#HeartofSV November Issue

November 2017

#Heartof SV

The pulse of business

It Starts with an IDEA Economic Development in Silicon Valley

Fairmont Celebrates 30 Years

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CEOPERSPECTIVE

W FEATURES Manufacturing Week

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Supporting a fundamental Silicon Valley industry

It Starts with an IDEA

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Economic Development in Silicon Valley

IN EVERY ISSUE CEO Perspective

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A Message from the CEO

Looking Ahead

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A Message from the Board Chair

Member Testimonial

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Santa Clara VTA

Event Calendar

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Member Spotlight

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Fairmont San Jose

New Members Program Feature:

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International Business Delegations Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition

Number Crunch Cover image courtesy San Jose Light Tower Corporation 1

hat is economic ness public policy climate. development?

We recognize that econom ic development can no lonAs early as 2008, California ger just be improving the economic development tax and regulatory climate, professionals began fobut we also recognize that cusing on the importance the business climate should of “regional branding” be improved. Moreover, we to long-term economic Matthew R. Mahood have a proven track record advancement. It was, and of success in advocating on President & CEO is, no longer feasible to our members behalf. assume economic devel opment can be accomplished merely With the launch of silicon valley by slashing regulation and taxes; it IDEA in the fall of 2016, we are now requires a formidable regional brand demonstrating that the strengths that speaks to a broader national and that have helped us grow over the global audidecades – collabence. The crux The SVO has been a oration, convenof this branding ing and champiregional and state is the drawing oning – can also leader on promoting a be applied to together, in the public mind, of positive business public help our region a product, or plant its flag in policy climate. set of products, the ground as within a distinct The Silicon Valley. region; in our case, the promotion of This effort cannot be accomplished the innovation economy as a distinct by just business or just government, economic feature of this region. but a partnership of both. This is the Why should The SVO lead in this collaboration we bring to bear every effort? day for our region.

As the region’s premiere business It is this unique combination – advoadvocacy and economic development cacy and collaboration – that makes organization, The SVO, through its the work of IDEA so important. In Initiative to Drive Economic Advance- 2018, we invite you to join us, to help ment (silicon valley IDEA), is uniquely make California the premiere place to situated to lead on the twin pillars of do business in the United States, and economic development. keep Silicon Valley a brand recog nized the world over as a center of Throughout a century of history, The innovation.

SVO has been a regional and state

leader on promoting a positive busiWe hope you will.

#HeartofSV November 2017 24

©2017. Published by The silicon valley organization.

The #HeartofSV celebrates our region’s business success and entrepreneurial spirit across all sectors and size of business. The SVO THESVO.COM | NOVEMBER 2017

represents nearly 1,400 businesses and their 300,000 employees in the greater Silicon Valley.

Ad rates and specifications: thesvo.com/visibility-opportunities

LOOKINGAHEAD

The silicon valley organization 101 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose, CA 95113 p: 408-291-5250 f: 408-286-5019 thesvo.com

In 2016, under my predechange, and I want to first cessor’s leadership, The thank Jim Lynch of the San Silicon Valley Organization Jose Water Company for launched the Silicon Valley his service as Chairman Initiative to Drive Economof The SVO Board and for ic Advancement – silicon helping to shepherd this valley IDEA, to position our initiative alongside of me organization and its 1,400 through its year of evoluBozzuto members as leaders on tion.

Board Chair regional economic devel opment. The IDEA concept came But we are not done yet. As Lennies out of an evolution of the REDI Gutierrez prepares to take over the program, which had been in exisSVO Board of Directors Chairmantence since 2011, and represented ship in January, we have an even an enormous step forward towards more exciting year ahead. recognizing the long-term goal of Our work in IDEA will be focused on regional economic advancement as five keys areas: a core function of The SVO.

First, small business engagement.

The launch year of 2016-2017 was How can our small business coma time of vast acceleration and Continued on page 6

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BOARD CHAIR Dan Bozzuto, Bozzuto Insurance PRESIDENT & CEO Matthew R. Mahood EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Derrick Seaver VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Mayra Flores De Marcotte VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBER RELATIONS Kathryn Satcher SR. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY Victor Gomez SR. DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOMENT Susan Ellenberg DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Kelly Peaton Designed by Elizabeth Nguyen

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MANUFACTURINGWEEK

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A group of students from San Jose Unified School District get a hands-on opportunity to learn about manufacturing at Jabil Blue Sky Center.

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A group of East Side Union High School District students learn about manufacturing at Jabil Blue Sky Center.

Businesses bring manufacturing to life for students

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ilicon Valley is known for its tech community and the disruptive products it produces. These products have helped change the way we live and how we connect.

Many, however, are unaware of the industries making all this possible.

together to shed light on the role manufacturing plays within their regional economy.

Silicon Valley’s agile manufacturing supports the tech ecosystem. From ideation to prototyping to production agile manufacturing is key to Silicon Valley’s success. Beyond the end products it produces for the tech sector, it also provides jobs to many who call Silicon Valley home.

In Silicon Valley, there were 17 planned events, including the two-day San Jose Manufacturing Week event previously mentioned.

In the San Jose Metropolitan Statistical Area, manufacturing employs nearly 16% of all workers—or 167,000 people.

In San Jose, there are 65,000 manufacturing jobs.

To ensure it has a continuous flow in its local talent pipeline, this industry sector is working closely with both the City of San Jose and The Silicon Valley Organization.

Through these partnerships, manufacturers are generating awareness—and interest—in their companies, their products and their jobs through facilities tours like the ones that took place Oct. 5 & 6.

This National Manufacturing Day, on Oct. 6, 2017 manufacturers, cities, businesses and schools came 5

Nationally, there were more than 2,000 Manufacturing Day events planned, with 187 planned in California.

The SVO’s strive san jose, together with the City of San Jose’s Office of Economic Development and SVO member NextFlex brought together more than 800 local high school students to experience first-hand advanced technologies being developed right here in their backyards through facilities tours at nearly a dozen local manufacturers.

Students from Campbell Union High School District, East Side Union High School District, Metropolitan Education District and San Jose Unified School District had the opportunity to see what careers in STEAM look like.

They learned how careers in design, engineering and manufacturing converge to support the region’s innovation ecosystem.

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Continued from page 2

munity engage with the City of San Jose, County of Santa Clara, and neighboring city governments and staffs to reduce the regulatory overhead of doing business in Silicon Valley?

Second, international competitiveness. How can our business community engage with the federal and state governments to keep California a welcoming business location, free and fair trade lanes open, and international relationships strong, in order to continue the truly world-class economy of our region?

Third, emerging technologies.

How can we, as a region, be on the cutting edge of the newest technologies impacting policy around autonomous vehicles, the one demand economy, virtual reality, drones, the gig economy, and more?

Fourth, workforce development.

How can our schools, from cradle to career, work with our private sector to continue to produce the top-notch talent that our booming economy requires?

Fifth, regional branding. How can we collaborate with both business and government to ensure that we remain The Silicon Valley, and that the world hears our unified success story?

None of these efforts are possible without the engagement of the members of The SVO. We hope you join us as we carry out the transformational and essential work of Silicon Valley IDEA in 2018.

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It Starts with an IDEA — Econom

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n a place known for its innovative approaches and disruptive industries, Silicon Valley isn’t the first place you would think of in terms of economic development.

We have some of the world’s biggest companies calling our region home.

Those that don’t are actively jockeying to plant their flag in our ground.

Housing is at an all-time premium in the Valley and our unemployment – 2.9% – is one of the lowest in the country.

Silicon Valley is, for all intents and purposes at the top of the food chain, so why should economic development matter to us?

Here’s a story that we heard while on our 2016 Study Mission trip to Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh was once known as the Gateway to the West.

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St. Louis, Missouri at the time decided it wanted to build an iconic structure for its city to spur economic development and commissioned Pittsburgh steel companies for its Gateway Arch. Once this now iconic structure was completed, the neighboring city usurped Pittsburgh’s moniker to go with the icon—effectively branding its city. We saw the great response that Pittsburgh has made on our 2016 Study Mission—but the brand remains in St. Louis.

With Silicon Valley’s global success, a race to brand the next Silicon Valley with: Silicon Prairie. Silicon Tundra. Silicon Hill. Silicon Alley. Silicon Savanna. And so on.

Silicon Valley for all its world-class economic development has never had a unifying vision, an iconic structure to embody the spirit of innovation THESVO.COM | NOVEMBER 2017

this area is known for or a single entity to drive this type of economic advancement. In short, Silicon Valley’s innovators and risk takers are busy changing industries and the way we live.

The SVO’s silicon valley IDEA (Initiative to Drive Economic Advancement) envisions serving as that entity, while approaching economic development in a way that fits the business community it represents.

It focuses on convening and collaborating with the business community and partners—both public and private—to address the pressure points impacting business recruitment, retention and expansion within the areas of: •Regional Branding •Quality of Life •Business Velocity.

mic Development in Silicon Valley

REGIONAL BRANDING

San Jose Light Tower — Building a World-Class Icon for a World-Class Region Courtesy of The San Jose Light Tower Corporation

The San Jose Light Tower Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was formed in 2017. The express purpose of the organization is to build a world-class iconic tower for San Jose reminiscent of the original San Jose Electric Light Tower.

The project will include three phases: 1. The first phase is the production of a documentary film about the history of the original San Jose Electric Light Tower and its connection to the Eiffel Tower.

2. The second phase includes a worldwide design competition to select the best design for the new tower.

3. Finally, the organization will build a 21st century tower based on the winning design.

AN ICON ERRECTED TO INNOVATION Image courtesy San Jose Light Tower Corporation

In 1881, the original San Jose Electric Light Tower was the cherished tourist and community symbol of San Jose and was world famous.

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From History San Jose: San José’s Electric Light Tower was the inspiration of J. J. Owen, editor of the San José Mercury. On May 13, 1881, Owen printed an editorial suggesting that by providing one high and immense source of arc light, the night would become as day for the downtown area. With the enthusiastic financial support of local citizens, construction began that August, and on December 13, 1881, the gigantic, 237-foot tower was lighted.

All images courtesy San Jose Light Tower Corporation

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Straddling the intersection of Santa Clara and Market Streets, the tower proved to be more spectacular than practical, since its 24,000 candlepower failed to sufficiently light the area. Although the tower did not fulfill its original purpose, it represented progress to the people of San José because electricity was a relatively new source of power. It became one of San José’s “national known” landmarks.

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Legend says that the designer of Paris’ Eiffel Tower visited San José’s Electric Light Tower when seeking ideas.

Already damaged by a windstorm in February 1915, the tower completely collapsed into the street at 11:55 a.m. on December 3 of that year. The tower telescoped into itself and no one was hurt.

FRENCH CONNECTION What is old will be new again thanks to the tower’s connection to the Paris Eiffel Tower.

If you compare the two structures you see the similarities in proportion and in the arch at the bottom.

In addition, Eiffel was very familiar with American Light Towers.

One of the features he promoted for his Eiffel Tower was lighting the city of Paris:

QUALIT Y OF LIFE

“Attaching sufficiently strong arc lights like they do in some American cities, you can achieve a lighting whose advantages are well known but not quite realized on such a vast scale.” - Gustave Eiffel

Pow!Wow! San Jose — Community Building on a Global Stage

A SECOND LIFE FOR A LOCAL ICON

Courtesy of Pow! Wow! San Jose

The San Jose Light Tower Corporation plans to complete the new tower in no more than five years. The winning design will be selected following a worldwide design competition in 2018. Construction is planned to be completed in 2021, the 140th anniversary of the completion of the original San Jose Electric Light tower.

POW! — It’s the impact that art has on a person.

The new tower is envisioned in Plaza de Cesar Chavez. This park is the traditional heart of San Jose. Plaza de Cesar Chavez is next door to the location of the first California state capital. It was also home to the old San Jose City Hall and is currently across the street from many prominent hotels, museums, and offices.

WOW! — It’s the reaction that art has on a viewer.

Together they form POW WOW, which is a Native American term that describes a gathering that celebrates culture, music, and art.

POW! WOW! San Jose is here.

Empire Seven Studios, led by Jennifer Ahn and Juan Carlos Araujo since 2008 and Universal Grammar (UNGRAMR) collective, led by Thomas Ramon Aguilar since 2000, have shared ideology in providing a space for world-class,

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The excitement has been budding since the moment was conceived that San Jose would be blessed to present its own iteration of POW! WOW! Shout out to POW! WOW! founder Jasper Wong in his relentless movement to bring art to a public forum, creating galleries on the streets for all to see, and for later generations to enjoy.

San Jose’s version may be your first encounter with the worldwide public art festival that has now been presented in over 13 cities across the globe, producing more than 500 murals worldwide.

San Jose artist Aaron De La Cruz added some pink punch to the Lucky 7 Supermarket at 398 King Road.

emerging talent locally and abroad.

Now, together they form an entity to continue this mission on the worldwide platform known as POW!

WOW! as this new joint has been building our scaffold ready to paint a new chapter for San Jose.

Additionally, the greater San Jose

EVENT CALENDAR November 9: Nonprofit Networking Mixer

Location: Boulder Ridge Golf Club

November 16: Access Silicon Valley with CA State Treasurer John Chiang Location: Silicon Valley Capital Club

December 7: sv next Holiday Mixer

Location: San Jose Museum of Art

December 14: Holiday Mixer Location: Dolce Hayes Mansion

Go to: thesvo.com for the most up to date information.

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This inaugural event took place November 22 through November 29, celebrating the efforts of local artists, and some out of town ones, with the culmination of 16 new murals being added to the San Jose landscape.

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Local artist Sean Boyles joined Amine Rastgar and Robbie Api at 251 E. Empire St. to add some colorful images as part of Pow! Wow! San Jose.

community was invited to come out and enjoy music events highlighting our local standouts — including emerging and global sonic influencers — every night of the week. To end the week-long festival, the community came together for a block party in the SoFA (South of First Arts District) and a bike riding tour taking them on a journey to see all the newly-completed murals — culminating with a stop in the heart of East Side of San Jose for a Day of the Dead celebration called La Ultima

Parada at the School of Arts & Culture.

The hard work to weave into this festival, a local vibe of culture, and community partners is just the beginning. A few friends have been called on — MTCA, Sonido Clash, Cukui, and a handful of others to help start this movement forward, ¡sigue!

This is an invocation for our city to walk with Empire Seven Studios

and Universal Grammar on this new journey as they unleash to the San Jose community and the rest of the world an experience of San Jose like no other, which allows a chance to get to know its rich cultural history and discover its identity that has always been here.

To all those who joined us, welcome to the First Annual POW! WOW! San Jose! To those who just learned about this now, join us in 2018. Visit www.powwowsanjose.com.

BUSINESS VELOCIT Y

Emerging Technologies & Preparing for Their Impact With every wave of innovation, a new technology disrupts existing industries and changes the way we live, work and play forever.

From the robots greeting us at the local Orchard Supply Hardware or Mineta San Jose International Airport to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles — these innovations, THESVO.COM | NOVEMBER 2017

and all those that will follow — have real implications on our nation’s economy, and our own.

So how do we stay ahead of the 12

curve? How do we begin to adapt our current systems and regulations to allow for this technological evolution?

“For these emerging technologies, liability exposure threatens to impede the growth and benefits these technologies are having and will continue to have on our society.” –US Chamber of Commerce The United States Chamber of Commerce, through their Institute for Legal Reform and Technology Engagement Center (TEC), is actively working to solve for this, reaching out to partners like The silicon valley organization, to ensure all stakeholders are at the table.

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Earlier this year, the US Chamber hosted a daylong forum on Emerging Technologies and Torts of the Future, in partnership with The SVO. The forum focused on four key industry areas:  cybersecurity  drone (UAVs)  the sharing economy  autonomous vehicles and how to handle the changing regulatory and litigation environment that has followed their growth.

Derrick Seaver, Executive Vice President of The SVO, presented the mission of The SVO to the attendees and introduced Morgan Wallace, Counsel

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at Lyft, Inc., who discussed the sharing economy and its impact.

“Silicon Valley IDEA is committed to improving business velocity and quality of life for the businesses of Silicon Valley,” said Derrick Seaver, The SVO Executive Vice President.

“You cannot have those discussions in the 21st century without discussing the regulatory and litigation environment and how it is constantly shifting. These emerging technologies are changing the way we understand advocacy and governing, and we were honored to partner with the United States Chamber of Commerce to bring this discussion to its front door here in Silicon Valley.”

MEMBERSPOTLIGHT

30 Years at the Fairmont

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All photos courtesy The Fairmont San Jose

A Legacy of Community Service

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n November 5, 1987, the 20-story Fairmont San Jose hotel opened its doors to

guests.

Proclaimed as the cornerstone for redevelopment in downtown San Jose, this hotel quickly became a Silicon Valley landmark, offering stylish accommodations, luxurious amenities and world-class service to guests. Thirty years later, the iconic hotel remains a pillar in San Jose and has announced plans to celebrate its years of success by giving back to the community.

“We are proud to have reached this milestone anniversary, and we want to thank the San Jose community for its continuous support,” says Michael Musarra, general manager of Fair15

THE FAIRMONT SAN JOSE

BY THE NUMBERS

65,000

number of square feet

2

number of buildings

805

number of guest rooms

77

number of lavish suites mont San Jose. “In celebration of 30 years of business, we are pledging 30 acts of service to the local community. Our team members will devote the next year to giving back, and by November 5, 2018, we will have completed 30 charitable acts to make a meaningful impact on the community where we live and work.”

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The hotel has selected nonprofit organizations benefitting various causes for this initiative, including food banks, shelters, schools, women’s groups and hospitals. Each of the organizations is focused on serving the local community of San Jose and its surrounding cities. The 30 charitable acts will take many forms, from fundraising events hosted at the hotel, to clothing and food drives, to colleagues donating their own time to give back.

“We recognize that there are many areas of need and many different ways to serve the community, so we wanted this initiative to provide a variety of ways for our colleagues to get involved with the causes they are passionate about,” says Musarra.

FROM TOP LEFT: YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes June 2017 - Team Fairmont San Jose took home two awards: Top Individual Fundraiser for General Manager Mr. Musarra (who raised over $7,500) and Top Team Fundraiser for Team Fairmont San Jose – WAAG (who raised over $14,000).

RIGHT: Guadalupe River Cleanup September 2017 – 50 volunteers from Fairmont San Jose collected nearly 1,500 pounds of garbage throughout Guadalupe River Park. BOTTOM: Pajama Drive February 2017 – Fairmont San Jose raised, sorted and shipped a record total of over 2,300 pairs of pajamas and 1,000 books to local children in need.

Community Comes First While this is the first time Fairmont San Jose has pledged to complete 30 acts of service over a single year, the hotel has been involved with charitable giving and community outreach since its opening.

This year alone, the hotel and its staff have participated in various charitable activities benefiting the community.

In February, the Fairmont San Jose raised, sorted and shipped a record total of more than 2,300 pairs of pajamas and 1,000 books to local children in need as part of its Pajama Drive.

Fairmont San Jose collected nearly 1,500 pounds of garbage throughout Guadalupe River Park as part of the September Guadalupe River Cleanup.

“I think we wouldn’t be successful if we didn’t have a vibrant, successful community,” says Marshall Jones, Director of Sales and Marketing. “We are working to make the area we work in better.”

In June, Team Fairmont San Jose raised more than $21,000 for YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.

This commitment to community engagement is reflected throughout the entire Fairmont brand through Fairmont’s Charitable Program, which encourages all colleagues to volunteer locally and all hotels to build strong and lasting relationships with the communities in which they operate.

And this fall, 50 volunteers from

“It gives meaning to it,” Jones says.

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“At the end of the day, we all work for a paycheck but this aspect of working for Fairmont San Jose allows us to bond with our city and community at a different level.”

Other Amenities include: • a day spa • a rooftop pool • a fully-equipped fitness center • meeting rooms • 5 restaurants/eateries: Fountain Restaurant Lobby Lounge The Grill on the Alley McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant Bijan Bakery & Cafe 16

NEWMEMBERS New Member: Susan Kea, Coldwell Banker As a Cal Alumni in Urban Planning and Architecture, Susan is able to project the market trends reflecting upcoming developments and effectively present the aesthetics and quality of your real estate. She holds years of knowledge in Sales, Site Acquisition, Contract Negotiation, Design and Marketing. In addition, Susan is a millennial who also knows various markets throughout the nation with her extensive telecom background in order to connect with engineering professionals, commercial real estate professionals, and those interested in the ever-changing job markets and urban growth.

Together with an extensive group of professionals, she will help guide and assist in any real estate transaction process. Her contacts of general contractors, roofers, inspectors, lenders, and many more will align you with best services that ensures you meet your selling or purchasing goals!

Susan decided to become a member of The SVO because it engages multiple industries and allows professionals in various fields the opportunity to network and learn.

Moreover, it allows professionals within the community to understand the various changes, activities and growth happening within the Silicon Valley community and throughout.

Real Estate is community based and it is eclectic. The SVO provides the opportunity for an eager, young, and community engaged Realtor to learn about new industries and growths that can supplement the Real Estate market. Susan hopes to meet professionals that will motivate and help grow her business with new ideas and experiences.

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Susan’s business plan is to utilize the various networks of business and professionals within The SVO to capture a larger audience in her growing Real Estate career and to understand more ways in which she can integrate herself in community action events.

She finds that is important to engage the various networks available at The SVO to help mold her approach in marketing, expand her professional networking group to meet client needs, and overall surround herself with different minded individuals that can help share ideas and new connections.

The SVO is a great opportunity for business to expand their network and learn from other growing professionals and businesses.

...she will help guide and assist in any real estate transaction proccess.

Stanford Health Care is a proud member of The silicon valley organization

stanfordhealthcare.org

Healing humanity through science and compassion one patient at a time.

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New Members Brannons Medical brannonsmedical.com New Member Highlight: Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines has the biggest Network, serving over 300 destinations, and operating from 9 cities from United States; Turkish Airlines has a comfortable flat-bed product, with the distinguished and unique Flying Chef serving the Business Class passengers.

Turkish Airlines has been operation to the Bay Area for over two years, and it is important to bring Brand Awareness to the Companies Affiliated and members of The SVO. Our Business Plan is to engage and offer our services and a corporate program to SVO members that have international travel request. It means Turkish Airlines will provide cost-savings opportunity for their international travel request. Signup for a Corporate Program with Turkish Airlines has no cost, and it will be cost savings and benefits.

The SVO is very proactive with events, providing a great opportunity to network with members and engage with the community. The SVO definitely brings a great value for a membership and association.

Coldwell Banker - Susan Kea susankea.com EMC Seafood & Raw Bar emcseafood.com Erin Doyle, CPA erindoyle.com Go Green Roofing gogreenroofco.com HSBC Bank us.hsbc.com Kellogg kellogg.com Mighty Threads Creative Agency mtca.co New York Life newyorklife.com P2S Engineering, Inc. p2seng.com Pinnacle Strategy pinnaclestrategy.org Sensi Magazine senimag.com System Pavers – Dave Perry systempavers.com Total Wine & More totalwine.com VillaSport Athletic Club and Spa San Jose villasport.com//san-jose

IRVINECOMPANY.COM

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Zell Associates, Inc. zell.com

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MEMBERTESTIMONIAL

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Tell us a little about VTA, its services and how it sets itself apart.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region.

VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations and also serves as the county’s congestion management agency. As such, VTA leads countywide transportation planning, specific highway improvement projects, and pedestrian and bicycle improvement projects.

The goal is to develop a comprehensive transportation improvement program among local jurisdictions throughout Santa Clara County that will reduce traffic congestion and improve land use decision-making and air quality.

Currently, VTA is building the largest transportation infrastructure project in Santa Clara County history, the BART Silicon Valley Extension. The 16-mile commuter rail extension from Fremont to Downtown San Jose and Santa Clara is happening in two phases.

Phase I is a 10-mile line, expected to open for passenger service in summer 2018 with stations in Milpitas and North San Jose’s Berryessa District. Phase II will continue 6 more miles with stations in East San Jose, Downtown San Jose, Diridon and Santa Clara, with a target date for passenger service in 2026.

Why was SVO membership import19

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations and also serves as the county’s congestion management agency.

ant to VTA? VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa Clara County. VTA’s newly revised Strategic Plan is built on the three-cornered philosophy to “Create, Collaborate and Lead”.

Working alongside other SVO members in business, government, education and community is vital to VTA’s success in delivering projects, services and solutions that move Silicon Valley.

How has VTA engaged with The SVO and its programs over the last year?

One key issue The Silicon Valley Organization influenced was 2016 Measure B for transportation infrastructure improvements throughout Santa Clara County. The SVO endorsed the measure and was instrumental in the passage of this major transportation funding milestone.

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In addition, since 2010, five VTA employees have graduated from SVO’s Leadership San Jose Program, learning about a broad range of issues that impact Silicon Valley’s economy and quality of life. Keeping that pipeline of participants going, a sixth VTA employee is vying for a seat in next year’s program, joining the ranks who have increased their knowledge and experience on a number of critical platforms including civic, political, and philanthropic. These leaders are now making a stronger contribution to our community from both a personal and business perspective.

For the past two years, VTA has been a Strive San Jose industry partner, introducing high school students to the transportation industry through internships, field trips and other mentoring opportunities. We have participated in this effort to help grow interest in the fields of engineering, planning, mechanics, construction

and communications while also helping to grow a pipeline of potential, future VTA employees.

SVO Business Walks have been a valuable tool for VTA’s Community Engagement team enabling them to gain a better understanding of business practices and form relationships with the business community. This benefit is very useful for the team’s outreach during the planning and construction phases of transportation infrastructure projects being deliv-

ered throughout Santa Clara County.

And lastly, the Transportation and Workforce Development Policy committees enabled VTA staff to share information on transportation issues with the greater SVO member network, augmenting the business community’s knowledge of one of Silicon Valley’s most critical matters of importance.

From VTA’s perspective, why should businesses within the Silicon Valley

consider engaging with The SVO? Building a successful, thriving economy takes a team effort on the part of business, government and the community. The Silicon Valley Organization pulls together critical segments of the region to work together on the programs and projects that will lead us confidently into the future. Local businesses working together to affect positive change in the community can be a powerful force to influence decisions that will impact Silicon Valley for generations.

My Story is Here

“You can only be as big as your dreams, so dream big.”

At San José State University, discover who you want to be. sjsu.edu/mystory

Kenny Chiu ’15 Business Administration THESVO.COM | NOVEMBER 2017

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PROGRAMFEATURE

International Business Delegations

The silicon valley organization had an international business group come visit in January as part of the Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Summit.

Connecting Silicon Valley to the World

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t is no secret that Silicon Valley is a world leader in innovation, and nowhere is this demonstrated more than in our diverse and highly-skilled workforce. But when international entrepreneurs and innovators want to come to Silicon Valley, how can they build the network, access the capital and achieve the growth they desire?

Silicon Valley IDEA offers business delegations from around the world looking to invest in Silicon Valley, share in its talent-rich environment or simply come see if the Valley is a good fit for your businesses future, a streamlined way to do so.

IDEA coordinates site visits, places visitors in the most promising networks, and exposes them to all that Silicon Valley has to offer its residents and businesses.

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In 2017 alone, delegations from Japan, Ireland, China, Thailand and Nigeria have all visited the Silicon Valley with the help of IDEA, learning about a variety of key areas important to their local economies, including: • Support for management • Event for revitalization • Promotion of brand recognition • Advocacy • Impact of IoT in existing business sectors • Workforce development • Corporate tax holiday • Banking This is what economic development in action looks like: attracting, and connecting, businesses across the globe to Silicon Valley.

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A Unified Silicon Valley Voice – Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition

The Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition serves as a unified voice on local, regional, state and federal legislative issues that affect business, the economy and quality of life.

It meets bi-monthly and is made up of 18 local chambers of commerce in Silicon Valley, including: • The Black Chamber of Silicon Valley • Campbell Chamber of Commerce • Cupertino Chamber of Commerce

• Fremont Chamber of Commerce • Gilroy Chamber of Commerce • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley • Los Altos Chamber of Commerce • Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce • Milpitas Chamber of Commerce • Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce • Mountain View Chamber of Commerce • Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce • Rainbow Chamber of Commerce • Santa Clara Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce • Saratoga Chamber of Commerce • Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce • The SVO

• Sunnyvale Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce

Among other actions, the coalition takes stands on regional, state and federal proposed ordinances and legislation.

Key issues this group tackles from a regional perspective include: • Education • Housing • Land Use • Regulatory Environment • Transportation To learn more, visit: svchambercoalition.org

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FROMOURMEMBERS

Workplace

Two stretches to do at your desk to

COUNTERCLOCKWISE: (From top left) Dafne Ocana starts in seated position with her back elongated and feet out wide. She hangs her head and relaxes her shoulders while performing a forward bend. She grabs her elbows and brings one elbow up and the other toward her knee.

This stretches the sides and lowerback. Please consult your physician before starting any fitness program.

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Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Nguyen/Silicon Valley Applied Biomechanics

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e Wellness

o help relieve your lower back pain

FROM LEFT: Dafne performs a lowerback stretch. She starts with her hands on a flat sturdy surface. She then pushes her hips back and hangs her had between her shoulders.

By Jonathan Williams Kinesiologist/Fitness Educator

F

or some, the workplace can create a challenge for the lower back. Individuals who sit for long durations should take extra steps to remain healthy and pain-free.

Let’s consider the structures of the lower back and how to maintain lower back health with a few easy stretches that can be done on a stable chair.

The lumbar region can be simplified into three primary tissues: muscular, nervous and connective. These tissues are greatly interactive — a problem with one can lead to problems with another.

Muscular tissue is responsible for moving and supporting the skeletal structures of the body. It utilizes a generous blood supply as it is needed for physical activity. This blood flow helps the muscular system repair

itself relatively quickly stress or injury.

If a muscle is unable to meet the daily requirements of a specific task, which sometimes occurs during prolonged sitting, the muscles will tense up in an attempt to stabilize the region to prevent injury. This tension builds and over time becomes a chronic cause of irritatioin for the connective tissue associated with the muscle group. In this case, the lumbar stabilizers (erector spinae) irritates a large piece of connective tissue on the lower back called the lumbodorsal fascia.

Connective tissue has less blood flow relative to muscle tissue, and in turn, has a harder time recovering from daily wear and injury. When this happens, people begin to experience lower back pain on a daily basis primarily when standing up from a seated position. The tension in the muscle and connective tissue builds and irritates the corresponding nerves.

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The most common and recognizable nerve irritation in the lower back is called sciatica. Many have had it at one point or another in their lifetime. Chronic sciatica can become disabling, reducing the quality of life outside the workplace. The lower back can benefit from simple physical exercises. Daily routines that increase blood flow can help reduce chronic inflammation and pain.

Pictured are two stretching techniques to help increase blood flow and to combat fatigue and discomfort.

Please consult your physician before starting any fitness program.

For more information, go to svappliedbiomechanics.org Sponsored Content by Silicon Valley Applied Biomechanics, Inc. 26

Take the next step toward success!

•Workplace Wellness Programs •Small Group Training •1-on-1 Training •Biomechanics and performance assessments svappliedbiomechanics.org 408-644-5258