Chamber Weekly | Torrance Chairman Recognized as Small Business Advocate, Send Your Message to Legislators

Out & About with Donna

United States Veterans residing at Oakmont of Torrance gather with leadership and staff in observance of National Military Appreciation Month.

Donna Visits Oakmont of Torrance

As I visit businesses, one of the things I enjoy most is meeting employees. At Oakmont of Torrance, I was welcomed and immediately knew I was going to have an outstanding visit. Theresa Mack, Sales and Marketing Director formally welcomed me and escorted me to a leadership meeting that was in progress. Stacie Sheridan, Executive Director, invited me to share information about the chamber to those in attendance. Each member of the leadership team introduced themselves and spoke about their role at Oakmont.

Oakmont a recognized leader in the retirement community, strives to create an atmosphere of family and community among team members, residents and our residents’ family members,” stated Mack. Read more.

News

Kirk Rossberg Recognized by the California Chamber of Commerce

Kirk Rossberg, Chairman of the Board, was recognized this morning by the California Chamber of Commerce with the Small Business Advocate award. Rossberg was nominated for this award for his strong engagement in local, regional, and statewide advocacy. This past fiscal year, he voiced his opposition to hero/hazard pay and AB650; he met with Congress woman Maxine Water to discuss tenant/landlord agreements; he attended a roundtable with Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and he provided leadership with facilitating several roundtables for small business owners. Additionally, Rossberg advocated on ADA issues/compliance, PAGA lawsuits and the City of Torrance parklet program for restaurants.

“Throughout the pandemic, Rossberg led the chamber with a strong passion for the business community. He is a small business owner who exemplifies the word advocate. As the owner of Torrance Bakery, he currently employees 99 individuals. He truly leads by example and is respected by those who know him,” stated Donna Duperron, President & CEO. Read More.

Torrance Chamber Opposes New Costly Leave Mandate for Small Businesses

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce opposes AB 995 (Gonzalez). This new costly leave mandate would nearly double the amount of paid sick leave businesses are required to pay employees annually from a minimum of three days to a minimum of five days. While those businesses that can afford to pay more sick leave are doing so, many small businesses cannot absorb this cost in light of the financial devastation caused by COVID-19. With businesses struggling to re-open their doors and hire back employees, now is not the time for yet another expansion of paid leave. Reach out to your Legislators to let them know that you OPPOSE AB 995 (Gonzalez). Send your message here.

Chamber to Host Educate, Celebrate and Elevate Diversity Awards

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce will present Educate, Celebrate and Elevate Diversity on May 19th. This celebration will pay tribute to individuals who have fostered an environment of inclusion, diversity, openness, and respect for the many differences that enrich business and organizations.

Honorees include: Lea Ann King, Giancarlo Fernandez, Tamala Lewis, Dr. Linh Vuong, Prachi Dixit, Fermin Rivera, Torrance Refining Company League of Black Professionals, Aaiahn Curls, John Huebner, and Janice Lee.

A special thank you to event sponsors: American Honda, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, AMAG Technology, Torrance Refining Company, Ambassador High School, Bachem Americas, California State University Dominguez Hills and El Camino College. Register now for this exciting celebration at torrancechamber.com/diversityawards2021

Rivera to be Recognized with Rising Star Award

Fermin Rivera will be recognized at the Educate, Celebrate and Elevate Diversity awards on May 19th. Rivera, owner of Red Apple Air, has 26 years of heating, cooling, and electrical experience. He will receive the Rising Star award.

Rivera is unlike most contractors. He is also an author, speaker, and member of the John Maxwell team. Over the past seven years, he has supported the community by hiring people who came from homelessness, broken homes, and those who needed extra help to get them on track to success. Read more.

“I enjoy mentoring individuals. In 2015, I joined the John Maxwell team and share the knowledge and experiences I have been introduced to. In Maxwell’s book, the 20 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he states that to add growth, lead followers --- to multiply, lead the leaders. This is a practice that I strive to do every day with our eight employees,” commented Rivera.

The Chamber's #31DaysofSalute for Military Appreciation Month

Due to COVID-19 the Chamber is unable to host the 5K for Freedom this year. In order to continue to show support for the brave men and women who serve this country, a 31-day Salute to our Armed Forces has been created. This salute will recognize the members of the United States military and honor veterans of each branch.

Chamber businesses are submitting a photo to highlighted on the chamber’s social media platforms throughout the month of May. Please like, share, and repost on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter These highlight the patriotism and appreciation for the sacrifices the men and women of the armed forces have made to secure our freedom. A special thank you to Stan Gray, owner of Fast Signs, who has generously donated patriotic signs to be used in photos.

Upcoming Revise to COVID-19 Emergency Rule a Mixed Bag for Employers

Less than 30 Days to Get Ready

After months of waiting, California employers now know what the next version of Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) will look like. Building off of the present emergency regulation’s text and the February advisory committee meetings, Cal/OSHA released its proposed new text for the ETS on May 7. The proposed text will be in front of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board for approval on May 20 for an up-or-down vote, then will go quickly to the of Administrative Law for their sign off, and will likely be in effect shortly thereafter. That leaves California employers less than a month to review the amendments and get their workplace practices ready for the new requirements. Read more

Governor Gavin Newsom Announced May 2021 as Small Business Month

On Thursday, May 6, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a Proclamation declaring May 2021 as Small Business Month! CalOSBA Director Tara Lynn Gray says, “I am pleased with today’s proclamation by Governor Newsom. Simply put, he gets it. Small businesses are critical to the growth of our economy and he has prioritized their recovery by providing significant aid during the pandemic with cash grants, following that up with tax relief to the tune of $6.2 billion, and license renewal fee waivers for up to two years. Those actions demonstrate not only leadership but a commitment to create a climate that fosters resilience and opportunity within our state.”

The proclamation reads,” In order for our economy to continue on the path to recovery and maintain global leadership, we must ensure that Californians can pursue their dream to start, manage and grow businesses in our state." You can read the full proclamation by clicking here.

South Coast AQMD Governing Board Adopts Warehouse Indirect Source Rule

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Governing Board adopted Rule 2305 otherwise known as the Warehouse Indirect Source Rule (ISR). The rule requires warehouses greater than 100,000 square feet to directly reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions, or to otherwise facilitate emission and exposure reductions of these pollutants in nearby communities.

“About half of the air pollutants that contribute to smog come from the goods movement industry, with the largest source being heavy-duty trucks heading to warehouses across Southern California,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s executive officer. “After many years of development, today’s adoption of the warehouse rule is a major step towards reducing air pollution and protecting the millions of people directly impacted by this type of pollution.” Read more.

Restaurant Revitalization Fund

The SBA's Restaurant Revitalization Fund provides direct relief funds to restaurants and other hard-hit food establishments that have experienced economic distress and significant operational losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible businesses include:

Restaurants
Food stands, food trucks, food carts
Caterers
Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns
Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars
Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Funds must be used for allowable expenses by March 11, 2023. Apply Now

LA County Guidance for Informal Social Gatherings

While COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths have decreased and appear to be stable, COVID19 continues to pose a high risk to communities and requires all people in California to follow necessary precautions until enough people in the County and state become fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Until then, the safest way to gather continues to be limiting mixing among different households and, if gathering occurs, spending time outdoors to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 from one person to another. When people from different households mix, the risk of COVID-19 transmission increases, including highly contagious variants that have been seen in California. With community transmission of COVID-19 at a minimal level in Los Angeles County, informal social gatherings of non-household members can occur with safety measures in place to reduce the risk of transmission during the gathering. View updated guidance.

Leadership Torrance

Leadership Torrance is a program, founded in 1983, that focuses on developing effective leaders from across the South Bay. Sponsored by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Torrance provides opportunities for emerging leaders to take an active role towards building a stronger community. The mission of the Leadership Torrance program is to develop effective leaders by encouraging community connections through partnerships with City officials and local businesses.

For the next several months, this column will feature graduates of the program and highlight the positive growth of these individuals.

Steve MacAller

Executive Director

Torrance-South Bay YMCA.

LT Class of 2017

1. Where were you in your career right before joining Leadership Torrance? While I was an experienced YMCA Executive Director, I was about one year into my assignment to the Torrance-South Bay YMCA.