Greetings!

This week marks the Guam Chamber's 98th anniversary. We remember our founding members Pedro Martinez, C.C. Butler, H.U. Umstad, Baltazar J. Bordallo, William J. Johnson, J.M. Gillespie, and A.H. White for their pioneering spirit and belief that as a group of united businesses, we are better together.

Fast forward 98 years and we continue to serve as the catalyst for business opinions and advocate & promote business-friendly legislation. We form and establish relationships and alliances in striving to improve the well-being and promotion of economic prosperity for our island. We remain strong today because of your loyal patronage and commitment to the Guam Chamber and for your tireless efforts in contributing to improving Guam's quality of life.

We commemorate this occasion with you, your staff, our government, military, and community partners who share the Chamber’s mission. We are in the process of planning an anniversary celebration on September 24th. We hope that you and members of your company will be able to celebrate with us. Details about this event will be made available soon.

As we embark on rebuilding a brighter and strengthened economy, we THANK YOU, our Chamber members, who stand unified and eager to continue to build on the foundation of our 98-year history. We went through our archives and found some cool pictures of members through the years to share with you on this special occasion.
Happy Anniversary! Cheers to 98 years, Members!

Onward together,

Catherine Castro
President
April 27 General Membership Recap!
It was a great time to engage and meet members at the monthly general membership meeting this past Wednesday at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa. We would like to thank Shawn Gumataotao, our guest speaker, for giving a great talk on laying out the process of how the government of Guam allocates and spends federal dollars for Guam.

Did you miss the meeting? We captured Shawn's talk on video and it's available for Chamber members only. If you have your login information, you can view the video now by clicking on the link below. If you need access, please contact anyone on the Chamber Team and they will get you started!

Thank you for your support! 
Guam Chamber Fundraiser

We would like to thank our members and the community for supporting our special fundraiser held on Thursday, April 29th. Every penny received by the Chamber for the PAC will be contributed to Action PAC.

There is still time to make a contribution! Let us know by calling the Guam Chamber or emailing us of your interest. Check contributions can be made out to the Guam Chamber of Commerce with a notation for the Action PAC. We will accept credit cards, cash, or payments via PayPal.

Let's take action, Guam, to improve our community for the years ahead! Join the Action PAC movement and make a difference today!
Roll Back Guam's BPT For All Businesses!
Action PAC, Inc. invites all legal voting-age residents of Guam to sign the petition to roll back the Business Privilege Tax (PBT) from 5% to 4% or more immediately and have their voices heard by our elected officials.
National Drug Court Month
The month of May is National Drug Court Month. Your Chamber is a proud supporter of the Juvenile Drug Court Program. We are seeking sponsors for the upcoming softball tournament scheduled for Saturday, May 28th.

Contributions such as a case of fruit, beverages, and giveaways are welcome and appreciated. We are also seeking t-shirt sponsors. If your company is interested, please reach out to Rebekah Mendiola: (671) 472-6311 or email: rebekah@guamchamber.com.gu
98th Anniversary Gala Celebration
SAVE THE DATE: September 24, 2022
Hyatt Regency Guam
Your Chamber is looking forward to celebrating our 98th Anniversary with you on Saturday, September 24th! We'll be celebrating our members that are commemorating their own milestone anniversaries, too! Dust off those party outfits and pencil us in for a night of good people and milestone celebrations!

Table and sponsorship opportunities will be available soon!
AmChams of Asia Pacific Updates
MAY 19-21 Regional AmCham Summit in Vietnam
The AmChams of Asia Pacific, an umbrella group of over 25 AmChams around the region, will hold its 2022 Business Summit in Vietnam from May 19-21. The Summit is an annual event offering a valuable opportunity to discuss the main issues facing American business in the region along with an in-depth examination of specific industry issues of critical importance to AmCham members. The Summit features a full-day conference in Hanoi - featuring keynote remarks from senior government officials and panel discussions with private sector executives and industry-focused thought leaders on shifting from pandemic to endemic, regional economic recovery, and the United States' Asia engagement and its implications for American business - before the group moves down to Hue for cultural and networking activities. All Guam Chamber members are invited to participate.

U.S. Chamber Updates
Economy & Inflation

The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a measurement of economic output, contracted by 1.4% in the first quarter.

Why it matters: We were anticipating growth of just under 1%.

Be smart: The negative number is the result of a reduction in inventories and net trade dragging down growth. These parts of GDP are volatile from month to month.

  • Looking at the long-term drivers of growth – consumer spending and investment – shows the economy is in better shape than the topline number indicates.

Details: Consumer spending and investment grew by 2.7% and 2.3% respectively. If it wasn’t for the volatility of trade flows, inventories, and government spending, the economy would have grown close to 3% in Q1.

Bottom line: While the economy is not as weak as the -1.4% headline, inflation is hurting it. We still think growth will be stronger for the rest of the year, but the impact of inflation and the Fed’s effort to combat it bears close scrutiny.

—Curtis Dubay, Senior Economist, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Articles of Interest: 


Resources & Planning
Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration Announces Employment Opportunities for Dislocated Workers
HagÃ¥tña, Guam – The Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration announces the availability of employment opportunities through the Guam Department of Labor (GDOL) Dislocated Workers Program. This new program provides individuals with training for career and job placement. 


2022 Pacific Defense Contracting Summit
You are invited to attend the 2022 Pacific Defense Contracting Summit September 27-29, 2022 Honolulu, Hawaii. Take advantage of early registration rates register now.


COMMUNITY
REGISTER TO VOTE!
If you would like to vote but are not registered, you can register online at the Guam Election Commission's website. You will need to have either a valid Guam Drivers License or a Guam identification card to register electronically. 
 
Dates to remember:

Guam Primary Election: Saturday, August 27, 2022 [Polls open: 7 am - 8 pm]
 
General Election: Tuesday, November 8, 2022 
[Polls open: 7 am - 8 pm]
I Bisinun Mami- Malesso' & Humåtak
Friendly reminderI Bisinun Mami- Malesso' & HumÃ¥taknext training will be at the Malesso Senior Citizen Center on Saturday, May 7 and 14, from 9am to 12pm.  
Below is the link to register for I Bisinun Mami and our Village Training Calendar.
Should you have any questions, contact me directly at darlene@gumaguam.com or 671-646-3448.
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View Guam PTAC's