CEO MESSAGE

COMMUNITY

A Message From The President & CEO

PATIENCE

By Trish Christensen

With this month’s theme on Hospitality and Tourism, I am keenly aware of the planning forward going on with us and by organizations around us. We are collectively ready to host people and gatherings, and to travel and explore freely once again. Nonprofits want to hold their annual fundraisers and individuals want to get away to see family, friends, and scenery.

People are anxious to engage, to go to theaters, to stay in hotels and rentals, and to celebrate together. Hearing or seeing signs that advise masks are required, is a norm at this point, yet omicron is testing us. It is imposing upon us an ongoing element of patience, tolerance, and yes… continued adaptation.

In the best interest of our food vendors, members, sponsors, and attendees, we felt it was most appropriate to postpone our Annual Soiree from February 10th to March 10th. And now we wait, and hope things level off and numbers decline by then. We have not been alone in making similar decisions to postpone conferences, fundraising events, and celebrations. Isn’t postponing these things so much better then cancelling?

I marveled at how seamlessly we moved standing meetings and programs from hybrid back to virtual only when omicron became a wildfire in mid-January. What a difference over the challenging process we all went through when we had to find ways to move to a virtual world earlier on in the pandemic. Covid is no longer robbing us of doing what we are here to do, and that feels empowering. Please skim through this edition to find the 2022 Modesto Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors roster, along with the 39th Leadership Modesto Class roster. It is exciting to see so many new faces from such a variety of unique backgrounds and career paths.

You will also find themed content shared by members, community partners, and our own summaries of program and committee meetings on our presenters and topics. We have something taking place for everyone these days, and we are always thrilled to see new faces join us for them.

We continue to work with business big and small on sustainability and getting certified on the California Green Business Network, Stanislaus platform. Please let us know if you wish to learn more.

We remain focused on expanding our Welcome Team which is a fun group of volunteers who come out with us to support business and greeters and take advantage of those moments to also network their own business. We really enjoy celebrating the success and growth of our business community!

I encourage you to get out and support our dining, entertainment, and hospitality businesses, and as always… stay safe and healthy.

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 More just thana business club, the 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 regulatoryto local and state governments. burdens businesses endure due 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 longour 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 longterm 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 train andand educate youngeducate young men and women, all in keeping with men and women, all in keeping withour ourpledge pledge toto help providehelp provide a a ready ready workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the Chamber Chamber educates its members on practical solutionseducates its members on practical solutions and and best best practices through practices through its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamberits Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds of 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 donating are active ontheir 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,andotherfreeanddiscountedresources. partnersandtheirassociates,andotherfreeanddiscountedresources.