Annual Job Fair A Success
More than 400 job seekers and 55 employers and training institutions attended the Paramount Chamber Job Fair this year. “The event was a huge success, there was a steady flow throughout the day and everyone seemed to be taking advantage of the different services offered at the event,” said Chamber President, Leonard Crespo.
The event which was sponsored by Paramount Petroleum included resume preparation and resume
critiques in addition to employment opportunities. According to Executive Director, Peggy Lemons the event has grown every year.
“This is the third year the fair has been held at Paramount Park. The first five years we held the Job Fair at Progress Park, but we outgrew the facility. We reached vendor capacity at Paramount Park this year, so if it continues to grow we will need to think about moving outdoors.”
Metro rates the Paramount Chamber Job Fair two thumbs up!
Dozens of Job Fair visitors had their resumes prepared free of charge.
More than 450 job seekers attended the Paramount Chamber Job Fair
Mayor, Gene Daniels
Sheriff’s Department Looking For Female Deputies
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be holding a Women In Law Enforcement Career Day on June 28. The expo, designed to encourage women to join the Department, will run from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the STAR Center, 11515 S. Colima Rd., Whittier. At 10 a.m. a test will be given for potential deputy trainees, followed by oral interviews for the position.
For reservations, and a list of minimum requirements for the job, please call 1/800/A-DEPUTY. You can also learn more by visit -
Newest Public Art
The City’s latest piece in its outdoor art gallery, entitled “Conversation,” has been installed. The piece – made up of two symmetrical figures sitting across from one another – is in the newest section of the Civic Center Plaza, across from the Hay Tree and adjacent to Paramount Blvd. It has a very balanced and calming feel to it, which fits with the general theme of the gardens. The symbolism, also, of two individuals engaged in conversation is an image of what government should stand for.
Next time you’re near City Hall, stop by and spend some relaxation time in the sun taking in the foliage and the art.
Fireworks Reminder
The Fourth of July, with its many celebrations, is on the first Friday of next month. According to a City ordinance, “safe and sane” fireworks sold in Paramount can only be used on July 3 and July 4, and you must be 16 years or older to buy them. Please remember, too, that all other types of fireworks are illegal, and anyone caught selling
or setting them off could be charged with a serious crime.
The City will increase its efforts in the weeks leading up to the Fourth to minimize the use of banned fireworks with more personnel and resources dedicated to the issue. All of this activity is aimed at a zerotolerance policy that will include arrests and fines for those breaking the law.
While celebrating our nation’s Independence Day, we can have a good time while keeping safety in mind and showing respect for those around us. And afterwards, don’t forget to clean up the residue from our streets and driveways.
Low-Cost Pet Vaccinations
The City will provide low-cost vaccinations for all dogs and cats in the community at two special “Vaccine-A-Thons” this summer at Paramount Park, 14410 Paramount Blvd. The first will be Wednesday, June 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; the second will be held Wednesday,
July 23, also from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Rabies vaccinations (required for all dogs under California law) will be priced at $5 each – a $10-$15 savings over traditional prices. A complete selection of other pet vaccinations will be available at special prices. Plus, popular flea control products Advantage and Frontline may be purchased at a discount. You can also have a microchip registration done for identification purposes (if your pet is ever lost) for only $35.
Pet licensing will be available on site, along with free educational materials and general health care tips for dogs and cats. Dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers.
All veterinary services are provided by Vet Care Vaccination Services, Inc. in conjunction with South East Area Animal Control Authority (SEAACA). A portion of the event’s proceeds will be directly applied toward improving animal welfare in the community. For more information, please call (562) 220-2018.
Improve yourself!
Most people want to change the world to improve their lives. What a wasted effort. If they only would improve themselves, they would be better off and so would the world.
– Gerhard Gschwandtner
Business Banners for Advertising
As a tool to help businesses with advertising, the City of Paramount enacted a special ordinance in 1993 that allows the use of hanging banners.
Each business is permitted one banner, except for businesses located in corner suites (which can have two banners) and businesses occupying single-unit buildings (which can use four banners). One banner is permitted per building side.
All banners must be professionally manufactured, and they need to be installed flat against the wall or facade and anchored at all four corners – they can’t hang in midair, be suspended only by the top edge, or be strung between buildings or trees. Businesses utilizing banners need to get a no-fee permit from the City, and renew it on a yearly basis. (It’s a simple, one-page form.)
This type of marketing can be of great benefit. There can, though, be a downside – if not maintained, banners can wear out and create a bad visual image. Paramount and its businesses have focused on creating an attractive cityscape, something a tattered, untended banner can compromise.
The banner ordinance in Paramount is meant to provide an effective advertising tool for local merchants. If these signs become damaged, or if they hang badly, it’s in everyone’s best interests to set them straight and make repairs.
Crime-Fighting Tools Producing Results
Since Paramount started using the services of a dedicated fingerprint specialist, crime-scene investigations have been much more productive than in the past when we had to wait on the backlogged County system for processing prints.
According to Sheriff’s Department records, in the three-month period from January-March of this year, Paramount’s fingerprint specialist visited 166 crime scenes and lifted 45 prints. The Sheriff’s lab in Cerritos found 25 matches in the California criminal database. Of the 25 matches, 12 suspects have been identified by detectives. Detectives have
authored and executed six search warrants and have arrested eight suspects. The deputies are still working on the remainder of the identified suspects.
Another ongoing initiative in Paramount is the establishment of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) checkpoints in town. The most recent was conducted on Monday, May 5, from 7:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.
A total of 1,534 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, and 1,134 were screened and received a flyer warning them about the dangers of drinking and driving. During the operation, 151 citations were issued for various violations. Seven motorists were administered field sobriety tests and two were arrested for DUI. One other motorist was arrested for being in possession of marijuana.
Over the last few months, the City has also been working with a “scent evidence” canine. These dogs are helpful with investigations where there wouldn’t otherwise be much evidence to go on. Last month, the dog and its handler were instrumental in the arrest of a serial burglar.
While examining an apartment that had been burglarized, deputies found a footprint outside the apartment window. After conferring with the canine handler to see if the footprint could be used as scent evidence, and finding the suspected burglar at a nearby apartment, the handler and canine came to the scene. The dog indicated that the individual in question had indeed left the footprint behind and been inside the burglarized unit, as well. A secondary dog, considered the “expert” canine in suspect identification, was brought in and provided confirmation on the suspect.
The scent canines are certified and evidence collected with their use is accepted for prosecution in court. This particular suspect, who was out on parole for burglary at the time, confessed to the crime and is now behind bars.
The City and Sheriff’s Department will continue to use these canines in an effort to conduct more thorough investigations and ultimately arrest more suspects in an attempt to keep property crimes down.
Proteger
Todo
Toda Consulta
Paramount Education Partnership Thanks Its Generous Donors
The goal of the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) is to increase the educational level of each resident in the City by at least 20% over what they would traditionally attain. Reaching this involves a variety of supplementary education services such as tutoring in math and English and assistance with homework for thousands of disadvantaged children in the Paramount Unified School District (PUSD) and other Paramount residents. In addition, PEP has provided more than $147,000 in college scholarships to PUSD high school seniors and Paramount residents to help with the costs of higher education.
Funding for these programs is made through in-kind contributions and financial resources from the City of Paramount and PUSD, and income raised from PEP’s Annual Benefit Auction where businesses and residents come together in support of education. Each and every year for the last five years, the Paramount Chamber of Commerce Committee on Education has assisted in the planning and fundraising of this one-of-a-kind event. Businesses represented on the committee include: Paramount Swap Meet, Bianchi Theaters, Bianchi Winery, Paramount Petroleum, Royal Truck Body, Weber Metals, Paramount Iceland, Zamboni Merchandising Co., Fenico Precision Castings, Lindsay Lumber Co., Martinez Dentistry, McDonald’s Restaurant, City of Paramount and the PUSD.
The Benefit Auction is hosted by the City and catered by the School District. Wine has been provided by the Bianchi Winery and props and
décor have been provided by RWB Party Props Co. Everyone who has contributed to PEP has left an imprint on the lives of our PEP students and their parents.
MEET PEP’S 5TH ANNUAL BENEFIT AUCTION SPONSORS
Our students and residents are thankful for your dedication and support
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Weber Metals
GOLD SPONSOR
Fenico Precision Castings
Paramount Petroleum
SILVER SPONSOR
The Lions Club of Paramount
BRONZE SPONSOR
Carlton Forge Works
CSULB-METRANS/CITT
LPA, Inc.
Office of Supervisor Don Knabe
Westgroups Designs, Inc.
The Willdan Group of Companies Foundation
EVENT HOSTS
Bianchi Winery
City of Paramount
RWB Party Props Co.
Paramount Unified School District
EVENT SUPPORTERS
Phil Jakobi
Gateway Business Bank
Kohrs & Fiske
Michael Bishop and Associates
Kenny’s Auto Body Towing Hollydale School Social Committee.
CITY SERVICES
City
City
Community
(planning & zoning) Dog Licensing
Finance
Community Services & Recreation
(parks & recreation)
Vicky Professional Services Now Offers Staff CPA
Vicky Professional Services, Inc., a fixture on the Paramountarea business scene for nearly 20 years providing administrative services for small- and medium-sized businesses, is proud to announce that long-time staff member Senior Accountant Cecilia J. Tascon has attained the status of Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
On February 6, 2008, Cecilia received her certification from the California Board of Accountancy. This came after much vigorous study that included five years of extensive accounting and tax studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In completing 72 units at UCLA, she received the Award in Accounting Certificate. (She had already earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1988. Cecilia is a native of Colombia, and came to the U.S. in 1990.)
Also at UCLA, Cecilia completed the CPA Review course that further prepared her for the
challenging four-part examination given by the State of California. She then passed that test with high scores and within the required 18-month time frame. All of her success is based on hard work and dedication to her studies that she managed along with her personal life that includes being a wife and mother of two young children and holding a demanding job as an accountant.
Cecilia has been with Vicky Professional Services, Inc. since the beginning days of the firm in 1990. She has 20 years of experience in accounting and taxes and her status as CPA will bring an increased expertise in these services. She has contributed to the success of the business and has long demonstrated a strong knowledge in the accounting and tax fields. Today she is on the company’s Board of Directors and supervises the bookkeeping and payroll staff. Together with company founder Vicky Uisprapassorn, she helps in the
preparation of business and indi
vidual income taxes as well as the daily management of their clients’ companies.
Vicky Professional Services, Inc. will continue offering the same array of accounting features to help any type of business. These range from
creating an entity (corporations, partnerships, sole proprietors, etc.) to keeping the required accounting and tax records after the business is established. Vicky Professional Services, Inc. serves all kinds of businesses in the region as well as throughout California and around the United States.
Vicky Professional Services, Inc., which offers bi-lingual capabilities in Spanish and English, is affiliated with numerous professional organizations: the National Association of Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CPA), the National and California Associations of Enrolled Agents, the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation, the National Notary Public Association, the Better Business Bureau and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce. They are located at 15975 Paramount Blvd., Suite A, Paramount, CA 90723; (562) 634-1178.
Cecilia J. Tascon, CPA.
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Paramount Rotary Club’s Scholarship & Award’s Luncheon
The Rotary Club’s annual golf tournament raised $21,000 for academic and technical school scholarships provided to 2008 Paramount High School graduating seniors. The scholarships ranged from $500 to $1250 and were awarded to twenty-six recipients during a luncheon held at Progress Park Plaza. Supporting
education is very important to the Paramount Rotary and they are proud to have played a role in helping meet the financial needs of these fine students
For more Rotary information, call Club Secretary Duane Mahan at 562634-0234 or check their website at www.clubrunner.ca/paramount.
Come
From left, three recipients of Paramount Rotary scholarships: Triana Patel, Dante Mendoza and Carla Melgar.
Competitions.
Stater Bros. is pleased to announce that the Company, its customers and employees recently raised $501,707 to benefit the American Heart Association.
Since 2002, Stater Bros. has raised over $2 million for the American Heart Association.
During the month of February 2008, Stater Bros. customers and employees at all 164 Stater Bros. Supermarkets were given an opportu-
nity to donate by purchasing “Have A Heart, Save A Heart” red paper hearts for $1 and gold paper hearts for $5. In addition, Stater Bros. and its supplier partner ConAgra Foods made direct contributions to this American Heart Association Campaign. All of the funds collected go back to the local communities served by Stater Bros. and will be used for research and educational programs that prevent heart disease and stroke.
The young ladies of Kimberly’s Dance Studio won the 2007 Top Studio Award in Pomona and the 2008 Top Studio Award at the Riverside National
They have also been invited to compete at the Las Vegas Nationals and the New York All Star Kids competition this summer.
Stater Bros. President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Lee (right) presents a check from the 2008 Stater Bros. “Have A Heart” In-Store Campaign to Roman Bowser, Executive Vice President of the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate, and Vanda Mittal, an 18 year-old stroke survivor and advocate for the American Heart Association.
Paramount Women’s Club attends Los Cerritos District Convention at Buena Park Hilton and takes home12 first and second place awards for their club projects and reports. Seated from left club members: Helen Melton, Betty Walter, Ethel Hillyard, Laura Oropeza. Standing from left: Ella Marie Bailey, Cleone Hatwan, Shirley Elliott.
Decision-Making- the Good, the Blunders and the Debacles
By Ian Lamont, Director Small Business Development Center
We all make numerous decisions everyday. In business, we make decisions that result in money being spent and resources being committed. Yet most of us do not understand or even think about why we make the decisions we do.
In professional baseball, a batter who is successful 3 out of 10 times (or fails only 7 out of 10 times) is revered by fans and paid millions because he is a .300 hitter.
You are probably saying my successful decision-making “batting average” is better than that, right? Yet how often do you mutter, “if I only knew…” or “why didn’t I consider…” Even if your average is better, you are still probably making more bad decisions than good. So how do you take corrective action to raise your “batting average?” By understanding better what shapes your decision-making process.
Most poor or failed decisions start with the decision-maker committing one of three blunders; failure-prone practices, rush to judgment and poor allocation, usually of some combination of time, money and/or resources.
Failure-Prone Practices
Decision-makers can fall into a rut. Not wanting the responsibility or just being oblivious to their own poor track record results in making decisions the same way and getting the same poor outcomes.
We all know individuals whose decisions are the equivalent of only sticking their toe in the water, who make a weak or poor decision to avoid criticism and whose decision-making has nothing to do with trying to make an excellent overall decision. For example, these individuals will make a decision because it has a low cost and therefore they will never be singled out for increasing expenses.
Another failure prone decision-making practice is to always look for things beyond the decision-maker’s control.
Government regulations or unexpected budget cuts offer convenient excuses to these decision-makers for not pursuing better practices.
Rush to Judgment
Decision-makers in this category will often jump on the first idea that comes along, justifying poor decisionmaking because they have too much to do or too many decisions to make. When answers are not readily available or there are too many “to-do’s” on their list they will grab on to the first thing that seems to offer relief, so one more thing can be crossed off their list.
Poor Allocation
These decision-makers will delay making any kind of final decision by committing time, money, resources, etc., for further evaluations often without even knowing what they want the information for and how it will impact the outcome. To make matters worse, these evaluations are often defensive — carried out to gather more information to support a “failure prone” decision to give more justification to ultimate decision. Decision-makers blunder when they fail to focus on outcomes.
So having covered the three blunders that cause decision-makers to make poor or unsuccessful decisions, let’s talk about the traps that follow these blunders.
While there are only three blunders, there are at least six traps. They are:
• Failure to Reconcile Claims
• Failure to Manage Forces Stirred Up by a Decision
• Ambiguous Expectations
• Limited Search and No Innovation
• Ignoring Ethical Questions
• Failure to Learn
When caught in any of these traps, decision-makers are apt to make a bad call that can become a debacle.
Failure to Reconcile Claims
As a business owner you watch your results closely when you notice a trend of lost sales and revenue. Keeping track of your competitors, you see that one in particular is growing at about the same rate that you are losing business. You make the decision that the quality of your product must improve to recapture this lost business and so you devote time, money and resources. Yet your loss of business could be for any number of reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of your product.
Decision-makers get trapped when they rationalize a reason for a decision without looking into it further. The relationship of the concern — the loss of sales and revenue — and the perceived reason — low product quality — may have no connection.
Failure to Manage Forces Stirred Up by a Decision
If a decision is perceived as jeopardizing another’s “turf,” or their value to the business, people around the decision will become engaged. This will create opposition to the decision, no matter the quality of the decision. Opposition will take shape in subtle ways through delay, token compliance and attempts at negotiation to hold up a decision or limit its use.
The savvy decision maker heads off this types of resistance by shaping the decision to practices, resources and relationships valued by people and communicating the value of the decision to all parties impacted.
Ambiguous Expectations
Decision-makers must set a clear expectations for the decision. Why is the decision being made? What is the goal and the anticipated results? Besides the goal, objective and outcome, all decisions should also name a “champion” (lead person) and a delivery date. In-
cluding all of these key components will greatly increase the quality of your decision-making and your success rate.
Limited Search and No Innovation
“Keep your options open” is sage advice. When making a big-ticket expenditure, such as buying a car or a house, we identify several options before settling on one. Yet, many decision-makers in business making weighty decisions without considering other options. Being consistent in your personal and business decision-making process will have you making better decisions in both areas.
Ignoring Ethical Questions
A person’s ethics is rooted in their standards of fairness and justice. What one believes to be fair and just is imposed on a decision and how the decision is made. Decision-makers apply standards of fairness and justice to what they see, which may or may not capture what actually takes place. Both the appearance and the reality of an ethical lapse can spell trouble.
Ethical issues can erupt at any point in the decision-making effort. Claims can seem wrong-headed and provoke opposition. Decision-makers feeling pressured to act may barge ahead and run over people whose interests could have been served or preserved. Whose interests are being served and whose are neglected will always pose an ethical issue. Failure to apply personal standards when making decisions at work sets an ethical trap.
Failure to Learn
Decisions produce outcomes with consequences. Learning requires an assessment of these consequences and the actions taken to realize them. Hoping to deflect blame and protect prerogatives,
BUSINESS from page 10
some decision-makers maneuver to keep their decisions from receiving a post-mortem. There is also a natural reluctance to reveal information that could expose mistakes and errors. Perverse incentives, misleading outcomes and a “hindsight bias” also coax people to conceal information, forging a climate in which one tells others as little as possible.
Your decision-making will not improve unless you are open to objective evaluation, constructive criticism and postmortems.
Discover what gives life and results to the issue being contemplated. Get various points of view in meetings and other
forums, and challenge those listening to reflect and make sense of what is heard.
Doing this will help you avoid the three blunders and the six traps that cause poor decision-making.
Ian Lamont is the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), located in North Long Beach. The SBDC provides “no-cost ever” 1-on-1 business counseling and mentoring. Your Paramount Chamber has partnered with the SBDC to provide this free business counseling at the Chamber office for any business. The SBDC has nine experienced business counselors, including, an Accountant, Attorney, Banker, Webmaster/Technologist Sales & Marketing Executive, along with experience counselors in starting and running your own successful business. There is never a charge to meet with any of these counselors 1-on-1. The SBDC is hosted by Long Beach City College. To set up your appointment, call the Chamber or call the LB SBDC office at 562-570-4571. For more information, go to http://lbsbdc. lbcc.edu
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