PEP Scholarships Important Boost for Students, Businesses Alike
David Ramirez of Paramount is a law student at Stanford University after graduating from UCLA. He said this life-altering excursion would not have been possible without the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) scholarship program. “Going to college was fairly unattainable for me because my family was struggling financially,” he noted. “PEP provided the financial support that I needed to actually go to college.
“Now that I’m done with my undergraduate degree, I’m happy to say that I graduated with littleto-no debt thanks to PEP.”
This scenario has been replicated many times for more than a decade thanks, indeed, to the generosity of the Paramount business community. Over 200 scholarships worth nearly $600,000 have been awarded to local students, helping to make their dreams of going to college a reality. And it’s an ongoing process.
A larger of pool of donors means more scholarships, which produces a bigger group of students who will benefit by improving their education, forging a bright future, and creating a smarter workforce.
Major donors have included the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Marukan Vinegar (USA), Inc., Weber Metals, Inc., and Paramount Petroleum Corporation, Inc. Dozens of others have donated financially while even more have provided an array of raffle prizes for the annual fundraiser event. (For a full list of last year’s contributors, go to the PEP Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ParamountPEP.)
High-Profile Ways to Support PEP
Now it’s time, once again, for the organization’s major event of the year. PEP’s 12th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser is Friday, April 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Progress Park Plaza. It features great food and fun casino-type games. It’s a great way to support education in Para-
Paramount Chamber of Commerce pulse beat
15357 Paramount Boulevard, Paramount, CA 90723
mount while providing plenty of opportunities to promote your business. All donations are made to the PEP 501c3 non-profit entity and are tax deductible.
Another way to make the scholarship fund grow has been Pennies for PEP, held every March and featuring containers for spare change in all Paramount Unified elementary and middle schools, at the District office, the Adult School, and at City facilities. Students, faculty, staff, and others have, over the last ten years, dropped a remarkably generous $71,500 in pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters in the PEP canisters.
These “Penny” funds also go toward $125 scholarships for Adult School students to help offset the costs associated with taking their GED tests.
Pennies for PEP events will now be happening throughout the year. The first one took place March 24th at Gus’s Deli. With 40% of a participant’s bill going toward the scholarship fund, more than $700 was raised. Opportunities to support PEP scholarships this way are open to any business in town, at any time.
Always Room For More Sponsorships
PEP is looking to involve more members of the community in advancing education.
A Scholarship Business Social was held on February 26, also at Gus’s Deli BBQ & Grill. More than 70 representatives from a number of local businesses came out to learn about becoming a scholarship sponsor … and had some great food, wine, and beer while doing it.
PEP is a collaboration between the City, the School District, and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce aimed at increasing educational attainment among residents. The scholarship program helps students attending a university, community college, or trade school.
As they do every year, some of the “PEP Moms” from the Paramount Petroleum Community Learning Center at Spane Park help out by counting all of the spare change donated to Pennies for PEP throughout March. This year’s totals will be in soon.
The Pennies for PEP fundraising day at Gus’s Deli produced more than $700 for PEP’s scholarships thanks to a great turnout from local companies like Paramount Petroleum Corporation, which ordered 87 takeout lunches. Shown here from the company picking up the tasty fare are, from left, Joaquin Uriarte, Joshua Winters, Gus Exiga (of Gus’s Deli), Glen Clausen, and Frank Mitchell. Support came, too, from many other businesses (such as Weber Metals with 25 diners), Paramount Unified employees, Sheriff’s Department personnel, City staff, and more. An especially big thank you goes to Gus’s Deli for hosting this fundraiser as well as the PEP Business Social in February. Anyone interested in supporting the Paramount Education Partnership and its college scholarship program can call (562) 220-2121 and ask about becoming a PEP sponsor.
The PEP Scholarship Business Social in February at Gus’s Deli BBQ & Grill brought out over 70 businesses folks to learn about becoming a scholarship sponsor, including this group from Weber Metals, a company that has consistently and generously supported PEP and its goals since the Partnership’s origins. From left: Doug McIntyre, Armen Ekmekji, Jamison Hart, and Weston Gillfillan.
Your donation is an important investment in our community.
To learn more about sponsor-
Take, for example, Yesica Vasquez Garcia, a business administration major at CSU, Los Angeles. “My journey has taken me from high school to community college and a fouryear university,” she said. “I thank PEP for giving me this opportunity, because a lot of cities don’t provide scholarships that will help students. As the first child of my mother’s to go to college, my mom had her doubts about being able to help me financially. The PEP scholarship has eased up that burden on my mom.”
ship or donation opportunities, or to hold a Pennies for PEP fundraiser, or for any other information about the Paramount Education Partnership, please contact Suleyma Rosales at (562) 220-2121 or srosales@ paramountcity.com.
Serving As Your Mayor
In March, the Paramount City Council held its annual reorganization meeting, during which I was chosen by my fellow Councilmembers to be your mayor over the coming year. I am deeply appreciative to my colleagues.
The Council also elected Councilmember Daryl Hofmeyer as Vice Mayor.
I have lived in Paramount since 1949 and have had the pleasure of being involved with such organizations as the Elks Club, Rotary Club, and Chamber of Commerce, as well as sitting on the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission before being elected to the Council in 2007. I
have seen our City’s amazing journey over the years, going from dairies and hay lots to a model of urban revitalization and smart planning. I’m proud to be part of a City Council that works as a team, with common, positive goals for the entire community. And it is a great community, one of which we can all be proud.
Personally, it will be a true honor to lead the City during the next 12 months, and I value the opportunity very much.
I look forward, also, to sharing the latest news with you here in the Pulse Beat every month throughout my term.
Relay For Life – Join the Run Against Cancer
The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay For Life offers an opportunity to honor cancer survivors, promote ways for individuals to reduce their cancer risk, and raise money to help end the disease. This year’s Paramount Relay for Life is scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd, starting at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until Sunday, May 3rd when it will end at 9:00 a.m. It takes place in Paramount Park.
For information on how to participate, email Bridget.valadez@cancer.org, call (323) 452-3898, or visit www.relayforlife.org.
Remember to Download Paramount Works
In December, the City launched Paramount Works, a free app that lets residents use their smart phones to report maintenance issues – such as potholes, furniture/ debris in a street or alley, graffiti, shopping carts, burnt-out street lights – so City staff can take care of them right away. (Graffiti sightings have been the most frequent calls for service so far.)
The numbers of downloads have been increasing every month. It’s simple to access the app, easy to use, and free. Go to iTunes or Android for Paramount Works.
Code Enforcement in Paramount
Paramount’s Code Enforcement Division is responsible for administering the City’s Municipal Codes that relate to residential and business property maintenance standards. These include building, fire, plumbing, electrical, labor, zoning, and health and safety standards that pertain to environmental protection and preservation of the community.
The Division also ensures that all businesses operating within Paramount have a current business license, and it works closely with City departments and the City Prosecutor to educate the public and gain the willing compliance of code violators.
If you have any questions about code enforcement efforts in Paramount, or want more information, you can contact the Division at the Paramount Sheriff’s Station, 15501 Paramount Blvd., or by calling (562) 220-2045.
Nominate A Home For Paramount Pride
The nomination period for Paramount Pride, the City’s annual program that recognizes property owners in town who maintain their homes in a pleasing, attractive way, is here once again. The deadline for nominations is May 8th and the winners will be recognized at the June 2nd City Council meeting.
For more information on how to make a nomination, please look at CityScape on the inside back page of this month’s Pulse Beat.
“State of the City” Showing on YouTube
The Paramount Chamber of Commerce produced its annual State of the City event at Progress Park Plaza in February.
A video of the presentation is available for viewing on the City’s YouTube channel. Just visit www.youtube.com/cityofparamount. There are a number of other shows posted there, as well, covering events in town, City Council presentations, and more.
Mayor, Tom Hansen
Talking or Texting on Cell Phones
While Driving – Not Worth It
Graffiti Tracker Leads to Big Arrest
There are plenty of facts, figures, and details about distracted driving, but the California Office of Traffic Safety wants you to know the plain and simple ones:
The City of Paramount uses a system called Graffiti Tracker to monitor this type of vandalism as it is being removed in town. Members of the Public Works staff photograph every location they clean up and the images are downloaded and analyzed by Graffiti Tracker.
• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
• If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.
Project LEAD Sending Positive Message to Paramount Fifth Graders
Then the City’s Crime Analyst in the Public Safety Department and Sheriff’s Department personnel have access to the information, which they study for trends and patterns. Through this process, they were recently able to determine that a single individual has been responsible for a large number of graffiti incidents.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, long enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. Most crashes happen with less than three seconds reaction time.
Paramount has its own dedicated District Attorney – Kelly Tatman – who works out of the Sheriff’s Station. Her duties include making sure that criminal investigations and prosecutions in town receive full attention and don’t fall through the cracks at the larger County D.A.’s Office.
Working with the City’s two School Resource Deputies and a pair of Sheriff’s Beat Leaders, the team arrested a 15-year-old tagger who has been responsible for 185 separate graffiti incidents and more than $14,000 in damage. The juvenile will be charged with felony vandalism.
IRS Phone Scam
• The act of talking on a cell phone, even hands free, can give you “inattention blindness,” where your brain isn’t seeing what’s right in front of you. You aren’t even aware that you are driving impaired. If you think you can handle both driving and talking on a cell phone or texting, you are kidding yourself and putting us all at risk.
Tatman has been visiting a class of 36 students at Jefferson School as part of Project LEAD. The program, which goes into the classroom once a week for 20 weeks during the school year, uses volunteers like Tatman from the D.A.’s Office to teach fifth-graders about the law and help them recognize the social and legal consequences of criminal behavior.
During this tax season there have been reports of folks receiving calls from people claiming to be employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These so-called IRS representatives falsely claim that the recipients of the calls owe back taxes and then threaten them with fees or jail time if they don’t make a payment. Oftentimes, they will ask for a Social Security number and bank account information.
Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands off the steering wheel – especially texting and cell phone use, whether hands-free or handheld. Who’s doing it? Most of us. It has been estimated that, at any one time, more than 10 percent of drivers are using a mobile device.
Sadly, too many young people first become acquainted with the justice system as delinquents. Project LEAD is designed to avoid that scenario.
This is a scam. The IRS only contacts people via U.S. mail and never asks for personal information over the phone and never collects payments over the phone.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
A ticket for $159 for texting or talking on a cell phone is a major distraction to your wallet.
The National Safety Council wants you to know that the ringing of a phone or pinging of a text creates irresistible urges for many people to answer the call, read the message, or respond.
What can you do? Most important, obey the law. It’s there for a reason. Also, do your best to eliminate distractions:
To avoid these temptations while driving:
The class from Jefferson recently went on a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. (They will also go to a local courthouse). In addition, Project LEAD’s curriculum includes speakers connected to the criminal justice system and a mock trial involving either drug selling or gun possession on campus. Students are assigned roles and argue a criminal case to a jury consisting of other students. Teachers and parents attend, too.
• Turn off your cell phone, or put it on silent, before driving.
• Never text and drive.
• Toss your cell phone in the trunk or glove box to avoid temptation.
• Schedule stops to check voicemails, emails, and texts.
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel.
• Don’t text or call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
At the end of the program, the kids will participate in a graduation ceremony and receive a certificate of completion from the D.A.’s Office at a meeting of the Paramount Public Safety Commission.
• Install an app on your phone that disables it while your vehicle is in motion. You can find more information on the risks of using cell phones while driving at nsc.org/cellfree.
• Make a pact with your family, spouse, and caregivers never to use the phone with kids in the car.
Summer Vacation Home Checks
• No eating or drinking while driving.
Keep these facts from the California Office of Traffic Safety in mind, as well:
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player, or other devices while driving.
• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
With summertime approaching, remember that if you’re going out of town for an extended period of time, you can schedule a home check.
• Pull over and stop to read maps.
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
• No grooming.
• No reading.
• No watching videos.
• Try not to get too involved with passengers.
Paramount residents can contact the Sheriff’s Station about having Volunteers on Patrol keep an eye on your home or property while you’re gone.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number-one source of driver distractions.
Call (562) 220-2002 to ask about vacation checks.
• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, long enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. Most crashes happen with less than three seconds reaction time.
Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands off the steering wheel. Who’s doing it? Most of us. It has been estimated that, at any one time, more than 10 percent of drivers are using a mobile device.
Simple Strategies for Better Event Marketing
Friday, May 16, 2014 - 10am to 12pm
Do your best to eliminate distractions besides the ones that come from cell phones:
• No eating or drinking while driving.
Attend this presentation and learn how to use the power of event marketing to get potential and existing customers to take four key actions:
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player, or other devices while driving.
• No watching videos.
• If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.
• Sign up • Speak up • Show up • Follow up Good marketing is about eliciting a physical and measurable response. In this practical and engaging seminar, you will learn how to find, convert, and keep new and existing customers through effective event marketing. You will also learn best practices related to the who, when, where, and what that makes an event a memorable experience. Learn how events can engage customers. Take your events to the next level using e-mail, social, traditional, and internet marketing tools.
The Hands-Free Myth
Fee: $20
(Make checks payable to LBCC SBDC)
Do you think using a hands-free device is the safe way to drive and talk on the phone?
A recent National Safety Council poll shows that 80% of U.S. drivers believe hands-free cell phones are safer than using hand-held. However, it’s just not true.
For Reservations: 562-938-5051 SBDC Or jgrass@lbcc.edu
More than 30 studies show that using hands-free systems provide drivers no safety benefit. Even with both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, your mind is distracted from the task of driving.
The results are in:
Workshops will be held at: Paramount Chamber of Commerce 15357 Paramount Blvd, Paramount, CA 90723
• Hands-free features in dashboards actually increase mental distraction.
• Using voice-to-text is more distracting than typing texts while driving.
*Free Business Counseling Also Available
*$25.00 refundable deposit required Call the Chamber for more information
• Drivers who text with their hands or voice (using speech-to-text systems) keep their eyes on the road less often and have reaction times twice as slow.
More than 200 job seekers visited the Paramount Chamber 2015 Job Fairsponsored by Paramount Petroleum.
Paramount Chamber Ambassador Pamela rice (Office Depot) helps job seekers create their resumes.
Paramount Chamber Ambassador Chair Grace Padilla (Marukan Vinegar, USA) and Ambassador Annina Brown (Paramount Petroleum) welcome visitors to the Job Fair.
LA County Sheriff’s conducted on site testing for Deputy Training at the Job Fair; more than 60 applicants tested for the training.
Paramount Students Gaining Experience Via Tiger Woods and ACE Clearwater
The Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) seeks to foster a “community of education” that instills the value of school and encourages all residents to become lifelong learners. A joint effort between the City, the Paramount Unified School District, and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce, PEP offers a number of initiatives to promote this message.
A major component of that “community of education” in town is STAR (Success Through Academics & Recreation), a free after-school program, another collaboration between the City (which provides staff) and the School District (which provides the space).
STAR operates every day of the week in each PUSD K-8 school and provides an academically rich environment through homework help and literacy enhancement. The program also encourages healthy living with physical activities and instruction about diet and eating choices.
The Tiger Woods Foundation was founded, in part, to advocate for college access for underserved youth. The Foundation operates the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim – it was a natural fit to involve Paramount kids with the opportunities offered there.
Each semester, students from two Paramount middle schools take classes at the Learning Center, at no cost, choosing from a variety options. This spring, for instance, 20 kids from Jackson School STAR and 20 kids from Zamboni School STAR attended every Monday and Wednesday from February 16
Clubs & Organizations
to March 25. Each student received a healthy snack upon arrival before going to their class, which was in the following fields:
* Beginning Digital Photography
* Civil Engineering
* Graphic Design
* Nutrition and Fitness
* NXT Robotics
* Smooth Swings
Another STAR offering is the middle school Technology Club that, in March, went on tours of ACE Clearwater facilities in Paramount, Compton, and Torrance. ACE Clearwater manufactures complex formed and welded assemblies for the aerospace and power-generation industries. Not only is the company involved in cutting-edge technologies, but the folks at ACE Clearwater are also great at conducting plant tours to show students how those various technologies work.
The STAR kids observed everything from standard metal-molding to high-tech metalforming done with 3-D printers.
Part of PEP’s mission is to convey the strong connection between educational attainment and economic success – in other words, the more you learn, the more you can earn. This, of course, can positively impact individual quality of life and has potential benefits for the community at large.
STAR helps fulfill that goal by revealing to students an array of professional and technical experiences – at places like the Tiger Woods Learning Center and ACE Clearwater – that can excite them about the possibilities in their futures.
m exican r estaurant
Appetizers: pizza, Quesadillas & nachos (chicken or beef) ½ price
cocktail purchase*
From left; Author Steve Gardality with rotarian Maria Mac Lean, Director of Membership.
Paramount STAr students at the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim.
La Terra Mia – Elegant and Delectable Dining in Paramount
When you walk into Paramount’s newest dining experience you encounter a beautifully designed environment, a roomy atmosphere that comes across as upscale without being stuffy, as well as casual without being ordinary. Indeed, La Terra Mia is anything but ordinary.
Owner Estela Valencia opened the fine-dining Italian eatery in February, and it’s one of the few restaurants of its kind for many miles around. As such, it was extremely important to her that quality be the guiding force.
Her chef, for instance, formerly worked in Los Angeles’s refined Bel-Air neighborhood. All ingredients – meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables – come from the finest purveyors in Southern California. Except, of course, for those made fresh on the premises, including the breads, pastas, and desserts.
Since its recent opening, La Terra Mia has already made a name for itself on that arbiter of taste, Yelp.
“The food exceeded all of my expectations,” enthused one guest. “Their sauces are so creamy and delicious and you can tell they use great products.”
Indeed, certain dishes have developed a dedicated following, according to Estela. Rigatoni alla Norma, for instance, a delicious melding of eggplant, tomato sauce, basil, and mozzarella. Or spaghetti al frutti di mare, simple yet enticing with fresh seafood in a light tomato sauce.
Other hits include penne del brigante, a taste sensation with chicken sausage, garlic, plum tomatoes and herbs in a white marinara. Cotto mascarpone carciofi – a white pizza with mascarpone, Italian ham, and artichoke hearts – has won over more than a few diners, as well.
Something special is the burrata cheese, a melt-in-yourmouth appetizer. “This is a unique Italian cheese, like mozzarella but creamier,” Estela said. “Our supplier was the first to introduce it in the U.S., and it has been special ordered by the Obamas in the White House.”
For out-of-this-world desserts, it would be hard to beat an inspired confection like woodfired pizza that bakes chocolate chip cookie dough and roasted walnuts onto a savory pizza dough, with chocolate sauce and whipped cream for a delightful finishing touch.
“I am happy because when people come to eat here, they leave happy,” Estela said. “They love the food. Still, I can talk about it all I want, but the test is in the eating. I’d like everyone to come in and see for themselves.”
Like the diner who remarked about the “best thin-crust pizzas
in Southeast L.A. County” while also recommending the undeniably enticing kale and arugula salads. Or the customer who suggested that everybody try the gelato, “since it’s homemade and has the perfect flavor.”
Other comments have praised the staff as “super sweet and willing to answer any questions about the items.”
“Great ambiance! Best little place around,” said another.
La Terra Mia has three rooms,
84 seats altogether, which provides a warm and inviting space for a family dinner, date night, special events, or large groups. There is catering for any occasion, gluten-free pasta, and an impressive wine list with over 30 selections.
La Terra Mia is located at 8335 Rosecrans Ave., phone (562) 272-2708. It is open for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday through Monday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Chamber and City officials join the owners of La Terra Mia ristorante for their grand opening.
Preparing lunch for La Terra Mia’s grand opening are Pedro Murillo and Filiberto Ortiz.
La Terra Mia owner Estela Valencia with server Narciso Pura.
At La Terra Mia you can start with a healthy kale salad and finish with a mouth-watering tiramisu.
City Manager Linda Benedetti-Leal presents a certificate of welcome from the City of Paramount. From left; Erika Valencia - La Terra Marketing Director, Narsiso Pura -restaurant Manager, Owner Maria Valencia and City Manager Linda Benedetti-Leal.
From left: John Moreno (Paramount Assistant City Manager), Erika Valencia (owners sister), Maria Valencia (La Terra Mia Owner), Jason Jacobsen (City of Paramount Administrative Services), and Linda Benedetti-Leal (Paramount City Manager).
Paramount Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Leonard Crespo presents a certificate of congratulations. From left; Erika Valencia - La Terra Marketing Director, Narsiso Pura - restaurant Manager, Owner - Maria Valencia and Paramount Chamber Senior Vice President - Leonard Crespo (Total-Western).
CALIFORNIA OUTREACH ORGANIZATION
ALEXANDER HAST (310) 926-7699, 15929 GARFIELD AVE, PARAMOUNT
WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US WITH HANDLING AND GIVING OUT THE FOOD & FOR DONORS WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP US WITH FOOD OR MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. PLEASE CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION (310) 909-9019.
Now hiring, AUTO MECHANIC, BODY AND PAINT TECH., AND OUTSIDE SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Email Heraldsgarage@gmail.com or visit Herald’s Garage 8124 E. Alondra Blvd., Paramount.
BILINGUAL SALES in English & Spanish with basic computer skills. Also looking for WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE with inventory, order-picking, and/or UPS experience. Please call 562-408-1984 and ask for Ivette or send an email to mimi.kim@ptminconline.com for Mimi.
Helping Children and Families Find Pathways Through Grief
That simple phrase expresses the mission of Pathways Volunteer Hospices’s CHANGES Bereavement Program.
Parents and other caregivers often want to “protect” children from death, and the grief it produces. In reality, however, the best “protection” for kids is allowing them to experience their grief while adults admit the reality of its pain. Experience shows that a supportive network - involving family, school, faith group, and community working together - is the best environment to provide this protection.
CHANGES combines a unique team of grief professionals and volunteers to help children and adolescents realize they are not alone in their grief and that their experiences are normal. Under the direction of Grief Counselor, Alan Saum, Pathways’ bereavement team uses a diversity of activities designed to meet the specific needs
and abilities of each group. Although most children express their grief in healthy ways, the Pathway’s team can provide further resources and referrals in the case of complicated bereavement.
Groups meet for 7 weeks on Tuesday evenings from 6:45 p. m. – 8:15 p.m. Children 5 - 18 meet in age appropriate groups while their surviving parent or caregiver meets concurrently. This gives the adults the opportunity to talk about their own grief and the behaviors and attitudes of their children. Together, they often find a common bond in their shared losses and discover practical tools and resources for dealing with their own grief while understanding and helping their children.
The next session of CHANGES begins Tuesday April 21st. For further information regarding the program or to register, please call the Pathways office at 562-531-3031
C oun C ilmember d iane J. m artinez
e nd S h er t erm a S m ayor
The Paramount City Council held its annual reorganization meeting on March 17th during which Councilmember Tom Hansen was elected as Mayor to serve for 2015-2016. Outgoing Mayor Diane J. Martinez received commendations and recognition from a number of area officials on the completion of her mayoral term.
Genesis Coronado, representing Congresswoman Lucille roybal-Allard. Erin Stibal, representing Los Angeles County Supervisor Don knabe.
Capt. keith Swensson, representing the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Battalion Chief Tim Fordham, representing the L.A. County Fire Department.
Jon Tanklage, representing the Paramount Chamber of Commerce.
Julia Juarez, representing State Senator ricardo Lara.
ronald Lawrence, representing Assemblymember Anthony rendon.
Incoming Mayor Tom Hansen, representing the Paramount City Council.
10 Tips for Sales Success
Successful sales people are often described as having been born that way. However, this is not necessarily true. The ability to charm does not guarantee a successful sales career. In fact, many charismatic individuals have failed to produce favorable results when placed in a sales position.
Sales processes can be broken into three components: lead generation, lead management and prospect conversion. The following is a series of questions concerning each of the three processes. Review the questions and customize a list to your organization. Ask each person involved in the selling process to submit their answers. Then have a team building meeting where tribal knowledge can be shared, to the benefit of all involved. The more consistent and
streamlined the sales process—the greater potential for overall company success.
Lead Generation:
1. How are you generating leads?
2. Where are you getting customers?
3. What percentage of leads convert to prospects?
4. Are you asking for referrals?
Lead generation is the first step and a crucial aspect of the process. The ability to convert prospects to customers is based on the quality of the lead. Lead generation can take on many forms: cold calls, referrals, mailings, online forms and tradeshows. As a company, you have to determine your best source of quality leads.
If you already have customers, trace the sales pathway backwards to determine how
they first learned about your company. Many times the most useful information can be gained by analyzing historical data. I had thought my clients were obtained through networking events. Upon further examination I learned that the majority of my clients came from my speaking engagements. I then focused my sales efforts towards obtaining speaking engagements rather than attending networking functions.
One of my clients insisted that the majority of their customers originated from tradeshows. They would spend thousands of dollars traveling throughout the country. When I audited the sales pathway I learned that the majority of their customers came from a local networking group. In response, the company discontinued the investment in tradeshows and spent more time attending local events. The customer acquisition cost decreased significantly with the savings going directly to the bottom line.
Referrals are one of the company’s greatest assets. Does your company have a process in place to ask for referrals? You may be missing out on additional sales opportunities by not asking customers and partners for a referral.
Measuring the percentage of leads that convert to prospects is as important as measuring the amount of prospects that become customers. This early stage measurement examines the effectiveness of your lead generation process. Starting with a qualified lead provides a better chance for conversion.
Lead Management:
5. What is your process for organizing leads?
6. How fast are you following up on leads?
7. How do you manage the follow-up process?
Independent of the method you use to generate leads, you must have a detailed plan for follow up. Studies have shown that companies take on average 48 hours to respond to an Internet generated lead. Smaller companies do not have the luxury of a dedicated sales force and owners can easily get distracted by daily emergencies.
Anything can be achieved if an intelligent plan is in place. Try to set aside a
specific time each day/week for lead followup. Prospects will be more patient if they receive some type of response. At the least, have a computer generated message stating an expected response time.
Lead Conversion:
8. What criteria do you use to qualify prospects?
9. At what point in the sales cycle do you determine if the prospect is qualified?
10. What percentage of qualified prospects convert to clients?
Wasting time on a prospect that has no intention of purchasing is missed opportunity for the one that does. Knowing when to cut ties and move on is a learned sales skill. Those that succeed have an internal gauge that says, it’s time to move on.
Many years ago I coined the following sentence as a conversion guideline, “Now or in the immediate future, the prospect must be able and willing to purchase your product/service at the price point you are selling”.
Are you properly investing your time with qualified prospects? What specific buying criteria must exist for a prospect to convert to a customer? It is advantageous to write down the top five. Are they able to afford your product? Are they willing to purchase now? This list can be viewed repeatedly when going through the prospecting process.
By calculating your conversion rate from prospect to customer you have a method to audit your processes. Peter Drucker once famously said, “If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” This same principle for management can be applied to your sales strategy.
The SBDC is a group of successful small business owners helping fellow entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow their business through low-cost workshops and free one-on-one consulting in business planning, finance, marketing, and various other specialty areas (Spanish speaking consultants available). To make an appointment call: (562) 938-5100, or email: sbdcinfo@lbcc.edu
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C ity C oun C il P re S entation S
Deputy Evan Wagner was commended for his exemplary police work in the City over the last four years that has resulted in a very high number of arrests and citations. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Dep. Wagner, Mayor Tom Hansen, Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, and Councilmember Gene Daniels.
The City Council proclaimed March as American red Cross Awareness Month, which recognizes the work done by the organization and urges the community to support the Greater Long Beach Area Chapter. Community Ambassador Phil Wendel from the Chapter was in attendance. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Mayor Tom Hansen, Wendel, Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, and Councilmember Gene Daniels.
National Women’s History Month
March was celebrated as National Women’s History Month, which highlights the great and lasting contributions that women have made to the United States. A proclamation was given to members of the Paramount Women’s Club. The club has performed volunteer work in the community since 1926. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Club member Linda Garcia, Mayor Tom Hansen, Councilmember and Club member Diane J. Martinez, Club President Gerda Trutzl, Club member Vivian Hansen, Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, and Councilmember Gene Daniels.
The Paramount Lions Club presented a donation of $8,000 to the Paramount Education Partnership’s scholarship fund. The money will go toward scholarships specifically for students who are enrolled in vocational training programs. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Club member Bob Weiss, Mayor Tom Hansen, Councilmember and Club member Gene Daniels, and Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer.
March was recognized as Safe Communities Month, which acknowledges that public safety is the number-one priority in Paramount, highlights the City’s great partnership with the Sheriff’s Department, and promotes the message that everyone in the community has a role to play in keeping the City secure. Capt. keith Swensson of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department was on hand to accept the proclamation. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Mayor Tom Hansen, Capt. Swensson, Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, and Councilmember Gene Daniels.
Sgt. Carlos Sanchez
Sgt. Carlos Sanchez was recognized for being named Law Enforcement Partner of the year by the Paramount Elks Club. A 26-year veteran of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, the sergeant has been at the Paramount Station for the last three years as Patrol Sergeant and Special Assignment Sergeant. From left: Councilmember Peggy Lemons, Councilmember Diane J. Martinez, Sgt. Sanchez, Mayor Tom Hansen, Vice Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, and Councilmember Gene Daniels.
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Deputy Evan Wagner
Paramount Lions Club
American Red Cross Awareness Month
Safe Communities Month
