Progress December 2022

Embracing Holidays

In February 1923, Miriam Minton, a senior at Lodi Academy, took a trip to the Sierra Nevada for her 18th birthday. After graduating, Miriam studied nursing at Loma Linda University where she met and later married fellow medical student, Lawrence Peterson. e two would settle in Lodi, where Miriam managed her husband’s medical practice and successfully raised ve children. At the time of this photo, the Bank of Stockton had been serving customers for 56 years.

Mission stateMent

The

executive coMMittee

Chairman - Michael Gaffney, PG&E

Vice Chair, External Operations - Michael Moradian Jr. - Peace of Mind Pest Control

Chairperson

board of directors

Garrett

Debra

DeJeune

A Message From The President & CEO

Our Summary Of 2022

By Trish Christensen

2022…. What a great year, in oh so many ways. Here at the Modesto Chamber of Commerce we feel as though we survived the unknowns of the dicey river of 2020, the white-water rapids of 2021, and are now rowing our way down stream to great new adventures as we end 2022. Along the way we have been discovering new views, green pastures, and brilliant scenery.

The year started strong… with a covid outbreak that halted in person settings yet again. So, our Annul Soiree was moved to March. The ripple effect then followed. Events started sliding forward on the calendar. Things were moving slower than the pace we wanted. Our newest collective strength prevailed. We moved forward with tolerance, patience, and acceptance, and our partners, hosts, and attendees moved forward with us with a supportive smile. We have all become quite nimble and adaptable, haven’t we?

We were excited to bring the 25th annual Future Farmers of America (FFA) High school scholarship luncheon back with Ag Aware in April. The committee and chamber team were back at the pavilion, serving a fabulous meal, listening to amazing students and keynote speakers, and we shared the moment with over 350 people.

In June we held our inaugural “From the Ground Up” Sustainability Symposium. We heard from a collection of very diverse speakers who were specialists in their fields, oversaw cutting edge programs, and/or provided services which improve the world around us and protect our natural resources which sustain us all. We had close to 140 people present for this.

September brought us to our first cohosted Candidate Forum. The partnership with Opportunity Stanislaus was a great fit for this concept. We heard from State Assembly and Senate candidates as well as a city council candidate. For election season the Modesto Chamber invested time in the Modesto Irrigation District race by hosting one hour in person interviews with each candidate that chose to participate. Candidates in all races this season were invited to submit written interviews which can be found on our website.

We launched another inaugural event in early November with our Family Cycling, Health, Wellness, and Sustainability Festival. The opportunity to highlight the beauty and accessibility of Tuolumne Riverside Trail to bike and walk was appreciated. We highlighted the new location of the Boys and Girls

Clubs of Stanislaus County, as well as their new program partnership with First Tee of the Central Valley at the same location. Simultaneously we highlighted youth and community organizations that have missions that align with the theme of our event, and have a focus on family, youth, and safety.

Throughout the year we hosted quarterly Rise and Shine with the CEO breakfasts to inspire and enthrall our attendees. This is the business/professional’s community impact focus of our Rising Professionals Network. Our Women in Business Network community impact program brought a mini workforce readiness conference to women that were clients of Haven Women’s Center. Both networking programs enjoyed a mix of lunch and learns, coffee and conversation, and networking mixers. Our Tech Connect evolved to quarterly meetings where participants hear from specialists in various areas of the industry while networking.

Leadership Modesto recently announced the class of 2023 participants. They will be participants of the 40th year of this incredible program. Our standing Economic Development Committee (EDC) and Government Relations Council (GRC) continue to provide insight on the great work being done in our city, county, and region. Mixed throughout the year was the return of Member Mix and Mingles. We held a long list of red ribbon cuttings conducted for new businesses, new members, grand reopening, and anniversary milestones ceremonies.

Stanislaus Green Team continued to provide information at monthly lunch meetings. Our California Green Business Network, Stanislaus program has awarded an official green certification to over 20 businesses throughout our county. We held numerous green ribbon cuttings where we celebrate the businesses who complete their industry’s sustainability checklist. Once our in-house coordinator verifies and records their accomplishments, and we approve them, we celebrate their accomplishment with a ceremony.

For all this positive energy and activity, we know, as we look towards 2023, The best is yet to be for the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, our members, and the difference we strive to make for our community.

With warm regards,

Trish

Each member of the Chamber is important, no matter the size of business. We desire for local businesses and organizations to succeed and thrive. To reach this goal we provide exposure, opportunities to engage with Regional Electeds and community partners, as well as networking with businesses and organizations across industries. We work to better our community by providing up-to-date education and training, certifying qualifying businesses as Green, and providing advocacy on City, State, and Federal levels. The Chamber is a family of dedicated professionals striving to make a difference in their business and way of life. Whatever your business needs are, we invite you to join us.

To execute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”

C - Community

At its heart, the Modesto Chamber is a community of like-minded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, work and play. With over 100 years of history and experience in the Greater Modesto Area, we understand what it means to be a business owner and customer in our community, with featured events such as local and regional forums, Ag Aware, Harvest Luncheon, and Family Day. Chamber members get the opportunity to actively engage in and influence the community they live and work in.

A - Advocacy

The Modesto Chamber supports local businesses and is an active advocate for the common interest of its members. The Chamber has an Economic Development Committee and a Government Relations Council. These advocacy committees are dedicated and proactive in representing our members and community. They work to address business initiatives and relieve the regulatory burdens businesses face may face. The Chamber is also honored to certify local businesses and organizations through our California Green Business Network Stanislaus Program. Through this we create more conscientious and sustainable ways of life while lowering the cost of doing business for our community and future generations.

R - Relationships

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce specializes in building relationships and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. With over a dozen Committees, Programs, and Events in which our members can participate, the Chamber offers ample opportunity to meet and connect with other business owners in our community. As a relational organization, the Chamber works with its members to ensure the opportunity to connect and grow in every niche and industry to help build and cultivate long-lasting relationships among business owners and community partners alike.

E - Education

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce values education and offers members the opportunity to stay on the leading edge with new and emerging information and training that will set your business apart from the rest. In partnership with Modesto Junior College, the Chamber is pleased to offer an assortment of trainings applicable to any business or industry for credited completion through our Chamber University platform. Our Chamber also works with members to provide a platform to speak to their own industry expertise and invite other members to learn from those leading our local industries.

S - Service

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce offers its members a wide range of opportunities to promote and engage their business across industry and community lines. The Chamber Weekly E-Blast, Website, and our Progress Magazine provide opportunities to advertise and promote your business, keep up to date with articles about local businesses in our community, and stay in the loop about up-and-coming Chamber and community events. Our Chamber also offers indemand materials, such as Member contact list, Federal and State compliance posters, export document services, and so much more. Chamber members can also personalize their business profile within our website and have access to our Member-Only Information Center, where members can connect with other members, boost their social media presence, promote job postings, public events, and member-to-member discounts.

CHAMBER CALENDAR

january december

1

rising professionals & Women in business mixer

5:30 PM- 6:30 PM

STONEFIRE PIZZA by MidiCi 3401 Dale Rd, Modesto, CA 95356

rising professionals - dark in january 4

economic development committee dark in january

*Register on website, in person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. 12 tech connect mixer

3

Location TBD

7

economic development committee-tbd

*Register on website, in person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. 7

ribbon cutting - proreal productions corp.

2605 Coffee Rd Suite 100 Modesto, CA 95355

3:00 - 4:30 PM

Register on website 13

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM 16

Women in business coffee & conversations

Location TBD

8:00 AM – 9:00AM

8

members mix & mingle

The Park at Modesto Independent Living Community 2832 Healthcare Way Modesto

5:00 PM- 6:30 PM 16

chamber holiday open house 1114 J. St Modesto

10:00 AM- 3:00PM

ambassador & Welcome team meeting

*In person & Zoom 8:00 A.M

celebration of lights holiday parade 15 stanislaus green team meeting-dark 16

government relations council- dark in december

*In person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. Register on website

*See website for more detail.

Find Zoom Registry links and more at www.modchamber.org Please note that calendar events and details are subject to change.

Register on website 19

ribbon cutting dhillon healthcare group 5380 Pirrone Rd.

19

inspire youth inspire dream expo

Modesto Center Plaza

Suite 301 A, Salida, Ca 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM 20

1000 L St, Modesto, CA 95354

stanislaus green team meeting

*In person & Zoom 12:00 P.M. Register on website

ambassador & Welcome team meeting

*In person & Zoom 8:00 A.M

9:00 AM – 4:00PM – Expo 5:00pm – 7:00pm Parent Experience 20 government relations council

*In person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. Register on website 26

109th annual members choice aWards & anniversaries soirée

Modesto Center Plaza

1000 L St, Modesto, CA 95354

5:30pm - 8:30pm Register on website

ACE Switches to Renewable Diesel

As a part of its Climate Action Plan, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) has moved to the sole use of renewable diesel on its locomotive fleet for the ACE train service. The move to renewable diesel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 99%. ACE is the first commuter rail service in Northern California to switch to 100% renewable diesel operations. This step is a key milestone for the agency on its path to net zero emissions operations.

“We are proud to announce that ACE is operating with renewable diesel. Our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions has taken a large step forward,” states Brian Schmidt, Director of Equipment Services at SJRRC. “Our fuel partner, Valley Pacific, has been a key partner in this transition.”

Renewable diesel is made from responsible and sustainable feedstock, such as used cooking oil and/or inedible corn oil. SJRRC is utilizing R100 which indicates that the fuel is 100% renewable diesel. Fuel for the ACE fleet is supplied by Valley Pacific Petroleum Services, Inc. The ACE fleet utilizes 51,000 gallons of fuel per month.

“Our customers have found that, compared to petroleum-based diesel, renewable diesel works better in their engines, produces less ash, and they’re happy it improves air quality and lowers their carbon footprint,” states Nathan Crum, President & CEO of Valley Pacific.

SJRRC’s first step toward a cleaner fleet came in 2017 with the introduction of the Tier IV Siemens Charger Locomotives which have replaced Tier 0 locomotives in the active fleet. The Siemens Charger Locomotives provide a minor increase in GHG emissions but a substantial improvement in air quality emissions. These locomotives also allow an increase in coaches per train (from 7 to 10), which improves per-passenger fuel efficiency metrics. A key factor in the switch to renewable diesel was to ensure the Cummins engine would continue successful operation with the introduction of a new fuel type.

Through a series of testing and discussions, the engine manufacturer Cummins has approved 100% renewable diesel for use in their engines used in the Siemens Charger locomotives and poses no harm to the engine or its components.

SJRRC’s Climate Action Plan includes several steps to reaching a net zero operation. In addition to the switch to renewable diesel, SJRRC is launching a research and development project exploring zero-emission locomotives. A key factor in this research is to identify and study a method zero-emission propulsion method that can handle the grades in the Altamont Pass. Other components of the Climate Action Plan include: converting connecting shuttle/bus services to electric vehicles and on-site solar programs for stations. In its role as the managing agency of the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA), SJRRC is working toward switching the San Joaquin’s trains and Thruway Buses to renewable diesel.

Valley first Credit Union Community focused

Headquartered in Modesto, Valley First Credit Union is a $955 million, member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative focused on providing quality banking services for consumers and small businesses located throughout the Central Valley. Managed locally, Valley First has been committed to making good happen here since it was founded in 1949.

In late 2021 Valley First earned Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) designation based on the work it has been doing in the community to provide access to fair credit and quality banking services.

CDFIs are mission-driven financial institutions dedicated to providing financial services to meet the needs of economically-disadvantaged individuals within underserved communities. With the designation, it’s recognized that Valley First invests in its local communities and the residents who live there by providing critically-needed financing often unavailable from mainstream financial institutions.

“We’re proud and excited to have this designation on behalf of our communities and the people in them,” said Valley First Credit Union President and CEO Kathryn Davis.

“Our mission has always been focused on ensuring we can serve the most people in our communities, this designation and focus on the underserved groups takes that to a new level.”

To illustrate the Credit Union’s dedication to community, in 2021 Valley First:

• Provided more than $12.6 million in direct financial benefits to our members

• That’s $177 per member ($371 per member household)

• Funded $29 million in SBA Paycheck Protection Program Loans.

• Contributed more than $180K to local non-profits

• Gave more than $364K in cash back through various financial products

• Saved members $148 million when they refinanced their auto loan from another financial institution

• Provided access to free financial education to nearly 4,000 members of our community

• Paid out more than $1.2 million in dividends earned through savings products and

• Helped 205 families become homeowners

“We have two main goals when it comes to serving our members over the next five years,” said Davis. “One is to increase access to affordable financial products like personal unsecured loans, small dollar loans, mortgages, used auto loans and small business products and services. Our second goal is to expand financial education and counseling activities for residents of the Central Valley, specifically focusing on credit repair and one-on-one technical assistance for small businesses.”

If you live or work in the Central Valley you’re eligible to join Valley First. To find out more please visit www. valleyfirstcu.org.

Acme Construction Marks 75 Years

BY SABRA STAFFORD

If you’ve stepped foot in any major building in Modesto, including a school, the odds are that Acme Construction Co. had some role in building it.

From McHenry Village to Doctors Hospital to Gregori High School, Acme Construction Co. has been building the cityscape in and around Modesto for 75 years.

The company was founded by Fred Mastagni in 1947 after he returned from service building Air Force bases in Alaska. His first project under his new business was a 5,000 square-foot grocery store in Waterford that is still around.

Mastagni built a family business that now includes the third generation. His son, Philip Mastagni is the company president, Philip’s wife Nella is the secretary and treasurer and their sons - Michael and Gregmanage projects in Modesto and San Luis Obispo.

Philip started in the family business around the age of 10 doing what jobs he could before school started like sweeping up and painting the ends of the lumber.

Shaping Our Community Shaping Our Community Notable Projects

Waterford Grocery - 1948

Sylvan Union School - 1949

Ceres Union High School - 1952

Atwater High School - 1957

Merced High School - 1957

Fatima Church - 1957

McHenry Village - 1958

Wells Fargo Bank - 1965

Briggsmore Theatre - 1967

Stanislaus County Library - 1971

Beyer High School - 1972

Modesto City Hospital - 1976

Memorial Hospital - 1977

Castle Air Force Base - 1979

Briggsmore 7 Cinema - 1981

St. Joseph’s Church - 1981

Stanislaus County Jail - 1982

1524 McHenry - 1984

Emmanuel Medical Center - 1985

Doctors Medical Center - 1990

Market Wholesale - 1990

Tracy Outlet Mall - 1994

Patchett’s Ford Agency - 1995

John Thurman Field - 1997

Stanislaus Cty. AG Center - 1998

Stanislaus Surgical Hosp. - 1999

MJC - Sierra Hall - 2002

Del Rio Country Club - 2002

12th St. Place - 2005

Emmanual Med Ctr. Tower - 2008

Gregori High School - 2010

Gregori High School Stadium - 2011

Turlock H.S. Performing Arts - 2015

S.L.O. H.S. Modernization - 2023

Morro Bay H.S. Modernization - 2023

He went on to play college baseball and had a stint in the minor leagues before returning to the family business and eventually taking on the mantle passed down from his father.

Some of the services Acme Construction Co. provides includes pre-construction planning, lease-leaseback delivery method, building information modeling and design build.

Acme Construction Co. has a staff of 50 to 70 employees, which includes a skilled labor force that performs concrete work and rough/ finish carpentry, which Philip Mastagni says results in a better product, keeps costs lower and the project running on time.

Acme Construction Co. also is leading the area in sustainability. In 2002, Acme Construction Co. built one of the Central Valley's first "green" buildings at CSU Stanislaus in Turlock. Since then, they have constructed several LEED-certified buildings for Yosemite Community College District, UC Merced, and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

Fred Mastagni

Mike Mastagni Nella Mastagni Phil Mastagni Greg Mastagni

Founder V.P. / Project Mgr. V.P. / Project Mgr. Secretary / Treasurer President / C.E.O.

Stanislaus

Joseph

Christmas at the Mission – serving the Less fortunate this holiday

By John Villines / Chief Operating Officer

In 1948, the Modesto Gospel Mission was founded in downtown Modesto to meet the spiritual and tangible needs of the poor and homeless. The Mission started primarily as a soup kitchen, but today has expanded on Yosemite Boulevard into a campus comprised of over 10 buildings, hosting a myriad of daily programs to help struggling men, women, and children.

One of the longstanding community events that the Mission operates each year is the muchanticipated “Christmas at the Mission,” where the outpouring of generosity is overwhelming.

Each year, on the 23rd of December, a long line has formed around the block as individuals and families line up to be admitted for a traditional Christmas meal in the dining hall and the opportunity for each person to choose a Christmas gift from tables set up in the chapel displaying age-appropriate gifts for men, women, and children. Generally, over 2,000 people were served at this event each year.

However, COVID-19 changed the ability of this many people to be in one place and in close proximity. The Mission decided to change tradition.

Since 2020, the Mission has created a “12 days of Christmas” type program for the gift distribution over many days, controlling the flow of people and limiting contact. This new tradition has continued after the pandemic.

This year, there will be 5 designated days for people to sign up and visit the Mission’s Christmas Warehouse located at 1429 Page Court on the street behind the Mission.

Individuals and families can register online for a time slot on one of the “open” days, December 15, 16, 17, 20 or 21.

Gifts have been donated throughout the year from organizations such as Amazon, Assist International, Costco, and Shelter Cove Church. Examples of the types of new gifts provided are tools, small furniture pieces, kitchen and household items, clothing, make-up, toys of all kinds, shoes, and bicycles.

By this increased process, the Mission has been able to distribute more than 5 times the gifts typically given over the last few years. This year we anticipate being able to give out more than 12,000 gifts to men, women, and children in Modesto.

On December 23rd, the Mission will hold its traditional Christmas meal and distribute even more gifts and warm clothing. All of this generosity takes over 300 volunteers and 45 staff!

If you would like to volunteer for a time slot on one of these days of giving or know someone who could benefit as a recipient of a free gift and meal this holiday, please visit the Mission’s Christmas event page at: www.MyMission.org/Christmas

We take the time to understand the facets of your business that make it unique. Then, we offer the expertise that can make the difference between just buying insurance or investing in the best solutions to manage your company’s risk and coverage needs. Our partnership with HUB International has made it possible to offer our clients more than ever before, bringing them to new and specialty markets while still being the area leader in self-insurance or group captive options. Call us today and find out what we can do for you.

Stanislaus Green Team recap

By Kirk Oatman / Co-Founder of I’m in Control

When I spoke at the Green Team lunch meeting, I wanted to convince you that you can indeed reduce energy cost and CO2 emissions in your older “not huge” commercial building –economically and easily. This might be a small/ mid-sized office, store, mixed-use manufacturing, city or county building – or a group of small buildings at a winery, office complex, or school (yes, including those modular classrooms!). They just don’t have the centralized control systems that are in large buildings, so it’s a pain to pay attention to energy usage.

Kirk Oatman

Surprisingly, even a small BMS can alert you to equipment failures before occupants realize it, making the repair process faster and cheaper.

But there is hope! I showed customer examples where wasted energy was found and eliminated. Here are some simple actions you yourself can take this week:

• Photocell sensor control for outdoor lighting, instead of a fixed timer

• Occupancy sensor for restroom fans and lighting

• Check your programmable thermostats: Is time and day correct? Does it start too early for this season? Does that particular room need to be that warm?

The control systems for large buildings are too complex and expensive for these buildings, but a Building Management System such as ours (or a few others) can provide even greater savings with automated and optimized control – our customers consistently reduce their bills 20-30%. And it turns out that occupants are more comfortable and engaged; you can even display your sustainability efforts to customers. Indoor air quality can be monitored for health.

We also discussed financial aspects of implementing a small BMS. Financing is available on your bill at 0% interest, under the state GoGreen program at low interest rates, and specific financing and rebate programs for industries, cities and counties. There are now utility rate programs that pay big for reducing your electric usage on days when the grid is stressed (Demand Response, and ELRP), and even one for your reductions all year compared to the previous year!

Feel free to contact us for further information – let’s start saving money, energy, and the planet together. www. imincontrol.com or teamcustomer@imincontrol.com

Relationships

Deep Roots - Strong Branches

Chris Courtney / Chief Executive Officer / Oak Valley Community Bank

Since 1991, Oak Valley Community Bank has been tailoring banking solutions to serve the needs of Central Valley families and businesses. Our ability to deepen newly kindled relationships, and maintain those forged throughout the years, proves our service model has enduring value. As we expand our footprint with our recent 18th branch opening, we pursue experienced banking professionals who share our appreciation of relationship building. Organizations are only as good as their employees, and the correlation between success, teamwork, and the link to top financial performance has never been clearer. Over the last 30 years, we have focused on refinements, not changes, in our business model. Our astronomical growth can be explained in part by our attention to our founding core values— service, community, and continuous improvement. Oak Valley’s success lies in its team members, who have a longstanding commitment to the community and build deep, trustworthy relationships.

In an era of pushing customers towards a digital experience, we recognize that digital banking channels provide added conveniences. We aim to provide technology that makes the lives of our clients easier while retaining the personal touch for which we are known. At the same time, we are committed to preserving opportunities to interact with our clients in our branches and at their places of business.

Our dedication to having Deep Roots in the community and supporting worthy causes continues. We are active participants in the Stanislaus 2030 initiative and supporters of the Stanislaus Community Foundation.

This quarter we received approval for an AHEAD Grant from FHLBank San Francisco for Jessica’s House in Turlock. Our team excitedly resumed our annual United Way BowlA-Thon, a fun and successful fundraiser. You also might have spotted us Making Strides Against Breast Cancer or Walking to End Alzheimer’s. Whether we donate time, resources, or both, we proudly offer our support as we know it strengthens our communities.

We’ve seen firsthand the resilience of our neighbors in the greater Modesto region, and while there may be some economic headwinds in 2023, the track record of Central Valley residents assures us that together we will persevere and emerge even stronger.

Relationships

Congratulations to

t H is mont H' s mi L estone mem B ers H ips

60 + years

Curtis Lega L g roup a meri C an r e C y CL ing Ho L dings, LLC aLL ied Con C rete & s upp Ly Co., i n C .

40 + years g a LL ag H er g atewood, a professiona L a CC ountan C y C orporation it s o L utions|Currie Hennings Bros. d ri LL ing Co., i n C s tanis L aus County o ffi C e of e du C ation 30 + years

J. m e quipment Co., i n C 20 + years

um ass gL o B a L Borton p etrini, LL p s tanis L aus County C H ief e xe C utive o ffi C e t ur L o C k i rrigation d istri C t C H i L dren's Crisis Center u niversity of Ca L ifornia, m er C ed t ri Counties Bank n irvana d rug & aLC o H o L i nstitute

15 + years

m odesto m o B i L ity Center, i n C . Centerra Capita L 10 +

years

s e C urity p u BL i C s toragew ood L and a g s afe

Batteries pL us Bu LB s u niversa L s ervi C e r e C y CL ing

5 + years

t rip L e r C L assi C Catering Co., d B a tai L gaters

tH e park at m odesto tH e Cooper Company a mtrak s an Joaquin ( s an Joaquin Joint p owers a ut H ority) m organ s tan L ey - g a B rie L vasquez, f inan C ia L a dvisor aCC ess p roperty m anagement s tanis L aus s enior f oundation wH ee L s f inan C ia L g roup, LLC d B a Loan m art

1 + years

r esiden C e i nn B y m arriott m odesto n ort H mC Henry m ansion f oundation m odesto m a CH ine w orks r oger sH anks Consu Lting e ntekra LLC p izzeria Ha Lt f res Hp oint B L ue d iamond g rowers p inna CL e Hea Lt H Center aL pine p rote C tive s o L utions g raffiti usa C L assi C Car m useum s ma LL Business v oi C e m edia Lean f east m odesto ( g ood Bow L LLC)

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PRESIdENT’S cLub CirCle Of influenCe

Elit E

E & J Gallo Winery

Kaiser Permanente K E

yston E

Beard Land and Investment Co.

Capax-Giddings, Corby, Hynes, Inc., a HUB

International Company

Doctors Behavioral Health Center-DMC

Doctors Medical Center-DMC Frito-Lay Co., Inc.

Pacific Southwest Container, Inc.

Physician Referral Service-DMC

Visionary

Blue Diamond Growers

Crystal Creamery

Doubletree by Hilton Modesto

Fiscalini Cheese Company

IHeart Media

Modesto Irrigation District

Modesto Nuts Professional Baseball

Sutter Health Valley Area

Sysco Central California Inc.

E nthusiast

Alpine Protective Solutions

American Chevrolet American Medical Response

Astound Business Solutions Powered by Wave Atherton & Associates, LLP

Audi Modesto Bank of Stockton California State University, Stanislaus

Care One Home Health and Hospice, Inc.

Central Valley Automotive

Central Valley Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge

Central Valley Nissan

Central Valley Volkswagen Hyundai Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino

Clark Pest Control

COIT Services Inc.

Collins Electrical Comcast Del Monte Plant #1

Dhillon Healthcare Group: Seva Hospice, CareOne Home Health, Legacy Home Care

English Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Hospital

Exceed GPR & Locating, LLC

F&M Bank

Flowers Baking Co. of Modesto, LLC

Food Maxx FreshPoint Gianelli Nielsen

Gilton Solid Waste Mgmt, Inc.

Golden Valley Health Centers Grover Landscape Services, Inc.

Infiniti of Modesto International Paper Co. JS West & Companies

Maxx Value Foods Mocse Credit Union Modesto Toyota Nine3One

O'Brien's Market

Oak Valley Community Bank Opportunity Stanislaus

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Panelized Structures Inc.

Pepsi Bottling Group PMZ Real Estate

Residence Inn by Marriott Modesto North

Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc. Rose Bouquet San Joaquin Valley College

Save Mart Supermarkets

Seven-Up Bottling Co. of Modesto/Varni Brothers Corporation

Solecon Industrial Contractors

Stanislaus Food Products Co.

Stifel Investment Services Storer Coachways

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

The Century

The Farmacy

The Modesto Bee

The Parks Group

TSM Insurance & Financial Services

Turlock Irrigation District

Union Bank

US Bank

Valley BMW

Valley Children's Healthcare

Valley First Credit Union

Valley Lexus

Vintage Faire Mall/Macerich Company

Walmart

Warden's Office Products Center

Wells Fargo Bank

Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency

Yosemite Foods Inc.

Relationships

Food And Friends Reign Supreme at Stone Fire Pizza

BY VIRGINIA STILL

Stone Fire Pizza by Midici is not your average pizza place with specialty pizzas like the fig, the pig, and the goat, a variety of toppings, crusts and other options where there is something for everyone at the cushy restaurant at the Vintage Faire Mall.

Their motto is “People are the best thing that can happen to anyone” and the family owned franchise has accepted that business culture of making Guest Friends and Team Friends.

The Walvesco Corporation is a family business that are new franchisees and new to the restaurant industry. The corporation consists of parents Donna and Stephen Walling, and sons, John, David, and Michael that started this new business venture a few years ago. After looking at several different business models the Midici pizza franchise seemed to fit what they were looking to bring to the area.

Owner Operator John explained that they get support from headquarters, for example they brought in a chef from Italy.

“They have been really good working with us," he said. "They are an emerging brand. It has been an interesting ride. We are glad to have the support at the end of the day and they still allow us to operate independently at the same time.”

Several things have changed over the past few years with a name change and COVID. They originally started out as the Neapolitan Pizza Company by Midici and have rebranded to Stone Fire Pizza by Midici and went from mainly dine-in customers to now a larger takeout business.

“Fortunately we are pizza so it was easy to switch to 'to-go' orders,” stated John. “We were kind of already in the right position. We are already in the food industry so we have to be sanitary. The mask was the only new addition. We take all the precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are just kind of riding through it.”

John explained that their pizza is unique for a few different reasons including the Neapolitan Pizza that was originally created in Naples, Italy hundreds of years ago that is made with simple and fine ingredients with ovalini mozzarella. There are many offerings on the menu that are made in house like the dough, meatballs with Angus beef and the sauces.

Accommodating people with food restrictions guests can get a gluten free crust or a cauliflower crust and they have vegan options at Stone Fire Pizza.

Walking into the restaurant with the curves, décor, gold pizza oven, and tree it gives this pizza place a very contemporary and enticing vibe. The atmosphere was designed to resemble Naples, Italy according to John bringing the Modesto community a little piece of Italy.

They have an Artisan Pizza that guests can customize with the six different sauces and a variety of toppings like a cracked egg, vegan sausage, goat cheese, grape tomatoes, arugula, Kalamata olives and artichokes to name a few.

The BBQ Chicken, the Double Pepperoni, Chicken Alfredo are a few of the pizzas that are guest favorites. They have a house salad, Caesar salad, and the Italian with seasonal greens.

Pizza is not the only thing on the menu as they have calzones, pasta, Paninis, and dessert. Their signature dessert is the Nutella Calzone that has Nutella, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and powdered sugar.

“It is a special dessert that everybody really likes,” added John. “It (the fig, the pig, and the goat) is a special tasting pizza for sure and it is a guest favorite. People really love our cauliflower crust.

They offer an exclusive pizza of the month, which is when they introduced the fig, the pig, and the goat that gained so much popularity that they will be adding it to the regular menu. It is a fig or jam based pizza with goat cheese, parmesan and prosciutto.

“Our goal is to make everyone have a great experience and kind of make ourselves different than everybody else and we have great pizza,” remarked John. “We have regulars that we have built over time. Some of my favorite moments here are really meeting a lot of the local people and really people from all over the place.”

Stone Fire Pizza has a Happy Hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday where any beer or wine is $5 as well as their meatballs and Nutella Calzone. They have a few beers on tap and have some local offerings like Blaker Brewing’s Honey Babies Blonde Ale and Plowed Under IPA and a few wines. They have lunch specials and different promotions that can be found on their website or social media sites.

“We are thankful for the support that we got from the mall and from our regular followers and community,” noted John about surviving through COVID. “It has worked out really well. It has been a good positive turnaround and we have been pretty fortunate so we can only go up from here.”

LEMO Snapshot of Education in Stanislaus County

We started the day at Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) hearing from Superintendent of Schools, Scott Kuykendall.

The Stanislaus County Office of Education partners with local schools and community to support our students and other programs throughout the state.

Stanislaus County Office of Education currently supports 25 school districts and 108,199 students and families through various educational programs such as:

Student Support

• Student Safety

• Student Wellness

• Friend to Friend Conference

Supporting Families

• Head Start Program

• Child Care

• Voucher Program/Payment Assistance

• Health & Wellness

Supporting Community through Cradle to Career Partnership. The partnership is providing support and resources to community partners around advancing youth empowerment and ensuring experiences of families are shared.

We also learned about Come Back Kids (CBK) Charter School (WASC accredited) which serves 18 and up adults with obtaining their high school diploma. In class and independent study is offered to accommodate students’ work schedules. CBK also partners with CTE (Career Technical Education) partners such as, Northern California Construction Training, Bay Valley Tech and Volt Institute to further their career paths once obtaining their high school diploma.

Sometimes life may take us in a different direction. Students who are in juvenile hall also have resources through Juvenile court and community schools to help prepare for release. Offering coding, culinary and flower arrangement programs/classes. Walls that Talk program allows students to express their feelings through hip hop, poetry, making beats and videos.

The Career Inspiration Center surely inspired us!

Not only is CIC offering quality education but also offers it in a fun interactive environment in the following pathways (many more not listed):

Health

• CPR/First Aide

• Phlebotomy

Information for the Agriculture & Manufacturing

• 3D Printing/Product Manufacturing

• Small Engines Repair

Technology Pathway

• Robotics/Programming, Oculus Quest 2, & Drones

SCOE’s Special Education Division provides direct and indirect support services for students with special needs and their families in school settings or in the home.

Special Education at John F. Kennedy and Margaret L. Annear surely have amazing staff and students.

Margaret L. Annear School offers early intervention for school age kids from birth to 3 years of age.

They currently have 6 autism classes, hard of hearing classes and other beneficial classes to meet their students’ needs.

John F. Kennedy offers services to school age kids from 18 years old to 22 years old in basic life skills, such as offering a mock kitchen, restaurant, and laundry room, to name a few.

Definitely a special place led by hearts and passion for their students.

Our next visit was to Modesto Junior College starting off in the Great Valley Museum where you experience the natural history and various habitats of the Central Valley.

The Planetarium is an out of this world experience!

Offering an interactive environment for students studying astronomy to learn about the solar system in an experience beyond any textbook can convey.

They also offer weekend shows, for listings, visit the MJC website. Fun for the entire family.

We ended our day reminiscing of our 6th grade camp trip with Director/Principal, Jessica Hewitt, of Foothill Horizons.

Who doesn’t remember the long hikes, the skits and friendships that were made? I still remember the smells and campfire burning. It’s programs like these that make those lifelong memories that we never forget.

The Importance of Continued Education in

By Kathryn Kim Ramos / Sisbro Innovation Online Marketing

The importance of continued education in your industry and field can't be overstated enough. No matter your profession, there are always new things to learn.

Taking time to review allows you to continue performing at the best of your abilities. You also see opportunities for professional growth from required training sessions. Below are a few other ways that continued education is a practical commitment.

Increased Customer Trust

As a service provider trust is crucial for your longterm success. Whether you're a plumber or lawyer, being up to date on industry practices, laws, and regulations is vital for a business's success.

Unfortunately, it's easy to purge information after you get tested on it. Once you stop studying, it becomes harder to recall the fundamentals.

Taking on continued education lessons keeps vital details fresh in your mind. Doing so allows you to speak on legacy and new operations with confidence.

Industry and Field

Raises and Promotions

Who doesn't want to earn a promotion or raise at work? Yet many hard-working individuals feel stuck without a clear path forward.

Continued education is an opportunity to enhance the skills you already have. You may find it easier to move horizontally rather than straight upwards.

And don’t forget to announce on your company's social platforms when you get a new certificate of mastery, a new degree, or just finished training on a new tool. Your consumers will love that you’re always learning.

Subject Matter Experts

When you're constantly educating yourself or employees, you become the subject matter experts, which can be great PR. Whether you're interviewed by the local news or featured on another website, it pays to keep learning.

For more information on managing your online presence, go to www.sisbroinnovation.com or call Sisbro Innovation at (800) 291-9102

christmas Festivities return to mcHenry mansion

Carletta Evans Steele / McHenry Mansion Foundation / Publicity Chair

December is traditionally filled with activity, color, excitement, music, and festive celebrations at the McHenry Mansion. That being true, it has been very difficult to remain dark, quiet, and patient as Christmas 2020 came and went with none of the usual hustle and bustle.

We remained hopeful that 2021 would be back to normal as the holiday season approached.

The Mansion was decked out in her Victorian finery, but COVID-19 lingered determinedly. We remained masked, adhered to social distancing, and insured that all groups were small, and members of the same “bubble” as dictated by health protocol.

We finally learned that we could invite the public for “walking tours” on two Saturdays in December to see the elaborate decorations. That was all! Fortunately, the story does not end there. Now it is 2022 and it is December once again. We are prepared to celebrate.

The Mansion is again dressed inside and out for the holidays! You need to come see this Community treasure arrayed in her holiday best.

If you have been before, perhaps it is time to return and see what has been added since you were last there. Tours are from 12:30 to 4:00 pm on Friday, Sunday, and Monday each week. All tours start at the Visitors’ Center.

The festive special events calendar starts on December the 6th with the annual Christmas Tea. Lots of excited tea-lovers are anxious to return for this long-time favorite event. Coming along quickly on December 10th is the McHenry Mansion Foundation Christmas Party. All Foundation members are encouraged to attend this evening of fun, food, drinks, and friends. Not a member? Check at the Mansion Visitors’ Center for membership information. Come and join us!

Saturday and Sunday, December 17th and 18th are Candlelight Tours of the Mansion. These are very special tours with all the chandeliers and many candles lighted.

Docents in period dress demonstrate Victorian holiday traditions as seasonal music fills the air turns the Mansion into a magical place. The magic includes yummy desserts in the basement level before you depart, and perhaps one more look at the myriad of Christmas delights in the Gift Store!

It is indeed a great place to shop.

It is also another way to support this truly magnificent Community treasure, The McHenry Mansion! Candlelight tickets are available at the Visitors’ Center/Gift Store in advance, or on either night of the event: Adults $10, Children ten and under $5. Don’t miss this special Victorian experience.

THE CARE YOU NEED, THE WAY YOU WANT IT.

THE CARE YOU NEED, THE WAY YOU WANT IT.

Health care should be hassle-free. At Kaiser Permanente, it is. With connected teams and flexible ways to access care, it’s easy to get the support you need to stay healthy — when and where you need it.

Health care should be hassle-free. At Kaiser Permanente, it is. With connected teams and flexible ways to access care, it’s easy to get the support you need to stay healthy — when and where you need it.