VIsalia Business Connection by Glenn Morris

Visalia Chamber of Commerce 220 N. Santa Fe, Visalia, CA 93292

Prsrt Std US Postage

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Kast & Company

VISALIA CALIFORNIA

2013

ECONOMIC FORECAST WINTER 2013 Vol. 1 Issue 3

Business Connection

“What is going to happen to business in Visalia this year?” Great question and, if anyone actually had the answer, well, we can imagine how successful their ‘business year” would be! While we may not be able to give a definitive answer, we do think that asking the question and listening to the ideas, opinions, hopes, and “lessons learned” extrapolations is a valuable exercise. In this edition of Business Connection, we posed that question to several local business leaders and tried to capture from that some commonalities and themes that we can track and monitor this year. Also back in this issue is the next installment in our new business profile series, Made in Visalia, which highlights local manufacturers. As we continue to pull back the curtain on some of these quiet contributors to our local economy, we’re confident that you will learn something new and hopefully identify a potential new business partner, vendor, or customer! Finally, we hope that you’re finding nuggets of useful, applicable ideas, best practices, or suggestions that you can use in your business and life. That’s the goal, ultimately, of the Business Connection, e.g. to inform, educate, and promote. Our columns address a wide range of topics and situations. Our member profiles share some of the “behind the scenes” stories of leading businesses in our community. Our new members and advertisers represent local companies that deserve your support and, in many cases, offer a wide range of products and services designed to help your company do your job better. While we’re having a lot of fun (and learning even more) producing Business Connection, ultimately this publication is for you, our members. Let us know how we’re doing and where we can improve in order to make this resource a “must read” in your office!, We’d love your feedback and story ideas … and we’d love to help you tell your story as well. Reach out and share with us! We hope you enjoy this edition of Business Connection. We are pleased to be able to bring this new resource to you.

Stephen Peck

Glenn Morris

Peck Planning & Development Board Chair, 2012-2013

President & CEO

Visalia Chamber of Commerce The Visalia Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organization in Tulare County. Its members include small businesses, corporations, associations, and individual professionals. Since 1899, the Chamber has worked diligently with local government, education, private industry and a host of other agencies and organizations to improve the business environment and promote Visalia as a premier community in which to live, work, and do business. The Chamber organizes and directs the efforts of all who share the desire to improve the conditions under which business is conducted. Through participation in the Chamber, members are able to accomplish collectively what they could not do individually. Businesses that join the Chamber receive a multitude of benefits and advantages ranging from networking, marketing and advertising opportunities, to legislative advocacy, educational forums to benefit business, and economic opportunities. The Mission of the Chamber The mission of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce is to: • Promote a strong local economy • Provide opportunities for business leaders to network and build relationships • Deliver programs which help businesses grow and improve • Represent business and advocate on its behalf with elected and appointed decision makers • Enhance business opportunities through community leadership

Business

in this issue

Connection Volume 1, Issue 3 • Winter 2013

2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board Stephen Peck Peck Planning & Development Chair-elect/Vice Chair, Economic Development Kerry Hydash Family HealthCare Network Immediate Past Chair Rick Wehmueller Valley Business Bank Vice Chair, Advocacy Matt Seals Seals/Biehle General Contractors Vice Chair, Finance Michael Gunning, CPA Vice Chair, Membership Matt Graham Hyde Commercial Real Estate Vice Chair, Programs & Services Colby Wells The Gas Company Gary Artis CRS Farming Karen Bruce Visalia Ceramic Tile Stan Carrizosa College of the Sequoias Anil Chagan Infinite Hospitality Dena Cochran Kaweah Delta Health Care District Richard Feder Visalia Mall Judy Fussel Buckman-Mitchell Financial & Insurance Services William Martin Martin & Martin Properties E. William Maze American H20 Systems

Norris McElroy Kawneer Company

VISALIA’S ECONOMIC FORECAST: A SNAPSHOT

MADE IN VISALIA

Skip Nugent Best Buy Markets Samantha Rummage Mathias Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center Patrick Salazar State Farm Insurance Vincent Salinas Financial Advisor Karen Tellalian DMI Agency

32nd Annual Christmas Tree Auction

Ex-Officio Director Steve Salomon City of Visalia PUBLISHED by Visalia Chamber of Commerce 220 N. Santa Fe Visalia, CA 93292 (559) 734-5876 www.visaliachamber.org GRAPHIC DESIGN by Cary Schein The Schein Company 559.553.5077 cary.schein@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES by Mike Cox 559.734.5876 mikecox@visaliachamber.org PRINTING by Jostens Commercial Printing Phone: (559) 651-3300 Fax: (559) 651-9098

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Please send to Visalia Chamber of Commerce, ATTN: Business Connection, 220 N. Santa Fe, Visalia, CA 93292.

Business Connection is an official publication of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, published quarterly and distributed to business and community leaders throughout the Visalia trade market. Views expressed in columns are those of the columnist and not necessarily those of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, its officers and directors, or its membership at large. Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this publication is correct and accurate as of the publication date. Business Connection does not warrant the accuracy or claims of its advertisers. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute support or endorsement for any product, person, cause, business, or organization unless specifically noted. Please send comments, questions, article suggestions, or requests for information to info@visaliachamber.org, or fax them to us at 559.734.7479. The online version of this publication can be viewed at www.visaliachamber.org. ©Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means of the entire contents or any portion of this publication without written permission is prohibited.

F E AT U R E S

B u s i n e s s C o n n e c tio n | www.visaliachamber.org

13 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 24 27 28

SALES BUSINESS PRACTICES leadership AGONOMICS SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGY BUSINESS FINANCE EMPLOYMENT LAW TECHNOLOGY hr practices law @ WORK WORKPLACE SAFETY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

NEW MEMBERS

Visalia’s

Economic Forecast: A SNapShot There is an adage that roughly says, “If you put five economists in a room and ask for an opinion, you will get 10 opinions.” The difficulty in economic forecasting is getting at least some consensus as to what actually drives the economy - those top level segments that filter down throughout a region to the benefit (or detriment) of all who reside in the area. The Visalia Chamber of Commerce recently assembled a panel of business experts representing a cross section of economic sectors to discuss these questions and to share their thoughts about what we can expect economically in our community over the coming year. This article, which includes an overview of the panel’s thoughts, hopes to provide a baseline, in a macro snapshot form, on where the Visalia economy is headed so we have a basis for future review, comparison, and analysis. While base level segments (i.e. retail sales) are certainly critical to the economic health of Visalia, this overview focuses on those economic sectors (i.e. agriculture and manufacturing), that our panelists agreed have the most influence on our overall economic health. As one member of the panel put it, “A rising tide floats all boats.” However, in some bodies of water, certain boats may have the ability to “float” a little higher than others. In the following synopsis we hope to provide an understanding of just how critical certain segments of our economic health really are, and how adjustments are in constant motion in the attempt to attain equilibrium between the sectors; especially when it comes to land use and land values.

2006 $490,674,445

2005 $397, 887,279

2004 $287,443,149 2003 $ 2 51, 617, 760

T o ta l Va lu ation ($) of Bu ilding Perm i t s Issu ed by the C it y from 2003 - 2012 2007 $367,443,587

2008 $219,022,219 2011 $145,943,137

Year Is s ued Tot al Val u at i on ($) of Bui l di n g Pe r m i t s Issued

2009 $136,375,474

2010 $120,167,287

2012 $112,898,275

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

N um b e r o f B uild ing P e rm i t s I s s ue d by th e Ci t y f r o m 2 0 03 - 20 1 2

Following the incredible spike and subsequent freefall in residential real estate values, pressure on agriculture land values eased. Recent developments (downturn in demand for residential housing developments) have turned the tide for agriculture land values, and have resulted in a spike that makes it difficult to establish current values. The dairy industry is under extreme pressure to consolidate and/or shrink capacity. It will remain at risk until price floors are increased. Even then, the most successful dairies will continue to compete with other states, where prices are much greater and the cost to farm is much lower. Commodity diversity will aid in future success.

2006 5 ,6 7 7 2005 5 ,4 6 4

One possibility for the rebound of the local dairy industry (and all farming operations) is the creation of “valueadded” capacity. M ilk , c h e e s e a n d d a ir y

2007 4,788

2004 4, 70 4

Ye ar Is s ued # of Building Permits Issued

2 0 03 3,812

Site Plan Review Applications Fiscal Year 2011 - 2012: 190 applications From 07.01.2012 - 01.30.2013, the City of Visalia has received 125 applications – up slightly. source: City of Visalia Community Development Division

2008 3,776

product production plants 2009 continue to increase 3,026 in size and capacity as transportation costs remain high and water treatment capacity remains strong. Even though much of this use may be in Tulare or in rural county areas, this is one segment of growth potential that would boost the entire area. Both vertical and horizontal expansion could be created as processing plants also bring in raw products from areas outside Tulare County. The final products are sold worldwide, resulting in the greatest benefit to the local economy by bringing outside dollars to us. As dairies shrink, the backfill is the renewed interest in farmland investment, by both local growers as well as corporate investors. Nuts and citrus cropland are the new popular segments, which are fueling

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an almost speculative nature in the market. Large-scale growers are shifting acreage, and in some areas even shelved “mapped” residential developments are being planted with trees; indicating at least a 7-10 year trend for both crops and housing. This time period allows for tax benefits from planting trees and perhaps for some income, rather than having the land sit idle until housing demand comes back strong enough to have an opportunity to recoup paper losses currently on the books. The benefit of this shift is - land will not sit on the market but will instead provide alternative uses, only available in a predominantly agricultural area such as ours. To stimulate a sustained increase in housing starts, this aforementioned expansion in agriculture along with a similar expansion in manufacturing will be the remedy. Family growth has slowed, and as young adults migrate out of the area, we are unable to expand the housing demand in what used to be a traditional occurrence - children remaining in the area into their adulthood. Looking at manufacturing a n d i n d u s t r i a l o u t p u t , a s i m il a r scenario laid out for agriculture would be a logical remedy. Companies already determined to be in California are the main targets of growth for Visalia. Our “quality of life”, previously used as a marketing tool, is no longer

2010 3,024

2011 3,017

2012 3,082

enough to offset the financial incentives being offered by other cities. Historically, Visalia has not been a city which engaged in using incentives as an enticement to convince employers to locate here. Rather, our strategy has been to attract serious businesses through strong investments in infrastructure (think industrial park development) and community planning. Each municipality has its own approach and, in the end, it becomes a matter of logistics and/or geographic location in selecting a site. Visalia has an edge over most other areas because we are in the center of California with access to the allimportant Highway 99, we have plenty of land, and because of our willingness to provide infrastructure and capacity.

U n e mploy m e nt Rate from 2003 - 2012 20

Califor nia Unemployment Rate

Tulare County Unemployment Rate V isalia Unemployment Rate

16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

6.3

5.7

4.9

4.7

5.8

12.1

10.9

9.7

12.8

11.8

9.5

8.9

10.3

13.6

17.9

16.5

15.7

7.9

7.2

5.8

5.4

6.3

8.4

11.3

10.4

9.8

The city continues to focus its economic development efforts on industrial sectors, based in part on the trickle down that would ultimately impact our local and regional service and retail industries, as the demand for goods and services increases with the increase in employment, households and income. The multiplier effect generated from this trickle down would grow the economic foundation and footprint of the city as residential developments commence along with the increase in commercial demand. Initially, the demand for commercial use may be in newer areas, but eventually the backfill will continue as a less costly alternative to new construction.

meet the needs of those who currently travel out of the area for services. The recent expansion into the teaching arena (think FHCNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership with A.T. Sill University and KDHCDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent announcement that it will house a graduate education program) will attract medical students and professionals to the area, many of which may discover the seed for their long-term practices in specialty areas right in our own backyard. The impact of health services is tremendous in many regards; most especially in employment and land use (look at the various campuses and medical facility clusters throughout the city, not just downtown).

Healthcare will also be a critical piece to the long-term economic base, as care has shifted more toward preventative care in the rural areas. The need to keep existing residents in Visalia along with an even greater need to attract non-residents to Visalia to provide healthcare, is the absolute goal in order to retain such a tremendous economic stimulator and benefit from its growth. As the healthcare industry grows in Visalia, it will expand to

The final important piece of this snapshot is the availability of funds and the amount of financing and/or investment capability, which has grown to a relatively high level but without the spigot being turned wide open. Banks are sitting with higher cash positions, and individuals and corporations are seeing their cash flow and cash positions increase as debt is retired and new debt is eschewed. Businesses that have cut expenses and payroll have

learned to survive, and they will be slow to replace those cuts as profitability returns and increases. The hospitality industry has especially realized improved returns by lowering staff levels and stabilizing service levels. This all leads to an even greater amount of money on the sidelines. Nevertheless, having this surplus should provide a confidence for spending or expansion. It also indicates a complete industry shift for the un-employed rather than wait for their former industry to start re-hiring. The money is out there but subject to much more risk analysis and value determination, which is ever changing, and difficult to assess as alternative investments become popular and drain the availability of funds for use in the more traditional sectors. Lending institutions have cleaned up their portfolios and have money to lend but with at least two critical caveats. First, the borrower is required to have more equity in the deals, and as the markets shift this will remain slow to change, making it difficult for higher leveraged deals to be

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

V i s a l ia Sale s Tax Re venu es - Qu a rterly 22000

IN T HO U SA N DS O F $

21000

20000

19000

18000

17000 Q2

Q3 2010

TOP 25 Sales/Use Tax Contributors

(in alphabetical order) The top 25 Sales/Use Tax Contributors generated 48.2% of Visalia’s total sales and use tax revenue from October 2011 - September 2013. Best Buy Stores Bluescope Buildings Butler Animal Health Supply COSTCO WHOLESALE DON ROSE OIL COMPANY HILTI HOME DEPOT J C PENNY COMPANY JOSTEN’S LAMPE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOWE’S HOME IMPROVEMENT MACY’S MINERAL KING TOYOTA MWI VETERNARY SUPPLY NISSAN OF VISALIA ROSS STORES SAVE MART SUPERMARKETS TARGET STORES TRI-ANIM HEALTH SERVICES UNION 76 SERVICE STATIONS VALERO SERVICE STATIONS VALLEY PACIFIC PETROLEUM VISALIA HONDA VWR INTERNATIONAL WAL MART STORES source: www.MuniServices.com 8

Q3 2011

made. Secondly, on the flip side, private and/or corporate investments will be made with an abundance of caution before any expansion or spending occurs that requires the use of new debt. Once an increased cash position becomes a reality, it becomes tough to part with it unless a well-established demand is determined. The picture over the next 6-12 months looks for a further stabilization in residential housing and infrastructure spending, which will in turn help stabilize employment. Alternative investments may not result in the tremendous creation of jobs needed to move back to single digit unemployment. When interest rates begin to rise, cash will most likely move into these alternative investments many of which are not labor intensive, but they will add to the demand for labor at least in some amount. Five jobs here, 10 jobs there, before you know it, 200 jobs have been added, resulting in some measurable increase in spending. As the economy continues to build, a wider variety of investment alternatives will help keep some boats from rising much higher than others; providing at least some semblance of balance in the various sectors, while at the same time lead to a much slower rising tide. One constant theme in the growth and health of the Visalia economy will be the continued creation and expansion of local products

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Q2 2012

sold to outside areas (think Visalia oranges being sold at a Farmer’s Market to tourists from France headed to the Sequoia National Park). Visalia is no different than any economy in its need to measure its import/export ratios, and just as importantly, to measure the goods produced and sold here to non-Visalia residents. Access to capital and the creation of value-added products/industries that can be produced in Visalia will generate a broad, sustainable and healthy recovery. This snapshot may not be as quick or easy as one would hope. However, in today’s economy, the importance of the dissemination of thoughts and ideas is higher than ever. We appreciate our panel as we understand the time and energy to share is valuable. Particular attention to each one’s own piece of Visalia’s economy has been necessary in weathering out the storm that seems to be behind us. Using the analogy of the rising tide, every resident has the opportunity to participate in the benefit of a rising tide and most importantly, the business community has and always will be looked upon be the main source of such a rise. We look forward to revisiting these sectors in the near future and to ensure the formulation of ideas, thoughts and theories are shared and used; as each one’s needs are developed and met, and as we all transition from our recovery phase to measureable growth and expansion.

Putting a New Twist on Pretzels The world must love to snack.

The plant was built in 1950 and began making pretzels in 1960. It has been expanded from 43,000 square feet to the current 238,000 square feet, and another expansion is in the works to create additional office space. Two of the original ovens are still in operation, along with five additional ovens to meet the global demand for fun food.

The ConAgra Foods plant on Goshen Avenue makes and exports stick, twisted and peanut butter-filled pretzels to Mexico, Canada, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong and other nations around the world.

Formerly known as National Pretzel, the Visalia plant and two facilities in Pennsylvania were acquired by ConAgra Foods in 2011. ConAgra Foods operates at a “world-class level,” Desrosiers says, and the change has been a plus for the Visalia operation.

Here at home, the bins of bulk pretzels at Winco are made in Visalia, as are Snack’rs pretzels found at Smart & Final. The HK Anderson brand peanut butter-filled pretzels at Costco were made in Visalia, along with a number of branded party mixes that are mixed, seasoned and packaged utilizing ConAgra Foods’ pretzels and bread sticks.

“The company focuses on safety and thanks to intensive training we have seen this plant’s safety record greatly improve,” Desrosiers said. “They encourage employees to be engaged and involved and they require accountability from employees at all levels. With this new management style, we are seeing people who want more out of their lives rise to the challenge and rise to the top. We want them to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We have some of the best people in the company at this plant, and I am proud to be associated with them.”

A total of 1.2 million pounds of pretzels per week. A rail car of flour every day. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with 280 employees working three shifts. And a 15 percent increase in demand for store brand foods.

“Flour is our lifeblood,” notes Ed Desrosiers, Visalia plant manager. “We take flour and salt, put it in a bag and, voila, pretzels!” The process of making pretzels and bread sticks is fairly simple. Flour and water are blended to create the dough, which is placed in a large machine that presses the dough through a form. The result is row upon row of perfect pretzels, which are then baked at nearly 600 degrees, salted and dried at nearly 300 degrees. The pretzels then make their way to the bagging machines, which precisely fill, measure, seal and date stamp. Flour, water and salt go into the facility and pretzels come out – big twists, little twists, thin sticks, thick sticks, hearts, holiday shapes and thick Bavarian-style. The Visalia operation is one of only two plants in the world that produces peanut butter-filled pretzels, Desrosiers noted. To address peanut allergies, the plant essentially has two operations, including one specifically for the peanut butter-filled pretzel. Strict regulations and plant design help protect the primary lines, and these shipments are labeled “allergen free.” The plant is also kosher.

1.2 million lbs. of

S i n c e t h e a c q u i s i t i o n, 8 0 employees have been hired, and additional employees are expected to be hired soon, particularly machine operators and lab technicians. The maintenance and lab departments will double in size in the near future, Desrosiers says. Visalia’s employees are extremely loyal, with many having worked at the plant for 20 or 30 years. And, the location has been effective due to the easy access to ports for export. “Visalia may not be a ‘fun’ place for young adults in comparison to larger urban areas, but it is a great place to raise a family,” he added. “I chose to move to Visalia from the Bay Area after working with several other food companies. This is a great town and a place to be proud of.” “Made in Visalia” is written by Nancy Lockwood, executive director of the Visalia Economic Development Corporation.

per week. Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

The Visalia Chamber says â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank Youâ&#x20AC;? to all who supported and attended the

Annual

Christmas T 10

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

Tree Auction The Visalia Chamber hosts this event to support local charities and this year over $200,000 was raised for over 30 local charities. Business Connec tion | www.visaliachamber.org

CALL J.C. LANSDOWNE, INC. FOR ALL YOUR FUEL AND OIL REQUIREMENTS

(559) 651-1760 12

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S A LES

Do your prospects have decision deficit disorder? Do you hear “think-it-over” more often than you hear “yes” or “no”? Unfortunately, the problem may be you. There is a very strong correlation between a salesperson’s own decision processes and what he will tolerate from his prospects; only decision makers can get people to make decisions. So, if you find yourself constantly facing the dreaded “think-it-over” syndrome, you might need to take a look at how you make decisions and improve your decision-making skills. . eing a strong and effective decision maker involves B taking risks, being open to the possibility of failure, and identifying and eliminating procrastination. Failure brings profound lessons, risk can be analyzed and implemented wisely, procrastination can be addressed with preparation and planning, and decisions can be improved by a process that involves all of these ideas. As you become more decisive, you will find that your prospects will “mysteriously” become more decisive too.

Remember this:

The first step to becoming a better decision maker is to understand the effect our decision-making processes have on how we sell. Try this: Write down the larger purchases you’ve made over the past year and examine your process for making financial decisions. Then compare your methods of selling to your methods of powering through financial decisions. Give some thought to your level of risk tolerance, fear of failure, and tendency to procrastinate in money matters. In the coming articles I’ll cover a process for handling failure, a system for understanding and managing risk, and tactics to eliminate the causes of procrastination. Each step will help you become a better decision maker, and therefore a better salesperson

Happy Selling,

Dale

dale Bierce Sandler Training

Dale Bierce is the President of the Sandler Training Center in Fresno. For comments or questions, email dale@sandler.com or call 559-412-8178.

What a salesperson does as a buyer they will tolerate as a seller. Show me a salesperson who thinks price is all there is as a buyer, and I’ll show you the salesperson who is statistically likely to have one of the lowest margins on the sales force. A rabid researcher is more likely to have a longer selling cycle and fewer closes. An indecisive salesperson who often changes their mind is more likely to have back outs. Conversely, someone with an abundance mentality (who believes money is plentiful) has the ability to make monetary decisions with ease. This person typically asks for and gets top dollar consistently.

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b u si n es s p r ac t i c e s

Do’s Don’ts of PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

The performance appraisal – dreaded by both employers and employees alike! But, if done well, a performance review can be a positive experience, giving an employee acknowledgement for their accomplishments and constructive feedback to improve their performance and hone their skills. Here are 10 common mistakes that lead to poor appraisals and tips on how to avoid them. Carol Halajian, MBA Verla Oliver, SPHR-CA Triad Solutions/ SinglePoint Outsourcing

If you are interested in support for the Human Resources function of your business, call SinglePoint Outsourcing at (559) 625-4800 or visit www.single-point.com.

#1: Having unclear standards/expectations.

#6: Jumping to conclusions.

Solution: Every employee should understand and have written documentation on what and when they will be evaluated. Goals should be written so that they are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-related) and should be revisited/ updated periodically during the performance period.

Solution: Assuming that poor performance is because the employee is incompetent, lazy, or unmotivated leaves you no room to determine the real issue. Ask what gets in the way of meeting expectations, listen to the answer, and be prepared to remove barriers.

#2: Viewing appraisals as a once-a year event.

#7: Allowing protected leaves to influence reviews.

Solution: The primary goal of performance appraisals is to improve performance. Don’t wait for the formal performance appraisal to give employees correction or begin disciplinary action. #3: Viewing review as top-down process. Solution: Make the review process two-way. Employees should have a written self-appraisal that she or he can share and compare with their manager’s review. Then, the meeting becomes a conversation about job performance, not a lecture. #4: Focusing on traits. Solution: Rather than trying to evaluate subjective traits such as leadership or motivation, focus on observable behaviors and results. Behaviors such as teaching, clear and accurate communication, and meeting all deadlines are more objective/easier to measure. #5: Giving vague feedback. Solution: “You need to improve” provides no direction on how, where, or when. Have a file for each direct report and keep it up to date with the good, bad, even ugly behaviors you observe and results that you measure. Then, use this information to provide feedback.

Solution: Work closely with HR to ensure you don’t let protected absences or activities affect the review. #8: Focusing on one positive or negative aspect. Solution: The big accomplishments (or mistakes) really stand out. Keeping good performance records throughout the year can help create a review that reflects their total performance. #9: Getting drawn into a debate. Solution: The supervisor has the final word in the assessment. If the employee presents new information, you can consider it before the review is finalized. If the conversation escalates, you can take a break and set a time to revisit the review. #10: Neglecting to have a follow-up plan in place. Solution: Creating the follow-up plan with two or three simple, practical steps is the perfect way to end the review process and set the stage for the next cycle in the coaching process. Following these tips to avoid common mistakes can help you develop a positive performance appraisal process and, ultimately, lead to improved individual and organizational performance.

“A well-intentioned appraisal, done poorly, can do more harm than good.” 14

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l e a de r sh ip

We are conditioned to have a backward mentality of failure. As adolescents, we felt the inevitable guilt of bringing a subpar grade home. Whether an A- or the dreaded F, guidelines were set for us early on to determine success and failure. Each event from school to the professional stage has perpetuated the ruse of guilt-ridden failure, which has led to a new problem – fear of it. To avoid guilt and self-inflicted shame, we circumvent putting ourselves out there to be subject to other’s ridicule. Many go even further and never quite move up in life; or worse: they are placed in management positions, ultimately creating a stagnant environment and in turn fail to innovate. The cure for failure is not avoidance, but understanding.

some ground. Once you find where you want to lead a team, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There are two types of mistakes: trivial and unlearned. The former is when you fail because of something that could have been avoided, including being unorganized, not thoroughly planning, or repeating mistakes. These are all things that will inevitably lead to moving backward and can hurt your overall productivity. Unlearned mistakes are those that are seemingly unavoidable because the wisdom is not yet inherent, as in sometimes you have to fail to learn how to do something the correct way. This is moving forward. Learning how not to do something can be viewed just as important to success as finding out how to accomplish the same feat.

Failure is a picture in time, as is success.

Failure Begets Success Winston Churchill, who led Great Britain through some of its darkest days, once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” This is an important truth to heed. Failure is a picture in time, as is success. If you fail, you are not a failure. Keep in mind failure is an event that does not define you unless it becomes you. It is an opportunity to learn what works and what doesn’t that will help you to your particular goal. Not doing anything is the one thing that can make you digress.

Learning from Failures We must first accept responsibility for the mistake. Then, analyze the error and decide which type it is, trivial or unlearned. If trivial, fix it and soldier on. If unlearned, use it as an opportunity for growth and to better understand your circumstances. Remember, the day you stop learning is the day you stop leading. Continue to grow and educate others in order to reach your overall goal. After you’ve accepted responsibility and learned from the failure, move forward and don’t dwell on it.

Failing Forward As American industrialist Henry Ford said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” The only setback should be apathy. As long as you are pushing forward toward a goal, the pragmatic result is that you will gain

Start Failing Today Do not fear failure, fear apathy. According to the Roman poet Virgil, “They succeed because they think they can.” Know who you are and what you want. Be ready for failure; it’s inevitable. But know – success is waiting behind one of those failures.

Kris Brokaw Express Employment Professionals

For more information about Express Employment Professionals, call (559) 738-7822 or visit visaliaca.expresspros.com

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AG ONOMIC S

Recent expansions provide County with opportunity to show two businesses

“It’s all about you” The Tulare County Economic Development Office recently received a call from a local commercial broker about to close escrow on a vacant building in Sultana that had previously been home to an agricultural-related business. The company purchasing the building in Sultana needed to relocate from its existing facility in Goshen. Eric Coyne Tulare County Economic Development Corporation

Tulare County

Economic Development Oﬃce Business Opportuni�es Film Commission Tourism

www.TulareCountyEconomicDevelopment.org Phone (559) 624‐7128

The broker wanted to verify his client’s intended use for the Sultana property was compatible with County zoning, and to expedite the process of opening his doors for business. Of course, there were “challenges” to this deal – and timing was critical. Michael Washam, Tulare County Economic Development Manager, lays it out for us: Green-Tek manufactures and distributes netting and shade cloth materials nationally to all sorts of businesses, but largely ag-related companies. Green-Tek had been doing business in Goshen for some time – sub-leasing part of a large, otherwise vacant industrial site. The Goshen property had long been for sale, and when a buyer stepped forward, Green-Tek needed to relocate – right in the middle of their busy season.

Have questions or need assistance, call our Economic Development Manager Michael Washam

(559) 624-7128.

For more information on business opportunities in Tulare County,visit tularecountyeconomic development.org.

Green-Tek was experiencing a huge demand for its products at the same time the company was relocating from Goshen to Sultana. Much of this product demand was created by local growers due to the on-going Citrus Psylid quarantine recently imposed in the Strathmore and Terra Bella areas, where Green-Tek’s products are literally being used to safeguard our $600 million annual citrus crop. It became our mission at the County to fasttrack the relocation of Green-Tek, and to get the abandoned facility Green-Tek was buying in Sultana

re-configured to its new commercial uses. All this while Green-Tek continued to service its customer base. Building permits needed to be issued, fire inspections coordinated, and so on. A process that could normally take weeks was accomplished within three days. Meanwhile, the Tulare County Office of Economic Development was also assisting Kaweah Container’s move its operations from Visalia to the property Green-Tek had formerly sub-leased in Goshen. Kaweah Container makes packaging materials for many commodities, including many food-related products that Valley growers use to ship local crops to market. Kaweah Container needed to expand its manufacturing capacity and as a result, more than double its workforce from 50 to 120. The company wanted to move and resume operations in its “new” Goshen location with the least amount of turmoil. Kaweah Container’s plan for this new Goshen location property required a lot of changes to install new specialty manufacturing equipment. Washam coordinated a team approach with County planners, building inspectors and others, and developed a temporary plan that allowed Kaweah Container to operate in a portion of its new facility while installation of the new manufacturing equipment took place in another area. By working closely with the principals involved, Tulare County was able to assist a local broker with the close of Green-Tek’s escrow, speed the relocation, retention and expansion of two important local businesses, and ultimately help them both grow their workforces – supporting our local economy and local agri-business activity.

DonalD P. SharP

Senior Vice President/Bond Manager

www.bminc.com • don@bminc.com • Office (559) 635-3528 • Fax (559) 734-8648 • Cell (559) 696-1238 500 North Santa Fe • P.O. Box 629 • Visalia, California 93279-0629 • License #0A82561 16

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

SOC I A L MEDI A

Take off your marketing hat and put on your consumer cap for a moment. Do you like being targeted broadly by marketers and advertisers? Do you enjoy watching incessant car commercials interrupting your favorite TV shows? Or would you rather see ads and marketing materials from car companies when you are actually looking to buy a new car and have expressed interest in doing so? Along the same lines, just because you are single does not mean you want to see ads for dating sites. Also, the fact that you are a woman does not mean you want to hear about department store sales. And for goodness sake, just because you are a man does not mean you want to be bombarded by men’s sexual health companies! No, you likely actually want to hear from companies and organizations based on your specific needs and interests. Now that it’s possible to more narrowly target people using social networks, put your marketing cap back on and leverage the opportunity. Perhaps you know that your target market likes playing sports. But what if they prefer one sport to another? Or maybe you know young women love your product, but are unaware that 25 or 26-year-old women are far more likely to buy than 23 or 24-yearold women. Now that you can target so precisely (especially on Facebook), you can always survey and research to learn exactly who the audience for your product and service actually is. Make a post on Facebook, and play around with “Advertise this Post” section. You will be amazed at how narrowly you can target your audience. If you don’t know specifics, you can always ask too! For example, say you have 1,000 Facebook fans and you know your customers like sports. Ask them what

their favorite sport is. If you find out for some reason that nine out of 10 of them prefer baseball, you might consider sponsoring a local Little League team. Targeting is just the tip of the iceberg. Remember, we’re not talking about advertising repeatedly in the hopes of eventually finding the right person at the right time who may happen to need to buy your product or service. We’re talking about defining and finding the narrowly targeted, correct audience and then beginning to engage them in a conversation, so that when they are ready to buy, you’re the obvious, logical choice. If you’ve targeted them correctly and then engaged with them along the way, when it comes time to buy, they won’t even need to search, and they certainly won’t need to respond to a television or radio ad. They’ll already know you, trust you, and like you, so they’ll turn right to you.

Josh Jackson Visalia Rawhide

They’ll already know you, trust you, and like you, so they’ll turn right to you. I know you’re not going to throw out your advertising budget, but you can cut back in order to start targeting the right people through social networks, those who will become your customers, advocates even, in the future. Find them, bring them into the conversation, and when they’re ready, you’ll be their first choice.

For more information on business-related social media, email josh@rawhidebaseball.com

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m ar k e tin g s t r a t e g i e s

PUBLIC RELATIONS during CRISIS not a good time to hide You’ve spent a lot of time and money on traditional advertising media, and most likely (hopefully) have hired a professional firm to create the message and place the ads in the most appropriate places to reach your target audience.

Karen Tellalian DMI Agency

You’ve not given much thought to public relations. Then one day a crisis happens and you find yourself embarrassed, frustrated and dealing with the loss of credibility. The most reputable and ethical companies have found themselves in the middle of “unplanned press.” Now, even more than before, you need an honest-to-goodness professional to help navigate these rough waters. If you think you can handle a PR crisis on your own, ask yourself if you’d operate on yourself or represent yourself in court in a major lawsuit? If you answered yes, below are some good arguments to reconsider:

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•

When something goes wrong, anxiety levels can rise and chances are you are too close to the situation to think objectively. A skilled professional has a judicious eye and the ability to sift through the facts. Things that are important to you might not have the same level of importance to the general public and it helps to be able to prioritize what’s most important. Few people today are not “connected” 24-hoursa-day, seven-days-a-week. In our world of social media and cell phones and the Internet, news – especially bad news – can spread like wildfire, allowing anyone with a blog and a cell phone to disseminate rumor as fact. When you’re unsure of how to respond your reaction might be to “let it blow over,” but there

DEDICATION THAT MOVES YOUR BUSINESS.

are numerous examples about why this is a bad idea. In the middle of the Tiger Woods scandal, his silence did nothing to help his situation. When he did finally step forward, his 13-minute ramble went terribly wrong. Since then, PR crisis experts use Tiger’s lack of (then poor) response as how not to address a media crisis. Rapid crisis response is key to shutting down the rumor mill, and having a plan in place before the unimaginable happens is sound business advice. A sound “Policy and Practices” public relations plan can turn a negative situation into a positive outcome for people or businesses after the crisis. Here are some steps to include in that plan: •

. ddress what went wrong and your plan for A handling it. If you or your company is at fault, apologize and fast.

•

Communicate your message and plan to everyone affected, and speak for yourself if possible. Don’t rely on emails or newsletters to deliver the message for you.

•

Practice your delivery. How you say it is just as important as what you say. Speak with compassion and by all means, be honest. Stay calm, enunciate, use everyday language, and be ready to field difficult questions.

After the initial storm has settled, be prepared for the fact that all might not be forgiven, but you can minimize the damage by being prepared and communicating honestly in a timely manner. A professional PR firm can help you develop strategies and the tools necessary to navigate in the event of a public relations crisis.

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business finance

As your business enters the New Year, one of your business resolutions should be to evaluate your planning process. Whether your business is a “mom and pop” sole proprietorship or a corporation with many departments, business size is irrelevant when it comes to planning for anticipated and unanticipated challenges. Gil Jaramillo Central Valley Business Incubator, Tulare/Kings Counties

• Tip: Whether you plan an all-out strategy or you prefer to ask the team to “put their heads together”, the general rule remains the same. The more, the merrier. With that said, make it a point to include the owner or president of the company, the mid-level manager, sales clerk and floor sweeper to ensure that everyone is giving their input when it comes to increasing revenue and reducing expenses. Both directly impact the bottom line. • Result: There is a correlation between having more individuals involved in the planning process and increasing the likelihood of the business meeting its goals.

D E S I G NObtaining ( P RCredit: OOF) The end-result of a planning process may involve the MRI need for credit. Financing may be needed for Client: Visalia Imagine Open different (e.g. research and development, Designed by: Cribbsproject - New reasons Media Design growth or expansion, seasonal working capital, Project: Ad for Chamber Directory permanent working capital, equipment purchases, Size:to8x2 Connect CVBI-SBDC for etc.) In a perfect world, the cash flow generated business consultation. Date: 9.24.12 by the business will cover these, but often, due In Fresno & Madera: rich@cvbi.org. to timing, slowness in sales or opportunity for In Tulare & Kings counties: growth or expansion, businesses may need to gil@cvbi.org. apply for financing. For asssistance commercializing technology, email: helle@cvbi.org.

• The Consensus: In the current economic circumstances, financing may be more difficult than before to obtain.

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

• Reality: Banks and non-bank lending institutions are making loans (e.g.: This fiscal year, the SBA guaranteed business loans made in Tulare County exceeded the prior fiscal year by a whopping 64 percent or $18,243,000 up from $11,094,000). Qualifying for a Loan: The SBA loans are out there, but does your business qualify? Oftentimes, qualifying can be challenging as the factors that lenders look for have not changed much all these years. They are usually summed up as the 5C’s of banking. • The 5C’s of Banking »» Credit History (includes both personal and business financial performance to date); »» Character (your track record and reputation in your industry); »» Capacity (the ability to repay the loan with cash generated from business operation); »» Collateral (most loans are secured with business or personal assets); »» Conditions (how will economic trends affect your business); »» Capital (how much you are willing and able to invest in the project or venture) If you believe you have current or may have future credit needs, sit down with your lender and discuss your potential needs and their qualifications.

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

Employment LAW

Right to Terminate Employment May be Crucial to Determining Independent Contractor Status

This article is for education & information purposes only; it should not be construed as legal advice. For specific legal assistance, contact Barsamian & Moody at (559) 248-2360 or tollfree at (888) 322-2573.

. he Auto Club filed a motion for summary judgment, T and the superior court ruled in its favor, finding that the Auto Club had a contract that defined their relationship with the towing company as that of an independent contractor. The motorist appealed, and the appeals court reversed. In making its ruling, the court noted that, “the label placed by the parties on their relationship is not dispositive” and that the essence of the test is “whether the principal has the right to control the manner and means by which the worker accomplishes the work.” I.nterestingly, the court put great emphasis on the Auto Club’s right to terminate the relationship with the tow truck company at any time as an indication

What This Means for Employers While Monarrez involved tort liability to an injured third party, employers should also be aware of the possible exposure that arises from Labor Code §226.8. Labor Code §226.8 imposes a penalty of up to $25,000 for each misclassified contractor. The employer may also be liable for obligations to reimburse expenses and pay overtime wages to misclassified employees.

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O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:___________________________

Barsamian & Moody

of the type of “control” that takes the relationship out of independent contractor status. The court stated, “The right to terminate employment at any time strongly tends to show the subserviency of the employee, since it is incompatible with the full control of the work usually enjoyed by an independent contractor. Perhaps no single circumstance is more conclusive to show the relationship of an employee than the right of the employer to end the service whenever he sees fit to do so.” In the past, courts have treated the right to terminate at-will as a secondary factor separate from the issue of who has the right to control.

PROOF O.K. BY: _____________________________

Patrick Moody

In the recent case Monarrez v. Automobile Club of Southern California, the Auto Club was sued by a motorist who was struck by a hit-and-run driver while his disabled vehicle was being loaded by a tow truck driver. The tow truck driver worked for a towing company who had a contract with the Auto Club, raising the issue of whether the tow truck operator was an employee for whom the Auto Club was legally responsible, or if he worked for an independent contractor (the towing company).

t e c h n o l o gy

obile devices can be connected to the Internet, Bluetooth, and SMS. There are hacks to abuse all of these. Many people now use their mobile device for work with an email password that provides access to the corporate network, stored on the phone. This same device is often linked to social media and other online services, with stored passwords. Many of these “Apps” have been granted permission to access other services on your device, and may share passwords – they login with Facebook, or Google. Here’s what to do: 1. Set a password on your device, and set it to lock automatically after a short time. Over 50 percent of mobile device users do not lock their phones, and of those, 90 percent use them for business. Only 10 percent of tablets are set to lock automatically. If stolen, you have given someone the keys to your online accounts. This one step increases your security dramatically. 2. Turn off services you are not using. If you don’t use Bluetooth, turn it off. If your phone can act as a mobile hotspot, don’t leave it that way longer than needed. If you don’t need GPS, turn it off. 3. Use the same caution you use with your corporate email when replying or clicking on links. Your mobile device is just as vulnerable to malicious websites and emails. Mobile malware is more difficult to detect, and can gain control of your device. This includes access to your email, contacts, camera, and listening via the microphone.

4. Don’t reply to unrecognized SMS messages. One of the most common scams is to send an SMS which takes you to a “Premium” SMS number. You get charged a fee on your mobile account at the end of the month, which often goes unnoticed. This is similar to the “900” phone number scams – as soon as you dial, they have your money.

TIM TORIAN Torian Group, Inc.

5. If you don’t use an app, make sure it does not run automatically. If it does, uninstall it. Keep your apps updated. Some updates are security related. 6. Use a unique Bluetooth key – something other than “0000” or “1111” when pairing devices. Turn off automatic Bluetooth pairing. “Bluesnarfing” is the use of an antenna and software to create an unauthorized connection with your device. It is very easy to do, but requires being close by. 7. Be very careful with public Wi-Fi. Hijacking public Wi-Fi is very easy, and comes in a kit for about $100. It then allows the hacker to view and record all your web activity, while you see no difference.

For questions or information on computer consulting or networking, call Torian Group, Inc. at (559) 733-1940 or visit toriangroup.com.

8. Use unique complex passwords for each of your apps. Use a different email account for password recovery than the one on your phone. Awareness is the single most important step you can take. Your mobile device is a computer, and is vulnerable to hacking.

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HR Pr ac t i c e s

California law generally requires the payment of overtime to non-exempt employees for hours worked over eight in one workday, over 40 in one workweek, and on the seventh day of the workweek. The calculation is straightforward for non-exempt employees paid only an hourly wage. But some employers pay hourly employees a fixed salary, such as $1,000 per week or $50,000 per year. DAVID MILLER Pacific Employers

For information about this or similar labor law issues, call Pacific Employers at (559) 733-4256 or visit pacificemployers.com and click on “What’s New!”

Under a new law, AB 2103, the salary paid to a nonexempt employee cannot be deemed to include overtime, regardless of whether the parties have agreed to such an arrangement in an “explicit mutual wage agreement.” In other words, employers are required to account for, and to pay, overtime to nonexempt employees even if those employees receive a fixed salary. AB 2103 was enacted for the express purpose of overturning the result in a recent California Court of Appeal case, Arechiga v. Dolores Press, Inc., which held that a fixed salary could cover both regular time and overtime. In the Arechiga case, a janitor and his employer agreed that payment of a fixed salary of $880 a week would provide compensation for 66 hours of work each week. The Court of Appeal held that this method of payment agreed with California overtime law, and that no additional overtime compensation was owed. The new law has undone that decision. The new law clarifies that such a fixed salary can only be deemed to be compensation for the employee’s regular non-overtime hours. So, even if the fixed salary clearly indicates the overtime component of the salary, AB 2103 now requires a conversion of the entire salary to a 40-hour payment, and additional overtime for all over 40 hours. Accordingly, the hourly

1930

est.

rate for a non-exempt full-time salaried employee must be 1/40th of the employee’s weekly salary. Employers may not enter into private agreements to the contrary. The new law will only impact employers who: • pay non-exempt employees a fixed salary instead of an hourly wage; and, • include overtime in that fixed salary. Employers can also get into trouble with salaried non-exempt employees if they fail to keep adequate time records. If the employee is non-exempt there is still a requirement to keep records of hours worked and meal breaks taken, even if they receive a salary. Also, the employer still needs to convert that salary to an hourly wage for purposes of listing regular time and overtime. The advantage of a salary is always to the employee, as it is an amount that needs to be paid, whether there is any work to do or not. So why not just give the hourly rate to begin with? Simply state in the offer letter that the annual salary is a “target salary” of $50k per year, which equates to $24 per hour, with a caveat that the employee’s actual earnings may vary based on hours worked. That is much more accurate. Finally, the paystub needs to be accurate too. Rather than a fixed salary on the stub, it should list the hourly rate and the hours worked. For the example above it should list 40 hours at $24 per hour. Bottom-line, paying a non-exempt employee a fixed salary is an invitation to unintended pay errors, which is never a good thing – especially in California.

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celebrating twenty years

1993

2013

This year, Seals/Biehle, Inc. has something to celebrate; 2013 marks our 20th anniversary, a milestone preceded by decades of hard work and dedication to our clients, our trade, and our future. Furthermore, it marks the start of something even bigger to come. A horizon full of possibilities for growth, diversification and success. This year we will construct the $15 million new kitchen at Porterville Developmental Center, complete a major plant expansion at Hydrite Chemical Co., and enlarge our head office in Visalia, doubling in size. Seals/Biehle, Inc., a family-run general contracting and construction management firm founded in 1993, has completed projects for dozens of commercial clients over the years, including Saint Agnes Medical Center, Kraft Foods, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno and many local government municipalities.

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t h e l aw @ w o r k

A California court recently held that employers may lawfully use rounding policies, i.e. policies that round an employee’s time worked to the nearest tenth of an hour worked (or other similar increment) for purposes of calculating pay. In the case of Silva v. See’s Candy, See’s employees were required to use a timekeeping system to record their start and end times of work. See’s incorporated a rounding policy in which times would be rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour (up or down) for payroll purposes. A former See’s employee filed a lawsuit claiming the rounding policy resulted in underpayment of wages. The court held that “the rule in California is that an employer is entitled to use the nearest-tenth rounding policy if the rounding policy is fair and neutral on its face and it is used in such a manner that it will not

result, over a period of time, in failure to compensate the employees properly for all the time they have actually worked.” Thus, the legality of a rounding policy depends on (1) whether it operates over time to pay employees for all time worked and (2) whether it does not to short employees. In the See’s case, there was an expert’s report filed with the court that concluded that the See’s rounding policy actually had a net effect of slightly overpaying employees. The See’s case is the first published California decision to uphold the use of rounding policies. However, not all rounding policies would be found legal in the eyes of the law. The key requirement is that the policy, over time, properly compensates employees for hours worked and that it does not result in underpayment. Absent these requirements, a rounding policy can create substantial liability for employers.

Brett T. Abbott Gubler & Abbott, LLP

This article is for education and information purposes only; it should not be construed as legal advice. For specific legal assistance, contact Gubler, Koch, Degn & Gomez LLP, (559) 625-9600, or visit thecalifornialawayers.com.

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w or kp l ac e saf e t y

Teresa Inglehart President SHRM Tulare-Kings Counties

For more information on HR-related issues, email teresa@tmistrategic.com or call (559)651-2925

Healthcare isn’t the only premium being affected by reform in 2013. Worker’s compensation insurance has been overhauled in calculating experience modification rates, and it isn’t in favor of the employers. In most cases of worker’s compensation, there isn’t much an employer can do. However, a few New Year’s Resolutions as it pertains to your safety practices could help ease the pain by increasing awareness, reducing injuries, positively affecting experience modifiers and saving in your bottom line.

Resolution #1:

Make your 2013 Safety Goals Review your past injuries and look for repeat incidents. This can help identify specific goals and needs for training or protective equipment. Next, talk about safety with all employees and have them help set these goals. Be realistic in setting goals and making them attainable. Being overzealous in making unreachable goals can set you back. Most companies cannot go from 60 injuries or incidents in a year to 0 in a year.

Resolution #2:

Allocate Resources & Time Great, you have a hope. Do something about it. If new programs, equipment or processes are required to meet the goals, provide it to your staff. Funds are better spent preventing injuries and raising awareness than on rising insurance premiums (and will cost less in the long run.) Get employees talking about how to meet goals and be there to support their efforts.

Resolution #3: Stick With It

Don’t get caught up in the everyday rush. Revisit your goals regularly and make sure new processes and commitments are followed. Business as usual will not bring change, and the extra effort and time now will pay off in the end.

Resolution #4:

Recognize & Reward Everyone is on board and things are so great you can forget about safety and focus on daily tasks. Go back to your first resolution. Recognize your staff’s achievement’s and reward them frequently. Safety talks can be a positive reinforcement and keeps employees motivated for a successful track record. Frequent reminders and rewards to individuals, teams and the company as a whole push employees to follow safe procedures and avoid dangerous shortcuts that could lead to breaking a safe workplace streak. As you find success, don’t slack on your resolutions. Lay down challenges by increasing goals that have been met and motivate teams to be accountable to each other. Each year safety policies change and premium computations vary. You don’t want to get complacent and revert back to old habits. Resolutions constantly have to be a top priority, and safety resolutions are no different. Don’t fail your resolutions in 2013!

D o n’ t Fo rg e t! Your 2012 OSHA 300 Log Summary is required to be posted February 1st through April 30th. The OSHA 300 Logs are not required to be posted, only the summary page. Logs and summaries must be kept on file for 5 years and does not need to show first aid incidents, only OSHA recordable incident claims. Download the OSHA 300 instruction and information PDF file at www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/new-osha300form1-1-04.pdf

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

B USINESS S P OTLIG HT

By Lisa Salazar

For more information about Visalia Community Bank visit www.vcb.com or call Tom Beene at 625-8733.

For the last 35 years, Visalia Community Bank (VCB) has offered banking and financial services to businesses, professionals, agricultural-related companies and consumers in Tulare County.

“VCB is a preferred lender through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and we are ready to assist customers with very well structured loans to help their business grow.”

VCB’s business customers include medical practices, law firms, construction companies, restaurants and virtually any business with a need for local and very accessible community banking. Direct access to the bank’s senior management team and relationship managers – and a wide array of financial services – are key advantages to customers of this homegrown financial institution. Four branches in Visalia and one in Exeter add to the convenience of banking with VCB.

What kind of industry trends are you seeing?

“Working at a bank in the community in which I grew up is a unique opportunity. I see friends become customers.” – TOM BEENE President & CEO Visalia Community Bank VCB VITAL STATISTICS 5 branches capitalization: $18.8 million current assets: $200 million 2011 Visalia Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year award

On occasion, people may think that a small community bank is not able to provide the latest in banking technology such as online banking, online bill-pay, remote deposit and mobile banking. “On the contrary, VCB has it all,” explains Tom Beene, president and CEO. Under his leadership, the bank was awarded the 2004 Central California Excellence in Business award, the 2009 Best Companies to Work For in the Central Valley award, and the Visalia Chamber of Commerce 2011 Large Business of the Year award. Tom has been involved with the California Bankers Association (CBA) since 1991 and serves as vice-chairman for the CBA’s Board of Directors. How can business owners and professionals benefit from your services? “When our customers have questions, they can call or meet with one of VCB ‘s experienced team members. VCB’s staff is accessible to answer questions about a bank statement, help a small business owner apply for a loan or help a customer understand and utilize banking technology. Customers can easily contact our staff and they really like that,” Beene said.

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

“Given the regulatory and economic environment that community banks are challenged with, bank mergers are occurring more frequently than ever before,” Beene noted. “Fortunately, VCB was able to find a perfect San Joaquin Valley-based community bank to merge with in order to expand its lending capacity and other services to businesses and consumers. Central Valley Community Bank (CVCB) will be a very good fit for VCB customers and, like VCB, will stay very engaged with community organizations.” What is a primary goal for VCB? “A key objective for us is to get the word out that VCB is lending,” Beene said. “All kinds of loans are available including business, agribusiness and consumer loans. Our deposits continue to grow and we want to see those dollars reinvested into the communities we serve to support economic and job growth. The planned merger with CVCB will allow our customers to access additional types of loans and apply for larger loan amounts, and still have immediate access to their favorite local banker.” What are some of the rewards of being a bank president? “Working at a bank in the community in which I grew up is a unique opportunity,” Beene said. “I see friends become customers. I have the opportunity to help long-time customers overcome business struggles by sitting down face-to-face with them to restructure a loan and help them through tough times. It almost doesn’t seem like work.” “Every bank that I ever worked for in my 40-plus years of banking has included merging with another bank as part of its strategic plan. Fortunately, VCB and CVCB will be the perfect fit for local customers and the communities we serve.” As Visalia’s oldest independent and locally owned financial institution, VCB has grown from an original capitalization of $1.25 million to $18.8 million, with current assets of $200 million as of Sep. 30, 2012.

If you think banks aren’t lending … You’re not talking to the right bank. No matter what your business needs, Visalia Community Bank is the right bank. We offer: • Lines of credit for working capital and for inventory • Loans for purchase of commercial property • Loans to help purchase equipment And, we are a Preferred Lender with the Small Business Administration.

Best of all, lending decisions are made locally. Discover the advantage of doing business with a community bank.

www.vcb.com

(559) 625-8733 Member FDIC

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

B USINESS S P OTLI G HT

By Lindsay Mann, CEO

A Plan for the Future:

Kaweah Delta celebrates 50 years; looks ahead to serve growing community

ifty years ago, Kaweah Delta Health Care District got its s t a r t i n d o w n t o w n V i s a li a . This year, as we celebrate the golden anniversary of our healthcare district, I would like to share our plans for the future and how we are growing to serve our great city. Kaweah Delta’s plans for the future are important to Chamber members because they will help meet the healthcare needs of people here at home and drive our local economy. With a $454 million operating budget, 3,600 employees, 300 physicians on medical staff and 76 resident physicians on their way to the area through our Graduate Medical Education programs, the economic impact of Kaweah Delta is substantial. Considering even a modest multiplier, Kaweah Delta’s impact on the economy of Visalia and Tulare County is easily over $1 billion per year. Our commitment to downtown Visalia may have started 50 years ago, but it is solidified in plans for the future development of Kaweah Delta Medical Center in downtown. The conceptual plan for expanding it encompasses a seven to 15 year planning horizon and has four central elements:

1. The first plan is to culvert a small portion of Mill Creek to create an integrated medical campus. We have determined that operating a hospital with a divided facility at the ground and upper levels would be operationally inefficient, expensive and impractical. 2. There are plans to build up in the future (expansions of eight to 10 floors) to create a more efficient medical center and to avoid having to build further west. 3. A plan that will not require the closure of West Street in the foreseeable future. As we maximize the use of land that can be developed by culverting Mill Creek and building up, we will avoid the need to build over West Street. This street is a major element of the downtown circulation plan. 4. We are planning with the City for a new parking structure on Acequia between Floral and Willow streets to support the Medical Center and downtown. A fundamental driver of this planning is compliance with SB1953 which requires all California hospitals to meet seismic safety standards by 2030. This date is 17 years away – a short time when considering the planning, financing and construction cycle required. Our two-prong strategy includes:

1. Preserve use of the Mineral King Wing beyond 2030 by demonstrating that the seismic risk factors of the Visalia area are low and that the structure of the Mineral King Wing is sound relative to seismic risks. If we succeed, these expansion plans would be dramatically altered in time and magnitude. We would also preserve millions of dollars for use in delivering vital healthcare services, not for building replacement facilities. 2. If we are not able to use the Mineral King Wing beyond 2030 for acute patient care, we are preparing conceptual plans to replace it as outlined above. When these conceptual plans are approved, they will lead to future architectural planning, financing and construction. Given the lead time for planning, financing and construction, it is essential that we begin this process now. In the event that the Mineral King Wing can’t be used for acute care services beyond 2030, California law will allow us to develop sub-acute services such as skilled nursing facilities and out-patient services instead. Funding for the future Medical Center expansion will require a combination of revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, philanthropy and reserves. Financing a project of this magnitude will require that the District be financially strong and that the community be broadly supportive of our efforts. The future is bright for Kaweah Delta and our community. New facilities and technologies are essential tools for our success, but the heart and soul of Kaweah Delta will always be members of its medical staff and hospital staff who, with great knowledge and skill, apply their abilities in delivering clinically sound, safe, and efficient care to each patient. For more information about KDHCD, visit www.kaweahdelta.org

B us i n e s s C o n n e ctio n | www.visaliachamber.org

Business Connect ion | www.visaliachamber.org

Accountants, CPAs & Bookkeepers

EDUCATION

CENTRAL VALLEY TAX SERVICES Carole Sanchez 6020 W. Dartmouth Ave Visalia, CA 93277 559.280.2612 centralvalleytaxservices.com

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY Greg Loyche 824 Hancock Cir #103 Lemoore NAS, CA 93245 559.998.6026 Worldwide.erau.edu/lemoore

AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

FOOD PROCESSING

FRUIT GROWERS LABORATORY aka FGL ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. Neil Jessup 9415 W Goshen Ave Visalia, CA 93291 559.734.8435 Fglinc.com

GOLDEN STATE FOOD, LLC Chris Yu 40897 Road 120 Orosi, CA 93647 559.429.4490 Goldenstatefood.net

ALARM & SECURITY J & D LIGHTING & ALARM Don McDonald 1320 W Walnut Ave Visalia, CA 93277 559.733.5867

BOUTIQUES & WOMEN’S APPAREL MAURICES Teariney Munoz 3226 N Dinuba Blvd Ste C Visalia, CA 93291 559.625.8500 Maurices.com

DEVELOPERS & BUILDERS -RESIDENTAL THE YOKOHL RANCH COMPANY, LLC William Sanders 7777 Alvarado Rd. Ste. 615 La Mesa, CA 91942 619.589.1600 Yokohlranch.com

P RESIDENT

FUNERAL SERVICES HADLEY-MARCOM FUNERAL CHAPEL Steven Marcom 1700 W Caldwell Ave Visalia, CA 93277 559.625.8900 Hadley-marcom.com

California Medical Imaging Associates Apriyl Beningo 3610 W. Packwood Ave Visalia CA 93277 559.713.6050 Calrads.com

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS VISALIA MINERAL KING MASONIC LODGE #128 Gene Miller 128 W Mineral King Ave Visalia, CA 93277 559.553.4762 Calodges.org/no128

PAYMENT SERVICES

GIFT & NOVELTY STORES CV GOURMET Enoch Sears 718 S Oak Park St Visalia, CA 93277 559.549.4257

BILLPAY SOLUTIONS, LLC Josue Orozco Home Based Business 559.827.4831

PLUMBING Simple Plumbing William Stimpel 513 South Albert Ave Exeter CA 93221 559-786-9313 stimpelplumbing.net

INSURANCE TERRI BLACK (ALLSTATE BENEFIT SPECIALIST) Terri Black Home Based Business 559.553.4762 Health4one.com

REMODELING – BUILDING CONTRACTOR Visalia Remodeling William Stimpel 513 South Albert Ave Exeter CA 93221 559-594.1041 Visaliaremodeling.com

RESTAURANT CARROWS Jaylene Espinosa 900 S Mooney Blvd Visalia, CA 93277 559.732.0934 YOGURTLAND Michael Burstein 2045 S Mooney Blvd Visalia, CA 93277 559.624.0811

SPORTS TEAMS

AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Keith Hazell Visalia, CA 93292 415.571.1534 abalive.com The Visalia Vandals are a Professional Basketball expansion team of the ABA. Tipping off in November 2013, we’ll provide exciting entertainment for the whole Family!

CENTRAL CAL WAR ANGELS – FOOTBALL ALLIANCE, INC Lisa King 559.259.5886 Warangelfootball.com The Central Cal War Angels are a semi-pro women’s tackle football team which competes in the Women’s Football Alliance, a national league consisting of 60 teams.

DIRECTOR SPONSORS