Progress December 2013

December 2013 Vol. 34 Issue 12 ModChamber.org

Building a Brighter Future

Modesto City Council Tony Madrigal, Jenny Ketchum Kenoyer & Bill Zoslocki

Modesto City School District

David Allan, Cindy Marks, Sue Zwahlen & Ruben Villalobos [Not pictured: Jordan Dickson]

Title Common Core Cover Photos by Studio Warner

Annual Awards Gala

Going Green In Business

Consumers’ ChoiCe for 12 years running! for the 12th consecutive year, we would like to thank you for selecting memorial medical Center as the winner of the Consumer Choice Award.

You’ve said we are stanislaus County residents’ most Preferred hospital in overall quality and image for 2013/2014, based on a composite score of four categories: best overall quality, best image/reputation, best doctors, and best nurses.

We take very seriously our commitment to provide safe, quality, affordable care to our patients, and put your care at the heart of every decision we make.

memorialmedicalcenter.org 01298

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2013

Mission Statement

To promote the region’s economic strengths and vitality; identify and promote services that are valuable to our members; advocate for public policy that is advantageous to the business community; and fully participate and partner in activities to improve quality of life.

LEADERSHIP

4

Message from the CEO

6

COVER STORY The Years Ahead: Making a Brighter Future for Modesto

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 8 Awards & Achievements 11 Leadership Modesto 26 Announcements

Executive Committee Chairman Ralph Curtis, Curtis Legal Group Chairman-Elect David Gianelli, Gianelli & Associates Past Chairman Kathy Halsey, Individual Member

EDUCATION

Vice Chairman, Internal Operations Patricia Gillum, Patricia Gillum, CPA

5

Why Common Core and Why Now?

Vice Chairman, External Operations Craig Lewis, Prudential California Realty

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

10

From the Experts

23

Work in Progress

8 14 26

NETWORKING & REFERRALS New Chamber Members Business Before and After Hours Calendar

12

EDITORIAL Save the Date: 100th Annual

Awards Gala

Vice Chairman, Member Relations Bill Moreno, Fire2Wire Vice Chairman, Events & Special Projects Laura Ward, Ward Promotional Marketing Solutions Directors Pamela Cullors, Sysco Food Services of Central California Dan Garcia, Tri Counties Bank David Halvorson, American Chevrolet Brad Hawn, CHG Doug Johnson, Reach Business Solutions Warren Kirk, Doctors Medical Center Steve Madison, STANCO Michael Moradian Jr., Peace of Mind Pest Control Inc. Ron Owen, Bank of the West Chris Ricci, Chris Ricci Presents, Inc. Jim Ridenour, Individual Member Eric Tobias, F&M Bank Ruben Villalobos, The Villalobos Legal Group Jeremiah Williams, Oak Crafts by Jeremiah Amy Wolfe, AgSafe

Welcome Corner

Ex-Officio Keith Boggs, Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office George Boodrookas, Modesto Junior College David Boring, Never Boring Greg Nyhoff, City of Modesto Cecil Russell, President/CEO Modesto Chamber of Commerce CRussell@ModChamber.org Publisher: Modesto Chamber of Commerce (209) 577-5757 • Info@ModChamber.org

RAMON MENDEZ

Being involved with the Modesto Chamber of Commerce Welcome Team is extremely rewarding in numerous ways. One way is being able to put names with faces and building friendships with the different business owners throughout the community. I learn why these individuals began their business through understanding their mission statement. Many of these mission statements are very motivational. Most companies have a desire to succeed and help the community by keeping business local, which is inspiring. When I do visit the different members, it is like seeing old friends.

Ramon Mendez, Latino Community Roundtable

Graphic Design: Never Boring (209) 526-9136 • www.neverboring.com

P

Printer: Parks Printing (209) 576-2568 • frankp@parksprinting.com Distribution: Parks Printing (209) 576-2568 Advertising Sales: Kristin Bowker Never Boring (209) 526-9136 • progress@neverboring.com

Q:

What’s happening in Modesto today?

A: Everything!

Find the events that keep our area hopping at mydesto.com

© Copyright 2013 Modesto Chamber of Commerce. Some parts of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted, however, we require that permission be obtained in writing.

(209) 577-5757, Info@ModChamber.org

PROGRESS MAGAZINE 1114 J Street • Modesto, CA 95354 (209) 577-5757 • Fax (209) 577-2673 www.ModChamber.org • Info@ModChamber.org

DECEMBER

3

LEA DERS H IP

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

By Chamber CEO Cecil Russell

This past November’s election results will have a profound effect on our community in the next four to six years and beyond.

Our economy, our schools and our water and power costs will all be affected by the decisions of the people that we elected. We have new city council members, new school board members and new MID members.

We congratulate all of the candidates on their victories and look forward to working collaboratively with you.

projects that will have a huge positive impact on our community.

The progress of our new county courthouse also continues, and that will be a big part of the revitalization of downtown.

Our hope is that our city will continue to be a business-f riendly, safe and productive community. This will ensure business growth and job growth, which is the key to our prosperity and the quality of life for all citizens of our community. Our new elected officials, working together with business and education leaders, will solidify the future economic vitality of our vibrant city.

As we celebrate the holiday season, let ’s continue to shop local and support our local economy. May you all enjoy a wonderful holiday season and a happy and prosperous New Year! P

CECIL RUSSELL

The Modesto City Council, both those newly elected and those continuing to serve, will have difficult choices to make in moving the city forward with a balanced budget. Measure X, which was in part meant to help the city remedy its depleted reserves, did not pass by a narrow margin. This will likely mean cuts to the city’s budget. We will look to continue our partnership with city officials to identify solutions to help the city through these difficult times.

There are many issues facing the MID board, including the relicensing of Don Pedro Dam to ensure that our robust agribusiness has a steady and dependable water supply, along with the funding for the maintenance of many miles of aging canals and the pensions and benefit plans of MID employees.

Navigating these and other issues will require the employment of a business approach to control spending, reduce MID’s debt and negotiate favorable power agreements.

O ur business challenges continue to be formidable as the economy for the Central Valley is still weaker than other areas of California and the nation. Our businesses will be challenged by the new minimum wage increases and the still unknown cost of implementing the Affordable Care Act. We will, however, see an increase in property values and a modest increase in retail sales, including auto sales. Auto dealers in our area have been preparing for this uptick, as evidenced by their robust reinvestment in their facilities. We also continue to experience an increase in local agribusiness, which fuels our economy.

Many positive projects have developed over the past year as well.

The resurfacing of Highway 99, continuing widening work on the North Corridor along Kiernan to McHenry, the Kiernan overpass, securing funding for the replacement of the Pelandale overpass, StanCOG’s focus on 132 and the North McHenry Bridge over the Stanislaus River are some of the transportation

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

“Jobs, jobs, jobs” continues to be the mantra of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce. Developing land and installing the necessary inf rastructure to sites to attract new businesses that will bring jobs remains the priority of the Chamber in the coming year. Businesses working collaboratively with the City and County planners and the Alliance will improve our chances of bringing these jobs and creating business in our area.

DO N P EDRO - NO VEM B E R 1 9 2 2

ED UCATION

WHY COMMON CORE AND WHY NOW?

By Susan Rich, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, Stanislaus County Office of Education

In 1997, the world was different. The fax reigned at making speedy connections.

The letter was still a viable means of communication. Business people found stacks of phone messages when returning to their offices after lunch. Students still looked to their teachers and textbooks for information, and there was no such thing as a smart phone.

SUSAN RICH

It was that same year that California adopted its first set of student content standards. The State Board of Education approved the California content standards to ensure that students, regardless of their California zip code, were provided with a high-level public education. There was an agreement about what a second grader should be able to do and what a junior in high school would learn in U.S. History.

States across the U.S. created their own standards, state by state, with varying degrees of rigor. States also created their own testing systems linked to those standards. And those states, including California, always intended to revise their standards, but rarely attended to the promise of revision once the time-consuming and expensive process of aligning instruction, textbooks and testing was completed.

technology. The working world demands tech savvy employees, and the old #2 pencil and a bubble-in test are outdated. Current students are tomorrow’s work force, and they have already outstripped their parents and instructors in terms of their comfort with technology. Education needs to keep pace or at least try. Now, computer adaptations can do a much better job of helping teachers understand where student understanding falls apart. By adjusting questions to match performance, students can communicate what they do know and what they don’t. Additionally, students can create an isosceles triangle by clicking and dragging the corners of a three-sided figure instead of recognizing someone else’s geometric shapes.

Change is uncomfortable, no doubt. And some are concerned with schools becoming something different than their own experience.

But schools should prepare students to be productive citizens and enter the work force as skilled participants and creative thinkers.

The Common Core State Standards acknowledge the need to realign expectations with the demands of the community and the working world. P

Fast-forward to 2009 when the Governors and State Superintendents of Public Instruction addressed revisions to student standards collectively. This grass roots movement pooled states’ resources and corrected issues that were discovered, but left unmitigated, in their own standards. This new set of standards, called Common Core State Standards (CCSS), began with the end in mind. The creators of the CCSS wrote exit standards first answering the pivotal question: what do we want a graduating senior to know and be able to do? They then worked backwards to ensure continuity through the grade levels.

Simply stated, the Common Core is a set of grade-level expectations that span kindergarten through the 12th grade in the content areas of English/Language Arts and Mathematics.

The CCSS also addressed an unintentional consequence of the first set of California standards: segmenting skills and knowledge into discrete bits. This segmentation of standards was exacerbated by the multiple-choice testing that assessed student acquisition of those standards. Teachers, textbook adoptions, local testing and state-wide assessments looked at long lists of specifics, but rarely asked students to synthesize them into meaningful accomplishments. While schools offered A, B, C and D options for students for every problem, the real world required application, synthesis and cross-curricular performances.

Coupled with new standards is the opportunity to rethink assessment and how it can be improved by using current DECEMBER

5

{ CO VER STO R Y }

Building a Brighter Future In November, Stanislaus voters hit the polls to decide on races and measures that will have long-reaching consequences for local neighborhoods, schools, utilities and cities throughout the county. While this election did not decide high-profile offices like Mayor, those newly appointed will play an essential role in shaping the future of our area.

each of these new City Council members on their victories and hope that they will continue to focus on fiscal responsibility and business-f riendly decisions in Modesto. We encourage the Council to look to the Chamber as a resource and a true partner in navigating the challenges ahead.

Stanislaus County’s economy, schools, education, future work force and our ability to retain and attract more business are vital to our future. Come January, Modesto and a large proportion of the surrounding communities will have new city council members and new leaders in place on school boards and irrigation districts.

At the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, we look forward to working with leaders in each of these areas and hope that our city and county will strive to be one of the most business friendly regions in the state of California.

Together with our newly elected officials, we can ensure that our area becomes a center known for fostering productive business and job growth, which are so essential to the quality of life our region enjoys. We hope that together we can continue to unite business and education and solidify the future economic vitality of our community.

DAVID ALLAN

SUE ZWAHLEN

JORDAN DICKSON

MODESTO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Four Board of Trustee Members were elected to full terms in a race for Modesto City School District including incumbents Sue Zwahlen, Ruben Villalobos and Cindy Marks. Zwahlen, Villalobos and Marks will be joined by new, full term Board Member David Allan. Jordan Dickson was elected to a two-year term as a new Board Member.

CINDY MARKS

RUBEN VILLALOBOS

Congratulations to all five winners of this race. In the years to come, the Modesto City Schools Board will tackle issues like finances and Common Core and will address declining graduation rates. In neighboring school district, Sylvan Unified, the three incumbent Directors, Terriann Zeek, George Rawe and Cyndi Lindsey, ran unopposed.

MODESTO CITY COUNCIL Tony Madrigal, Bill Zoslocki and Jenny Ketchum Kenoyer will join the Modesto City Council in November. Madrigal was elected to represent District 2, Zoslocki will represent District 4 and Kenoyer will represent Modesto’s District 5. These new City Councilpersons, along with incumbent members, will face distinct budgetary challenges in the near future. The city of Modesto has been relying on reserves to pass annual budgets in recent years and the newly seated council will have to contend with making severe cuts to an already trimmed budget. We congratulate

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

TONY MADRIGAL

JENNY KETCHUM KENOYER

BILL ZOSLOCKI

MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT Modesto Irrigation District gained three new Directors in this election. John Mensinger was elected to represent Division 2, Paul Campbell was selected as the representative for Division 3 and voters chose Jake Wenger to represent District 4. The Modesto Chamber of Commerce wishes all three newly elected officials our hearty congratulations. These new Directors will help strengthen MID and bring new energy, ideas and experience to the agency.

There are many issues facing the MID board during the coming years. These new board members will navigate the relicensing of Don Pedro Dam, funding the maintenance of our aging canal system and pension and benefit changes. We hope that these new board members will continue to direct MID in making positive choices for the entire rate paying community.

PAUL CAMPBELL

JAKE WENGER

JOHN MENSINGER

MEASURES

THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Two measures appeared on the ballot for Modesto-area voters. Voters strongly supported Measure V, which was an advisory vote that proposed to extend sewer service to approximately 1,600 residents in the Airport neighborhood, while Measure X, which would have raised over $156 million over the next six years by increasing sales tax in Modesto by 1%, was narrowly defeated.

Starting in January, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s website and Progress Magazine will begin to publish the voting records of elected officials. Every month, the Chamber will identify the most impactful decisions that were put to a vote by either the City Council, School Boards, MID Board, Board of Supervisors and/or State legislators and report how each representative voted.

Doing so will serve not only as a method for holding elected representatives accountable to making decisions in the best interest of Modesto and Stanislaus County’s future, but we hope the published voting records will serve as an important tool for the voters to better understand the point-of-view of their local officials and to support those leaders making the right decisions for our area.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce held a neutral position with regard to Measure X throughout the election season. While we recognize the budgetary limitations facing the city and the need for additional police and fire personnel, it was difficult for the Chamber to support such an influx of new revenue which, due to the fact that the measure was not written to support a specific issue, would have been generated with little spending accountability attached. That being said, the Modesto Chamber appreciates the tough road facing city leaders and will do everything possible to help the city through the difficult budgetary times ahead.

COUNTY CEO We also look forward to working with newly appointed Stanislaus County CEO, Stan Risen. Risen was appointed by the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors after acting as the interim CEO since the departure of Monica Nino over the summer.

Our goal is to make it easy for Chamber members and the voting public to evaluate which of our leaders are most supportive of business and our economy, and which make the most fiscally sound decisions. We further hope that this level of accountability will ensure that our elected decision makers will always keep the priorities of economic development, job creation and the success of our area – the same priorities that direct the work of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce - forefront in their minds. P

DECEMBER

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C OM M U N I T Y DE V E L OP M E N T

NE T WORK I NG & REFERRALS

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS BOOT BARN

SERV 3, INC.

Jenny Marshall

Abdel Varela

2225 Plaza Parkway

965 E. Yosemite Avenue, Suite 12

Modesto, CA 95350

Manteca, CA 95336

(209) 523-5391

(209) 824-0025

(209) 523-1266

(209) 824-0035

store44mgr@bootbarn.com

avarela@serv3.com

www.bootbarn.com

www.serv3.com

Clothing

Information Services

CCT TELECOM

SMILE SHINE FAMILY DENTAL

Jon Peterson

Mani Grewal

1106 E. Turner Road

1788 Mitchell Road, Suite 105

Lodi, CA 95240

Ceres, CA 95307

(209) 365-9500

(209) 537-5600

(209) 368-1252

(209) 537-5656

jpeterson@4cct.com

1108 Ward Road, Suite 10

www.4cct.com

Patterson, CA 95363

Telecommunications Systems & Dealers

(209) 404-7795

Agape Villages Foster Family Agency was honored by The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute as an Angel in Adoption™ at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. “I applaud the work of the Agape Villages for their tremendous dedication and commitment to foster families,” Rep. Jeff Denham said. “Providing a safe and warm environment for children is what we should all strive to obtain.” Agape is being honored for 55 years of service, working with over 5,700 children. This year alone Agape will serve over 200 children in foster care, providing many of them with forever families. For more information about Agape Villages, call (866) 922-4273. P

(209) 895-5441

PAPA JOHN’S

2603 Patterson Road, Suite 5

John Ismail

Riverbank, CA 95367

1320 Standiford Avenue

(209) 869-5600

Modesto, CA 95355

(209) 869-5607

2307 Oakdale Road

smileshinedental@yahoo.com

Modesto, CA 95355

www.smileshinedental.com

(209) 521-7272

Dentists

(209) 572-1085 2830 Geer Road

UNO CHICAGO GRILL

Turlock, CA 95380

John Ismail

(209) 656-7272

3250 Dale Road

(209) 572-1085

Modesto, CA 95350

zaya32@sbcglobal.net

(209) 522-8667

www.papajohns.com

(209) 572-1085

Restaurants

zaya32@sbcglobal.net

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

www.unos.com

SCOTT MITCHELL LAW INCORPORATED

Restaurants

Pamela Mitchell 1231 8th Street, Suite 650 Modesto, CA 95354 (209) 529-7406 (209) 338-0813 pk.mitchell@yahoo.com www.scottmitchelllaw.com Attorneys

Hvac Plumbing Refrigeration Design-build New Construction

Keeping Modesto Cool Since 1957 LIC. 872913

AIR CONDITIONING • HEATING • SHEET METAL AIR DUCT CLEANING • PLANNED SERVICE MAINTENANCE

Serving our local community since 1946

(209) 523-8365 W W W . N O R Q U I S TA I R . C O M

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

311 Bitritto Way Modesto, CA 95356

www.dehartinc.com facebook.com/dehartinc

(209)523-4578

G UEST COLUMN

FREE JOB TRAINING GOES BEGGING IN MODESTO

By George Rawe, Director, Computer Tutor Business and Technical Institute Despite Modesto’s high unemployment rate, Computer Tutor Business and Technical Institute has struggled to fill free job training and placement spots for older youth, ages 17 to 21 (up to 22nd birthday). Anyone who finishes the four months of full-day classes will earn a certificate and placement help until employed—all at no cost to the trainee.

Classes focus on one of three areas: Medical clerk, which includes medical billing skills and medical terminology; Accounting clerk, which includes GEORGE RAWE basic bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable and payroll; and Administrative assistant, which includes everyday office software programs.

Despite advertising locally and sending notices to churches, schools, job offices and social service sites, the company still has dozens of openings. A federal Workforce Investment Act grant will pay for the training of 60 young adult (ages 17-21 up to 22nd birthday), Stanislaus County residents who qualify. In addition, the program offers assistance with supportive services.

Computer Tutor Business & Technical Institute offers orientations to review questions about the program. The program began July 1 and still has 29 openings available. Programs run 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the company’s north Modesto site, which is conveniently located next to a Modesto Area Express bus stop. For more information or to apply, call Tammy at Computer Tutor Business and Technical Institute at (209) 545-5200. P

Premium Cigars - Pipe Tobacco - Lounge 209-557-2500 ModestoTobacco@gmail.com www.ModestoCigars.com

1407 Standiford Avenue Suite C Modesto, Ca 95350

DECEMBER

9

{ FR O M THE EXPER TS }

MOBILE SECURITY

By Jon Jacobson, Dakota Information Group, LLC Chances are you are among half of all American adults who use an iPhone, Android-based phone or other smart phone on a daily basis. You probably entrust it with your sensitive information, details of friends, your whereabouts day to day (GPS), your calendar and passwords to all of your accounts, including your mobile banking applications.

JON JACOBSON

You are also letting in a whole bunch of people who make all of those great, time-saving services possible, including app developers, your wireless carrier, phone manufacturer, mobile advertisers and the maker of your phone’s operating system. If you are not careful, you are also letting in people with malicious intent.

Just how private and secure is your smart phone? If it’s lost or stolen, how easily could someone read the sensitive information it holds? How well do app developers and wireless providers protect that data? And what can you do to protect yourself? To answer that, I will say most lost or stolen phones are very easy to access, and the potential criminal will be able to retrieve your sensitive

Celebrating our

© neverboring.com

100TH ANNIVERSARY

Front Jeff Quinn, Marc O’Neil, Marcia Messer back Rick Moen, Dan Mello Workers Comp I Agricultural I Health & Benefits I Professional Crop I Commercial Packages I Home & Auto MODESTO (209) 529-3480 l TURLOCK (209) 667-0995 wintonireland.com l Since 1913 l Lic # 0596517

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

and private data with little difficulty. However, with a few simple precautions, your smart phone, and more importantly your mobile data, can be quite secure.

Here are a few simple tips and steps that you can take to prevent your data from falling into the wrong hands.

• Constantly update security fixes • Maintain security software • Maintain a secure PIN or password • Keep physical control • Think before you click • Understand “Terms of Use” • Avoid unsecured WiFi networks • Constantly back up your data

Always install any recommended security patches, fixes and updates from any of the apps on your phone. Every smart phone on the market today will limit access with either a four or more digit pin code or a password. Apple’s new mobile operating system iOS 7 will, if the password or pin is entered in 10 times incorrectly, delete all your data from your iPhone. The Android marketplace has similar applications. Maintain physical control of your phone at all times and when you download applications make sure you read through the terms of use. You will be surprised what you are allowing some of your apps to do. For example, I have seen flashlight applications, as part of the terms of use, that give the application permission to access every portion of your phone, as well as other applications, that could include your banking applications as well.

There are several free and very secure data backup applications in both the Apple and Android marketplaces. I use Apple products and backup my phone data with iCloud once a week.

Mobile phones have been publicly available for almost 20 years, but they have come to be such an integral part of our lives it is hard to remember what we did before we had them. If you have a smart phone, you now carry a fully functional, microcomputer in your pocket or purse. That’s a tremendous amount of valuable information and it is information that you do not want to fall into the wrong hands.

Jon Jacobson is a CA Licensed Private Investigator #28183, an Industry Certified Cyber Intelligence Professional and founder of Dakota Information Group, LLC located in Modesto. Jon can be reached at jon@dakotainfogroup.com. P

COM MUN ITY D EVELOPMEN T

LEADERSHIP MODESTO COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY

By Jeff Cipriano, Jaunt On November 1, 2013, the Leadership Modesto Class of 2013-14 was treated to a day of community service. Our Chairs for the day were Kathy Salvatore and Amy Vickery who planned to show the class just what giving back to our community is all about.

Our mission began with a short walk to Learning Quest where the class met Karen Williams, Director of Stanislaus Literacy Center. She spoke with us about the epidemic that our community faces with regard to adult literacy. She stated that 90% of jobs require a high school diploma and that 25% of adults struggle with reading, which in Stanislaus County means over 100,000 people.

We also heard from a couple of Learning Quest’s success stories about how the program has helped them acquire the tools they’ll need to move forward with their education and employment goals.

Next, we made our way over to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for foster children. This program was designed to provide foster children with an adult advocate who will work to protect the child’s best interest. We learned that there is an overwhelming need for volunteers in our area to be advocates for foster children. Right now in Stanislaus County, there are about 500 foster kids and only 73 of the 500 have advocates.

operates. Upon arriving at the jobsite, we were quickly put to work painting, digging trenches and nailing fence boards. I found this to be the most gratifying part of the day due to the end result of having just contributed to the building of a home. It was too bad that our stay at the site was so short.

Our next stop was the Stanislaus County Safety Center where our next presentation and demonstration took place. I think this was most everyone’s favorite stop of the day. Officer Graves, Officer Roman and their K9 dogs demonstrated the abilities, control and tactical advantages that the K9 unit offers. They put on an impressive display of how K9s are used in daily patrol, drug enforcement, suspect apprehension and more. In the end, our Leadership Modesto class went away feeling a little safer knowing that our law enforcement agencies use K9s.

We returned to the Chamber of Commerce where Kenni Friedman spoke with us about philanthropy. She reviewed with us how to choose a cause to support and what to consider when deciding whether or not to sit on a Board of Directors. The goal of Leadership Modesto is to further the development of the area’s future leaders. What we saw on Community Service Day is that there is no shortage of important organizations in need of such leadership and volunteer hours. Just as we have been encouraged in the Leadership Modesto program to be more involved and to contribute to the betterment of our community, I would encourage the same of you!

Contact the Modesto Chamber of Commerce to learn more about these and other community service organizations in need of your help. P

The goals of CASA in Stanislaus County are: to serve and improve outcomes for more children, to continuously improve volunteer effectiveness, to continuously increase program quality, and to share insights to improve child welfare laws and policies. CASA is funded through private and individual donations, corporate grants, community organization donations (like Kiwanis, Soroptimist and Rotary), the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and people like you!

From CASA, we walked back over to the Chamber, where we all loaded into a Storer bus and were transported to the new Stanislaus County animal shelter. Annette Patton greeted us, went over some statistics and gave us a grand tour of this amazing facility. The facility serves on average over 20,000 animals per year. At the time of our tour, the shelter was near capacity. The animal shelter has a wide variety of volunteer needs, including playing with the animals, cleaning kennels, photographing animals and sitting on advisory boards. They also happily accept donations.

Next, we headed over to Bethel Retirement Community where we were able to tour the assisted living apartments and then enjoy a great lunch.

Each table was treated to great conversation with some of Bethel’s residents.

Bethel is one of the more affluent retirement communities in the Modesto area, and I was amazed with the quality of living and accommodations.

After lunch, it was time to get to work. We loaded back onto the Storer bus and headed to a Habitat for Humanity house to dig trenches along a fence line and paint the inside of a house. During the bus ride, we were introduced to Anita Hellam, the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Stanislaus County. She gave us some metrics and operational information on how Habitat DECEMBER

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EDI TORIAL

SAVE THE DATE Modesto Chamber of Commerce

100 th Annual Awards Gala

Join us for an evening that will recognize outstanding businesses and individuals who are a positive influence within the Modesto community.

January 25, 2014 Gallo Center for the Arts Modesto Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Gala 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

Take advantage of our

MEMBERS ONLY website advertising Purchase one website ad of any size & get a second advertisement of equal or lesser value on an additional page of the website for FREE.

Purchase must be made by December 20, 2013.

ModChamber.org Contact Rikki Keenan for details at (209) 577-5757, Ext. 103 RKeenan@ModChamber.org.

1974

HEADLINES

printing mailing

fulfillment promo items

cross media marketing

JOIN THE COUNTDOWN TO OUR

40 ANNIVERSARY

Oakland Athletics win the world series!

Outrageous! Cost of a gallon of gas goes up to 0.63 cents.

Parks Printing is founded

by Austin Parks.

Text “1974” to 75309

to find out who and what was cool in 1974!

DECEMBER

13

N E T W ORK I NG & REFERRALS

{ NOVEMBER } BUSINESS

BEFORE & AFTER HOURS

Business Before Hours hosted by: Bank of the West & I.J. Larsen Pumps, Inc.

Business After Hours hosted by: Smart & Final

Bank of the West

Smart & Final

3600 McHenry Avenue, Modesto, CA 95356

2900 Standiford Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350

(209) 521-8060 • www.bankofthewest.com For over 135 years, Bank of the West has listened and responded to the needs of our communities. We are proud once again to partner with the Chamber for a mixer and toy drive.

I.J. Larsen Pumps, Inc.

(209) 529-2020 • www.ijlarsenpumps.com 509 Tully Road Modesto, CA 95350

(209) 525-9357 • www.smartandfinal.com Smart & Final is the smaller, faster warehouse store where businesses and households find great savings on quality food and supplies. We have everything you need for cooking, entertaining and cleaning up afterwards.

With our convenient locations and smaller warehouse design, you get in and out quickly. Our exceptional combination of low warehouse prices and restaurant–quality products provide you outstanding value, and we never charge a membership fee.

I.J. Larsen Pumps is a local family-owned small business that repairs and installs pump systems for water wells. We specializes in domestic, commercial and irrigation systems using energy efficient control boxes and equipment. We also have a license D1 operator for public well systems.

Oak Valley COmmunity Bank

We Mean Business

Experience business banking the way it should be – the perfect blend of old-fashioned personal service and modern technology to meet your every need.

Let us make your banking, our business.

Dr. Chang pictured with Peter Brown, Commercial Loan Officer, 209.844.7522, Sylvia Orozco, VP Modesto-McHenry Branch Manager, 209.579.3365, and Ron Davenport, VP Area Manager, 209.343.7627

“When we needed capital to build a new office for our growing patient population, Oak Valley clearly stood out. They understand our medical practice, provided the best terms, and facilitated the loan process with SBA. Their attention to detail ensured our construction project went smoothly and swiftly.”

– S. William Chang, M.D., President, Valley Retina 14

Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

Deep Roots ~ Strong Branches

1.866.844.7500 • www.ovcb.com Oakdale • Sonora • Modesto • Turlock • Patterson Ripon • Escalon • Stockton • Manteca

BE JOYOUS BE MERRY BE FESTIVE BELONG

Christmas at The Commons

Open House

Save the date!

Friday, December 13th • 4:00 to 6:00pm Come celebrate with our Seniors at Dale Commons and enjoy Appetizers, Sweet Holiday Treats, Holiday Gift Boutique and FREE photos with Santa!

SALVATION ARMY TOY DROP-OFF SITE! Bring a new unwrapped toy as a donation to Modesto local families during the holiday season.

Independent and Assisted Living Community

3900 Dale Road • Modesto, CA 95356 209.526.2053 www.dalecommons.com • RCFE #507004998

{ S MA LL BUSINESS SPOT LIGHT } J’S-R-US TRAVEL I started my business in 1997 because of my love for travel, building it from a part-time to a full-time homebased agency. Since then, I have earned many Destination Specialist Certifications, including Master Cruise Counselor and Disney, Oahu Master Specialist, and have attended travel training seminars and classes to remain on the cutting edge within the world of travel.

The word “Travel” means different things to different people. To some it means relaxation and getting away from it all, to others it’s a means of accomplishing their business needs, and still to others it’s time spent with family and friends. Your travel experience should be a time of increasing your knowledge, creating memories and most importantly, having fun! It is my desire to help you with that experience and to make your travel adventures and dreams come true. “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own!” For more information, call (209) 550-0516 or visit www.jsrus.com.

Janice Jones, Master Cruise Counselor

P

DECEMBER

15

NE T W ORK I NG & REFERRALS

RIBBON CUTTINGS

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*Picture taken at Modesto Chamber of Commerce

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To place an order, please call one of our associates at 1-877-ALMOND-8 16

Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

E CO N O M I C D EVEL OP M E N T

PRESIDENT’S CLUB CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE PLATINUM LEVEL Kaiser Permanente Walmart Walmart Neighborhood Market

EMERALD LEVEL E. & J. Gallo Winery

DIAMOND LEVEL Bank of the West Capax-Giddings, Corby, Hynes, Inc. Doctors Behavioral Health Center-DMC Doctors Medical Center-DMC Frito-Lay Company, Inc. MedAmerica Billing Services, Inc. Pacific Southwest Container SunPower

GOLD LEVEL 5.11, Inc. Crystal Creamery DoubleTree Hotel Evergreen Nursing & Rehabilitation

Care Center JC Penney Company Memorial Medical Center The Modesto Bee Modesto Irrigation District Modesto Nuts Professional Baseball RACOR, Division of Parker

Hannifin Corporation Seneca Foods, LLC Sysco Food Services of

Central California Taco Bell

SILVER LEVEL AT&T Acme Construction Company, Inc. American Chevrolet American Medical Response Aramark Uniform Services Atherton & Associates, LLP Audio Pros of Modesto BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse Brandman University, Chapman

University System California State University, Stanislaus Central Valley Ag Grinding/Central

Valley Ag Transport Central Valley Automotive Central Valley Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Central Valley Nissan Central Valley Volkswagen Hyundai Central Valley Medical Group Central Valley Specialty Hospital Children’s Hospital Central California Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino Citibank Clark Pest Control COIT Services Inc. Collins Electrical Comcast Concordia Claims Managers Construction Management Corporation Costco Wholesale Covanta Stanislaus, Inc. Curtis Legal Group Damrell, Nelson, Schrimp, Pallios,

Pacher & Silva

Del Monte Foods Delta Sierra Beverage DirectLine Technologies, Inc. The Eberhardt School of Business English Oaks Nursing &

Rehabilitation Hospital F & M Bank Galletto Ristorante Georgia-Pacific Gianelli & Associates Gilton Solid Waste Management, Inc. Greater Modesto Medical Surgical Associates Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc. Grover Landscape Services, Inc. Harris Moran Seed Company Heald College I.J. Larsen Pumps, Inc. Infiniti of Modesto Institute of Technology International Paper Company JS West & Company Kaplan College Lion Fusion Express Mercer Foods Mocse Credit Union Modesto Commerce Bank Modesto Toyota Mraz, Amerine & Associates Oak Valley Community Bank O’Brien’s Market OLAM Spices & Vegetables, Inc. Pacific Gas & Electric Company Panelized Structures Inc. Park Inn by Radisson Papa John’s Pepsi Bottling Group Post Foods, LLC Prime Shine Car Wash Rabobank Raley’s Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc. Rocha Transportation Rogers Jewelry Company San Joaquin Valley College Save Mart Supermarkets Siemens Smile Shine Family Dental Seven Up Bottling Corporation Solecon Industrial Contractors Solid Networks, Inc. SpringHill Suites by Marriott Stanislaus Food Products Company Stanislaus Surgical Hospital Storer Coachways SunOpta Aseptic, Inc. Sutter Gould Medical Foundation Turlock Irrigation District Uno Chicago Grill US Bank Valley First Credit Union Valley Lexus-BMW W.H. Breshears, Inc. Warden’s Office Products Center Warden’s Office Furniture Outlet Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green

Insurance Agency Yosemite Meat Company, Inc.

LEAD ERSH IP

CHAMBER BOARD PERSPECTIVE

By Ralph Curtis, Chairman of the Board “The time has come,” the walrus said, “to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax-of cabbages and kings.” - Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass And the time has come for me to reflect on my years as Chairman of the Chamber Board, as I hand over the reins to Dave RALPH CURTIS Gianelli. Things will officially be in Dave’s CHAIRMAN capable hands starting in January and I look forward to his energy and leadership.

I hate to say it, but times at the Chamber were a bit troubled a few years ago. The organization was not viewed in the community as being a “player” or having influence. I still vividly recall a comment made at a meeting with some former Chamber leaders around the time I became chairman. The comment was, “The Chamber used to matter.”

That really hit me. That had to change. I believe it did change.

In my opinion, the best way to solve a problem is to get a bunch of smart people in a room to kick around ideas. That ’s what the Chamber Board became and what it is today. Take a look at the page in Progress listing the Board Members. They are community leaders and they are smart people. That has made all the difference. That, and one other thing—Cecil Russell.

When Cecil came on board, we were on our way. Cecil has been, and continues to be, the perfect Chamber President. His experience (he’s a former Board Chairman himself ), his business sense (Save Mart alum) and his dedication and love for Modesto are outstanding.

I believe the Chamber is now a leader in our community. If you have been reading Progress, you know of the many initiatives the Chamber has been pursuing. There are more coming.

The future looks bright for the Modesto Chamber and that means good things for the business community and the city.

There is no doubt we as a community still face challenges.

However, the Chamber is prepared to stand together with other leadership organizations and help make things better.

I am proud to be a Chamber member and you should be as well. To quote one of our leading businesses, “All the best” to you for 2014. P

DECEMBER

17

THEFIFTH

Annual

STATE Of The REGION

On Wednesday, October 30th, the Chamber hosted 300 Chamber and community businesses to learn more about the Affordable Care Act. Keynote speaker Steven Vincent, Director of Anthem Blue Cross, discussed what the changes will mean for our business community moving forward. Accessibility to insurance will no longer be an issue, however, affordability may be. At least 67% of legal California residents will qualify for rate subsidies if they buy insurance through the Covered California health insurance exchange.

Center, discussed how all of our region’s facilities are prepared and have been working towards a more efficient model that will support the continuous changes.

Our presenting sponsors, Doctors Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center, each weighed in as to where they stand with the changes that are taking place in the healthcare industry. Corwin Harper, Senior Vice President with Kaiser Permanente, shared his thoughts on economic growth within our region and the need for businesses to continue to work with the medical industry. Mike King, Chief Operating Officer with Doctors Medical Center, and Daryn Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Health Memorial Medical

The Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our exhibiting sponsors who took the time to be on hand to answer questions and educate participants at the 5th Annual State of the Region. We work each year to bring our business community a topic that is of importance to our region.

We thank you for supporting this event and many others throughout the year. If you have any feedback as to a topic you would like to see covered at the State of the Region event, please contact the Chamber at (209) 577-5757 or www.ModChamber.org. P

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Exhibitor Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors:

Numerous questions were answered during the panel discussion after the keynote address. The survey results from the event indicated that many questions were answered, numerous issues were clarified and that we definitely have more to learn regarding Health Care Reform.

California State University, Stanislaus English Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Hospital Heald College Health Plan of San Joaquin Stanislaus County Partners in Health

President’s Club Circle of Influence:

Platinum Walmart

Diamond

Bank of the West

Gold DoubleTree Hotel Evergreen Nursing & Rehabilitation Care Center Seneca Foods, LLC

Speaker Sponsor:

Silver

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

American Medical Response Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc. Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency

Member Table Sponsors: IBEW Local #684 - Electrical Workers TSM Insurance & Financial Services University of California, Merced

AIR FORCE BAND

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AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

DIOCESE OF STOCKTON •

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The greatest joy

isn’t found in what you BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS

CATHOLIC CHARITIES,

•

CENTER FOR HUMAN get, but in what you give. This holiday season, SERVICES CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ART ASSOCIATION

CENTRAL VALLEY FAMILY BUSINESS CENTER CRIME •

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we offer our thanks to the local community organizations to whom we lend support and all

STOPPERS

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THE FIRST TEE GALLO CENTER FOR •

THE ARTS GRACE M. DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL DMC others that give so much to so many. Thank you FOUNDATION HAVEN WOMEN’S CENTER HOWARD TRAINING CENTER MCHENRY MUSEUM for your commitment to spreading the spirit of AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY MODESTO CHAMBER •

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OF COMMERCE BUREAU

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MODESTO COMMUNITY CONCERT giving year round. You make the world a better ASSOCIATION MODESTO CONVENTION & VISITORS •

MODESTO DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT

place to live, one act of generosity at a time.

DISTRICT (DID)

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MODESTO INDEPENDENT

BUSINESS ALLIANCE MODESTO MARATHON MODESTO ROTARY SALVATION ARMY SIERRA VISTA CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES SAN JOAQUIN ENTREPRENEURIAL •

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CHALLENGE SOCIETY FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN & ADULTS SOROPTIMIST: INTERNATIONAL OF MODESTO NORTH STANISLAUS COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION •

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STANISLAUS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THE STATE THEATRE UCP OF STANISLAUS COUNTY - LEMONADE DAY UNITED SAMARITANS UNITED WAY WOUNDED WARRIORS •

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ADVERTISING I GRAPHIC DESIGN I WEB DESIGN I MARKETING I PROMOTIONAL SOLUTIONS I FILM & MULTIMEDIA I CUSTOM SIGNS & FLEET GRAPHICS

Br a nd i n g. S t ra t e gy. D e s i gn .

Modesto

Modesto

Stockton

AGENCY

CUSTOM SIGNS/PROMOTIONAL SOLUTIONS

SAN JOAQUIN OFFICE

1016 Fourteenth St. Modesto, CA 95354 tel 209.526.9136 neverboring.com

1025 Needham St. Modesto, CA 95354 tel 209.593.5844 neverboringsigns.com

445 W. Weber Ave., Ste. 124A Stockton, CA 95203 tel 209.593.9136 800.317.9136

S T A NI S LA U S GREEN T EAM

GOING GREEN IN B USI NE SS = A G RE E NE R WAL L E T: C A L IFORNIA’S “FRESHEN E D UP ” G RE E N TE CHNOL OG Y TAX G UI D E

By Rikki Keenan

RIKKI KEENAN

As California continues to be the national leader in green technology, the California State Board of Equalization realized the need for a “freshened up” Green Technology Tax Guide.

It clarifies many of the 2014 tax laws applicable to businesses involved in green technologies, specific to their industry. The BOE states that because the Green Technology industry has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, many businesses are finding it difficult to keep up with the ever-changing sales and use tax laws.

REACON Team Members

The Green Technology Tax Guide is divided into the following categories: Solar Industry – This section discusses the application of sales and use tax to solar cells, solar panels and solar modules. The guide also discusses construction contracts, materials and fixtures, rebates and sales of farm solar equipment.

Green Manufacturing Incentives – This section discusses the green manufacturing exclusion applicable to purchases of manufacturing equipment that is currently offered by the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority. In addition, the guide discusses the partial exemption for purchases of manufacturing and research and development equipment that will be available on July 1, 2014.

Green Team Supporters

Rebates and Tax Credits – This section discusses the California clean vehicle rebate project applicable to the purchase or lease of qualified plugin electric vehicles. The guide also discusses the federal tax incentives available for various plug-in vehicles. The federal incentives range from $2,500 up to $7,500.

Resources – This section provides a variety of information, including links to forms and publications, statutory and regulatory information and access to live help from BOE customer service representatives.

To find additional information and resource links about the Green Technology Tax Guide, visit us on the web at StanislausGreenTeam.com. P

giving

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

Interested in REACON Team membership or Stanislaus Green Team sponsorship? Call (209) 577-5757 or e-mail RKeenan@ModChamber.org.

Warden's is proud to support the spirit of giving, during the holiday season and the whole year round.

We recognize that when it comes to the joy of the season, it's always better to give than receive.

Prime Shine Car Wash presents:

LAND OF OPPORTUNITY ...a series spotlighting entrepreneurial achievement

John Ismail

UNO CHICAGO GRILL, PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA John Ismail is the owner of two Uno’s Chicago Grill restaurants in Modesto as well as three Papa John’s Pizza restaurants in Modesto and Turlock. He grew up in the Modesto area and has worked in the restaurant business since college including serving as Proprietor of Outback Steakhouse in Daly City, California and establishing three String’s Italian Café restaurants in Modesto.

How many employees do you have?

My brother Bobby and I partnered to establish Uno’s in Modesto back in 2007. On September 12, 2013, we opened an additional location on Dale Road. I also own three Papa John’s restaurants in Stanislaus County, two of them in Modesto and one in Turlock, for a total of 260 employees.

JOHN ISMAIL

What have you done in your professional career that has led you to where you are now?

I didn’t intend to be in the restaurant business. When I moved up to Sacramento to attend college at CSU Sacramento, a friend moved up to room with me. One day I was driving him around while he looked for jobs and helping him fill out applications when the manager on duty came out and said “Oh, you’re applying also.” I didn’t want to say no, so I filled out an application, too. By the time we got home, she called us and said we could both start the next morning. That started my career in restaurants.

Are you originally from this area?

My family moved to Modesto when I was a sophomore in high school and I’ve made it my home for many, many years. I got married here and have raised four beautiful kids here and much of my family still lives here.

What challenges have you had to overcome in your professional life?

With the economy, we’ve had to get creative with menu and stay focused on giving people value. You have to stay on top of your game and focus on customer service, cleanliness and just wowing the customer and making sure that they leave happy and want to come back and see you again.

What are some of the accomplishments of which you are particularly proud?

When I was at Outback, I was awarded Proprietor of the Year, which was a very big award to achieve. They don’t make it easy. And within our first year at Uno’s, they gave me rookie GM of the year. In the second year, we were awarded franchisee of the year. I’ve found success not by trying to do the unexpected, but always focusing on just exceeding what’s expected of me.

What is the single biggest reason that you have achieved the level of success you have?

From when I was a kid, I’ve always been very meticulous, organized and on time.

And my Dad was always my mentor. He taught me to be very kind with people and very generous, but to always stay very family oriented, too.

What do you like about your job?

I like that every day is different. There’s always a new challenge. I’m meeting different people, going to work in different locations and settings every day, seeing different employees. I never know what I’m going to come up against, and that makes it very enjoyable.

Do you participate in any community outreach efforts or clubs?

We’re very community oriented. Whenever we get any request, we fulfill it. When we’re asked to sponsor causes, we do it. We’ve done Relay For Life many times, we’ve done the American Cancer Society multiple years in a row. We’re always looking to partner up and assist in raising money for nonprofits, churches and schools. Wherever we can help, we’re more than willing to do it. It’s very rewarding for myself and to the employees.

What are your plans for the future?

With five restaurants, it’s time to stay focused and make the most of what we have and just constantly improve and grow our sales and profits and make sure that all of our employees are taken care of as well as the customers.

What advice do you have for business people when it comes to achieving their goals?

I’m always looking for advice, myself! One thing I’ve learned is that you have to listen a lot more than you talk because there are a lot of people out there that know a lot more than you do and have been through the experience and challenges.

Being a leader is a big commitment, a lot of people can depend on you, so you have to make the best decisions for the business, the customer and the employees.

What do you like about doing business in the Modesto community and why do you think this is the Land of Opportunity?

It’s home. My family and I know a lot of people here. It’s great to be able to go out and know people in our community. It’s a great feeling knowing people. Moving to a new city, you just lose all of that. I’m so grateful to everyone in Modesto and the surrounding communities for their continued support and loyalty over the years. If there’s anything we can do to assist them, I hope they will call on us and consider us for their restaurant needs. Come in and visit us at our new Uno’s location at the Dale Road store in the Trader Joe’s Shopping Center. P

Prime Shine Car Wash is proud to present The Land of Opportunity. Each month this series provides a forum in which to showcase the entrepreneurial achievements of a Stanislaus County business owner. Prime Shine Car Wash is proud to recognize the entrepreneurʼs ability to overcome obstacles and to honor their successes in their industry and in the community.

Celebrating Over 50 Years Of Quality Care * Registered Nurses 24/7 * Long Term and Short Term Quality Care * 175 Bed Skilled Nursing Facility * Pleasant Environment * Inviting and Stimulating Social Activities * Inpatient & Outpatient Physical Therapy * Inpatient & Outpatient Occupational Therapy * Speech Therapy * Respiratory Therapy

* Specialty Dining Menus * Pharmaceutical Services * Intravenous Therapy * Incontinence Service * Wound and Skin Care * Medicare Part A & B * Medi-Cal * Other Insurances Welcome * Family Owned & Operated for over 50 Years

Engaged in your Care & your Life 209.577.1055 2030 Evergreen Ave. Modesto, CA 95350 www.evergreencare.com Fax: 209. 550. 3615

DECEMBER

21

E C O NOMI C DEVELO PMENT

C OM M U N I T Y DE V E L OP M E N T

NEW MEMBER PROFILES

YOUR CHAMBER AT WORK

Scott Mitchell Law Incorporated has been assisting clients with

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – YEAR IN REVIEW BY THE NUMBERS

obtaining favorable resolutions for nearly a decade. The firm has represented over 4,000 cases in the areas of bankruptcy, family law, personal injury and criminal defense. Some clients need a bankruptcy attorney who will listen to their concerns and provide them with honest and straight-forward feedback, while others require the assistance of a confident litigator who can fight aggressively to protect their rights in the face of a conviction for DUI. The office is located at 1231 8th Street, Suite 650, in Modesto. For more information, call (209) 529-7406. P

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc. , an accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Modesto, is proud to announce the addition of Chad Van Houten, CPA to our team. Chad joins us after six years with Croce & Company where he served in the role of Supervisor.

His experience includes work in taxation and assurance services in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, professional services, government CHAD VAN HOUTEN and not-for-profits. Chad is originally from Escalon and graduated with a BA in Economics and BS in Accounting from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University, while also serving as Treasurer and Secretary of the San Joaquin CalCPA chapter and chairing CalCPA’s Emerging Professionals Committee. P

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce has been busy in the last 12 months. Below is a snapshot of our achievements in 2013.

› Currently 989 members › 125 new members › 119 President’s Club members › 58,116 copies of Progress Magazine distributed › 3,072 members mentioned in Progress Magazine › 428 members attending Chamber University courses

› $38,000 raised in scholarship funds for Modesto City Schools and Modesto Junior College

› 50 California & Federal Labor Law posters sold › 1,562 Certificates of Origin stamped and signed › 211 referrals to Chamber Members

› 21 Meetings held to throughout the community seeking

feedback on the Chamber’s “Pathway to Job Growth & Prosperity” Plan which lead to 14 draft versions of the Plan and 5 endorsements by community organizations

› 62 Ribbon Cuttings and Grand Openings held for new or growing members

› 1,015 hours of appointments scheduled for members with S.C.O.R.E. Business consultants

› 75 Member logos featured in the online directory on the new Chamber website

› 4,384 attendees at Chamber Events including

the Annual Gala & Member Awards, State of the

City, State of Education, AgAware, Business to

Business Tradeshow, Harvest Luncheon, Oktoberfest, and State of the Region

› 71 member businesses exhibiting at the Chamber’s

Business to Business Tradeshow › 3 meetings hosted by the Chamber for Federal Congressman Jeff Denham

› 3,600 estimated business cards exchanged at Chamber

Business Before Hours and Business After Hours events

› $2,452 value of basic Chamber membership P 22

Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

WORK IN The Business of Bringing Christ to the Community: The House: Modesto

SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT (Courtesy of Never Boring)

The church has also undertaken many other projects aimed at helping the community over the past few years. Its Nineveh Outreach feeding trucks now help thousands of hungry people throughout California every day, while its mobile medical and dental clinics offer

free care to community members. A newly constructed fitness center and children’s facility offers child care and healthy lifestyles to every community member. “The bottom line is: this is what Jesus would do,” says Berteau. “He didn’t sit in the church. He went out and saw people that were hurting and he touched people without asking for anything back.”

MODESTO MEANS BUSINESS The Chamber stands by this statement.

We practice it on a daily basis. As an organization, we use Chamber Members exclusively. We hope we can ‘count on you’ to practice using Chamber Members to meet all of your business needs.

You can find new and current members online at www.ModChamber.org.

Progress Magazine is the voice of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, and the leading business publication in Stanislaus County. For more information or advertising info call (209) 526-9136.

“We just want to go outside of the church like Jesus did and do something positive for our community and our city.”

neverboring.com

Since his recovery, Berteau has made these goals into a reality for the church. He recently published “Christianity To Go,” his second book; the church now has a Sunday morning program that runs on Fox stations and two other affiliated churches— one in San Carlos, California and another in Slidell, Louisiana—have also changed their names to variations of The House. “The name change was just to make it easy for different people in any churches we raised up to identify that they share the same spirit,” said Berteau.

B r a n d i n g . S t r a t e g y. D e s i g n .

The House: Modesto is located at 1601 Coffee Road and at www.thehousemodesto.com. P

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The House: Modesto’s Senior Pastor Glen Berteau said that he has led the church—which was formerly known as Calvary Temple Worship Center—for 20 years, but it was not until he was lying in a hospital bed following a heart attack three years ago that the church’s new strategy came to him. “I was laying in the hospital and the Lord started telling me about things that I still needed to do,” said Berteau, who said that these goals included publishing a book, getting the church a program on secular TV and organizing the church and its affiliates under a simple and iconic new name.

“We just want to go outside of the church like Jesus did and do something positive for our community and our city.”

When business is booming, advertising is the last thing on your mind. But when times get tough, an aggressive ad campaign becomes the last thing you want to spend money on. By maintaining an advertising presence through thick and thin, you can keep your business rolling, stay at the top of your customers’ minds and keep slowdowns to a minimum. Never Boring is an industry expert at creating unique, effective and affordable advertising. Find out how we can keep your business moving forward, visit us today at neverboring.com

© Never Boring

Faith-based organizations don’t often bring to mind the wise use of rebranding, franchising and building awareness, but for The House: Modesto, those fundamental business considerations have been integral to a new outreach strategy that is helping to widen the church’s reach across the community.

DECEMBER

23

Making a DIFFERENCE one family at a time!

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24

Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

I

1-888-936-PLAN (7526) www.hpsj.com

GU EST CO L U M N

CHAM BER BUSINESSES GIVE BACK: MEDAMERICA

By Courtney Proffitt, MedAmerica On September 20, 2013, President’s Club Diamond Level Chamber Member MedAmerica Billing Services, Inc. held a unique and uplifting teambuilding event for several members of the Modesto office. Led by Billing Department Regional Manager Jamie Keys, the group of twenty-seven people had lunch at Michael’s Pizza Bar and Grill on Carpenter. After lunch, they COURTNEY PROFFITT divided into four groups and headed downtown.

Each team was given $100 and told their goal was to “Make Their Day” - to practice as many small acts of kindness for total strangers as possible!

Each team member was given his or her own “Team Awesome” tee shirt to wear. They brainstormed and did several different and unique acts of kindness that afternoon, including giving out daisies to people on the street and buying and passing out free bus passes to people who seemed to need them. They brought baked goods to the police station to thank them for their service.

They bought lunches for strangers. They brought food to a homeless shelter to thank the volunteers there. They also fed the homeless in the facility. One team purchased a large box of school supplies and delivered it to a low-income preschool. The spirit of giving took hold and each team spent the afternoon giving out free hugs and surprising strangers with free iced coffees and more.

Tell me your

story

At MJC I explored several areas of study including computer science, criminology and psychology, before taking a theater elective that changed my life.

MyMJCStory.com/renner Text “Renner” to 75309 Tell yours at

JEREMY RENNER

MyMJCStory.com/renner

MJC Alumnus and 2 time Academy Award Nominee

Before the teambuilding event, Jamie Keys set up an e-mail address for people affected by these acts of kindness to respond to. Every time an act of kindness took place, the person was given a slip of paper that read “Thank you for allowing us to make you a part of our Annual Teambuilding Day. Our goal was to ‘Make Your Day.’ If we did that for you, please e-mail us at TheyMadeMyDay@yahoo.com and tell us how we impacted you.”

“The emails started coming in immediately and the outpouring of positive responses from the community was unbelievable!” states Keys. She received a total of twenty-six emails overall. P

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the city, holiday traffic was congested, it wasn’t pretty.

You just wanted to shop, not a long trek, the last thing you needed was to get in a wreck!

An accident was not on your shopping list this holiday season. WE CAN FIX THAT. Let Burnside take your car into our workshop; with state-of-the-art equipment, eco-friendly paint services and gentle dent repair, we’ll get your car back onto the ‘nice’ list!

Remember: you have the right to choose your body shop.

DECEMBER

25

NE T W ORK I NG & REFERRALS

C OM M U N I T Y DE V E L OP M E N T

CHAMBER CALENDAR DECEMBER 2013 5

JANUARY 2014

BUSINESS BEFORE HOURS

9

BUSINESS BEFORE HOURS

Location: Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc. 200 W. Roseburg Avenue Time: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Location: H&R Block 3900 Pelandale Avenue, Suite 425 Time: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

12

16

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Location: DoubleTree Hotel 1150 9th Street Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Location: PMZ / Scenic Oak Funding

1120 Scenic Drive

Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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STANISLAUS GREEN

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TEAM MEETING

Location: Kirk Lindsey Center 1020 10th Street Plaza, Suite 102 Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

ANNUAL GALA & MEMBER CHOICE AWARDS

Location: Gallo Center for the Arts 1000 I Street Time: 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Black & White Ball was recently held at the former World Savings Bank in downtown Modesto.

The location was transformed into a glamorous art deco lounge for the evening, all for the benefit of a major renovation and remodel of Memorial Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

When complete, the updated Emergency Department will accommodate high-level medicine and high-tech information systems, while providing for the physical and emotional needs of the more than 70,000 patients who use its services each year.

S.C.O.R.E. (Service Corps of Retired Executives) offers you an opportunity to share your success with business in our community.

At the same time, you may sharpen your business skills and become a mentor with the nation’s premier small business counseling and advice organization. Whether you provide counseling, raise funds or support chapter operations, you and other volunteers help hundreds of thousands of small businesses succeed each year. We are looking for experienced business experts, professionals, owners and managers who want to help our local business succeed and grow. To apply to volunteer for S.C.O.R.E., contact Larry Dempsey at ldempsey@clearwire.net or call the Modesto Chamber at (209) 577-5757. P

City of Modesto Utility Users Tax The City of Modesto’s Utility Users Tax is collected on water, gas and electric services at a rate of 6%, cable television services at 3%, and telecommunication services at 5.8%. The maximum tax utility users have to pay for each service is $1500.

The Modesto Municipal Code currently provides for refunds of overpayments made within 12 months from the receipt of the refund request. To request a refund, please provide the city with a written request and copies of your utility bills which verify you overpaid.

Requests for refunds should be mailed to: City of Modesto Finance Department Attn: Utility Tax Desk PO Box 642; Modesto CA 95353 You may elect to prepay the utility users tax maximum if you believe you will exceed the cap. If you have any questions, please contact the Utility Tax personnel at (209)577-5206.

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Modesto Chamber of Commerce I PROGRESS

“

I Choose DMC

“Spine surgery has given me a new lease on life.

Kimberly Wilson, Modesto

After suffering for five years with debilitating back pain, Kimberly Wilson turned to the spine specialists at Doctors Medical Center Modesto for minimally invasive surgery.

She now lives pain free and once again, enjoys an active lifestyle.

Designated as a Blue Distinction Center Plus for • Spine Surgery by Blue Cross Blue Shield (2013)

Spine team includes specialists in neurology, •

neurosurgery, diagnostic and interventional radiology, pain management, physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Take a FREE spine risk assessment at dmc-neurospine.com

If back pain is compromising your life, the Brain & Spine Institute of Doctors Medical Center is the only facility in the region dedicated to providing advanced, minimally invasive solutions to reduce pain and restore mobility.

Click or Call

1.877.461.3705 dmc-neurospine.com

doctor s m e d ic a l c e n t e r

b raI n & s pI n e I nstItut e

DECEMBER

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YOU DON’T PROFIT FROM SICK EMPLOYEES. WHY DOES YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER? In an industry built on fee-for-service care, Kaiser Permanente succeeds because we’re built around prevention and the highest quality care. One Harvard Business Review article described our care as “untainted by any economic conflict of interest.”* And in an industry report by The Economist, Kaiser Permanente’s care was described as promoting economy and quality care with “no financial motive to order unnecessary procedures.”†

Discover a better way.

* Lew McCreary, “Kaiser Permanente’s Innovation on the Front Lines,” Harvard Business Review, September 2010. †

”Another American Way,” The Economist, May 1, 2010.

kp.org/choosebetter