Below please find fliers providing an overview of the meters and Frequently Asked Questions and answers in both English and Chinese languages (click images to enlarge)…

]]> http://arcadiacachamber.org/gas-co-advanced-meters-coming/feed/ 0 http://arcadiacachamber.org/biz-forum-in-sri-lanka-by-chamber-member/ http://arcadiacachamber.org/biz-forum-in-sri-lanka-by-chamber-member/#comments Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:57:49 +0000 scott http://arcadiacachamber.org/?p=6877 The Sri Lanka Consulate General’s Office, a member of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, has announced that the Commonwealth Business Council (based in London) in collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka is organizing a “Commonwealth Business Forum” from Nov. 12 – 14, 2013 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to connect with businesses and opportunities overseas, and also enjoy all the exotic pleasures of Sri Lanka. The program with registration form is below, or you can find the forms and more information at the Commonwealth Business Council web site. 

Groundbreaking on the “Class A” buildings (three new, one existing) at 161 W. Colorado Place and the new parking garage is scheduled for late 2013. The campus configuration with on-site management will feature a ground-floor bistro/cafe.
Pre-leasing is now underway by Soo Properties — see info below (click images to enlarge)…

The magazine is a big upgrade and replaces the Chamber’s Annual Directory and quarterly newsletters and offers a stylish and glossy new format with more features—plus it will be mailed to you four times a year.

One of the issues will feature our entire membership directory, and every issue features a Member Resource section spotlighting new and renewing members. Each year an issue is themed to the Chamber’s annual Taste of Arcadia event in mid-September, including bonus distribution to the nearly 1,000 attendees. PLUS, a special issue each October is devoted to the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park that has greatly-expanded distribution with at least 25,000 readers, including many of the thousands coming to Arcadia for days and weeks prior to the event.

All of our four issues each year will be available in print — as well as on our website, in an interactive format.

The prestigious new Arcadia Magazine provides you the opportunity to market your company’s products and services directly to all Chamber members and other members of the entire community. All Chamber members and hundreds of other VIPs will receive a copy of each issue in the mail, and only Chamber members get a 40% discount on ad rates (see below). Your Chamber staff will use the Arcadia Magazine extensively to promote you and other Chamber members.

In the coming days and weeks, Deb Mathine, a representative from Arcadia Chamber member MetroMedia Inc., which publishes the new Arcadia Magazine, will contact you in regards to advertising opportunities. If you’re ready to discuss advertising opportunities now, feel free to contact Deb direct at 818-721-8705 or dmathine@metromediapublishers.com.

We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to market your business to other Chamber members, visitors, and thousands of others in our community.

Rate cards and deadlines for the first two editions — Aug. 15 and Oct. 17 — are below and will be updated regularly at the Chamber’s advertising page. (click to enlarge images below)

2013 Arcadia Chamber of Commerce Business Awards sponsor

The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the winners of the 2013 annual Business Awards, sponsored by Southern California Edison, to be presented July 18 at the monthly Networking Breakfast sponsored each month by Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. in the Sunset Room of the Santa Anita Golf Course:

• Business of the Year: Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary - Bruce Lazenby
• Business Person of the Year: Wayne Williams, Professional Advisory Services 
• Chamber Service Award: Jerry Dominguez, Printing Control
• New Member of the Year: Cruise Planners – Jenny Tsa and Ivan Lai

If you would like to congratulate the winners in the event printed program, e-mail your ad to the Chamber by Wednesday, July 10: Info@ArcadiaCaChamber.org.

• Full page ad (8.5″ x 5.5″) = $90
• Half-page ad (4.25″ x 5.5″) = $50
• Business Card Ad (2″ x 3.5″) = $25

Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary will celebrate a century of service to the greater San Gabriel Valley next year. Beginning in the early 20th century as a community cemetery initially called Whittier Heights Memorial Park, Rose Hills has grown into the largest single location memorial park and funeral home in North America and has provided funeral services for families living in Arcadia for decades. In the past two years, Rose Hills has become a supporter of numerous Arcadia community groups, school programs and Chamber activities, including the Arcadia High School Performing Arts Center and Theatre Department, the Methodist Hospital Foundation, and the Arcadia Chinese Association. Rose Hills also sponsors the Chamber’s monthly Networking Breakfasts and will be the first ever sponsor of the Business Showcase at the Taste on Sept, 23.
While Rose Hills remains based in Whittier, the company also has four satellite locations in the city of Alhambra, City of Industry, City of Cerritos and the City of Irvine. “We are honored to receive this recognition and pledge to continue to provide the highest quality caring service for the Arcadia community for years to come,” says Bruce A. Lazenby, Executive Director of Business Development.

Bruce Lazenby

Lazenby, who joined the Arcadia Chamber board of directors this year, has been with Rose Hills for more than 30 years. But that’s only a fraction of the 44 years he has been married to his high school sweetheart with whom he lives in San Clemente and has four children (Aaron, Lindsey, Jack, and Bud) and three grandchildren (Coco, Miki, and Jojo).
With bachelor’s and masters degrees from Chapman University, Bruce also teachers organizational leadership at Brandman University-Irvine. In addition to serving on the Chamber board, Bruce also serves on the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation, the San Gabriel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Whittier Historic Society Board, the Irvine Rotary, and the American Legion.

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Wayne L. Williams, President of Professional Advisory Services, has been actively participating in multiple activities of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce for several years, was elected to the board of directors this year, and will present the first classic car exhibit at the Taste of Arcadia on Sept. 23. His company has been one of the Chamber’s primary advertisers in printed and e-mail newsletters and the web site, and is a sponsor of the 2013 Taste of Arcadia and Business Showcase at the Taste.

Wayne Williams

Last fall Wayne was awarded the Investment Advisor of the Year award by Girard Securities, Inc. of San Diego, the highly-rated, nationally-licensed broker dealer with investment advisors throughout the United States. This award was based on Williams’ skills as a Money Manager of more than 300 client accounts.

Wayne moved to Arcadia in 1982 with his wife and six children. In 1991-92 he produced and directed a film called “Romancing the Classics” that featured 125 classic cars and 12 rock ‘n’ roll songs from the 1950s & 60s. A number of scenes were filmed at Arcadia High School and featured AHS cheerleaders and “Song” group. The movie was sold worldwide and presented at the Louvre in Paris as part of a retrospective of 1950s America.
Wayne supports the AHS Theatre program and has raised money for equipment for the athletic programs.
During his 15 years as a teacher and school principal, Wayne brought 250 children to be clothed by the School Bell program of the Assistance League of Arcadia.

Wayne began his career as a financial professional in Arcadia after his career in education, first as a financial planner after earning a degree from USC and the College of Financial Planning in 1986. He became an investment advisor for the law firm of Hart, Mieras & Morris in 1994 and continued that relationship as he started Professional Advisory Services in 1999.

A veteran of the Navy, Wayne has a BA degree in education from Biola University and a Masters in School Administration from Cal State Fullerton.
But his real claim to fame was delivering the daily newspaper to Elvis Presley while being rasied in Memphis, where he received the outstanding athlete award at his high school graduation.

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Jerry Dominguez’s Printing Control has been in business for more than 40 years, serving non-profits and commercial businesses in greater Los Angeles.

Jerry’s business has received the Inc. 500 magazine honor as one of the top 500 fastest growing companies in America. Over the last several years he has directed his focus to local area non-profits. He serves as a direct-mail consultant for the Democratic Party in California.

No sooner had Printing Control joined the Chamber than Jerry created the most elegant programs for the Chamber’s annual formal Citizen of the Year and Installation Dinner, and then produced a professional mailing to all Chamber members.

“We have had the honor of being selected as the ‘go-to printer’ for programs for the Citizen of Year the last two years and have done mailings to help build membership in the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce,” Jerry said. “For the upcoming Taste of Arcadia there are plans for a Red Carpet photo opportunity of which Jerry will be part of the team.”

Jerry has four adult children (Jason, Jennifer, Jessica and Julia) who all attended Arcadia High School and now serve in the following professions – IT development of online teaching at Mt. Sierra College, Personal Training/Nutrition, Psychologist, and Interpreter for the Deaf. His wife of 42 years owned a Child Day Care for more than 20 years in Arcadia.

When he’s not working in design, print, direct-mail and signage, Jerry’s favorite pastime these days is gardening

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Jenny Tsa and Ivan Lai of Cruise Planners — based in San Gabriel Valley — are cruise and land vacation planners that ensure you have access to exclusive benefits on your next holiday trip. They drive a distinctive car that is colorfully covered in a Cruise Planner advertisement.
In the first year of membership, Cruise Planners had a booth at the first-ever Business Showcase at the Taste of Arcadia, where they enjoyed getting many sales leads, and both have participated in many Chamber activities, with Ivan becoming an active member of the Chamber Ambassadors.

Ivan Lai and Jenny Tsa

With more than 15 years of traveling experience — coupled with their friendly and thorough expertise — Jenny and Ivan assist families, retirees, singles, and honeymooners in making their holiday plans effortless. Jenny and Ivan have sailed on more than 20 cruise ships and have traveled to more than 60 cities and 30 countries by land and sea. With their combined knowledge and experience they can help you navigate vacation planning by customizing packages based on your travel preferences.

With clients across the nation, Cruise Planners can accommodate vacation groups of all sizes. The company also has access to a wide variety of wedding and event planners as well as hotel concierges. With no affiliations to any specific vacation companies or cruise lines, Cruise Planners can provide a candid snapshot of what each company has to offer. When booking your travel arrangements, they will utilize all available travel technology and leverage their connections with travel supply companies to give you the best possible vacation experience.

Cruise Planners’ top priority is to help get you the most out of your travel investment by extending round-the-clock service while defining your travel needs precisely. Invest in your well-being by contacting vacation specialists Jenny Tsa and Ivan Lai at Cruise Planners for a complimentary travel consultation today.

Cynthia Kurtz

Cynthia also noted in her PowerPoint presentation that SGV lost about 52,000 jobs in the ten years from 2002-2012, bottoming out in 2010 and recovering slightly since then, but nearly enough yet to offset the losses, let alone the annual growth rate that needs to be in the range of 3.5% – 4% per year. Those gains have not been seen in California since 2008, she said.
But there are some bright spots: of the 70,000 businesses in San Gabriel Valley — which represent about 16% of the the jobs in all of Los Angeles County (605,000 jobs; 3.8 million people), 87,000 jobs are in the health services sector. Cynthia’s SGV Economic Partnership is offering a free forum on Health Care Reform Implementation for Employers from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Friday, June 28 at the City of Hope.

Another 80,000 jobs are in the professional/business services industry in San Gabriel Valley. And 6,000 jobs were added in the past year, half of which came in the leisure and hospitality sector, and 1,800 in retail trade.
“Growth will continue at a slow pace for about three to four more years,” she said — about 1.5% – 2% per year. And the good news in Arcadia, Asians tend to open a lot of businesses, she said.

In other reports from attendees at the monthly free meeting of local government officials:

• City Councilman Bob Harbicht reported that the City reached an agreement with Rusnak Mercedes to expand their auto dealership onto Santa Anita Avenue, pending final approval from the State Department of Finance. And the City has approved two new medical office buildings to be built, one across from the hospital on Huntington Drive near the existing medical building, which will include an additional foot bridge over the street, and another near Colorado Place. He also noted that the City Council approved a $10,000 annual fee increase to the Chamber, and $40,000 per year for three years to make interior improvements to the Chamber office building, which the City owns.
• Economic Development Manager Jerry Schwartz reported that the City will vote at the Council meeting June 18 on whether to approve ballots to be sent to property owners in the area surrounding First Avenue and Huntington Drive. The vote will determine if the owners want to create a self-taxing district to raise money to revitalize and market the area to drive more customers and businesses to the downtown area.
• Rodrigo Gonzalez of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority reported that the Authority has now received 100% approval to complete all phases of the 11.5 mile extension of the Gold Line through Arcadia to Azusa. He also noted that the outside lanes of Santa Anita Avenue that were recently closed for construction, will eventually be opened when the inside lanes need to be closed.
• Congresswoman Judy Chu representative Tommy Tseng reported that Chu will meet with Chamber executives June 24 to discuss the plans to create a National Recreation Area at local waterways. He also said the long-planned Small Business Development Center should be coming to the area in late 2013, probably in Pasadena. The Congresswoman is also creating a new DiversCities Award for business owners — more details to come.
• Assemblymember Ed Chau’s representative Olivia Lee sent word presented by Forum chairman Jack Orswell that Chau has been appointed Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee in the State Assembly, and that several of his bills passed the Assembly Floor, including his water bill AB 1043 which deals with the groundwater cost recovery that impacts our district. Chau will be guest speaker at the Chamber Forum at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, regarding AB 477.
• Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich representative Brian Mejia noted the many activities the Supervisor has hosted and attended in recent days, including his annual Memorial Day event in Arcadia Park, and the upcoming Family Music Festival at the Arboretum on June 23.
• Linda Sells of the Monrovia, Arcadia, Duarte Town Council, praised the Supervisor’s Memorial Day program, and she and John Nicoloro described a new residential project being built on Live Oak Avenue just east of the official city limits of Arcadia but still within the unincorporated part of Arcadia.

Schedule of upcoming guest speakers at the Forum:

• July 11 guest speaker (please note one-time change of date to second Thursday due to Independence Day on July 4): State Senator Ed Hernandez
• Aug. 1 guest speaker: Assemblymember Chau on Assembly Bill 477, an act to amend Section 15630.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to elder and dependent adult abuse.

Monthly forums, free and open to the public, are held at 8 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, 388 W. Huntington Drive.
Each month a discussion of pending legislation and other updates will be provided by representatives from City, County, and State government offices, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension and the Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte Town Council.

The public is invited on the first Thursday of each month to hear informative presentations at the monthly Government Affairs Forums led by Chairman Jack Orswell and co-chairs Pete Ulrich, former Arcadia City Councilman, and Mary Dougherty, former President of the Arcadia School District Board of Education.

RSVPs to the Chamber of Commerce office are appreciated – (626) 447-2159 or info@ArcadiaCaChamber.org.

Sign up now before the final few seats are reserved for either of two different weeks, Sept. 20-27, or Oct. 11-18, 2013.

Interested Chamber members at a preview presentation March 12 by Tyler of Collette Vacations of the fall Islands of New England trip (in photos left and right).

Click here for link to Collette Vacations Facebook page.

Click here for Full Itinerary

Please rsvp to 626-447-2159 r Info@ArcadiaCaChamber.org.

Click here for full itinerary of Collette Vacations’ Christmas on the Danube trip as highlighted on flier below…

The news comes on the heels of word that Santa Anita has also been awarded three more months of racing dates every spring starting next year, and new of plans for the track to make improvements to much of its grandstand and Turf Club area this summer.

The 31st Breeders’ Cup World Championships, thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international year-end event, consisting of 14 races with purses and awards totaling $27 million, will be held on October 31 and November 1, 2014.

Santa Anita Park, which is the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup on November 1-2 (2013 Breeders’ Cup tickets on sale now), has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships six times, most recently last year’s edition. The 2014 Breeders’ Cup will be televised by the NBC Sports Group. The 2013 Breeders’ Cup will also be televised by the NBC Sports Group with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic shown live in primetime on NBC from 8-9 p.m. ET.

Over the years, some of the greatest moments in Breeders’ Cup history have taken place at Santa Anita, including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic when the great Zenyatta became the first female ever to win the Classic. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup, witnessed by 89,742 over the two days, featured winners representing a cross-section of horses from the US and overseas, highlighted by Fort Larned winning the Classic and the 5-year-old Wise Dan capturing the Breeders’ Cup Mile, which later earned him the 2012 Horse of the Year title.

“Santa Anita has proven to be an outstanding host for our Championships, providing horsemen and fans around the world with a first class facility and one of the greatest experiences in sports. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Santa Anita for a third consecutive year,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “We also value our relationship with the Southern California business and entertainment community, who have demonstrated long time dedication and support of the Breeders’ Cup since our inception in 1984.”

The 2014 running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships marks the 11th time that the event will be held in Southern California and the eighth time that Santa Anita will host the Breeders’ Cup, after hosting the event in 1986, 1993, 2003, 2008 and 2009, 2012, and this year.

Breeders’ Cup officials indicated that no decisions have been made on host sites beyond 2014 and that the organization remains open to visiting markets that can accommodate the two-day event during its traditional fall timing, provide world class hospitality for its participants and guests and showcase the world’s best Thoroughbred racing.

“To be chosen as the host site for a third consecutive year is a clear indication of Santa Anita’s standing in the worldwide racing community,” said Keith Brackpool, Chairman of the Los Angeles Turf Club. “We look forward to hosting this year’s two-day event in November and following that, we’ll immediately begin planning for 2014. On behalf of our fans, horsemen and employees, we look forward to again celebrating the very best our sport has to offer.”

“In addition to being the two-greatest days in Thoroughbred racing, hosting the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita for the next two years provides us with the opportunity to further develop the Breeders’ Cup brand as a world class entertainment and lifestyle platform,” said Drew Sheinman, Breeders’ Cup Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We look forward to forging new sponsor and business relationships in the community.”

“The Breeders’ Cup is a world-class spectacle and we are delighted that it will be returning to Santa Anita in 2014,” said Alan Rothenberg, chairman of the Los Angeles Sports Council. “Visitors from all over the world will enjoy our many first-class hotels, restaurants and attractions, and this prestigious international sporting event will boost our local economy by bringing tens of millions of dollars in economic impact to the region.”

Said Jon Miller, President of Programming, NBC and NBC Sports Network: “We are excited that the Breeders’ Cup has chosen to return to Santa Anita. The backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains at dusk makes for a beautiful setting for a great two days of the world’s best racing, topped off by the Breeders’ Cup Classic in primetime on NBC.”

Arcadia Mayor Mickey Segal commented: “The City of Arcadia is extremely proud to be the host city for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Santa Anita Park and horse racing are very important to our community, and the Breeders’ Cup provides Arcadia with an opportunity to showcase both the city and the racetrack to the world. People from all over will come here and celebrate racing in the most beautiful setting in America. As the Mayor of the City of Arcadia, I encourage racing fans from everywhere to come to Arcadia and share this incredible experience with us.”

“The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau and businesses in the area are thrilled to have the prestigious Breeders’ Cup returning to Santa Anita Park in 2014,” said Michael Ross, CEO, Pasadena Center Operating Company. “Past Breeders’ Cups have made a significant impact on Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area’s economy by filling our hotels, restaurants and shops.” “Even our museums have benefitted from hosting parties and VIP events.”

About Santa Anita and The Stronach Group

Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets.The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horseracing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.

About Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2013 World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Nov. 1-2, and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. The $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic will be shown live and in primetime on NBC. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Mayor Pro Tem John Wuo with Carol Libby

On the recently declared Carol Libby Day on May 30, 2013, the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, presented a plaque with a Certificate of Appreciation to the honoree.
During a General Membership annual election of officers program by Chamber member Arcadia Historical Society attended by more than 90 members and others, Mayor Pro Tem John Wuo read a proclamation and then declared it Carol Libby Day in the City of Arcadia. It was part of a special “Hats Off to Carol Libby” tribute by the Society to the longtime former President and current Second VP, membership. Carol, an author and co-author of several books chronicling the history of Arcadia, has been the backbone of the Society and most of its most notable endeavors for many years.

Carol with Chamber of Commerce CEO Scott Hettrick. Photo by Annie Libby.

Society Historical Marker Committee chairman and Chamber CEO Scott Hettrick presented the plaque to Carol on behalf of the Chamber and President Arlynn Robinson of Century 21 Earll. Noting that the “Hats Off” tribute was appropriate since Carol wears so many hats with so many different organizations, Hettrick reminded Carol that the Chamber recognized her as Citizen of the Year 35 years ago in 1978. She has become an even better, more productive and more valuable citizen every year since then, he said.

Carol thanked the Chamber and other presenters, including Mayor Pro Tem Wuo, just one of several City Council members for whom she served as campaign manager, and read a clever and gracious poem about her pleasure in serving and working with so many organizations and people of the community.

Arboretum CEO Richard Schulhof

Current Society President Gene Glasco officiated at the event that also included a financial report by Society Treasurer and Chamber member Gil Stromsoe of Mark Shaefer Associates, and an update from Chamber board member Richard Schulhof, CEO of the Arboretum, about historical preservation efforts there.
In beautiful weather from the pleasant Oak Room patio just outside the Oak Room below the Arboretum library just south of the Peacock Cafe and west of the gift shop, Schulhof said plans and funding is underway to restore the lake in front of the Queen Anne Cottage to its former depth and beauty. He also noted the recent restoration of the beautiful Bauer fountain that was installed in 1963, and the ongoing advance work to restore the roof and the building often called the Hugo Reid adobe to a more stable structure that more closely reflects its primary use as half of Lucky Baldwin’s homestead for many years.

Attendees listen to guest speaker Emily Smith.

The Historical Society recently created a Historical Marker to showcase the Baldwin residence before it fell into disrepair.
Schulhof also praised the Society’s marker dedicated and placed near the Arboretum entrance in October 2012, which Schulhof said attracts many viewings from visitors and their comments of appreciation.

– By Scott Hettrick