InsideMessage ............................. 2Board Members .................. 3New Member Businesses ... 4 Lunch and Learn................. 6Event Highlights.................. 6Business Briefs .................. 8Calendar ........................... 10

The official publication of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

Online at www.conejochamber.org

February 2013

Serving Thousand Oaks • Westlake Village • Agoura Hills • Newbury Park • Oak Park

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION

BUSINESS TIMESConejo

Greater Conejo Valley

Th

ou

san

d O

aks Westlake Village Ago

ura H

ills

Since 1939

Chamber of Commerce

We Create Opportunities for Business Success by

Creating a strong local economy• Promoting community• Providing networking • opportunitiesRepresenting the interests of • business with governmentTaking political action• Supporting a sustainable future•

The Chamber is a treasure! I can’t tell you how often I find that someone I meet happens to share a close commonality in some unique way. It’s a lot

like discovering gold. There are some hidden nuggets in member-ship you’d be surprised to find live right in your own backyard. Now that’s community!

Tracy DiFilippisPathPoint

Members Say

EventsEconomic Forecast: Fri., Feb. 8, 7-9 a.m., California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks. Mixer: Wed., Feb. 20, 5:30-7 p.m., Sheraton Hotel Agoura Hills.Breakfast: Fri., Mar. 1, 7:30-9 a.m., Palm Garden Hotel, Thousand Oaks.Mixer: Wed., Mar. 20, 5:30-7 p.m., California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks.

More on page 10

UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

New Year Brings New Changes to California Labor Laws

LOCAL BUSINESS

City of Thousand Oaks Certified Green Business

—Cont. on pg. 11

—Cont. on pg. 11

The California Chamber of Commerce has issued an up-dated list of new laws that will impact California em-ployers.

The list includes recent changes to the pregnancy disability regulations and the disability discrimination and accommodation regula-tions.

Other significant changes for 2013 include anti-dis-crimination protections, em-ployee access to personnel records and employer access to personal social media ac-counts. Some changes relate specifically to certain indus-tries including farm labor contractors and temporary services employers.

Unless specified, the fol-lowing list of new legisla-tion went into effect Janu-ary 1, 2013. The entire list is available at http://www.

calchamber.com/hr-califor-nia/Pages/new-laws-2013.aspx?CID=944.

Religion and Reasonable Accommodation

AB 1964 clarifies that Fair Employment and Hous-ing Act (FEHA) discrimi-nation protections and rea-sonable accommodation requirements cover religious dress practices and religious grooming practices. It also specifies that segregating an individual from other em-ployees or the public is not a reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs or obser-vances.

Sex Discrimination and Breastfeeding

AB 2386 changes the def-inition of “sex” under FEHA for purposes of discrimina-

tion protections to include breastfeeding and related medical conditions.

Social Media and Personal Passwords

CalChamber supported AB 1844, which prohibits employers from requiring or requesting employees or job applicants to provide user names or passwords for personal social media ac-counts and from requesting an employee or applicant to divulge personal social me-dia. There are limited excep-tions, including an exception relating to employer investi-gations.

Inspection of Personnel Records

AB 2674 makes signifi-cant changes to the inspec-tion and retention of person-

nel records, in the following areas: (1) who has the right to inspect or request copies of personnel files; (2) any deadlines for providing ac-cess to files; (3) where and how records must be made available; (4) an employer’s obligations to retain files; and (5) penalties for failure to comply.

Pregnancy DisabilityAmended pregnancy dis-

ability regulations took ef-fect December 30, 2012. The approved pregnancy disability regulations make significant changes to state law, including:

A change to the definition • of “four months.”An expanded definition •

If you do business or reside in the Conejo Valley, you need to attend the 2013 Eco-nomic Forecast, presented by the Rotary Club of Thou-sand Oaks in partnership with the Greater Conejo Val-ley Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday, February 8, 2013, 7 to 9 a.m. at the Lun-dring Events Center at Cali-

fornia Lutheran University, located in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, 130 Overton Court, Thousand Oaks. The program will start promptly at 7:20 a.m.

Cost is $40 for pre-regis-

Economic Forecast Will Present Snapshot of Local Business Climate

Dr. Bill Watkins

tered reservations, $50 at the door.

Keynote speaker is eco-nomics expert Bill Watkins, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics and Execu-tive Director for the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University.

Dr. Watkins will be joined by local industry ex-perts for a thorough discus-sion of what Conejo Valley businesses can expect this year’s economic climate to look like, including big pic-ture and industry-specific perspectives.

Panelists will include: Susan Murata, Silver Star

PROMOTING COMMUNITY

Chamber Gala Award Winners RevealedWith the Conejo Busi-ness Times going to press just hours before the 2013 Chamber Recognition Gala, the winners are announced here.

You can find photos of the grand event in the March issue of the Conejo Business Times, as well as the Cham-ber’s Facebook page.

Congratulations to all the winners!Woman of the YearEloise Cohen, Photography by Eloise

Runners UpSara Miller McCune, Co-Founder of Sage PublicationsLynn Hogan, Co-Founder of the Hogan Family Foundation

Man of the YearLee Ladd, Retired Business Owner

Runners UpMatthew Huss, Sheraton Agoura Hills HotelRick Principe, Westcord Real Estate

Business of the YearBaxter Healthcare

Runners UpBogopodBrendan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Corporate Sponsor of the YearSheraton Agoura Hills Hotel

Runners UpAlcoa Fastening SystemsLos Robles Hospital & Medical Center

Volunteer of the YearTania Garcia, California State Channel Islands

Runners UpGreg Taylor, HUB InternationalRangu Mandyam, Mathnasium

Ambassador of the YearDon Phillipson, WSI ePro Marketing

Runners UpBob Crusoe, Nu-SkinPaul Dryman, Informed Decision

2013 Economic Forecast

Wednesday, February 8 7 - 9 a.m.

CLU

2FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

Things To Do With Your Chamber This Month

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE\

Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce600 Hampshire Road, Suite 200

Westlake Village, CA 91361805.370.0035 • Fax 805.370.1083

www.conejochamber.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEKristen Davis, Chairman

Amgen, Inc.

Jill Lederer, President/CEOGreater Conejo Valley

Chamber of Commerce

John LaRocca, Chairman-Emeritus Sage Bankcard

Leonard Greenlee, Chairman-Elect Baxter Healthcare

Matt Huss, TreasurerSheraton Agoura Hills Hotel

Matthew Midura, SecretaryPepperdine University

Jennifer Ciccone, Director-at-LargeThe Oaks

Matt Huss, Director-at-LargeSheraton Agoura Hills Hotel

Phillip A. Koonce, Director-at-LargeFormer Chamber Chair-Elect

Rick Lemmo, Director-at-Large Caruso Affiliated

Angel Robertson, Director-at-LargeDallas Capital

Marcia Sutton, Director-at-LargeDole Food Co., Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSMargie Cochrane, Ventura County Star

Tom Cohen, Alston + Bird, LLP

David Coonan, Hyatt Westlake Plaza

Mary Guy, California Republic Bank

Janet Hartley, US Bank

Greg Kaapuni, Attorney at Law

Dr. Chris Kimball, California Lutheran University

Amanda McPheeters Flaum, Anthem Blue Cross

Dr. Jacqueline Pick, Doctor of Chiropractic

Lisa Safaeinili, Westminster Free Clinic

Candice Shehorn, Key Pointe Coaching

Keith Sinclair, Sinclair Company

Mark Serjak, Verizon Communications

Lisa Shaw, SAGE/Corwin Press

Greg Taylor, Hub International

Yvonne Vollert-Norbitt, Oaks Christian School

Nicole Winner, WinnerQuotes Insurance

Kim Woods, Keller Williams

Stephen Yeoh, MIT Consulting Corp.

CHAMBER STAFFJill Lederer

President/CEO

Sue Tuttle Controller

JoLynn HingerDirector of Marketing/Communication

Managing Editor

Alexis NalleyCommunication Coordinator

Sarah EkebergDirector of Government & Economic Affairs

Liz BarrettMembership Director / Special Projects

Liaison

Danielle Borja Events Manager

Barbara BrownCommunity Coordinator

Conejo Business Times is the official monthly publication of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. Copyright 2013 Greater Conejo Valley Chamber. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or part of this publication is prohibited except with written permission. The Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce does not warrant or guarantee the correctness of the information furnished them, nor against the possibility of errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. We reserve the rights to edit or reject any materials submitted. Publication of any material shall not be deemed as endorsement of any product, service, business or individual.

PROMOTING BUSINESS

Jill LedererPresident/CEO

“Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mis-sion.” ~Zig Ziglar

While your Chamber has carefully considered and of-ten reviewed Mission, Values and Vision Statements for the work we do for and with you, they can all be summed up like this: Our true north is economic development. Ev-erything your Chamber does must meet the test of provid-ing meaningful benefit to business and careers here in the Greater Conejo Valley. We (your elected Board and professional staff) constant-

ly question, “Why is this im-portant to our members?”

We believe that constant evaluation and reinvention are part of the formula for success and there are only two choices available: stick with the status quo or contin-uously seek out and embrace change to stay at the top of your game. Jason Jennings, author of The Reinventors encourages all of us to move with clarity and without hes-itation into our futures and not to let the reasons that most people hesitate keep us treading water:

Getting too comfortable1. Studying things to death2. Lacking confidence3. Fear of losing what we 4. haveRisk aversion5. There is no question that

challenges will always lie ahead but your Chamber ex-cels at helping you with the connections that matter most from your customers to the community that surrounds you locally, regionally and state-wide.

Here are just a few sug-gestions of things you can do this month:

Join one of our 5 Net-1. working Groups. These dynamic groups each have their own wonderful personalities and you will get to know individuals and businesses in a very organic way. They’re pretty great on referrals, too!Register your business on 2. the Buy Conejo website; it’s free to members and only takes a few min-utes.Sign your key employees 3. and partners up for the Tuesday E-Mail Updates. Share this timely infor-mation with them; they may be interested in par-ticipating in the Emerg-ing Leaders group, at-tending a Lunch & Learn on social media or the very popular Technology Forum.Consider attending the 4. New Member Orienta-tion to learn more about what’s new for you at your Chamber; even if

you’re not a new mem-ber, things change all the time! Join 25 fellow members and Chamber staff for a complimen-tary lunch and learn more about what’s available for you. Just contact Alexis at analley@conejocham-ber.org to sign up. Consider becoming an 5. Ambassador, the Cham-ber’s volunteer group of professionals who offi-ciate at ribbon-cuttings, mentor businesses and increase their profile by representing the Cham-ber in the community in so many valuable ways. For more information, contact Consul General Don Phillipson of WSI e-Pro Marketing at don@wsiepro.com , Tina Dick-inson of Transamerica Fi-nancial Advisors at tina.dickinson@tfaconnect.com or Danielle Borja at dborja@conejochamber.org. Like us on Facebook and 6. post your own specials and news events on the Chamber’s Facebook

Where to Find the Conejo Business TimesSeeking Additional Business LocationsDid you know that the Cone-jo Business Times can be found at more than 50 loca-tions throughout the Conejo Valley?

Every Chamber member business has the newsletter mailed to them as part of the Chamber’s Monthly Mailer packet, but in addition, ap-proximately 2,700 papers are distributed at business locations.

If you would like extra copies of the Conejo Busi-ness Times for your clients/customers, please contact the Chamber to have your site added to the distribution list. Priority is given to those businesses that have a lobby or waiting area frequented by the general public. You may have quantities of 25, 50, 75 or 100. Call 805.370.0035.

Conejo Business Times distribution sites:Abby’s Millstone Baking Co.Agoura LibraryBada SushiBlue Table Agoura HillsBurger ExpressCaffe AromaCal Oaks T.O.Chase - WLVCisco’sCity of Agoura Hills/City Hall

City of Thousand Oaks/City Hall

City of Westlake Village/City Hall

Community West BankConejo Free ClinicCourtyard by MarriottCurvesDilbeck RealtorsFamous Dave’s BBQHand Car Wash (T.O.)Homewood SuitesHyatt Westlake PlazaInternational Organic TreatsJudy’s DonutsLampost PizzaLos Robles Greens Banquet

CenterLos Robles HospitalMermaid TavernMimi’s CaféMVP Baseball and Softball

AcademyNational Bank of CANewbury Park LibraryPacific Western BankQuality InnRabobankRoma Italian DeliRomio’sSheraton Agoura Hills Hotel Sotheby’s RealtySpectrum ClubStar DonutsT.O. LibraryThe OaksThousand Oaks Surgical

Hospital

Townplace Suites by MarriottTri-County A/CTroop Real Estate-T.O. BlvdUnion Bank - Thousand OaksUnion Bank - Westlake VillageVentura County Business BankWalgreens Pharmacy

Westlake Church of Religious Science

Westlake Info Center/Coldwell Banker

Westlake Village LibraryZ-Ultimate Self Defense Studio

CHAMBER BOARD

Leonard Greenlee, Cham-ber of Commerce Board of Directors Chairman-Elect, affixes a star emblem to the official Chamber plaque that declares him as Chamber Chairman for the year 2014.

Greenlee Kicks Off New Year as Chairman-Elect

—Cont. on page 12

Greenlee, a Facility Man-agement Director, Baxter Healthcare Corporation, will take over the reins from current Chairman Kristen Davis, whose term of office will end in December.

3Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce FEBRUARY 2013

TEACHER RECOGNITIONMeet the Chamber Board Members

PROMOTING EDUCATION

January Education Committee Discusses 2013 ProgramsThe January Education Committee meeting dis-cussed planning, programs, fundraising and events for 2013. The Education Com-mittee agreed to add two schools to the Teacher of the Month program: Yerba Bue-na Elementary School from the Las Virgenes Unified School District and Cham-ber member St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School.

This year, the committee plans to assist School-to-Career programs at three lo-cal high schools: Thousand Oaks High School, Newbury Park High School and West-lake High School. The com-mittee will provide assis-tance with mentorships and job shadowing opportunities. This new program seeks to support the School-to-Career coordinators since connect-ing businesses to education is a vital part of the Educa-tion Committee’s objectives.

The Education Commit-tee plans an annual fund-raiser to raise money for the Greater Conejo Val-ley Community Founda-tion. The foundation funds several programs which include: grants for non-profit organizations, col-lege scholarships for high school seniors, Leadership Conejo, Principal for a Half Day and the Teacher of the Month program. The Spirit of Community Awards, an

event typically held in May, is the major event that raises money for the foundation’s programs. The Education Committee hopes to promote Spirit of Community, as well as increase awareness of the foundation’s programs.

The committee was asked to save the date for the an-nual Principal for a Half Day program hosted by the Chamber and the Conejo Valley Unified School Dis-trict (CVUSD) on Monday, March 11, 2013. The com-mittee seeks donations for the gift bags given to par-ticipants at this event. Visit the website for up-to-date information on Principal for a Half Day.

Additionally, the date and location for the Homer Dick-erson Youth Ethics Confer-ence was announced. The conference will take place on Thursday, March 7, 2013, 7-11 a.m. at California Luther-an University in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center.

The next Education Com-mittee is Thursday, Febru-ary 7. Education Committee meets on the first Thursday of each month (dark July and August), 3:45-5 p.m. Meetings are free to Cham-ber members and their staff. Non-members can attend for $10. Contact Sarah Ekeberg, Director of Government & Economic Affairs, at seke-berg@conejochamber.org.

Introducing our Chamber staff members: each one’s dedi-cation and diligence contrib-utes to the overall success of our Chamber.

For the past four years, Sue Tuttle has acted as Con-troller for the Chamber. She obtained a degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the Uni-versity of Oklahoma. Tuttle has more than 20 years of accounting experience in the following industries: public accounting, telecom-munications, real estate de-velopment, entertainment and biotechnology.

At the Chamber, Tuttle managed the Chamber’s first independent audited re-port. Her diligence resulted in the successful issuance of an unqualified opinion. She was also instrumental in the governance, finance and hu-

Controller Keeps Chamber Finances on Track

man resources sections for the 5-Star re-accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

During 2012 she com-pleted a three-year educa-tional program for Chamber Executives by the Western Association of Chamber Executives. She also led the employment law compli-ance program, which was instrumental in helping the Chamber receive four con-secutive President’s Circle Awards from the California Chamber of Commerce.

Tuttle also prepares fi-nancial reports, manages accounting operations and operates human resources. She meticulously carries out the financial functions of the Chamber. Her hard work and dedication make certain that the Chamber’s financial operations are in order.

Sue Tuttle

CHAMBER STAFF

Teachers of the Month Named for Conejo Valley School District

Each month throughout the school year, the Greater Conejo Valley Community

Foundation recognizes a Teacher of the Month. A total of 10 teachers from the Conejo Valley Uni-fied School District and four teachers from the Las Virgenes Unified School

District will be honored for the 2012-13 school year.

Thank you to the partici-pating businesses that gener-ously donate to this program:

SAGE/Corwin Press, Aviara Real Estate, Cali-fornia State University, Channel Islands, Carrington Financial and Insurance Ser-vices, Chyten Education, Conejo Valley Corridor, Genworth Long Term Care Insurance, Global Guidance, LLC, Mathnasium, Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union, Union Bank, Stonefire Grill, Sylvan Westlake, The Leu-kemia and Lymphoma So-ciety, United Blood Services and Ventura County Credit Union.

If you are interested in becoming a Teacher of the Month sponsor, contact Sar-ah Ekeberg at the Chamber, 805.370.0035 or sekeberg@conejochamber.org.

Gini Bartley, from Redwood Middle School, was the December Teacher of the Month for CVUSD. Margie Cochrane, an experienced

newspaper executive with exper-tise in advertising, marketing and business development rejoined The E.W. Scripps Company as publish-er of the Ventura County Star in August of 2012.

Cochrane started her career with Scripps in 1983 at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. Over the course of 15 years in Colorado, she held numerous sales manage-ment positions.

Cochrane joined the Arizona Republic in 1998, becoming the director of advertising in 2001. She was part of an executive team that developed and launched a roll-out of 18 community newspapers in Greater Phoenix over a two-year

Lisa Cuevas Shaw is Executive Director, Editorial, for Corwin, a publishing company dedicated to developing and publishing books, digital products, and services that support the professional develop-ment of K-12 pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher leaders, and educational administrators.

Shaw has more than 17 years of experience in academic and edu-cational publishing, beginning her career with SAGE Publications, Corwin’s parent company, also headquartered in Thousand Oaks. She has held various leadership positions in production, journals editorial and books editorial.

Shaw earned her BA in English from the University of California, Los Angeles and her MBA with

The Chamber continues in this and subsequent issues of the Conejo Business Times, to introduce readers to members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Board members devote significant time to the Chamber, attending monthly meetings and Chamber functions.

Margie Cochrane

Lisa Cuevas Shaw

—Cont. on page 5

—Cont. on page 5

Cheryl Babcock was named January Teacher of the Month at Maple Elementary School for CVUSD.

If you are interested in becoming a

Teacher of the Month sponsor, contact Sarah Ekeberg at the

Chamber.

Seeking Vendors for March Mixer at CLU

Contact Danielle Borja at dborja@conejochamber.org or call 805.370.0035.

4FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

Thank You for RenewingExceptional businesses invest in the Chamber because they recog-nize the value of membership.

51 years Verizon

44 years Los Robles Hospital &

Medical Center

43 years Palm Garden Hotel

36 years Storm-Larsen &

Company, Inc.

35 years Mid Valley Management

Co.

34 years Reginald S. Marsh

33 years Silver Star Automotive

Group

30 years Associated Insurance

Services, Inc.

29 years Nagel, Norman J., DDS/

MS

25 years Shapell Industries, Inc. /

S&S Construction Co.The Sleep Shoppe

24 years Behr-Browers Architects,

Inc.California Water Service

CompanyCisco’s Mexican

Restaurant - Thousand Oaks

23 years MUZAK/Muzicraft Sound

Engineering

22 years Dilbeck Realtors / Judi

Irwin

20 years SAGEWestlake Canyon

Apartments

18 years Ventura County Credit

Union

17 years Agoura Los Robles

Podiatry CentersRoadrunner Shuttle

15 years NMS Moving / Atlas Van

Lines

13 years Mass Mutual Financial

GroupPremier America Credit

Union

12 yearsLa Reina High School

Los Robles Homecare Services, Inc.

11 years Deb’s Hair Hair Hair @

Jamie’s Hair DesignDuffy, Kruspodin &

Company, LLPGrand Oaks - MBK -

Senior LivingTignino & Lutz, LLP

10 years Moorpark Country ClubQuantum Realtors, Inc.

9 years 805 Living MagazineHomes and Land

Magazine

7 years Child Development

Resources of Ventura County, Inc.

Courtyard by MarriottHinricher & Douglas,

LLPRabobank, NAThousand Oaks Certified

Farmers Market

6 years Farmers Insurance /

Valerie Vollmer

5 years Conejo Valley PatrolDiamonds &

Champagne

4 years AmeriCore USALas Virgenes

Educational Foundation

Designs of the InteriorYMCA, Triunfo

3 years Law Office of Catherine

InbarUnited Gold DirectVespa Thousand Oaks/

Courtesy Motor Group

2 years Gallagher 20/20

ConsultingHelp From Him, Inc.Remedy Skin + BodyThousand Oaks Dental

Group & OrthodonticsWestlake Yacht ClubWhitewood & Associates

1 year CBC Federal Credit

Union - Avenida de los Arboles

Distinct Lifestyles CA Inc.

Enhanced Landscape Management, Inc.

First BankG4S Secure SolutionsHugo’s RestaurantRE/MAX - CityLights

EstatesUnion Bank - Agoura

Hills

Meet a New Chamber Member

Welcome New MembersPROMOTING BUSINESS

Thirteen Businesses Invest in Their Success

ACC Business Consulting, Inc.

AwaySys, Inc.

B&B Premier Insurance Solutions

Caruso Art

Evolution / Independent Living

ING Financial Partners / Motiei, Yafai & Associates

Integrated Acupuncture

Leave it 2 Lori

Liv-Ability

Merrill Lynch / Bank of America Corporation

North Ranch Country Club

Pacific Patio Furniture

Quest Relocation Group

Sheraton Agoura Hills Hotel

Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Networking at Night Mixer

Hosted by:

Admission collected at the door: Chamber Members: $5 Non-Members: $15

For more information, call or visit: 805.370.0035 �� www.conejochamber.org

Like us on Facebook!

30100 Agoura Road Agoura Hills 91301

Experience the transformation of the $6 million dollar renovation at the Sheraton Agoura Hills

Hotel. Located in the rolling foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, our hotel provides a peaceful escape from the city, yet allows for easy access

to popular California attractions and major businesses.

Learn How to Save a Life with Rescue Training Institute

Rescue Training Institute of South-ern California (RTI) is owned and oper-ated by Mark Fonseca, who has served in emergency medical services as an EMT, paramedic and firefighter. RTI is backed by over 20 years of experience to meet all safety training needs.

RTI exists to provide relevant and

educational safety training to first re-sponders, healthcare providers and lay responders in the southern California Region.

In our ever-busy world, trained re-sponses to emergency situations can result in positive outcomes to challeng-ing scenarios.

The goal of RTI is to provide stu-dents skills to know how to respond calmly and efficiently in a real emer-gency. Understanding the facts of emergency response and prepared-ness is best learned through hands-on training with excellent instructors and equipment.

RTI offers knowledgeable instruc-tors and up-to-date equipment to pro-vide groups with skills to take away from the classroom. While material is important, the instructors teach with humor through a structured and enjoy-able course format. RTI is an authorized American Heart Association training center and adheres to their guidelines and requirements.

For more information or to schedule your class, call RTI at 818.532.7348, or email Mark at mark@rescuetrain-ingsocal.com. Learn more at www.rescuetrainingsocal.com.

Leave a lasting impression with your 20-second personal introduction,

share unique facts about your business, connect with the right people and

recognize fellow Chamber members for their outstanding service!

Palm Garden Hotel

495 North Ventu Park Rd., Thousand Oaks

Pre-register by 12 noon Thursday, Feb. 28 and save!

Members: $20 · Non-Members: $30 Pre-registered members included on Hot Sheet!

Walk-In Members: $25 · Non-Members/Guests: $35

No refunds or transfers

Register online at www.conejochamber.org For more information call 805.370.0035

Special thank you to breakfast sponsor:

Networking Breakfast

Friday, Mar. 1, 2013 · 7:30 - 9 a.m. Note new later starting time

JUMP START

Networking Breakfast

PROMOTING BUSINESS

5Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce FEBRUARY 2013

PROMOTING BUSINESS

Advertise in this publication for

as little as $51 a month!

Call the Chamber for details.

805.370.0035

Debbie Soden

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Living and working in Thousand Oaks for more than 13 years, Deb-bie Soden has found that her ac-tive participation in the Chamber of Commerce has been one of her most meaningful and fulfilling ex-periences.

As a Chamber Network Group leader and Ambassador, she great-ly encourages every member to join one of the Chamber network-ing groups, and to participate in as many Chamber activities as they can. It is a great way to build rela-tionships and business opportuni-ties right here in the community.

Soden is a Certified Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist (SFR) with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. She can be reached at 883 South Westlake Boule-vard, Westlake Village. Call her at 805.300.0936 or visit her website at www.thousand-oaks-properties.com.

Ambassador Spotlight

period. In 2008 Cochrane joined the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel as SVP of Sales and was responsible for consolidating the sales struc-ture, launching a performance-based compensation program and implementing a new CRM system.

Cochrane holds a BA degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa where she was also a schol-arship athlete. Over the years she has held multiple board positions including Make A Wish and the Phoenix Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Avoid Potential Fines: Order the Mandatory 2013 California and Federal Employment PosterThe Greater Conejo Valley Chamber is making it easy for your business to comply with California’s labor laws.

No matter how many employees you have in California, your business is re-quired by law to post a current Califor-nia and Federal Employment Poster in a central location. As part of a special partnership with the CalChamber, the Chamber is currently taking orders for the updated 2013 California and Fed-

emphasis in management and orga-nizational behavior from California Lutheran University. With her hus-band John, she owns and operates Alma Sol Winery, a local boutique winery and member of the Ventura County Wine Trail, sourcing premi-um fruit from top vineyard sites in California with a focus on the Paso Robles appellation.

—Cont. from page 3Shaw

—Cont. from page 3Cochrane

2 0 1 3 REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORECAST

For Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village & Agoura Hills

Fri., Feb. 8, 7-9 a.m.Lundring Events CenterCalifornia Lutheran University130 Overton Court, Thousand Oaks

$40 for pre-registered reservations$50 at the door

Advance reservations available online at:www.conejochamber.org

for more info call 805.370.0035Presented by the

Rotary Club of Thousand Oaksin partnership with the

Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

eral Employment Poster. The CalChamber’s all-in-one poster

contains the 16 required state and fed-eral employment notices every Califor-nia employer must post.

The 2013 poster includes the man-datory update to the Discrimination and Harassment notice, effective Janu-ary 1, 2013. In addition,

The Cal/OSHA notice has changed.•

The Employee Polygraph Protec-• tion Act notice has changed.There are pending changes to the • Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) notices. If approved for 2013, these will be mandatory changes.Implementation of workers’ com-• pensation reform measures began in 2013. As a result, there are potential mandatory changes to the Workers’ Compensation notice and pamphlet regarding employees’ rights and benefits and employer obligations.Failure to comply and have a current

poster posted in a central location at your workplace could result in signifi-cant fines and penalties. Posters must be displayed in a conspicuous place where all employees can easily read it, such as a break room, common hall-way, payroll office or other common location. Employers must also display posters in each company location.

The Chamber urges you to place your 2013 poster order today.

Members can purchase their compli-ance materials at a discounted rate—one of the many rewards of being a Chamber member.

Contact t he Chamber today at 805.370.0035 or visit www.conejo-chamber.org and go to the Chamber Store to order supplies for each of your locations.

SAVE THE DATE

Principal for a Half Day Program

Mon., March 11

To donate gift bag items or to

participate, contact Sarah Ekeberg at sekeberg@

conejochamber.org or call

805.370.0035.

6FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS EDUCATION

Free Lunch and Learn Business Seminars Slated for February

NETWORKING AT NIGHT

Learn from peers and pros at the Chamber’s free lunchtime educa-tion series. Bring your own brown-bag lunch and join fellow Chamber members at the Janet Levett Chamber Conference Center, 600 Hampshire Rd., Suite 202, Westlake Village.

This series is open to the first 20 respondents and advance reserva-tions are suggested.

Lunch and Learn is free to Cham-ber members. Non-member cost is $10. Pre-register online at www.cone-jochamber.org to reserve your place. Call the Chamber at 805.370.0035 for further information.

Wed., Feb. 6, 12-1:30 p.m.How to Steer Potential Customers to Your Website for FREE

Moriah Scoble, Symbiocracy.com

This seminar offers an over-view of Search Engine Optimi-zation (SEO). Learn how you can increase your website’s standing on search engine pages with a little bit of knowledge and time, without having to pay for it!

An online presence provides a simple and affordable method to facilitate small business marketing. Learn the basics and more at this powerful presentation.

Wed., Feb. 13, 12-1:30 p.m.I’ve Got a Business...Now What? Things you need to know to keep your accounting and taxes straight

Deborah A. Morgan, CPA

Whether you’re just starting your business or have been running your own business for many years, you can start the year out right learning all you can about taxes.Learn:

What the various types of busi-• ness entities mean.The different types of taxes (i.e. • sales, use, property and business taxes).Ins and outs of payroll taxes.• The value of profit and loss state-• ment and the balance sheet.Income tax traps and how to • avoid them.

Deborah Morgan is a Certified Pub-lic Accountant practicing in West-

Chamber members and guests met at the Total Woman Gym & Day Spa in Westlake Village for the Chamber’s December Networking at Night Mixer.

Total Woman’s lush facility pro-vided ample room for guests to mingle with fellow professionals and sample the delicious fare provided by local vendors while touring the abundant ex-ercise and spa offerings at the facility. Live entertainment was provided by pianist and singer Michael Falcone.

Chamber member Vom Fass offered guests samplings of their fine oils and vinegars to compliment the plenti-ful appetizers and wine, while Total Woman staff members were on hand to offer tours and demonstrations in their expansive, women-only facility. The Chamber also collected new toy donations for Toys for Tots, and guests demonstrated the ever-generous spirit of this community.

Membership to the comfortable and welcoming facility provides members with access to Pilates, strength and aerobics classes, personal training, and specialty training classes.

The luxurious on-site spa offers dry saunas and steam rooms, facials, body treatments, waxing and tinting, body contouring and cellulite treatments, massages and babysitting.

The extensive raffle prizes donated by Total Woman included class passes, spa packages, and health and beauty products from their full service bou-tique, providing several lucky guests with great gifts to give—to either themselves or loved ones.

Total Woman Gym & Day Spa is located at 966-4 South Westlake Bou-levard in Westlake Village. For more information on fitness and spa offer-ings, call 805.496.9978 or visit www.totalwomanspa.com. For information on upcoming mixers and other Cham-ber events, visit www.conejochamber.org or call 805.370.0035.

Mixer Networking Wraps Up 2012 at Total Woman

—Cont. on page 7

Chamber Ambassadors Tina Dickinson, Dennis Rehm, Dee Crawford and Bob Cru-soe greeted guests to the mixer.

Vom Fass was on hand with samplings of their specialty olive oils and vinegars.

Dennis Rehm (left) receives fitness in-struction from a trainer.

Mixer guests chatted, mixed and mingled at the December event, held at Total Wom-an Gym & Day Spa in Westlake Village.

7Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce FEBRUARY 2013

BREAKFAST NETWORKING

Networking Kicks Off the New Year at Palm GardenEarly bird Chamber mem-bers and guests kicked off the new year at the Janu-ary Jump Start Networking Breakfast. The event was held at the Palm Garden Hotel in Thousand Oaks, which recently underwent a $2 million makeover that added substantial upgrades to its facilities and servic-es. The cheery and bright event space belied the frigid morning and attendees were treated to a lovely breakfast spread by Brendan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, which provides dining services to the hotel.

The event was hosted by the American Red Cross of Ventura County, whose representative gave a pre-sentation about emergency preparedness for businesses. It is suggested that in ad-dition to keeping a well-stocked emergency supply kit, businesses also develop an emergency response plan with neighboring businesses to weather through the days and weeks following a di-saster, such as sharing office space with a company whose power is down or whose fa-cilities have been damaged.

For more information on how to best prepare your work space for the myriad

disasters that can befall a southern California busi-ness, visit www.prepareso-cal.org. To discover all that the American Red Cross of-fers to the local community or to volunteer or donate, visit www.redcross.org/ca/ventura.

Breakfast attendees also took steps to ensure a great 2013 by participating in speed networking during the breakfast. Much like speed dating, guests engaged in brief, power-packed intro-ductions as they rotated throughout the enthusiastic group, followed by a less-structured mingling session for follow-up interactions.

The next Jump Start

Emerging Leaders Happy Hour

Wed., Feb. 6, 6-8 p.m.Muvico

The Oaks Shopping CenterThousand Oaks

Connect with young professionals in the Conejo Valley at the monthly Emerging Leaders Mixer and stay for an evening of trivia.

Emerging Leaders is a group for young professionals under the age of 40.

For info contact Danielle Borja at dborja@conejochamber.org or call the Chamber at 805.370.0035.

Order Your 2013 California Employment Poster Today!

MANDATORY CHANGE TO EMPLOYMENT NOTICES POSTER

Make sure your business is in compliance. Even if you have only one employee, you can be fined

$17,000 for not posting required notices. Our poster includes all 16 notices in one convenient

poster. Order yours today! www.conejochamber.org, select Chamber Store

Or call 805.370.0035

lake Village. She has more than 25 years experience and began her career as a bookkeeper, giving her “inside out” experience in all levels of accounting.

Wed., Feb 20, 12-1:30 p.m.Be the Best Networker You Can Be: Learn the Art of Business NetworkingSame day as the Mixer. Learn at lunch, practice that evening at the Networking at Night Mixer.

John LaRocca, Sage Bankcard

Sarah Shirazi Reznick, Edward Jones

Discuss how to meet, greet, network and get qualified leads at the evening’s mixer. • Five biggest

networking mistakes.

• How to feel comfortable with cold introductions.

• How to manage leads.• Choosing your power partners.• Critiquing your results.

Technology ForumThurs., Feb. 21

11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Ask the Expert: Using Simple Tips and Tricks of Technology to Make Your Business More Effective

Speaker: Aaron Boerger, De-fined Ventures Inc.

Do you struggle to keep track of all your projects and to-do lists? Are you suffering from information overload, with lots to do and no way to manage it? Would you like to improve the effectiveness of your business? Productivity guru Aaron Boerger will focus on how to make your life easier using technology.

Bring your questions—Boerg-• er will offer solutions to some of the common problems that many small businesses have with improving efficiency.Learn simple tips and tricks to • clear the clutter.Discover some of the latest • applications and programs that can work for your busi-ness.

Aaron Boerger has worked in the technology field for more than 15 years helping businesses and individuals to be more effec-tive in their everyday operations.The January Emerging Leaders mixer

was held at Mermaid Tavern in Thousand Oaks.

Learn —Cont. from page 6

The Chamber recognized new member Richard Goldner from Merrill Lynch.

The entire room played a fast-paced game of speed networking that gave guests the opportunity to meet one another.

Networking Breakfast will be held on Friday, March 1 at the Palm Garden Hotel from 7:30-9 a.m. In Febru-ary, please join the Chamber for the Regional Economic Forecast at the Lundring

Events Center at Califor-nia Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. For more information on these events and others, please visit the Chamber website at www.conejochamber.org.

8FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

Insert yourself in front of your customers.

The Ventura County Star can print and deliver beautiful full-color, glossy inserts to every home in Ventura County for as little as 3¢ each. Forget about mailbox delivery at 45¢ per home, when you can reach your best customers and prospects through a combined print and deliver program in the daily Ventura County Star and the free community weekly, EXTRA!

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Call today for a quote to print and deliver your sales flyers. 805.437.0332

REACH EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN VENTURA COUNTY

Business Briefs: Updates and Announcements

Make sure your business is in compliance. Even if you have only one employee, you can be fined

$17,000 for not posting required notices. Our poster includes all 16 notices in one convenient

poster. Order yours today! www.conejochamber.org, select Chamber Store

Or call 805.370.0035

Order Your 2 0 1 3 C a l i f o r n i a Employment Poster Today!

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley Presents Second Annual Texas Hold-Em Poker Tournament

Get ready to put your best poker face on and join in on the fun and ex-citement at the Second Annual Texas Hold-Em Poker Tournament hosted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley on Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at North Ranch Country Club, 4761 Valley Spring Drive, Westlake Village.

The tournament is open to players at all levels including those without prior experience. The day’s events include prizes for the top nine players, a fun opportunity board, gifts for raffle win-ners and a catered lunch. Several spon-sorship opportunities are also available to the public. Pre-registration is under-way and reservations are due by Janu-ary 31, 2013. The cost is $200, or $175 before January 4.

For more information, or to make a reservation, call the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley at 818.706.0905.

California State Channel Islands Invites Businesses to Join the Career FairCalifornia State University Channel Is-lands (CSUCI) is pleased to announce its 11th Annual Career & Internship Fair, scheduled for Thursday, April 11, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the cam-pus Central Mall.

The university is currently seeking employers who are actively recruiting to fill internships, part-time employ-ment, or full-time employment position openings. The cost for participation is $200, which includes two representa-tives from each company, continental breakfast, lunch and a tented 6-foot table.

The 2013 Career & Internship Fair is an excellent way to introduce your business to the CSUCI community. Many students are ready to transition from college into their careers. Oth-

ers may be looking for internships that will help them to develop the necessary skills, training and experience sought by leading companies. Last year, over 600 CSUCI students attended our Ca-reer & Internship fair to meet with re-cruiters to discuss employment oppor-tunities.

Past employer participants indicated that in comparison to other entry-level college graduate applicants, CSUCI students were “high-quality, focused, confident, motivated, knowledgeable, energetic, professional, well-prepared, well-spoken, and knew exactly what they were looking for.”

The deadline to register for the event is Thursday, April 4, 2013. Please reg-ister now to reserve your spot, as space is limited.

If you are interested in event spon-sorship opportunities, please contact Nichole Ipach, Assistant Vice Presi-dent of University Development, at 805.437.8893 or nichole.ipach@csuci.edu.

Foundation Presents Money Management Lecture for SeniorsConejo/Las Virgenes Future Founda-tion presents a free program of lectures for seniors, Money 101 for Seniors – Making It, Spending It, Saving It, and Giving It. The program will be held on Wednesday, February 6, from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, O’Riley Hall, 5801 Kanan Road in Westlake Village.

This is the ninth such annual pro-gram for seniors. Ten experts will cover topics for seniors related to op-tions for living within their means, op-tions for employment, enjoying their income, keeping investments safe, and what they can ultimately do with their assets. A free lunch will be served. Sponsors will be present at booths with useful information and free mementos.

For reservations, contact info@clvff.org or call 818.880.1054.

Water District Selects New General ManagerThe Board of Directors of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) has selected David W. Pedersen as the new general manager for the district. He will assume the position that be-came available when John R. Mundy announced his plans to retire at the end of 2012.

Mr. Pedersen, 40, currently resides in Manhattan Beach with his wife and three children and most recently was the executive director of operations for Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) in Orange County. At IRWD, his imple-mentation of operational efficiency measures helped the agency achieve the lowest service rates among those in surrounding communities.

A Civil Engineering graduate of UC Irvine in 1994, Mr. Pedersen earned his MBA degree from California State University, Long Beach in 2001 and is a registered civil engineer. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, serves on the Scientif-ic Advisory Board for the Association for Environmental Health & Sciences Foundation and is affiliated with the Association of California Water Agen-cies and the Water Environment Foun-dation.

Las Virgenes Municipal Water Dis-trict provides potable water, wastewa-ter treatment, recycled water distribu-tion and biosolids composting services for customers in Agoura Hills, Cala-basas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village and surrounding unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.

Gardens of the World Seeks Local Artists to Show WorkThe Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks is again hosting local artists who wish to display their works for public viewing during specified weeks dur-ing coming years. All exhibits will be at the Garden’s Resource Center and accommodated on a first-come-first-served basis at no cost to the artists.

Marianne Coulson, co-resident manager of the Gardens of the World, notes, “During the course of each year, we have a tremendous turnout for lo-cal artists. This is an ideal venue for many of them and, in fact, some artists

actually create works specifically to show here. Available exhibition dates go very quickly, so we urge the artists to plan well ahead, even a year or more in advance.”

Viewing hours for reserved dates at the Gardens Resource Center are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sun-days, with each artist receiving display time of five to six weeks. Exhibits are closed to the public, if special events are planned during those times.

Artists interested in displaying their works should contact the Gar-dens of the World at 805.557.1135 or apply online www.gardensoftheworld.info.

Swing Dolls Coming to Thousand OaksBack by popular demand, The Swing Dolls will perform at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Saturday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. This dynamic female vocal trio captivates and enter-tains with stunning close harmonies, dazzling costumes and stylish choreog-raphy. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride as The Swing Dolls honor ser-vice men and women, and pay tribute to USO entertainment.

As the show opens, you find your-self in the 1950’s enjoying the elegant

harmonies of The McGuire Sisters. Then you’ll get hip to the crazy tunes of 1960’s Girl Groups, after which you’ll boogie down to the 1970’s disco beat of ABBA.

Swinging into the 1940’s, you’ll de-light in a show-stopping tribute to The Andrews Sisters, as you arrive back to where it all began—to the birth of the United Service Organization.

This show will also feature special guest emcee, the comedy juggler Bry-son Lang.

For tickets and more information, visit www.civicartsplaza.com or call 805.449.ARTS.

New Press at CR Print Offers Quality for Smaller ProjectsCR Print has installed an HP Indigo 3550 for short-run work while meet-ing its clients’ demands for offset qual-ity. The company is seeing significant growth in short-run color and variable data work.

CR Print is a highly-rated commer-cial printer located in Westlake Village for 29 years. They offer a full range of print and value added services. The HP Indigo 3550 was installed to achieve its goals.

“Our clients are accustomed to re-ceiving a high level of print quality ser-vice with extremely tight turnaround times, so this press was an obvious

choice for us,” said Mike Corridori, Co-Owner, CR Print.

The HP Indigo 3550 is HP’s flag-ship sheet-fed press. It is designed to produce 8,000 images per hour on pa-per stock up to 16-points in thickness. It has full color capability and is capa-ble of automatic duplexing, and in-line quality printing controls that offer a resolution of 812 dpi, 812 x 1624 dpi.

The press is suited to handle short to medium run length jobs as well as high-value applications such as vari-able-data-driven marketing collateral, photo books and personalized direct mail.

For more information about CR Print, call Mike Corridori at 818.879.6050, email mike@crprint.com, or visit www.crprint.com.

9Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce FEBRUARY 2013

To be included in Business Briefs or Meet the New Members, Chamber members can submit 100-150 word articles by the first working day of the month preceding the publication date (i.e., deadline for the April issue is March 1). Photos or logos are welcome, but are used on a space-available basis. Insertion of articles is at the discretion of the Chamber and articles may be edited or held for future editions. Call the Chamber for details.

—Cont. from page 8Business Briefs

Students Team with Olive Garden to Collect Spare Change for Cancer ResearchStudents throughout greater Los An-geles area have collected $671,000 through Pasta for Pennies, presented by Olive Garden and benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Thanks to the efforts of students nationwide, $10.7 million was raised through Pasta for Pennies this year, bringing the total raised since 1994 to more than $70 million.

More than 274,000 students at 345 local elementary, middle and high schools filled collection jars in their classrooms with spare change over a three-week period. The top fundrais-ing class at each school received a pas-ta party from their local Olive Garden restaurant.

Spare change raised through Pasta for Pennies helps fund blood cancer research and provides much needed services and support to leukemia, lym-phoma and myeloma patients and their families.

“Pasta for Pennies continues to provide so many teachable moments for these students,” said Olivia Gertz, executive director of the LLS Greater Los Angeles Chapter. “Teachers do an amazing job incorporating Pasta for Pennies into their math and science curriculum. In addition, kids learn about how important it is to give back to the local community. We thank those teachers, students, parents and Olive Garden for making Pasta for Pennies so successful.”

Olive Garden is committed to mak-ing a difference in the local commu-nity. For more information, visit www.olivegarden.com.

Town & Country Travel Introduces New Vacation Planner Town & Country Travel in Thousand Oaks is pleased to announce and wel-come Patricia Colvin as its newest va-cation planner.

Colvin brings her experience in sell-ing travel to all corners of the globe. She has been to over 50 countries and she sites Italy, Spain and Portugal as some of her favorite destinations.

Jane Lee Winter, CTIE, President of Town & Country Travel, commented that she is thrilled to have Colvin work-ing with her team of vacation planners and says “her enthusiasm for planning extraordinary trips for our clients is a wonderful addition. Patricia is a true

professional and is known in the travel industry as a leader in sales and ser-vice.”

“I am ready and excited to work with new clients at Town & Country and look forward to a busy 2013,” said Colvin, when asked about her new posi-tion. “Vacation Planning is my passion and I enjoy all facets of the industry in-cluding complicated custom itineraries and all types of tours and cruises”.

Town & Country has been serving the Conejo Valley in the same location since 1984. Members of Signature Travel Network, they are most proud of their “Black Book” of contacts, with quality relationships with all over the world.

For more information, call 805.495.9888 or visit www.coun-trytravel.com.

Pet First Aid Class Can Help Save a Furry Friend Your pets are at greater risk of death or injury from preventable accidents than any other reason. Taking the correct and proper actions can significantly increase the chances of survival and reduce the extent of injury to your pet before transporting them to your vet-erinarian.

Terry Shirokoff, owner of The Pergamos Factor, is now offering Pet Tech’s Pet First Aid and Care classes for pet owners.

“An important part of being a car-ing, conscientious, responsible and loving pet owner is knowing the life-

saving skills of pet CPR, first aid and care,” says Shirokoff.

Shirokoff is a certified Pet Tech in-structor and is qualified to teach the Pet Tech family of programs. The 8-hour Pet Saver class includes the skills and information necessary to prepare the pet owner in the unfortunate event of a medical emergency involving their pet. Some topics highlighted in the class include CPR, rescue breathing, shock management, bleeding protocols, in-jury and wellness assessments, heat in-juries, cold injuries, dental, and senior “pet-izen” care.

For more information or to sign up for classes, call 818.692.5854.

Remodeling Seminar Coming February 23Westside Remodeling will offer a free seminar, Planning Your Remodel or Addition Project on Saturday, February 23 at 10:30 a.m. at 1164-B Newbury Road, in Newbury Park.

Planning a remodel or addition proj-ect can be an overwhelming task. West-side Remodeling knows how to get you started on the right path. Join them for

their 45-minute seminar and receive essential information and tips to get the most on planning a quality remod-el or addition project. The discussion will include steps of the remodeling process, basic budget guidelines, per-mit information, time frames, and new trends in kitchen and bath design.

Refreshments will be served. Please call 805.499.4121 to reserve your seat or visit www.westsideremodeling.com.

EDD Offers Free Payroll Tax SeminarThe Employment Development De-partment will offer a free federal and state basic payroll tax seminar on Tues-day, February 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Job and Career Center, 980 En-chanted Way, Simi Valley.

The seminar will cover California

payroll reporting and payment require-ments, independent contractor report-ing requirements, electronic filing and payment options, and federal payroll reporting requirements.

There is no charge to attend the seminar. Register online at www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Tax_Semimars/ or call 866.754.3886.

East County YMCAs Annual Support Campaign Begins—Runs Through Mid-MarchThe Southeast Ventura County YMCA and its four branches serving commu-nities in eastern Ventura County are kicking off their annual fundraising ef-forts.

The fundraiser, which runs through mid-March, hopes to raise $311,500 that will go towards making local YMCA programs and memberships available to those in financial need and to enhance YMCA youth and adult programs.

“Donations made during the annual fundraising campaign help offset costs for services to YMCA participants who cannot afford to pay,” says Rick Politte,

president/CEO of the Southeast Ven-tura County Y. “Our fundraising goals are based on community need, and the need for financial aid among commu-nity members is growing.”

Any size gift is appreciated. A gift of $125 provides seven swim lessons for three kids, giving them the gift of learning water safety and confidence; $250 makes it possible for a child to attend a week of summer camp; $500 enables a child to attend a YMCA pre-school or after-school program for a month; and $1,000 helps a teen partici-pate in a YMCA leadership programs.

To find out how to contribute, con-tact the YMCA corporate office at 805.497.3081. Donations can be des-ignated to a specific YMCA branch. Donations are also accepted online at www.sevymca.org by clicking on “Strengthening Our Community.”

10FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

February 2013 Calendar of Chamber EventsMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1SCORE Counseling

4 5Conejo Professional AllianceNightlite Networkers

6Lunch & Learn12 noon - 1:30 p.m.

Emerging Leaders Happy Hour6-8 p.m., Muvico

7Business Breakfast NetworkPreferred Referral AllianceSynergy Bus. Connections

Education Committee3:45 - 5 p.m.

8SCORE Counseling

Economic Forecast7 - 9 a.m. California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks

11 12Conejo Professional Alliance

13Lunch & Learn12 noon - 1:30 p.m.

14Business Breakfast NetworkPreferred Referral Alliance

15SCORE Counseling

18Holiday. Chamber Closed.

19

Conejo Professional AllianceNightlite Networkers

20Lunch & LearnThe Art of Networking12 noon - 1:30 p.m.

Networking at Night Mixer 5:30 - 7 p.m.Sheraton Agoura Hills

21Business Breakfast NetworkPreferred Referral AllianceSynergy Bus. Connections

Senior Resource Forum 9-10 a.m.

Technology Forum11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.

22SCORE Counseling

25Monthly Mailer Flyers Due12 noon

26Conejo Professional Alliance

27Government Relations Committee11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.

28Business Breakfast NetworkPreferred Referral Alliance

11Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce FEBRUARY 2013

Chamber Promotes New Member Businesses at Ribbon Cuttings

The Chamber was on hand to celebrate the gallery opening of Caruso Art, located at 2772 Townsgate Road, Suite F, in Westlake Village. For hours, exhib-iting artists and other information, visit www.caru-soart.com.

Chamber Ambassadors joined Southern California Pain Treatment Center for a ribbon cutting located at 28720 Roadside Drive, Suite 399, in Agoura Hills. To learn more about their services, call 818.575.9501 or visit www.southerncalpaintreatment.com.

Paul Martin’s American Grill celebrated with the Chamber the opening of their new location at 100 S. Westlake Boulevard at the Westlake Promenade. For more information, visit www.paulmartinsamerican-grill.com or call 805.373.9300.

of when a woman is “dis-abled by pregnancy.”Clarification of an em-• ployer’s responsibilities regarding the reasonable accommodation or transfer of employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth or re-lated medical conditions.An expansion of protec-• tions to include that it is unlawful to discriminate against or harass an appli-cant or employee based on “perceived pregnancy.”The regulations also make

mandatory changes to Notices “A” and “B,” which provide information for employees about their rights and respon-sibilities under pregnancy dis-ability leave (Notice “A”) and the California Family Rights Act (Notice “B”).

Disability Discrimination and Accommodation

Amended disability dis-crimination and accommo-dation regulations took ef-fect December 30, 2012. The changes to the disability regu-lations include an expansion of the definitions of “mental” and “physical” disability and a de-tailed description of the inter-active process and the obliga-tions of both the employer and the employee during that pro-cess. The amended regulations include specific examples of what constitutes a reasonable accommodation, including a discussion of when a leave of absence might be an appropri-ate accommodation.

Itemized Wage Statements/Temporary Service Employers

AB 1744 is effective July 1, 2013. It relates to itemized

wage statement and wage no-tice requirements and requires specified information from temporary service employers.

Penalties for Wage Statement Violations

SB 1255 amends the Labor Code to specifically define an “injury” for purposes of vio-lating the itemized wage state-ment statute. Employers are required to provide specified information to employees on a wage statement each time wages are paid. An employee who “suffers an injury” as a result of an employer know-ingly or intentionally failing to comply with the statute is entitled to recover damages against the employer.

Commission AgreementsAB 2675 amends the writ-

ten commission agreement law (which took effect on January 1, 2013) to exempt certain types of wage payments from the written agreement require-ment.

Fixed Salaries and Overtime

AB 2103 amends the Labor Code to state that payment of a fixed salary to a nonexempt employee will be deemed to be payment only for the em-ployee’s regular non-overtime hours, notwithstanding any private agreement or “explicit mutual wage agreement” to the contrary.

Wage GarnishmentAB 1775 increases the

amount of wages that are ex-empt from garnishment. This amendment is effective July 1, 2013.

Human Trafficking PostingSB 1193 requires specified

businesses to post an 8.5” x 11” notice, on or before April 1, 2013, that contains informa-tion about organizations that provide services to eliminate slavery and human traffick-

ing. The Department of Justice will develop a model notice that complies with the require-ments of SB 1193 and make the model notice available.

Workers’ Compensation Reform

SB 863 is workers’ com-pensation reform legislation supported by the CalChamber. The legislation offsets neces-sary increases in permanent disability benefits and poten-tially lowers system costs for employers. Some of the leg-islative reforms took effect January 1, 2013, but many of the laws require administra-tive/regulatory action before implementation.

Accessibility ReformCalChamber-supported SB

1186 limits frivolous litigation regarding technical violations concerning disability access by reducing statutory damag-es, putting into place new pro-visions to prevent “stacking” of multiple claims to increase statutory damages and ban-ning letters making demands for money before litigation.

FEHC Eliminated, Duties Transferred to the DFEH

SB 1038 eliminates the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC). The biggest change is the manner in which charges of discrimination or harassment are handled. The administra-tive hearing process before the FEHC is eliminated. Instead, the California Department of Fair Employment and Hous-ing (DFEH) will be able to bring civil actions on behalf of a complainant directly in court and require mandatory dispute resolution.

Intellectual DisabilitiesAB 2370 and SB 1381 sub-

stitute the term “intellectual disability” for the outdated term mental retardation in many statutes and regulations.

Unemployment Insurance: Overpayment and Penalties

AB 1845 provides that the Employment Development Department (EDD) can deny reimbursement to an employer for any overpayments made to its unemployment insurance reserve accounts if the EDD determines that the overpay-ment resulted from an employ-er’s failure to respond to or provide adequate information to the EDD. This new law ap-plies to benefit overpayments established on or after October 22, 2013.

Prevailing WageUnder AB 2677, increased

employer payment contribu-tions that result in a lower hourly straight time or over-time wage do not constitute a violation of the applicable pre-vailing wage determination as long as certain specified con-ditions are met.

Farm Labor ContractorsAB 1675 changes the pen-

alties for failing to license farm labor contractors. Exist-ing law requires farm labor contractors to be licensed by the Labor Commissioner and to comply with specified em-ployment laws applicable to farm labor contractors. Under existing law, a person who violates farm labor contrac-tor requirements is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by specified fines, or impris-onment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both.

This new law would, in ad-dition, subject a person who violates the licensing require-ment to citations issued by the Labor Commissioner and civil penalties that increase as the number of citations for viola-tions increase.

Warehouse WorkersAB 1855 adds warehouse

workers to the list of specified

contractors subject to suffi-cient funds requirements.

Specifically, existing law prohibits a person or entity from entering into an agree-ment for labor or services from specified contractors (con-struction, farm labor, garment, janitorial or security guard) where the person or entity knows, or should have known, that the contract or agreement does not include funds suf-ficient to comply with appli-cable laws or regulations. AB 1855 adds warehouse workers to this list.

Forecast—Cont. from page 1

Automotive, for retail; Rick Principe, Westcord Commer-cial Real Estate, for real estate; and Tony Kourounis, Califor-nia Republic Bank, represent-ing banking.

Register early and save. Prepaid reservations of $40 are due by 12 noon, Thurs-day, February 7. Walk-ins are welcome for $50 at the door. Payment includes breakfast, seminar and a copy of the 2013 Regional Economic Forecast Report.

For more information or to register online, go to www.conejochamber.org. Sorry, but there are no refunds or trans-fers.

Sponsors include Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks, Alcoa Fastening Systems, California Lutheran University, Corwin Press, First Rate Financial Group, Skyline Home Loans and The Oaks.

Note: the Forecast Break-fast will preempt the Cham-ber’s regularly scheduled Feb-ruary Jump Start Networking Breakfast.

Laws—Cont. from page 1

12FEBRUARY 2013

Conejo Business TimesGreater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

The Leadership Conejo class visited the offices for the city of Thousand Oaks at their January meeting. While there, they learned about the various departments and positions within city govern-ment. They were greeted by May-or Claudia Bill-de la Peña and also toured the Civic Arts Plaza.

City Manager Scott Mitnik (pic-tured below) addressed the group and explained some of the inner workings of city government and

2 0 1 3 REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORECASTFor Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills

Friday, February 8, 7-9 a.m.Lundring Events CenterCalifornia Lutheran University

130 Overton Court, Thousand Oaks

$40 for pre-registered reservations$50 at the door

Advance reservations available online at:www.conejochamber.org

for more info call 805.370.0035

Presented by the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaksin partnership with the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

Are you looking for more stor-age space? Have you been clearing out old tax documents and other paper files that no longer need to be archived? Do you dread sitting in front of your tiny office shredder for hours on end trying to safely dispose of stacks of old docu-ments?

There is an affordable solu-tion! In partnership with RSI

Shredding Services, secured shredding is available at the Chamber.

The cost per box is $8 for Chamber members and $12 for non-members. Bring payment along with standard file boxes (12-inches wide, 10-inch-es high, 16-inches long). A locked bin is available in the Chamber office where you can safely deposit sensitive docu-ments.

Shredding delivery is ac-cepted during Chamber bus iness hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call ahead if you are delivering more than 10 boxes. For more information, please contact the chamber at 805.370.0035.

Affordable Secured Shredding is Available at the Chamber

Clear the Clutter:

The City of Westlake Village and the Greater Conejo Val-ley Chamber of Commerce are accepting nominations for the Business Recognition Pro-gram that honors outstanding businesses in the city of West-lake Village.

Businesses will be selected by the city and the Chamber quarterly, based on the follow-ing criteria:

Must be a Chamber mem-• ber and must be located in the city of Westlake Village in Los Angeles County, but anyone may make a nomination,Do business in a location •

Westlake Village Businesses Are Eligible for City Recognition Award

that enhances the commu-nity aesthetically, Demonstrate community • involvement in the city of Westlake Village, andHave current or future plans • for the greening of their business.Nominations are due to the

Chamber by Friday, March 22, 2013. The winner will be announced at an upcoming Westlake Village City Council Meeting.

The honoree will be pre-sented with a certificate and have an opportunity to share information about their busi-ness when they accept their award.

The winner will also receive a package of advertising from the Chamber including a free quarter-page ad in the Conejo Business Times, a logo ad on the Chamber’s website for three months, a month of free advertising on the Chamber’s weekly Tuesday Email Update electronic newsletter, and have a story about their business published in the Conejo Busi-ness Times.

Find a nomination form on the Chamber’s website at www.conejochamber.org under the Government section or con-tact Sarah Ekeberg, Director of Government and Economic Affairs at sekberg@conejo-chamber.org, 805.370.0035.

page. Visit the Chamber website often; the infor-mation is continuously up-dated.Most important of all, we 7.

how it relates to local business and the surrounding community.

Leadership Conejo was created to promote the skills of current and fu-ture community leaders. Participants learn about government, law enforce-ment, fire protection, parks and recre-ation, education, cultural arts and eth-ics, and more during this nine-month course.

Go to www.conejochamber.org to learn more.

CITY GOVERNMENT BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

value your feedback. Don’t hesitate to email me any time with your questions or thoughts at jlederer@cone-jochamber.org. 2013 holds great promise

and together, we will make it reality.

Leadership Conejo Class Tours Thousand Oaks City Hall and the Civic Arts Plaza at January Session

President—Cont. from page 2