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4 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Read about member business Bakersfield Museum of Art.
5 STAYING IN COMPLIANCE Keep up-to-date on potential impacts to your business.
6 BYP VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
Unwind and join us for a BYP Happy Hour!
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6 LEADING WITH EMPATHY
Sign-up today for a series of workshops on how empathy can positively impact your organization.
7 SAVE THE DATE
Tune into KGET-TV 17 and watch the 2021 Kern County Economic Summit.
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BEAUTIFUL BAKERSFIELD
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Learn more about the 2020 Youth - Individual/Group winner Autumn Moreno.
12 MEMBER NEWS
Discover the latest news and happenings with other members.
Cover Spectrum Amphitheatre, at the Park at River Walk.
Contact us
1725 Eye St. • PO Box 1947 Bakersfield, CA 93303 661.327.4421 bakochamber.com
Metro is the official publication of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber. This publication is produced and digitally distributed to the Chamber’s membership at the beginning of each month. Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this publication is correct and accurate as of the publication date. Metro does not warrant the accuracy or claims of its advertisers. The Chamber President/CEO has the sole right to refuse any advertisement. Please send any comments, questions, article suggestions or advertising inquiries to jscheiber@bakochamber.com. © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means of the entire contents portion of this publication without written permission is prohibited.
METRO | PAGE 3
Member Spotlight W
hen the Bakersfield Museum of Art closed its doors last spring to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, we wondered when we could return to normal operations. Moreover, how could we keep our staff employed and continue our mission – bringing diverse visual arts experiences to our community? A combination of private sector grants and state and federal funding helped us manage our operating expenses. But what about our programming? In April 2020, we launched the #bmoachalkyourwalk campaign on Instagram, encouraging artists of all ages to draw chalk images on their sidewalks and driveways. Our goal was to help encourage each other and provide a sense of community through the healing power of art. Dozens of submissions through our social media accounts told us we had struck a nerve: BMoA was closed to the public, but the public still needed BMoA. To meet that need, we created our Museum at Home initiative: A series of online essays, downloadable art projects for artists of all ages, interviews and podcast episodes, all designed to share objects from our permanent collection with our community. Our 2020 spring fundraiser, ARTMIX, a curated cocktail party, became an online art exhibition with grab-and-go food and drink specials from local restaurants like Nuestro Mexico, Locale Farm to Table, The Kitchen and more.
Location: 1930 R St. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday Closed Sunday & Monday Admission Cost: $10 Nonmembers: $5 Children & Seniors Free for Members Website: www.bmoa.org METRO | PAGE 4
We launched our first ever virtual exhibition featuring our Artworks Class of 2020. The 16 gifted high school art students who participated in this program had their work featured online, allowing them to share their work with friends and family from outside the region. We even brought our winter 2021 exhibitions, which opened in February 2021 online and in 3D. We partnered with the Kern County Department of Public Health and Donahue Schriber to produce a scaled-down version of our annual Via Arté Italian Street Painting Exhibition at The Marketplace in October 2020, complete with masks, attendance limits and social distancing. As we welcome visitors back, they will notice a few changes, like social distancing, mask-wearing, reduced capacity and enhanced cleaning of high-touch areas. One thing that has not changed is our commitment to bringing diverse, fine art experiences to our community. If you would like to join our efforts, visit us at bmoa.org/donate today! – Amy D. Smith, Executive Director Bakersfield Museum of Art
Guideline to Reopening Your Business with COVID-19 Policies Webinar
L Jerry Pearson
earn how to successfully reopen Date: Tuesday, April 20 your business following public Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m. health guidelines to help your employees and customers feel Location: Zoom Webinar safe. Jerry Pearson, attorney and RSVP: HERE partner of Young Wooldridge LLP, will address how to: • Implement policies and procedures to reduce the possibility of transmission and litigation. • Implement and coordinate legally mandated time-off for employees. • Can (and should) employers implement a mandatory vaccination policy? • Practice social distancing in an office setting.
Presented by
LLP
Are you in compliance? order your
2021 Labor Law Poster HERE to order your poster.
click
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor
& our Co-Sponsor
LLP
METRO | PAGE 5
April Happy Hour WITH BAKERSFIELD YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Date: Thursday, April 15 Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Zoom The tax deadline has been extended, so why not pour yourself a drink and unwind with other Young Professionals at our April happy hour!
Click here to register!
Leading with Empathy:
A series of workshops on how empathy can positively impact organizational Culture, Productivity & Profitability
Join EmpathifyU & BYP in a 4-week workshop series and learn how to use empathy as an organizational superpower to drive cultural and financial success. WORKSHOP 1 Wednesday, April 7 10 AM Click here to register
WORKSHOP 2 Wednesday, April 14 10 AM Click here to register
WORKSHOP 3 Wednesday, April 21 10 AM Click here to register
WORKSHOP 4 Wednesday, April 28 10 AM Click here to register
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Save the Date Saturday, April 17 Televised on KGET-TV 17 6:30-8 p.m.
Join us virtually as we partner with KGET-TV 17 to broadcast and stream the 2021 Kern County Economic Summit! This annual program features economists and business leaders who provide valuable information designed to educate and broaden perspectives on international, national and regional economies. Presented By: Kern County Economic Development Corporation California State University, Bakersfield and the Greater Bakersfield Chamber
Thank you to our Sponsors
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Congratulations to the 2020 Youth -Individual/Group Winner! “You’re never too young to make a difference.” That is something I always tell others. I am Autumn Moreno, a 4.0 student at Valley Oaks High School. I have been blessed to be surrounded by positive role models and mentors that encourage me to go out into the community and make a difference. I love working with many different organizations, such as Children’s Miracle Network, Children First Campaign, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Links for Life and The Mission at Kern County. When I found out I had been nominated for a Beautiful Bakersfield Award, I was speechless. It was an honor just to be nominated. Once I realized I was the 2020 Beautiful Bakersfield Award Youth recipient, I was beyond grateful. It gives me such joy to know that I made an impact in our community and it keeps me very humble. With this award, I hope I can be a reminder to other youth – that no matter your age – you too can leave a mark on our community. The smallest notion does not go unnoticed. This past year has been challenging but it did not stop me from serving our community. With my new title as Teen Miss Kern County 2021, I continue to share my passion for underprivileged children. I have continued to stay involved with Children’s Miracle Network and Children First Campaign by advocating, helping with fundraisers and volunteering at food drives. I have volunteered with the first graders at Beardsley Elementary School through Zoom. I have done art lessons, read to them and donated books. I hope to get more involved with children in foster care and in the homeless shelters. I was able to get my nonprofit, Kern County Cares and Keep Kern County Warm, up and running again. I was able to make more than 50 scarves that have yet to be donated to The Mission at Kern County. My biggest accomplishment is maintaining a 4.0 in school my freshman year, during a pandemic and taking on academically challenging courses. I have been nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student of the Year. My goal is to raise $50,000 for research, aiding families affected by cancer and to find a cure. As Louis J. DeGennaro PhD would say, “When you give your time and talent to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, incredible things happen. Cancer patients and their families METRO | PAGE 8
are supported, breakthroughs are accelerated and lives are saved.” I fully believe that and that is why I have made this my best community service project. My father, who we lost to cancer, is also my driving force. It is a sevenweek-long campaign. With the love from my family and our community, I know anything is possible. If you would like to know more about my campaign, visit www. soyautumn.org. You can also follow my community service projects on Facebook at Teen Miss Kern County 2021. To the 2021 nominees, congratulations on your accomplishment. You are all winners and have taken the steps needed for a better community. You should be proud of yourselves. To our Kern County community, we are strong when united. When we come together, we will overcome anything. Let’s support one another and keep moving forward. Stay strong, stay healthy. It has been an honor to be your 2020 Beautiful Bakersfield Youth Award recipient. – Autumn Moreno
Congratulations to the 2020 Young Professional Winner!
A
n honor I never thought would be bestowed upon me was winning the Beautiful Bakersfield Award in 2020 for Young Professional of the Year. I am so humbled and honored to have been chosen for this award, as there are many amazing professionals in our community that are equally deserving. Receiving this award was even more meaningful to me, as I believe it shows how committed our community is to solving homelessness. I am very pleased to have a spotlight on homelessness, as every human being has a basic right to have a safe and stable place to live. Through my work with individuals experiencing homelessness in Kern County, I have come to admire the many service providers in our community committed to ending homelessness. As a social worker at Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Inc. (GBLA), I have been so impressed by the attorneys and legal advocates I work with who make it their mission to try to prevent evictions to prevent more people from becoming homeless. I am also impressed by the legal advocates I work with that ensure homeless individuals in our community get connected to SSI/SSDI or other public benefits to have access to income to help them out of homelessness. I continue to work with individuals experiencing homelessness at GBLA, providing them with social service support. I also continue to supervise colleagues at GBLA, who work with homeless individuals, ensuring that the clients’ holistic needs are met. I truly believe in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a motivational psychological theory, which argues that people cannot achieve their full potential until they have their basic needs (such as having shelter) met. It is our job as a community to look out for our homeless brothers and sisters and ensure they have access to shelter to help them achieve their highest potential. I also continue to Chair the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative’s (BKRHC) Homeless Youth Committee, which focuses on issues surrounding youth homelessness in Kern County. As of February 2021, there were 226 unaccompanied homeless youth (aged 18-24 years) in Kern County. There are many phenomenal service providers working to house these youth daily; however, it is also crucial to have community support in this area. It is important we work together to get our homeless sons and daughters off the streets. Alongside Jayme Stuart (Kern County Network for Children), I co-advise BKRHC’s Youth Action Board (YAB). The YAB is comprised of current/
former homeless youth. These youth provide feedback to service providers on their own lived experiences. I can honestly say I am humbled to even be in the presence of the YAB youth, as they are so brilliant and strong. It is important to remember that when plans are being made to help young people, those young people’s ideas and feedback are taken into account, as they are the experts of their own stories. My goal for our community is to eventually end all youth homelessness in Kern. It is difficult enough being a teenager; I could not imagine being a teenager who has to worry about where they will find a place to sleep at night that is safe and warm. My professional goal is to continue to work toward ending homelessness in Kern, alongside all of the other homeless service provider heroes in Kern County. I am honored to be able to know and work with so many caring and creative people through the BKRHC. It warms my heart to know there are many truly good-hearted people in Kern County that want all individuals experiencing homelessness to have a safe and secure home to go to every night. In addition to the wonderful people I have had the privilege of working with through GBLA & BKRHC, I am honored to also be a member of Junior League of Bakersfield (JLB). JLB is composed of volunteers who work toward improving the lives of women and children in the community. Being a member of JLB has brought me such pride, as I have not only been able to help other vulnerable populations in the community, but I have also been able to make lasting friendships with the other women in JLB. I want to thank everyone at GBLA, BKRHC and JLB for having such a lasting impact on my life. I also want to thank my family, friends, God and my fur babies for always having my back through the good and bad times. As this last year has been rough for so many, I want to leave you all with this quote/piece of advice for 2021: “Once you choose hope, anything's possible." – Christopher Reeve – Allyson Baptiste, MSW Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Inc.
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• CSU Bakersfield COVID-19 Vaccination Hub is now open to the public and is sponsored by a consortium of health organizations in California that have joined together to create a network of COVID-19 mass vaccination hubs. The vaccination hub is located at 9001 Stockdale Hwy., Bakersfield (Student Recreation Center). Enter at Don Hart Drive East. The hub is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week, depending on vaccine availability. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. The entire process takes about 40 to 60 minutes. To schedule your appointment or for more information, please visit www.csub.edu/vaccines. • For the entire year of 2021 local business Hidey Style will be donating 15% of their sales to help fund The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. There will be a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on April 12, 3 p.m., at The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County in the E.L. Jack and Monica Armstrong Youth Center. The building is located at 801 Niles St. All members are invited to join. • The Outlets at Tejon is excited to kick off their 2021 sweepstakes with quarterly prizes and opportunities to win exclusive grand prizes. The campaign was created to encourage families to shop, dine, fuel up and recharge at the Outlets and Tejon Commerce Center while providing fun rewards for their guests. Participating in the sweepstakes gives people a shot at winning unique California trips, experiences and gift cards. For a list of all rules and details, guests can visit tejonoutlets.com/travel-tejon.
METRO | PAGE 12
• The Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference moved their 2021 conference to a fully online, virtual experience that will take place on Monday, April 26 through Thursday, April 29. They are excited that a virtual event makes it possible to broaden not only our learning and engagement opportunities, but the audience beyond Bakersfield as well. Attendees will have access to more conference sessions than ever before! In addition to their celebrity keynote speakers, attendees can now partake in as many BWBC workshops as they’d like (30+ options!) with early access starting Monday, April 26. Ticket registration is now open: http://bakersfieldwomen.org/. • Mark your calendar for Give Big Kern Day on May 4. To prepare for this FREE opportunity to raise unrestricted funds and recruit volunteers, participating agencies need to attend the trainings that Kern Community Foundation, in partnership with GiveGab, has been working hard to develop for you. You will find these trainings on the trainings page of the Give Big Kern website. There are a total of six trainings. Click here to sign up: https://www. givebigkern.org/. • Bags of Love would like you to know about their upcoming eRACE Childhood Cancer Virtual 5k Fundraiser is happening on May 8. It will be a peer-to-peer fundraiser. Individuals can sign-up for free, create a team and raise money to win prizes. You can view their sponsorship package here. If you have any questions, Julian can be reached at juliancastaneda01@yahoo. com.
• Health Net is committed to improving the health of our community one person at a time and the Youth Impact Award allows us to engage and empower students to be the change and take action to solve the national public health epidemic. This year Centene Institute’s Youth Impact Award is challenging teens to develop an original 30-to 60-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) with educational messaging to spread the word about the dangers of vaping. All submissions are eligible for up to 10 hours of community service, as well as a chance to win one of 13 cash prizes. Students aged 14 to 19, are invited to enter by April 16. More information about the Youth Impact Award can be found HERE. • In French, Faire la fête means “to party.” Guests at Farm to Table(aux) will enjoy an evening reflecting turn of the century Paris with fine-dining, tableaux art inspired by Henri De Toulouse Lautrec, amazing paintings created by Boys & Girls Club youth, and entertainment in support of Boys & Girls Club enrichment programs throughout Kern County. The sixth annual event presented by Don C. and Diane S. Lake Family, will be held at Highgate at Seven Oaks by Castle & Cooke on Friday, October 8 from 6-9 p.m. Farm to Table(aux) brings together local community leaders to enjoy a feast of fresh and seasonal dishes prepared by local chefs and farmers alongside local artists and entertainers' imaginative productions and performances. Sponsorships for the October 8 event are now available. For more information, go to farmtotableaux.com/event/bgckc/ or contact Zane Smith at 661-325-3730.
We believe that empathy can be embraced as a superpower to positively impact organizational culture, productivity and profitability.
Why
The “new day, new problem” world that we are currently navigating requires us to identify and empower the problem-solvers in our teams. Next, we need to alter our perspective to grow through these unique times by acknowledging the stress in our organizations and lead through the lens of empathy, relationships, gratitude, education, problem-solving, and service.
Workshops ~ Individual Coaching Programs ~ Keynotes With learning outcomes that include: Heightened awareness and understanding of empathy as an organizational superpower to drive cultural and financial success. Tangible activities to foster a culture of unity and collaboration within teams.
How
Who
Our programs are designed for: Individual Contributors ~ Managers ~ Executives & C-Suite Leaders Solopreneurs ~ Entrepreneurs
We are grateful to partner with BYP to bring you a series of workshops in April. Come join us!
Contact Us: For more information on how an Empathy Strategy© can transform your organization
www.EmpathifyU.com info@empathifyu.com
Welcome New Chamber Members We’d like to extend a warm welcome to the companies that have joined the Greater Bakersfield Chamber. Thank you for investing in our mission to Build a Better Bakersfield. Mercy House 1900 E. Brundage Ln., Ste. 1 Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-336-9967 www.mercyhouse.net "To be a leader in ending homelessness by providing a unique system of dignified housing opportunites, programs and supportive services. We help people find their way back home."
Pacific Energy Network 4900 California Ave. Tower B, Ste. 210 Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-546-2053 www.pacificenergynetwork.com "Our primary goal is to align qualified homeowners with zero out-of-pocket programs designed to lower their cost of living while significantly reducing our planets carbon footprint through clean renewable energy."
For more information about joining the Chamber, please contact Cathy Albyn at calbyn@bakochamber.com.
P R O V I D E N C E S T R AT E G I C C O N S U LT I N G , I N C .
I S C E N T R A L VA L L E Y ’ S P R E M I E R S T R AT E G I C C O M M U N I C AT I O N S F I R M . We understand how difficult running a business can be with ever-changing regulations. Whether it’s winning project approval, building coalitions, gaining community support, engaging the media or securing key endorsements, Providence can help remove the roadblocks that, all too often, keep businesses from operating profitably and efficiently. Our marketing team also has extensive experience creating targeted, strategic communications and marketing campaigns. The entire team at Providence is dedicated to delivering positive results to our clients in Kern County and across the state of California. A PROUD PARTNER OF
2 6 0 0 F S T. | B A K E R S F I E L D , C A 9 3 3 0 1 6 6 1 . 3 2 7.1 6 9 8 | W W W. P R O V C O N S U LT. C O M
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Renewing Members Thank you to our members who have reinvested in the Greater Bakersfield Chamber. Your continued investment helps the Chamber continue its mission to Build a Better Bakersfield. ARCpoint Labs of Bakersfield – 2013 Aunt Mae's Sweet Tooth – 2020 Bakersfield Christian High School – 1999 Bakersfield Heart Hospital – 1998 Bakersfield Museum of Art – 1996 BBSI - Bakersfield – 2014 Beckie Diltz/PROforma Solutions for Printing LLC – 2010 Blue Sky Sales, Inc. dba Famoso Nut Company Sales – 1996
Macpherson Energy Corporation – 2017 Mary Trichell – 1955 Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center – 2016 Metropolitan Recycling LLC – 2011 Ming Around the Corner – 2000 North of the River Recreation & Park District – 2013 Rain for Rent – 1992 Rick Clemmons Construction DBA
Brookdale Riverwalk – 1999
The Plumbing Doc – 2019
California MENTOR - North – 2007
SA Recycling, LLC – 1997
California Resources Corporation – 1970
Salters Associates – 2020
Canteen Vending – 2011
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bakersfield – 1989
Columbus Estates – 2014
sPower – 2015
Community Connection for Childcare/ KCSOS – 1988
The Daily Report – 1995
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel – 1997
The Village at Seven Oaks – 2015
Cushman & Wakefield/Pacific – 1991
Unitek College – 2018
Deprigo, Inc. – 2014
Valley Achievement Center – 2003
Empire Eye and Laser Center – 2017
Valley Strong Credit Union Administration – 1989
Employers' Training Resource – 1984
The Gombos Company – 2019
Froehlich Signature Homes, Inc. – 1991
Western Nutrients Corp. – 2012
Greer's Banner Air – 1999
Wonderful Orchards – 1994
Grimmway Schools – 2019
WOW Pest Control – 2017
Hacienda Guerrero Catering – 2012
Young Wooldridge LLP – 1993
Hansen's Moving & Storage, Inc. – 2019 Jack Gotcher – 2013 Key Properties dba Intrados Inc. – 1982 M.H. Wolfe & Associates Environmental Consulting, Inc. – 2005
Women's Business Center – 2019
APRIL 2021
4.6.21
BYP Council Meeting 3 p.m. | Zoom
4.7.21
Leading with Empathy Workshop 1 10 a.m. | Zoom
4.9.21
GRC Meeting 10 a.m. | Zoom
4.14.21
Leading with Empathy Workshop 2 10 a.m. | Zoom
4.15.21
BYP Happy Hour 5:30 p.m. | Zoom
4.20.21
Labor Law & HR Forum 9:30 a.m. | Zoom
4.20.21
Beautiful Bakersfield Committee Noon | Zoom
4.21.21
Leading with Empathy Workshop 3 10 a.m. | Zoom
4.23.21
GRC Meeting 10 a.m. | Zoom
4.27.21
Ambassador Committee Meeting Noon | Zoom
4.28.21
Leading with Empathy Workshop 4 10 a.m. | Zoom
For more information about any of our events, committees or councils, visit bakochamber.com.
METRO | PAGE 15
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE FOCUS Stinson’s is your single solution for all office, technology, breakroom, janitorial, and furniture needs. From competitive pricing to custom solutions, we are your one-stop supplier that puts customer service first.
2021 EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board Derek Jeffery KGET-TV 17
Chairwoman Elect of the Board Kristen Beall Watson Kern Community Foundation
Vice Chair Public Policy & Political Action Rob Duchow Southern California Gas Company
Vice Chair Economic Vitality Andy Anderson Aera Energy LLC
Vice Chair Member Engagement Tasha Clayton Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc.
Vice Chair Leadership & Workforce Development Denise Newton Pacific Gas & Electric Company
MAJOR INVESTORS
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE MEMBERS
Member-at-Large Rick Jhaj Countryside Construction/ Countryside Markets
BYNUM INC.
General Counsel Mark Bateman Young Wooldridge LLP
CHAMBER STAFF Nick Ortiz | President/CEO Cathy Albyn | Membership & Business Development Manager Frances Klingenberger | Manager, Strategic Programs Hillary Haenes | Vice President, Member Engagement EVERYTHING FOR YOUR OFFICE
Kaelyn Peterson | Manager, Policy & Public Affairs Jean Scheiber | Vice President/ Chief Operating Officer
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