Catalyst. Convener. Champion.
Chamber Connection SA NTA M A RIA VA LLE Y CH A MB E R MO NTHLY NE WS LE T TE R | J UNE 202 1
Forward Thinking: Chamber Leadership Focuses on Community Impact at Annual Board Retreat Over the next 2-4 years, where should the Santa Maria Valley Chamber focus their efforts in order to have the most positive impact on our local community? That was the question posed to Chamber staff and leadership at their annual board retreat, where the focus was centered around thinking big and tackling major community issues. “Coming out of the pandemic and finally seeing our community reopen again, the timing was right to work with our staff and board on long term planning for our organization,” said Glenn Morris, President/ CEO for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “Instead of looking at our existing programs and communications, we really wanted to get our organization thinking about some major, long term project and goals we’d like to focus on over the next 2-4 years, where we can leverage the strengths and mission of the Chamber to have a positive impact on the Santa Maria Valley community.” The retreat, a hybrid event held at the Radisson in Santa Maria and available on zoom, began with presentations from city and regional leaders. Melissa James, President & CEO for the regional organization REACH Central Coast, gave an overview of major regional projects their organization is focusing on, assets in the Santa Maria Valley area and ideas of where the Chamber may be able to
Santa Maria Valley Chamber President/CEO Glenn Morris talks with Chamber Staff and Board members during their annual Board Retreat, a hybrid event held at the Radisson. have a positive impact. James touched on ideas such as creating a startup ecosystem in the Santa Maria Valley, expanding the use of the Santa Maria Airport, supporting Vandenberg Space Force Base in their commercial expansion, and leveraging local assets to become a regional leader in AgTech. The group then received a more local perspective from Santa Maria City Manager Jason Stilwell, who provided an overview of the City’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and discussed how the City and Chamber could partner to tackle some
of these projects and priorities. Stilwell saw opportunity for City and Chamber collaboration on issues including new and changing business regulations, public infrastructure and safety, and reclaiming/ establishing a positive identity for Santa Maria Valley in the regional conversation. Glenn followed the presentations by sharing results from a recent community impact survey, so the group could better understand what local businesses and residents saw as community strengths and Continued on p.2
WHAT ' S INSIDE : JUNE 2021 ISSUE
Leadership Santa Maria Valley p. 3
CalChamber President's Circle p. 7
CalChamber Advocacy Tool p. 10
Chamber Board of Directors: 2020-2021 Executive Committee Chairman: Edgar Gascon, Hacienda Realty Chairman-Elect: Danny Deveraux, CalPortland Vice Chairman: Janet Silveria, Community Bank of Santa Maria Vice Chairman: Laurie Tamura, Urban Planning Concepts Past Chairman: Jean-Luc Garon, Radisson Hotel Santa Maria Board Members Mark Allen, Marian Regional Medical Center Ron Cossa, Tolman & Wiker Insurance Sandra Dickerson, Your People Professionals Donna Farrell, Santa Maria Town Center Karen Fothergill, Andre, Morris & Buttery Angelica Gutierrez, L & G Farms Doug Janzen, The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center Emily Kitts, Naughty Oak Brewing Company David LeRoy, Toyota of Santa Maria Butch Lopez, V Lopez Jr. & Sons General Engineering Contractors David Merlo, Glenn Burdette Tere Paredes, Maya Restaurant Era Polly, Era Polly Real Estate Shannon Seifert, Santa Maria Valley YMCA Michelle Shipman, Searchlight Properties Kevin Walthers, Allan Hancock College Tim Williams, Digital West
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is a catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger Santa Maria Valley. Learn more about the Chamber by visiting www.santamaria.com.
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Continued - Chamber Board Retreat Continued from p.1
areas needing improvement in the Santa Maria Valley. While the morning presentations focused on giving context and ideas to what projects the Chamber may want to take on, the speakers in the afternoon were Chamber industry professionals who discussed the logistics of tackling major, long term community projects. “The morning presentations gave a regional and local lens on what specific areas the Chamber may want to play a role in,” Morris said. “Our afternoon presenters then talked about the logistics in tackling large community projects, the role Chambers should play in this space, and the success other Chambers have seen in doing so.” Dave Kilby, Executive Vice President for CalChamber and President/CEO for the Western Association of Chamber Executives, talked about the important role Chambers should be playing in tackling major community issues, and cited a number of specific examples where Chambers were involved in solving major problems in their communities. The final speaker was Chris Romer, President & CEO for the Vail Valley Partnership in Colorado. Romer, whose organization is known for tackling major community issues, talked in a broader sense about how the Chamber can be successful in this space. His advice included selecting priorities that are aligned with the Chamber’s mission and that the community says are important, and leveraging community partnerships to help move projects forward. “We felt it was important our Board and staff see specific examples of other Chambers having success in tackling these major community issues,” Morris said. “What’s great about hosting a hybrid event is we can have nationally recognized leaders in the Chamber industry give these presentations virtually. Both Kilby and Romer did a great job discussing the feasibility and logistics of taking on longterm community projects, and were a great segway into our own planning discussion.” After hearing the four presentations, the board then discussed their thoughts on where the Chamber should focus their efforts in bettering the local community. “Learning about successful regional partnering and thinking big was great preparation for our own Chamber Board members to digest prior to our discussion
City of Santa Maria City Manager Jason Stilwell gives and update on the City's General Plan and opportunities for collaboration with the Chamber during the Chamber's Board Retreat. of the key things we want to accomplish in the Santa Maria Valley,” explained Danny Deveraux, incoming Board Chair for the Chamber. Major themes that emerged from the board discussion included: • Improving the local downtown/ assisting with moving the Downtown Specific Plan forward • Developing a brand/identity for the Santa Maria Valley that highlights the assets of our community and showcases the region in a more positive light • Local workforce development Over the next month, the Chamber plans to review the Board’s feedback, determine which projects best align with the Chamber’s mission, and develop a plan with short term and long term goals. “I was pleased with the discussion, and the enthusiasm our Chamber leadership has for thinking big. It gives me confidence that wherever our focus ends up being, the work our organization does will have a positive impact on the Santa Maria Valley over the coming years,” Morris said. “The Santa Maria Valley Chamber prides itself on being a champion for a stronger community, and we are proud to have staff, leadership and partners who recognize our role in tackling these large scale community issues.”
Leadership Santa Maria Valley: Keep Green Clean! Francisco Sanchez & Melissa Bravo Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021
This month’s leadership speaker, Lee-Volker Cox, presenting “Appreciating your Organization” the positive life and organizational change model, Appreciative Inquiry to the Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 at Waller Park in Santa Maria, CA. Leadership Santa Maria Valley Class of 2021 hosted its Sustainability and Natural Resources topic discussion on May 7th, gathering some of the Valley’s most prominent leaders to discuss the new and innovative ways their organizations are taking the lead on building a cleaner and more sustainable future. The day began with co-founder and current vice-president of Santa Maria Energy, Ramon Elias. Mr. Elias educated the class on the rich history and importance of oil production in the Santa Maria Valley, explaining how oil production on the California Central Coast is considered some of the earliest oil activity across the country. In the early 1900s, the rich environment sparked an oil boom in the hills of what is now known as Orcutt Field, producing up to 12,000 barrels of oil per day, and eventually, making the area the most prolific region in California at that time. Even more important, however, Mr. Elias shared the importance of recognizing and appreciating yesterday’s rich history, while also planning for tomorrow’s bright future.
Santa Maria Energy is a company driven by strong core principles and best practices. The energy company prides itself in its commitment to developing and producing a natural energy resource that is vital for the entire community, while fulfilling its obligation to be good stewards of the Earth, of the community, and to its employees. This ideology exemplifies why Santa Maria Energy was the recipient of the Outstanding Lease Maintenance Award three times within four short years, proving regulatory excellence and setting the standards for an entire industry. Following Mr. Elias, the class learned about the Santa Maria landfill from Solid Waste Manager, Herb Cantu. Mr. Cantu elaborated on the landfill’s many services – including recycling, the disposal of household hazardous waste, asphalt and concrete, and non-hazardous hydrocarbon impacted soil – and the importance of constantly evaluating the company’s situation to ensure the best tools, technology, and methods are being used to produce better results. The Santa Maria Landfill, another
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | June 2021
industry leader in terms of best practices, has proven its excellence by extending the utility life of its current location by almost a decade and by prepping a new facility to have the capacity for 100 years of use while creating a healthy relationship with the surrounding environment. Partnering with Engel & Gray, our local composting company, they are trialing a program aimed at reducing the amount of Organics Waste that ends up in landfills. As leadership speaker, Lee-Volker Cox, told the class, “the things we constantly say and what we focus on, eventually, become our reality,” therefore, it’s imperative for leaders and organizations to not only envision a better future but truly embody what it means to go above and beyond to make that better future a reality. The 2021 Leadership Class would like to thank Ramon Elias and Santa Maria Energy, Herb Cantu and the City of Santa Maria, Bob Engel and Engel & Gray, and Lee-Volker Cox for your services and commitment to keeping green clean! 3
Chamber Membership Corner New Members: March & April 2021
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome these new members joining the Chamber. We appreciate their vote of confidence in our ability to add value to their business and to create a strong local economy together. We highly encourage individuals and businesses to support Chamber member businesses.
Investor Care Connection Transport Services 1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com Care Connection Transport Services 1600 N Rose Ave., Oxnard (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com Darensberries Strawberry Stand East Betteravia & Nicolson, Santa Maria (805) 937-8000 www.darensberries.com/berry-stand/ Premium Coiffure Society Salon 3546 Skyway Drive, Ste. E, Santa Maria (805) 406-4980 www.Coiffuresocietysalon.com
Joseph Engineering 2351 Thompson Way #D, Santa Maria (805) 928-3703 www.joseph-engineering.com
The Homestead 105 West Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 287-9891 thehomesteadoldorcutt.com
Spectrum Reach 181 Tank Farm Rd Ste 210, San Luis Obispo (805) 596-2425 www.spectrumreach.com/spectrum-reachadvertising
Schooley Mitchell Santa Maria, CA (805) 364-6114 www.schooleymitchell.com/jmartin
UNITED Property Maintenance Santa Maria, CA (805) 878-1018 Member Cowboy Cookie & Ice Cream 371 Town Center East, Santa Maria (805) 354-0574 www.cowboycookie.com
Member Upgrades: March & April 2021 The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce thanks the following companies for upgrading their membership by stepping up their commitment to our Chamber Investor Program and to the communities of the Santa Maria Valley. Executive Level Naturipe Berry Growers, Inc. Santa Maria, CA (831) 722-2430 www.naturipeberrygrowers.com
Villa Care Homes 938 W. Bunny Avenue, Santa Maria (805) 623-2939 www.villacarehomessantamaria.com
Sign Up for Chamber Text Message Notifications!
1600 N Rose Ave., Oxnard (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
Investor Level
Darrensberries, LLC 2515 Professional Parkway, Santa Maria (805) 937-8000 www.darensberries.com
Care Connection Transport Services 2003 Preisker Lane, Unit B. Santa Maria (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
InSPArations Full Service Salon & Spa 130 Clark Ave, Orcutt (805) 934-8682 www.insparations1.com
1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo (805) 934-0592 www.careconnectiontransports.com
Interested in seeing your business name displayed on one of our next issues? Join the Chamber today by calling Membership manager Cara Martinez at 925-2403, ext. 852 or email cara@santamaria.com. 4
Touchstone Central Coast 505 S. McClelland, Suite A, Santa Maria (805) 610-9010 www.touchstonecc.com
Receive timely event reminders, exclusive offers and more when you sign up for Chamber text messages! Simply text CHAMBER to 33222 to register. By receiving text message updates, you'll be able to easily register for upcoming events from your phone, and be reminded of exciting offers or networking opportunities you may want to attend! Sign up today!
Renewing Members: April 2021 The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is excited to recognize these partners who strive each day to create jobs, boost our local economy and build a community of which we can all be proud. Thank you for your loyalty and continued support in renewing your commitment to the Chamber and to the communities of Santa Maria Valley. 59 Years: Kirk & Simas Law Firm 54 Years: Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast 51 Years: Rancho Maria Golf Club 41 Years: Exxon Mobil Corp Industrial Medical Group of Santa Maria Valley Santa Maria Country Club The Murray Group - Morgan Stanley 29 Years: American Red Cross 26 Years: Central Coast Literacy Council Darensberries, LLC 25 Years: Klondike Pizza Western Aeromedical Consortium 24 Years: Carpets Unlimited Colortile Pacific Christian Center 23 Years: McDermott & Apkarian, LLP 21 Years: Diane Alleman-Stevens LaVista Apartments of Santa Maria Santa Maria Sun
Southern California Gas Co. 15 Years: Costa De Oro Winery PODS, Moving and Storage Solved 14 Years: State Farm Insurance - Donna Randolph The Cloud Company 13 Years: Rotary Club of Santa Maria (Noontime) WealthSource Partners 12 Years: FUEGO 97.1 Hot Hits Mike Cordero 11 Years: Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Company LLC 10 Years: Gold Coast Senior Options/Dementia Care Associates Old Orcutt Merchants Assoc. 9 Years: Edward Jones - Jefferson Ledgerwood First Command Financial Planning/BV Enterprises 8 Years: Cugini's Pizzeria & Trattoria InSPArations Full Service Salon & Spa Maya Restaurant Presqu'ile Winery Santa Maria Valley Railroad
7 Years: EngineTech Machine, LLC VAFB - 30th Space Wing Public Affairs 6 Years: Softec 5 Years: Geneva Financial, LLC 4 Years: Carniceria El Matador, Inc. Digital West Parable Candle Company That's FETCH! Top Notch Heating Inc. U-Pick Blueberries 3 Years: Chick-Fil-A Enos Ranch Echo Group Leavitt Coastal Valley Insurance Services Vino et Amicis Wine Bar, LLC 2 Years: Arrow Plumbing Drain & Repair Services Cool Hand Luke's Great Business Marketing Phoenix Property Inspections Premier Real Estate Group Sol Wave Water Workforce Development Board of Santa Barbara County 1 Years: Servpro of Santa Maria Trojan Petroleum, Inc.
20 Years: California Strawberry Commission Coastal Ag 19 Years: Central Coast Rescue Mission 17 Years: CommUnify Santa Barbara Humane 16 Years: Central Coast Jet Center Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | June 2021
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Clearing personal files? Purging records? Summer office cleaning? Maintain security; protect against identity fraud; support great community volunteers! Bring bags, boxes, totes, other containers of shredding to the Santa Maria Valley SHREDFEST and support Rotary Santa Maria South and its many good causes! COVID Safe - NO NEED TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR - Rotary Volunteers Unload! Got staples, paper clips, binder clips, pendaflex folders, CDs, spiral bound reports? NO PROBLEM! The ShredFest shredder handles it all –
JUST BRING IT! (No batteries, please!)
Saturday ▪ July 10, 2021 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Shred2You, 550 W. Betteravia Road, Santa Maria Event Partner/Sponsor
Special nonprofit event discount shred rate! $5.00 for a banker’s box of shredding (No banker’s box? No worries – banker boxes onsite!) (Normal shred prices range from $.79 $1.00/pound
Rotary Santa Maria South will accept cash, check or credit card! (Make checks forefforts, shredding payable to: Rotary Santa Maria Rotary Santa Maria South supports numerous community South)and education including senior, mental health, robotics, STEM,
projects, as well as providing support for high school leadership programs and scholarships, among other things. See www.SantaMariaRotarySouth.org - For club or event info, contact club president Phil Sinco at (805) 598-7694 or sinco.muni.law@gmail.com 6
Thank You to Our Chamber Investor Program Sponsors:
Santa Maria Valley Chamber Receives CalChamber 2021 President’s Circle Award
Chamber Board Chair Edgar Gascon poses with the CalChamber President’s Circle Award. He is joined by Board Chair-Elect Danny Deveraux (left) and Chamber President/CEO Glenn Morris (right).
American General Media Armando’s Autobody & Paint Inc. BBSI Babe Farms, Inc. Black Bear Diner - Santa Maria Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast CALM Care Connection Transport Services Cat Canyon Resources, LLC CenCal Health Certified Freight Logistics College and Career Readiness, Santa Barbara County Education Office Comcast CommUnify Community Bank of Santa Maria Darensberries, LLC Diani Companies Family Care Network, Inc. FUEGO 97.1 Hot Hits/La Buena Golden State Water Company Innovative Produce InSPArations Full Service Salon & Spa J. Wilkes Wines Jack's All American Plumbing Morris & Garritano Insurance Moxie Cafe New Life Painting/Bath & Kitchen/Restoration NKT Commercial I, LLC Orkin Central Coast PCPA - Pacific Conservatory Theatre PETS Hospital/Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic Phoenix Property Inspections/ Veritas Innovative Pest & Termite Solutions Plantel Nurseries Prudential Overall Supply Safran Cabin Santa Maria Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Maria Bonita School District Santa Maria Country Club Santa Maria Joint Union High School District SCORE San Luis Obispo SESLOC Federal Credit Union Smith’s Alarms & Electronics, Inc. SM Tire SunOpta Testa Catering Tileco Distributors, Inc. The Towbes Group, Inc. Trojan Petroleum, Inc. Urban Planning Concepts/ Rural Planning Services VTC Enterprises Wave Business Wells Fargo Bank Wilshire Health & Community Services Wine & Design Orcutt World Financial Group, The Altergott Strategic Focus Team WSPA Xtreme Electronics The Y
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber has been recognized for its advocacy efforts with CalChamber’s 2021 President’s Circle Award. The award recognizes chambers for excellence in business advocacy and helping their members comply with California employment laws. “Advocacy plays a large role in the Chamber’s efforts to be a champion for our local business community,” said Tim Ritchie, Chair of the Chamber’s Business & Government Roundtable. “While much of this work is done behind the scenes, programs like our Business & Government Roundtable allow us to continue the important conversations about how government decisions impact our business community, and where our business leaders feel the Chamber needs to take a stand. We are thankful to CalChamber for recognizing our continued efforts in advocating for local
businesses.” The Santa Maria Valley Chamber was one of 14 chambers recognized during the CalChamber Virtual Capitol Summit on May 12, 2021. “We value our partnership with CalChamber, and their efforts to help chambers like ours leverage our ability to advocate for our businesses,” said Glenn Morris, President/CEO of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. “We are thankful for this recognition, and will continue to advocate at the local, state and national level for legislation that supports the ability of businesses to thrive and support our community.” The Chamber’s recent advocacy efforts, including bills they have supported and opposed, can be found at santamaria.com/ news/category/Advocacy
Chamber Welcomes Newest Ambassador Keturah Carter We are excited to welcome Kentuah Carter, Office Supervisor for the Santa Maria Goodwill Mission Services Office, as our newest Chamber Ambassador! "I became an Ambassador with the Chamber of Commerce after learning of all the wonderful ways the Chamber is involved in our community, and I wanted to be a part of that," Carter said. Learn how you can become a Chamber Ambassador at santamaria.com/ChamberAmbassador-Committee
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | June 2021
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Working Hard on Your Behalf: Chamber Month in Review The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is here for business. We are a catalyst for business growth, convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger Santa Maria Valley. We continue to work hard to serve our members, local businesses and the Santa Maria Valley community. Here’s a glimpse at what we’ve been up to lately.
Catalyst for Business Growth • • • • •
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber was recognized with the 2021 CalChamber Presidents Circle Award, which is given to Chambers who exhibit excellence in business advocacy and helping their members comply with California employment laws. The Chamber continues to support local businesses through their “Get Your Business Online” program, which walks local businesses through the process of improving their online presence. Learn more and get your free intake assessment at https://santamaria.com/ get-your-business-online. The Chamber continues to partner with Santa Barbara County Partners in Education on local workforce development programs, including finding local businesses to be a part of their Student Internship Program. Learn more at http://santamaria.com/workforcedevelopment. The Economic Development Commission continues to work with developers on bringing potential projects to the Santa Maria Valley. The Economic Development Commission continues to assist the City with moving forward on the Downtown Specific Plan.
Convener of Leaders and Influencers •
• • • • • •
The Chamber Ambassador Committee continues to meet monthly via zoom. Ambassadors serve as the public relations arm of the Chamber and assists the Chamber during virtual networking meetings and events. Ambassadors also mentor new Chamber members and encourage “future member” businesses to join the Chamber by sharing the positive impact the Chamber has had on their business and inviting them to visit a Chamber meeting or event. Leadership Santa Maria Valley held their Sustainability and Natural Resources Topic Day, where they heard from a number of local leaders on new and innovative ways businesses are taking the lead on building a cleaner and more sustainable future. The Chamber held its Sate of Education Event featuring a presentation by Dr. Susan Salcido, County Superintendent of Schools for Santa Barbara County. The event highlighted the past accomplishments, current state, and future forecast of education in the City of Santa Maria. The Chamber partnered with Northern Santa Barbara County United Way on a “Homelessness, Housing & Local Business Impact” forum. The Chamber partnered with the other Santa Barbara County Chambers of Commerce to host webinar on the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations Proposal. The Chamber continued their FBLA Speaker Series for the local Future Business Leaders of America high school students. This month’s presentation was on “Branding Like A Boss” and featured Ryan Underwood, CEO of TeamTRI. The Chamber continues to hold their weekly virtual Build Your Business networking event every Friday on Zoom. BYB gives local businesses the opportunities to network and share leads and testimonials.
Champion for a Stronger Santa Maria Valley • • • • • • •
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The Chamber is now accepting nominations for their 2021 Annual Awards Gala which will take place in August. Nominations for Large/Small Business of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Young Professional of the year are being accepted through June 5th. Learn more at http://santamaria.com/annual-awards. The Santa Maria Valley Chamber launched a bilingual campaign encouraging the community to get vaccinated. The campaign features local business leaders talking about why they got the COVID Vaccine, and provides resources for those looking to get vaccinated. Learn more at http://santamaria.com/get-vaccinated. The Chamber remains active in their advocacy efforts this legislative season, supporting a number of pro-business bills and opposing those which could negatively affect local businesses. A full list can be found at https://santamaria.com/news/category/Advocacy. The Chamber highlighted Safran Cabin and how the COVID pandemic has impacted their business in their latest “Local Business Spotlight” video, a series launched in partnership with the Santa Maria Times. The full video interview can be viewed at http://bit. ly/BizSpotlightSafran. The Economic Development Commission is working with an energy company regarding looking to open a location in Santa Maria. The Economic Development Commission assisted Arista Aviation with finding a building to open in Santa Maria. The company helps repair helicopters and will be opening in June 2021. The Santa Maria Valley Visitor's Bureau published two blog posts featuring our affordable wine country offerings and celebrating May as National Barbecue Month.
Young Professional of the Month: Jason Buchanan Santa Maria Connect Young Professionals is a Young Professionals program run by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber. Each month, the program will showcase a local young professional. This month's showcase is Jason Buchanan, commercial insurance and employee benefit advisor for HUB International.
Talk a bit about yourself. What do you do professionally and what are your hobbies? As a commercial insurance and employee benefit advisor at HUB International Insurance Services here in Santa Maria, I work with local business owners to protect their two most important assets, their company and their employees. I advise business owners on the proper coverage to protect against the exposures that they face on a daily basis, and I also advise them on how to provide an employee benefit package that will truly show the employees how much they are appreciated. Business owners come to me when they are looking for a long term strategy, and a long-term relationship. I put forth tremendous effort to become more than just an advisor, but to become a close personal friend and also an essential part of their business. My hobbies involve playing golf, going on runs with my golden retriever Hank, playing volleyball with my in-laws, playing softball, and spending time with my wife Carly and our on-the-way daughter! How has working with HUB International allowed you to get more involved in your community? Working with HUB International has allowed me to get more involved in my community by giving me the opportunity to work DIRECTLY with the community. By being the insurance advisor for so many local businesses, it allows me the chance to see first hand how these businesses operate, what they provide for our community, and the best part is I get to know the people that make it all happen. I love being able to walk through a clients facility and see their day to day operations. It gives you such a better idea of how great of a community we live in when you can see how others spend their time contributing to it. What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite thing about my job is building relationships with my clients and becoming
an important part of their business. I love seeing the passion that my clients have for their company, and the people they employ. I strive to be the person that they call as soon as they need any advice, and it fills me up with pride to know that they can trust in me to steer them in the right direction. I love when I get to visit my clients and see how things are going. Sometimes it does not have to be business related, I purely just enjoy popping by and catching up with them. How are you involved in the community outside of your job? I am involved in the community in a variety of ways. Currently I am on the board of directors for the Santa Maria YMCA, and will be taking on the role of Secretary in April. I am the President of the Santa Maria Human Resources Association, which provides monthly luncheons to local human resources professionals. I enjoy coaching local sports as well, and always attend a variety of local fundraisers.
Why do you enjoy giving back to the community? I enjoy giving back to my community because my community has given so much to me. I was born and raised in Santa Maria, my wife is from Santa Maria, and now my children will grow up in Santa Maria. I was blessed to be born in a town like Santa Maria, with such a great sense of community, and I have grown up watching and getting to know leaders in the community and now it is my time to give back. Being involved in the community is also something that was instilled in me from my parents, who were, and still are heavily involved around town. “Leave something better than you found it” was a common saying around the house, and I strive to live by those words and build an even better community than the one that I was fortunate enough to grow up in. Why would you encourage other young professionals to get involved/give back to their local community? I would encourage other young professionals to involved and give back to their local community for a few reasons. You cannot beat the feeling of knowing that you are actively contributing the making your community a better place. The people that you will meet from getting involved will be some of the nicest, most caring, and hardworking people around town. The
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | June 2021
Jason Buchanan is a commercial insurance and employee benefit advisor for HUB International. experiences that you will have will fill you with a sense of accomplishment and pride, and the relationships that you build will be priceless. I think everyone has a duty to try and make the world a better place, and it starts in your own backyard. If everyone spent time contributing to their local community in some way, shape, or form, the world would be a better place. What is your favorite thing about Santa Maria? My favorite thing about Santa Maria are the connections and relationships you build. There are not many other places that have such a strong feeling of togetherness quite like Santa Maria. It is not that people here know each other, it is that people here CARE for each other. I am a small town guy through and through, and after settling down and starting a family here myself, you begin to see why it is such a wonderful place to live. I look forward to further planting my roots here, watching my children grow up here, and becoming even closer with the people that make this place what it is. Any additional thoughts? You are a product of your environment, and we all need to make sure our environment is surrounded by good people and strong relationships. If you are interested in Santa Maria Connect or have a suggestion for a Young Professional of the Month feature, email Alex Castillo at alex@santamaria.com. 9
Stay Connected with the Santa Maria Valley Chamber Visit: 614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria Call: (805) 925-2403 Email: info@santamaria.com
614 S. Broadway Santa Maria, CA 93454
Website: santamaria.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ santamariavalleychamber/ Twitter: twitter.com/SMVChamber Instagram: santamariavalleychamber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ santamariavalleychamber Email List: bit.ly/SMVCCMailingList Text Message Alerts: Text "CHAMBER" to 33222 Chamber Connection is the official monthly publication of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. For questions about this publication or to be added to our monthly mailing distribution list, email molly@santamaria.com.
Make Your Voice Heard with CalChamber's Impact California Advocacy Tool! There is now a free and easy way to get involved in advocacy efforts through CalChamber's Impact California tool! Impact California is a dedicated outlet to allow for constituents to make their voices heard! The free platform provides resources and educational tools to help you become more involved in California’s legislative process. • Impact California allows you to take action to advocate for your business. Through the platform, you can: • Send a letter to your legislators takes mere minutes using their Action Center. • Become an Advocate: Get directly involved with CalChamber by contacting their grassroots
•
coordinator. Let your voice be heard by sending a letter to your elected officials today!
As champions for our local business community, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber continues our efforts to advocate for pro-business legislature at the local, state and national levels. Adding your voice will have big impact on these efforts. You can learn more about Impact California and sign up at advocacy. calchamber.com/impact-california. You can learn more about the Chamber's advocacy efforts, including recent bills we have supported and opposed, at santamaria. com/advocacy.
Impact California is a free advocacy tool for businesses. Learn more and sign up at https://advocacy.calchamber.com/impactcalifornia/.
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau 614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria | (805) 925-2403 | santamaria.com | info@santamaria.com 10
