MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

by Polly Armstrong and John DeClercq, CEO

The GALA was FABULOUS!!!

Thanks are due our very generous event sponsor - Mechanics Bank, as well as our music sponsor Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and our wine sponsor Nick Lundquist at Grocery Outlet. A good time was had by all - and some high-powered networking occurred. Wow!

And we're into August already!  The LBNL community meetings will be held August 3,4, and 8 at three of the six sites selected by LBNL to be on the "short list" of preferred sites for their 2^nd campus (respectively the Golden Gate Fields site, Aquatic Park West site (the Goldins/Jones group), and the Emeryville/Berkley Wareham sites).  The Lab is seeking a development site that will become the new home for over 900 employees, growing from 500,000 sf to over 2 million sf of office and R&D lab space in the future.  It will become the new collaborative home of biosciences, environmental and medical sciences.  We're very excited that the LBNL 2nd campus has a very good chance of being located in Berkeley. (After all, it is Lawrence BERKELEY National Lab, isn't it)

Then in September, we're enthusiastic about the first-ever Coffee & Tea Festival on the west coast.  True!  This is the first festival focused for consumers!  (There have been vendor-focused trade shows in the past, but NOTHING like this!)  Come learn at our panel discussions (Coffee 101 and Tea 101) and experience a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.  Most of all, come enjoy!

We are excited about our success in being part of the winning team for a $50,000 Chancellor's Grant for the Berkeley Startup Cluster Skydeck hi-tech incubator space and a second Chancellor's Grant for South Berkeley safe place improvements. As we have our sleeves rolled up with City and UC/LBNL and biz-2-biz efforts (helping launch Buy Local Berkeley membership drive), we are very interested in your thoughts, opinions and needs - let us know how we can help you - as, we are your Voice of Business in Berkeley!

John and Polly

BEC'S BAR & BISTRO 

BEC's is a place where you feel comfortable, where people are friendly, and where you find good food and wine at reasonable prices. From the morning crowd to evening hang-outs, it is a place you enjoy in 3- dimensional ways, from the cool atmosphere to the comfortable environment, the friendly feeling, and the quality of food! By night BEC's Bar & Bistro turns into a high energy club featuring top DJ's and live bands from around the area.

GreenCitizen is a socially and environmentally responsible company. Our mission is to help consumers and businesses reduce their environmental footprint of their computer and electronics. We do this by keeping electronics running efficiently through online and in-store repair services, along with environmentally responsible electronics recycling.

At Ketér Salon we are passionate about meeting the unique needs of our clients and creating a style that highlights their natural beauty. We create a perfect style by listening to our clients' desires, whether they are a business professional or someone who wants to sport the trendiest styles. We pride ourselves in keeping up with our education and therefore, we always bring a fresh perspective to our work. Our atmosphere is comfortable and professional...a taste of San Francisco in Berkeley.

Fantastic Comics opened its doors May 1, 2011, with an emphasis on a clean, inviting environment, a friendly, knowledgeable staff, and the desire to keep the comic book culture in Berkeley alive. Our goal is to make everyone a fan of comic books, and have current fans of comic books leave their comfort zone and read things they've never thought to read before. To do this, we've decided not to segregate comic books by their category, instead sorting everything by their title.

At Fantastic Comics we truly believe in comic books as an art form, and as literature. 

I provide legal representation to clients throughout the Bay Area, with an emphasis on family, juvenile, and education law. The cornerstones of my practice are honesty, integrity, hard work, and client centeredness.  Although the law is black-and-white, I believe that each story is unique.  As such, I work closely with each client to fully understand and appreciate the distinctive nature of his or her particular case.

[que-pon-om-iks], noun: A revolutionary advertising, promotion and real-time mobile coupon distribution system for all major Smartphone platforms.The Qponomics mobile coupon app presents a revolutionary way to shop, dine, and simply find deals in your local area. The app is designed help users easily find coupons at local businesses, large and small. From small, locally owned businesses to large, national brands, Qponomics has it all.

Though we've seen a lot of changes in this industry from installed car phones to StarTACs to free phones, one thing has never changed. We are in the business of providing our customers with the very latest communications equipment from the best manufacturers in the world like Samsung, Motorola, LG, Nokia and Apple. We are an employee owned company and are laser focused on making sure our customers leave our stores with a big smile and then proceed to brag about their new "device" to all their friends and co-workers.

It's just that simple; our mission is "Happy Customers".  

The Hydroponic Connection is your full service indoor gardening supply house. With a highly experienced and trained staff, we are well equipped to offer you free consultations and troubleshooting, as well as competitive pricing and a broad product selection.

Our years of experience have helped us to develop a broad selection of products to cater to all your needs while avoiding the things to you do not need. Our philosophy is to put the success of the customer first. We will never sell you something you do not need. More often than not, you will find us talking you out of products you do not need. We stock lighting, fans, filters, organic and synthetic nutrients, climate control, and much more.

Simplify your IT infrastructure and leave the worrying to TSG.

Whether it's a hosted solution in our state-of-the art data center, on-site support for an existing in-house network, or a custom solution, our friendly, knowledgeable staff will help improve system performance, increase employee productivity and lower your Total Cost of Ownership. Sound too good to be true? Ask our Clients. For almost three decades, business owners, schools and nonprofit organizations have trusted TSG to manage their enterprise-class IT services in San Francisco. Find out more about our solutions   and how we can help you too. 

OFFICE DEPOT

Business Resource Center, Custom Printing, Design Services,  Copy and Print Depot, Partner Services, Photo Center, Promotional Products, Security Solutions, Tech Depot Services, Tech Recycling, Tech Trade-in, Webcafe

CASA BERNAL TAQUERIA 

  This new taqueria, which opened in the space once occupied by Amanda's in downtown Berkeley, features Niman Ranch pork and beef, free range chicken, and organic produce.     

RAMES CONSULTING

 Rames Consulting is a consortium of business professionals focused on helping small to mid sized businesses improve sustainable profit. Established in 1998, our network focuses on working with individual business owners to determine specific solutions unique to their individual set of facts. Our research focus helps ensure we make recommendations based on current market and business information to help establish and leverage your business to the largest potential customer base. We bring solutions that work to our clients. This is why 100% of our new business has been generated by referrals. An A+ Better Business Bureau Accredited business rating since 2001.  

PHIL'S SLIDERS

 Phil's Sliders is all about fresh food fast. Gourmet sliders, homemade potato tots and poppyseed coleslaw. All organic produce, dairy and grass-fed beef. 

 ED ROBERTS CAMPUS

The Ed Roberts Campus mission is to ensure that people with disabilities can live independently and without discrimination. Located at a fully accessible transit hub, the Ed Roberts Campus is a national and international model dedicated to disability rights and universal access. The Ed Roerts Campus commemorates the life and work of Edward V. Roberts, an early leader in the independent living movement of persons with disabilities. Ed believed in the strength of collaborative efforts: He called it "working toward our preferred future."

THE CLAREMONT HOTEL CLUB AND SPA 

Whether business or pleasure brings you to this iconic San Francisco Bay Area Hotel, be assured: The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa is the ultimate urban oasis. Blending modern amenities with an aura of mystique, the property has defined a destination for generations. Come, be our guest in the warm and welcoming world of Claremont.  The experience will stay with you forever.

The mission of Realm Charter School is to cultivate resiliency, develop critical thinking skills, advance knowledge through rigorous studies, and equip students to serve our communities and the world in the 21st century. Realm Charter School will serve diverse urban students in grades 6-12 using a student-centered model that features project-based learning, an emphasis on technology, research and action on concerns in the community and activities that develop emotional resiliency.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Second Campus Site Selection Process: A Presentation to the Berkeley Chamber's Committee on Government Affairs, June 6, 2011

Sam Chapman, Manager of LBNL's State Government and Community Relations, gave an excellent presentation on the site selection process for LBNL's second campus.

Potential sites: There are currently six short-listed sites under consideration, from Alameda to Richmond. Three are partly or wholly located in West Berkeley - one at Golden Gate Fields, one at Berkeley Aquatic Park West, and one at Berkeley Aquatic Park.

Need for a second campus: LBNL has grown rapidly. Some 25% of LBNL's facilities are currently located in leased space in multiple locations off-site. Room for expansion on the first campus is limited. LBNL expects that fewer sites will reduce operations costs. Greater capacity on land owned/controlled by LBNL puts LBNL in a better position to compete for and attract more research funding and to fulfill its DOE mission. The second campus will foster increased collaboration between LBNL, UCB, industries, and the community.

Most important characteristics of a site for second campus:
    ·    Close to the first campus.
    ·    Able to accomodate 2 million sq. ft. of facilities.
    ·    Located in a community that is welcoming.
    ·    Has good public transit access.
    ·    Accommodates synergistic relationship between LBNL, UCB, and high-tech industry.

Site selection schedule:
    ·    LBNL-conducted Community Meetings (July 6 - Aug. 3)
    ·    Site Visits (dates still to be determined)
    ·    Sites complete submission of Final Deliverables (Sept. 30)
    ·    Public announcement of Preferred Site (projected for Nov. 21 - 30)

Public Meetings related to Berkeley sites include:
    ·    July 7:  Aquatic Park West site (includes properties south of Addison St. along the estuary) (location to be announced)
    ·    July 14:  LBNL Community Advisory Group (location:  North Berkeley Senior Center)
    ·    July 21:  Emeryville/Berkeley (includes Berkeley properties between Parker and Potter Streets, west of San Pablo Ave.) (location:  Emeryville City Hall)
    ·    Aug. 3:  Golden Gate Fields (location:  Albany Community Center)

Sustainability goals:
    ·    Design all building to a minimum LEED "Silver" rating.
    ·    Exceed this minimum goal, should budgeted resources permit it.

Next steps:
    ·    Conduct due diligence on short-listed sites.
    ·    Conduct community outreach.
    ·    Develop financing approach.
    ·    Determine preferred site.
    ·    Conduct CEQA and NEPA process.
    ·    Develop scientific programming.
    ·    Begin occupancy in 2016.

Reasons Chamber needs to support selection of a second campus site in Berkeley:
    ·    New campus will provide tremendous economic development opportunities for the community.
    ·    Private sector businesses will flourish on the campus perimeters.
    ·    Companies in the LBNL supply chain will locate close to campus.
    ·    New high tech companies will locate on the campus periphery.
    ·    Jobs will be created both on the campus and on the periphery.
    ·    Business tax revenues flowing to the City will grow.
    ·    DOE revenue stream into Berkeley will grow.
    ·    Berkeley's reputation as a World Class pioneer in development of sustainability technologies will grow dramatically.

 

GreenCitizen ~ Friday, April 22nd (Earth Day!) 

Casa Bernal Taqueria - Tuesday, June 21st

 

Phil's Sliders - Thursday, June 30th 

 Even if you "know" Berkeley, you may not know that there is a wonderful hair salon right near Betty's Diner on 4^th St. It's a jewel of a shop hidden in the tree top canopy of one of Berkeley's finest gourmet areas. Keter Hair Salon is owned by Diana who is about to celebrate her 10 year Anniversary.

The atmosphere of the salon is friendly, comfortable and bright. It's also green. The shop was recently remodeled with clever repurposing of used materials. The rolling shelves for the stylists are made of metal pipes, while the wood surrounding the beautiful mirrors was allsalvaged as was the intricate flooring near the front desk.

The philosophy of the salon is what becomes apparent the moment you begin working with one of the stylists. As you sit down and begin to communicate your wishes and desires for how you want your hair to look, there is something more happening. It is obvious that they are glad to be there and want to give the client the best experience possible. They are listening to what you want.

Diana loves what she does and it shows. Her focus is to provide an opportunity for her stylists to be happy and to grow as stylists and as individuals; she not only meets with them one on one, but engages them in team building exercises as well. This practice alone would be a defining reason to support her business, as she is in the business of supporting others!

Adding to the layers of Diana's passion at Keter, is her ability to give back to the community. She has an arrangement with local hospitals to do the hair of chemotherapy patients. She explained that hair tends to grow back curly after chemo and so people who've had straight hair their whole lives can get help with styling and a confidence boost at her salon.  

It's been almost 10 years since Keter Hair Salon opened on September 10, 2001. Yes, that's right; Diana had her grand opening the day before 911. Instead of despair about what the new economy would be like, she promoted beauty. New to the 4^th Street community, she offered free haircuts to local businesses as an introduction and as a way to show her community support. She was able to build a loyal and growing base of clients because of her ability to share her passion for people. In that light, she has had to be innovative during tough economic times and has built her business solidly from the ground up.

Ten years later, Diana can celebrate her Anniversary with abundant pride. Keter Hair has won "Best of the East Bay" from the East Bay Express Poll for the second year in a row! I invite you to come celebrate courageous community connection by having your hair cut and colored at Keter. Get to know the people who make Berkeley amazing. Then, in September, find a way to come congratulate Diana on 10 solid years of cultivating beauty in the Bay Area! See you in the tree tops of 4^th Street!

(Keter Salon will be the Spotlight Speaker at our August 10th Sunrise Networking Breakfast. Please see the invitation below!)