Progress May 2021 by Modesto Chamber of Commerce

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

VOL. 42 | ISSUE 5 | MAY 2021

FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE MASTER GARDENERS TECH Q&A

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MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

IN MODESTO 1302 J St. & 4204 Dale Rd.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving the greater Modesto Area, regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, access to leaders, economic development, connectivity and business education.

MAY2021 | CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chairman

Michael Gaffney, PG&E

Past Chairman

Steve Rank, Rank Investigations and Protection, Inc.

Vice Chair, External Operations Michael Moradian Jr. Peace of Mind Pest Control

Vice Chair, Internal Operations, Treasurer

Dairy Dynasty

Patricia Gillum Pat Gillum CPA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Garrett Ardis- Huff Construction Company Inc. Dennis Bettencourt- Blue Diamond Growers Brad Blakeley, Edward Jones Investments Kirstie Boyett, The State Theater David Halvorson Jr.- American Chevrolet Warren Kirk, Doctors Medical Center Brian McDermott, Team S.O.S DeSha McLeod, Community Hospice Inc. Kymber Miller- Sysco Central California Inc. Eric Nielsen, Gianelli Nielsen Peggy O'Donnell, Mid-Valley Productions Jason Pineda, Freshpoint Inc. Bill Robinson, Principal Financial Group DeJeune Shelton- Modesto Junior College Madhu Singh, Bank of Stockton Jared Steinwert, F&M Bank John Villines- Modesto Gospel Mission

COMMUNITY

Farmers Market

President & CEO

Trish Christensen Modesto Chamber of Commerce tchristensen@modchamber.org

Publisher: Modesto Chamber of Commerce 209.577.5757 • Progress@ModChamber.org www.ModChamber.org Graphic Design: 209 Magazine 209.634.9141 • www.209magazine.com

CEO Message

Calendar

DMC Tenet Heroes

ADVOCACY

Green Business

QuaranTEEN Challenge

RELATIONSHIPS

Milestone Members

Distribution: 209 Magazine

EDUCATION

Advertising Sales:

Ag Science Center

Cover Photo By Virginia Still

SERVICE

Printer: 209 Magazine

Camp2Home

209.634.9141 • hvanderveen@209magazine.com 209.634.9141

crogers@oakdaleleader.com 209.845.4074

© Copyright 2021 Modesto Chamber of Commerce. Some parts of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted, however, we require that permission be obtained in writing. 209.577.5757, Progress@ModChamber.org

Veterinary Service Inc.

Staff: Administrative Assistant, Hope Gyorfi Administrative Assistant, Jolene Camarena Events Coordinator, Felicia Lopez Membership Coordinator, Sabrinna Gonzales Staff Accountant, Jaime Lastra

Hospice Gala

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in

this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce.

MJC Legacy

PROGRESS MAGAZINE 1114 J Street • Modesto, CA 95354 209. 577.5757 • Fax 209. 577.2673 www.ModChamber.org • Progress@ModChamber.org

MAY 2021

A Message From The President & CEO AGRICULTURE AND FARMING By Trish Christensen

he City of Modesto, as we all know, is the hub and county seat of Stanislaus County. A county rich with “Water-Wealth-Contentment-Health” – the welcoming words at the gate into our downtown from the freeway. If you pause and reflect on what that truly represents, you cannot help but feel fortunate to be here. Our city is surrounded by agriculture and farming, which is the foundation of our unique way of life. We have many multigenerational families entrenched here and working their ancestors land, whether through orchards in fruit and nut crops, field crops, vegetable crops, livestock, and poultry, or by the array of products derived from the various farms around us. We truly are rich with quality products and food.

COMMUNITY

The new Agriculture Commissioner joined us as our highlight speaker at the last Modesto Chamber Leadership Series session. Kamaljit K. Bagri is the first woman in this role in Stanislaus County. She was formerly the Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures. What a fascinating story she shared. Those of us in attendance learned about things we were not aware were done or a part of her duties. Did you know the County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer is responsible for the implementation of laws and regulations which support and protect the well-being of agriculture, business, and the community? She plays a vital role in our quality of life.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

We were very proud to show our appreciation to Blue Diamond Growers, Salida, for their dedication to sustainability and the care they put into their processes, their products, and the environment, at our inaugural Green Ribbon Cutting ceremony. They have been in business for more than 100 years and they have established a deep-rooted commitment to long-term sustainability and innovation as they have grown. The future of farming in our area would not be complete without acknowledging the key educational opportunities Modesto Junior College School of Agriculture has to offer. MJC AG is known for having one of the most comprehensive community college agriculture programs in the nation. It provides an outstanding education for the next generation of farmers through their 14 different Associate of Science Degrees and 14 Technician Certificates. In 2022 the school and the Ag department will be celebrating 100 years of educating future farmers. What a treasured pillar of our community. To those of you who are producers and providers for us all, please know you are appreciated. Your food and wares are bought and sold here locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally, and as you share what you have, you are sharing the best of what can be created with us all. You are showing the world that the best quality comes from right here in our valley. Thank you~ With warm regards, Trish

MISSION The Modesto Chamber of Commerce to serving theArea, greater MISSIONSTATEMENT: STATEMENT: The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is dedicatedistodedicated serving the greater Modesto regional businesses community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, access to leaders, MISSION The Modesto Chamber of Commerce isthrough dedicated to serving the greater Modesto Area,STATEMENT: regional and businesses and community prosperity advocacy, collaboration, economic development, connectivity and business education.

Modesto Area,economic regional businesses and community prosperity through advocacy, collaboration, access to leaders, development, connectivity and business education. Toour execute our adopted mission have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. access to leaders, economic connectivity and business education. That To execute adopted mission we development, havewe developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.” acronym is “CARES: Community, Relationships, Education andkeep Service.” That To execute our adopted missionAdvocacy, we have developed an acronym that helps us focused. acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”

COMMUNITY

EDUCATION

COMMUNITY

EDUCATION

At its heart the Modesto Chamber is a community of likeminded

The Chamber serves the education community by hosting the

business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy

annual State of Business and Education event, by fund-raising for local

and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live,

students at the Ag Aware and Harvest Luncheon annual series, and

work and play. The Modesto Chamber is the go-to resource and

partnering with local schools and colleges to train and educate young

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

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 colleges to train and educate young

facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental men and women, all in keeping with our pledge to help provide a ready facilitator of ideas and communication for nonprofits, governmental men and women, all in keeping with our pledge to help provide a ready

agencies, and community leaders. More More than than just ajust business club,club, the the workforce the Chamber Chamber agencies, and community leaders. a business workforcetotoserve serve local local employers. employers. Additionally, Additionally, the Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through Modesto Chamber strives to affect its environment for positive educates its members on practical solutions and best practices through transformation by supporting change agents in the community. its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds transformation by supporting change agents in the community. its Progress Magazine articles, monthly Chamber University and Seeds ofof Success speaker monthlycommittee committee Success speakerseries, series,workshops workshops and and seminars, seminars, monthly meetings, and SCORE counseling. meetings, and SCORE counseling.

ADVOCACY ADVOCACY

SERVICE SERVICE

Chamber Staff, Board of Directors and many of our topical

committees, such as Economic Development and Government

Relations, are engaged and proactively representing our members by

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

addressing business initiatives, addressing issues in our community members. The Chamber Board and staff are active on many nonprofit and government committees, donating their business expertise, time

addressing issues in our community and business working toinitiatives, relieve theaddressing regulatory burdens businesses endure due

and working toand relieve regulatory The burdens businesses due as to local statethe governments. Modesto Chamberendure gets results, to local shown and state Modestomore Chamber gets results, as by governments. recent victoriesThe in forming rational ADA legislation, shown by recent avictories in measure, forming electing more rational legislation, defeating no-growth businessADA friendly candidates, working alongside otherselecting to passbusiness Measure L, a candidates, local self-help defeating a no-growth measure, friendly measure, for our workingtransportation alongside others to and passchampioning Measure L,fora more local water self-help agribusiness, industry citizens. By working together, transportation measure, andand championing for more waterour formembers our are stronger together than they ever be on their own. agribusiness, industry and citizens. Bycould working together, our members

are stronger together than they could ever be on their own.

RELATIONSHIPS

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

The Modesto Chamber in building relationships and specializes governmental agencies. We hostamong monthly organizations, businessnetworking and serving the special nexusevents, to businesses, nonprofit events, as annual an annual trade show, and our long-running Gala. Membersagencies. also may serve committees or go organizations, and governmental We onhost monthly through the Leadership Modesto program wheretrade they will build longnetworking events, annual special events, an annual show, and term relationships with key leaders in the business world and or go our long-running Gala. Members also may serve on committees

andand government their resources. committees, The Chamberdonating also serves its business individualexpertise, members time by andhosting resources. Thecuttings Chamber alsointroduce serves itsa individual members ribbon which new business to theby hosting ribbon cuttings introduce new business to the community, valuable and which cost effective (free) amarketing opportunities, community, costworkshops effective (free) marketing exposure valuable to social and media, and training for opportunities, our business partnersto andsocial their associates, and other free andtraining discounted exposure media, workshops and forresources. our business

partners and their associates, and other free and discounted resources.

C - Community

C - Community A - Advocacy

A - Advocacy

R - Relationships

R - Relationships E - Education

ES--Education Service S - Service

throughlocal the community. Leadership Modesto program where they will build longterm relationships with key leaders in the business world and local community.

MAY 2021

CHAMBER CALENDAR MAY 5

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE* Jaylen French- Community& Economic Director City of Modesto Adam Barth-Modesto City Transit Manager *Preregister via Zoom 11:30 A.M

AMBASSADOR & WELCOME TEAM MEETING *Via Zoom 8:00 A.M.

BUSINESS U: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP TRAITS PART 2 Debra Hendricks owner of DH Facilitating & Training Consulting *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

COMMUNITY

MODESTO CHAMBER LEADERSHIP SERIES Kate Trompetter, Leadership Coach *Preregister via Zoom 11:45AM-1PM

STANISLAUS GREEN TEAM REPSCO- Performance on 100% recycled slip sheets *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

TECH CONNECT TEAM SOS Lawrence McNutt, CEO & Brian McDermott, Advanced communications consultant *Preregister via Zoom 2:00 P.M.

JUNE

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COUNCIL Mayor Sue Zwhalen Her Plans, Priorities, and vision for Modesto *Preregister via Zoom 11:30 AM

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE* Craig Lewis, Broker, Lewis Capitol Advisor & Marty Hackworth, President, Lodi Association of realtors and Broker, Hackworth Real Estate Professionals *Preregister via Zoom 11:30 A.M.

AMBASSADOR & WELCOME TEAM MEETING *Via Zoom 8:00 A.M.

BUSINESS U: *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

DISNEY INSTITUTE Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence online live course 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM *Preregister at https://www.modchamber.org/event/disney-institute/

MODESTO CHAMBER LEADERSHIP SERIES *Preregister via Zoom 11:45AM-1PM

STANISLAUS GREEN TEAM Liz Cheney-Brown, CCS *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

TECH CONNECT *Preregister via Zoom 2:00 P.M.

BUSINESS FORUM California Family Relief Act Register at www.modchamber.org

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COUNCIL *Preregister via Zoom 11:30 A.M.

RISING PROFESSIONALS Increasing Team Psychological Safety *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

RISING PROFESSIONALS *Preregister via Zoom 12:00 P.M.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Madhu Singh AVP Community Branch Manager Bank of Stockton *Preregister via Zoom 4:00 P.M.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS *Preregister via Zoom 4:00 P.M.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

*See website for more detail. Find Zoom Registry links and more at www.modchamber.org Please note that calendar events and details are subject to change.

The program helps businesses lower the cost of doing business, it’s great for the environment, improves the wellness of employees and productivity, and it shows our community and customers that sustainability is your priority. This program is FREE to both Members and Non-Members Register at https://greenbiztracker.org/business/index which will notify us and we will go through the California check list with you.

COMMUNITY

Once the checklist is complete you will receive a true state green seal and your business will be added to the Green Business website. This will allow others to see which businesses have made the commitment to stainability here in the valley. You can set a "Be Green" example that encourages others to follow in your footsteps and "go green" as well. MAY 2021

Dairy Dynasty Crystal Creamery Celebrating 120 Years Crystal Creamery is celebrating its 120th anniversary and is California’s oldest dairy with expertise and leadership in caring for our community, environment and cows while embracing the spirit of everything the California Central Valley has to offer. In 1901, George Knox founded the Crystal Cream & Butter company in the back of a small grocery store in Sacramento where he and his wife churned butter. Twenty years later, in 1921, Crystal was purchased by Carl Hansen, a Danish immigrant. The Hansen family would grow the business over the next 86 years, to become the largest independent dairy processor in California known for its quality milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, and ice cream. In 2007, Crystal Creamery would remain a family-owned business when Foster Dairy Farms, founded in 1941 by Max and Verda Foster, purchased the brand and business from the Hansen’s. The Foster family merged the businesses together to become Crystal Creamery, the largest privately owned dairy in California, producing products under the Crystal Creamery, McColl’s and Humboldt Creamery brands and headquartered in Modesto. “Leading a family-owned company means taking care of our people. Together we are dedicated to producing the most trustworthy products in the industry,” said Dennis Roberts, Crystal Creamery’s President and CEO. He added, “At Crystal Creamery, producing the best dairy products is only part of our company’s promise. We also recognize that we are more than just a dairy company — we are a part of each community we serve.”

The success of Crystal Creamery always starts with the freshest dairy from local and familyowned farms. As we begin working towards the next 120 years, Crystal Creamery remains committed to making the highest quality dairy products accessible to our Californians while continuing to support the communities where we work and live.

COMMUNITY 8

The company has been supporting local community causes and programs through large sponsorships and in small ways like donating product for local events including delivering milk to area food banks and emergency operations centers for distribution during the pandemic. One of the company’s most recognized community sponsorships is its partnership with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) which supports high school athletics in the Sac-Joaquin, Central and North Coast Sections. Included in this sponsorship is the production of special commemorative milk cartons featuring Section champions for fall, winter, and spring sports. The milk cartons are a fun way of recognizing the hard work and dedication of the student athletes, their coaches, and their families.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Doctors Medical Center Employees Recognized As Tenet Heroes Special honor is part of Tenet Healthcare’s annual recognition program

octors Medical Center is proud to announce that Susan Ybarra, RN, NCCU Shift Manager, and Ricky Villavicencio, RN, Clinical Operations Coordinator, have been honored by Tenet Healthcare as part of its annual recognition program. Susan and Ricky have been named “Tenet Heroes” for their incredible contributions in 2020. The Tenet Heroes program celebrates individuals who make a meaningful impact within their respective communities that goes above and beyond their daily job responsibilities. Nominated by fellow colleagues, Tenet Heroes exemplify the company’s core values and key tenets of its Community Built on Care. Susan was recognized as a Tenet Hero because of her amazing efforts introducing Honor Walks at Doctors Medical Center to honor organ donors and provide closure for their loved ones and their care teams. Ricky was designated as the hospital’s ECMO program lead and after ten months of planning, training and preparation, Doctors Medical Center launched its life-saving ECMO program. “Susan and Ricky have both inspired us through their actions to make a positive and meaningful difference in our community,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center. “We are grateful for Susan and Ricky’s efforts, selfless nature and commitment to compassionate care particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are proud to work alongside both of them.”

About Doctors Medical Center Doctors Medical Center of Modesto is the largest full-care hospital between Stockton and Fresno, and from the Sierras to the San Francisco Bay Area, with a 394-bed general acute care and a 67-bed inpatient psychiatric capacity. DMC is known for providing comprehensive inpatient, outpatient and emergency care.

Doctors Medical Center offers a wide range of services including cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, surgical weight loss, emergency and trauma services, minimallyinvasive and robotic surgery, women and children’s services, medical/surgical, behavioral health, oncology and critical/ intensive care. To learn more about Doctors Medical Center, please visit www.dmc-modesto.com. About Tenet Healthcare Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) is a diversified healthcare services company headquartered in Dallas with 110,000 employees. Through an expansive care network that includes United Surgical Partners International, we operate 65 hospitals and approximately 550 other healthcare facilities, including surgical hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care and imaging centers and other care sites and clinics. We also operate Conifer Health Solutions, which provides revenue cycle management and value-based care services to hospitals, health systems, physician practices, employers and other clients. Across the Tenet enterprise, we are united by our mission to deliver quality, compassionate care in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.tenethealth.com. MAY 2021

COMMUNITY

Each year, a smaller group of nominees are inducted into the Tenet Heroes’ Hall of Fame, the company’s most prestigious honor for employees. In addition to being recognized as a Tenet Hero, Susan was also selected as a Hall of Fame winner. This year, a total of 24 individuals across the country were named to the Hall of Fame.

Students Benefit From Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. Scholarships

ifty-six students demonstrating community involvement and academic performance will each receive a scholarship toward their higher education through Hilmar Cheese Company’s annual scholarship program. This is Hilmar Cheese Company’s 19th year awarding scholarships. The scholarship program has three categories: children of employees of Hilmar Cheese Company, children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar Cheese Company, and students with an agricultural major living in the counties where the company is located. This third category is for students not affiliated with the company; but dedicated to the agricultural industry and living in Merced and Stanislaus counties in California, and Dallam and Hartley counties in Texas.

Bernadette Silveira (Merced Junior College). Merced and Stanislaus counties California agricultural majors M’Lyssa Frago (Livingston High School), Gabriella Lucas (Atwater High School), Emma Menefee (Los Banos High School), Kindall Grisham (Golden Valley High School), Alayna Azevedo (Escalon High School), Cody Batchelor (Buhach Colony High School), Anthony Agueda (Hughson High School), Alyssa Zipser (Waterford High School), Caitlin Elizabeth Van Gorkum (Ripon Christian High School), Elizabeth Gomez-Vega (Turlock High School), Melanie Wolf (Fred C. Beyer High School), Tabitha Xavier (California State University, Fresno), Katelyn Struiksma (Oklahoma State University), and Sidney Miller (California State University, Fresno) were each awarded $500.

Students Benefit From Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc.

Fifty-six students demonstrating community involve scholarship toward their higher education throug program. This is Hilmar Cheese Company’s 19th year

Additionally, this year previous recipients of a producer or employee scholarship very invited to apply for a renewal scholarship and eleven were awarded. Fifteen children of Hilmar Cheese Company employees will receive a scholarship. Nine graduating high school seniors and six college students were awarded $1,000 include Alissa Paniagua (Delhi High School), Elisabeth Garner (Atwater High School), Haileigh Faria (John H. Pitman High School), Isabelle Buenrostro (Central Valley High School), Sydney Vallier (John H. Pitman High School), Jesse Davis (Dalhart High School), Dalia Martinez (Stratford High School), Alejandra Long (Dalhart High School), Bethany Berngen (Dalhart High School), Abigail Starr (Merced Community College), Jill Reyna-Canales (Fresno Pacific University), Maxwell Lee (Merced College), Eli Roos (University of California Merced), Gracie Alves (Solano Community College), and Louis Alcala (West Texas A&M).

COMMUNITY

The scholarship program has three categories: ch children of the dairy farm families who ship milk agricultural major living in the counties where the co and Hartley counties Texas agricultural not affiliated withDallam the company; but dedicated to majors Emma Lathem (Dalhart High School), (Dalhart High Jessica and Stanislaus countiesGannon in Swecker California, andSchool), Dallam Beth Nolt (Dalhart High School), Claudia Taylor previous recipients(Dalhart of a High producer employee schola School), andor Jordan Smulders (Frank Phillips College) are awarded $500. and eleven were awarded.

Employee children who were awarded Renewal Scholarships of $500 were Ellena Urrutia (University of California, Riverside), Ethan Machado (California State University, Stanislaus), Victoria Marcelino (University of California, Davis), Makayla Fontes (Merced College), and Julia Travis (University of California, Berkeley).

Fifteen children of Hilmar Cheese Company employ school seniors and six college students were awa The seven children of the School), dairy farm families who Elisabeth Garner (Atwater High School), H ship their milk to Hilmar Cheese Company in Valley High School), Sydney V California to each receive Buenrostro a $1,000 scholarship(Central are Six children of the dairy families who ship milk to Lilianna Garcia (Whitmore Charter High School), (Dalhart High School), Dalia Martinez (Stratford Hi Hilmar Cheese Company were also awarded Renewal Anthony Diniz (Hilmar High School), Shianne Omlin Scholarships of $500. Congratulations to Tanner (Modesto High School), Bethany Colton HoekstraBerngen (Ripon (Dalhart High School), Abigail Hoekstra (Oklahoma State University), Carter Christian High School), Avery Oliveira (Hilmar High Azevedo (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Catherine Canales (Fresno Pacific University), Maxwell Lee (M School), Brielle Prock (Denair High School), and Merced), Gracie Alves (Solano Community College)

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Machado (Loyola Marymount University), Alison Bylsma (Azusa Pacific University), Grace Nightengale (Arizona State University), and Jenna Nightengale (University of California, Davis). The Hilmar Cheese Company scholarship program reflects the company’s ongoing support of higher education and its commitment to employees, dairy farm families, and the California and Texas agricultural industries. Qualifying students are encouraged to apply

countries. State-of-the art production facilities in California and Texas convert high-quality milk received from local independent dairy farms into a variety of nutritious cheese and whey ingredients.

The company m Hilmar Cheese November 1 throughCompany, February 1, 2022.Inc. Scholarships cheddar and For more information about Hilmar Cheese Company’s scholarship program, visit the About Us section of www.hilmarcheese.com.

specializes in the production of American-style cheeses utilized by private label and national brand companies worldwide.

monstrating community involvement and academic performance will each re Its Hilmar Ingredients division manufactures and their About higher education through Hilmar Cheese scho markets globally a Company’s wide range of wheyannual protein Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. and lactose products. Committed to continuous mar Cheese Company’s 19th year awarding scholarships. improvement, innovation and sustainability, Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. improves lives around the world by being a leading producer of wholesome dairy products. Founded in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company and its division, Hilmar Ingredients, serve customers in more than 50

Hilmar Cheese Company strives to make products that benefit all involved from our customers to our suppliers to our employees and communities. Together, we deliver the promise of dairy.

gram has three categories: children of employees of Hilmar Cheese Co farm families who ship milk to Hilmar Cheese Company, and students w ing in the counties where the company is located. This third category is for s he company; but dedicated to the agricultural industry and living in Merc n California, and Dallam and Hartley counties in Texas. Additionally, th f a producer or employee scholarship very invited to apply for a renewal scho ded.

COMMUNITY

ilmar Cheese Company employees will receive a scholarship. Nine graduatin six college students were awarded $1,000 include Alissa Paniagua (Delh arner (Atwater High School), Haileigh Faria (John H. Pitman High School), I Valley High School), Sydney Vallier (John H. Pitman High School), Jesse LOCALLY GROWN. FINANCED. l), Dalia Martinez (Stratford High LOCALLY School), Alejandra Long (Dalhart High S BAC has been meeting the needs of local farmers and their families since 1965. Dalhart High School), Abigail Starr (Merced Community College), Jill fic University), Maxwell Lee (Merced College), Eli Roos (University of Ca es (Solano Community College), and Louis Alcala (West Texas A&M). Modesto Office: 1625 J Street (at the “Five Points” intersection)

(209) 342-5297 • www.bankbac.com of the dairy farm families who ship their milk to Hilmar Cheese Comp #BankBAC eceive a $1,000 scholarship are Lilianna Garcia (Whitmore Charter High S 11 mar High School), Shianne Omlin (Modesto High School), Colton Hoekstra MAY 2021

Yosemite Foods Continues To Fill Niche Market

or four generations, Yosemite Foods Inc., a minority-owned company, has provided quality pork and meat products to wholesale and retail consumers, predominately among California’s Asian and Hispanic communities. Yosemite Foods, formerly Yosemite Meat Co., was started as a small mom and pop meat counter by an immigrant husband and wife couple in Modesto, CA, and has grown into a state-of-the-art USDA inspected processing company that employs over 250 individuals. In 2017, Steven and Michael Lau, sons of the original founders, purchased land on Mariposa Road in Stockton and revamped a 200,000 sq. ft. facility into a state-of-the-art meat processing facility. With a focus on humane handling and sustainability practices, the CO2 transcritical heat recovery system employed by the plant is the largest in the world. Yosemite Foods currently processes and ships meat to restaurants, grocery stores, and ethnic markets throughout California and other Western states, as well as internationally to Mexico, Philippines, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Korea, and China. As a family-owned and operated business, Yosemite Foods takes pride in staying involved in the community. Community wellbeing is one of the core commitments for Yosemite Foods. Given that Stockton is a designated area of high poverty and high unemployment, Yosemite Foods offers desirable wages and employment opportunities.

Their non-management salary is 34 percent above average Stockton per capita income, and average hourly wages are 53 percent above California’s minimum wage. Though 2020 brought with it many challenges and surprises, the management team at Yosemite Foods worked tirelessly to ensure that their employees could continue working safely and efficiently, employing COVID-19 protocols above and beyond industry expectations. Further, Yosemite Foods pushed forward with their commitment to the community by donating meat boxes to local food banks. Yosemite Foods and others in the production industry face a diverse set of challenges to remain competitive in the local, regional, and national landscapes. These challenges include resource limitations, increased wages, higher input costs, and regulations. Legislative changes can be particularly burdensome on business practices. For example, Proposition 12 was a ballot initiative passed by California voters in 2018 related to confinement practices of farm animals. Prop 12 will increase the costs of supplying pork and, thus, increase the price of pork as a dietary staple among the underserved ethnic communities. Prop 12 will make it more difficult, and in many ways improbable, to provide a healthy and safe protein source to people in California and is one of the major challenges facing Yosemite Foods in the days ahead. For more information about Yosemite Foods Inc., or to inquire about purchasing meat products from Yosemite Foods, please contact Steven Lau at StevenL@yosemitefoods.com.

Modesto Farmers Market: Supporting The Community For Over 40 Years

he Modesto Certified Farmers Market is where the locals go for fresh produce, delicious food and unique artisan goods. In one convenient downtown location, you can support local farmers and take home healthy, nutritious vegetables and fruit. The Modesto Certified Farmers Market began in 1970 from humble beginnings. A farmer, MJC Ag Instructor Mayor Peggy Mensinger brought fresh produce direct to the community long before “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” become a well-known phase. Over 40 years later, they are still giving back to the community. Every month they host family activities, such as kid’s crafts, give-a-ways, raffles and special Holiday events at the market. The activities they host are always free, they believe that the Farmers Market is for everyone.

They are located on 16th Street between H Street and I Street, alongside the Stanislaus County Library in Downtown Modesto. The Market runs on Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:00am to 1:00pm. Please note there are no animals permitted at the market, except trained guide/service animals.

COMMUNITY

They are currently open from April 8th to October 28th, 2021. For more information or become a vendor please contact modestocertifiedfarmersmarket@gmail.com or go to www. modestocfm.com. Source: www.modestocfm.com

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

ADVOCACY MAY 2021

Addressing Homelessness Takes A Village

pproximately one thousand, six hundred (1,600) people in our community are experiencing homelessness every night – a shocking number that has increased by approximately 15 percent each year. These individuals are our friends, our neighbors, and perhaps our relatives who suffer from mental illness, a physical disability, an addiction, or are simply do not have (or earn) enough money to sustain themselves. This growing number of people experiencing homelessness in Modesto, prompted the City to think more critically about the needs of the homeless and possible gaps in the current systems. A key gap we identified was that traditional strategies to address homelessness have historically focused primarily on housing and shelter and have not focused enough on the root causes of homelessness. We do not believe these efforts have focused enough on helping individuals secure permanent employment to help them sustain their housing. We’ve titled our solution, Camp2Home, to illustrate a person’s path to self-sufficiency, and aims to address homelessness on five key fronts: Expanding our ability to reach individuals experiencing homelessness by enhancing our Homeless Engagement Assessment and Response Team, to help with engagement and navigation to shelter and supportive services. Supporting our shelters with additional capacity and funding in coordination with the County. Offering a robust job training initiative in partnership with a few regional nonprofits that also provide case management to address an individual’s unique needs and barriers to employment. Developing an employment pipeline in partnership with public and private stakeholders.

ADVOCACY

And, providing subsidized housing to individuals experiencing homelessness who enroll in the city’s job training initiative.

This model is developed based on the success of the Downtown Streets Team (DST) that has helped dozens of homeless individuals secure employment and housing in Modesto. The DST model is comprised of a team with 25 individuals whose goal includes employment and connection to services to support their progress. In January 2021, the City doubled the existing Downtown Streets Team, funding a second team of 25 individuals in our inaugural Camp2Home program.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Since January, seven Camp2Home team members have secured employment with a private employer! The City of Modesto is proud to be one of those employers – having hired four of the former DST members to support blight abatement efforts across the City. We are inviting our private sector partners to help the City address homelessness by hiring graduates from the Downtown Streets Team as permanent part-time or full-time employees, considering our graduates as viable renters for housing opportunities, and/ or by donating to directly support the Camp2Home program.

Edgar R. Garcia

Homelessness is a community issue that no single organization can Jessica Hill resolve alone – it will take a village – and we hope that the community can come alongside us to help better the lives of those in our community who need a hand up. For any questions regarding this article or how you can get involved, please contact the following: Jessica Hill, Community Development Manager, jhill@ modestogov.com Edgar R. Garcia, Management Analyst, edgarcia@ modestogov.com

Blue Diamond Growers Recognized At Green Ribbon Cutting By Jolene Camarena / California Green Business Network Stanislaus Coordinator

lue Diamond Growers celebrated their dedication to sustainability with their official Green Ribbon Cutting for their completion of the certification process through the California Green Business Network of Stanislaus, a program of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce. Blue Diamond became the first business in the Stanislaus County to be certified in November of 2020. With COVID-19 closing the county down for the last few months, the official recognition had been put on hold until April 1, 2021 with a private ceremony at their location in Salida, CA. They were recognized for achieving the qualifying standards such as conserving energy and water, waste management and preventing pollution. Their Salida plant features a multi-staged HVAC system, temperature-controlled processes, LED Lighting, electronic controlled entry, automated pressurized air and automated controls for processes and packaging. Even with such a large facility, they have made sustainability their priority. But Blue Diamond does not stop there. They have registered to have their Turlock, CA facility Green Certified as well. The Turlock plant located on Washington Road opened in 2013. It takes in plain almonds from Salida and Sacramento for slicing, dicing, blanching, and grinding. This plant is powered by two transformers that deliver maximum energy efficiency and ideal

energy consumption levels and the plant wastewater is directed to tanks housed in an adjacent building. Needless to say, we think we will be having another Blue Diamond ribbon cutting in the near future with all the efficiency equipment within their plants. Thank you to everyone who has shown their support with sustainability within our county. Visit their website at www.bluediamond.com

Ag Lending in Your Community We’re committed to supporting the borrowing needs of the agricultural communities we serve. Here are a few examples of projects we’ve recently financed for clients.

$700K

$3.7M

Mike Petrucelli

Mike Garcia

Jeff Hushaw

Ag Production Term Loan & Line

Ag Production Line – Fruit Trees

Improved Ag Land

249.7370

343.7607

844.7544

$1.3M

$2.2M

$400K

Commercial Lending

Improved Ag Land

Lynnette Fletcher Commercial Lending

844.7552

Kim Parco

Rafael Martinez

834.3347

633.2859

Commercial Lending

Ag Production Line

Improved Ag Land

ADVOCACY

$4.3M

www.ovcb.com Oakdale • Modesto • Escalon • Sonora • Turlock • Ripon Patterson • Stockton • Manteca • Tracy • Sacramento MAY 2021

The Learning Landscape An Innovative Project By Stanislaus County UCCE Master Gardeners By Dr. Kari Arnold / Orchards and Vineyards Systems Advisor, UCCE

f you frequent the Ag Center located on the corner of Crows Landing and Service roads, you may notice some changes taking place around the Stanislaus building. The Master Gardeners are hard at work transforming the landscape. Who are the Master Gardeners? Statewide, the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardener Program is a network of educated volunteers trained by UC experts with the mission to extend research-based information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to our community. Since the initiation of our Stanislaus County based Master Gardener Program in 2018, Anne Schellman, our county funded Program Coordinator, facilitates opportunities for our volunteers. These include educating the public through inperson classes and workshops at the Ag Center, Stanislaus County libraries, Community Gardens, School Gardens, Shelter Gardens, and Senior Citizen Centers. Volunteers also offer answers to questions regarding pest management, composting, drip irrigation, vegetable gardening, and more through our Help Line. Although COVID19 stay at home orders limit our in-person communications, we are offering online gardening webinars on our YouTube Channel and posting weekly to our blog, The Stanislaus Sprout. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, twitter, and YouTube @UCMGStanislaus.

ADVOCACY

The Learning Landscape – A Demonstration Garden and Outdoor Classroom

Our Master Gardeners are reimagining the Ag Center to welcome the community with a series of theme gardens and outdoor spaces that act as an event venue and classroom. Indoor classes only teach so much; but observing a Master Gardener pruning or planting while attendees ask questions offers the learner so much more information, and Master Gardener kiosk even a chance to and mulched garden. participate. MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Theme Gardens Our plans for various theme gardens include but are not limited to: • Water-wise plant garden • Sensory garden • Pollinator garden (hummingbirds, bees, butterflies) • Vegetable garden • Fruit tree home orchard Outdoor Classroom As we all know, it gets hot during our San Joaquin Valley summers. Our stretch goal is to build an outdoor shaded pavilion with seating capacity for 100 people so classes can happen rain or shine. Thanks to our generous in-kind sponsors, we are revamping the irrigation system and installing water-wise plants. We are thrilled Master Gardeners planting a tree. to be partnering with Grover Landscaping, Modesto Junior College Nursery, Hunter Industries, and The Home Depot. If your organization would like to be a part of our project, please contact Anne Schellman at (209) 525-6862 or aschellman@ucanr.edu.

ADVOCACY MAY 2021

ADVOCACY 18

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Quaran-

ChaLLenge

grOUp tOpICS:

ADVOCACY

MAY 2021

RELATIONSHIPS

PRESIDENT’S CLUB CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

DIAMOND LEVEL

American Medical Response

Galletto Ristorante

Solecon Industrial Contractors

Beard Land and Investment Co.

Atherton & Associates, LLP

Gianelli Nielsen

Solid Networks, Inc.

Capax-Giddings, Corby, Hynes,

Audi Modesto

Gilton Solid Waste Mgmt, Inc.

Stanislaus Food Products Co.

Inc., a HUB International Company

Bank of Stockton - Dale Road

Golden Valley Health Centers

Doctors Behavioral Health

Bank of Stockton - Modesto Main

Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc.

Center-DMC

Branch

Grover Landscape Services, Inc.

Doctors Medical Center-DMC

Blue Diamond Growers

Infiniti of Modesto

Frito-Lay Co., Inc.

Caliber Collision

International Paper Co.

Pacific Southwest Container, Inc.

California State University,

JS West & Companies

Physician Referral Service-DMC

Stanislaus

Lewis Capital Advisors

The Farmacy

Walmart

Care One Home Health and

Maxx Value Foods

The Modesto Bee

Hospice, Inc.

Mister Car Wash

TSM Insurance & Financial

GOLD LEVEL

Central Sanitary Supply Co.

Mister Car Wash (Prime Shine

Services

Crystal Creamery

Central Valley Automotive

Car Wash)

Turlock Irrigation District

Doubletree by Hilton Modesto

Central Valley Chrysler, Jeep,

Mocse Credit Union

Union Bank

EMOE, Division of Parker

Dodge

Modesto Toyota

Hannifin Corp.

Central Valley Nissan

Nine3One

Encompass Health Rehabilitation

Central Valley Volkswagen

NT Nail Spa

of Modesto

Hyundai

O'Brien's Market

Fiscalini Cheese Company

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino

Oak Valley Community Bank

IHeart Media

Clark Pest Control

Opportunity Stanislaus

Valley Children's Healthcare

Modesto Irrigation District

COIT Services Inc.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Valley First Credit Union

Modesto Nuts Professional

Collins Electrical

Pepsi Bottling Group

Valley First Credit Union (Dale

Baseball

Comcast

PMZ Real Estate

Branch)

Nestle USA - Carnation

Del Monte Plant #1

Residence Inn by Marriott

Valley First Credit Union

Sutter Health Valley Area

English Oaks Nursing &

Modesto North

Administrative Offices

Sysco Central California Inc.

Rehabilitation Hospital

Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc.

Exceed GPR & Locating, LLC

Rose Bouquet

PLATINUM LEVEL

F&M Bank (Carpenter Road)

San Joaquin Valley College

E & J Gallo Winery

F&M Bank (Dale Road)

Save Mart Supermarkets

Kaiser Permanente

F&M Bank (McHenry)

Save Mart Supermarkets - Corp

Flooring Liquidators, Inc.

Office

SILVER LEVEL

Flowers Baking Co. of Modesto, LLC

Seven-Up Bottling Co. of

Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green

Alpine Protective Solutions

Food Maxx

Modesto/Varni Brothers

Insurance Agency

American Chevrolet

FreshPoint

Corporation

Yosemite Foods Inc.

Stanislaus Surgical Hospital Stifel Investment Services Storer Coachways Sutter Gould Medical Foundation The Century and Nine3One

US Bank US Bank (Modesto Main) US Bank Turlock Valley BMW

Valley Lexus Vintage Faire Mall/Macerich Company Warden's Office Products Center Wells Fargo Bank

CONTACT THE CHAMBER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRESIDENT'S CLUB LEVEL BENEFITS MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Workshops are every 2nd Wednesday of the month

Our next workshop will be lead by Debra Hendricks , owner of DH Facilitating & Training Consulting . Debra will be presenting the second of the 2-part series titled: Effective leadership traits. During these sessions, you will learn the traits that are the backbone of leadership across leader levels, industries, and continents. Without these skills, true leadership is impossible.

Fees: Chamber Member $15 Non-Chamber Member $20 modchamber org .

flopez modchamber org @

To register please go to : https://business.modchamber.org/events/details/business-u-8840

TECHNOLOGY EVERYWHERE, CLOUD SOLUTIONS, EMPLOYEES WE ARE LOOKING FOR

MAY 20TH, 2021 AT 2:00PM MEETINGS ARE EVERY 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH AT 2:00 PM. RELATIONSHIPS

CEO Lawrence McNutt and Brian McDermott Advanced Communications Consultant from TEAMSOS will be presenting how technology is a part of many projects including SMARTINNCloud, TEAMSOS’ cloud solutions.

TO REGISTER PLEASE GO TO : BIT.LY/3N1JEF9 MAY 2021

Congratulations

TO THIS MONTH'S MILESTONE MEMBERSHIPS

50 + years

10 + years

UNION BANK SUTTER GOULD MEDICAL FOUNDATION SAVE MART SUPERMARKETS - CORP OFFICE

TWO PAWS UP SUSHI GARDEN OPTIMAL HOSPICE FOUNDATION O'BRIEN'S MARKET INNOVA SEEDS CO. OLIVEIRA WEALTH EXTERNAL RESOURCES, INC. NAI BENCHMARK BREWER FAMILY DENTISTRY VELVET GRILL & CREAMERY VELVET GRILL & CREAMERY JKB ENERGY INC. GREENS ON TENTH MODESTO VIEW

RELATIONSHIPS

25 + years

VINTAGE FAIRE MALL/MACERICH COMPANY FIRST CHOICE PHYSICIAN PARTNERS RISTAU & CO., INC. CPAS VETERINARY SERVICE, INC. CULLIGAN WATER CONDITIONING GORDIN & ASSOCIATES, INC. GOSS & GOSS MODESTO JET CENTER ADECCO EMPLOYMENT SERVICES BETHEL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY CICCARELLI JEWELERS FRITO-LAY CO., INC. FARMERS INSURANCE - MARK W. BUCKLEY, CLU ABE'S DISCOUNT PLUMBING & ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES CAPITOL DOOR SALES DEL RIO COUNTRY CLUB MITCHELL'S MODESTO HARLEY-DAVIDSON

WHITE CRANE RANCH, INC. FLOWERS BAKING CO. OF MODESTO, LLC J'S R US EVENT PLANNING RENEE'S DAY SPA & SALON DELTATRAK, INC. MODESTO GRAFFITI USA

10 + years

1 + years

STANISLAUS COUNTY FAIR CARPETLAND V & R BUSINESS SERVICES INC. OSBORNE & ASSOCIATES, INC. AMERICAN STORAGE ADVANCED INTERIOR RESTORATION SERVICES BURNSIDE BODY SHOP COMCAST FISHER NUT COMPANY OLD REPUBLIC TITLE CO. ASSOCIATED ENGINEERING GROUP, INC.

CENTRAL MOTHER LODE REGIONAL CONSORTIUM VALLEY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL CENTER PRINCETON EVENT CENTER NOVO TECHNOLOGIES MARY ANN SANDERS JOHN SANDERS MODESTO CANNABIS COLLECTIVE SERVICEMASTER RESTORE SMALL BUSINESS VOICE MEDIA WESSON HEARING AID CENTER J&L CAREER CONSULTANTS

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

5 + years

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Albino Tapped As Business Development Director

ocse Credit Union is proud to announce Melonie Albino as the Director of Business Development. In this newly created role, Melonie will apply her deep experience at Mocse to build upon key, strategic relationships between Mocse and its valued business partners, while fostering new partnerships within the community. Aside from her ongoing contributions to the Mocse team, she is actively engaged in philanthropic efforts throughout the community, is a soccer coach, and loves spending time with her family.

According to Mocse’s CEO, Shane Saunders, “The combination of her unwavering commitment to the credit union, our community, and our business partners make Melonie the ideal representative for our organization. We are incredibly pleased she accepted the challenge Melonie Albino of stepping into this new role, and we’re excited she’s helping to shape the future of Mocse as a member of our Senior Leadership Team!” Melonie can be reached at malbino@mocse.org.

CHAMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Veterinary Service, Inc. Celebrates Over 60 Years In Business

By 1982 the company decided to branch out and begin selling to many feed stores up and down the state. As some pet items were added to our inventory it became apparent that we could sell to independent pet stores as well. In 1991 the company’s Profit Sharing approached and was converted to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Every year each employee was to be given a percent of the wage in stock ownership. At that time 32 percent of the company was purchased from the o r i g i n a l stockholders. Gradually the stock

ownership grew and now stands at 95 percent. Also, in the early 1990’s we bought LA Pet and entered into the dog food business as well. At that same time we started a Dairy and Livestock Division and began our first venture out of state in Oregon. John Scheuber

Scheuber notes that VSI has been blessed with substantial growth as he witnessed the number of employees grow from 30 to 260 and sales multiply 30 fold while he presided. Our geographic coverage continues to include Alaska to the north, south to the Mexican border and east to Colorado. The need for some consolidation was apparent and we have benefitted by reducing our branch locations from an all-time high of eight to four today. In 2004, just a few months prior to his passing, Dr. Woodward and Alix co-founded Animal Supplies International, Inc. which became a subsidiary of VSI and continues as an animal related import company bringing products in from abroad. This past year about 12 containers per month were sold throughout the US. Also in 2004, Scheuber became the President and Chairman of the Board and maintained that position until 2014. Brad Gohr of Madras, Oregon, who had served in many capacities, became VSI’s President in 2014 and was recently elected as Chairman of the Board. In recent years the Modesto warehouse closed and consolidated with others but a Corporate Office is still maintained here in Modesto. The Modesto Chamber celebrates VSI for 25 years as members! Happy Anniversary, thank you for your dedication. MAY 2021

RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION

n 1959 Frank Sweetman, a Salesman for Van Waters and Rogers, came to Dr. Willis Woodward and Donald Rosenberg, two Veterinarians who had a joint practice, and approached them on starting an animal health distributing company. Since both of them had been selling some wholesale products to Max Foster and some Egg Layer and Turkey producers, this seemed a natural move. After a few sessions they decided to go forward with the project and incorporated in February of 1960. For over 18 years the company maintained itself calling on many poultrymen up and down the state. In 1978 John Scheuber was hired to be the company’s General Manager to oversee the four branch locations all in California.

RELATIONSHIPS

2 0 9 M U LT I M E D I A . C O M

Your local news source. 24

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

If you’re not buying crop insurance, you don’t know Jack Farmers and ranchers can now purchase crop insurance for protect themselves against the loss of crops due to natural disasters or the loss of revenue due to declines in the prices of agricultural commodities. Purchasing crop insurance will reduce your exposure to a variety of risks and bring you piece of mind. If you want to learn more about the programs that are available and how you can benefit, you need to know Jack.

MEET JACK

RELATIONSHIPS

GartonTractor.com 1-877-TRACTOR Quality People Quality Products

Jack Roudebush is a leading crop insurance expert. His combination of industry knowledge and insurance company insight makes him uniquely qualified to help you navigate the intricacies of these programs. Call Jack today to learn how you can minumize your risk and protect your bottom line.

Direct: 209.550.3710 • Mobile: 209.483.0650 jroudebush@capax.com Lic#0B67204

Business Insurance | Group Health | Workers Comp | Home and Auto

capax.com

1.800.94CAPAX • 209.526.3110 Giddings, Corby, Hynes Lic# 0144783

MAY 2021

Welcome to the National Ag Science Center By Emily Lawrence, Ed.D, Executive Director What student doesn’t want to get out into the soil to test its pH, learn where their food comes from deconstructing their own hamburger, or build a bug vacuum to study the insects in our world? Those are exactly the kinds of hands-on, engaging student activities the National Ag Science Center promotes in our ag science educational outreach programs. The NASC, recently merged with CSU, Stanislaus to become the Ag Science Center at Stanislaus State, has adapted to the limitations of the pandemic environment by expanding collaborative partnerships to increase awareness about the agriculture industry in the Central Valley and the career opportunities available to students. We have also increased out outreach providing community based educational groups, like the Stanislaus Boys & Girls Clubs, with programming that incorporates elements of ag science into their curriculum. A recent training, hosted at the Children’s Garden of Valley Children’s Hospital, was a Train-the-Trainer model. Staff learned how easy it is to connect agriculture to almost anything in education. Ag science activities fit perfectly into the curriculum around healthy habits and healthy eating that the Boys & Girls Clubs already do.

EDUCATION

At the National Ag Science Center, we encourage students to consider agriculture as a career-while altering the stereotypical perception of agriculture as manual labor or seasonal kinds of jobs. An unfortunate number of students believe that agriculture is a dirty job of the farmer on a tractor. Getting students to understand not only where their food comes from but the magnitude and variety of agricultural industries we have right here in the Central Valley is no small task.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

STEM students, for example, are encouraged to seek jobs in the Bay Area or other tech hubs, there is little guidance about how significantly these skills apply to and are desired in agricultural fields. And the booming technology in agriculture is not presented enough to students early in their education to change the potential trajectory of their interests. We want to excite and inspire students to think more broadly about what agriculture careers really are. We have all suffered through the pandemic but have high hopes for the fall and schools reopening with the ability to allow students in the lab or out to our third-grade field trip at the Faith Ranch. We are continuing to develop collaborations and rely on our supporters and partners to ensure our success and continued operations.

JUNE 10TH 9:00AM-3:00PM Build Knowledge to Impact Work Culture and Business Outcomes Presented live online by Disney Institute leaders, Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence offers the opportunity to build knowledge and discover proven Disney business insights from our chain of excellence that can be adapted and applied to your own profession, team or organization to achieve greater results. ATTENDEES OF THE FIVE-HOUR COURSE WILL Learn about Disney’s time-tested business insights that engage professionals to think differently through compelling narratives and storytelling. Gain understanding and application of Disney’s Chain of Excellence. Understand and apply the power of values and vision in leadership to create a motivated and productive workforce. Examine the time-tested techniques behind Disney's renowned service culture. Understand the impact of customer feedback and continuous improvement. Gain insight into how team culture is strengthened and is interwoven throughout a successful organization. Participate in guided activities that demonstrate how to adapt and apply the Disney approach to impact systems and processes. that enable enhanced customer service. PRICING & DETAILS COURSE INCLUDES: 5-hours of signature Disney Institute training delivered live, online by official Disney Institute facilitators who are Disney leaders Accompanying online reference materials Course completion certificate Opportunity to ask questions and/or engage with Disney leader(s) Disney Institute Alumni status, granting access to select specially priced Disney Institute learning events, courses and products Unless otherwise noted, all Disney Institute training is delivered in English Standard Pricing for 5-hour Course: $399 Alumni / Students & Teachers / Non-Profit / Military & Government: $359

EDUCATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER PLEASE VISIT : www.modchamber.org/event/disney-institute/ OR CONTACT INFO@MODCHAMBER.ORG

MAY 2021

A Legacy of Leaders Built MJC Agriculture By Anna Genasci

n the eve of its centennial, to be celebrated in 2022, the Modesto Junior College (MJC) Agriculture & Environmental Sciences Program was looking for a story that outlined the transformation of their teaching facilities to demonstrate the growth of the program over the last 100 years. However, in combing through old articles, pictures and speaking to retired instructors, what I found was this: the MJC faculty and its leaders created a program that has not only impacted the terrain of its school farm, affectionately referred to as just, “West Campus,” but also the lives of its students. Let’s take a look back. Fredrick Knorr 1923 – 1935, The First Instructor The first agricultural instructor, a man known to all who have spent many years in the Modesto area, was Frederick “Pop” Knorr. To him we owe a considerable debt not only for his long teaching career, which began at MJC in 1923, but for a variety of unusual trees with which he landscaped the campus. With some occasional help from Willet Murray and Paul Kurtz, “Pop” Knorr carried the program until 1934 when he transferred to fulltime teaching in the Science Department. The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is proud to host Leave Management Solutions for a Virtual Business Forum:

CFRA 2021 IMPACTS ON FEHA/ADA, WORK COMP, PREGNANCY AND MEDICAL LEAVES: RED FLAGS FOR SMALL AND LARGE EMPLOYERS Our guest Speaker is Beth Brascugli De Lima, M.B.A., SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP is founder, president, and principal of Leave Management Solutions, LLC and HRM Consulting, Inc., providing Human Resources (HR), Vocational Rehabilitation Consulting and HR Training/Coaching, and

EDUCATION

Expert Testimony services.

In this workshop, you will: Understand the implications of the new CFRA Amendments on both small and large employers, as it relates to other medical leaves. Pregnancy, Workers' Comp, and ADA/FEHA accommodations. Learn practical, clear, simple strategies for responding to employees who may be committing fraud or abusing leave. Gain enlightenment on the one major step you do not want to miss as a large or small employer in CA covered by the NEW CFRA Amendments to avoid litigation.

Fees: Chamber Member $15

Non-Chamber Member $20

To register please contact flopez@modchamber.org or go to www.modchamber.org.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

Reuben Sylva 1936 – 1944 From 1934 to 1935 Reuben Sylva and Warren Hilliard of Modesto High School conducted project courses on a part-time basis for the college, and in 1936, Reuben Sylva was given responsibility for developing a fulltime agriculture program. An energetic and enthusiastic man, he organized a combination terminal and transfer program and an Aggie Club for agriculture majors, which was one of the most active on campus. Agriculture classes were held in the basement of North Hall. In 1939, Ken Frost, a long-time instructor at University of California, Davis, took over the agriculture engineering and farm shop program and during the years 1940-1943 two instructors, Timothy Alcorn and Arthur Eggers, assisted in the Horticulture areas. Enrollment in agriculture in 1936 began with 19 majors and by 1941, this had increased to a peak of 78. With the advent of World War II enrollment dropped to a low of 22 and Reuben Sylva was again the sole staff member. For the full story, go to: https://www.facebook.com/

Expert Shares Secrets To Driving Business Growth Through Digital Marketing Q: What are the key steps to creating highly effective digital marketing campaigns and can you share some of your “secrets” for success?

As president of Bay Valley Tech, Phillip Lan oversees the organization’s fast-growing free code academy and tech hub, which supports entrepreneurs with inexpensive office space, digital marketing services and software talent. Bay Valley Tech’s current campaign to train 1,000 new computer programmers has resulted in many of its free code academy alumni and students from the Turlock/ Modesto area successfully launching new tech careers. Prior to Bay Valley Tech, Lan led the digital marketing team at E&J Gallo and held marketing, business development and leadership roles in Silicon Valley companies IBM and Ask Jeeves. He holds a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics from U.C. Davis; and an MBA in computer information systems from California State University-East Bay.

A: The secret to a successful digital marketing campaign is threefold: understand your product, identify your target audience and deliver on an execution plan. There are Jeff Romero many useful tools to help business owners understand their audience. Google provides its services (Google Analytics, Google Search Console) for free. These are a great way to identify who your customers are, where they are from, how they are finding your brand, and a variety of other data points to help when making marketing Phillip Lan decisions. For more in-depth analysis, most marketing agencies subscribe to other paid tools that can help dissect this data even further to help make better informed choices.

Here, Lan interviews Romero in a Q&A focusing on digital marketing. Q: Jeff, can you tell our readers a little about your professional background and how you’ve seen proper digital marketing campaigns deliver strong results, especially in this time when COVID is hampering many traditional brick-and-mortar businesses?

Q: What are the advantages of working with a digital marketing agency like Octiv Digital, and how should a business or marketing team determine when to use an agency or do the work internally?

A: I got my start in the industry by obtaining degrees in Marketing and Information Systems, then used my training to help local businesses with SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. I then took my knowledge and experience to e-commerce brands that catered to national audiences. This past year saw many businesses turn to online strategies, and those who quickly made the change are now prospering. SEO and digital marketing tend to be a zero-sum game where a few competitors get a majority of the customers.

A: Without extensive marketing experience in today’s digital world, business owners frequently end up spending a lot of time and money on things that don’t drive any results. This is the exact reason why I hire an electrician. I’m no expert and it would take me quite a bit of time to learn how to rewire my house without getting electrocuted, not to mention all the tools I would have to buy and use only once. The same is true for digital marketing–hire an expert and spend time doing what you do best for your business. By working with an agency, you get access to expertise, expensive sophisticated tools and valuable time back to focus on and improve strategy and profitability.

Q: Why is it so important for companies to have a wellplanned digital marketing campaign? How does a welldesigned website, paid search, SEO and social media fit together relative to the marketing funnel of awareness, engagement, conversion and advocacy? A: Business owners tend to think that one digital marketing strategy operates in a silo without considering how all things work together to achieve results. When we break down the digital marketing process, we’re really just trying to answer a person’s questions and help them solve a problem with a product or service. Some digital channels will play a bigger role than others in driving engagements or conversions, but it’s important to understand how each channel works and develop an integrated plan.

Q: Thank you so much for your time, Jeff. Do you have any other advice for companies looking to improve digital traffic and revenue growth? A: If you are a business owner without a digital marketing strategy, get started today. There are very few businesses that can survive without a good website and digital presence, and the space is only getting more competitive. If you are struggling with growing your traffic and revenue, it may be worthwhile to contact a marketing agency for a consultation. In most cases, they can help identify pain points, recommend fixes for long-term results and significantly improve your internal team’s digital marketing expertise. MAY 2021

SERVICE

eff Romero is a digital marketing strategist and SEO (search engine optimization) expert with years of experience growing online traffic and revenue. As the co-founder of Octiv Digital, he and his team help companies develop and execute digital marketing strategy, leveraging web design, conversion optimization, SEO and data analytics.

Community Hospice Foundation 20th Annual Gala-Road Trip Edition

HAT: Join Community Hospice Foundation to get your kicks on Route 66. We invite you to our 20th Annual Gala-Road Trip Edition for an extraordinary road trip experience including appetizers, multi-course, take home dinner with wine pairings. Mobile auction bidding with Handbid auction opens May 6th at Noon. Download the Handbid App or go to events.handbid. com and search for Community Hospice Foundation. To make reservations for this event or a donation, please visit https://give.classy.org/CHFGalaRoadTrip2021 Your generous support ensures that Community Hospice can continue to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support to those in our community during a fragile time of life. We are grateful for the impact you are making in the lives of our patients and families. WHO: Community members, donors, patient families WHEN: May 15, 2021, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. WHERE: 3400 Finch Road, Modesto, CA. 95354 ABOUT: Founded by two volunteer registered nurses in 1979, Community Hospice, the oldest and largest nonprofit hospice provider in the Central Valley, has

provided compassionate and quality care, comfort and support to thousands of friends and neighbors facing terminal illnesses in their time of need. Today, Community Hospice provides care to over 2,000 patients each year in private homes, skilled nursing facilities, retirement communities and at the Community Hospice Alexander Cohen Hospice House. Grief Support Services are also available to anyone that has experienced a loss. For additional information call 209.578.6300 or visit hospiceheart.org.

CHAMBER AMBASSADOR HIGHLIGHT: Jaime Lastra

hen I joined the Chamber as a Staff Accountant back in June of 2018, one of the exciting aspects of the job was the opportunity to interact with our Members by attending Ribbon Cuttings and the various events that the Chamber hosts each year. And when I saw an eblast that the Chamber sent out last year calling for additional Ambassadors, I jumped at the chance to reach out to our Members on a different level.

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Being an Ambassador affords me the opportunity to reach out to our Members on a one-on-one basis, espousing the Chamber’s values and core beliefs while also listening to and addressing any concerns they may have.

Being an Ambassador is very rewarding to me personally and while the pandemic has changed the way we interact, it has not stopped our mission of supporting our Members. Remotely contacting our Members via telephone calls and email has been trying, but I feel it is even more important during these difficult times.

MODESTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I MODCHAMBER.ORG

I invite other Members to join not just the ranks of we Ambassadors, but of the Welcome Team as well as attending our Ribbon Cuttings, Before and After Hours Events or joining any of the myriad of committees as a way of staying actively involved with the Chamber and getting to know your fellow Members.

Jamie Lastra

Comcast Commits To Investing $1 Billion Over Next 10 Years

n the 10th anniversary of its Internet Essentials program earlier this year, Comcast announced it would invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to help further close the digital divide and give even more low-income Americans the tools and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. The announcement coincides with the release of a 10-year Progress Report showing that, since 2011, the company, working in collaboration with its network of thousands of nonprofit partners, has connected a cumulative total of more than 10 million people in America to broadband Internet at home, the overwhelming majority of whom were not connected prior to signing up.

“For a decade Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has provided Latino families with tools and resources to access high speed Internet at home. Hispanic Federation has been proud to partner with Comcast and work with this program to bridge the digital divide and offer Latino communities the opportunity to access health, educational, and economic resources online,” said Brent Wilkes, Senior Vice President at the Hispanic Federation. “We look forward to the next ten years of partnership with Comcast as we tackle more challenges in our everchanging digital world.”

Comcast’s $1 billion commitment will include investments in a number of critical areas, including: additional support for its ongoing Lift Zone initiative, which establishes WiFi-connected safe spaces in 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and adults by the end of 2021; new laptop and computer donations; grants for nonprofit community organizations to create opportunities for low-income Americans, particularly in media, technology, and entrepreneurship; and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. It is estimated that these new commitments will impact as many as 50 million Americans over the next 10 years. In 2021 alone, Comcast estimates students will be able to complete more than 25 million hours of remote learning lessons to further address the “homework gap” at the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened or will open soon.

other key metrics about the program, including having:

COMCAST COMMITS TO INVESTING $1 BILL TO REACH 50 MILLION LOW-INCOME AMERICANS In addition to capturing theTO total number of connections IN Internet SUCCEED DIGITAL Essentials has provided, the 10-Year Progress Report also highlights

Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program Has Now Conn • Increased the program’s Internet speeds six times, from 1.5 Mbps in 2011 to 50 Mbps today, without ever increasing the price of the program, which has remained $9.95/month.Over the Past 10 Yea • Launched its Lift Zones program, which aims to connect more than

community centers with free WiFi2021 by the end–of On 2021. the 10th anniv PHILADELPHIA,1,000 PA – MARCH 24, Comcast today announced it would investProgram $1 billion over the ne • Developed an Internet Essentials Partnership that has signed up hundreds of schools, school districts, and other organizations that divide and give even more low-income Americans the tools a have come together to help connect tens of thousands of students to the Internet duringThe the COVID-19 pandemic. increasingly digital world. announcement coincides with showing that, since 2011, working collaboratio • Offered 60 daysthe of freecompany, Internet service to any new Internetin Essentials customer who needed to get online during the coronavirus outbreak. partners, has connected a cumulative total of more than 10 “Ten years is a remarkable milestone, signifying an extraordinary amount of work and collaboration with our incredible community the number of languages majority our Internet Essentials call center were no Internet at home,• Expanded the overwhelming of whom partners across the country,” said Dave Watson, Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Cable. “Together, we have been able to connect millions of people to the power of the Internet at home, and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides. Today, we are rededicating ourselves to this mission to ensure that the next generation of students in America has the tools, resources, and abilities they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.”

agents can speak to more than 240, plus American Sign Language, to help ensure we break down language barriers that can prevent people from applying or getting online.

Comcast’s $1 billion commitment will include investments • Built up an online learning centerLift that includes more than 200 digital which es additional support for its ongoing Zone initiative, literacy training videos, guides, and reports that are free to anyone to 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and adu use, including non-customers. computer donations; grants for nonprofit community organizati “For more than a decade, Comcast has been a leader in working with • Developed an employee network of 3,000 Internet Essentials media, entreprene communities to close the Digital Divide throughAmericans, its Internet Essentials particularly Ambassadors in who volunteer their technology, time to help spread theand word about program,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban the program in their communities. company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. It is estimate League. “From its beginning as a pilot program with the Wilmington This new commitment comes on the heels a series of Urban League to today, Comcast’s Internet Essentials programas has 50 million as many Americans over theof next 10initiatives years. In 20 announced during the COVID-19 pandemic that reinforced the transformed millions of lives by connecting low-income households able to complete than 25 million of remote company’smore commitment to addressing the digital hours divide and the to the power of broadband. While the ongoingbe COVID-19 pandemic by upping speeds 50 Mbps downstream without that ha placed a spotlight on the digital divide, for the past decade Comcast, in gap” homework “homework at thegap hundreds oftoLift Zone locations changing the program’s $9.95/month price. The company also partnership with organizations like the National Urban League, has been leading the effort to close the digital divide, address the homework gap, and ensure low-income communities have the necessary digital skills.”

continues to offer 60 days of free Internet service to new Internet Essentials customers who sign up before June 30, 2021.

and thriving or being left behind. For the past decade, the Internet Essentials program has successfully helped to narrow these digital divides. We look forward to the next 10 years of Internet Essentials and join Comcast in celebrating this significant achievement.”

We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

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“Ten years is a remarkable milestone, signifying an extraordin For more information about Internet Essentials the and Comcast’s “Last year, we partnered with Comcast on aour major incredible campaign to community partners across country,” said commitment to education and digital equity, please visit https:// encourage Americans to participate in the first-ever digital census,” Cable. corporate.comcast.com/education. “Together, we have been ablevisitto connect mill To apply, www. added Rebecca DeHart, CEO, Fair Count. “We Comcast are so proud to have internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376 for English or 1-855partnered with Comcast on this valuable work—connectivity is at home, and to 765-6995 the endless opportunity, education, growth, for Spanish. incredibly essential to civic participation. It gives communities a voice rededicating and it enables individuals to take part in the cultural conversations that ourselves to this mission to ensure that the next Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and need to take place in this country. Broadband adoption, just like census tools, resources, and abilities need tomoments succeed in an incre technology company thatthey connects people to that matter. participation, can mean the difference between communities growing

“For more than a decade, Comcast has been a leader in wor Divide through its Internet Essentials program,” said Marc H. M MAY 2021 31 Urban League. “From its beginning as a pilot program with Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has transformed mi

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Progress May 2021

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