Serving the Community Since 1990
ore than 160 community leaders and members of the Paramount business community attended the Chamber’s annual State of the City Address sponsored by Paramount Petroleum. The afternoon began with lunch catered by Café Camellia followed by a report on the Chamber’s activities by President Leonard Crespo.
Mr. Crespo outlined several success stories for the Chamber including the addition of 62 new members and a successful Job Fair which attracted more than 300 job seekers. He went on to say that the Chamber continues to provide free business counseling services through the Long Beach Community College SBDC and various business workshops at the Chamber’s Business Resource Center.
The next speaker was Pastor
Larry Jameson who gave an update on the activities of various Paramount churches. Jameson reported that several churches are providing help for the homeless, food banks, and tutoring programs for Paramount students. “Our business is people, we are here to help meet their needs today so that they do not become a problem for the community tomorrow.” said Pastor Jameson.
Following Pastor Jameson was Paramount Unified Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Verdugo. Dr. Verdugo had some exciting news to share about construction projects that are underway following the passage of a $100 million dollar bond referendum. He said construction has already begun on the new stadium at Paramount High and soon they will begin the new gymnasium, sports center, and library. In addition to the physical improvements he reported Paramount Unified ranked in the top three districts in all of Los Angeles County’s 47 districts, in terms of highest Academic Performance Index points gained.
Next Mayor Peggy Lemons spoke briefly about the City’s 50th Anniversary celebration and a year
end budget surplus. Lemons went into depth about the success of the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) a cooperative effort between the City, Paramount Unified, Chamber of Commerce and the Gateway Cities Partnership. She said the program began four years ago and since that time hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised to help increase the educational attainment level of Paramount residents. More than 5,000 after school tutoring programs have been held in addition to computer training classes and focused help through the PLATO system. Hundreds of children are participating in the MESA program and 49 students have received $3,000 scholarships. “PEP is way we can all contribute, a way to tell our children that they matter, that we will help them achieve their goals and we will be there to applaud them when they succeed,” said Lemons.
Closing out the afternoon was City Manager Linda Benedetti-Leal who reported the City will end the year with a $1.3 million dollar surplus. She said the bulk of the City’s general fund goes for Public Safety
programs and that the coming year will see significant investments in the City’s water department. The City Council approved drilling of a new water well to keep up with the growing demand for water and to prepare for the shortages that are predicted for the near future. A slide show previewed drawings for a $207 million dollar investment by the Kroger Company for their new supermarket distribution center at the old Cerro Metals site on Garfield, and the newly remolded shopping center at Downey and Alondra, which will feature a Fresh and Easy market. Benedetti-Leal went on to say the City has purchased property at the corner of Downey and Alondra with hopes of attracting a quality restaurant to the site. The City also revamped their Commercial and Residential Rebate programs to increase the project funding amounts and gave Paramount SASSFA a new home at the old firehouse on Colorado. In closing she mentioned the recent passing of former Mayor Charles Weldon, she said the City owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. Weldon for were it is today.
Companion Hospice Care Now Recruiting
Companion Hospice Care is now recruiting volunteers for an upcoming training program. Volunteers can become a needed friend to someone during the last part of their journey. Volunteers can also relieve tired caregivers for short periods of time, or help with errands and shopping. Assignments will be in your geographical area. Become a member
of the team, whose goal is to promote quality of life and comfort measures. Each applicant will receive 16 hours of orientation and training from a professional team. The training program will be held on Saturdays, April 26th, May 3rd, May 10th, and May 17th, 2008, conveniently located just off the 605 Freeway, at 10330 Pioneer Blvd., Ste
210, Santa Fe Springs. Call today and make a real differenc in someone’s life! To learn more, or to volunteer clerical skills to the organization, a task that does not require training, call Deanna, Coordinator of volunteers (562) 944-2711 or email Deanna@companionhospice. com. Fore more information visit: www.companionhospice.com
Chamber President Leonard Crespo
Pastor Larry Jameson Lifegate Foursquare Church
City Manager Linda Benedetti-Leal
Mayor Peggy Lemons PUSD Superintendent Dr. David Verdugo
Thank You For A Great Year
At the beginning of March, my yearlong term as Mayor of Paramount will be complete. These 12 months, representing our City and leading the Council, have been a wonderful time. I want to thank my fellow councilmembers for giving me the opportunity to serve. It’s very heartening to observe this truly committed community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.
Congrats to a Paramount Giant
The recent Super Bowl upset of the New York Giants over the New England Patriots came with a Paramount connection. Antonio Pierce, linebacker for the Giants, was a Paramount High football star and 1996 graduate. As their defensive team captain, he was a leader in an incredible season, and the City couldn’t be happier for him, or prouder. In fact, the City Council and the Paramount Unified School District Board of Education will be honoring Anto-
nio in a special event this month.
Dills Park Construction To Start Soon
Bids have been received for construction on the re-design and expansion of Dills Park. This will be one of the City’s major capital improvement projects this year.
The “extreme makeover” will give the entire park a completely new look, making it a natural wonder featuring native plants, wildflowers and other landscaping, and a dry creek bed running through it all. The effect will be to match what the adjacent Los Angeles River would look like in its pristine state. (The river’s bike bath will be accessible from the park.)
Also, the existing playground will be upgraded with equipment reminiscent of a Disney-type Adventureland. A similar playground set will be added in the new section.
The walking trail through the expanded park will have educational signage regarding the native species and habitats. The land acquisition, design and construction have been covered almost entirely by state and county grants. County Supervisor Don Knabe has helped the City immeasurably, arranging for $2.5 million in Los Angeles County funds being dedicated to this future gem in the Paramount park system.
Construction on Dills Park is scheduled to begin in April 2008.
Cleaning Up Blight
Speaking of civic improvements, the City’s Redevelopment Agency is continuing its ongoing efforts at eliminating blighted properties wherever possible. A fourplex on San Luis Street that had become an eyesore,
and a public safety problem, was purchased by the Agency after the lot had gone into foreclosure. The City demolished the buildings recently, and will soon begin the design process on some attractive single-family homes for this neighborhood that will be for the affordable housing market.
In other such news, a blighted apartment complex on Orange Avenue has been purchased and will soon be torn down for the construction of better housing. (All tenants were provided with relocation assistance.) And a vacant house on Lugo Street was bought with the same aim.
Also, the old Rockview Dairy at the corner of Downey and Alondra has been purchased with an eye toward producing an upgraded establishment at that high-profile intersection (something, perhaps, like a national chain restaurant).
Easter Faire This Month
Make sure to bring the kids to the City’s annual Easter Faire on Saturday, March 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Paramount Park.
The event will feature game booths, field competitions, a moon bounce, pony rides, a petting zoo and many more fun activities. There will also be an egg hunt in the park
and, of course, a visit by the Easter Bunny himself.
The festivities are free, but vendors will be offering food for sale. There will also be a $2 charge for photos with the Easter Bunny.
Paramount Park is located at 14400 Paramount Blvd. Please call (562) 220-2121 for more information.
Large-Item Trash Pickup
As a reminder – in Paramount it is illegal to dump anything in alleys, streets, sidewalks or any public right-of-way. But if you have oversized items like furniture or appliances that won’t fit in a regular trash container, the City’s waste hauler, Cal-Met, will pick them up for free from residential customers. And it’s simple. Call (562) 634-5420 the day before your normal trash pickup and tell them you have bulky items to be collected. Then simply place them out with your trash. Keep in mind that things like lumber, concrete, auto parts, and toxins such as paint and used motor oil cannot be removed in this way.
Again, the number to call for a largeitem trash pickup is (562) 634-5420. Cost: Free (for residences); $15 (for commercial accounts).
Happiness keeps you sweet, trials keep you strong.
Mayor, Peggy Lemons
Free Workshops for Rental Owners/Managers in March and April
The City of Paramount will be holding its latest Good Neighbor Program seminars for rental property owners/managers at Progress Park Plaza on Saturday, March 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. These free workshops are designed to supply helpful hints and tools for multi-unit rental properties. Progress Park Plaza is located at 15500 Downey Ave., Paramount.
Ideally, owners and managers will attend both workshops to receive the program’s certification and seal of approval that can help attract quality tenants.
Begun in 1999, the program provides training and tips for enhancing the quality of life for residents, creating higher tenant satisfaction rates and removing unlawful tenants. The effort also increases a property’s long-term profitability for the owner, lowers maintenance costs and establishes close contact between the owner/manager, the City and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
The classes are held in conjunction with the Apartment Association of Southern Cities, the Sheriff’s Department, and attorneys specializing in landlord/tenant law. Topics include tenant screening techniques, evicting problem tenants, developing effective rental agreements and recognizing criminal activity, all in an effort to keep a property crime free.
Another part of the program involves a task force made up of inspectors from the City’s Building and Safety Department, as well as personnel from the Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office.
Upon completion of the Good Neighbor Program, a distinctive “GNP” sign can be placed on these certified properties. Owners and managers can use this certification as a marketing tool when looking for new renters. In addition, property owners who successfully complete the program may receive a one-year free membership in the Apartment Association of Southern Cities and a one-year waiver of their City business license fees.
The United States government confirmed the importance and success of the Good Neighbor Program when the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave it a Best Practices Award for “outstanding community achievement.” The award is given to programs that improve the lives of residents and revitalize communities by addressing housing-related problems.
Rental owners and property manages representing hundreds of properties and thousands of rental units in Paramount have taken part since the GNP began. As a result, they have enjoyed substantial returns in the form of higher property values, lower repair costs and healthier rental rates.
To make a reservation for the workshop, or to find out more information about the Good Neighbor Program, please call Viki Ornelas at (562) 220-2245.
New California Vehicle Code Laws
The following list includes a small sample of the California Vehicle Code changes to existing traffic-related laws that took effect on January 1, 2008 unless indicated otherwise.
Under SB 7, motorists could be charged fines of up to $100 for smoking in a vehicle containing a person under the age of 18, although the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding, before a vehicle’s occupant could be cited for smoking.
AB 1531 limits the maximum consecutive number of times a person can renew a temporary disability placard and increases fines for second and third violations related to illegal parking in disabled spaces.
AB 801 makes it illegal to sell or use a product that obstructs or impairs the recognition of a license plate by an electronic device operated by police or toll authority, such as a red-light camera.
AB 321 allows local jurisdictions to adopt an ordinance establishing a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in a school zone. The 15-mph speed limit must be posted and applies up to 500 feet from the school. A 25-mph limit will apply at a distance of 500 to 1,000 feet from the school.
SB 67 reauthorizes a law allowing police to impound a vehicle for 30 days when a person is arrested for street racing, exhibition of speed or reckless driving.
A ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving takes effect July 1, 2008. For drivers under the age of 18, the prohibition will extend even to hands-free use of cell phones.
To access the entire 2008 California Vehicle Code and the DMV driver handbook, visit www.dmv.ca.gov and click the “Publications” button in the upper left hand corner.
Program Offering Free Medical Career Training to Paramount Residents
The Paramount Education Partnership (PEP), through the Gateway Cities Partnership, Inc., has entered into a partnership with Camillus College to train 28 students free of charge in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)/ Home Health Aide Program. The program is expected to last six months, which includes a 90-day retention period at a long-term healthcare facility.
The program is looking for mature, responsible, determined individuals that are looking for vocational training. You must be at least 16 years old, have a valid California driver’s license and/or identification, a Social Security card, birth certificate and be a legal and/or permanent resident.
If you are interested, and meet all the requirements, call Suleyma Rosales at PEP at (562) 817-0821 or Cynthia Figueroa at Camillus College at (562) 531-6400 to process your application right away. Be sure to mention the free CNA/ Home Health Aide Program.
PEP is also recruiting for the Paramount Youth Opportunity Program. This is designed to teach high school seniors (in particular, those who do not plan to attend college) critical labor-related skills and to place them in internships among business in the city of Paramount. Please contact Alexander Garcia at (562) 817-0223 for more information.
PEP is a partnership between the city of Paramount, Paramount Unified School District, Gateway Cities Partnership and the community. The
purpose of the PEP program is to dramatically increase the educational attainment of residents throughout the City of Paramount.
How you can help? PEP is seeking tutors to provide friendship, learning, educational assistance, and support to local students by tutoring at least one hour per week, or other duties as specified. All assignments will be under the supervision of staff during the after-school program. Schedules will depend upon availability and/or request.
Volunteers should be enthusiastic about learning, creative, have an appreciation and understanding for youth, be patient, have a good sense of humor, and have a strong sense of responsibility.
Please be aware that our students look to PEP programs not only as a place of learning, but also as a center of comfort, safety and stability.
Forging Industry Scholarships to be Matched by Weber
Weber Metals in Paramount has announced that it will match any scholarships awarded by the Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation (FIERF) to Paramount residents.
The company’s goal is to support educational development in the community and promote the technical education used by the forging industry.
For more information on available scholarships, please visit the FIERF website at www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/forging.
Proteger
Soy tu hermano, Ven para ayudarte 5720 Imperial Hwy #1 (Esquina con Garfield) “PIaza Del Pollo Loco” SOUTH GATE, CA 90280
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Major Raffle Prize
National Polytechnic College –Where a Better Future Begins
“Our business is providing people with the skills to begin a new career,” David Maddahi, Founder and Director of National Polytechnic College, is saying from the school’s new 18,000-square-foot facility in Commerce. “But it’s not a question of income for us, it’s a matter of outcome for our students. That’s our mentality.”
National Polytechnic College has been providing quality educational opportunities for 13 years. The larger campus – previously a standard warehouse space that Maddahi transformed into a state-of-the-art teaching facility – opened six months ago.
NPC offers programs in the following careers: medical assistant, dental assistant, therapeutic massage, computerized office assistant and computerized accounting. The school features an atmosphere that is unique in many ways. “Usually, with a
traditional classroom situation, the setting is not like real life,” Maddahi explained. “When you finish the program, you walk into the world and everything is different. At NPC, our classrooms are set up like an actual medical office, a dental office, a day spa. It’s a serene, comfortable, clean environment, and students look forward to coming here.
“We have the latest technology and lots of hands-on training,” he continued. “It’s as if you are actually at work, so when you go into the marketplace you don’t feel out of place.”
After a student completes their course work, NPC provides job placement assistance. “We’re connected with many businesses looking for new employees, and we can arrange for our graduates to get a job interview,” Maddahi said. “In fact, we have a long waiting list of dental offices looking for graduates.”
As both a state- and federal-
approved school, NPC can offer qualifying students financial assistance such as grants and low-interest loans. The school has day and evening classes, and most programs are English/ Spanish bilingual. “Cultural, language and other obstacles can be overcome by this kind of training,” Maddahi said. “These careers can supply options beyond those often considered the standard employment trails for many people. And I want to stress – these are not simply jobs, they are careers.”
In addition to impacting the lives of its students, NPC is also a contributing member for all the communities it serves. “In our cities like Paramount we want to be a positive factor,” Maddahi said. “We’re affiliated with local non-profits and working with troubled youth to provide job training.
NPC’s staff has this same vision and energy. “They truly
believe in what they’re doing,” Maddahi said. “There are no other schools like ours, with this kind of operating system. We, as a business, are here for profit, yes. But we truly stake our existence on the outcome for our students. We’re here to create futures.”
As a sign of the school’s effectiveness, Maddahi related that NPC recently received a 97% satisfaction rating from an independent agency that interviewed a substantial number of former students. “That result is unheard of in our industry,” he said.
National Polytechnic College – which provides a supervised creative play area for children who accompany their parents visiting and touring the school – is located at 6630 Telegraph Rd., Commerce, CA 90040, just off the 5 freeway. Call 866-800-0672 or visit www.npccollege.edu.
Ruben Ariaga & Oswaldo Escobedo, Massage Therapy Students.
The participants of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony include, Director of National Polytechnic College, David Maddahi and family, Michelle De Santiago from the office of Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, Ulises Sanchez from the office of Senator Ron Calderon, Geraldo Ornelas from City of Commerce Education Commission, Eddie Tafoya, Executive Director of Industrial City Council for the city of Commerce, and among others.
Photos Taken By: Alejandro Camacho
Julio Aguirre, Massage Therapy graduate student speaking about his educational experience at NPC.
Director of National Polytechnic College, David Maddahi
Creating a HighPerformance Business
By Ian LamontDirector- Small Business Development Center
A prior column “Transitioning from Entrepreneur to Business Leader” described what a big step it was from business founder to leader of a successful business. It dealt with the individual attributes and the challenge in becoming a respected business leader.
Now let’s go beyond your individual leadership growth to how you can impact the entire culture, the operating environment of your business where every employee wants to perform to the best of their abilities.
Being a great leader of a successful business is more than earning a profit. It’s about empowering those around you, forging a highperformance culture where all individuals can excel to the best of their abilities.
There are a couple of key phrases in the last two paragraphs:
· every employee wants to perform to the best of their abilities.
· where all individuals can excel to the best of their abilities.
High-performance environments do not exist where individuals are told what to do or where everyone is expected to perform a certain way and at a certain level. Anyone who has been in this kind of environment knows that it is overseen by a manager with no leadership skills, is poor performing with low morale, has high turnover and is going down the path to failure.
Which is a great segue to the first thing a high-performing business needs; the right people. One of the first things a highly successful business masters is the art of finding, keeping, and growing the right people. Plus, good people with talent attract other good people with talent which provides purpose, fuels passion, drives momentum and most significantly, builds a great performance culture.
Building this “right people culture” creates an operating environment that becomes your ultimate competitive advantage in your business sector and against all competitors. Your business product, what you sell, can never be your competitive advantage because better products and lower pricing happen all the time.
Understand by “right people culture,” I am talking about your operating environment; I am not talking about any individual because people
leave companies or they can be stolen by competitors. But no competitor can ever steal your operating environment.
As the business leader, your next step should be to share responsibilities, goals and objectives. You want all these “right people” to be empowered. Employees in high performing businesses not only have a clear understanding of their jobs (that means written job descriptions) but understand how their job adds to the long-term value of the business. These employees understand the link between the functions they perform and overall company performance and they are compensated for it. These same employees also understand that the bulk of their compensation is based on the value they create for the business.
So now we have gone from the “right person culture” to the “right people being able to make the right decisions culture.”. If you want to lead a successful business with a high-performance environment then the right people with the knowledge, need to make the decisions. To be the leader in this environment you need to know when not to be the decision maker and that the hierarchal structure does not determine who makes decisions.
Leaders who focus on the “right person, right decision culture” will observe a wonderful business transformation from one that required constant supervision, fire-fighting and oversight, to one that allows them to focus on strategic goals and future/vision planning- which equals one heck of a successful business.
Ian Lamont is the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), located in North Long Beach. The SBDC provides “nocost” 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 in the area. The SBDC has nine experienced business counselors, including, an Accountant, Attorney, Banker, Webmaster/Technologist, along with experience counselors in sales & marketing, running a business and even starting your own business. There is never a charge (free service) 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 office or e-mail Ian Lamont at ilamont@lbcc. edu For more information about the SBDC, go to www.lbsbdc.org
as:
Paramount Chamber of Commerce Presidents Award, 2004
Paramount Education Partnership Platinum Sponsor
A part of the City of Paramount for over 70 years, did you know that:
Paramount Petroleum is one of the largest suppliers of asphalt in the United States; Paramount Petroleum is in the top 15% of all U.S. refineries for Pollution Prevention performance according to the Environmental Defense Fund
Paramount Petroleum, YOUR good neighbor! 14700 Downey Avenue Paramount, CA 90723
Phone: (562) 531 – 2060 Fax: (562) 633 – 8211
Tile & More Ribbon Cutting
National Polytechnic College
David Maddahi
Ambassador of the Quarter
National Ploytechnic College is proud to be of service to the City of Paramount. We look forward to serving the community and providing Technical Training Opportunities to its residents. Special thanks to the Paramount Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Peggy Lemons for their support.
Smart Marketing and Promotional Tactics
In this session we explore marketing ideas for the small business. Topics to be discussed include:
· Analyze who customer is
· How to reach the customer
· Develop a marketing budget
· Marketing effectiveness analysis
Fee: $30 Thursday, March 4, 2008 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Smart Marketing and Promotional Tactics (Spanish) In this session we explore marketing ideas for the small business. Topics to be discussed include:
· Analyze who customer is · How to reach the customer · Develop a marketing budget · Marketing effectiveness analysis Fee: $30 Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:00
Reservations are required. Workshops are from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. For more information call 562-634-3980 x10 or email mvillasenor@paramountchamber.com
Workshops Presented by the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) All fees payable to SBDC
HELP WANTED
AUTO MECHANIC WITH TOOL EXPERIENCE. Trouble-shooting. TOP DOLLAR for TOP MECHANIC. Apply at Herald’s Garage, 8124 E. Alondra Blvd, Paramount. 562-633-2136, Ask for Joe.
SECURITY OFFICERS - Immediate Full Time & Part Time Positions. Must have valid guard and or gun permits. Call Central Patrol Service (562) 621-1500
Charles G. Hardy, Inc., Distributor of Building Material DRIVERS AND WAREHOUSEMEN wanted.15723 Vermont Ave., Paramount, Ask for Mark (562) 634-6560
SECURITY and PATROL OFFICERS NEEDED - Vernon Security currently has openings for Unarmed Guards and Patrol Officers to work all shifts in Paramount and surrounding cities. Must have a current guard card and a clean DMV for Patrol. Call Charles at 562-790-8993 Ext.102 or apply in person at 15317 Paramount Blvd Suite 201, Paramount, CA. Must bring your guard card when applying.
International Freight Forwarding Co. Hiring OPERATIONS, ACCOUNTING, CUSTOMER SERVICE & SALES REPS for its Paramount Ca. Houston Tx., & NYC offices. Experience not required. Proficiency in Chinese a plus. H/Ins. 401K provided. EM to laofc@zencon.com or fax 562-663-6899
SALES PEOPLE: We encourage all experienced sales people to apply for the best schedule you’ve ever seen! Great pay-pay & benefits. Relaxed work environment. Must have valid Sales License. Must speak Spanish & English. Apply at the office or online at: http://www.soppchevrolet.com/Employment
Paramount Women’s Club
During each week’s program meeting the Rotary club hosts a guest speaker. The recent Primary Elections and its rich array of candidates prompted the club to engage Professor Ginny Baxter (pictured) of Long Beach City College. Dr. Baxter teaches history and is a widely recognized expert on the First Ladies and American women in politics. She made a fascinating presentation about “America’s First Ladies” (including Hillary) club members found her outrageously funny and exceedingly knowledgeable.
The Rotary Club is an organiza-
Invites
Thursday, March 6
16279 Paramount Blvd.
Beginning at 11:30 am Lunch Served
Invites
Thursday,
Beginning
Mayor Peggy Lemons was guest speaker at
Women’s Club luncheon. Mayor Lemons reported
as well as what residents could expect
news President Patricia Lampear announced the Los Cerritos District Fine Arts Festival will be held at the Downey Women’s Clubhouse on February 29th, Shirley Elliott will be act as chair for Paramount.
Laughlin
March 3,4 & 5, 2008
$66.00 per person & $86 Single (registration Feb. 4) Universal City Walk
Business Card
