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Contra Costa Council News
The Contra Costa Council is a public policy advocacy organization
that promotes the economic vitality of Contra Costa County and the region.

1355 Willow Way, Suite 253, Concord CA 94520 / phone 925-246-1880 / www.contracostacouncil.com

  May 2008
In This Issue
Corporate social responsibility event: Forging effective partnerships between nonprofits, business and government . . . Keynoter Kellie McElhaney challenges corporations to communicate their "great stories" . . . Panel offers insight into the County's nonprofit/business connection
CEO Viewpoint: County Board of Supervisors tackles OPEB liability . . . Kudos for first steps in resolving debt issue
Advocacy Action: Praise for Supervisors' initial actions on OPEB debt . . . More work needed on Delta workplan . . . Support for AB 2127
Other Events & Briefings: County Science and Engineering Fair inspires young scientists like Cici Chen . . . Phil Tagami honored at Oakland reception in April
Task Force Briefings: Updates on Council Task Force activities . . . May and June meetings schedule
Task Force Spotlight: Creating a stronger voice for the small-business community in effecting policy change . . . Small Business & Entrepreneur Task Force provides knowledgeable speakers, valuable resources, and takes a thoughtful approach to policy reform
Corporate Member Spotlight: Wells Fargo . . . A partnership with the Bay Area since opening its first office here in 1852
Welcome, New Members . . . Nine new members join the Council
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Upcoming Events
Eighth Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon

Fri., May 9
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Hilton Concord Hotel

1970 Diamond Blvd.
Concord

Register here . . .

Honoring award-winning small- business owners selected by the Chambers of Commerce throughout Contra Costa County.

Keynote address: David Gill, CEO, Ethix Biz.Com, noted author and educator

Master of Ceremonies: Mark Quinn, Regional Diector, Small Business Administration

Presented by the Contra Costa Council in conjunction with Contra Costa Newspapers and East Bay Business Times.

* * * * * *

Sponsored by
AMERITAC, Inc., Club Sport San Ramon and Oakwood Athletic Club and the Workforce Development Board

Also sponsored by Comcast, Contra Costa Small Business Development Center, First Republic Bank, Kelly & Associates, LLP and Musacchio, Montanari & Lucia, PC, and by InConcert Financial Group

* * * * * *

Members and elected officials: $45; nonmembers: $55

Reservations and payment required by May 6

Questions? Contact Suzanne Schoenfeld at 925-246-1880.

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Annual Contra Costa Council
Installation Dinner

Wed., June 4

Please check our website for further details.

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Annual Contra Costa Council Golf Tournament


Wed., August 20

Please check our website for further details.
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 Questions?

For information about any Contra Costa Council event, please contact Suzanne Schoenfeld at 925-246-1880.

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News & Comment
Kellie McElhaney 1
Corporate social responsibility event: Forging effective partnerships between nonprofits, business and government



The power to create change, a need for more effective  communication and the importance of a "values fit" in business and nonprofit partnerships were just three of the multiple themes that keynoter Kellie McElhaney (pictured, above) shared with the large audience attending the April 24 Contra Costa Council event, "Building Partnerships for Social Responsibility." Upwards of 180 people gathered for the early morning program at the Round Hill Country Club in San Ramon, which was organized by the Council's Nonprofit/Business Task Force, and also featured a panel,  moderated by District IV Supervisor Susan Bonilla, which  included members of both the business and nonprofit communities.

Featured speaker Kellie McElhaney, Ph.D., is Executive Director and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Center for Responsible Business at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. At Haas since 2002, McElhaney is a John C. Whitehead Distinguished Faculty Fellow in Corporate Responsibility and a highly regarded consultant to the business community, including Ford Motor Company, The Gap, HP, Intel, McDonalds, Nokia and Skyy Vodka. She is also currently writing a book, titled Just Good Business.

The speaker challenged the idea that people expect companies to operate in society's best interest, noting that the public's perception of corporations' performance has continually plummeted. The reality is that companies are not effectively communicating their corporate responsibility work, and public perception could be changed if they communicated better, she said.

Marketing to the mellennials

McElhaney pointed out the importance of the market segment comprising mellennials (or Generation Y), aged 8 to 24, who "really feel the pain in the world and have seen a significant amount of tragedy. This generation believes that things are bad and they have the power to create change." This age group is going to mobilize forces and make the world a better place, so a corporation's corporate social responsibility work is very important in its recruiting efforts.

Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, gives companies a great story to tell, she said, noting that the definition of CSR is a business strategy that is integrated with core business objectives and core competencies to create financial and social/environmental returns, and is embedded in corporate culture and day-to-day business operations.

CSR is not about how you spend the money you make. It's about how you make the money you spend, she asserted. It can be a powerful business strategy, which gives hope to employees, consumers and even countries.

McElhaney offered several examples of business/nonprofit partnerships that are highly effective, including a partnership between Whirlpool and Habitat for Humanity and the partnering of the Dove Self-Esteem Fund and the Girl Scouts.

Emphasizing the importance of a "values fit" to forge effective partnerships, she cited the case of Dr. Steven Phillips, Medical Director for Global Issues and Projects, Exxon Mobil Corporation, who studies infectious diseases. His mission is to use the power of business to change the world, she said.

Panel discussion: A view from businesses and nonprofits

District IV Supervisor Susan Bonilla introduced the panel following McElhaney's presentation. "We know that government can't do its job without viable partnerships with the business community and nonprofits," she said. Government is charged by federal and state mandates to assist those who would otherwise go into desperation. The questions are, how can we use government funding, along with community-based organizations, to fulfill this mission? Where are the gaps and how can we fill them? This task is becoming more and more difficult in terms of budget, "but the needs of people aren't going to go away."

Nicole Taylor of the East Bay Community Foundation said the foundation was formed to bridge the corporate and nonprofit divide. Offering a competitive grant-making cycle, the foundation has been reorganized to serve other donors and companies. Taylor said the foundation has the capability to help companies determine which nonprofits they should partner with, and can provide information about where dollars are going and what impact nonprofits are having in the community.

Rod Mickels of InVision Communications, whose company offers event and media production to corporate and nonprofit clients, and who sits on the leadership council of The Wellness Community, said, "We are in the community and it's important that we give back. It's not always about money; it's also about time."

Mike Hannigan
, CEO of Give Something Back, said his company, which he founded 15 years ago with Sean Marx, was modeled after Newman's Own. An excellent example of the fourth sector economy, this Northern California office supply business gives over half of its profits to local nonprofits, with the balance reinvested in the business. This contribution is nearly 70 times the national corporate average contribution to community causes, according to Hannigan.

"We are a giant bake sale for the nonprofit community," he said. "We have the understanding that wealth is created in the marketplace . . . we basically use the business as a tool to create value . . . The beneficiaries of our bottom line are the nonprofits that are chosen by our customers."

The fourth panelist, Tim Butturini, Wells Fargo regional president, said that Wells Fargo has a "very tight,  strategic direction" in its philanthropy, which Tim Silva, a member of the Council's Nonprofit/Business Task Force, helps keep alive. This strategy is based on three concepts--financial capital, human capital (team members who are active in the community) and social capital, which includes Wells Fargo employees who serve on nonprofit boards.

The Council thanks sponsors Wells Fargo, Cal State East Bay, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Diablo Valley College & Foundation, East Bay Business Times, KKDV, Mt. Diablo Region YMCA; Brighter Beginnings, California Symphony, Comcast, Contra Costa Child Care Council, Contra Costa County Redevelopment Agency, John F. Kennedy University, John Muir Health, John Muir Health Foundation, Morgan Miller Blair, PG&E, Save Mount Diablo, Shell Martinez Refinery, United Way Bay Area, We Care Services for Children and Youth Homes.
CEO Viewpoint
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County Board of Supervisors tackles OPEB liability

by Linda Best, President and CEO, Contra Costa Council

As noted in last year's report, Managing Public Sector Retiree Health Care Costs in Contra Costa County, issued by the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, this County has one of the largest unfunded liabilities for retiree health care in the State, totaling $2.6 billion as of last year. The report noted that if the County continued its pay-as-you-go practice, it could face a tripling of its annual retiree health care payments over the next 10 years, crippling its budget.

With a limited amount of discretionary dollars in the General Fund, the County faces the unhappy prospect of balancing the need to fund the liability with continuing to provide critical services to the County's most vulnerable populations. In fact, services were cut last year and this year's budget will see more. This is exacerbated by declining revenues in our troubled economy and by the likelihood of cuts from the State in its attempts to balance its budget.

In recent months, the County has begun to tackle this difficult challenge. The Contra Costa Council has urged the Board of Supervisors to follow the recommendations in the Economic Partnership report. Council recommendations (in bold face) and recent Board actions are described here.

  • Set a funding target. The County has set a target of 40% of the total liability. We do not believe this is an adequate target. Ultimately, in order to maintain fiscal health and a good credit rating, a target more consistent with pension plans will be necessary. But this is a good first step.
  • Set up a trust fund to generate investment income. The County has taken this step and is expected to fund it with $20 million in the 2008-09 budget. Additional funding is anticipated in coming years, as other debt obligations are retired.
  • Adopt cost containment strategies to cap future liability. The Board of Supervisors is expected to take action in May to cap its health care premium subsidy for unrepresented employees and retirees, and set up a two-tier system for new unrepresented hires. At the same time, the County will work to redesign health care plans to deliver the maximum benefit for the cost.

These actions alone will result in reducing the liability by almost $1 billion. There is still a long way to go, but these are very positive first steps.

The real challenge will come in extending these actions during negotiations with union-represented employees in the coming months. We urge the members of the Board to stay the course in order to achieve fiscal health and avoid further cuts in critical services.

Advocacy Action

Praise for Supervisors' actions on OPEB debt

In an April 18 letter to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, Council President and CEO Linda Best commended the Board's actions on April 15 to make health care changes for unrepresented employees; these actions are part of the Board's response to pay down the County's Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) debt. "While these are difficult decisions, they are critical to your efforts to gain fiscal stability and retain the ability to deliver critically needed services," wrote Best. "As we noted in our OPEB report last year, it is imperative to begin to fund the liability for retiree health care and to cap ongoing health care benefit costs. You have taken the step of establishing a trust fund and have committed some initial funds to that trust fund. This latest action begins to cap the County's future liability.

"This is but a first step, and the next few months will be difficult as you begin to negotiate with represented employees," she said. "We urge you to maintain your resolve to cap costs with these employees as well. Only with such concessions can you maintain your ability to provide essential services." (Also see "CEO Viewpoint," above.)

Council urges clearinghouse approach to Delta Strategic Workplan

In an April 28 letter to the State Water Resources Board, the Contra Costa Council called the dramatic decline of fish species and populations in the Delta "the biggest water issue facing the state." The letter reiterated the Delta Vision Statement of Principles, adopted by the Council Board of Directors, and the importance of addressing the Bay-Delta crisis in a comprehensive way. (The Statement of Principles is based on the analysis and recommendation of the Council's Delta Vision Committee, which is co-chaired by Bob Whitley of Whitley, Burchett & Associates, and Ann Spaulding, Consultant.)

"Development of a Strategic Workplan must be based on the premise that state agencies have a public trust to protect the Delta, especially water quality for habitat and drinking water," wrote Council President and CEO Linda Best. "The Water Board has broad state authority to adopt policies, issue permits and to enforce penalties onto water users and dischargers into the Delta. However, a regulatory framework that better integrates state agency programs is badly needed, especially as evidence continues to mount that the ecosystem is in a state of serious decline."

The letter also urged the following actions by the State Water Board:

  • Develop a Workplan that takes a broad and comprehensive view of what is required to protect the Delta; do not be restricted by existing jurisdictional issues
  • Develop a regulatory framework that recognizes the seasonal variability that will assure continuous flows to the west and into the Bay.
  • Encourage efforts to develop new supplies of water, including desalinization, recycled water, and additional groundwater and surface storage.
  • Encourage regional approaches and regional self-sufficiency, but recognize that water rights in areas of origin affect deliveries and need to be addressed.
  • Require agricultural users to make comparable efforts toward conservation as other users.
  • Recognize that conservation efforts by urban water agencies have varied widely across the state; consider prior commitment, investment and achievements of leading agencies in determining new reduction requirements.
  • Incorporate aggressive levels of conservation to ensure those instream flow requirements that have been carefully crafted for specific riparian and aquatic habitat goals.
  • Allocate funds in a timely manner from Prop 84 and 1E for emergency response plans and for strengthening strategic Delta levees.

Noting multiple ongoing efforts to address the Delta crisis, Best asked: "Where is the clearinghouse to assure that these plans are integrated into one plan to develop a comprehensive solution that will protect the quality and environmental integrity of the Delta Region? We encourage your Board to be proactive and engaged in these Delta strategies and to ensure that the co-equal values of water quality and ecosystem health are part of any solution."

Support for AB 2127 (Benoit) Employment: Alternative Workweek Schedules--Small Business Family Scheduling Option

The Contra Costa Council Board is urging support of AB 2127, as recommended by the Council's Small Business Task Force. This bill allows small business employees and employers flexibility in work schedules to help accommodate employees' diverse family obligations, personal pursuits, commuting issues and environmental concerns.

"There are numerous benefits to employees of the Small Business Family Scheduling Option,  including satisfying an employee's demands for a flexible schedule, reducing traffic and frequency of long commutes at peak hours, reducing carbon emissions with fewer trips to the workplace and the personal health benefits of a flexible schedule," wrote Council President and CEO Linda Best in a letter to Assembly members.

"We feel that AB 2127 is beneficial to both the employer and the employee, and therefore we would urge passage of AB 2127."

Other Events & Briefings
Cici Chen and her teacher Karen Kelly

Science and Engineering Fair inspires students to follow careers in science--and make discoveries!

Contra Costa Economic Partnership helps coordinate and support annual fair

Students like Clayton Valley High School eleventh grader Junzing (Cici) Chen make science teachers happy they chose to teach high school science. They also make industry partners glad they supported the third annual Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair.

With the help of biology teacher Karen Kelly (pictured with Cici at above, right), mentor Crystal Wright of the Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek and her mother, Sophia Huang, Cici Chen earned top honors at the recent fair for a project that demonstrates how to create ethanol fuel from wood. "With a high demand for energy alternatives, this project is not only timely, but world class," said teacher Kelly.

For her project, titled "From Biomass to Ethanol: Using Transformed Yeast Saccharomyces cerevislae for Cellulose Degradation and Ethanol Fermentation," Cici collected white rot fungi from fallen logs in Tilden Park, extracted the DNA from the fungi, utilized the databases at the Joint Genome Institute to find the genes in white rot that allow it to break down cellulose; cut out and amplified (made more of) three cellulase genes; and inserted the cellulase genes into the genome of the yeast, enabling the yeast to directly convert cellulose to sugar, and the sugar to alcohol. Best of all, it works!

Cici shared Grand Award honors with Matt Godkin, a tenth grader at De La Salle High School in Concord, whose project was titled "The Piezoelectric Floor." Junior Grand Award winners were Jacqueline Peterson, an eighth grader at Holy Rosary School in Antioch  ("Can Plants Adapt to Water Pollution?") and Alexandra Lamoureux, an eighth grader at North Creek Academy in Walnut Creek ("Which Design is Strongest?"). Cici and Matt will represent the County at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, May 11-16 in Atlanta, Georgia, accompanied by their teachers.

Each year since 2006, Contra Costa businesses have joined with K-12 educators to establish this Intel-affiliated science and engineering fair in Contra Costa County. The most recent fair, held April 3, 4 and 5 at Heald College & Conference Center, drew 109 students from grades 7-12 at 11 schools. Students entered 90 projects in six categories: Biological Science, Behavior/Social Science; Environmental Science, Engineering, Physical Science and Mathematics/Computer Science.

Cici's teacher Karen Kelly, who also serves as education outreach coordinator for the Joint Genome Institute, co-chaired this year's event with April Treece, project director of the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, and Co-Chair of the Contra Costa Council's Workforce Development and Education Task Force, in addition to chairing the Mt. Diablo Board of Education.

"The fair encourages middle and high school teachers to assist their students in pursuing their awakening interest in science and engineering, and it stimulates interest and enthusiasm about science," says Treece. "Our hope is that the fair will inspire young scientists and engineers to pursue careers in science, and at the same time educate the public about the importance of science in our daily lives."

In addition to providing sponsorship dollars, industry representatives serve as project judges; Patty Deutsche of Dow Chemical recruited 81 judges from local industry. Major sponsors of the fair include Bio-Rad Laboratories, Chevron, The Dow Chemical Company, John Muir Health, Heald College, Joint Genome Institute and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Other sponsors are the City of Concord, Science Buddies, Eichleay Engineers, Graunstadt Engineers, Delta Scrap & Salvage, Kaiser Permanente and Delta Diablo Sanitation District.

(For more information about the fair, see http://cceconptnr.org/ScienceFair/index.htm.)

Reception for Phil Tagami on April 17 . . . The Contra Costa Council, East Bay EDA and the Tri-Valley Business Council co-presented a reception for Phil Tagami, who was recently appointed by the California State Senate to the California Transportation Commission. The evening event was held at the Rotunda Building, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, on April 17. Co-hosts were AC Transit, Bell Rosenberg & Hughes LLP, Gray-Bowen & Company, Kleinfelder, Mark Thomas & Company Inc., Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, LLP, Treadwell & Rollo and VSCE Inc.

Task Force Briefings

Upcoming briefings

New and prospective Council members are welcome to attend Task Force meetings. Please notify a Task Force chair prior to the meeting to confirm time and location.

Here is a list of upcoming briefings, as currently scheduled:

Health Care Task Force . . . Thurs., May 1, 9 to 10:30 a.m. . . . Pittsburg Health Center, 3211 Loveridge Rd., Pittsburg. Short business meeting followed by discussion/tour of the Health Center. Discussion centered around the Health Services budget reduction and a  proposal from the Health Services Director to the Board of Supervisors regarding contracting out some services at the Regional Medical Center; also discussed a proposal from Supervisor John Gioia to create a "Health Authority" for the County Medical Center and Health Centers. Ongoing work on policy paper.(Next meeting is Thurs., June 5, at Morgan Miller Blair, 1331 N. California Blvd., Suit 200, Walnut Creek.) Contacts: Ron Wetter and Frank Puglisi, Jr.

Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force . . . Tues., May 6, 8 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 300, Walnut Creek. Special meeting, co-sponsored with the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, featuring Jack Broadbent, Executive Officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, discussing the BAAQMD's proposed carbon tax to fund its climate protection program. Holding ongoing discussions about developing a position on AB 32; in contact with Transportation and Land Use Task Forces on this issue. Ongoing work on policy paper. (Next meeting is Fri., June 6, 8:15 a.m.; Bruce Wolf to discuss the Regional Stormwater Permit. Contacts: Peter McGaw and George Smith

Transportation Task Force . . . Tues., May 6, 8 to 9:30 a.m. . . . PMI Building, 3003 Oak Road, Walnut Creek. Keith R. Freitas, Director of Airports, Contra Costa County, providing  an update on activities at the Buchanan Field Airport and the Byron Airport. (Also holding ongoing discussions regarding the potential of public/private partnership solutions for the Vasco Road corridor.) (Next meeting is Tues., June 3.) Contacts: Hank Haugse and Terry Bowen

Land Use Task Force . . . Wed., May 7, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . Morrison & Foerster, 101 Ygnacio Valley Rd. (opposite Walnut Creek BART). Task Force has recommended support of Measure AA to the Executive Committee; also working on policy paper. (Next meeting is Wed., June 11.) Contacts: Dan Muller and Mike McGill

Small Business Task Force. . . Fri., May 9, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. . . . Concord Hilton, 1970 Diamond Blvd., Concord. Presenting the 8th Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon, in conjunction with Contra Costa Newspapers and the East Bay Business Times. Honoring award-winning small business owners selected by the Chambers of Commerce throughout Contra Costa County. Keynote by David Gill, CEO, Ethix Biz.Com.; Master of Ceremonies: Mark Quinn, Regional Diector, Small Business Administration. Also continuing work on policy paper; developing one-page handout featuring simple facts to guide your business to success. (Next meeting is Tues., June 24.) Contacts: Stuart Bolinger and Zachary Sahar

Workforce Development & Education Task Force . . . Thurs., May 15, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . JFK University, 100 Ellinwood, Conference Room S209, Pleasant Hill. Continuing discussion about the impact of the state budget crisis on public schools, the policy paper and joint discussion with the Economic Development Task Force on the impact of higher education on Contra Costa's economy. (April meeting focused on a presentation of the Work Ready Essential Skills and WorkKeys assessment process by Judy Watkins of the Workplace Learning Resource Center, Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, which is partnering with the WIB to pilot this program with 350 job seekers in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, including a high school in Pleasanton. Dr. Joe Ovick addressed the  impact of the state budget crisis on students in Contra Costa County: the Governor's May revise is crucial to education and the state's future.) (Next meeting is Thurs., June 19.) Contacts: April Treece and Keith Archuleta

Water Task Force . . . Tues., May 20, 8:15 to 10 a.m. . . . Morrison & Foerster, 101 Ygnacio Valley Rd. (opposite Walnut Creek BART). Greg Gartrell and Marguerite Naillon of the Contra Costa County Water District and Karla Nemeth of Zone 7 provide an update on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. Also, Task Force Co-chair Bob Whitley and Council CEO Linda Best will meet with Congressman George Miller and Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher regarding the Delta. (Next meeting is Tues., June 17.) Contacts: Ann Spaulding and Bob Whitley

Economic Development Task Force . . . Wed., May 28, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . City National Bank, 2100 No. Main St., Suite 200, Walnut Creek. The Task Force is looking at the economic impact of the resident institutions of higher education in the County, needed education/training for emerging businesses, stakeholder involvement and data collection to facilitate planning. Also working on its policy paper. (Next meeting is Wed., June 25.) Contacts: Gary Craft and Mike Conlon

Nonprofit/Business Task Force . . . There will be no meeting of the full task force in May due to the highly successful breakfast forum on April 24 (see "News and Comment," this issue). The Policy Sub-committee has developed "talking points" and is scheduling individual meetings with Board of Supervisors members to discuss needed budget cuts and opportunities; also working on policy paper. (The next meeting is Thurs., June 26, at Chapman University, 2950 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill.) Contacts: Mike Erwin, Mark Hughes and Terry Shoaff

Task Force Spotlight
Small Business Task Force S Bolinger and Z Sahar

Small Business & Entrepreneur Task
Force: Creating a stronger voice for small business in effecting public policy change

While Stuart (Stu) Bolinger and Zachary (Zak) Sahar may have different business backgrounds, they share the same goals in their work on the Contra Costa Council's Small Business & Entrepreneur Task Force. In providing a forum for small-business people to play a role in developing public policy, this Council unit seeks to achieve a clearer understanding of the issues facing small business and serves as a resource for this important business segment of Contra Costa County.

A CPA with business process improvement background, Zak Sahar (pictured above, at right) is the principal of the CPA firm of Capital Tax & Accounting in Walnut Creek and has worked in the accounting field for 15 years. He had been a member of the Council for about two years when he was recruited as co-chair of the Task Force last June by former co-chair Jim Brandt, when Brandt assumed the VP Events role on the Council Executive Board.

"I really liked the idea of getting involved in the Task Force and contribute to an area that I enjoy, namely small business. Our firm predominantly works with small businesses," says Sahar. "The Task Force is focused on prioritizing the needs of small business, and identifying resources that could assist small businesses in reaching their goals."

"I enjoy problem solving and working with people," says Stu Bolinger (above, at left), principal of Bolinger Associates, a management consulting firm providing managerial services to CEOs and entrepreneurial business owners. He has been a Council member for 12 years, four of those years as co-chair of the Small Business Task Force.

Bolinger held management positions in large corporations (Procter & Gamble, Abbott Laboratories, Coopers& Lybrand, etc.) for the first half of his career, and his experience in managing the assimilation of recently acquired companies convinced him to make a career change into the entrepreneurial business sector. Focusing his work with founders, owners and principal investors of entrepreneurial firms, Bolinger achieved the turnaround and sale of a lab instrument company, the co-founding of a biotech firm, and the rapid growth of an environmental services start-up, which expanded into the European market. On returning to the U.S. in 1997, he started Bolinger Associates.

Speakers, resources and policy issues

"A major objective of the Task Force is to provide information on resources to small businesses and start-ups as they relate to their critical functions: finance/accounting, operations excellence, and marketing strategies," explains Sahar. "The Task Force accomplishes this by providing knowledgeable guest speakers, organizing events and  pointing small businesses to the appropriate resources." Recent speakers at the Task Force's monthly meetings (held every fourth Tuesday) have included representatives of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Contra Costa County Sanitary District, Comcast, the Small Business Administration and small-business consultants.

The policy issues regarding strong area-wide economic vitality, workforce development and education, and health care are of vital interest to the small-business community and its employees, says Bolinger. "Our Task Force works closely with other Council Task Forces to provide support and perspective and to improve the attention, resources and focus that these key areas of our government and community need to provide. Unfortunately, most small business owners and operators tell us that it is very difficult to get the right people with the right kind of skills for today's needs. A fundamental business structure/tax problem is that small businesses often can't pay as much or provide the health care benefits that larger companies can." "We try and bring these issues to the surface and point people to the right resources to help them," adds Sahar.

Raising the flag

Members of the Task Force include a range of small-business people and several representatives from offices of the County's elected officials. They monitor what is occurring on the legislative front so the Task Force can make recommendations to the Council's Executive Board to support legislation or "raise the flag" when necessary. "We need to be there to say, 'this is where we stand,'" says Bolinger. "We also need to take on the issues that are not so popular and not so conspicuous to a lot of businesses, and publicize them."

In 2005, a letter of support from the Council to Assemblywoman Ellen Tauscher and Senator Dianne Feinstein played a role in restoring full funding for the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a project that "offered huge scientific value for advancing research . . . and for exploring basic science issues, such as materials science and astrophysics," in addition to affecting the jobs of many Contra Costa and Alameda county residents.

The Task Force has also recommended support of legislation to provide additional funding for Small Business Development Centers and assisted small businesses with compliance issues. In addition, it has joined with the California Chamber of Commerce to provide credit for small businesses under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows the purchase of insurance benefits with before-tax dollars, resulting in tax savings for employers and employees.

Recognizing the contributions of small business

Again this year, the Task Force is spearheading the Council's Ninth Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon on Friday, May 9, which honors outstanding small businesses nominated by the County's local chambers of commerce (see "Upcoming Events"). Sahar and Bolinger credit Jim Brandt with the idea of creating an event that publicizes the significance of both the annual sales revenue and total number of jobs provided by small business in Contra Costa. The annual event reinforces the support that the Council and local chambers of commerce provide the County's small-business community, and most importantly, it gives well-deserved recognition to each participating community's top small-business owners for the year.

While the Task Force has accomplished a lot, the co-chairs are working to make it even better. Bolinger shares that in the past, most of its members were service providers to the small-business industry. "We are working to find the right mix of business representation, and to involve more people. We want to increase the participation and engage more small-business owners and operators in the policy-making process," he says. "We have gone through an evolution. Our challenge now is to get our size and activities on a parallel with the needs of the County."

"I can identify with small businesses and find satisfaction in helping them address their concerns," adds Sahar. "It is amazing to me how much the Council's members know about Contra Costa County's economic issues. There are a lot of very smart people in the Council that could be helpful to small businesses in achieving their goals."

"Serving on this Task Force and working with the Council has given me a lot of satisfaction as well as a greater understanding of what the Council is trying to do and the challenges it faces," says Bolinger. "Sometimes there are some real differences between people on many of the issues. We try and take a thoughtful approach and recommend what is best for the long term."

Corporate Member Spotlight
Wells Fargo logo 2

Wells Fargo Bank: Still headquartered in the Bay Area

Wells Fargo & Company opened its first office in the Bay Area in 1852. During the Gold Rush, Wells Fargo opened as an express company focused on transporting people, money, and packages from the West to the East. The organization's mission emphasized service and coming though for its clients.

More than 156 years later, Wells Fargo has evolved into a diversified financial services company; in fact, it's the oldest and largest financial services company with its headquarters in the Bay Area. 

As the only bank in the U.S. to be rated "AAA" rated according to Standard & Poor's Rating Services, the company provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through more than 6,000 stores and the internet (www.wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally.  

Wells Fargo's culture emphasizes helping its customers and the communities it serves become more financially successful. According to the San Francisco Business Times, Wells Fargo has been the Bay Area's top corporate philanthropist among financial institutions for six consecutive years. 

Wells Fargo team members are actively involved in the community. Last year, Wells Fargo's Bay Area team members logged a record 64,000 volunteer hours and donated more than $5.4 million to nonprofits out of their own pockets. 

Wells Fargo continues to be focused on coming through for its customers.

Fast Facts

  • Wells Fargo operates 200 banks in the Bay Area.
  • Wells Fargo is the top lender to small businesses in the Greater Bay Area.
  • Wells Fargo employs more than 18,000 team members in the Greater Bay Area, including more than 3,000 in Contra Costa County.
  • In 2007, Wells Fargo donated a record $14.4 million to Bay Area nonprofits.
  • Wells Fargo has been the Bay Area's top corporate giver among financial services companies for the past six years.

Wells Fargo executive Michael Billeci currently serves on the Contra Costa Council Board of Directors, and Tim Silva co-chairs the Council's Nonprofit/Business Task Force Information Sharing Committee. Wells Fargo is an annual sponsor of the Small Business Awards Luncheon and other events.

To learn more about Wells Fargo, visit www.wellsfargo.com.

New Members
Please welcome these new Contra Costa Council members!

James Melino, Partner
Bell, Rosenberg & Hughes, LLP
1300 Clay Street, Suite 1000
Oakland, CA  94612
510.832.8585 ph
510.839.6925 fax
[email protected]
www.brhlaw.com
A law firm specializing in large civil infrastructure projects.

Jodi Avina, Executive Recruiter
CFOs 2GO
3470 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 125
Lafayette, CA 94549
925.299.4450 ph
925.283.4458 fax
[email protected]
www.cfos2go.com
Provides senior financial executives on a contract, consulting and fulltime search with verticals in sustainable Life Sciences.

Cathi M. Connelly, Principal
Connelly Consulting Group
6456 Mystic St.
Oakland, CA 94618
510.658.1211 ph
510.295.2790 fax
[email protected]
www.connellyconsulting.net

CSR specialist, creating sustainable partnerships between business and non-profits.

Darlene K. Gee, Vice President
HDR Engineering, Inc.
2121 N. California Blvd., Suite 475
Walnut Creek, CA  94596
925.974.2500 ph
925.974.2533 fax
[email protected]
www.hdrinc.com
An employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm that helps clients manage complex projects and make sound decisions.

Dina Potter, Transportation Manager
Jacobs Carter Burgess 
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 10
Oakland, CA  94612
510.457.0027 ph
510.457.0037 fax

[email protected]
www.jacobs.com
One of the world's largest and most diverse providers of professional technical services.

Milt Smith, President
John Muir Health Foundation
1400 Treat Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA  94597
925.947.4449 ph
925.941.2132 fax
[email protected]
www.johnmuirhealthfoundation.org
A subsidiary organization of John Muir Health, doing the fundraising for John Muir Health.

Charles P. Ortmeyer, Owner
Law Offices of Charles P. Ortmeyer
2010 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 170
San Ramon, CA 94583
925.806.0618 ph
925.806.0518 fax
[email protected]
www.cpolawoffice.com
A law firm that deals in legal services for business organizations and transactions.

Larry Brunick, Sales Manager
Rubicon Programs
2500 Bissell Ave.
Richmond, CA 94804
510.412.1762 ph
510.412.1751 fax

[email protected]
www.rubiconprograms.org

Offering social services that make a positive, lasting impact on people living in poverty and on people living with disabilities, including psychiatric disabilities.

Gary Rapaport, CEO
Sutter Delta Medical Center
3901 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA 94509
925.779.7250 ph
925.779.7236 fax
[email protected]
www.sutterdelta.org
Sutter Delta Medical Center is a 145-bed acute care hospital with 32 beds for E.R. With over 50,000 visits per year. Affiliate of Sutter Health

For information about joining the Contra Costa Council, visit our website or call our office at 925-246-1880.

Our Mission

The mission of the Contra Costa Council is to provide advocacy on public policy issues affecting the economic vitality and quality of life in Contra Costa County.

The
Council engages on issues of critical importance to the business community and residents of Contra Costa County, balancing the needs of a diverse county though policy efforts that provide for economic development while retaining our quality of life. The Council also produces top-tier events, including Contra Costa USA, the premier business event in the County, featuring major national speakers as well as providing a local perspective on current events.

The Council retains a close relationship with local, state and federal elected officials. These relationships provide regular opportunities for our members to interact with their political representatives and other business leaders.

For more information about the Council, please visit our 
website.

To comment about items in this newsletter, please contact Linda Best
at the Contra Costa Council.

This issue was edited for the Contra Costa Council by Molly A. Walker of
Walker Communications.

� 2008 Contra Costa Council