Message from Oscar Garcia
President/CEO | |
 Happy New Year 2011! The Chamber Team wishes you and your family a funfilled New Year. May your hopes and dreams come to fruition. In keeping with last year's tradition, I want to highlight several outstanding programs and activities that the Chamber has available to help promote your business, grow our local economy and support our community. 10. Green Business University - a Green Certification program to assist small and mid-size business through the process of attaining Bay Area Green certified. To register visit http://gbu.eventbrite.com/9. Celebration of Leaders - On January 14th we are honoring businesses and nonprofits who support our community. For tickets http://16thcol.eventbrite.com/8. Big Wig Luncheon - Dynamic, vibrant discussions with some of Silicon Valley's most respected and cutting edge leaders. 7. Art & Wine Festival - nearly 200,000 people attend our annual festival. It's a great family event to enjoy the wide selection of food, drinks and artists. If you like volunteering, you'll really have fun helping at festival. Read more |
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CORRECTION: 2011 Official Mountain View Map
In the 2011 Official Mountain View Map, the wrong phone number was printed on the ad for Dynamic Strategic Alignment. The correct phone number is
408-462-9043. We apologize for this error. | |
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Mixer Jackpot Grows to $100
Each month at the monthly Chamber mixer, we will draw a name from the entire membership and if you are present and we draw your name, you win the jackpot! If you are not present, the pot grows larger.
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Welcome New Members
Sum of All Numbers
Bling Nation
Big Ed's Buzzard BBQ
Sunnyvale Health Care Center
Partners for New Generations
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New Discounts Available for Chamber Members from these Outstanding Member Businesses
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Chamber Thanks Renewing Members
57 Years
Bank of the West
51 Years
Gazzera, O'Grady & Stevens
20-25 Years
Barton Holding Music Studio
American Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter
Merry Maids
Devcon Construction Incorporated
Sono Sushi
8-17 Years
Michaels at Shoreline
Bertrand Rouleau
Oriki Theater
Lockeford Meat & Sausage
BG Specialty Printing
Kevin's Auto Repair
MV Rotary Club
1-5 Years
St. Stephens Green
Pacific Eye Care Optometry
Support Network for Battered Women (now known as YWCA Support Network)
Crestview Hotel
Global Trust Bank
American Cancer Society
Foothill De-Anza Community College
Vita Insurance Associates
Silicon Valley Small Business Development Center
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January 7
Find Your Fabulous, visioning and goal setting
10:00am - 4:00pm
For more information: Heidi Sloss
January 10
OverComing UnderEarning
11:30am - 1:00pm
For more information: Heidi Sloss
January 15
Pets in Need Animal Rescue Adoption Fair
10:00am - 4:00pm
For more information: Heidi Sloss
January 25
World Harmony Chorus, Friends & Family Concert
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Finn Center - 230 San Antonion Circle, Mountain View
January 29 Build the Business You Want from the Business You Have 10:00am - 4:00pm More infomation: Heidi Sloss
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Mountain View City Council Annouces the Appointment of New City Clerk
click hereWebcast of City Council Study Session with the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Click here for the Webcast Meeting page on the City's website. Please click on the "Other Meetings & Videos" tab to see a video of the High Speed Rail meeting.
Community Services Agency
Community Cares Dine-Out Card
Dine Out year-round at local restaurants who have stepped up to the plate to provide you an exclusive offer. Click here for more info.
Every Tuesday and the 4th Sunday of Each Month at 11:00a.m. For more information or to volunteer, please call 650-903-6382.
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Greetings!
Have you registered for the Tri-City Mixer on Wednesday, January 19? Mix and mingle with the Chambers of Mountain View, Los Altos and Palo Alto and young professional groups Yipee and Epic for this networking extravaganza! |
Featured Event 16th Annual Celebration of Leaders Awards Dinner
Friday, January 14, 2011 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Four Seasons Hotel - 2050 University Ave., Palo Alto
The Chamber of Commerce Mountain View is proud to announce the 16th Annual Celebration of Leaders Awards, which each year recognizes exceptional contributions and service to the Mountain View Community. This year we acknowledge the following businesses:
Outstanding Large Business - Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Outstanding Small Business - Hobee's Restaurant
Outstanding Organization - Cancer Support Community
Outstanding Business Person - Jere Montang
Outstanding New Member - Outright.com
Click here to RSVP
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Providing Opportunities for Relationship Building |
Tri City Chamber Mixer w/ Mountain View, Palo Alto and Los Altos
Wednesday, January 19, 2011-- 5pm - 7pm
Location: Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel - 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Every year the Mountain View, Los Altos, and Palo Alto chambers kick off the new year right with a HUGE event hosted by the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel. With well over 300 attendees last year and over 20 exhibitors, this promises to be another fantastic event.
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Build Your Business By Generating Professional Business Leads
Business ConneXions: Wednesday Group meets weekly, 3 - 4pm, in the meeting room at East West Bookstore, 324 Castro St., Mountain View. For more information about this group, please contact: Tawnya Anderson - one2bhold@sbcglobal.net.
Business ConneXions: Thursday Group meets weekly, 8:15 - 9:15am at the Clocktower Coffee conference room located at 425 N. Whisman Rd., Mountain View. Guests are welcome to attend any meeting two times for free! For more information about this group, please contact: Alan Russell - alanrussell@princetoncap.com. |
| Representing Business to Government |
Legislative Advocacy Update
We recently sent out a survey to our members to gather feedback on High Speed Rail (HSR). The City of Mountain View is working with the California High Speed Rail Authority on a proposal to build a bullet train station (with three proposed station design alternatives) in Mountain View. City staff has been studying the topic and is currently waiting for the release of the environmental impact report. The anticipated release of this document is early next year. Following the review and comment period, city council will vote... read more |
| Creating a Strong Local Economy |
Get Certified as a Bay Area Green Business Through the Chamber
The Chamber of Commerce Mountain View in partnership with the Santa Clara County Bay Area Green Business and the City of Mountain View, is proud to offer its members a green certification program, Green Business University (GBU). GBU is a 6-month program targeted to small and mid-sized businesses to assist them through a step by step process of the Bay Area Green Business Program Certification. Space is limited to 15 businesses and an application is required to determine eligibility. Official kick-off day is January 6, 2011.
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BigWig Luncheon: Global and Local Economic Forecast 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011-- 11:30am - 1:30pm
Location: NASA Ames Conference Center - S Akron Road, Mountain View
Please join the Chamber of Commerce and George Feiger, CEO of Contango Capital Advisors, and Councilmember Jac Siegel of the City of Mountain View for an informative discussion on the Global and Local Economic Forecast for 2011. For more information, please visit www.chambermv.org. |
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New Employment Laws Affecting Businesses in 2011
Article from CalChamber - The California Chamber of Commerce released a list of new employment laws scheduled to take effect in 2011 or earlier that will have an impact on businesses in California.
CalChamber is warning employers that their 2010 California and federal notices poster and certain pamphlets are no longer current. Employers can order the 2011 Required Notices Kit-all 16 state and federal required employee notices on one space saving poster, plus all five required employee pamphlets, updated as necessary for 2011 in packs of 20. For more information, contact Jennifer Low, jlow@chambermv.org.
Click here for list of new laws that have recently gone into effect or will take effect in 2011. |
Employers Need to Be Careful When Hiring Unpaid Interns
Employers sometimes have a misconception about hiring unpaid interns, viewing
interns essentially as "free or cheap" labor. It is true that unpaid interns are technically not "employees," and thus are not subject to the requirements of the wage and hour laws, including minimum wage and overtime. However, while unpaid interns are not compensated, interns must meet strict requirements to be properly classified as unpaid workers. Failing to meet these requirements could subject an employer to potential liability, even if a worker... read more |
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New Free Member Benefit in partnership with MerchantCircle.com
 We're ringing in the New Year with new member benefits! In partnership with new chamber member business, MerchantCircle.com, we're offering a new online resource for our members to increase their visibility and promote their business. Every member will receive:
--A free business profile on www.merchantcircle.com and automatic free upgrade to a "Premium Listing". (This means no ads will be placed on your page!) Your free listing includes the option to create free blogs, coupons, newsletters and add photos and videos. --The Chamber badge placed on your profile to highlight your commitment to your local Chamber and business community.
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Ribbon Cutting & 5 Year Annivesary Party: Pacific Eye Care Optometry
Wednesday, January 5, 2011-- 4pm - 7pm
Location: Pacific Eye Care Optometry - 1040 N. Rengstorff Ave., Suite B, Mountain View
Please join us to celebrate the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and 5 Year Anniversary of Pacific Eye Care Optometry and Dr. Allison Zaum. You are welcome to arrive as early as 4:00pm. The ceremony will start promptly at 4:30pm. Light appetizers, coffee bar and raffle prizes!
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Make 2011 Your Best Year Ever!
It's a New Year, and you can make it count for your business by understanding how your customers are changing and evolving the way they communicate, do research and make purchase decisions. There are countless new marketing methods, old-school tactics and innovative ways to try - but what
should you really focus on? Here are three important points to making this year the best one yet:
Connect With Your Customers - Make Every Impression Count!
It's never been more important to truly connect with your customers, to understand and relate to them. In 2011 and beyond... read more |
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Leadership Mountain View Explores Health and Human Services Organizations
For the December program day Leadership Mountain View class met with local health and human services organizations to learn about how our community works to meet the needs of people who need assistance. The class was given tours of El Camino Hospital and the Rotacare Free Clinic, including areas not open to the general public. The tours were led and arranged by Mary Gains, Labor & Employee Relations Manager at El Camino Hospital, and Leadership Mountain View graduate.
The first half of the day started with a presentation from Tom Myers, executive director of Community Services Agency (CSA). Tom discussed the human service network... read more |
Chamber Honors Bob Marinaro as Ambassador of the Year
Bob Marinaro has been a member of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce since the summer of 2008 and loves his role as an Ambassador. His friendly, outgoing personality is an asset at Chamber events where he is always introducing people to others with common interests. When not attending Chamber functions, Bob is a registered representative/agent for New York Life and prides himself on working with individuals, families, and businesses to fill holes in their financial plans and to protect their businesses and loved ones... read more |
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Share Your Secrets with ILoveMV.org
 ILoveMV.org is the official visitors center for the city of Mountain View. The website offers residents and visitors suggestions about places to go, activities to do, people to meet, and ways to get involved in our community. I go out in the community and interview the people that I write about and try to experience the activity so that the stories are written by someone you can trust. I actually went into every one of the dive bars in the Dive Bar Tour, I rented a sailboat at Shoreline Park, I've had my transmission fluid changed at Helming's Auto and my oil changed at Eco-Lube and I even took classes at Savvy Cellar and Community School of Music and Arts because... read more |
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Kick-off the New Year by Changing a Kid's Life!
In our fast-paced world, there are many children in our community who need a little extra help:
· Learning the basics
· With their first Algebra course
· Just navigating through the challenges of adolescence
Some just need an adult to listen, as they talk about their dreams and ambitions.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE for one of these young people... read more |
The Chamber Offers the Perfect Tuscan Experience
March 10 - 19, 2011
 The Chamber of Commerce Mountain View with Collette Vacations present a 10-day, package trip to picturesque Tuscany. March 10-19, 2011.
$2,749. per person double occupancy includes 13 meals (8 breakfasts and 5 dinners), Hotel, Transfers, Round Trip Air from San Francisco and roundtrip bus transportation between Mountain View and SFO.
Highlights include: Rome, Assisi, Basilica of St. Frances, Siena, a winery tour and a Tuscan feast, and Florence. Available optional activities are: Montecatini Terme Pisa & Lucca Tour, Tuscan Cooking Class and Dinner in Montecatini, and Villa Pasquini Dinner & Entertainment.
Please contact Lauren Liebert* Ticket to Travel* 650-906-6000* Lauren@aticket2travel.com for additional information. |
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Sincerely,
Chamber of Commerce Mountain View
The Chamber of Commerce Mountain View is a business organization working for the mutual benefit of its members and the community by enhancing an environment in which business can succeed. |
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