CEO MESSAGE

By Trish Christensen

Itook a moment to look back at what I wrote for the January 2021 edition of this publication. I found I had a lot of hope for us, as in anticipation of the pandemic coming to an end. I truly had no consideration for the possibility we may still be tangled in it an entire year down the road. I recall at the onset of this, the moment the initial shut down went into effect, that I felt “this will all be over 8 weeks from now”. We sure have learned that it will run the course it is here to run. We have also started to learn how to live with it rather then hide away from it.

In the twenty-two months since Covid-19 took hold here, our resiliency has certainly been tested. Today, as we look forward to a fresh start with a new year, I do consider what the pandemic situation may be by the end of the year. No more assumptions that this will be truly behind us, yet the hope for that remains. We are continually gaining confidence in getting back in action and have come to a point of navigating how to do so safely versus not doing so at all.

As we step off into 2022, I am again hopeful for what the year will bring. Restaurant and beverage establishments are busier. Real estate, manufacturing, and industry never skipped a step during covid. Their challenge, as for most businesses, is having enough workers to keep up on demand. Schools are open and kids are back to learning and socializing with new protocols in place. Many meetings for work, health visits, or any other focus are taking place in a transitional hybrid fashion. Theaters of all types are open to entertain us, and retail shops are gaining momentum. We are living again, and that feels great!

As The Modesto Chamber of Commerce has been coming back online with our actions and activities, programs, committees, and events, we too are feeling very hopeful, and excited for all we foresee taking place in 2022. We have some new event concepts in the works starting with our reimagined, 108th Annual Awards and Anniversaries Soiree.

This event is going to be a super fun and fresh take on an old classic. We are migrating our standing committees to more in person presentation modes. Our networking programs have been developing their community outreach components and making great things happen! We will be introducing training and enrichment opportunities throughout the year. We are looking forward and seeing greatness ahead for this year.

I encourage you to engage with us on any of these various opportunities. I invite you to attend, learn, mentor and be mentored along the way. Together we will make not only our community better, but we will inspire others, and grow ourselves in the process.

Happy New year to you all!

With warm regards,

Trish

MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater Modesto Area,

Modesto Area, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, access to leaders, MISSION STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater access to leaders, economic development, connectivity and business education.economic development, connectivity and business education. Modesto Area, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, Toexecute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That To execute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. access to leaders, economic development, connectivity and business education. acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.” That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”Toexecute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”

At its heart the Modesto Chamber is a community of likeminded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, At its heart the Modesto Chamber is a community of likeminded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, work and play. The Modesto Chamber is the go-to resource and work and play. The Modesto Chamber is the go-to resource and facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental agencies, and community leaders. Moreagencies, and community leaders. than just a business club, the More than just a business club, the Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive transformation by supporting change agents in the community.transformation by supporting change agents in the community.

Chamber Staff, Board of Directors and many of our topical Chamber Staff, Board of Directors and many of our topical committees, such as Economic Development and Government committees, such as Economic Development and Government Relations, are engaged and proactively representing our members by Relations, are engaged and proactively representing our members by addressing business initiatives, addressing issues in our community addressing and business initiatives, addressing issues in our community working to relieve the regulatory burdens businesses endure due and working to relieve the regulatory burdens businesses endure due to local and state governments. The Modesto Chamber gets results, as to local and state governments. The Modesto Chamber gets results, as shown by recent victories in forming more rational ADA legislation, shown by recent victories in forming more rational ADA legislation, defeating a no-growth measure, electing business friendly candidates, defeating a no-growth measure, electing business friendly candidates, working alongside others to pass Measure L, a local self-help working alongside others to pass Measure L, a local self-help transportation measure, and championing for more water for our transportation measure, and championing for more water for our agribusiness, industry and citizens. By working together, our members agribusiness, industry and citizens. By workingare stronger together than they could ever together,be on their our members own. are stronger together than they could ever be on their own.

The Modesto Chamber specializes in building relationships among business and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit

The Modesto Chamber specializes in building relationships among organizations, and governmental agencies. We host monthly business and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit networking events, annual special events, an annual trade show, and organizations, and governmental agencies. We host monthly our long-running Gala. Members also may serve on committees or go networking events, annual special events, an annual trade show, and through the Leadership Modesto program where they will build long- our long-running Gala. Members also may serve on committeesterm relationships with key leaders in the business world and or go through the Leadership local community. Modesto program where they will build long- term relationships with key leaders in the business world and local community.

The Chamber serves the education community by hosting the annual State of Business and Education event, by fund-raising for local students at the Ag Aware and Harvest Luncheon annual series, and The Chamber serves the education community by hosting the annual State of Business and Education event, by fund-raising for local students at the Ag Aware and Harvest Luncheon annual series, and partnering with local schools and collegespartnering with local schools and colleges to to train and educate youngtrain and educate young men and women, all in keeping with men and women, all in keeping withour ourpledge pledge to help provide a ready to help provide a ready workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the Chamber workforce to serve local employers. Additionally, the Chamber educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds of its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds of Success speaker series, workshops and seminars, monthly committee Success speaker series, workshops and seminars, monthly committee meetings, and SCORE counseling.meetings, and SCORE counseling.

The Chamber believes in service to the community and to its

The Chamber believes in service to the community and to its members. The Chamber Board and staff are active on many nonprofit members. The Chamber Boardand government committees, and staff are active ondonating their business many nonprofit expertise, time and government committees, donating their business expertise, time and resources. The Chamber also serves its individual members by and resources. The Chamber also serves its individual members by hosting ribbon cuttings which introduce a new business to the hosting ribbon cuttings which introduce a new business to the community, valuable and cost effective (free) marketing opportunities, community, valuable and cost effective (free) marketing opportunities, exposure to social media, workshops and training for our business exposure to social media, workshops and training for our business partnersandtheirassociates,andotherfree and discountedresources. partnersandtheirassociates,andotherfree and discountedresources.