CEO MESSAGE

A Message From The President & CEO

C.A.R.E.S FOR BUSINESS

By Trish Christensen

Iam often asked what the most significant focus is for our Chamber to best support business and our local economy. I always find this question interesting. I see the work and role of a chamber from a very broad perspective. I feel our vision platform sums this up perfectly. The Modesto Chamber of Commerce C.A.R.E.S. (Community - Advocacy – Relationship – Education – Service).

Our focus on Community comes to us quite simply. We are citizens of our community, so we are naturally compelled to be good stewards. We regularly partner and collaborate with other community-based organizations (CBO’s) to help the greater Modesto area be a vibrant place to live, work, and play. We maintain programs such as our Women in Business Network, Rising Professionals Network, and Tech Connect sessions. These provide opportunities for individuals in a wide array of business and industry to learn, grow, find resources, mentor, and be mentored.

Our Advocacy efforts continue through our longstanding Economic Development Committee, Government Relations Council, and Stanislaus Green team. Each of these offering incredible opportunities to hear from professionals in each of these focus areas. Our committees are in place to give individuals an opportunity to be engaged and proactively working to support business, industry, agriculture, and sustainability.

At our core we are a Relationships based organization. We focus our energy on our new and existing members. Our Ambassador Team volunteers enjoy the outreach they make with members. Our Welcome Team volunteers enjoy meeting and greeting members and attendees at events, ribbon cuttings, and Mix & Mingles. We enjoy being a nexus for businesses, non-profits, governmental agencies, and creating a space for positive networking to exist. We serve Education in various ways through a wide network of collaborative partners. Our Business and Education committee’s focus is on building bridges between business, education, and educators. We know that by supporting the needs of education from preschool and elementary through trade and tech institutes, junior or community colleges, and university levels we are supporting our future workforce. We also know that if educators understand our business and industry needs, they can better prepare our future workforce.

The Chamber believes in providing Service to our members, our community, and our businesses. Our board members, our volunteers, and our staff make up a very active group. Many of us gives time and talent to multiple organizations. We also provide service to support our member and business community.

One example is our opportunity to green certify a business through the California Green Business Network – Stanislaus (CAGBN-Stan) platform. This is free to a business or industry of any size, member or not. By going through the process, we can help you reduce the cost of doing business through sustainability. By doing so we are also improving the quality of life and saving the natural resources of Stanislaus County.

As we head into the holidays, and begin to look forward to a new year, I hope we can reflect on the good that has transpired this past year, despite the challenges. We anticipate many great things for 2022. I wish you many moments to be surrounded by the warmth and joy of family and those that matter most to you. From the Modesto Chamber of Commerce Team - Happy Holidays to all~

With warm regards,

Trish

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

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

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY EDUCATION EDUCATION

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

ADVOCACYADVOCACY

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

RELATIONSHIPS RELATIONSHIPS

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

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

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

SERVICE SERVICE

The Chamber believes in service to the community and to its

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