enjoy showcasing grape varietals that are native to Italy. The Mediterranean climate in Kern County is perfectly situated to grow many of the grape varietals necessary to make San Rucci wines.

“Because we have a warmer climate it really does make wines that are easy to drink and more enjoyable, younger than aged wines,” said Tony.

“The more rare varietals like the Montepulciano we use, often grow really well here.”

San Rucci came to life well before their first release in 2017. The family has about a quarter-acre lot where they live and have always grown grapes that they use in some of their wines.

Tony noted that their biggest release with grapes grown in their backyard was about 15 cases.

“I grew up in a winemaking household, we had grapevines in the backyard, so at a young age I was interested in winemaking,” he added.

It was right around his senior year in high school that Tony told his father, Bill, that he was going to start harvesting grapes from the backyard to make

his own wine.

“It turned out to be an absolutely horrible first shot at winemaking and my father, being a commercial winemaker himself, he’s classically trained and went to Fresno State for winemaking said something along the lines of, ‘I can’t have a son that doesn't know how to make good wine,’” Tony said with a giant grin on his face.

From 2006 on is when the two started making wine together. Besides the grapes they grow in their backyard, Bill and Tony purchase grapes from growers throughout Kern County, Paso Robles and Hollister.

“I believe we are the only guys in Bakersfield making small boutique wines with grapes grown from here,” said Tony.

actually blend their own three unique blends and we’ll bottle it up and they can take home a bottle.”

San Rucci hosted a grand opening ceremony on Feb. 9, and the Merz family was excited to officially open their doors to the public. Follow them on Instagram (@san_rucci_winery), visit their website, www.sanrucci.com and sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date on all their news, food pairings and educational events.

You can find Chamber member businesses to support by visiting the map and directory on our homepage at www.shoplocalshopnow.com and support small businesses by visiting locally owned stores. Shop Local, Shop Now is sponsored by the Kern Women’s Business Center.

San Rucci aims to be an approachable and friendly place for Bakersfield to taste and learn about wine and the winemaking process.

“We want this to be a place where people who are curious to learn more about wine can visit and understand the basics of wine,” Tony said.

“We have this really fun blending class where we show people how winemakers blend wine and the process we go through. People who attend will METRO | PAGE 11

Welcome New Chamber Members We’d like to extend a warm welcome to the companies that have joined the Greater Bakersfield Chamber.

Thank you for investing in our mission to Build a Better Bakersfield.

A3 Sports & Wellness, Inc. 5203 Young St. Bakersfield, CA 93311 661-885-8889 a3sportsperformance.com “We help athletes, youth and adults reach their next level in sport and in life through professional coaching and training programs.”

American Cancer Society Inc., Relay For Life 5420 California Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93309 661-496-5514 secure.acsevents.org “We are a local and global organization combating cancer through advocacy, research and patient support. Relay For Life helps fund our mission.”

Bakersfield Breakfast Lions Club Bakersfield, CA 93302 661-201-9274 “Open since 1917, our clubs are places where individuals join together to give their valuable time and effort to improving their communities and the world. Our Mission at Bakersfield Breakfast Lions: Is to serve our community, give hope and impact lives.”

Bakersfield Community Healthcare 1801 Oak St. Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-327-9800 bakersfield-healthcare.com “We are State Licensed, Medicare-Certified Home Health and Hospice agencies. We run an adult day health center, we also offer mobile ultrasound and caregiver services.”

Central Valley Property Advisors 2611 F St., Ste. 2 Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-617-0074 centralvalleypropertyadvisors.com “We specialize in the sale and management of commercial real estate assets. We create and preserve wealth for our clients for generations to come.”

Domino Plastics MFG 601 Gateway Ct. Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-396-3744 dominoplastics.com “For more than 50 years, we have developed custom plastic solutions with our customers and distributors. We provide the fastest design to production.”

METRO | PAGE 12

D.R. Horton Bakersfield, CA 93311 559-636-9850 drhorton.com/California/Bakersfield “We are a new construction production homebuilder with five neighborhoods, now selling & coming soon, in South Bakersfield. We are Americ’s homebuilder.”

Grants for Good 10309 Merriweather Dr., Unit B. Bakersfield, CA 93311 661-619-9518 “We build programs that do good.”

Infinity Real Estate Services 2600 F St. Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-615-9001 kerncountyhouse.com “Infinity Real Estate Services is a real estate brokerage dedicated to developing successful real estate professionals and simplifying the buying and selling of real estate.”

La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor 626 Ming Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93304 661-396-1150 la-z-boy.com/Central-Valley/Bakersfield NV Catering Inc. 3301 Pegasus Dr., Ste. 4 Bakersfield, CA 93308 661-679-3540 nvcatering.com “We are a full-service company specializing in creating custom menus and food presentation that reflect unique tastes and preferences of each client for a wide range of events.”

Priority Urgent Care 1345 Allen Rd. #300 Bakersfield, CA 93314 661-556-4777 priority661.com “We provide immediate care for non-life-threatening illnesses. Our team is experienced in evaluating & treating both acute and complex health cases.”

Quality Floor Covering 1330 Golden State Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-489-4605 myqualityflooring.com

The Farias Firm, PC 19301 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 200 Tarzana, CA 91356 661-222-2222 fariasfirm.com

“We are a residential and commercial flooring store. We sell flooring and install all kinds and grades of flooring; we also do floor demolition.”

“We are a workers compensation law firm representing injured workers throughout California.”

Ruiz Brothers Trucking Inc. 7700 Di Miller Dr. Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-345-0693 “We are a local family-owned trucking company, offering services throughout the United States.”

The Content Lab 2611 F St. Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-900-1220 thecontentlabbako.com “The Content Lab is an all-in-one photo, video and podcast studio. In addition, they provide in-house marketing and video production services, training, consulting and a community for creators and businesses to connect and collaborate.”

Stanley Steemer Bakersfield 1012 Black Gold Rd. Bakersfield, CA 93308 661-964-9551 stanleysteemer.com “We are nationally known but locally owned and are proud to provide professional residential and commercial cleaning services in and around Bakersfield.

Call 1-800-STEEMER!” Uncle Chief's Catering 8201 Camino Media Bakersfield, CA 93311 661-330-4087 unclechiefscatering.com “We are a soul food cuisine catering and delivery company offering slow cooker prepared soul food and a variety of international cuisines.”

RIBBON CUTTINGS PAST RIBBON CUTTINGS

UPCOMING RIBBON CUTTING

Grand Opening San Rucci Winery 6201 Schirra Ct. sanrucci.com

Grand Opening Infinity Real Estate Services, Central Valley Property Advisors & The Content Lab

Grand Opening RSVP Priority Urgent Care Date: Thursday, March 23, 10 a.m.

Location: 9900 Stockdale Hwy., Ste. 105 In Partnership with the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

3105 Latte Ln. kerncountyhouse.com centralvalleypropertyadvisors.com thecontentlabbako.com

For more information or to schedule a ribbon cutting, please contact us at info@bakochamber.com.

SCHEDULE YOUR CEREMONY METRO | PAGE 13

Renewing Members Thank you to our members who have reinvested in the Greater Bakersfield Chamber. Your continued investment helps the Chamber continue its mission to Build a Better Bakersfield.

ADAKC - Alzheimer's Disease Assoc. of Kern County, Inc. - 1994 ADT LLC - 1978 Advance Beverage Company - 1955 Advance Communications & Consulting, Inc. - 2001 AECOM Technical Services Inc. - 1957 AES - 2015 Amazon Fulfillment Center - 2021 Andrea R Hill, CPA, AAC - 2017 Aramark Uniform Services - 1957 Bakersfield Art Association - 2013 Bakersfield Association of REALTORS - 1955 Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital - 2016 Bakersfield Cash Register - 1976 Bakersfield City School District - 1979 Bakersfield Cotton Warehouse, LLC - 2022 Bakersfield Drug Testing - 2007 Bakersfield Electric Motor Repair, Inc. - 1967 Bakersfield Family Medical Center - 1983 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center - 1994 Bakersfield PACE - 2020 Bakersfield Patio Covers & Seamless Rain Gutters 2019 Bakersfield Recovery Services Inc. - 2020 Barbich Hooper King Dill Hoffman - 1983 Bella - 2000 Bike Bakersfield/Biking for Fun - 2007 Bill Wright Toyota - 1982 Bitwise Industries - 2019 Blackwell Land, LLC - 1983 Braun Electric Company, Inc. - 1995 Brown Armstrong Certified Public Accountants - 1985 Buck Owens Production Company, Inc. - 1965 Bynum Inc. - 1985 CaliDental Bakersfield - 2021 California State University, Bakersfield - 1968 Cazador Consulting Group, Inc. - 2021 CBIZ MHM, LLC - 1998 Centre For Neuro Skills - 1999 Chester Avenue Brake LLC - 1925 Chicago Title Company - 1962 Chosen Payments - 2016 Christopher D. Jacobs CPA - 1984 Citizens Business Bank - 1983 Clerou Tire Company, Inc. - 1950 Clifford & Bradford Insurance Agency - 1946 Clinica Sierra Vista - 2018 Colombo Construction Company, Inc. - 1978 Commercial Trade Inc. - 1988 Community Connection for Childcare/KCSOS - 1988 Cook's Computer Maintenance & Engineering, Inc. 1978 Core Chiropractic + Wellness - 2018 METRO | PAGE 14

Daniells Phillips Vaughan & Bock - 1956 Darling & Wilson, PC - 1948 Denison Werner, LLP - 2012 Derrel's Mini Storage, Inc. - 1986 Dignity Health - Mercy Hospital Downtown - 1948 Dignity Health Management Services - 1993 DoubleTree by Hilton - 1983 Douglass Truck Bodies - 1958 First Assembly of God - 2002 Forefront Power, LLC - 2020 Frank St. Clair Management - 1992 Frugatti's Italian Restaurant - 2004 Golden Empire Transit District - 1985 Golden Empire Youth Tackle Football - 2010 Guarantee Shoe Center - 1986 Haddad Dodge - 1987 Hall Ambulance Service, Inc. - 1984 Health Net, LLC - 2017 Heart Vascular and Leg Center - 2019 Hilton Garden Inn Hotel - 2003 Human Resource Development by Robin Paggi - 2022 Hyatt Place Bakersfield - 2019 Inland Empire Job Corps Center - 2012 Jess Smith & Sons Cotton, Inc. - 1958 Jim Burke Ford Lincoln - 1951 KABI LLC - 2014 Kern County Fair and Event Center - 1958 Kern County Medical Society - 1948 Kern County Taxpayers Association - 1991 Kern Electric Distributors - 1968 Kern Medical - 2014 Kern Print Services - 1973 Kern Trophies - 1966 Key Properties dba Intrados Inc. - 1982 KGET-TV 17 - 1978 Klassen Corporation - 2019 Law Offices of Borton Petrini LLP - 1951 Lights Camera Action Cinema - 2016 Little Red School House - 1972 Macpherson Energy Corporation - 2017 Mazzei Injector Co., LLC - 1996 Metro Record Storage and Shredding - 2006 Motor City Auto Center - 1972 Newby Rubber, Inc.- 1964 Nickel Family LLC - 1994 Nighbert Group - 1972 Nile Point Veterinary Hospital, Inc. - 1966

Olivieri Commercial Group, Inc. - 2003 Pat Callahan Ceramic Tile, Marble & Granite Fabrication - 1992 Pegboard - 1975 Premier Valley Medical Group - 2022 ProParks Management Company - 2011 Quad Knopf, Inc. - 1984 Rainbow Int. Restoration of Bakersfield - 2018 Raymond's Trophy & Awards - 1994 Realty Management Services - 2010 Resolute HR Services - 1990

Telehealthdocs Medical Group - 2016 Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc. - 1983 The Bakersfield Californian - 1920 The BLVD! - 2018 The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County - 1989 The Lynn Company - 1977 The Station - Kern County Fire Fighters - 2017 Tolman & Wiker Insurance - 2000 Tri Counties Bank - 2004 UBS/Financial Services - 1987 Urner's Inc. - 1920 Valley Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics - 2022 Valley Public Radio-KVPR/KPRX White Ash Broadcasting - 1985 Valley Strong Credit Union - 1989 Valley Yellow Pages - 1988

S.A. Camp Pump and Drilling Company - 1995 Sally A. Herald Accountancy Corporation - 1988 San Joaquin Valley College - 1984 Scope Studios - 2019 Serban Sound and Communications - 1986 Stinson's - 1953 Stockdale Tile & Flooring Center, Inc. - 1990 StructureCast - 1999 Sullivan Petroleum Company - 1947

W. Michael Chertok - 2008 Walker-Lewis Rents - 1988 Wallace & Smith Contractors, Inc. - 1963 Watson Realty ERA - 1981 WCAC Operating Co. - 1988 Well Analysis Corp. - 2019 Westec - 2011

Tejon Indian Tribe - 2012 Tejon Ranch Company - 1956

SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING Join Jerry Pearson, Partner and Employment Law Attorney of Young Wooldridge LLP, for this sexual harassment prevention training and certification.

Supervisors and Employees will learn how to:

WEDNESDAY,

APRIL 19

·

Ensure anti-bullying regulations are implemented.

·

Prevent harassment in the workplace.

·

Report and respond to employee concerns.

·

Communicate with other employees about harassment policy.

8-10 A.M.

Includes: A light breakfast and certification upon completion.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training is State Mandated/Completion Certificate Valid for Two Years.

Employers must provide two hours of sexual harassment prevention training to all supervisory employees and one hour of sexual harassment prevention training to non-supervisory employees. Training must be provided once every two years to all employees with six months of assuming either a supervisory or non-supervisory role.

California AB1825/2053.

COST: $30 for members/$60 for nonmembers LOCATION: Greater Bakersfield Chamber, 1725 Eye St. RSVP: 661-327-4421 or email info@bakochamber.com

Presented by LLP

METRO | PAGE 15

Member News Valley Strong Credit Union is hosting a Business Mixer on Wednesday, Mar. 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the Administrative Office, 11500 Bolthouse Dr. Grow your network and explore new opportunities at our business mixer! Join us for conversation, refreshments and likeminded professionals. Build valuable relationships and open doors to new possibilities. RSVP to secure your spot HERE. See you there!

How to Navigate and Prosper through a Recession in Uncertain Times. Join Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) as we present a hands-on workshop for local business owners where we will help you develop strategies for managing your finances and people.

Key takeaways will be: 1. What are the critical few KPI’s my business should be reviewing 2. What is Scenario Based Workforce Planning and how can it help my Business 3. What does the Economic Landscape look like coming out of 2022 and moving into 2023 4. How do I build a plan for an uncertain future?

These sessions will take place at the Greater Bakersfield Chamber, 1725 Eye St. on Thursday, Mar. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Seating is limited so request your seat today by emailing Rick.senneway@bbsi.com, registration is free for Chamber Members. BBSI Bakersfield is a local Management Consulting company offering HR, Payroll, Workers Comp and Safety Services designed to help businesses prosper.

North of the River Recreation and Park District (NOR) invites preschoolers ages 3.5 to 5 and a parent to participate in Robots 4 Tots, an annual event hosted at the Neighborhood Place Learning Center in Riverview Community Center. This FREE event takes place on Friday, Mar. 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 401 Willow Dr. in Oildale. Participation is limited to the first 100 registrations and lunch will be served during the event.

To reserve your preschooler’s spot, registration must be completed in person at Riverview Community Center.

The Robots 4 Tots program has introduced robotics to children in the Oildale community for thirteen years and continues to be an exciting event that prepares children for kindergarten, helps family members develop new skills, and sparks interest in science and technology.

Chevron sponsors Robots 4 Tots through the purchase of robot kits, arts and crafts materials, food, and t-shirts for participants. “At our Neighborhood Place Learning Center at Riverview, we believe that STEM activities and events such as these are critical in preparing children to be ready for kindergarten,” said Jasmin LoBasso, Superintendent of Recreation & Community

METRO | PAGE 16

Services. “North of the River appreciates Chevron’s ongoing support and their philosophy of instilling STEM at an early age, which goes hand-in-hand with the early learning goals at our Riverview Community Center.” Visit norfun.org for more information about NOR programs and follow NOR on Facebook at @NORfun. For additional information, please contact Jasmin LoBasso, Superintendent of Recreation at jlobasso@norrecreation. org or 661-392-2000.

High Desert Medical College is hosting a Spring open house from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 7. There’s no need to RSVP! This is a free event open to all who are interested. Children and pets are also welcome. Guests will have an opportunity to tour the campus, meet the faculty, view classroom demos, and even take pictures with the Easter Bunny! This event will take place on campus located at 2000 24th St. Reserve space now for the Kern County Career & STEM Expo hosted by the Kern Economic Development Foundation on Apr. 28 at CTEC, 7301 Old River Rd. Exhibitor registration is now open. Last year’s event was attended by more than 2,500 students and 120 exhibitors. For more information, register HERE. The Junior League of Bakersfield is currently accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to apply for a grant that benefits the community with focus of promoting literacy. If you know of any organizations that would be interested in applying for a grant, please contact Alyshia Kizer at administrative@jlbakersfield.org.

Kern Community Foundation believes in philanthropy – the practice of giving now and making long-term investments to support effective charitable organizations and programs forever – making Kern County a better place to live, to work, and to visit. Our mission: Growing Community. Growing Philanthropy. We help people support the causes they care about most by connecting generous donors to energized community members and organizations, matching their charitable interests with our community’s needs. The passion we share unites us, inspires us, and drives us toward a bold vision for the future – to make Kern County more vibrant, healthier, and stronger for all its residents. The Kern Community Foundation is hiring an entry level position, Project Specialist, with the opportunity for advancement. If you are interested, please send a resume and cover letter to info@kernfoundation.org. To learn more, click HERE. Ordiz-Melby Architects is pleased to announce our firm’s acquisition of KSA Group Architects (KSA). Building on a legacy of award-winning service to the local Bakersfield community, we are confident this new energy will continue to propel the firm in partnering with Kern

County’s most trusted organizations to develop the future of our flourishing city, county and beyond. We are united in our conviction that providing quality service, facilitating innovative solutions for all types of project needs and continually broadening our expertise the future of OrdizMelby is brighter than ever. Please help us welcome our new colleagues to the OMA family!

Bakersfield 2045 RISE! The City of Bakersfield’s planning department would like to know what does RISE mean to you? Please take a moment to see the City’s General Plan Update and let us know how we can RISE together.

The General Plan Update will shape what Bakersfield becomes by 2045. RISE is the acronym for the key factors that will help shape the City’s General Plan update. Head to www.bakersfield2045.com to learn more and take the survey.

This winter’s unprecedented natural gas prices, on top of already high inflation, have been a real hardship for many Southern Californians, especially our most vulnerable, our seniors, and people facing difficult circumstances.

SoCalGas is stepping up to help customers in need with charitable donations of $10 million in shareholder funding to help customers with bill assistance and to bolster community resources for those who may be struggling financially. The company committed $5 million in shareholder funding to the Gas Assistance Fund, a program administered by the United Way that provides income-qualified customers with one-time grants to help pay their natural gas bills. The contribution is the largest in the fund’s 40-year history and will help the United Way expand access to the program to thousands of additional Southern Californians this winter. SoCalGas also announced it will contribute $4 million from its donor advised fund to relaunch its popular Fueling Our Communities program, a collaboration with local food banks and nonprofits that has provided free meals and groceries to thousands of Californians facing food insecurity since 2020. In addition, SoCalGas will contribute $1 million in aid from its donor advised fund to small restaurant owners through the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, a fund that was started in 2021 to help small restaurants with improvements, upgrades, employee retention and to manage debt, losses and rising costs. For more information, click HERE.

Upcoming Events March 2023

3.21.23 Beautiful Bakersfield Committee Meeting 11:30 a.m. | Chamber

3.24.23 GRC Meeting 8 a.m. | Chamber

3.28.23 Ambassador Committee Meeting Noon | Chamber

Do you have member news you'd like to share?

Email us at info@bakochamber.com.

METRO | PAGE 17

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE FOCUS

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board Ken Keller Bakersfield Memorial Hospital - Dignity Health

Bakersfield Heart Hospital The Bakersfield Heart Hospital, in partnering with our physicians and associates, is committed to enhancing the quality of health of our patients and their families by providing the highest personal service and delivering technologically advanced health care through a compassionate, patient-centered approach.

Incoming Chairman Rob Duchow Southern California Gas Company Immediate Past Chairman Rick Jhaj Countryside Corporation

MAJOR INVESTORS

Kamal Gill – Brimhall Pharmacy/Panama Pharmacy Dr. Mary Barlow – Kern County Superintendent of Schools Mark Bateman – Young Wooldridge LLP Deanna Blaise – Valley Strong Credit Union Bruce Davis – Bolthouse Properties Octavio Escobedo – Tejon Indian Tribe Maybelle Liquigan – Kaiser Permanente

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE MEMBERS

Denise Newton – PG&E Veronika Placencia – KERO-TV G Riar – Riar, Inc. Willie Rivera – Aera Energy

CHAMBER STAFF Hillary Haenes Interim President & CEO Kami Gonzalez Director, Administration & Operations Concepcion "Cepi" Willingham Member & Business Development Manager Savanah Adams Manager, Stakeholder Engagement Cynthia Gonzalez Operations Administrator

Get Social Stay engaged and connected with what's happening at the Chamber by following us on these social media platforms.

@bakochamber

BYNUM INC.