Business Connection March/April 2015

Irvine Chamber’s
March/April 2015
Innovation • Collaboration • Advocacy
Why Irvine?
Sometimes the
address says it all.
IrvineChamber.com
WHERE WOMEN &
pOWER CONVERgE
MARCH 27, 2015 / 8:00 AM – 1:00 pM
IrvIne HIlton • 18800 MacartHur Blvd • IrvIne, ca 92612
Save tHe date!
don’t miss the opportunity to hear from some of orange county’s most successful and influential
women. Hear their stories, challenges, triumphs and tools for rising to the top. this annual event
brings together women to learn from each other in a honest and creative setting.
SpeakerS Include:
olivia albrecht
vice president / pIMCO
linda landers
Founder & ceo / Girl power Marketing
ann McIndoo
ceo & Founder / So, You Want to Write!
cheryl osborn
president / casco
Michelle patterson
executive director / Global Women Foundation
TICkETs: $85 CHAMBER MEMBERs • $95 VIsITORs
ticket price includes parking, breakfast, lunch and speaker series. there will be a silent
auction for attendees benefiting the Irvine chamber of commerce education Foundation.
dIaMond SponSor
eMerald SponSor
spECIAl pARTNER
TABlE spONsOR
oc register
tredway, lumsdaine
& doyle llp
WWW.IRVINECHAMBER.COM
949.502.4115
spONsORsHIps AVAIlABlE!
Contents/
Mark Your Calendars
6 March
FEATURES
5
Special Elections & Get Out the Vote
Laut vidis pore id es deliquamus venis iditat disinvel
mostoremquid moloris ipsapic ipsaes nonsectus
ilibusciis debit et am fuga. Nam, ut.
By Tyler Gentry
6
11 March
Networkers Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Kabuki, Irvine Spectrum
27 March
Why Irvine?
Laut vidis pore id es deliquamus venis iditat disinvel
mostoremquid moloris ipsapic ipsaes nonsectus
ilibusciis debit et am fuga. Nam, ut.
By Linda DiMario
8
Legends & Leaders
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine
Recycling Law Raises the Bar
Laut vidis pore id es deliquamus venis iditat disinvel
mostoremquid moloris ipsapic ipsaes nonsectus
ilibusciis debit et am fuga. Nam, ut.
By Tom Koutroulis
Women of Influence Forum
8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Irvine Hilton
2 April
Evening Business Exchange
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wyndham, Irvine
8 April
Networkers Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Chili’s
14 April
Emerging Professionals Mixer
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Dave & Buster’s
Cover photo: “North Lake — Fountain” by Bharathram Pattabhiraman is licensed under CC BY 2.0
IN EVERY ISSUE
13 May
Community News / p14
Destination Irvine / p10
By Wendy Haase
Member Highlights / p18
In the Workplace / p12
Ribbon Cuttings / p20
By James McDonald
Mayor’s Message / p15
New Members / p21
By Mayor Steven S. Choi, Ph.D.
Leaders Circle / p22
Programs & Events / p16
By Kelly St. John Regier
Connect with Us
Irvine Chamber
IrvineChamber.com
@irvinechamber
Emerging Professionals Irvine
IrvineEconDev.com
@iccep
Destination Irvine
DestinationIrvine.com
@irvinechamber
@destinationirvine
Irvine Chamber
#IrvineChamber #IrvineBusiness
Networkers Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Dave & Buster’s
Featured Committee
Green Task Force
Helping Irvine businesses
understand the value of
simple, money-saving, “green”
measures and helping them
navigate through the current and
impending regulations is the
priority objective of this hardworking task force. The Green
Certification program, a gateway
program for businesses of all
sizes, has already certified fifteen
Irvine businesses. Visit the Go
Green website to learn more.
GreenIrvine.org
For more information, please contact
Linda DiMario at (949) 502-4124 or
ldimario@irvinechamber.com
IrvineChamber.com /3
Message from the President
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Robert Braithwaite, Chair
Hoag Hospital
Sam Murray, Past Chair
Managease Inc.
Isaiah Leslie, Senior Vice Chair
Regal Court Reporting, Inc.
Larry Geselowitz, Vice Chair & CFO
HBLA Certified Public Accountants, Inc.
Albert Napoli, Vice Chair Programs
Metropolitan Water District of SoCal
Carol Wold, Vice Chair Marketing & Communications
FivePoint Communities
Kate Kimlow, Vice Chair Governmental Affairs
University of California, Irvine
James J. McDonald Jr., Vice Chair & General Counsel
Fisher & Phillips LLP
Danni Remington, Vice Chair Membership
California United Bank
Dave Anduri ,
Vice Chair Business & Economic Development / Tourism
Citizens Business Bank
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael W. Benford / McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Jeff Davis / Irvine Company
Dave Doran / White, Nelson, Diehl Evans LLP
Michael J. FitzGerald / Barnes, FitzGerald, Francisconi &
Zeman, LLP
Bruce Greenberg / The GDR Group
Scott Harvey / Honest Website Marketing
John Heffernan / AT&T
Marcus Hoffman / Kaiser Permanente
Garry Jaquess / Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Howard Klein / Klein, O’Neill & Singh, LLP
Steve Paliska / PPS Parking Inc.
Nathan Phan / Walmart
Dr. Glenn Roquemore / Irvine Valley College
Hector Santa Cruz / Residence Inn, Irvine Airport
Kim Sherman / Echo Media Group
Paul Simonds / Southern California Gas Company
Leigh Volkland / Edwards Lifesciences
Lisa Woolery / Wells Fargo
STAFF
Tallia A. Hart / President/CEO
Anthony Crouch / Executive Assistant for
Economic Development & Tourism
Sandra Crouch / Controller
Linda DiMario / Sr. Director Economic Development & Tourism
Tyler Gentry / Government Affairs and Advocacy Manager
Wendy Haase / Director of Tourism Marketing | Destination Irvine
David Hammers / Information Specialist & Research Analyst
Demea Metcalf / Director of Sales | Destination Irvine
Lindy Neubauer / Director of Communications
Marcia Paddock / Office Administrator
Kim Sherman / Director of Membership Services
Gladys Rojas / Membership Services Coordinator
Jessica Welch / Programs Director & Executive Assistant
Business Connection
Irvine Chamber of Commerce
2485 McCabe Way, Suite 150, Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 660-9112 | FAX (949) 660-0829
PUBLISHER - Tallia Hart
EDITOR - Lindy Neubauer
ADVERTISING - K im Sherman (949) 502-4120
ksherman@IrvineChamber.com
DESIGNED BY: Grace/Pinto Communication Design
GracePinto.com
4 / Business Connection March/April 2015
I am the Lorax.
I speak for the streets.
In Dr. Suess’ book, The Lorax, he tells
the story of a mystical creature who
foresees the negative impact of foresting
and passionately fights to protect the
trees. The “Once-ler,” seeking only to
advance his business, disregards the
concerns and keeps chopping down
the “Truffula” trees which leads to
environmental destruction.
The lesson here is simple and extremely valuable; trees are necessary, we can’t
live a good life without them and although it’s easier to disregard them in favor
of money, that greed (if unchecked) will doom us. Unfortunately, this same
lesson is also applicable to California’s failing roadways.
Once the pride of our state, the roads in California are falling apart. Back in the
middle of the last century, the highway system literally paved the way for the
state’s economic success. Our legislature smartly recognized that in a state as
vast as ours, commerce (and residents’ quality of life) would be directly related
to the success of our transportation infrastructure. While investing in “pavement”
isn’t particularly exciting, it’s an investment that has a direct return.
Today, the State of California seems to have forgotten the importance of this
vital part of our economic environment. If only the Lorax would visit the Capitol
and speak for the streets.
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
Our leaders in Sacramento seem to understand that this is a major problem. The
problem isn’t recognizing the issue; it’s caring enough to take action.
Governor Jerry Brown recently said, “Each year we fall further and further
behind and we must do something about it.” The words are unfortunately not
backed by action. The Governor and legislature have given plenty of lip service
to road improvements, but the relatively ‘boring’ projects always get put on the
back burner behind things like the High Speed Rail project.
Now thanks to your hacking my trees to the ground,
There’s not enough Truffula fruit to go ‘round!
The problem is starting to add up. Every year, the budget for fixing existing
roads (forget about building new ones) falls far short of what is needed. As
such, we end up deferring maintenance, which only increases the cost of the
needed repairs. This results in our back-log and the budgetary shortfall growing
more and more each year. Even if we increase the funding, we still lose ground
because of the systemic cycle that we’ve created for ourselves.
Increasing the funding, however, is looking extremely unlikely. Roads are
funded in large part by the revenue created by the gas tax. That revenue stream
is going to fall far short of past years due to the decreased cost of fuel coupled
with increased efficiency in our vehicles.
Continued on page 9
Government & Advocacy/
Special Elections and
Get Out to Vote
By Tyler Gentry
The Irvine business community
should take a particular interest in the
upcoming special election taking place
on March 17th. It is for the State Senate
(District 37) seat vacated by our now
Member of Congress, Mimi Walters.
“Vote” by Theresa Thompson is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Two candidates, Assemblyman Don
Wagner and former Orange County
Supervisor John Moorlach, have been
around for some time now in OC
politics, while the third, Naz Namazi,
is somewhat unknown outside of
the campaigns that she has worked
on. All are registered Republicans and
aggressively campaigning as businessfriendly candidates, but factions are
certainly split within the party as the
top two contenders jockey for support.
It is extremely important to vote, but
also, if you have a stake in the election
and a favorite candidate, to get out
there and support that candidate. On
January 27th, the First Supervisorial
District seat was up for grabs with the
two front runners campaigning hard;
the final decision came down to just
43 votes! This means that if several
more households voted, or more
neighborhoods were canvassed by
volunteers, or more hours were spent
on the phones calling high percentage
voters, the election could have a swung
the other way.
In special elections, campaigns are
significantly shortened and “Get out
the Vote” (GOTV) efforts realize their
strongest effects. When a campaign
does not have at least a six- to 12-month
timeline to distribute mail, schedule
high-level meetings and develop a
counter strategy to an opponent, there
is a significant amount of weight that
must be placed on quick generation of
name ID and exposure.
Money still rules and a campaign that
is able to flood the constituency with
expensive glossy mail pieces tend
to have an advantage in raising their
exposure, but the effectiveness of
person-to-person contact is amplified.
We all find ourselves ignoring political
mail at times, but it is much more
difficult to ignore a smiling face at
your door.
Involving yourself with the
political process can be essential to
understanding who and what you are
voting for. It can be difficult to get to
know a candidate through carefully
crafted candidate statements, or from
a 10-minute stump speech, but, by
volunteering for a candidate, deeper
insight into the candidate and their
core principles can be achieved. Not
to mention, familiarity with a legislator
and their staff can make it easier for
an individual to seek help and resolve
issues with a government agency or
advocate for a particular issue.
At this time, it is still uncertain what
tactics the candidates will employ. A
three Republican primary will likely
lead to a runoff and it is generally being
seen as a fight for the conservative vote.
This will be essential, but neglecting the
huge Independent and Democrat voting
bloc may prove to hurt the candidates
in a tight election. Combined, these two
blocs make up 53 percent of registered
voters in State Senate District 37.
In the end, this election will come
down to who has the strongest GOTV
campaign and who is able to use their
funds to best maximize exposure.
Money will play a role, but engaging
registered voters will be essential. Get
involved and make sure to cast your
ballot on March 17th.
For more information, please contact Tyler
Gentry, Government Affairs and Advocacy
Manager, at tgentry@irvinechamber.com.
IrvineChamber.com /5
Economic Development/
Why Irvine?
Sometimes the
address says it all.
By Linda DiMario
When people are looking to start or move a business to Irvine,
it always begins with answering the question: Why Irvine?
Everyone knows that there are certainly less expensive places
to open or locate a business — any city in North Dakota or
Alabama for starters — but there isn’t a smarter or better place
to start or relocate a business than Irvine, California. And that
all began with the stunningly forward-thinking vision that
transformed 93,000 acres into an economic powerhouse and
one of the most livable cities in the United States.
Everyone knows the story of the Irvine Company. The family
who owned 93,000 acres in what is now Orange County, and
the company directors that followed, took a long view of this
land and its place in the evolution of the area. They adopted a
powerful proposition that the land, and all those who would
live and work on it, would be best served by a Master Plan
that fostered the highest quality of life through preservation of
“nonrenewable” assets and resources.
An encroaching sprawl south from Los Angeles compelled
the Irvine Company to take stewardship of the land in the
1960s in ways that would shape the City of Irvine and other
communities in the area into the 21st century. They conceived
of artfully designed neighborhoods and villages, acres of open
space and livable neighborhood centers and regional centers
that would support an economic powerhouse of Fortune 500
companies and robust, cutting-edge industry clusters in the
life sciences, advanced manufacturing, information technology
and digital arts and media, just to name the top performers.
The notion that a balance of “working, living, learning and
recreational environments — all integrated in a logical and
aesthetic fashion” was the core value that defined the design,
its implementation and its sustainability. And it stood in stark
contrast to how other communities and cities in the U.S. had
evolved throughout the decades characterized by cycles,
changing economic drivers and personalities, demographic
patterns and investment (or lack of investment).
6 / Business Connection March/April 2015
BECAUSE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE,
THEIR ENVIRONMENT, LIVABILITY AND ECONOMIC
WELL-BEING WAS A PRINCIPLE.
The Master Plan approached every development detail with
the precision of a neurosurgeon. The planners integrated
their plan with the existing freeways and developed six lane
arterials to increase mobility and accessibility while employing
a system of connecting roads into and around the villages.
Infrastructure and supporting systems were designed to
anticipate growth, as well as diminishing demand on precious
natural resources. Recognizing the efficiency, convenience
and environmental advantages of proximity to work centers,
commercial developments were strategically located close
to villages. Commercial corridors were swathed in green
space and supported by systems of recycled water and
sustainable landscape management practices. Unique villages
were surrounded by open areas, recreational amenities and
thousands of acres of preserved land.
More than 50,000 acres of the original 93,000 acres have
been preserved for parks, trails and natural open space. The
Irvine Company understood the value
of balance in the sustainability equation.
And the federal government and the
State of California agreed when they
assigned ‘National Landmark’ status to
this acreage, recognizing its ecological
diversity and environmental significance.
Spectacular office buildings rose in the
Irvine Business Corridor. Beautifully
manicured office parks attracted global
companies. And world-class lifestyle,
retail and entertainment complexes
emerged, attracting residents and
visitors from around the globe.
BECAUSE EDUCATION IS
ESSENTIAL TO TALENT
DEVELOPMENT, ATTRACTION
AND RETENTION.
Education, considered essential to a
sustainable community, was and still
is, a priority. Nearly every village in
Irvine has a school associated with it.
Further enhanced 50 years ago with the
addition of a now nationally recognized
university, the University of California
at Irvine. UCI, with its well-earned
reputation for research and development
and attracting a global student body,
would grow side-by-side with the new
City of Irvine. Both would prosper in
each other’s company. Rooted in Irvine’s
premier K-12 educational system and
its 15 university and college campuses
within its boundaries, Irvine can claim
an enviable 96% high school graduation
rate and 66% advance degree rate.
And that’s just the beginning. Innovative
public-private partnerships have
flourished supporting entrepreneur
workshops, academies and camps for
high school and community and fouryear college students. Competitions for
inventions, business plan development
and the next big idea have been
nurtured here for over a decade.
UCI’s new Institute for Innovation
promises to greatly enhance an already
strong start-up eco-system of hubs,
collaborative work spaces, mentoring,
capital, incubators and accelerators. All
of these factors trade on the strength
of Irvine’s reputation and the area’s
capacity to generate world-class talent
emerging from our schools and colleges.
BECAUSE SUSTAINABILITY IS A
CORE VALUE NOT AN OPTION.
For those who work here, nearly
doubling the city’s population during
the day, and those who live here, the
vision and stewardship of the Irvine
Company, which is protected and
nurtured by the City of Irvine, is evident.
We are surrounded by rolling hills,
city blocks of green space, sumptuous
office park environments, fountains
and parks sustained with awardwinning water reclamation systems,
sparkling, well-maintained Energy Star
or LEED certified office buildings, wide,
beautifully manicured boulevards and
thoroughfares built to manage and ease
traffic congestion and reduce emissions,
as well as clean, safe streets, office
centers and neighborhoods.
It takes everyone working together
to be named ‘Safest City in America’
(population over 100,000) for 10
consecutive years and ‘America’s Best
Run City’. And Irvine is always in the
Top Five for ‘Best City for Families’, ‘Best
City to Raise Children’ and ‘Best City for
Young Adults’.
BECAUSE BUSINESS THRIVES
WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT IS
FERTILE.
Six of the top 12 largest private
companies in Orange County are
headquartered in Irvine: Advantage
Sales & Marketing, First Team Real
Estate, Golden State Foods, Irvine
Company, Fitness International and
Vizio. Four out of five of the largest
publically traded companies in Orange
County are located in Irvine: Allergan,
Broadcom, Western Digital and
Edwards Lifesciences.
Irvine is home to four of the fastest
growing, most sustainable, highest
potential median salary industry
clusters: advanced manufacturing, life
sciences, information technology, digital
arts and media and energy efficiency.
The results of our Business Outreach
Rallies and business surveys are further
proof that Irvine delivers. Over 70%
of Irvine businesses surveyed say that
they are completely or very satisfied
with Irvine as their headquarters for
business. 71% describe their business
performance as met, exceeded or wellexceeded expectations. Over 60% of
Irvine businesses are preparing to add
employees or expand within 12 months.
BECAUSE THIS CITY CULTIVATES
THE ASSETS AND RESOURCES
THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESS.
It was that original Irvine Company
vision and commitment to its values of
responsible development, preservation
of open and green space, appreciation
for scale and preparation for growth
that make the City of Irvine unique. It
is Irvine’s ongoing commitment to that
vision that fuels the economic powerhouse
capable of offering and sustaining the
highest quality of life environment.
This compelling combination is what
attracts and retains global companies,
top CEOs, dreamers and entrepreneurs,
start-ups and growth companies, the
best and most highly skilled talent and
foreign and domestic investment.
Our business community makes us
stronger. Our public/private partnerships
empower us. Our diversity energizes
us. Our quality of life inspires us. Our
commitment to innovation in all things
distinguishes us. And helping business
grow motivates us.
That’s what makes Irvine extraordinary.
IrvineChamber.com /7
Economic Development/
California’s Recycling Law Raises the Bar!
Irvine businesses are paving the way to a sustainable business
economy. In fact, what we are hearing from many local
businesses is they want to recycle more. Whether it is for
economic or environmental reasons, the fact remains that new
recycling programs are raising the bar, as Irvine continues to
become a sustainable city.
to meet your business’ sustainability needs. This is the time
to increase recycling and lead by example. Look at your
waste stream and identify materials that could have a second
life, once recycled. WM can help your businesses develop or
improve your recycling program and become an example to
other businesses in Orange County.
With several new California state laws targeting resource
recovery (i.e., recycling), businesses now have the option of
recycling more materials than ever before. The City of Irvine
and Waste Management (WM) are working together to provide
new services to local businesses. We are on the forefront of
a change with new laws and technology to address the need
to recycle. Waste Management is dedicated to increasing the
options for recycling, as we provide convenience of service
and education for our business partners.
ThesState of California is setting the standard, with the
passage of recent laws that will provide greater options for
your business. It’s easy to comply with these laws with the
help and support from WM and the city of Irvine. Business
owners have already heard about Mandatory Commercial
Recycling. What you may not have heard about is the
Organics Recycling law. Here is a brief review of these laws.
With the change in state law, the question you may be
asking yourself is: What can my business do when it comes
to recycling more? For those early adopters, you already
know that WM provides comprehensive recycling programs
Mandatory Commercial Recycling (Assembly Bill 341)
Since July 1st 2012, California’s Commercial Recycling Law,
also known as Assembly Bill (AB) 341 brings California one
step closer to reducing waste sent to local landfills. It helps
protect California’s natural resources and supports the creation
COMMITTED TO SERVING SOUTH COUNTY
As an intellectual and cultural center for all of Orange County, we are
particularly proud of our Irvine Campus as a symbol of our commitment to
serving South County residents. The campus boasts the resources of a large
university in a more personal learning environment, featuring state-of-the-art
classroom technology, a low student-to-faculty ratio and smaller class sizes.
Learn more at fullerton.edu/southcounty
8 / Business Connection March/April 2015
Business Insights
presented by Concordia University
of green jobs by expanding recycling for every multi-family
dwelling and business in California. Businesses, including
public agencies are subject to the law if the following
applies:
• Your business generates 4 cubic yards or more of
commercial solid waste per week; or
Continued from page 9
The Lorax
In addition, the Governor is pushing for an additional
50% cut in fuel consumption by 2030. In other words the
money we have to fix roads today, which is substantially
inadequate, will be drastically decreased over the next
couple of decades.
I am the Lorax, and I’ll yell and I’ll shout
For the fine things on earth that are on their way out!
In order to avoid some angry emails, I’d like to be clear that
trees are more important than streets. Trees give life; streets
just help us drive places.
With that said, our roadways are critically important to
the economic health of our state. They connect people
and businesses. They are where nearly all of the goods
that are sold in this state are transported. They are part of
the great quality of life that draws a strong and dynamic
workforce to our state. They are literally and figuratively the
foundation upon which all commerce is built in California.
The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance.
Just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance
As he lifted himself by the seat of his pants.
The big frustration, both in the book and with our
roadways, is how painfully obvious the outcome is.
Even Dr. Suess’ audience — kids who are just learning
to read — could follow the logic and understand the
consequences of cutting down too many trees. If only
our leaders in Sacramento could muster that same level of
critical thinking.
The cycle we’re trapped in, with an appropriately cared-for
system of roadways getting more and more out of reach
with each passing year, has to end or it will have dire
economic consequences. We need leadership and courage
to put meaningful resources into addressing this growing
problem. We need the Lorax to speak for the streets.
Why Teach Teenagers
Entrepreneurship?
Helping teenagers embrace
entrepreneurship yields practical life
skills, financial awareness and priceless
rewards for them to succeed in
business and life, empowering them to
climb that ladder of their own success
and to pursue their dreams.
“It’s never too early to teach teens
business,” according to Stephen
Christensen, dean of the business
school at Concordia University Irvine
and founder of Teen Entrepreneur
Stephen D.
Academy (TEA). With the ever-changing
Christensen
and highly competitive global economy
Dean, Concordia
creating new standards of employment,
University Irvine
entrepreneurship has become not only
School of Business
popular, but essential for job creation
and growth. Business leaders acknowledge the relevance and
importance of entrepreneurship as an educational and economic
catalyst, making the need for youth entrepreneurship programs
more evident than ever.
A 2011 national Gallup survey of high school students found that:
• 86% wished they had more business classes
• 7 out of 10 said they want to start their own business
Top Five Reasons to Teach Entrepreneurship to Teenagers
1. Job Creation & Economic Growth.
2. Real World Experience.
3. Curriculum Missing From High School.
4. Applied Learning.
5. College Preparation.
Concordia University’s TEA fosters the development of a businesssavvy workforce that ultimately supports the region’s and America’s
economic vitality. It’s ideal training for the next generation of
entrepreneurs and CEOs who possess a free enterprise and selfresponsibility mindset. Each summer, successful entrepreneurs
and faculty teach and mentor students with step-by-step advice,
equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The next Academy is July 12-18, 2015 and its Business Plan
competition with a $1,000 prize is on Friday, July 17, 2015. Please
explore TEA, consider the implications, and determine what your
role might be.
Learn more at cui.edu/tea or contact stephen.christensen@cui.edu
or 949-214-3198.
Tallia A. Hart, A.C.E.
President/CEO
IrvineChamber.com /9
Destination Irvine/
Irvine Business-to-Business
Loyalty Pays Off!
Keep Your Meetings in Irvine & Earn Points Toward a Company
Reward to Recognize Your Employees
Atrium Hotel
Candlewood Suites
Courtyard by Marriott, Irvine Airport
Courtyard by Marriott, Irvine Spectrum
DoubleTree by Hilton, Irvine Spectrum
Embassy Suites Irvine
Extended Stay America, Irvine Spectrum
Hilton Garden Inn
Destination Irvine is asking you to keep your overnight business meetings
here! We’ve designed a program to reward loyal Irvine companies with
incentives you can use to recognize your employees.
There are two ways to win prizes when booking qualified group meetings in
2015:
The top 3 companies with the most meetings booked will win:
1st $7,000 in prize incentives
2nd $5,000 in prize incentives
3rd $2,000 in prize incentives
The top 3 companies with the most room nights booked will win:
Hilton Irvine
1st $7,000 in prize incentives
Irvine Hotel
2nd $5,000 in prize incentives
Irvine Marriott
3rd $2,000 in prize incentives
La Quinta Inn & Suites, Irvine Spectrum
Residence Inn by Marriott, Irvine Airport
Residence Inn by Marriott, Irvine Spectrum
Spring Hill Suites
Wyndham Irvine, Orange County Airport
Congratulations
to our inaugural
year-end winners:
Incentives will include: a company party at an Irvine hotel, personal products
and services from Irvine businesses and gift certificates from Irvine restaurants.
Destination Irvine will give away one $150 American Express gift card
monthly to the companies that sourced qualified group meetings during
that month.
Destination Irvine will present a Planner of the Year Award based on
qualified group meetings and subjective to the decision of Irvine’s destination
marketing organization team with a recognition certificate and $200 American
Express gift card.
To Qualify:
1. Must be an Irvine company/planner
2.
Must work with Destination Irvine to develop and distribute the
lead
3.
Must qualify for a group booking with a minimum of 10 room
nights over 1 night
1st – Online Trading
Academy
4.
Book your meeting at one of Irvine’s 16 hotel properties
2nd – Moss Adams
5. Book the meeting within the term of promotion*
3rd – United Health –
Optum
BONUS: Receive double credit for booking 50 room nights or more during a
hotel’s need period.
To participate or receive additional information contact: Demea Metcalf, Director of Sales,
demea@destinationirvine.com, 949-502-4127.
10 / Business Connection March/April 2015
Meet Greener in Irvine
When it comes to being environmentally
conscious, Irvine hotels have installed
and implemented a variety of energy,
gas, water and electric saving devices to
minimize the carbon footprint of their
clients’ meetings and events.
other gas and electricity saving efforts
that provide for a cleaner environment.
The hotel received Green Certification
by TripAdvisor ® and is working to
become Green Key Certified in 2015.
Several Irvine hotels participate in
corporate eco-friendly programs and
have been recognized for their efforts:
* DoubleTree by Hilton Irvine
Spectrum Center, Embassy Suites
Irvine/Orange County Airport, and
Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport,
part of Hilton Worldwide, participate
in the LightStay™ program.
LightStay™ is a sustainability
measurement system and brand
standard for hotels to improve hotel
performance and profitability, while
decreasing the company’s overall
impact on the environment.
* Embassy Suites Irvine/Orange
County Airport has also been
recognized as a partner in the
California Green Lodging Program
and as a TripAdvisor ® GreenLeader.
* Wyndham Worldwide was recently
named to four top sustainability
leadership indices: the Dow
Jones North America and World
Sustainability Index, the Carbon
Disclosure Project, the Climate
Disclosure Leadership Index
and the Climate Performance
Leadership Index.
The Wyndham Irvine has an energy
management system to control all public
and meeting space air conditioners,
upgraded elevators with high efficiency
motors to reduce energy usage and
In addition, many Irvine hotels have
individual green initiatives:
• The Atrium Hotel has water
efficient low waste designed toilets
that use less water and provide the
same efficiency as standard toilets.
The hotel also practices a food
recycling program that eliminates
most food waste.
• The developers of one of Irvine
newest properties, the Courtyard
Marriott Irvine Spectrum, gave
considerable thought into the
building’s overall carbon footprint
from installing motion/occupancy
lighting sensors throughout, solar
window tinting and LED exterior
light fixtures to electric vehicle
charging stations and recycling
efforts including cooking oil for
production of bio fuel for alternative
fueled vehicles.
• Hotel Irvine has surpassed local
energy standards. In fact, the hotel
is currently at a near-perfect 97%
efficiency. Hotel Irvine’s awardwinning initiatives include Energy
Star products, extensive recycling
programs and other property-wide
efforts that ensure the grounds will
be just as perfect on every visit.
A certified green hotel through the
TripAdvisor ® GreenLeader Program,
Hotel Irvine’s recent reinvestment
initiative included the implementation of
water-efficient toilets, reducing gallons
per flush from 3.5 to 0.8, as well as
water-efficient flow shower heads and
sink faucets to conserve water usage.
• The Irvine Marriott practices a
statewide auto demand response
program to reduce electrical use
when statewide electrical loads are
heavy. The hotel has LED lighting in
the basement service corridors where
lights run 24 / 7, along with high
efficiency hot water heating boilers.
The hotel also recycles old batteries,
fluorescent lighting and ballasts.
• In addition to Marriott International
company-wide efforts such
as recycling 50% or more of
construction and demolition waster
and the installation of waterefficient irrigation systems and
automatic sensor type faucets in
public and employee restrooms.
Individual properties like Spring
Hill Suites, provide bike racks for
hotel guests and staff, and plant one
tree for every four parking spaces
on site.
Questions, please contact: Demea Metcalf,
Director of Sales, demea@destinationirvine.
com or (949) 502-4127.
IrvineChamber.com /11
In the Workplace/
Connected Employees Pose Many Problems
Initially it might seem that employees
who remain connected with their
work during and after work hours via
their smart phones, tablets and laptop
computers would be a wonderful thing.
You might become accustomed to
being able to call or text them at any
time and you might feel proud of your
employees’ apparent 24/7 commitment
to their work. With these technological
advantages come several potential legal
headaches, however.
• Work-related communications after
hours can lead to wage and hour
lawsuits. Non-exempt employees
who respond to their boss’ text
message or return some work-
related e-mails on their laptop
computer may later claim they
were “forced” to work off the
clock and sue for unpaid minimum
wage, overtime and penalties.
Exempt employees who perform
any work during the day cannot
be docked for missing the day
without jeopardizing their overtime
exemption.
• A court ruling last year requires
employers to pay a portion of
employees’ cell phone bills if
employees are required to use
their phones for business, even if
employees have flat-rate plans or do
not pay for their own phones. The
court did not say how much of the
bill the employer must pay, only
that it be a “reasonable” percentage
of the bill. While this case only
addressed cell phones it might be
extended to cover personal tablets
and laptops as well.
• If employees are allowed to access
company computers with their
personal computers they may
download important confidential
information that could be difficult to
retrieve when they quit or are fired.
Employers should take steps to avoid
these problems. First, if employees must
download or access sensitive proprietary
information on a laptop computer as
T:8”
T:5”
COX BUSINESS INTERNETSM 10 & VOICEMANAGERSM
FREE FIRST MONTH AND FREE PRO INSTALL
134
$
/mo*
7
INCLUDES
ADD
COX BUSINESS
COX BUSINESS
$ 99
a month
INTERNET GATEWAY
UPGRADES AVAILABLE FOR SPEED
OPTIONS UP TO 100 TIMES FASTER
THAN BASIC DSL
*
20+ PROFESSIONAL FEATURES
INCLUDING CALLER ID, CALL
FORWARDING & THREE WAY CALLING
DEDICATED 24/7 BUSINESS-CLASS
LOCAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT
CALL 844-203-0027 | VISIT COXBUSINESS.COM
*Offer ends 5/3/15. Available to new commercial subscribers to Cox Business InternetSM 10 (10/2 Mbps max.) and VoiceManagerSM Essential with unlimited local calling in Orange County/Palos Verdes serviceable locations. Prices based on 3-year
service term. Free month limited to one (1) monthly service fees for Cox Business Internet and VoiceManager Essential service and will appear as $0 rated monthly service for the first monthly bill. Additional VoiceManager Essential phone lines with
unlimited local calling may be added, for a total maximum of ten (10) lines, at a rate of $20 per line, per month. Free installation requires a minimum 3-year service contract and includes standard installation on one prewired outlet. Additional costs
for nonstandard installation, construction, inside wiring and equipment may apply. Gateway equipment remains property of Cox and must be returned upon service termination to avoid additional charges. Prices exclude equipment, installation,
taxes, and fees, unless indicated. Discounts are not valid in combination with or in addition to other promotions, and cannot be applied to any other Cox account. Phone modem provided by Cox, requires electricity, and has battery backup. Access to
E911 may not be available during extended power outage or if modem is moved or inoperable. Speeds not guaranteed. Actual speeds may vary. Fastest WiFi based on available 802.11ac equipment. Speed claim based on Cox Business Internet 150
Mbps service vs. basic 1.5 Mbps DSL. Rates and bandwidth options vary and are subject to change. Other pricing and terms available. Services not available in all areas. Other restrictions apply. ©2015 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
12 / Business Connection March/April 2015
Banking Brief
presented by Wells Fargo
part of their work duties, provide them with a companyowned computer, prohibit personal use of that computer,
and obtain a signed agreement to return it immediately
upon termination of employment. Also prohibit
employees from using their personal computers or other
devices to access confidential business information.
Second, prohibit non-exempt employees from working
off-the-clock via cell phones and other devices, and direct
managers not to send off-hours e-mails or text messages
to non-exempt employees. Use care, moreover, to avoid
docking exempt employees for absences when they work
a part of the day while sick or on vacation, especially if
it’s important that they stay in touch while away from the
office.
Third, if employees are required to have a cell phone for
work, provide the phone. As with laptops, prohibit use
of the phone for personal purposes and require its return
upon termination. Alternatively, pay a monthly stipend to
employees reflecting a reasonable reimbursement for their
work-related phone use.
“Bring Your Own Device” lawsuits involving these issues
are likely to be the next wave of class action lawsuits
directed at California employers. A few thoughtful moves
now can help avoid an expensive lawsuit later.
James J. McDonald, Jr. is managing partner of the Irvine office of
Fisher & Phillips LLP and Vice Chair and General Counsel of the
Chamber. He may be reached at jmcdonald@laborlawyers.com
Gain More Business in
2015 by Advertising with
the Irvine Chamber
For more information, contact Kim Sherman
at ksherman@irvinechamber.com or
(949) 660-9112 x120.
Blurb here about writing
blog posts and other
stuff for the Chamber
For more information, contact Lindy Neubauer
at lneubauer@irvinechamber.com or (
949) 502-4114.
Recognizing Our
Environmental Impact
At Wells Fargo, we recognize that
our environmental impact goes
beyond how we operate. We are
finding new ways to minimize
our energy consumption, reduce
waste, and support renewable
sources of energy — all while
building stronger communities
both in Irvine and across our
company’s footprint.
We continually seek to not only
offer products and services that
are convenient and help our
customers succeed financially,
but also conserve resources and
Joseph Mishriki
reduce waste. All newly built and Wells Fargo Region President
remodeled Wells Fargo properties
are LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design under
the U.S. Green Building Council) certified. We also aim to certify
at least 35% of our entire real estate portfolio by 2020. A couple
of my favorite features included in our new branches are lighting
systems that automatically adjust indoor lighting to the availability
of natural light at each individual fixture and use of recycled
content, like porcelain tiles and furniture made from up to 71%
recycled content.
Wells Fargo team members are engaged with the environment
as well. We have a local Orange County Green Team that serves
as ambassadors for our environmental efforts. From volunteer
events to internal operational improvements, the Green Team is
a vital component of our environmental success. Last year, they
volunteered to help install solar panels for low income families and
helped restore natural habitats and native plants at several Orange
County locations.
As business leaders, we also believe there is a tremendous
potential for energy efficiency, renewable energy and other clean
technologies to help address a range of sustainability challenges.
Later this year, our local Green Team will volunteer at the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon that will be held at the
Orange County Great Park where more than 20 international
collegiate teams will compete and showcase their designs to
build and operate solar-powered, cost-effective, energy-efficient
and aesthetically pleasing homes. Wells Fargo has been a proud
corporate sponsor of the decathlon for nearly a decade.
For more information about custom risk management solutions for technology
privacy and network risk, please contact a local Wells Fargo Insurance sales
executive or visit us online at wfis.wellsfargo.com.
IrvineChamber.com /13
Community News/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ACHIEVEMENTS
Lead Region Presidents Named for
Greater LA and SoCal Markets
Wells Fargo & Company announced that new
lead region presidents for the Greater Los
Angeles and Southern California Regions have
been named. David DiCristofaro, a 17-year
company veteran, assumes responsibility
for the Greater Los Angeles Region, which
serves customers in Los Angeles, Riverside,
and San Bernardino counties along with
Coachella Valley. Ben Alvarado, a 23-year
Wells Fargo veteran, assumes responsibility for
the Southern California Region, which serves
customers in Orange, Imperial, and San Diego
counties. DiCristofaro and Alvarado succeed
John Sotoodeh who led the combined markets
previously called the Southern California
Region. Sotoodeh was recently named regional
banking executive for the Southwest , which
includes Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas.
Habitat for Humanity listed as a
Voluntary Contribution Fund for
donations on California Tax Return
The State of California Legislature passed
Assembly Bill 1765, listing Habitat for Humanity
of California as a Voluntary Contribution Fund
on the 2014 State of California Tax Return.
Supporters of Habitat for Humanity in California
can now easily donate on their tax return by
designating a contribution in the box number
428 next to “Habitat for Humanity Fund”.
Existing law allows taxpayers to contribute to
one or more 20 voluntary contribution funds,
known as VCF’s or check-offs, by checking
a box on their CA State Income Tax Return.
California law requires check-off contributions
to be made from taxpayers’ own resources
and not from their tax liability, as is possible on
federal tax returns. The bill was authorized by
Assembly member Reggie Jones-Sawyer.
Kim Sherman, Chamber Director of
Membership, Graduates from IOM
Institute for Organization Management, the
professional development program of the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is
pleased to announce that Kim Sherman,
IOM, Director of Membership, at the Irvine
Chamber of Commerce, has graduated from
the program and has received the recognition
of IOM. Awarded to all graduates of the Institute
program, the IOM Graduate Recognition
signifies the individual’s completion of 96 hours
of course instruction in nonprofit management.
In addition, participants can earn credit
hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive
(CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE)
certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend
Institute annually.
From the Desk of Mayor Steven S. Choi, Ph.D.
State of the City in 2015
I presented my third State of the City Address to the
community a few weeks ago. I begin my second term as
Irvine’s Mayor both excited and humbled. Excited, because
each day offers an opportunity. And humbled by the
responsibility that my City Council colleagues and I share, in
such a great city, as Irvine.
I would like to highlight some of the key points from my
Address as they relate to the business community.
Irvine is a major city, safe city and one of America’s best
run cities. That is both a tribute to our many community
partners and a challenge to keep the bar raised very, very
high. Together, we have turned dreams into building blocks
for economic growth. More than 200,000 jobs draw skilled
people from near and far.
A most important moment in 2014 can be summed up in one
name — Broadcom. Broadcom Corp. moved to Irvine in 1995
and has been leasing space at University Research Park near
UC Irvine. As with many major companies, Broadcom wanted
a home of its own. Any city in America would have embraced
this wonderful company, but Broadcom chose to stay in
Irvine. They purchased land near the Orange County Great
Park from FivePoint Communities. With accommodations
for two million square feet and as many as 8,000 employees,
Broadcom’s property will be the largest single campus built in
Irvine and remain one of the City’s largest employers.
for talented and enthusiastic entrepreneurs. That is the idea that
has become a reality here in Irvine. Together with our business
partners, we are creating a foundation that provides the natural
growth of technology in Irvine for years to come.
There are many other topics for 2015, among them: continuation
of the Irvine Mayor-Chamber Advisory Council on Business
which brings together the business community to share
their thoughts and ideas; my Mayor’s Education Forum; and
continued development in the Irvine Business Complex, from
its historic industrial layout to today’s live-work environment.
I invite you to log on to the City’s website at CityofIrvine.org
and click on my name to watch my complete State of the City
Address on ICTV or to view a copy of the written transcript.
Mark A. Hartsell, MBA
CEO/President
Phone: (949) 629-2520
Direct: (949) 759-8676
Mobile: (714) 697-3370
MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com
CEO Advisor, Inc.
23 Corporate Plaza Drive, Suite 150
Newport Beach, CA 92660
CEOAdvisor.com
As an anchor to many future businesses that will certainly
move into the Great Park Neighborhoods, Broadcom will
continue to be a vital corporate neighbor, a contributor to the
City and region, and a beautiful campus that we can all admire.
Now on to 2015. Many of you may know about my Irvine
Tech Valley initiative to support tech companies, from startup
onward. I am so happy the Irvine Company has embraced my
own vision of a technology center here in Irvine. The Vine
has just opened in University Research Center. Eight startup
companies are being supported in their vital beginning steps.
As I have advocated, youthful ecosystems often need a “step up”
IrvineChamber.com /15
Programs & Events/
Orange County’s Economic Outlook is
Strong, with a Few Caveats, Experts Say
CNN’s Christine Romans and UCI’s Andrew Policano speak to the
largest crowd in the Business Outlook Breakfast’s history
By Kelly St. John Regier
2015 is the year that your best
employees will ask for a raise —
and if you want to keep them, you
should give it to them.
That was one of the key messages that
CNN’s Christine Romans told the soldout crowd of executives and business
professionals at January’s 2015 Business
Outlook Breakfast.
“The quit rate, or what I call ‘Take this
job and shove it,’ is higher than I’ve
seen it in 10 years,” said Romans, CNN’s
chief business correspondent and a
keynote speaker at the Irvine Chamber
of Commerce’s most popular annual
event. “People have leverage again in
this job market.”
Citing data showing that 35% of
respondents planned to look for a
new job if they didn’t get a raise in
2015, Romans advised the business
community that falling unemployment
rates means their top performing
employees have other options.
She noted that — despite a busy news
week, which included a crippling snow
storm back east — her news segment
titled “Here’s why you should ask for
a raise in 2015” was the most heavily
trafficked story on CNN’s website.
“Hello, bosses. Your top talent needs to
be rewarded,” said Romans. “Maybe you
don’t like me for saying that, but that is
the truth.”
Prospects for job hunters have markedly
improved. Today, Romans noted, there
are just fewer than two unemployed
16 / Business Connection March/April 2015
people per job opening, a marked
difference from years where that rate
was five or six to one. “For the first time,
in a long time, you only have to beat
out one other person for a job,” she said.
The mood was largely upbeat at the
annual gathering of 800 top executives
and business professionals at the
Chamber’s Business Outlook Breakfast,
held on January 20 at Hotel Irvine in
partnership with the UC Irvine Paul
Merage School of Business. Attendance
was the highest it has ever been in the
29 years the Chamber has hosted its
signature event.
Emcee Steve Churm, vice president
of the OC Register’s parent company,
Freedom Communications, kicked off
the program by noting that 2015 is
the 50th anniversary of UC Irvine’s
founding. In honor of that golden
anniversary, UC Irvine’s mascot, Peter
the Anteater, was on hand to meet and
pose for photographs.
the title sponsor, echoed the positive
theme. “I’m optimistic,” he said.
“Businesses are hiring more people and
buying more equipment.”
UCI economist Andrew J. Policano,
former Dean of the Merage School and
current Academic Director of the Center
for Investment and Wealth Management
there, joined Romans as a speaker.
Policano launched into his presentation
by posing questions like “What’s up (or
down) with oil?,” “Will interest rates ever
rise?” and “Should I move to Texas?”
As for oil, said Policano, the dramatic
fall in oil prices from a height of $106
a barrel in July, 2014 to $50 in January
was caused by in part by increases in
production from Russia and the U.S.
shale oil supply. In November, OPEC
did not reduce its supply, choosing
to lose money in a move he called
‘predatory pricing’.
Policano predicts that oil will rise to
about $78 a barrel by 2016, he said.
“What are the effects? As soon as that
Churm also cited the region’s positive
price fell, everyone is saying income
economic outlook. “Outside the Silicon
has risen. Now you have more money
Valley, no other market is as robust as
Orange County in the state of California,” to spend, but it depends what you are
doing with it,” Policano said.
Churm said.
Irvine Chamber president/CEO Tallia
Hart set a light-hearted tone when,
during her welcoming remarks, she
used a “selfie stick” to photograph
herself and the audience from the
podium to post on social media.
Ben Alvarado, Southern California
Regional President of Wells Fargo,
“Thirty-three cents of every dollar spent
by consumers on oil goes to the cost
of imported oil, while just 17 cents of
every dollar spent on consumption
goes to imported goods,” Policano said,
making the case that on the whole,
lower oil prices help the U.S.
Left to right: Christine Romans; Ruigi Cui, Xi Yue; Andrew Policano, Ben Alvarado, Christine Romans, Tallia Hart, Steve Churm.
Photos by Frank Armstrong, frankarmstrongphotography.com
“There will be more demand for U.S.
goods if we simply spend the money
we used to spend on oil,” he noted.
That means that, while the domestic oil
industry is hurt, “It’s likely to be a net
positive for the U.S.”
Investors should note how emerging
markets are affected by oil prices. Net
oil exporters like Russia, Brazil and
Venezuela face challenges, he notes,
while net oil importers Turkey and
India benefit.
Policano reminded business owners to
stay innovative, and pointed out that of
the top 25 companies in the Fortune
500 in 1961, only six remain today. “You
don’t know where your next disruption
will come from,” he said.
On Social Security, Policano noted that
over the next 17 years, 100,000 new
Americans will turn 65 every day. He
asked the group if they had checked
their Social Security statements lately,
and asked them to visualize the dollar
amount it says they will receive upon
retirement. “Think of that number.
You’re not going to get it,” he said, as
the crowd broke into laughter.
Orange County’s unemployment
rate of 4.4 percent is below the state
average of 6.7 percent, and the fourth
lowest county in the state. Except
for manufacturing and mining, all
sectors are adding jobs, especially in
construction, professional and business
services, health care and leisure and
hospitality, he said. Employment will
likely rise 17.4 percent in the next
decade, he added.
But one of Orange County’s challenges
is affordable housing, as just 20 percent
of households in the county can
purchase a median priced home here.
“That’s not a good statement for us in
terms of growth,” said Policano. “We
need to work on that.”
Christine Romans, who anchors
Early Start with John Berman and is
the author of two books — How to
Speak Money and Smart is the New
Rich — answered Policano’s question
about whether it is time to move to
Texas with a quip about the crash
in oil prices. “When do you ever see
something lose half its value, literally
overnight?” she said. “That’s why you
shouldn’t move to Texas. There are
going to be some job losses there.”
Romans shared some telling anecdotes
she has gathered during her reporting.
A Chevy dealer in Hawthorn, N.J. told
her demand for SUVs, trucks and other
delivery vehicles is up sharply, a sign
that small businesses are moving more
product. “That shows me the economy
is stronger than we think,” she said.
Education, particularly in sciences,
technology, engineering and math,,
remains vital, she noted. She described
how liberal arts graduates in Manhattan
are spending $12,000 for a nine-week
course on computer coding to become
employable. Meanwhile, a North
Carolina tool and die company CEO
told Romans that he could hire as many
people as the public school system
could give him, but not enough have
the general background in math and
science needed for the job.
“He can’t find kids to do it, and these
are 17-year-olds who could be earning
60 grand while still in high school,” she
said. “That’s another challenge for the
American economy.”
During the question and answer period,
Romans and Policano were asked to
name the top few things that regional
businesses need to be mindful of in
2015. “Recognizing this changing nature
of who your customer is,” said Policano,
urging businesses to keep a pulse on
how customers like to shop. “Meet them
at any front they want.”
Policano also urged companies to use
their profits to reinvest in their business.
“We have so many firms that have so
much cash and are holding onto it. Think
about carefully reinvesting,” he said.
Both noted the importance of protecting
customers in cyberspace. Then Romans
mentioned the importance of leadership
for a diverse workforce ranging from
millennials to Baby Boomers.
“You really are going to need to keep
your top talent and develop your young
talent,” said Romans. “We’ve never had
this many different generations in the
workplace together at the same time.”
Kelly St. John Regier is a freelance writer
based in Foothill Ranch. She may be reached
at kellyst.john@hotmail.com.
IrvineChamber.com /17
Member Highlights/
Ambassador of the Month
Member of the Month
December
December
Al Solito
September
Digital Consultant
Advanced Office
Chamber Member since 2013
Why the Chamber?
As an Ambassador I have met more key
decision makers and business owners
in a much shorter period of time than I
would normally meet cold calling. Also
being Ambassador shows my commitment
to the business community in Irvine and
increases my knowledge of all aspects of
our community.
Account Executive
Eagle Print Dynamics
Chamber Member since 2010
Why the Chamber?
I love meeting new Chamber Members and
reviewing all the Chamber has to offer.
I invite them to attend various chamber
events that I think will be beneficial to
their business and I try to meet them at the
event so they know one person when they
come to the event.
Massis Chahbazian
September
Dixie Flynn
Owner
The Printer
Chamber Member since XXXX
Why the Chamber?
I have benefited from Chamber
membership over the past 25 years by
having visibility in the community, and
participating in many Chamber events
where I’ve made friends and created
valuable business relationships that have
lasted for years. Being a previous Board
member, I’ve built bonds that will last a
lifetime with fellow members.
Asst. Vice President/Sr. Relationship Banking
Union Bank
Chamber Member since XXXX
Why the Chamber?
Being a member of the Irvine Chamber
has provided me the opportunity to
meet and network with some of the most
amazing and dedicated professionals in
the community. I have established life-long
business and personal connections and for
that, I am grateful.
Tina Koo
Member Anniversaries
20+ years:
• Doctor’s Ambulance Service
• City National Bank
• Canon U.S.A., Inc
• Don Dressler Consulting
• Crean Lutheran High School
• Courtyard by Marriott, Irvine Airport
• Gelson’s Market
• El Pollo Loco Catering
• Fisher & Phillips LLP
• Goodwill Industries of Orange County
• Elephant Bar
• The Market Place
• Irvine Spectrum Center
• HSBC Bank USA
• Transportation Corridor Agencies
• Link, Murrel & Company
• Liquid Graphics Inc.
11 to 19 years:
• Orange County Register
• Mastro’s Steakhouse
• Bowermaster & Associates Insurance Agency
Inc.
• Pre-Banc Business Credit, Inc.
• Pacific Venture Club
• WINN Expo Solutions, Inc.
• Reveille, Inc.
• BrandingBusiness
5 to 10 years:
• Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary
• Brandman University
• 1st Enterprise Bank
• The Law Offices of Judith Slavin-Cosel
• Cancer Center of Irvine
• Alcon Manufacturing, LTD
• The Rodolff Law Firm, APC
• Churm Media-OC Register
• Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails
• TS Pharm Inc.
• Corner Bakery Cafe
• AOI College of Languages
• White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP
• Daily Grill
• California Southern University
Leads Group
Rainmaker Award
The Irvine
Chamber
Rainmaker Award
recognizes the
top Leads Group
individual each
quarter that
refers business
resulting in
“Closed Business
Kathy Lamm
Revenue.” It is
our pleasure to honor Kathy Lamm of The
Lamm Agency/Farmers Insurance as this
quarter’s Rainmaker!
ABOUT KATHY:
Consistency is key. I try to be consistent
in my networking, relationship building
and follow through. If I want my peers to
value me as a referral partner, then I need
to be dependable and consistently work to
build trust. The Irvine Chamber is a great
place to practice those skills and grow my
business through quality referrals.
ABOUT THE LAMM AGENCY:
The Lamm Agency is a full service
insurance and financial services agency
with Farmers Insurance. With over 25
years of experience, I work to protect
what matters most for both individuals
and small- to mid-size businesses
Leave Your IT Support to Us
Outsourced IT Services provided by Sharp Business Systems are tailored to
meet your needs, from a back-up/disaster recovery solution to a complete IT
and helpdesk package. We help companies control IT costs, focus on mission
critical projects and reduce potential network threats with services including:
• 24/7 Help Desk Services
• Server and Desktop Maintenance
• Backup and Disaster Recovery Services
• Network Device Management
• Server and Exchange Management
• Unlimited Remote Support
• Vendor Management
• Performance Optimization
• Virtual Environment Support
Call us today to learn more about our IT offerings!
Mark Meadows
714.501.4371
mark.meadows@sharpusa.com
© 2014 Sharp Electronics Corporation. All rights reserved.
Demea Metcalf Joins
the Chamber Staff
Demea Metcalf has been hired as the new
Director of Sales for Destination Irvine. Metcalf
will promote Irvine to domestic and international
markets as a preferred overnight destination
through a strategic program of sales initiatives that
will reach meeting planners and travel buyers.
Metcalf brings 13 years of experience in the
hospitality industry to the Irvine Chamber of
Commerce. Most recently, she served as a sales
manager at the Embassy Suites Irvine and Hilton
Irvine. Prior to this, she worked with the Hilton
Sales Worldwide National Team in Dallas for more
than seven years.
Metcalf has a bachelor of science in information
systems and has recently minted her master’s degree
in education from California Baptist University.
Demea Metcalf
IrvineChamber.com /19
Ribbon Cuttings/
Woodbridge Walk-In Urgent Care — 5th anniversary
4950 Barranca Pkwy, Suite 103 & 104, Irvine
Imperio Nissan of Irvine
32 Auto Center Dr.,Irvine
Brookdale Irvine
10 Marquette, Irvine
Norm Reeves Irvine Auto Center
16 Auto Center Dr., Irvine
Johnny’s Real NY Pizza
6721 Quail Hill Pkwy., Irvine
Action COACH of Orange County
1231 East Dyer Road, Suite 215, Santa Ana
Dr. Boyd’s Pet Resort & Veterinary Center
8645 Research Dr. Irvine
Amazing Lash Studio Crossroads
3800 Barranca Pkwy., Suite G
20 / Business Connection March/April 2015
Welcome New Members
Synectic
Telecommunications (all)
(949) 681-7098
Synectic.us
Imperio Nissan of Irvine
Automobile Dealers / Leasing
(949) 951-7575
ImperioNissan.com
Titan Pacific Group
Real Estate Consultants
(949) 331-4450
TitanPac.com
The Export Import Bank
of the United States
Wellness Choice Center
Government
Chiropractors
(949)660-0633
(714) 454-6227
Exim.gov
WellnessChoice.com
Calypso Apartments
& Lofts
Apartments
(866) 485-4915
LiveCalypso.com
Coldwell Banker
Campbell Realtors
Residential Real Estate
(714) 944-8733
BlanchardEstates.com
Got It Maid Cleaning
Services Inc.
Commercial Cleaning Services
(949) 929-7626
GotItMaid.info
Burntzilla (Coming Soon!)
Restaurants - Casual Dining
(949) 207-9799
Burntzilla.com
Shred Wise, Inc.
Document Destruction
(714) 282-7771
Shred-Wise.com
FastFrame Irvine
Picture Framing
(949) 474-4490
FastFrame.com
Bank of America
Banks
(949) 734-4945
BankofAmerica.com
Dr. Boyd’s Pet Resort
Pet Services
(949) 777-6551
DrBoyds.com
Los Angeles Printers
Printing / Copying
(760) 917-1641
LosAngelesPrinters.com
Klepp & Associates
Cloud Based Accounting
(949) 433-2460
OCQuickbooks.com
OC Medical Supply, Inc
Medical / Health Equipment
(949)825-7947
OCMedicalSupply.com
Orchard Supply
Hardware
Hardware/Garden Supply
(949) 552-5324
osh.com/
KCD / Kristin Cooper
Design
Graphic Design / Desktop
Publishing
(949) 922-7577
KristinCooperDesign.com
Aminian Business
Services
Business Solutions Software
(949) 407-5577
Aminian.com
Sentric – James G.
Johansen
Payroll Services
(714) 832-8009
JamesGjohansen.com
Pottick Law
Attorneys (All)
(714) 833-2192
PottickLaw.com
Epoch Universal Inc
Telecommunications (all)
(949) 333-5700
EpochUniversal.com
Proforma Element7
Promotional Clothing / Products
(949) 535-1889
Proforma.com/element7
Merrill Lynch,
Melissa Kenshalo
Financial Planners
(949) 202-5231
ml.com
If it matters to your business,
it matters to us.
California United Bank and 1st Enterprise Bank
are now one solid bank to provide even more
resources and expertise for your business.
Proud partner of
the Irvine Chamber of Commerce
Bold Array
Web Design/Development
(949) 330-6672
BoldArray.com
David Anduri
Consulting
Consulting
(949) 322-7801
Polverini, Kantzer &
Chyan LLC
Computers – Security
(609) 651-5558
pkcSecurity.com
Danni Remington
Senior Vice President
Irvine - Newport Office
(949) 271-3015
WWW.CUNB.COM
Sherwin-Williams
Paint Co.
Paint / Coatings
(949) 552-5631
Sherwin-Williams.com
Summit Funding, Inc.
Mortgage Loans / Lending
(714) 619-2116
SmithTeamMortgage.com
Cheri Ketner,
Surterre Properties
Residential Real Estate
(949) 233-7600
SurterreProperties.com
American Red Cross
Non Profit
(714) 481-5300
RedCross.org
Chocxo Bean to Bar
Chocolatier
Retail/ F ood / Hospitality
(949) 825-5781
Chocxo.com
IrvineChamber.com /21
The Leaders Circle Concept
Platinum Sponsor/
The Irvine Chamber of Commerce Leaders Circle designation
is reserved for a limited number of active chamber members
who take pride in being identified as sponsors for all chamber
events and activities conducted throughout the year. Special,
on-going recognition and additional benefits are received in
return for one all-inclusive subscription.
Gold Sponsors/
This concept offers the opportunity to gain an extensive measure
of participation and visibility in the business community. This is
accomplished by one all-inclusive annual, anniversary Leaders
Circle sponsorship billing. A special feature of this program is
the inclusion of sponsorships for activities, which are available
only to Leader’s Circle participants.
In addition to substantial recognition, Leaders Circle
sponsors receive special invitations, courtesy benefits and
complimentary tickets to specified events. An annual sponsor
profile, plus a monthly Leaders Circle roster advertisement,
are highlighted in the Business Connection. In addition,
sponsors are recognized in all programs and publications
associated with Chamber events. Leaders Circle sponsorships
are available to members in good standing only.
You are invited to become a Leaders Circle sponsor and to
interact with this distinguished group. Please contact Irvine
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tallia Hart for
additional information at (949) 502-4113.
Silver Sponsors/
Bronze Sponsors/
22 / Business Connection March/April 2015
Discover the stories that matter to you!
Enjoy your daily paper with Unlimited
Digital Access at the lowest rates of the year!
Plus, 7-day subscribers get access to sporting events, local attractions and
VIP experiences through our FREE membership program – Register Connect!
SAVE BIG & SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
JUST $2.99 A WEEK FOR 7-DAY DELIVERY
Call 1-866-READ-OCR
ask for “SAVEBIG”
Go to ocregister.com/go/savebig
1506
PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
Postmaster: Please deliver
between 10/29 and 11/3
PAID
Santa Ana, CA
Permit No. 825
2485 McCabe Way
Suite 105
Irvine CA 92614
IrvineChamber.com
Our MBA students
go on to bigger and better gigs.
A Concordia MBA degree can help you get ahead more quickly.
Whether you want to advance in your current career or start
a new venture, you’ll gain the skills to succeed in any field—
even one as competitive as entertainment.
Offering one of the most distinctive MBA programs in
California, Concordia University Irvine is here to help you
develop your gifts and equip you for your career path,
wherever it leads.
Business Practice-Focused
Affordable
Design Your Own MBA
Faculty of Professionals
Convenient Evening Courses
Develop your gifts by enrolling in the Concordia MBA Program.
Join us at our MBA INFO SESSION | April 16
Next Session Starts on May 4
Henry Alonzo, MBA ’09
President, Adarga Entertainment Group
Entertainment Entrepreneur
Concordia University Irvine MBA graduate
Go to www.cui.edu/mba to see Henry’s story.
Call 800-229-1200 or visit www.cui.edu/mba for registration information.
Concordia MBA. Fostering emerging talent.