The Brentwood Clarion
October 2009
Page
Vol. 45, No. 10
GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN BRENTWOOD!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! The Brentwood Chamber’s mission is to drive business in Brentwood and the surrounding area. This fall your Chamber is working on two major programs to step up those efforts. We have teamed up with two different forms of media to drive sales to the Greater Brentwood area. Along with three other Brentwood businesses, we are partnering with KPIX Channel 5 to promote a “shop local” program. And we are partnering with East County Times for a special Brentwood Chamber feature story and advertising program that will run monthly. The Chamber, Streets of Brentwood, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and Mary’s Delicacies are all going to be featured as part of the Channel 5 Shop Local Program. Brentwood will be highlighted on KPIX the days before filming and a 60-minute video production will run on the Channel 5 website after the filming. (The Channel 5 website is one of the busiest websites in the Bay Area.) The date Channel 5 will be in Brentwood is Saturday October 24th, the Chamber’s Hometown Halloween day. The video team will be in Downtown Brentwood late in the afternoon of October 24th just before and at the start of Hometown Halloween. We are asking all of the Downtown Shops to “Dress-up” their stores and be a part of the video experience and the Hometown Halloween experience. This is a time for Brentwood to put its best foot forward to the outside region. The other media program we are working with is a monthly program with the Bay Area News Group doing a monthly page about the Brentwood Chamber and the community. This will run in the East County Times. This monthly feature will run on the second Friday of the month with the first one on October 9th. Along with the editorial program there is a corresponding advertising program for our members. This program will allow the Chamber to feature the latest Chamber and Brentwood happenings to all of East County, plus let you, the member, purchase advertising at a very good price to reach your East County customers. The Chamber is offered and/or creates these kinds of opportunities for our members so we can all do more business. Brentwood is rapidly becoming the retail center of East County; working together we can build on this energy. Harry York, CEO Brentwood Chamber of Commerce
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The Brentwood Clarion
Ambassadors Corner and Director’s Message When I first joined the Chamber, I really did not know much about what a chamber was all about or even about networking. It was a new concept to me, definitely not something I learned about in law school. I did not realize the power of networking as a tool to establish your brand, develop a business reputation, earn the respect of other business professionals, and ultimately, grow your business. I am not ashamed to admit that I was actually intimidated to attend my first Chamber mixer because I am certain there are others out there that feel, or have felt the same. After being a passive member for a couple of months after joining, I decided that in order to force myself to step outside my comfort zone, I needed to jump in with two feet. I made the decision to volunteer to be an Ambassador, giving myself a “reason” and “purpose” to not only attend Chamber events, but to get out there, extend a hand, introduce myself, and get to know other business owners in my community. Through my tenure as an Ambassador over the past four years, I have come to develop many wonderful friends, colleagues, clients, and referral partners. I enjoy going to mixers, but I really look forward to attending ribbon cuttings. There I get to meet new business owners and share in their excitement as they bring new products or services to our community. Now I am excited and honored to be able to take the next step in my Chamber membership by serving on our Board of Directors. I look forward to participating even more to help our Chamber continue to establish loyalty between our community and local business owners and to continue to grow a strong camaraderie amongst all local business owners. As our business community grows, being involved in our Chamber can only help to continue to bridge any gaps between our community as consumers and our local retail, service, and trade providers. Shop local is something we all strive to instill in our community and through our local events; we can continue to provide our community with a sense of security and loyalty to business. Whether your business is large or simply something you run from your dining room table, the Chamber offers opportunities for all. Through mixers, ribbon cuttings, educational breakfast and lunch meetings, as well as casual happy hour events, there is really something for everyone, at various times to fit your work and home life schedule. I would highly recommend for any member out there looking for a way to get involved in the Chamber to strongly consider volunteering being an Ambassador. You never know what opportunities may be passing you by until you jump in and make what you can of what the Chamber has to offer. Amy Alvis, Esq. Living Trusts by Amy (Soon to be a division of the Law Office of Amy Alvis) www.LivingTrustsbyAmy.com 925.301.7195 “Securing peace of mind one trust at a time”
The Brentwood Clarion
Page 3 THE BRENTWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS
HOMETOWN HALLOWeEN Sponsored By SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009 DOWNTOWN BRENTWOOD FIRST & OAK STREETS 5-8 p.m.
The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce
Presents
The 27th Annual Holiday Parade November 21st
Applications now available at the Chamber Office. Entry fee $20 Call 634-3344 for more info.
THE NINTH ANNUAL “TASTE OF BRENTWOOD” RESTAURANT TOUR DATE: TIME: COST:
November 7, 2009 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $15.00 Per Person OR Two For $25.00
TICKETS ON SALE OCTOBER 13TH BRENTWOOD CHAMBER BRENTWOOD, CA 94513 925-634-3344
7th Annual Brentwood CityRead The Brentwood Library is hosting its seventh annual CityRead program. Local residents are invited to read Firoozeh Dumas’ Funny in Farsi. The program runs from Mon, Oct 12th to Sat, Nov 21st. A library card is not required. Copies of the book will be available at the following locations: • Brentwood Chamber of Commerce • Brentwood Press • Gabby’s Grind • Panama Bay Coffee Company • Peet’s Coffee & Tea • Starbucks • Summerset libraries • Willy’s Bagels & Blends • When you are finished with the book, pass it on to a friend or return it to the Brentwood Library.
Mission Statement: The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization dedicated to the promotion of the civic and commercial progress of the community. We will continuously strive to maintain and foster a healthy business climate for Chamber members and the entire community.
The Brentwood Clarion
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Need to Downsize Your Business? The Rapid Response Team Can Help...
The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce welcomes the following businesses to the Chamber network: Radetic Chiropractic 1795 Vineyard Drive Brentwood, CA 94513 (925) 778-2273 Peter Radetic, D.C. National Flooring Supply 8890 Brentwood Blvd. Brentwood, CA 94513 (925) 634-4111 Leonard McCurley Reach Project, Inc. 9100 Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, CA 94513 (925) 809-7928 Richard Marchoke Carol Threde
Nelda Devine 1263 Edmunds Way Brentwood, CA 94513 (925) 420-5780
In Contra Costa County, 85 percent of the business community is made up of small businesses, many of which are being forced to layoff employees to survive the current economic conditions. To assist businesses owners and employees with layoffs, the county’s Rapid Response team provides free outplacement resources and services to help displaced workers get back to work with minimal downtime. The Rapid Response team urges businesses to contact them regarding employee layoffs as soon as possible. They will work with you to schedule an on-site presentation for your employees about job search, job training, academic and career assessment, career planning and other services available at EASTBAY Works One Stop Career Centers. Information about obtaining unemployment insurance and other organizations and agencies that can help workers smoothly transition back into the workforce is also provided. The resources provided through the Rapid Response program assist businesses and dislocated workers during a critical time. Contact your Rapid Response representative, Susie O'Bryant at (925) 671-4542 or Sobryant@ehsd.cccounty.us for details. Additional information about EASTBAY Works and its partners can be found at www.eastbayworks.com.
The Brentwood Clarion
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Apex Securities & Asset Management, LLC Apex Securities celebrated its arrival in Brentwood on September 9, 2009 with a ribboncutting and open house. The firm offers a range of financial services, including income strategy, taxstrategy and retirement planning. Their team includes Treva Black and David Roche, Senior Financial Advisors and Patricia Castro, Client Service Manager. They are located at 8660 Brentwood Blvd., Suite G and their phone number is (925) 516-2739.
Alpaca Direct Chamber officials were on hand September 23rd to celebrate the opening of Alpaca Direct, which has expanded its online business into a brick and mortar presence here in Brentwood. The company features a luxury line of high-end Alpaca fiber products. James and Kelley Hobart, owners, are pictured cutting the ceremonial red ribbon. They are located at 144 Continente Ave/, Suite 160. Their phone number is (925) 237-2575. Website is www.alpacadirect.com.
Congratulations‌ Chamber members Sal Cutino of East County Woodworks and Shayn Cutino of Anja Wellness were rewarded with First Place for their booth at Brentwood’s Art Wine and Jazz Festival on August 30, 2009. Pictured are Sal and Shayn in their Italianthemed booth. Sal handcrafts each ravioli rolling pin. East County Woodworks may be reached by calling (925) 625-1091.
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The Brentwood Clarion
CornFest Thanks Nonprofit Volunteers at BBQ Event More than $63,300 was distributed to nonprofit organizations during the CornFest Volunteer Thank You BBQ held at Veterans Park on Sunday. Brentwood Chamber of Commerce CEO Harry York thanked the many groups without whose efforts, he said, the event could not be held. This year’s festival attracted about 38,000 visitors, a number that Chamber President Karen Spann was particularly proud of, given the weak economy. “We can be very proud. We are a brave chamber”, said Karen. Although City Park, home of CornFest, will likely be under construction next year, the Brentwood Chamber is already planning for a CornFest 2010 Downtown.
The City of Brentwood bid its beloved City Park gazebo a “Fond Farewell” at the Art, Wine and Jazz Festival held on August 29th and 30th. The event was the last for City Park as it will be torn down to make way for the new Civic Center complex. Plans include space for new city offices, a larger library, a parking structure and a new park. The gazebo will be moved to the grounds of the East County Historical Society to be enjoyed by generations to come. The Brentwood Press reported that the city of Brentwood recently opened bids for it's downtown civic center project. The lowest apparent bidder is Lathrop Construction of Benicia, whose bid of $28,486,000 was the lowest of 11 opened in the Council Chambers. The city had estimated the cost at about $45 million. The contract is scheduled to be awarded on October 13th. For more information visit http:// www.thepress.net/bookmark/3511820
The Brentwood Clarion
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Fun in the Sun at the Brentwood Chamber’s Fun Scramble Golf Tournament at Roddy Ranch, September 18th It was a bright and fun-filled day at Roddy Ranch in Antioch as golfers checked in to enjoy a Friday afternoon of golf, lunch, contests and prizes, raffle and dinner catered by La Fuente Restaurant.
Chamber staff and volunteers help golfers check in before tee time.
From left to right are tournament winners: Wes Olsen, Mark Beck, Bob Brockman, and Rich Inglis.
Congratulations to the following winning foursomes—“First Place” Wes Olsen, Bob Brockman, Mark Beck and Rich Inglis; “Second Place” John Palazzotto, Brad Pingle, Jim Spann and Darby Burnes; and “Third Place” Greg Benner, Julie Benner, Mike Gannon and Sandy Gannon. A big thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, John Muir Health; Gold Sponsor, ECC Bank and our many Hole Sponsors: Beacon Home Care, California Payroll, Christopher Becnel, Harvest Park Bowl, Les Schwab, New York Life, Reagan Management Services, Sutter Delta Medical Center and Travis Credit Union. We would also like to thank the following businesses for donating fabulous raffle prizes: John Muir Health, Brentwood Press, WineShop at Home, The Monthly Grapevine, Black Sheep Design, Crème Dela Gem, Aladino’s Pizza, BookBusters, Hannah Nicole Vineyards, Scrumdillyumptious, Mary Kay-Kimberly Victor, Kids and Cribs, Monogramming by Frichy, Atlantis Casino Resort, El Dorado Casino, Sutter Delta Medical Group, Kendall Automotive, Firestone Complete Auto, Les Schwab, Edible Arrangements, Hampton Inn, Brentwood Family Pet Care, Broder Jewelry Design, Paychex, California Payroll, PhoVietnam, Brockman Engineering, East Bay Tattoo, El Gallito, Extreme Motorsports, Flowers by Gerry, Brentwood Yoga Center, Brentwood Party Rentals, Balfour Dermatology & Spa, Connie Leal Photography, Hair & Make-Up Studio, La Fuente Restaurant, Rave Theaters, McCauley’s Olive Groves, Brentwood Fine Meats, Shutters Brasserie. The Chamber also thanks our many volunteers who turned out to pitch in and help make the day flow smoothly: Bill Putnam, Lori Knudsen, Kathi Reed, Karen Kendall, Kerri Frichy, Ray and Henrietta Fontes, John Fairhurst and Paul Hurt. Our Event Coordinator, Jilda Fairhurst, and the Roddy Ranch team worked very hard to make this event a huge success. Thank you!
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The latest Chamber Mixer was hosted by First Bank at their Brentwood branch on Lone Tree Way. First Bank’s Vicki Sexton and her staff did a wonderful job and donated a very generous “money tree” for the Business Card Drawing. Congratulations to the big winner of the tree, Pia Lutton of Costco.
Thank you to The Monthly Grapevine, Tummies to Tots, Wineshop at Home, and Edible Arrangements for donating raffle prizes for the mixer. Congratulations again to Costco’s Pia Lutton, who was also the lucky winner of the Chamber’s “50/50 Drawing.”
MEALS ON WHEELS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa County is a senior meal program that aims to provide at least one nutritious meal per day to homebound seniors 60 years of age and older. For eligibility information, please contact Meals on Wheels at (925) 625-4545 for the East Contra Costa area. Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver meals to Homebound Frail Elders on routes in Brentwood, Oakley, Knightsen, Bethel Island and Discovery Bay. If you have 1.5 hours a week to spare and would like to help please call Donna at (925) 6254545.
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New Registration Requirements for Qualified Purchasers to Report Use Tax. New legislation, Assembly Bill x4 18 (Stats. 2009, Ch. 16), added section 6225 of the Revenue and Taxation Code which requires a “qualified purchaser” to register with the Board of Equalization and report and pay use tax directly to the Board of Equalization. Under this section, a “qualified purchaser” includes businesses with at least $100,000 in annual gross receipts from business operations. If sales tax would apply when a particular item is purchased in California, use tax applies when a similar purchase is made from a retailer outside the state and no tax is charged. Use tax is not a new tax. It has been part of the Revenue and Taxation Code since the 1930’s. Only the registration requirement is new under AB x4 18. The Board of Equalization has drafted a special notice with information regarding the new use tax registration requirements for qualified purchasers. The special notice, along with a use tax registration form, is available at the following link: http://www.boe.ca.gov/news/pdf/l232.pdf
2009 CALENDAR OF EVENTS October 1
Chamber Lounge @ Sweeney’s 5-7 p.m.
October 1
Downtown Thursday Oktoberfest 5-8 p.m.
October 8
“Ask the Experts” The New I-9 Hiring Rules & Immigration Laws/Issues 11:30 a.m. at Caps Restaurant
October 8
Downtown Thursday Car Show 5-8 p.m.
October 15
Mixer–Tummies to Tots and Recollections Media Transfer 5:30-7:30 p.m.
October 24
Hometown Halloween First and Oak Streets 5-8 p.m.
November 7
A Taste of Brentwood Restaurant Tour 1-5 p.m.
November 12 Good Morning Brentwood 7:30 a.m. Chamber Office November 19 Mixer-Scary Larry's November 21 Holiday Parade December
Holiday Gala- TBA
Events may be subject to change at any time. Check the Calendar of Events on our website for updated information at
www.brentwoodchamber.com
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The Brentwood Clarion
The Brentwood Clarion
Page 11 BRENTWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2009 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Karen Spann, President The Monthly Grapevine
Kathi Reed, Past President WineShop at Home
Shayn Cutino, President-Elect Anja Wellness
Ken Seamann, CFO Discovery Professional Services
Joe Trebino, Executive Committee Delta Pure Water, Etc.
Brent Aasen, Director EQUUS Group Amy Alvis, Director Living Trusts by Amy
Greg Benner, Director Les Schwab Tires
Bill Fee, Director Mazzy’s Fire Protection Specialists
De-De Hays, Director Prudential California Realty
Paul Kelly, Director Home One Mortgage
The Chamber Ambassador Team Pat Trombino, First Bank 2008 Ambassador of the Year Michael Hernandez, Chair, New York Life The Chamber welcomes two new ambassadors:
Sean McCauley, Director McCauley Olive Groves
Richard Perez-Pacheco, Director Black Sheep Design
Marlon Smith, Director Best Buy
Olga Vidriales, Director Travis Credit Union ——————————————————
Harry York, CEO Lyle Miller, Membership Services Dir.
Sarah Jamar, Paychex E. Scott McKnight, E.S. McKnight Insurance Agency Paul Roman, Window Innovations Amy Alvis, Living Trusts by Amy David Mengel, Gemini Staffing Vicki Sexton, First Bank Olga Vidriales, Travis Credit Union Donna Zickerman, Fifth Avenue Ed Gutierrez, Certa Pro Painters Lori Knudsen, California Payroll
Lisa Hurt, Support Services Dir. Jilda Fairhurst, Event Coordinator Bill Putman, Volunteer Pat Trombino, Event Coordinator CHAMBER HOURS Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Phone (925) 634-3344 Fax (925) 634-3731 email: info@brentwoodchamber.com
www.brentwoodchamber.com
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Scarecrow Contest at Downtown Thursday Brentwood’s creativity came out in full force as scarecrows lined First Street for a scarecrow contest sponsored by the Brentwood Chamber. Cash prizes were awarded to the top three winners in adults and kids’ categories. The winners are pictured at right. Pictured at top left are the judges who had the difficult task of selecting the winning scarecrows: Bob Brockman, Karen Spann and Donna Landeros. All Sports Trophies Advertising Specialties Custom & Corporate Awards
(925) 516-8880 • Fax (925) 625-5316 Email: starawards@sbcglobal.net
Bob & Sharon Sherriff, Owners
The Brentwood Clarion Brentwood Chamber of Commerce 8440 Brentwood Blvd., Suite C Brentwood, CA 94513
Phone: 925-634-3344 Fax: 925-634-3731 Email: info@brentwoodchamber.com www.brentwoodchamber.com