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Tuesday, October 26, 2021 | View as Webpage
WHO'S TURNING RED TAPE INTO RED CARPET, HOUSING WIN, ECONOMIC FORECAST RECAP, SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS WORSENS AND MORE!
HOT OFF THE PRESS
NEXT WEEK! OCBC’S 11TH ANNUAL TURNING RED TAPE INTO RED CARPET AWARDS:
  • Don’t miss OCBC’s groundbreaking Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Awards on Thursday, Nov. 4, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.! The Awards recognize local agencies that are cutting red tape and supporting a resilient OC. This year, 44 nominations were submitted by more than 25 cities, county departments, educational institutions and special districts across six diverse categories. Who will win OCBC’s coveted awards? Register here to find out live during the virtual award ceremony! Special thank you to title sponsor, Amazon, and all our incredible sponsors!

WIN FOR HOUSING! HUNTINGTON BEACH UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES 85-UNIT PROJECT:
  • OCBC commends the Huntington Beach City Council and all who lent their voices to supporting the proposed Gisler Neighborhood, an 85-unit housing development that will transform a blighted former school site into a revitalized community. Thanks to broad local support, the Council voted unanimously to move the project forward. OCBC staff testified in support at Planning Commission and City Council meetings.

ICYMI: OCBC/CSUF’S 27TH ANNUAL ECONOMIC FORECAST CONFERENCE:
  • OCBC and Cal State Fullerton virtually hosted a successful 27th Annual Economic Forecast Conference last week with the theme “Brave New World – Resiliency, Recovery and Reflation.” Dr. Anil Puri and Dr. Mira Farka, CSUF, expertly presented critical economic insight and answered great questions submitted by the audience with the assistance of moderator and EFC Committee Chair, Jeff Ball, President and CEO, Friendly Hills Bank. Thank you to title sponsor, U.S. Bank, presenting sponsor, Experian, and all of our sponsors for contributing to the success of this program. Check out the event recording and the economic report!

ACC-OC TO HOST LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON 11/5:
  • Join Association of California Cities Orange County (ACC-OC) on Nov. 5 for its Leadership Conference featuring State Treasurer Fiona Ma, League of California Cities CEO Carolyn Coleman and other esteemed speakers, including OCBC's President and CEO, Lucy Dunn. Learn about OC’s economic outlook, the latest state and federal legislation affecting the region and more. Register here.
ADVOCACY
DUNN & DONE: SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS WORSENS FOR BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS:
  • Anyone who has gone to the beach or flown out of Southern California recently can tell you, there are a lot of cargo ships moored off coast—100 at last count—waiting for weeks to dock and offload merchandise for all of us. This backlog has pervaded every aspect of the global supply chain, with bottlenecks and labor shortages at ports, warehouses, trucking, and rail hubs nationwide.

  • The Ports of LA and Long Beach, which comprise 35% of all US shipping container activity, have more than five times normal pre-pandemic levels of activity. A crisis of this magnitude demands action from State leaders. Not for the inconvenience of ordering holiday presents early or waiting longer for online furniture purchases, but due to worsening pressure on delivering food, medical supplies, and diapers. Supplies of these and other essential products will become harder to come by and in turn drive up prices making it more expensive for consumers to afford basic needs. There is also a devastating toll on the mental health of the supply chain workforce and mounting pollution concerns. 

  • That's why Governor Newsom’s Executive Order is an important first step but does not go as far or fast enough as this crisis warrants. OCBC and statewide leaders from business, commerce, and agriculture are calling on Governor Newsom to take specific actions now. Read our response to the Governor’s order here and list of regulatory relief strategies here.
TURNING RED TAPE INTO RED CARPET NOMINEE SPOTLIGHT
CITY OF YORBA LINDA’S TRUEBLOOD HOUSE:
  • City of Yorba Linda’s Trueblood House is nominated for the Public-Private Partnership Award! Yorba Linda partnered with C&C Development and Orange Housing Development Corporation to restore the historic Trueblood House, which now serves as Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce’s primary office. The Chamber reports a 220% increase in monthly visitors and 33 new members since relocating there, in part due to the Trueblood House’s visibility.*
CITY OF ORANGE’S ORANGE PLAZA PASEO:
  • City of Orange’s Orange Plaza Paseo is nominated for the Business Retention and Expansion Award! The Plaza in Old Towne Orange was converted into a safe outdoor area for shopping and dining with targeted closures of streets and parking spaces. It had an immediate positive impact on sales and no restaurants were lost in the Paseo area during the pandemic.*

*Winners announced at virtual event on Nov. 4; register here!
COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
UCI BLACK THRIVING INITIATIVE:
  • UCI Black Thriving Initiative launched in Aug. 2020 and has been the nation’s foremost destination for Black people to thrive. Learn more about how UCI is placing racial equity at the center of the university experience.

SOCALGAS LAUNCHES GRANT PROGRAM: 
  • SoCalGas to support Southern California nonprofits with up to $400,000 in grant funding for programs, projects and research that address community climate solutions. The 2021 SoCal Climate Champions Grant program is open now to non-profit organizations working to navigate climate change through Resilient Energy, Clean Air, or Organic Waste Diversion. The application deadline is Nov. 5. More information.

VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILY CAREER FAIR:
  • The Orange County Workforce Development Board Veterans Employment-Related Assistance Program (VEAP) is hosting a free Veterans and Military Family Career Fair on Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1300 S. Grand Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92705. More information.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS:
PACIFIC SYMPHONY ON THE GO BROADENS AUDIENCE REACH:
  • Pacific Symphony's new mobile concert stage, Symphony on the Go, innovatively brought classical music out to various OC communities through live performances at public parks, farmers' markets and parking lots. Learn more about all the joy Symphony on the Go provided during its inaugural season here.
BLOOM ENERGY AND SK ECOPLANT EXPAND POWER GENERATION PARTNERSHIP AND INVEST IN HYDROGEN ECONOMY:
  • Bloom Energy, a leading energy company, and SK ecoplant, an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, recently announced that their existing partnership is expanding to fortify their market leadership in power generation and to establish market leadership in the hydrogen economy. The partnership includes purchasing a minimum of 500 megawatts (MW) from Bloom Energy, representing a $4.5 billion revenue commitment; co-creating two hydrogen innovation centers; and targeting an equity investment of approximately $500 million. Learn more. 
OCBC'S UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
EVENTS
Chairman's Leadership Breakfast featuring Ken Potrock
November 9 | 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Join OCBC for an IN PERSON Chairman’s Leadership Breakfast featuring Ken Potrock, President, Disneyland Resort. Hear about Ken's mission, how the Disneyland Resort has evolved over the past year and a half, what's new at the resort, what's coming soon, and so much more! OCBC Board Member, Steve Churm, FivePoint, will lead what is sure to be a fascinating discussion. Thank you to our incredible gold sponsors, Disneyland Resort and SDG&E, and supporting sponsors, BIA-SC, CSUF College of Business and Economics, Siddiqui Law, APC and The Orange County Register. Purchase your ticket today!

For more information about OCBC Events contact Lauren Martin, OCBC Events Manager.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS*
November 5 | 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join OCBC virtually for a discussion on public policy issues that have a direct impact on the business community.
OCBC members, contact Connor Medina, OCBC Government Affairs Manager, to register.

November 16 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
OCBC's guest speaker will be Dr. Bobbie Porter, Assistant Vice President, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Programs for Cal State Fullerton. Hear how Cal State Fullerton, which employs over 4,000 people, identifies, recruits, attracts and retains a diverse workforce. OCBC members, register here.

November 16 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
The meeting will feature updates from San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.
OCBC members, contact Connor Medina, OCBC Government Affairs Manager, to register.

November 18 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
OCBC's guest speakers will be Dr. Wallace Walrod, Chief Economic Advisor for OCBC, and Katie Kalvoda, President and Board Chair of AdvanceOC, which brings together leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors to champion equity-oriented, data-driven strategies. Dr. Walrod will discuss migration data and its impact on Orange County's population, and Katie will discuss the work of her organization and their OC Equity Map. OCBC members, register here.

*OCBC Committee meetings are an exclusive benefit offered to OCBC members.
NOT AN OCBC MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
Join OCBC and connect with the most influential companies and top executives actively engaged in creating a pro-business environment and prosperous economy. Hundreds of Orange County's leading businesses, cities and non-profit organizations represent an elite group from every industry cluster. But we need YOUR VOICE! For more info, contact Natalie Rubalcava, OCBC Chief Operating Officer.