VICA Weekly: VICA Wraps Up 2017 with 68th Annual Meeting

December 11, 2017

In This Issue

Media Highlights

Hot Issues

"I can't tell you how much it means to me to be the woman wearing the pumps that fill the wingtips that have blazed this trail before me."

- Newly inducted VICA Chair Lisa Gritzner (LG Strategies) at VICA's 68th Annual Meeting

Media Highlights

VICA Installs New Board, Chairwoman,

San Fernando Valley Business Journal, December 8

Don't Destroy Santa Susana Lab Site,

Ventura County Star , December 2

Members

VICA Thanks Our Renewing Members

________________

Silver Member

(2010)

Coldwell Banker - Kenneth Sampson

Communities for California Cardrooms

Dart Container Corp.

Dave's Flowers

Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani, LLP

VICA Welcomes Our New Members

________________

New Directions for Youth, Inc.

North Los Angeles County Regional Center

Calendar

The Week Ahead

Land Use Committee
with the Department of City Planning
Tue., Dec. 12
8 to 10 am
The Garland
4222 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood
Click here to RSVP

Save The Date

Transportation Committee
Tue. Jan. 9
8 to 10 am
The Garland
4222 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood
Click here to RSVP

Aviation Committee
Wed., Jan 10
Noon to 1:30 pm
Aerolease/Aeroplex
7943 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys
Click here to RSVP

Government Affairs Committee
Wed., Jan 17
Noon to 2 pm
Providence Tarzana Hospital
18321 Clark St, Tarzana
Click here to RSVP

Sacramento Advocacy Trip
Wed. Jan 24
All Day
Sacramento, CA
Click here to RSVP

Ambassador Committee
Wed., Jan 24
8:30 to 10 am
VICA Office
16600 Sherman Way, Suite 170, Van Nuys
Click here to RSVP

Hot Issues

Tax Reform

The Senate narrowly approved the most sweeping rewrite of the U.S. tax code in three decades, slashing corporate tax rate and providing temporary tax-rate cuts for most Americans. VICA continues its advocacy efforts as the bills go to conference.

Environment

Assemblymember Phil Ting plans to introduce a bill that, starting in 2040, would allow the DMV to register only "clean" vehicles that emit no carbon dioxide, such as battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell cars.

Transportation

Elon Musk's planned tunnel transportation system, called Loop, would run from Long Beach Airport to Sherman Oaks, parallel to the 405 Freeway. Short routes from LAX to Dodger Stadium, and out to the beach in Santa Monica and the South Bay, are also in the plans.

Homelessness

As part of the effort to combat homelessness, the City of Los Angeles has advanced two ordinances intended to facilitate the development of temporary shelters and permanent supportive housing.

Development

Twenty years of battles over traffic, water and endangered wildfire have given way to brush clearing and construction of roads and infrastructure on 21,5000-home Newhall Ranch, which will be one of the world's first large-scale planned communities that will add no new greenhouse gases to the environment.

Climate Change

According to new research, California could be hit with significantly more dangerous and more frequent droughts in the near future as changes in weather patterns triggered by global warming block rainfall from reaching the state.

Education

The national high school graduation rate has risen to a new all-time high: 84 percent. It's the fifth straight year of increases, with all student demographic groups showing improvements.

National Security

The U.S. agency tasked with protecting the country from missile attacks is scouting the West Coast for place to deploy new anti-missile defenses.

VICA Wraps Up 2017 with 68th Annual Meeting

VICA Past Chairs pose for a photo at Friday's Annual Meeting after welcoming Lisa Gritzner ( LG Strategies) as VICA's 2018 Chair.

Last Friday, VICA members and their guests came together to enjoy a year-end event for VICA's 68th Annual Meeting. Each year, VICA recognizes members who have proven to be impressive leaders to both VICA and their community. During the Annual Meeting, our new Board of Directors was sworn in and attendees helped welcome VICA's new Chairw Lisa Gritzner ( LG Strategies ), who will succeed Kevin Tamaki ( AT&T ) in 2018.


	Matt Swearman ( Child360 ) with VICA Chair Lisa Gritzner ( LG Strategies ) as he accepts the12th Annual President's Award.

Among one of the three award recipients was VICA Ambassador Matthew Swearman (Child360) . Swearman was presented with the 12th Annual President's Award, which is given to a VICA member who goes above and beyond in service to VICA throughout the year. Swearman is a VICA board member, a VICA Foundation Board members, he is chair of VICA's membership committee the ambassadors, he has served on the nominating committee and several event committees. He is a shining example of the VICA volunteer.


Steve Nissen ( Comcast NBCUniversal) and Pegi Matsuda ( Valley Presbyterian Hospital) presented the Harmon Ballin Community Service Award to Ross Pendergraft ( Leavitt Group).

This year's recipient of the 25th Annual Harmon Ballin Community Service Award was VICA Vice Chair Ross Pendergraft (Leavitt Group ) . VICA's Harmon Ballin Community Service Award honors an active VICA member who has made an outstanding contribution to the community through their long-term community service activities. Pendergraft embodies the spirit of the Harmon Ballin Community Service Award through his active involvement with community-based groups.


	Doug Morton ( Bobrick Washroom Equipment ) with VICA Chair Lisa Gritzner ( LG Stratgies ) as he accepts the 39th Annual Robert E. Gibson Award.

The Robert E. Gibson Corporate Award has been presented every year since 1978. This award honors the memory of Robert E. Gibson and recognizes leaders of industry that have contributed in making the San Fernando Valley the most progressive and forward-thinking business community in Southern California. This year's award was presented to Bobrick Washroom Equipment. Founded in 1906, Bobrick has demonstrated their commitment to the Valley. They are a global washroom accessory and partition company headquartered in North Hollywood and pride themselves as a company that offers well-designed products provide innovative solutions to address the needs of non-residential building owners.

Congratulations to all scholarship recipients: Raymond Mora (Pepperdine University), recipient of the Marvin R. Selter Scholarship; Yash Khandelwal (Granada Hills Charter High School), recipient of the Melvyn A. Kohn Scholarship; as well as Elias Qubrosi (Los Angeles Pierce College) and Mila Sahinyan (Woodbury University) recipients of the Rickey M. Gelb Scholarship.

The 68th Annual Meeting was presented by Aerojet Rocketdyne and The San Fernando Valley Business Journal, and co-sponsored by Bobrick Washroom Equipment and the Los Angeles Daily News. Thank you to our sponsors, members and those who attended this event.

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Join VICA in Sacramento in 2018!

Join VICA in 2018 as we continue to visit Sacramento for our monthly advocacy trips!

These member-only trips allow direct interaction with state elected officials and create the freedom for discussion on issues that are vital to the business community.

2018 Trip Dates:

January 24

February 6

More dates TBA

Click here to reserve your spot for one of VICA's advocacy trips!

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ABOUT VICA

Presenting the business perspective on behalf of employers in the San Fernando Valley cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, San Fernando and Santa Clarita.