CEO Message

A Message From The President & CEO

AND FALL RETURNS

By Trish Christensen

Nineteen months and counting… covid has yet to truly leave the stage. Things are ever changing, remain fluid, and we continue to reinvent things we fully expected, or hoped, to have back in action in as near to “normal” as they were before the pandemic.

I often pause to remind myself to look up and look out. The days keep coming, the months keep changing, and the seasons have continued to arrive. I find that getting outside is an excellent reminder that life goes on. Things will continue, no matter how slowly, to improve. Maybe not exactly back to what they once were, but I think that is the point in many ways. When challenges arise, are we not meant to find the good, adapt with the changes, and evolve to something new and improved?

We have chosen to take small and steady steps as we expand in-person happenings and stand ready to make nimble adjustments as needed along this path of coming together. We have continued to be cautious regarding attendees to open venue space as we invite people together. Most of our committee and program meetings are now done in a hybrid fashion. We are playing catch up with ribbon cutting and networking events. We have new member and grand re-openings, anniversary ribbon cuttings, green certification ribbon cuttings, and a few tentative Member Mix & Mingles now on our schedule.

Additionally, we have arrived at the return of some events, albeit reinvented, and mostly virtual or hybrid. I hope everyone has heard about the Inspire Youth - Inspire Dreams Career Exploration (IYID) platform that our Business and Education and IYID steering committee developed with the assistance of some incredible, skilled, and creative partners and participants. The platform was shared with sixth grade teachers, who then released it to their students near the end of last school year. We are currently taking sponsorships and business and industry participation registrations for the fall 2021 edition which we are striving to expand on the content to also reach eighthgraders this round. The window to participate will be closing soon, so please refer to our website for information right away.

We hosted our first “Council Connection” webinar end of September and really enjoyed the dynamics of this new concept to get to know our City Council and Mayor. The long-standing Harvest Luncheon Committee has pivoted and is now developing a webinar version to highlight MJC Ag student success, while giving us an opportunity to hear the students’ stories during the program and scholarship awards presentations. This is allowing us to raise these valuable scholarship funds once again. These awards will continue to aid students going on to Universities in Ag pathways.

Please note that in November you will receive information on the opening of our 2021 Annual Members Awards nomination season. Information will be sent to all members via email and in print. Currently the Modesto Chamber Board of Directors nomination season is also open. If you have interest in joining our board, and you are a member in good standing, I encourage you to contact me for information.

Lastly, I have a few reminders for you. If you are an exporter of any kind, from nuts to merchandise, our online export documentation platform, Swiftdox, can be accessed from our home page. We always want to encourage our members and partners to consider running ads here within the pages of our magazine. And for those of you that do not have a brick and mortar, or dedicated office space, we have a conference room and meeting space available to rent, with both member and non-member rate options. These can be reserved by the hour, or the day, as available.

Feel free to contact us anytime you have questions, need guidance to resources, or information on what we have going on. We are always here to assist you.

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.