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The Leading Voice of Business in Orange County | Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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LANDMARK BILL TO RELIEVE 91 FREEWAY CONGESTION APPROVED! CALL GOV TO SIGN IT.
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Assemblyman Jeff Miller (R-Corona) scored a major victory
with the legislature's approval of
AB 2098 to expedite and accelerate the
six-lane expansion of the 91 Freeway. "This is a large and detailed
project, but a simple straightforward idea: It will ease traffic, give
taxpayers a break and create thousands of high-wage jobs where we need them
most," stated Miller. The $1.2 billion highway expansion would be one of
the largest in the state's history and is scheduled to be completed in a
four-year window. "This legislation is as timely as it is necessary. It
will create at least 18,000 new jobs and immediately impact a sector of our
economy and a region of our state hit hardest by the recession," Miller
concluded. It's now on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk for approval. Call him at (916) 445-2841 to urge his support. For more info, click here or contact Kate Klimow, Vice President of
Government Affairs.
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DUNN & DONE: HIJAB-GATE: EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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| Recently, Orange County's biggest private employer has been in the
spotlight over a suit
filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission by Imane Boudlal, a restaurant hostess working at Disneyland
citing religious discrimination. Boudlal, who has worked at Disneyland for the
past two years, recently obtained her U.S. citizenship, and began wearing
a hijab last week to work. She was asked to remove the headscarf or work in
another job at Disneyland. She refused and
went home.
Every business has the right to create guidelines, policies and regulations
to better serve its customers, in addition to better protecting themselves.
Companies like Disney work hard to ensure their products and services
continuously meet certain standards, meet their mission and the brand that
generations have grown to love over the last 55 years. On key issues, Opinion will present a variety of timely
opinions in a pro/con format to give readers a quick cross-section of
viewpoints. Click here to read more of this blog...
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| NO STATE BUDGET? GOVERNOR MAY CALL SPECIAL SESSION |
| IOU's for teachers. Furloughs for state workers. Closed DMV offices. No funding for road
improvements. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he will order state legislators into a special session if they haven't sent him a budget by September 1. California has been without a state budget now for 62 days and there does not seem to be any light at the end of that tunnel. Schwarzenegger wants a spending plan before the legislative year ends August 31, yet law makers have remained deadlocked over how to fill a $19 billion deficit. The Governor wants to cut spending, and has vowed to block tax increases that Democrats have been favoring. "The things that we have to cut this year will be very hard to do," Schwarzenegger said at a press conference. "But we have to do it because we don't print our own money. We have to live within our means." The latest the state has gone without a budget was in 2008, when it wasn't signed until September 23, 2010. For more information, contact Kate Klimow, Vice President of Government Affairs.
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| OCBC ENDORSED MEG WHITMAN FOR GOVERNOR UP 8 POINTS IN LATEST POLL |
| The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of likely voters in California has found Whitman earning
about 48% of the vote,compared to Democrat Jerry Brown at 40%. Earlier this month, Brown was slightly ahead 43% to 41% in a race that has been neck and neck since last September. But the tie is broken for now with Whitman coming off the state GOP Convention in the lead. OCBC has previously endorsed Meg Whitman and is looking forward to working with her closely in the future. Lucy Dunn, President and CEO of OCBC, spoke to "her efforts on behalf of the business community are aligned with OCBC's
own priorities, and the Council is proud to support her as she works to rebuild
California." Whitman is focusing on three priorities to help the state move more like a well organized business rather than an over regulated bureaucracy, including: jobs creation and retention, addressing the government's spending issues and K-12 education. For more information, contact Kate Klimow, Vice President of Government Affairs.
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| THINKING AHEAD: HIGH-SPEED RAIL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Brandman University hosted a High-Speed Rail Planning
Conference August 26, to packed
audience of Orange County
executives and business leaders. Sixteen speakers, including Will Kempton, CEO
of OCTA, Tom Downs, Chairman of Veolia Transportation for North America, the Honorable
Loretta Sanchez, United States Representative, and the Honorable Curt Pringle,
Mayor of Anaheim and Chairman of the Board for the California High Speed Rail Authority spoke on how building a fast, convenient and efficient high-speed
rail system will boost payrolls of Southern California's workforce by more $700
million and boost the overall economic opportunities here in Orange County.
The
University of California,
Irvine recently
found that the High-Speed Rail project will create more than 127,000 permanent
new jobs in the region by 2035. "Cities with a high-speed rail station will
grow and transition into hubs of commerce," said Mayor Pringle. "And the high speed rail is the equivalent of adding
the mobility capacity of 3,000 new freeway miles in California." This project is estimated
to cost $47.6 billion total with funding coming from California bonds ($9 billion), Federal
funding ($17-19 billion), local sources ($4-5 billion), and the private sector
($10-12 billion). Good news is that the High-Speed Rail Authority already has
$11.9 billion dollars ready to be used for the project. Currently, the nine different sections the track is
broken up into are going through the tedious task of presenting an
environmental impact report (EIR). The Orange
County to Los Angeles segment has been reported as
leading this race and the Authority is expecting an EIR on four of the segments
by 2011. Their goal is to begin construction in 2012.
Tom Downs of Veolia Transportation spoke to the
international aspects of the project, specifically focusing on China. "China is currently developing 31,000 miles of
high-speed rail and would like to invest some of their sovereign money in to California, but without defensible program elements
installed, they will not commit," stated Downs.
"Unfortunately because of California's
politics and steep regulations, the international community is looking to other
states to invest their money." For more information, contact Kate Klimow, Vice
President of Government Affairs.
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| OCBC COMMITTEE UPDATES - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE HOUSING |
| Workforce Development
Committee: Held its meeting off site at the Discovery Science Center
in Santa Ana. The committee was given a tour of this state of the
art facility along with performing a science experiment with one of the
Center's instructors.
More than 220,000 students and 420,000 guests
from the five-county area visit the Discovery Science Center each year
along with the DSC teachers traveling to various classrooms to
inspire the next generation of innovators. By engaging our local
students in math and science, the goal is to encourage these same
students to learn, read, experiment and become excited about a future
career path. DSC has many broad programs for intermediate and high
school students to connect with including programs that will inspire
more girls to enter into a S.T.E.A.M. related field. To read more, click here. To see pictures from this meeting visit OCBC's Facebook page by clicking here. For more information on the Workforce Development Committee, please contact Alicia Berhow, Director of Workforce Development.
Workforce Housing Committee: Held on August 18, was well attended by some of Orange County's top housing
executives, realtors, and builders. Dr. David Hendryx of RSI Development
(OCBC's newest member), Elizabeth
Snow of the California Building Industry Association, and Larry Brose of the Orange
County Planning Commission all presented to the group.
Dr. Hendryx, Vice President of Infill Development for RSI,
gave a fascinating presentation on a new venture dubbed "The New House". These
homes will feature precision construction techniques for all wall panels and
trusses and can be built in as little as six weeks. "What RSI is bringing to
the table is more pre-engineering and more pre-thought," said Hendryx. "We are
vertically integrating manufacturing and supply-chain disciplines into new-home
construction." RSI will have their own crews assembling the homes on site, which
will cut down on build time. A brand new, fully-finished house will range from
$50,000 to $200,000 below market rate homes elsewhere and the cost is relevant
to location. Its manufacturing pedigree will also serve RSI's commitment to
building efficiently by reducing material waste and shortening cycle times. As
it moves forward, RSI is looking to cultivate private-public partnerships with
cities and government agencies through its RSI Housing Partners distribution
channel. Click here to read more. For more information, contact Kate Klimow, Vice President of Government Affairs.
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| WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE: DESALINATION AND DELTA BY-PASS |
| Desalination: OCBC President and CEO, Lucy Dunn, recently wrote an editorial for Media
Planet, a Los Angeles Times supplement, on the process of desalination and it's possible future affects on the Southern California Region. With 98 percent of the earth's water located in our ocean, it has been the dream of mankind for many millennia to be able to turn these vast reservoirs into potable drinking water and today these desalination dreams are becoming a reality. "Desalination is quickly becoming a feasible water supply alternative here in Southern California where constraints on imported water and rising costs mean that our water district directors are exploring new water supply opportunities," stated Dunn.
OCBC member, Poseidon Resources, is leading the charge in seawater desalination projects in California, with two currently in the permitting and construction phase. "Conservation and wastewater recycling are pillars of water supply reliability, but we are using less water per capita than ever before, and these strategies alone cannot meet the growing population's demand for potable water," said Scott Maloni, Vice President of Poseidon. "Done right, seawater desalination can be the third leg of the water reliability stool and provide arid coastal regions with a new, sustainable drinking water supply." To read the full article on page 6 of Media Planet, click here. For more information, contact Kate Klimow, Vice President of Government Affairs.
Alternative Conveyance: Jeff Kightlinger, General Manager of Metropolitan Water District, was the featured speaker for OCBC's Infrastructure Committee Meeting today. He shared the status of development of the most cost effective solution for water delivery from Northern California to Southern California is a peripheral canal around the Delta, which serves the state's vision of co-equal goals of environmental protection and economic growth. This new conveyance - a $12 billion investment - would be paid for by state water contractors and could be a tunnel, 150 feet underground, but without the environmental impacts of an above-ground system. The environmental reviews are underway with the project expected to be completed in 10 years, serving a growing population. For more info, contact Dr. Wallace Walrod, Vice President of Economic Development.
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| CHECK OUT AND REGISTER FOR OCBC'S UPCOMING EVENTS!! |
| Orange County Workforce Development Conference - Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Join OCBC and OCWIB for the 2010 Workforce Development Conference. This year's guest speaker is Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness, which works together with CEOs, university presidents and labor leaders to ensure the U.S. prospers in the global economy. The conference also unveils the 2010 Workforce Indicators Report with Dr. Wallace Walrod, Vice President of Economic Development for OCBC, analyzing the county's economic and labor force trends. For more info click here or contact Leslie Dods, Events Manager.
2010 Economic Forecast Conference - Thursday, October 28, 2010
Recovery and Reform: Perspectives from Industry Titans is this year's theme and will be featuring Dr. Anil Puri and Dr. Mira Farka of Cal State University, Fullerton and Richard Davis, CEO of U.S. Bancorp. Learn how the current economic conditions and trends will impact the future of the business and real estate markets, as well as Richard Davis' insight on the road to recovery. For more information click here or contact Leslie Dods, Events Manager.
OCBC's Chairman Leadership Breakfast - Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Join OCBC's CEO Leadership Caucus Chairman Tom Phelps as he interviews our guest speaker, Scott McGregor, President and CEO of Broadcom, in a "talk show-style" format for a candid discussion about his tools for success. McGregor has been with Broadcom since January 2005 after serving as President and CEO of the Philips Semiconductors Division of Royal Philips Electronics. There he oversaw one of the world's largest semiconductor suppliers, with 34,000 employees in over 50 countries. For more info click here or contact Leslie Dods, Events Manager.
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| OCBC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - USC MARSHALL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS |
| The USC Marshall School of Business is offering Executive Education classes for the Fall Semester.
USC
alumni receive a 25% discount, returning Executive Education students a 20%
discount, and groups of 3 or more from the same company will receive a 10%
discount. Contact Ed Hart for discounts: ed.hart@marshall.usc.edu or
714.821.9324.
Strategic Marketing (Online) - September 8 - 29,
2010
Supply Chain Management (Online) - September 15 -
October 6, 2010
Management Development Program - Sept. 11, 18, 25 and Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 2010 - Univ.
Park Campus - Los Angeles, CA
For a full list of the USC
Marshall School of Business Executive Education courses, log on to www.marshall.usc.edu/ExecEd, or
call 213-740-8990.
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OCBC MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
| | - UCI's Center for Real Estate, NAIOP SoCal offer $7,500 grant
- Consumer confidence shows small gains in California, says Chapman University
- Brandman University and UCI Report: SoCal gets $700 million boost from state's high-speed rail
- UCI launches Clinical Research Certificate Program
- Cal State Fullerton Extended Education offers new portfolio of Green and Sustainability programs
- Hoag opens its new facility in Irvine with a grand open house. Dr. Richard Afable reports that this hospital hired 963 new workers, but received 100,000 applications for employment. Another sign of the times. "The new facility is absolutely amazing," stated Celeste Signorino, Vice President of Investor Relations at OCBC. "It will be fantastic to have such a new, high-tech hospital for this part of Orange County." Kudos to OCBC's new board member, Debra Legan, Vice President of Hoag, for a great event.
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OCBC COMMITTEE MEETINGS: SEPTEMBER
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 LEA Committee
Friday, September 3, 2010 | 9:00 - 10:30AM
(NOTE: Meeting will be held at 4 Park Plaza, Suite 320)
Workforce Development Committee
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 | 7:30 - 9:00AM
(NOTE: Meeting will be held at 4 Park Plaza, Suite 320)
Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 | 9:00 - 10:30AM
(NOTE: Meeting will be held at 4 Park Plaza, Suite 320)
OCMoves Committee
Friday, September 17, 2010 | 12:00 - 1:30PM
(NOTE: Meeting will be held at 4 Park Plaza, Suite 320)
Committee
meetings are open to
OCBC members and invited guests only. All committee meetings
are held
at the OCBC offices unless otherwise specified. For more information on
upcoming committee meetings for 2010 check out OCBC's Committees. For more information, contact
Leslie Dods at 949-794-7241 or ldods@ocbc.org |
| COMMUNITY EVENTS | Family-Owned Business Forum - Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Orange County Small Business Development Center (OC SBDC) and the Institute for Women Entrepreneurs (IWE) are hosting the Family-Owned Business Forum at the Hilton, Anaheim, 777 Convention Way, Anaheim, CA, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registration for the full day forum tailor-made for family-owned business is $250 with a family discount (with two or more paid registrants) of $195 per participant. To register click here or call (714) 564-5200.
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher Presentation on the E-Verify System - Friday, September 10, 2010
Join Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the E-Verify Internet-based system that allows an employer to determine the eligibility of an employee to work in the United States and a review of the federally mandated Employment Eligibility Verification Form (Form I-9). Click here to read more.
US-Asia Business Forum Expo - September 16 - 19, 2010
Check out the second Annual US-Asia Expo 2010 comprising Investment Seminar, Business Expo and Global Venture Funding at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles in USA with effect from. This third historic event is only month's after the US President Barrack Obama issued a statement stating that building the strategic partnership with Asia is a top priority and Asia as a natural Strategic Ally of US in the 21st Century . For additional information visit www.USABF.org.
Discovery Science Center "Celebrate Earth" Gala - Saturday, September 25, 2010The 2010 Gala will be honoring Supervisor Bill Campbell and Bank of America. For more information click here, or contact Lacy Paunovich at (714) 913-5021.
The 2010 Komen Orange County Race for the Cure - Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is an important community event bringing together women, men, families, friends and businesses to celebrate breast cancer survivors and remember those who have lost their battle with the disease. The beautiful Newport Beach route is a 5K run and walk and draws more than 25,000 people each year. The early run/walk starts at 7:30 a.m.; survivor tribute at 9:00 a.m. and the second run/walk starts at 9:45 a.m. For more information and to register for the event, visit www.komenoc.org or call (714) 957-9157.
Health Care Reform: It's Your Business Too! - Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Join Barry Arbuckle, President and CEO of MemorialCare Health System, a leading regional health care provider, at a forum on health care reform. Featuring, Trustee Professor Barry Munitz of California State University, Los Angeles as Moderator and Dr. Sheryl R. Skolnick, Senior Vice President of CRT Capital Group LLC as the Keynote Speaker. Breakfast and Registration is from 7:00 - 7:30 a.m., with the Forum from 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. RSVP by Tuesday, September 28 online at www.memorial.org/prespartnership or by phone at (714) 377-3009.
SAVE THE DATE! Mobility 21 Regional Transportation Summit - Friday, October 29, 2010
The
ninth annual Mobility 21 Southern California Transportation Summit is a
one-of-a-kind conference that brings together stakeholders, business
leaders and local, state and federal officials during a one day meeting
to discuss the leading issues facing our transportation system today.
For additional information, contact Marnie O'Brien Primmer at
949-288-6884 or mprimmer@mobility21.com.
Governors' Global Climate Summit 3: Building the Green Economy - November 15 -16, 2010
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other subnational leaders, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program and United Nations Environment Program, is hosting the Governors' Global Climate Summit 3. This summit will take place at the Mondavi Center on the campus of the University of California, Davis. For more information contact the GGCS3 Coordination Team at ggcs@calepa.ca.gov.
Girl Scouts of Orange County "Celebrate Leadership" Gala - Thursday, November 18, 2010
The 2010 Gala will be honoring twelve extraordinary women in leadership. More details to come. For more information visit www.ggcs3.org or contact Sally Lawrence at (949) 461-8823. |
IN THIS ECONOMY, YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET!
| | SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR OCBC MEMBERS. One of the many benefits of being a part of the Orange County Business Council is the ability to leverage our member relationships to improve your business. Take advantage of our new offers:
DISCOUNTED SHIPPING RATES: Through the UPS Discount Program, OCBC members can save up to 28% on international, air and ground shipping. Whether you need a shipment to arrive the same day, the next day or in a few
days, UPS will get your package there on time - guaranteed. Visit www.savewithups.com/enroll or call (800) 325-7000. Use promo code PAC376 to enroll.
OFFICE FURNITURE PROMOTION: As Orange
County's Haworth
preferred contract furniture dealership, Interior Office Solutions specializes
in developing functional, productive and beautiful workplace environments
tailored to each client's unique requirements. Purchase $2500 of product and receive a $500 coupon; Purchase $5000 worth of product for a $1000 coupon; Purchase $10,000 worth of product and receive a rebate based on your total furniture. Call Jesse Bagley or Brian Airth to schedule
a consultation: (949) 724-9444 (Offer valid 7/1 - 12/31/2010)
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IS IT NEWS TO YOU? THEN IT'S NEWS WE CAN USE!
| |  Have an event coming up? Was your company just
highlighted in the news? Are you doing something great in Orange
County? The Business Council wants to know about it. Now OCBC members can submit news stories for OCBC's E-Update Indicator
Newsletter. Click here and fill out the submission form for one of Orange County's premier business news source. Not a member? Click here for more information on how to get involved and join the leading voice of business in Orange County.
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SPREAD THE WORD! IMPACT THE WORLD! FORWARD YOUR COPY TO ASSOCIATES!
| | Forward OCBC's E-Indicator to friends and colleagues by clicking on the "Forward Email" link at the bottom of the email and encourage them to sign up for one of Orange County's premier business publications!
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BUSINESS MEETS SOCIAL MEDIA
| |  Do you tweet? Have a Facebook page or surf YouTube? Then follow the latest news
and information from OCBC online! The leading voice of business is connecting
you to business in Orange County like never before. Follow us on Twitter! Join our Facebook page! Find us on FourSquare! Tune into our YouTube channel! Check out OCBC's new Blog: Dunn and Done!
If you
have questions on how to get connected with the Business Council online, please
contact, Dan Nasitka, Public Affairs Coordinator, at 949-794-7245 or dnasitka@ocbc.org |
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2 Park Plaza, Suite 100, Irvine CA 92614 | www.ocbc.org | PH: 949.476.2242 | FAX: 949.476.9240 | |
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