(May 9, 2003) - One of the annual highlights of the California Chamber’s Business Legislative Summit is the presentation of awards to individuals and organizations promoting government policies that foster business growth and job creation.
This year’s summit honored six individual small business advocates, and recognized local chambers of commerce for their support of pro-business advocacy, and their promotion of compliance products. Winners were presented their awards at a luncheon before almost 600 attendees at the California Chamber’s Business Legislative Summit in Sacramento.
Small Business Advocates
The Chamber recognized six small business owners with the 2003 Small Business Advocate of the Year award. The honorees were recognized for their advocacy efforts on behalf of small businesses and their local business community.
The 2003 Small Business Advocate of the Year winners are:
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| From Left: Thomas Larmore of Santa Monica, Jack Macy of Santa Rosa, Ron May of Stockton, Gina McBride of Carlsbad and Jerome Say of Torrance. Not present was Charles Woo of Los Angeles. A task force of the Chamber Small Business Committee, chaired by John Neal (right), selected the award winners. |
“Small
'Small business growth is crucial to California’s jobs climate,” said Allan Zaremberg, president, California Chamber of Commerce. “All of the small business advocate winners have demonstrated leadership abilities not only in running their own business, which is a major accomplishment, but also in working to promote policies that will help other small businesses thrive.”
The honorees were nominated by local chambers and selected by a task force made up of members of the California Chamber’s Small Business Committee.
Advocacy Chambers of the Year
The Advocacy Chamber of the Year Award is new in 2003. This award goes to local chamber(s) that represent and protect the interests of their members, communicate effectively with their members, legislators and community, and have a responsive grassroots network in place capable of acting quickly on policy issues and legislation having an impact on the business community.
The 2003 Advocacy Chamber of the Year winners are:
From Left:
The Long Beach Area Chamber, Randy Gordon;
The San Rafael Chamber, Elissa Giambastiani.
Award Presented by Chamber President Allan Zaremberg
Business Resource and Compliance Partner of the Year
This award is also new, and recognizes a local chamber of commerce that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in working with the California Chamber to inform its membership of new laws coming out of Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Compliance with government mandates and regulations on human resources issues and all others is crucial to the successful operation of a business, particularly in California, because the consequences of non-compliance can be so extreme.
The first recipient of the Business Resource and Compliance Partner of the Year Award is the Napa Chamber, accepted by Kate King. Presented by Chamber Vice President Dave Kilby.
Local Chambers Contributing to ChamberPAC
The first eight local chambers of commerce to contribute to ChamberPAC, the California Chamber’s candidate political action committee, also were recognized at the summit.
First to answer the California Chamber call for contributions to use strategically in electing pro-business legislative candidates were:
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| From Right: California Chamber Chair Raymond W. Holdsworth and Cassandra Pye, California Chamber vice president of corporate affairs and political director; Zoe Taylor, Ventura Chamber; Elissa Giambastiani, San Rafael Chamber; Ken Oplinger, Visalia Chamber; Mark Essman, Fairfield-Suisun Chamber; Glenn Bishop, Redondo Beach Chamber; Vicki Murphy, Orange Chamber; Barbara deBoom, Orange Chamber; Randy Gordon, Long Beach Area Chamber; and Jim Baldwin, Greater Bakersfield Chamber. |
Contributions in any amount are welcome. To contribute online, Click Here.
Staff Contact: Dave Kilby