CEO Message

By Trish Christensen

With a focus on education this month, the timing was perfect to have been invited to join a group of Modesto City School Board members, the Superintendent, members of the citizen’s oversight committee, and fellow community members on a bus trip! I attended a tour day of elementary, junior, and high schools designed to give us an in-person view of all the great work, modifications, and modernizations that have been taking place throughout the district.

We saw everything from fresh paint and new school colors to a new cafeteria being built on the oldest school campus. We walked through new classrooms and saw new equipment for hands on career exploration and learning. We were also treated to a behind the scenes tour of the district wide nutrition center and kitchen. Trust me when I say that is an incredibly impressive, welloiled machine! They can manage their own cold storage, a vast amount of non-perishable food storage, and transport all the food needed to each campus every day. In addition to that, there is a fully remodeled kitchen area at Downey High School that has an extremely inviting and enticing atmosphere the students there will clamor to. And, on the personal side, I spent a few days away for some education of my own. I attended three full days, plus an evening kick off, at W.A.C.E. Academy 2021. This was held in Sacramento in early August. W.A.C.E (Western Association of Chamber Executives) is overseen by CalChamber and is known to be the go-to resource for Chamber executives, board members, and key staff. Academy is a three-year program that takes place annually. My class of first year attendees consisted of 54 participants who came in from several states including Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Colorado to name just some. If you engaged with the Modesto Chamber back in the late 80s, you would recognize my first instructor, Dave Kilby. His first job out of college was at the Greater Modesto Chamber of Commerce as the CEO. He has gone on to live and breathe chamber work ever since and is considered a top expert in everything Chamber. I have turned to him for guidance and answers many times. I thank the Modesto Chamber Board for investing in my growth and development by sending me to academy.

With warm regards, Trish

MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater Modesto Area,

Modesto Area, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, access to leaders, MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater access to leaders, economic development, connectivity and business education.economic development, connectivity and business education. Modesto Area, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, Toexecute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That To execute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. access to leaders, economic development, connectivity and business education. acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.” That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”Toexecute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”

At its heart the Modesto Chamber is a community of likeminded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, At its heart the Modesto Chamber is a community of likeminded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, work and play. The Modesto Chamber is the go-to resource and work and play. The Modesto Chamber is the go-to resource and facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental agencies, and community leaders. Moreagencies, and community leaders. than just a business club, the More than just a business club, the Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive transformation by supporting change agents in the community.transformation by supporting change agents in the community.

Chamber Staff, Board of Directors and many of our topical Chamber Staff, Board of Directors and many of our topical committees, such as Economic Development and Government committees, such as Economic Development and Government Relations, are engaged and proactively representing our members by Relations, are engaged and proactively representing our members by addressing business initiatives, addressing issues in our community addressing and business initiatives, addressing issues in our community working to relieve the regulatory burdens businesses endure due and working to relieve the regulatory burdens businesses endure due to local and state governments. The Modesto Chamber gets results, as to local and state governments. The Modesto Chamber gets results, as shown by recent victories in forming more rational ADA legislation, shown by recent victories in forming more rational ADA legislation, defeating a no-growth measure, electing business friendly candidates, defeating a no-growth measure, electing business friendly candidates, working alongside others to pass Measure L, a local self-help working alongside others to pass Measure L, a local self-help transportation measure, and championing for more water for our transportation measure, and championing for more water for our agribusiness, industry and citizens. By working together, our members agribusiness, industry and citizens. By workingare stronger together than they could ever together,be on their our members own. are stronger together than they could ever be on their own.

The Modesto Chamber specializes in building relationships among business and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit

The Modesto Chamber specializes in building relationships among organizations, and governmental agencies. We host monthly business and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit networking events, annual special events, an annual trade show, and organizations, and governmental agencies. We host monthly our long-running Gala. Members also may serve on committees or go networking events, annual special events, an annual trade show, and through the Leadership Modesto program where they will build long- our long-running Gala. Members also may serve on committeesterm relationships with key leaders in the business world and or go through the Leadership local community. Modesto program where they will build long- term relationships with key leaders in the business world and local community.

The Chamber serves the education community by hosting the annual State of Business and Education event, by fund-raising for local students at the Ag Aware and Harvest Luncheon annual series, and The Chamber serves the education community by hosting the annual State of Business and Education event, by fund-raising for local students at the Ag Aware and Harvest Luncheon annual series, and partnering with local schools and collegespartnering with local schools and colleges to to train and educate youngtrain and educate young men and women, all in keeping with men and women, all in keeping withour ourpledge pledge to help provide a ready to help provide a ready workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the Chamber workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the Chamber educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds of its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds of Success speaker series, workshops and seminars, monthly committee Success speaker series, workshops and seminars, monthly committee meetings, and SCORE counseling.meetings, and SCORE counseling.

The Chamber believes in service to the community and to its

The Chamber believes in service to the community and to its members. The Chamber Board and staff are active on many nonprofit members. The Chamber Boardand government committees, and staff are active ondonating their business many nonprofit expertise, time and government committees, donating their business expertise, time and resources. The Chamber also serves its individual members by and resources. The Chamber also serves its individual members by hosting ribbon cuttings which introduce a new business to the hosting ribbon cuttings which introduce a new business to the community, valuable and cost effective (free) marketing opportunities, community, valuable and cost effective (free) marketing opportunities, exposure to social media, workshops and training for our business exposure to social media, workshops and training for our business partnersandtheirassociates,andotherfree and discountedresources. partnersandtheirassociates,andotherfree and discountedresources.