Out & About With Donna
Donna Attends City Council Meeting with Small Business Representatives
This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to accompany four small business representatives to a Torrance City Council meeting. Melinda Fox, Merle Norman Cosmetics; Martin Vasquez, Mezontle Mexican Grill; Mark Comon, Paul’s Photo and Connor Hartwell, Hartwell Financial Services were presented a Proclamation from Mayor Pro Tem George Chen to celebrate our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community. According to the Small Business Administration, there are currently over 30 million small businesses in the United States and small businesses create two out of every three net jobs. 

Additionally, Mayor Pro Tem Chen urged residents and communities across the country to support small businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturday... Read More

News
Upcoming Events
A Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Grand Opening
Ribbon Cutting of Lucky Stores. Photo courtesy of LeRoy Jackson.
Picture of the Week
We are proud to say that we have served businesses and businesspeople within Torrance for over a century – 106 years to be exact. Serving and supporting, providing avenues for professional advancement, and enabling stronger credibility among business has been our aim the past century and we continue to keep that mission and vision in constant check to allow Torrance to flourish.
‘Moderate’ funding increase predicted for CA schools, community colleges
K-12 schools and community colleges can anticipate a “moderate” 4.2 percent increase in funding in the 2020-21 state budget, instead of a long-anticipated recession, the Legislative Analyst’s Office predicted Wednesday in its annual fiscal forecast. Read More.
CalChamber, Coalition in Support of Plan to Fix Aging Water Delivery Infrastructure 
A broad coalition that includes the California Chamber of Commerce, labor, business, environmental, community & water leaders announced the formation of Californians for Water Security (CWS) yesterday. The coalition supports Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to fix California’s aging primary water distribution infrastructure by building a single tunnel through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Read More.
MERIT Mentor Program continues to meet, investing into the future
This past Tuesday, Nov. 19th, the MERIT Program mentors met with Torrance High School students. This recently launched program offers an avenue for Chamber members to help students identify their passions and develop plans for future goals they may have.

“Through all my years of volunteering, the Mentor program has been the most rewarding. The speakers are inspirational and chatting with my Mentee about a myriad of topics during our breakout discussion sessions has been wonderful. In the end, it may very well be me who gains more from the program than my Mentee.” explained Ned S. Stromme, First Vice President, Relationship Manager, Farmers & Merchants Bank Torrance.

"The mentor program is an exciting and rewarding experience. The sessions are well-organized and topics are relevant to today's high school student... and the mentors. Each session I find myself in a teenager's shoes again; figuring out and confirming my passions and charitable tendencies. And then helping my mentee student do the same. Very impressive!" says Jeanne Imbrogno, Vice President Customer Services, AMAG Technology, Inc.

This program is just one of the ways the Chamber invests into the Torrance area future - and beyond.
Podcast: What to Expect from New Independent Contractor Classification Law; Webinar, Free White Paper Available Now
Throughout the year, the California Chamber of Commerce has been covering the developments surrounding the Dynamex Supreme Court decision on independent contractor classification and AB 5 (Gonzalez, D-San Diego; Chapter 296), the bill that codified the Dynamex decision.  Read More
Tourism Sector Up: Visitors Spend Record $140 Billion on Travel in California
For the ninth year in a row, California’s travel and tourism economy surged, adding $79 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP). Read More

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Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce | (310) 540-5858 | www.TorranceChamber.com