CEO Message

A Message From The President & CEO

COMMUNITY GENEROSITY

By Trish Christensen

As you explore the pages that follow, you will see a rich collection of content that truly highlights the passion, compassion, and care that the people of our community have for one another. There are organizations among us that we all are familiar with and understand the mission of. There are many that go about their mission quietly and are rather unknown. Yet, they all serve to make a positive impact here, whether their niche has a broad reach, or a specific group with a special need.

The gamut of non-profits within our community stretches across a wide range of interests. From opera, arts, and theater, and support for the elderly or impoverished, to those needing care at a time of crisis or loss, needing access to medical support or services, and to those needing financial support for their education, business, or family. The mix is a tribute to the generosity the people here continually display when it comes to lifting one another up, regardless of need.

You will also read about some of the great things that took place in June. We appreciated having Mayor Zwalhen as our featured speaker at June’s Government Relations Council meeting. Please check the upcoming calendar included here and refer to our website calendar often for updates on speakers for our action committees. There you will also find the announcements of our highlight presenters for networking programs, as well as our ever-growing collection of recordings found under our Chamber Happenings blog on our home page. We are extremely excited to share the green ribbon cutting ceremonies we hosted in June. Blue Diamond Growers, Turlock, and Repsco in Riverbank are companies that live and breathe sustainability and lowering the cost of doing business through their efforts. They are our newest additions to the California Green Business Network, Stanislaus (CaGBN-Stan) green certification recipient list. Doing so has also landed them on the California Green Business Network referral website, a site that businesses throughout California, which strive to only work with other green businesses, go to as a trusted resource.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is proud to be the chosen program provider of the CaGBN-Stanislaus program. We are anxious to work with and assist businesses of any size and industry (i.e.: agriculture, education, office of one, manufacturing with hundreds, restaurants, breweries) to earn your green seal certification – chamber member or not. It is a service we look forward to sharing with businesses countywide.

Make a point to follow us on all our social media platforms, check our website often, and email info@ modchamber.org if you have yet to be added to our eblast list. We anticipate opening up for in person/ hybrid meetings next month, those will be the best ways to get the most current updates and details on them all. Wishing you health and wellness, stay safe and take care.

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.