Advancing Oceanside 2024
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
On behalf of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Staff, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued investment in the Chamber. Your support is crucial to advancing our shared vision of a Thriving and United Oceanside.
In 2024, your contribution empowered us to continue our vital work of fostering economic growth and serving our business community. Thanks to your investment, we’ve made significant strides in leadership development, coastal resiliency, business advocacy, workforce development, and connecting our businesses with valuable resources for success.
One of the most exciting milestones of the past year was the successful continuation of our Oceanside Leadership Academy (OLA). The Academy received a “Best Chamber Program” award from the Western Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and positions the Chamber as a key player in shaping the leaders who will guide Oceanside into the future.
Our Rising Star Student of the Month program has also remained a community favorite. In the first three years of the program, we proudly awarded $94,000 in scholarships to 51 deserving students and have already raised nearly $45,000 to distribute at our 2025 Scholarship celebration.
We are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us as a resource for your business. We look forward to continuing our partnership with you in 2025 and beyond.
Scott M. Ashton Chief Exectutive Officer
MISSION: TO PROVIDE ADVOCACY AND RESOURCES THAT HELP BUSINESSES AND OUR COMMUNITY THRIVE.
OCEANSIDE CHAMBER BOARD & STAFF
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ernie Prieto
Oceanside Sea Center Chair
Kevin Witowich
Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Chair Elect
Robbie Calderon-Hass
Hass Team Realty
Immediate Past Chair
Jessica Shrader
Genentech
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Birnie
Frontwave Credit Union
Vice Chair
Lupe Gonzalez
Equus Workforce Solutions
Vice Chair
Kevin Shin
The Nowell Family Foundation
Vice Chair
ADVISORS
Leslee Gaul
Visit Oceanside
Michelle Geller
City of Oceanside
Captain Michael Kos
Oceanside Police Department
Angie Leonard
Mainstreet Oceanside
Deputy Chief Jess Specht
Oceanside Fire Department
Dr. Julie Vitale
Oceanside Unified School District
Dan Whitley
MCB Camp Pendleton
DIRECTORS
Lori Boody
Veterans Association of North County
Marva Bledsoe
Nonprofit Management Consulting
Angela Caires
Hydranautics
Dr. Sunny Cooke
MiraCosta College
Roger Cortez
Tri-City Medical Center
Joe Gabaldon
San Diego Gas & Electric
Sonia Gonzales TrueCare
Howard Jacobs
GK Asset Management, LLC
Maddy Kilkenny
Intesa Communications Group
Donna San Miguel
California State University San Marcos
Tom Son
Arrowood Golf Course
Joshua Van Orden
Oceanside Therapy Group
Bob Waite
AFLAC
STAFF
Scott Ashton
Chief Executive Officer
Gwen Bryson
Customer Service Specialist
Elizabeth Carlson
Events and Programs Specialist
Tracy Chin
Chief Operating Officer
Sophie Finnigan
Marketing and Communications Manager
Vanessa Lee
Business Development Representative
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The Oceanside Chamber is focused on facilitating business growth through talent pipeline development. Our programming is centered on promoting career awareness and skill building of current and future members of the workforce.
SOCAL WORKFORCE - In partnership with the San Diego North EDC, the Oceanside Chamber leveraged grant funds to shoot career awareness videos highlighting numerous in-demand occupations available to local high school students upon graduation.
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PANEL (ETP) - The Chamber was awarded its first ETP subcontract opportunity to provide free training for local manufacturers on topics such as Six Sigma and Performance Management.
SUPPORTING TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE - Chamber leaders partnered with CSU San Marcos’ CoBA to host two BUS 300 Networking Nights, connecting 367 students with 79 professionals. This provided valuable networking opportunities, helping students gain confidence and expand their understanding of business careers.
YOUTH SUCCESS CONFERENCE - In May, Oceanside High School hosted their first Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS) Conference. Dozens of business and civic leaders, including Chamber CEO Scott Ashton, participated as presenters for a day of helping students discover their purpose. Ashton’s session was titled Skills to Create Opportunity and Financial Success and focused on sharing with the students the most desired skills in today’s workforce.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Chamber partnered with the City of Oceanside’s Green Oceanside program to educate businesses on best practices and requirements related to sustainability.
• The Chamber conducted extensive outreach to local businesses in preparation for Oceanside’s Marine Debris Reduction Ordinance.
• Recognized Sunshine Market and Refillery with the Business Sustainability Award at its Heroes of Oceanside and Camp Pendleton Luncheon.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Chamber is committed to the development of leaders to serve our community in a variety of roles such as non-profit boards, City commissions, elected offices and within leadership succession roles in their own companies.
• The Chamber graduated its 3rd and 4th Cohorts of its Oceanside Leadership Academy (OLA) which was created in 2023. OLA offers insight into leadership in the various sectors that drive our community, including Education, Health Care, Municipal Government, Military, STEM, Tourism, Non-Profits and Entrepreneurship.
• Several of Oceanside’s leading employers including Genentech, Frontwave Credit Union, Tri-City Medical Center, Vista Community Clinic, the City of Oceanside, Hydranautics, Arrowood Golf Course and TrueCare are using OLA as a professional development opportunity for their team members. “The Oceanside Leadership Academy is an amazing program for the emerging leaders within your organization. The exposure to exceptional leaders in business, the military, and the public sector is extraordinary! I know of no other program that provides such diverse perspectives on leadership, vision, and personal growth”, noted Bill Birnie, CEO of Frontwave Credit Union.
• OLA was recognized with an Outstanding Chamber Program Award at the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) annual conference in February.
ADVOCACY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
In 2024, the Oceanside Chamber continued its active partnership with other business organizations throughout our state and region to ensure that our business leaders had strong representation on issues impacting their businesses.
CHAMBER SUPPORTS SUCCESSFUL EXTENSION OF MEASURE X - Oceanside’s Measure X renewal passed with overwhelming voter support in November. The Chamber was a ballot signer in support of this measure. This approval will be critical to the continued improvements of Oceanside’s public safety efforts and infrastructure. Over the past 5 years, revenue raised through Measure X has supported Road Repairs, Infrastructure, Homelessness Initiatives and Public Safety Programs including an EMT Program and Police Community Service Officers.
RE:BEACH – The Chamber-supported RE:Beach effort continued to move forward. A major milestone of a project site selection was supported by the Chamber and adopted by Council. The Chamber formally supported an application from Save Oceanside Sand for a State grant to conduct a community wide visioning process for a resilient and adaptive coast.
PROP 36 FORUM - In September, the Oceanside Chamber along with a coalition of neighboring Chambers hosted District Attorney Summer Stephan, for an educational forum on Proposition 36: The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, which appeared on the November 2024 ballot was overwhelmingly adopted by CA voters.
POOLED EMPLOYER 401K PLAN CREATED TO LIFT BURDENS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS - As of January 1, 2025, California employers with one or more employees are required to have a qualified retirement plan in place for their employees. The Chamber created a Pooled Employer 401K Plan (PEP) to provide a simple way for businesses to comply while limiting liability and administrative responsibilities for the business owner.
CHAMBER MEMBERS DISCUSS STATE ISSUES WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAVIES - Assemblymember Laurie Davies met with a group of business leaders at the Chamber to gather input on key issues impacting our business community. Members from a wide range of industries participated in the discussion on key topics including housing, education, senior issues, homelessness, crime, childcare and wage/employment issues.
COALITION OF CHAMBERS HELP DEFEAT 14 OF 15 BILLS IDENTIFIED AS JOB KILLERS - A coalition of Chambers, including Oceanside, were instrumental in stopping numerous proposals that would have harmed job creation and the economy. All but one of the 15 job killer bills identified by the CalChamber in 2024 were either killed or amended significantly to benefit the business community.
ACCESS TO CONNECTIONS AND TIMELY INFORMATION
Business owners require consistent access to upto-date information and valuable networking opportunities. The Chamber remained committed to providing top-notch events and essential business insights to support the growth and success of our community.
MEET THE CITY RECEPTION – The Chamber’s Annual Meet the City Reception continues to be one of the community’s top gatherings of business, civic and elected leaders. Our 2024 event was held at Oceanside’s William A. Wagner Aquatic Center and provided an opportunity for 200 participants to build valuable community connections.
EMERGING ISSUES FORUMS – Our Emerging Issues Forums provided updates on key issues impacting our community. Our 2024 Forums included presentations on the Measure X Renewal, San Diego Workforce Partnership, Economic Development Updates and from District Attorney Summer Stephan.
NETWORK EVENTS – The Chamber continued to offer high-quality, well-attended networking events including business mixers, Tuesday Coffee events, and the Oceanside Young Professionals events (OYP). In 2024 we partnered with neighboring Chambers to hold joint mixers. These events provided our businesses with regular opportunities to make new connections.
TIMELY INFORMATION – Through its weekly Enewsetter, social media posts, monthly Advancing Oceanside Report, and Best of Oceanside Magazine, the Chamber continued to provide timely information and valuable business resources to its members and the broader business community.
BUSINESS PROMOTION
Through its print publications, website and social media, the Chamber leverages its expansive network to help our members promote their businesses.
ADVANCING O’SIDE REELS - The Chamber launched its Advancing Oceanside Business Reels feature on its Instagram page to highlight what’s happening in our small business community. Our amazing host, Sophie Finnigan, visited member businesses to highlight the inspiring demonstrations of entrepreneurship taking place in Oceanside. So far, our reels have generated nearly 40,000 views
BEST OF OCEANSIDE MAGAZINE - The Chamber continued to provide strong avenues for local businesses to connect with prospective customers. The “Best of Oceanside” Magazine provides businesses with a variety of options for reaching visitors, locals, other businesses and more. The magazine is mailed to Oceanside homes and businesses each quarter and distributed through local businesses. In 2024, distribution was expanded to include Camp Pendleton.
PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS – Two of the Chamber’s most popular events continued to grow. The North County Health Fair provided a much-needed opportunity for healthcare providers to connect with community members. The Oceanside Senior Expo was hosted at the El Corazon Senior Center and offered valuable resources for our local senior citizens.
COASTAL BUSINESS EXPO – The Chamber team started planning a new event designed to offer a large-scale “business-to-business” experience. The Coastal Business Expo, scheduled for June 2025 will offer exhibitions, workshops and extensive networking opportunities.
OCEANSIDE CHAMBER APP – The Chamber team (along with the help of Orana Stay) developed, designed, and launched a mobile app. The app will allow users to register for events, view the business directory, search for local community events, and much more. To download the Oceanside Chamber App, go to orst.io/oceanside.com.
PROMOTING COMMUNITY
Both small and large businesses leverage the Chamber as a platform to enhance their visibility and grow their presence within the community. Many of the Chamber’s community events and initiatives serve as key opportunities to foster valuable new connections and build lasting business relationships.
ELEVATING OUR NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY – The Chamber’s Non-Profit Committee hosted educational workshops on grants and fundraising, with plans for a 2025 Marketing series. The Committee also held its first non-profit mixer in partnership with North County Philanthropy Council, providing members valuable networking opportunities and fostering energetic connections.
RECOGNIZING BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY HEROES – In September, the Chamber hosted the Heroes of Oceanside and Camp Pendleton Luncheon at The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa, honoring over 40 local heroes and business leaders. Recognized were representatives from Camp Pendleton, Oceanside Police and Fire Departments, lifeguards, healthcare workers, teachers, and influential community and business leaders.
CHAMBER LEADS EFFORT TO HONOR MILITARY FAMILIES
In May the Chamber held its annual Armed Forces Day Operation Appreciation Event. The purpose of Operation Appreciation is to provide our active-duty, local military families with a day of free entertainment, food and children’s activities. Several thousand attended this year’s event which took place at the Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre.
PEANUT BUTTER DRIVE - The Chamber partnered with the San Diego Food Bank to “Scare Away Hunger” by collecting peanut butter donations for local families in North County. Over 140 jars were donated. Thank you for making a difference!
O’SIDE WAVES OF GIVING - This past holiday season, the Chamber partnered with Oceanside Ace Hardware, Local Tap House, OUSD, and OPD to raise money to provide local families in need with gifts and meals. Overall, the program raised $8,350 - $5,350 coming from just the Chamber donations. We thank you for your support of our community!
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1,200 NETWORKING & WORKSHOP ATTENDEES COLLABORATED WITH OVER 216 OCEANSIDE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OPPORTUNITIES
100 IN PERSON BUSINESS VISITS FOR MARINE DEBRIS REDUCTION ORDINANCE OUTREACH
$5,350
2 YEARS, 4 COHORTS & 130+ GRADUATES O’SIDE WAVES OF GIVING RAISED TO SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILIES
OCEANSIDE LEADERSHIP ACADEMYCELEBRATED
609 BUSINESS MIXER ATTENDEES RECOGNIZED 42 Heroes IN FRONT OF OVER 300 ATTENDEES OVER 220 EVENT EXHIBITORS FED 4,000 ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY & their families CELEBRATED RAISED $94,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDED 54 STUDENTS IN three YEARS NEARLY 40,000 INSTAGRAM REEL VIEWS & CLIMBING
