(August 1, 2008) Last year, Frank De Smidt of Milpitas generated 11,255 of the letters of concern to state leaders regarding legislation that would negatively affect California business.
De Smidt, a recipient of the California Chamber of Commerce 2008 Small Business Advocate of the Year Award, has led efforts for a healthy business climate at the local, regional and statewide levels for years.
De Smidt “embodies the spirit of a small business advocate,” said CalChamber Grassroots Coordinator Cathy Mesch. “His example . . . has set a standard that should challenge others statewide.”
Active in Business
In April 1970, while in his 20s, De Smidt opened his first Straw Hat Pizza after his brother’s friends kept telling him “how much money those places made.” A few months later, he signed up as a member of his local chamber.
“People came in the store and said ‘you should get involved in the chamber,’” De Smidt said. So he jumped right in and began advocating for more local jobs and expanding the business community.
In 1972, he accepted the president’s gavel at the chamber and in 1973 opened his second Milpitas Straw Hat Pizza.
“This was an extremely busy year for Frank,” said Gaye Morando, executive director of the Milpitas Chamber. “You couldn’t find a more dedicated leader in the community.”
De Smidt later dabbled in FM radio as the president and general manager of Los Altos Broadcasting Inc., operating the fusion jazz station KPEN 97.7 FM from 1978 to 1982.
“That was a hectic business,” he said. “You’ve got these on-air guys, you gotta deal with the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] and the public too.
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You have to have an attorney on retainer in this business.” The radio program also dedicated time to interviewing local leaders.
Advocacy
In addition to the pizza and radio business, De Smidt became deeply involved in local government matters in the 1970s. He tracked state legislation for the chamber newsletter, in which he wrote a monthly government affairs report. The newsletter and report, which are still produced, cover local, state and federal policies that could affect business.
By the early to mid 1990s, he had sold his two pizza restaurants and began focusing more on governmental affairs.
“After he sold his two businesses, he actually had more time to devote to his passion of tracking legislation for the chamber,” Morando said.
De Smidt’s policy-related activities now include:
participating on numerous task forces such as those dealing with parking and the sign ordinance;
attending all city council, planning commission and transportation meetings;
participating with the Chambers of Commerce Coalition of Santa Clara County;
serving as the chamber’s representative on the Milpitas Economic Development Commission for five years;
participating in the weekly legislation phone call with the CalChamber.
De Smidt helps advise the Milpitas City Council on housing, employment, commercial and industrial development through the Economic Development Commission. For the Milpitas Parking Task Force, he helps review the city’s parking ordinance and current practices for revisions sought by residents, customers, business owners and the city.
He also is a member and past president of the local Rotary Club.
State Issues
Recently, De Smidt assisted the CalChamber’s effort to oppose AB 2279 (Leno; D-San Francisco), a “job killer” bill that prohibits employers from refusing to hire applicants or fire current workers who use medical marijuana.
“That would really put the employer in a precarious position,” De Smidt said. “If someone comes in to work and they are stoned and [they] are hurt, you have a workers’ comp situation.”
So he began sending letters to legislators.
On this and other legislation, De Smidt uses the tools at the CalChamber’s grassroots website, www.calchambervotes.com, to, on average, send out seven or eight e-mails at a time that “might get forwarded.”
Serving Community
Getting involved in the community to improve the local economy, and the state as a whole, is what motivates him.
“The chamber serves the community,” he said.
His dedication to serving the community and anybody around him has prompted some of his peers to call him the “walking dictionary.”
“People ask what’s going on and I usually know because I read a lot,” he said. “I attend all of the [city council/planning commission] meetings.”
De Smidt is hoping that his participation eventually leads to more involvement from other chambers.
“The legislators need to hear from these people, and they also need to get out and support good candidates to replace some of these anti-business candidates,” he said.