COMMERCE

April 2012 

Steve Cushman

Chamber Supports JAMS Music Program. The Chamber hosted the JAMS Music academy on our weekly radio program. Founded by Nancy Earle, in honor of her deceased daughter, JAMS provides music training for local youth. The program operates out of a Milpas Street storefront and serves at risk youth. The Chamber was able to pull together Earl Armstrong, Armstrong Associates, Michael Holliday, Holliday and Associates and Eloy Ortega, The Bank of Santa Barbara to provide much needed sound proofing for the non-profit building.

Plastic Bag Ordinance. City Council member Randy Rouse described to the Chamber Board his concerns with the proposed plastic bag ordinance that will come before the City Council in May. The Chamber staff will attend the Council's Ordinance Committee meeting in April. The Chamber Board encouraged Councilmember Rouse to continue to look at the practical problems with a ban on bags. At the Ordinance committee meeting, chamber staff will encourage the members to consider the cost-benefit analysis of such an ordinance.

UCSB Economic Forecast. The Chamber will again sponsor the UCSB economic forecast event on May 3 at 7:30 AM at the Granada Theater. his year's event will be our biggest ever, with an historic lineup of speakers, including:Gillian Tett, US Managing Editor of The Financial Times, Dennis P. Lockhart, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Charles I. Plosser, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, John C. Williams, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, David E. Altig, Senior Vice President & Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Peter C. Rupert, Executive Director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and Chair of the UCSB Department of Economics

Sponsorships are still available. Call Kenneth Freeland at (805) 893-5148 for more information.

The Chamber and United Way. Joanne Funari, President of Business First Bank, and Chamber treasurer will chair the United Way fundraising campaign in 2012. Steve Cushman will serve as vice-chair of the campaign with Joanne. Steve and Joanne will kick off the campaign in June and hope to raise more than 2 million dollars for local united way programs. Volunteers are needed....please give Steve a call at 965-3023x104

Santa Barbara City College Foundation. Vanessa Patterson, chamber business leader, and E.D. of the sbcc foundation, kicked off her annual fund raising campaign with the announcement of a $250,000 matching donation. The Chamber is pleased to support sbcc with a $1,000 contribution. In addition, Steve Cushman has joined the Foundation board of directors.

Chamber Donates to Eastside Children's Library. In honor of outgoing board chair Michael Holliday, the chamber has donated $500.00 to the Eastside public library for the purchase of 40 children's books. The books will all contain bookplates recognizing the Chamber and Michael. This is the third year that the Chamber has made this gift.

 Making It in Santa Barbara