8/2/2019 ChamberTulare Jan10

1/4

January 2010

www.TulareChamber.org thethesave the dates

UpdateUpdate

the updateis the official monthly publication of the Tulare

Chamber of Commerce, 220 E. Tulare Ave.,P.O. Box 1435, Tulare, CA 93275-1435

email: info@tularechamber.org web: www.tularechamber.orgEditor: Kary Mancebo-Ingram

For advertising information call:Colleen Ferreira (559) 735-3227

the updateis published in partnership with the Tulare Advance-Register

PRSRTSTD

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

PERMITNO.232

TULARE,CA

2009 OfficersLance MorrisChair of the BoardAdair & Evans

Patty RochaChair-Elect

Preferred Outletsat Tulare

Brian MartinhoVice Chair of Membership

Martinho Construction

Marc LimasImmediate Past Chair

TF Tire & Service/LimasReal Estate

Mat SozinhoVice Chair of Finance

Sozinho Realty

Matt WeaverVice Chair of Governmental

AffairsEly Auto Parts

2009 BoardTerry Brazil

Tulare Historical Museum

Art ClarkKohler & Clark Screw Products

Daniel EnriquezHazels Kitchen

Gary GermaineLand OLakes

Sue Ann HillmanTulare City School District

Lionel PiresTF Tire & Service

Marie PintoTulare Adult School

Leanne SandlinMario SimoesFamily Dairies

Marisa SimoesThree Sisters Farmstead

Cheese

John ThomasBank of the Sierra

Traci MyersCity of Tulare ex officio

Professional Staff

Joyce RauenOffice Manager

Bette PenceInformation C oordinator

Legal Counsel provided by

Horswill, Mederos & Soares

Nona WatsonPresident/CEO

Kary Mancebo-IngramMembership Program Coordinator

Reservations are now being accepted forthe Chambers Annual Awards Banquet, slatedfor Friday, January 22, 6:00pm at the HeritageComplex. This years list of award recipients trulyrepresents some of the most outstanding and amaz-ing individuals and businesses in our area.

We are sure to have a sell-out crowd on hand torecognize these honorees.

Tickets are available for $50 each and tables ofeight can be reserved for groups. Reservations mustbe pre-paid and will be accepted through January

15, or when the capacity of the venue is reached.To join us in celebrating the successes of 2009and honoring the Tulare Chamber of CommerceMan of the Year, Woman of the Year, SmallBusiness of the Year, and Large Business of the Year,please call 686-1547 for reservation information.

This Years Award Winners Are:Tulare native, Rhonda

Wilbur has been named the2009 Woman of the Year. Sheis the co-founder and currentBoard Member of the LightHouse Rescue Mission, a shel-ter for homeless women andchildren in our community. Inaddition to the Light House

Rescue Mission, Rhondais considered a driving force behind manyorganizations and community-sponsoredprograms that benefit agriculture and educa-tion. Some of the organizations that havebenefitted from Rhondas dedication are:Tulare First Baptist Church, CaliforniaWomen for Agriculture, COS FoundationBoard Member, Soroptimist, 4-H Leader,

Womens Ministries, and Tulare Wee Care DayCare; just to name a few. She is also the founderof Memes Manners Class, which teaches mannersto local school children. Rhonda and her husband,Steve, are farmers/dairymen and have been mar-ried for 39 years, with children, Kelly Nickelson,Natalie Muth, Blake Wilbur, and AJ Taylor, andthey have five grandchildren.

Lonnie Tiesierahas beennamed the 2009 Man of theYear. He is the owner of

Will Tiesiera Ford-Mercury,a company that has been inTulare since 1983. Lonnie wasinstrumental in bringing theBoys and Girls Club to Tulare.Lonnie approached the Boys& Girls Club of Tulare Countyabout opening a facility here. He spent countlesshours promoting, persuading, fundraising, andnegotiating for this Club to be in Tulare. Lonnieis an active member of the Tulare Sunrise Rotary,sponsors numerous civic and charitable activitiesthrough Tiesiera Ford-Mercury, and has hostedan annual fundraiser for Habitat for Humanityof Tulare County at his home for more than 300people. Lonnie has certainly embraced Tulare ashis home town. He and his wife, Laurie, have been

married for 28 years and have two children, Jennaeand Christopher.

JD Heiskell is theLarge Business of the Year.Founded in 1886, thisTulare-based company nowemploys more than 300people in a dozen loca-tions throughout seven

states. Their contributions to the communityare vast. Many organizations can count on sup-port from JDH, including: Light House RescueMission, Tulare Salvation Army, Tulare Boys &Girls Club, Tulare Hospital Foundation, The PixleyFoundation, and Visalia Chapter of the AmericanRed Cross. Still family-owned, great-grandson ofthe founder Scot Hillman, has been at the helmsince 1991 and continues the tradition of innova-tion and generosity.

Ely

Auto Partsis the SmallBusiness ofthe Year.Ely AutoParts was started by C. Harold Ely in 1935. Elyfirst purchased a store in Coalinga but moved toTulare in 1936. Ely Auto Parts is now owned andoperated by third generation family members, Mattand Denyse Weaver, with the fourth generationawaiting their turn. Ely Auto Parts is a strong com-munity supporter, involved in Tulare ImprovementProgram, Tulare Chamber of Commerce, EncoreTheatre, Tulare Rotary Club, and others.

All of this years winners are people who helpmake Tulare such a great place to live and do busi-ness. They truly deserve our support and recogni-

tion, said Tulare Chamber President and CEONona Watson. We are proud to recognize theirefforts.

This years banquet will include recognition ofall the award winners and will serve as the officialswearing in of Patty Rocha as the Chambers Chairof the Board for 2010. The event also includes asilent auction. For information on donating anitem or reservations, please call 686-1547.

Labor Law CornerEmployers Not Obligated to Classify Employees as Exempt

We have an hourly, non-exempt employeewhose duties may make him eligible to be classi-fied as an exempt administrative employee. Theemployee is demanding that we classify him asexempt. Are we required to change his classifica-tion?

No, an employer is not obligated to classifyemployees as exempt. In California, dependingupon the exemption, employees may be exemptfrom overtime or from Section 3-12 of the

Industrial Welfare Commission orders.The use of these exemptions is simply avail-able to the employer; nothing in the law requiresan employer to utilize an exemption. On thecontrary, misclassifying an employee as exemptwho is not can be a very costly error.

Specific CriteriaThe law outlines the specific criteria required

for the exempt classifications. Employers shouldestablish that each and every criterion is met inorder to correctly classify employees as exempt.Ultimately, the burden lies with the employer todefend the decision.

Employees frequently view an exemptclassification as a promotion even if the wage iscommensurate with an hourly position. As a

result, employees are willing to trade overtimecompensation for the perceived status or pres-tige of an exempt position. Carefully consideremployee requests before taking an action thatmay be hard to defend and may result in asubstantial overtime obligation later.

Status IrrelevantThere are a few laws that apply to the duties

of an employee irrespective of their classificationstatus. For example, the fact that an employeeis not actually classified as an exempt supervi-sor will not affect the obligation to provide anyrequired training. Mandated tip pooling pro-hibitions may apply if the employee is an agentof the employer who hires, fires and disciplinesemployees.

The Labor law Helpline is a service toCalifornia Chamber of Commerce preferred andexecutive members. For expert explanations of laborlaws and Cal/OSHA regulations, not legal counsel

for specific situations, call(800) 348-2262 orsubmit your question at www.hrcalifornia.com

Lonnie Tiesiera

Rhonda Wilbur

The Saturday, November 21 headline of the TulareAdvance-Register read, County jobless rate at 15.9%.The article further pointed out that according to theCalifornia Employment Development Department, theunemployment rate in Tulare was 13.9%. By compari-

son, the rate was 9.5% for Tulare just a year ago. Morerecent reports indicate local unemployment rates havefurther increased. In case anyone is wondering, this isnot good news.

However, there are several projects in the workshere that suggest our future will be brighter. In myOctober column I di scussed the USA Wrestling facilitythat is working diligently towards reality here. Otherprojects include a new College of Sequoias campus, anew beef processing plant, a Kosher chicken processingplant, a new waste to energy plant, a new Loves TravelCenter, expansions at Land O Lakes and MorningstarCreamery, and the Tulare Motorsports Complex(TMSC).

In the five years that I have served on the Tulare CityCouncil, our top two priorities have been Public Safetyand Economic Development. I am proud to say theCity has had a hand in each of the above projects, along

with several more that have already come to fruition.This help has come in too many forms to describe indetail here. Suffice it to say that investments made bythe City in various projects has come with an expected

return. A good example is the incentives the City gaveto attract our Outlet Mall. At the time, those incentives

were bold and controversial. In retrospect, the Citymade a sound investment that is producing outstandingreturns.

While there has been some talk and press coverageof each of these projects, most of the attention seemsto have been in regards to TMSC. It is a big and com-plex project. Because of that, its understandable thatthere has been confusion and misinformation aboutthe details. For example, the November 19 edition ofthe Tulare Voice headline read, Citys Share of TMSCInfrastructure Soars. A more accurate headline wouldhave read, City agrees to a maximum share of cost and amuch lower cost is expected.

Keep in mind the City of Tulare has been obliged to ashare of cost for project oversizing for every developmentthat has ever been done in our history. These costs arethose determined to be for the future good of the City as

whole, such as roads and interchanges. We will continueto be so obliged for these costs in future developments.

Lets not lose sight of the enormous economic boostTMSC can bring to Tulare. We are talking about qual-

ity jobs and economic opportunity for our citizens andgenerations to come. Our staggering unemployment rateis not acceptable to me and TMSC has the potential tosignificantly reduce that problem in both the short and

long term.Lets also remember that

TMSC was invited to look atTulare four years ago by ourbeloved International Agri Center.

It is apparent the IAC can continueto add improvements to theirfacilities and programs with the proceeds from a landsale. The City has been a long-time partner of IAC andshould continue to support their success and their signa-ture event, the World Ag Expo. Infrastructure improve-ments, paved parking and near-by hotels would all bebeneficial to WAE.

Our nation has attained unprecedented prosper-ity because of free enterprise. Over the centuries, ournations entrepreneurs created almost every job and everydollar of wealth. As a City, I believe we should encouragethose who are willing to take the risks to create jobs inour community. In these most difficult economic times,it is hard for me understand why some people are goingto such lengths to detour this free enterprise endeavor.

As for the majority of the Tulare City Council andour hard-working city staff, we will continue to work for

economic prosperity. It remains a key component of ourMission Statement, To promote a community, makingTulare the most desirable p lace to live, learn, play, work,

worship and prosper.

Mayors Corner By Craig Vejvoda

Craig Vejvoda

The California Chamber of Commerceyesterday released a list of new laws scheduled

to take effect in 2010 or earlier that will have animpact on businesses in California.The following is a list of new laws that have

recently gone into effect or will take effect in2010:

New Form I-9 Revised August 7, 2009, thenew Form I-9 contains an updated list of accept-able documents that employees must presentupon hiring. The new form also bears a notethat all documents presented to establish iden-tity and/or ability to work in the United Statesmust not be expired.

E-Verify Required for Federal ContractorsFederal contractors and subcontractors mustuse the E-Verify system when hiring employees.Other employers may use the verification system

if they wish to do so. E-Verify compares Form I-9document information against federal govern-

ment databases to verify employment eligibility.Increase in State Withholding State with-holding increased on November 1, 2009. Thereis a 10 percent mandatory increase on employeewithholdings, a 0.6 percent increase in supple-mental wage withholding and a 1.2 percentincrease on wage stock options and bonus pay-ments.

Alternative Workweek Schedules The lawregarding alternative workweek schedules wasamended to permit an eight-hour day as a validalternative schedule.

Additionally, the Division of Labor StandardsEnforcement (DLSE) issued an opinion letterstating that under some circumstances, an alter-native workweek schedule may be in place for less

than a full year for example, during the sum-mer months only.

FMLA AmendmentsFederal legislationchanged the definition of which service members

are covered for leave under the qualifying exi-gency category.

For regular Armed Forces members, coveredactive duty means duty during the deploymentwith the Armed Forces to a foreign country.Reservists are covered when they are on dutyduring deployment with the Armed Forces to aforeign country or notified of an impending callto active duty.

Civil Air Patrol Leave Employers with morethan 15 employees are subject to a new leave foremployees who are volunteer members of theCivil Air Patrol.

List of New Laws Affecting Businesses in 2010

Annual Awards Banquet Set ForJanuary 22nd at the Heritage Complex

(continued on page 2)

January 6 - 5pm ribboncutting at Madrids TeamRealty, 205 North KStreet

January 12 - 5pm ribboncutting celebratingCamaras Auto Ser vices37th anniversary, 440South K Street

January 22 - 6pm AnnualAwards Banquet,Heritage Complex

July 19-30 - Travel with theChamber to the Aores!Visit Lisboa and theislands of Terceira,Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge,& Sao Miguel

8/2/2019 ChamberTulare Jan10

2/4

Tuesday, November 10th the Leadershipulare class was introduced to the core values of

the Tulare Regional Medical Center. The morn-ing began with an amazing breakfast preparedby the centers Chef Enron. The entire day wasorchestrated by Sherrie Bakke, director of mar-keting.

Shawn Bolouki, CEO of TRMC, who hasover 20 years healthcare experience in strategicplanning, organizational development, facilityplanning and physician relations, was our firstspeaker. His initial questions to the group were;Can a building have a mission? Can bricks andmortar have a vision or values? His answer was

O but people can. His goal is for the TRMC(Tulare Regional Medical Center) to earn thetrust and respect of the community by doing

the right things and that equals core values. Mr.Bolouki presented the following core values

explaining the current implementation of eachvalue: Quality, Customer Service, Compliance/Ethics, Finance/Efficiency, People, and Growth.We then were able to ask questions and the CEOagain joined us for lunch in the afternoon toanswer any other questions we may have had.

For the remainder of the morning we heardfrom: Pat Mathewson, Chief Clinical Officer/Chief Nursing Officer and Julie Gresham, ChiefQuality and Compliance Officer for TRMC.The dedication and passion these officers of theCenter demonstrate is heart warming. The pridethey have in their colleagues was evident in theirpresentations. The data and statistics shared onthe efficiency and satisfaction of patients was

excellent. It is reassuring to see the high marksthat the TRMC has received among all of the

hospitals within the San Joaquin Valley. Afterthe presentations, we toured the facility and weregiven an update on the future expansion of thehospital.

Lunch was provided by Fugazzis atEvolutions, an extension of the TRMC. Wewere given a tour by Jayne Presnell showcas-ing the capabilities of Evolutions Fitness andWellness center. We were able to ask questionsand see the services provided to patients forrehabilitation.

It was an informative day and it is clear thatthe TRMC, doctors, nurses, management andstaff are committed to preserving and protecting

the health of our community.They have recently rededi-

cated their entire collectiveeffort to support their newmission, vision and corevalues. Their goal is to pro-vide safe, efficient, techno-logically-advanced healthcarewith respect for the diversityof our region and to be theleader and preferred healthcare organization inthe region. It is evident that our own TRMC iswell on its way to fulfill its mission to the benefitof all of us within this community. Thank youto all of those who shared their passion with us,we are grateful!

page 2 January 2010 tulare chamber the updatePROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Members RenewChamber InvestmentThan you to the folloing businesses andindividuals ho reneed their membership

during the month of November.

A & W Restaurants

Acclaim Auto & TruckAccessories

Amaral Dairy Service

American Pool

Anchor Plaza

Barcellos Farms T-BarDairy

Bardsley GardensSenior Community

Bassett Farms, Inc.

BMI Mechanical

Casa Grande SeniorCare Home

Charter Inn & Suites

Collette Vacations

Comfort Suites

Delray Tire &Retreading, inc.

Dennis K Buhler,DDS, Jocelyn Buhler

Iverson, DDS

Direct Media, Inc.

Family Services of

Tulare CountyGalaxy Tulare 10

Hazels Kitchen

Andy Hinojosa, CPAMBA

Huckleberrys

Idas Direct Mortgage

Iron Craft

K & M Paint andTruck Repair, Inc.

Lane Engineers, Inc.

Lewis Insurance

Life Star Ambulance

Minyards Auto Parts

James Moran, DDS

Perfect CareLandscape-

Maintenance

Personnel SolutionsUnlimited, LLC

Rancho Teresita Dairy

Bob Reynolds

Serafine ItalianCatering

Smiles by Sullivan

Smith & MederosRealty

Sousa & Sousa Dairy

Sozinho Insurance

Specialty Printing

Sunrise Farms

TOL Inc.

Tulare Dairy Center

Tulare IndustrialSite Development

Foundation

Tulare LocalDevelopment

CompanyTulare Police Benefit

Association

Tulare Police OfficersUnion

Tulare UnitedMethodist Church

UC Davis VMTRC

Vincent SolaPartnership

The Villas at Westgate

Walnut ParkRetirement Residence

Dan & Barbara Xavier

New Mission, Vision and Values Set the Stage for a BrightFuture at Tulare Regional Medical Center By: Terry Sayre

The Tulare Chamber of Commercewill celebrate 100 years of service in 2010.Over the years, we have seen our commu-nity thrive and business grow in our area.Helping business succeed is what we are allabout.

Each year, the chamber Board ofDirectors meets to design a Program ofWork, which guides the organization dur-ing the year. Our Program of Work thisyear will focus on promoting the commu-nity, creating networking opportunities, rep-resenting business interests with governmentand creating a strong local economy. Thisprogram was designed from informationgenerated through the annual survey of our

chamber members.Focus areas will be on retention of mem-

bers, creating an active voice at the State andFederal level on issues facing the agriculturecommunity, and a review of all currentprograms and services the chamber provides.We will focus on adding value to existingprograms, adding new programs that reflectcurrent times, and eliminating those servicesthat have run their course.

We are proud of the more than 700 busi-ness members who support our communityat large, and we will continue to developprograms and services to ensure our cham-ber members succeed.

We are looking toward the future andwe are focusing on our mission to pro-

mote, support and attract business for theadvancement of our community.

2010 Program of Work

Welcome Aboard New MembersCongratulations and than you to

the ne members that invested in theChamber this month.

A Market Bazaar

BoutiquesMichelle Dorado1731 E. RetherfordTulare, Ca 93274(559) 684-1270

Danes Video ProductionsVideo Production & Taping Services

Dane FagundesTulare, CA 93274(559) 688-0156

PC Mobile TechsComputer Services & Sales

Peter Morgan239 South K StreetTulare, Ca 93274

(559) 684-8523

Terry Sayre

Minimum Wage for ExemptComputer Professionals and LicensedPhysicians Rates for exempt computerprofessionals and licensed physicians do not

change for 2010. The current rates for theseprofessions are:

Computer Professionals: $37.94/hour $6,587.50/month $79,050/yearLicensed Physicians: $69.13/hourSafety AB 1083 (John A. Perez; D-Los

Angeles) adds requirements to the Health andSafety Code requiring all licensed hospitals toannually conduct a safety and security assess-

ment.SB 188 (Runner; R-Lancaster) amends

the Code of Civil Procedure to permit post-secondary educational institutions to seektemporary restraining orders and an injunc-tion on behalf of a student or students. Thisrequires written consent of the student(s).

Out-of-State Marriages California

recognizes out-of-state marriages as legal inCalifornia if they are legal in the state wherethe marriage occurred. SB 54 (Leno; D-San Francisco) provides a same-sex couplesmarriage, valid in the state in which it wascontracted, will receive the same rights inCalifornia as spouses, with the exception ofthe designation of marriage.

Workers Compensation Cannot BeDeniedWorkers compensation cannot bedenied because an employee was killed by athird party in the course of the employeeswork, no personal relationship existedbetween them and the injury/death wasbecause of third partys personal belief relat-ing to the employees race, religion, color,national origin, age, gender, disability, sex orsexual orientation.

New Laws(continued from page 1)

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors is proud to recognize

Joan Lampe and Robert Hernandez as

Volunteers of the Month. Their tireless

dedication to the Childrens Christmas

Parade is truly appreciated.

Volunteers of the Month

8/2/2019 ChamberTulare Jan10

3/4

tulare chamber the update January 2010 page 3ADVOCATING FOR BUSINESS

Member NewsNew doctor to join Visalia

Medical Clinic. VisaliaMedical Clinic, the largestphysician-owned clinic inthe Valley, will add Thomas

guyen, MD, to its teamof physicians in January.guyen, an internist, comes

to Visalia Medical Clinicfrom Central Valley GeneralHospital in Hanford, where he practiced internalmedicine for the past three years. Im lookingforward to practicing at a multi-specialty facilitylike Visalia Medical Clinic, Nguyen said.

Originally from Huntington Beach, Calif.,guyen attended the University of California,

Los Angeles where he studied biology. He wenton to medical school, graduating from Ross

niversity School of Medicine in New Jersey.He served his internship and residency at JewishHospital of Cincinnati in Ohio. He is board

certified by the American Board of InternalMedicine. I got into medicine because I enjoyinteracting with patients and helping them getbetter. It makes what we do more meaningful,he said. Nguyen is married to Emily Doan, aHanford dentist, and together they have a 2-year-old son Augustin. Nguyen enjoys natureand photography.

Visalia Medical Clinic offers the expertiseof more than 40 physicians, physical therapy,a sleep lab, a diagnostic laboratory and a widearray of imaging technology all in one locationat 5400 W. Hillsdale, Visalia. The clinic, whichemploys nearly 300 people, is open 8 a.m. to 5p.m., Monday through Friday, while QuickCareis open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through

Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Also available is the full-service, on-site Boyds Pharmacy. For informa-tion, call 738-7547 or visit www.vmchealth.comwww.vmchealth.com.

Write the Plan - Pitch the Idea! Project 9- Not Your Average Business Plan Class. (TulareCounty) Project 9 is a hands-on approach towriting a modern business/launch plan withemphasis placed on learning how to pitch theplan to investors and potential customers. Uponcompletion of the p9 training, participantswill have a modern professionally edited busi-ness/launch plan designed so that an investor

will actually read it, a pointed well rehearsedpitch, a matching power point presentation, andconfidence in their ability to pitch their idea and

run their business. This will be accomplishedthrough nine intensive, hands-on segments oftraining.

Training is conducted by Michael Summersand Prashant Joshi, who together head up tech-nology development and commercializationas well as DogWorks development at the LylesCenter for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at

California State University, Fresno. Mr. Summersand Mr. Joshi have experience reviewing hun-dreds of innovative product and business modelsubmissions. After years of analyzing proposalsand commercializing ideas, they have developedproprietary methods that prepare entrepreneursand their business ideas for presentation, fundingand launch.

At graduation, participants will receive 9professionally edited, high resolution, publishedbusiness/launch plans, a matching power pointpresentation on a flash drive, and the confidenceto pitch their business.

Classes will be held at the Visalia Chamber ofCommerce, 220 N. Santa Fe, Tuesday evenings,6-9 pm, beginning January 26, 2010. Class is

free to those who qualify, based on location.For all others, cost is $200 with a $50 refund-able incentive payable to those who completethe class with full attendance. Register at www.sequoiavalley.com or contact Lori Dunagan at559-688-3388 ext 103 for additional informa-tion.

The Tulare County Economic DevelopmentCorporation is the regional leader of economicdevelopment: attracting, supporting and retain-ing business and industry for the communities ofTulare County since 1985.

Entrepreneur Awards seeking nominations.The Tulare County Economic Development

Corporation is having their 5th annualRecognizing Excellence in Entrepreneurshipawards event, and is seeking nominees forthe awards. This is an event that we holdeach year to recognize and encourage theentrepreneurial spirit that has helped TulareCounty grow for decades, said Lori Dunagan,Business Development Director at the EDC.Entrepreneurs play a key part in the sustain-ability and growth of our economy. They launchnew business, provide jobs, and invest in thecommunity. This is a wonderful opportunity tocelebrate their achievements.

The deadline to nominate an entrepreneuris January 28, 2010. Entrepreneurs are encour-aged to nominate themselves. Winners will beannounced at an awards luncheon to be heldFebruary 25th at the Visalia Convention Center.All nominees will receive mention at the event.

Nomination forms and information aboutthe event can be found at www.sequoiavalley.com or by contacting Lori at 688-3388 x 103or lori@edctulare.com. The event is being spon-sored by The Gas Company and the EconomicDevelopment Corporation serving TulareCounty.

The Tulare County Economic Development

Corporation is the regional leader of economicdevelopment: attracting, supporting and retain-ing business and industry for the communities ofTulare County since 1985.

On November 12th at an annual awardsceremony in Fresno, put on by the BusinessJournal, Tulare based Blain Homes was honoredas one of the Top 10 Best Companies to Workfor in Central California. President & CEOAllan Blain accepted the award on behalf of thecompany.

Earlier this year, the Business Journal hadconducted in an in depth analysis of busi-nesses in the four Central California counties,including Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern, andawarded the Top 10 in the small to medium sizecategory (companies with 25-99 employees) andthe Top 5 in the Large category (100 or moreemployees) at the awards event.

We are honored to have been recognized bythe Business Journal with this award, Blain said.We owe this award to our 35 employees whose

contentment and satisfaction on the job werea big factor in the overall ranking we achieved.We are celebrating our 50th year of success herein our community largely due to our tremen-dously hard working staff that cares a great dealabout excellence in all that they do. I considerit an honor and a privilege to be a part of such agreat spirited, winning team.

Don Gilles, President and CEO of ValleyBusiness Bank announced that Jeff W. Lefler,Vice President and SBA Manager, graduatedfrom Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS)on September 4, 2009. This years graduatingclass consisted of 211 executives, representing adiverse mix of financial institutions from aroundthe country.

The effort Jeff put into his completion of

the challenging Pacific Coast Banking Schoolcurriculum and his high ranking in the gradu-ating class while continuing his outstandingperformance as one of our team leaders, is to becommended. Were all very proud of Jeff, saidGilles

For over 70 years Pacific Coast BankingSchool has partnered with University of

Washington Graduate School of Business toteach the business of banking to over 10,000bankers and members of the financial servicescommunity.

Valley Business Bank, a full-service com-mercial banking institution, was established in1996 and has been serving the banking needs ofit neighbors and friends for 13 years. It operatesthrough conveniently located offices in Visalia,Fresno, Tulare, Tipton and Woodlake, and canbe found on the internet at www.valleybusiness-bank.net. Valley Business Bank: A Passion ForExcellence

Coldwell BankerChoboian Real Estate is proud

to present Coldwell BankersTop Agents for November,2009. Top Listing Agent JulieBeltran. Top Agents in OpenEscrows are Jo Elliott andHollis Fernandez. Top Agentin Closed Escrows is MariaChavez.

These Individuals areoutstanding sales profession-als and have the primary goalto serve their clients in themost professional manner.They continually strive tobe number one! said WayneButterfield, Sales Manager.

Coldwell BankerChoboian Real Estate is locat-ed at 155 North K Street,Tulare, Ca. 93274, and canbe reached at 559-686-8591or www.cbchoboian.com.Coldwell Banker ChoboianReal Estate has been servingthe Tulare County area forover 50 years. Since 1906, theColdwell Banker organization has been a premierprovider of full-service real estate. The ColdwellBanker system has more than 3,600 residentialand commercial real estate offices and 117,000Sales Associates in 28 countries and territories.It is a pioneer in consumer services with itsColdwell Banker Concierge program and award-winning website, www.coldwellbanker.com.

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome Salles Caf asa new member. Salles was founded in the mid-1930s by Joe Salles andwas owned by the Salles family until 2000, when i t was purchased by theWasnick family. Still true toits roots, Salles Caf offersgreat home-cooked meals andservice in a great family atmo-sphere. Chef Frank Santoscontinues to create the deli-cious comfort food Salles isfamous for. Every morning,

Salles is jumping with freshbiscuits and gravy, omelets,pancakes, and eggs. Also onthe menu: terrific hamburgers,homemade chili, Portuguesesoup plus a soup du jour,sandwiches, honey friedchicken, salads, desserts,a special of the day, and asenior menu. Every Tuesday,the special is Portuguesespare ribs and on Fridays, itsfish and chips and homemadeclam chowder. The restaurant is filled with patrons who frequent everyday; youll surely see a familiar face. Its the type of place where every-one knows your name and how you like your coffee. Salles pays hom-age to its past and is proud of its future. Completely remodeled in 2006,Salles now offers a bigger seating area and a private meeting room.Yes, you can still sit at the counter but on new stools. Salles Caf islocated at 2082 North J Street as is open every day from 5 am to 2 pm.

Go to Salles where youll be treated like one of the family.

New Member - Salles Caf

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome BravoFarms Restaurant & Cheese Shoppe as a new member. BravoFarms began in 1979 in Visalia and moved to Traver four yearsago. Their newest location is in Preferred Outlets at Tulare.The restaurant in Tulare has been open since November 20th,offering sal-ads with fresh

produce andtoppings tossedto your liking,sandwiches withhot-off-the-grillmeats on yourchoice of freshbread, soup ofthe day, beer bat-tered onion rings,ultimate French fries, kid selections, coffee, tea, soda, milk, plusCalifornia wines and premium brews. Included in the restaurantis a gift shop stocked with gourmet items, gifts, and of course,cheese. Bravo Farms Restaurant & Cheese Shoppe is locatedat 1691 Retherford Street in Tulare. Their hours of operation are10am-10pm, seven days a week. For more information, pleasecall 329-8197 or visit their website, www.bravofarms.com.

New Member - Bravo FarmsRestaurant & Cheese Shoppe

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome PCMobile Techs as a new member. Owned and operated byTulare Western and Institute of Technology graduate, PeterMorgan, his shop offers affordable PC service for everyone.Peter special-izes in laptops,Linux, PCs, and

Macs. He alsohas the capabil-ity to build youa custom PCor server. PCMobile Techswill evaluateyour computerfor a $20 inspection fee and then do the work for a flatrate. Peter wants to be the Cricket Wireless of computerservice great service and a great price. PC Mobile Techsserves customers in Tulare and Kern Counties. They arelocated at 239 South K Street and their hours are 9am 6pm, Monday through Friday, and 10am 2pm on Saturdays.For more information, please visit their downtown location orcall 684-8523.

New Member -PC Mobile Techs

Maria Chavez

Julie Beltran

Jo Elliott & Hollis Fernandez

Thomas Nguyen, MD

8/2/2019 ChamberTulare Jan10

4/4

page 4 January 2010 tulare chamber the updateNETwORkING OPPORTUNITIES

JanuaryCalendaranuaryCalendar The Chamber is always pleased to help our members celebrate new

beginnings with ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremonies.

Tulare welcomed its own California Welcome Centerwith a grand opening celebration on Thursday,December 10, 2009. In attendance were dignitariesfrom our city, county, and state. California WelcomeCenters are the official state visitor centers offeringvaluable information and services for todays travel-ers. The CWCs are here as your personal travelconcierge to assist you in all aspects of your Californiatrip. Tulare is one of 14 Welcome Centers in our state.Other locations include Auburn, Barstow, Oceanside,Pismo Beach, and Truckee. Tulares center is locatedat 4500 South Laspina. Our CWC will offer local gifts,brochures from through the state, vacation ideas, andinternet access. For more information, call 688-3388.

Olmeca Music Group celebrated joining the TulareChamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting ceremonyheld during Posada California. This event was at theInternational Agri-Center on November 22, 2009.More than 20,000 people were in attendance and over7,000 toys were collected. For more information,please call 686-2174 or visit their website,www.olmecamusic.com.

LPL Financial celebrated the grand opening of theirnew office with a ribbon cutting. Financial consultantsJerry Hayton and Trish Arnold recently formed PaladinInvestment Group whose consultants are affiliatedwith LPL Financial, a national network of more than11,000 independent financial advisors. Together, Trishand Jerry have more than 35 years of experience andthey are able to advise you on many topics, includinglife insurance, retirement planning, education planning,stocks, bonds, annuities, and mutual funds. Their new

office is located at 4130 South Demaree, Suite A, inVisalia. Trish and Jerry can be contacted by phone,625-4005, or by e-mail trish.arnold@lpl.com or jerry.hayton@lpl.com.

Although the difficult decision wasmade to cancel our parade, we werestill fortunate to have generous spon-sors. They were: Horswill, Mederos, &

Soares; NSE Insurance Agencies; PremierColor Graphics; Tulare County Federal

Credit Union; and Tulare Polaris.

Next years parade will have the same

theme, Christmas Future, sponsors,

and Grand Marshal, Mary Ann Perry-

Felemi.

Thank You to Our ChildrensChristmas Parade Sponsors

Tony Cota of Best Western Town & Country Lodge was named the Ambassador ofthe Month for December. Tony attends ambassador meetings and is always ready tohelp at ribbon cuttings. He welcomes new Chamber members with visits and phone

calls. The Chamber is lucky to have an ambassador like Tony. To learn more aboutthe Ambassador Program, please call 686-1547.

Ambassador of the Month

Sids Upholstery celebrated their new location witha ribbon cutting. This local, family-owned companyhas been in business for 35 years. Now owned andoperated by Sid Carter, Jr., Sids Upholstery is able tohandle all of your upholstery needs. Bring in your furni-ture or vehicle, and entrust it to Sids expertise. Sidshas many fabrics to choose from or you can bring inyour own selection. Sids Upholstery is located at 225North L Street and is open Mondays-Fridays from 8amto 6pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 5pm. For moreinformation, please call 688-4571.

Thank You Hazels Kitchen For Hosting Mixer

Thank you to Hazels Kitchen for hosting our December mixer. Guests enjoyedwonderful hors doeuvres, homemade chocolate truffles, freshly baked cook-ies, cranberry champagne, Italian sodas, and other festive drinks to celebrate theHoliday Season. Hazels Kitchen is located at 237 North L Street.

6 Ribbon Cuttingat Madrids Team Realty, 205 North K Street,5:00 p.m.

11 Tulare Chamber of Com-merce Governmental AffairsCommittee

meets at 12 noon at Apple Annies in Tulare.Information: 686-1547

12 Leadership LuncheonTulare Historical Museum, 444 West TulareAve., 11:30 a.m. Michelle Nunley will be theguest speaker, she will be speaking on StressManagement. Luncheon is open to the public.

Cost is $15. Reservations call the TulareChamber of Commerce, 686-1547.

12 Tulare Chamber of Com-merce Ambassadors Meeting12 noon at various locations. For location andinformation call 686-1547.

12 Camara Auto Service 37thYear Anniversary Celebration440 South K Street, Tulare, 5:00 p.m.

Information: 688-5721

12 Blood Drive3 to 7 p.m., at the Tulare Senior CommunityCenter, 201 North F Street. Donors receive avariety of discounts from Valley Businesses.Information: Ken Dodson, 358-1331 or DarlaSilvera, 288-6319.

17 Celebrating Tulare HistoricalMuseums 25th Anniversary2 p.m. at the Tulare Historical Museums

Heritage Room, 444 West Tulare Avenue. Joinus in celebrating. Let s keep our communitypride alive and mark this moment in history.(1985-2010) The public is invited and theSunday @ 2 program is free.

20 Tulare Chamber ofCommerce Board Meeting4 p.m., Tulare Chamber of Commerce Ofce,

220 East Tulare Ave. Information: 686-1547

22 Tulare Chamber ofCommerce Annual Installationand Awards BanquetCelebrating 100 years of Incorporation 1910

-2010. Installation of Ofcers and honoring

the Man & Woman of the year also the Smalland Large Businesses of the Year. Interna-tional Agri-Center, Heritage Complex, 4500South Laspina St., Tulare. Tickets are $50each. Reservations are necessary. Tickets are

available at the Tulare Chamber of CommerceOfce, 220 East Tulare Ave. or by calling

686-1547. This event usually sells out somake your reservations early.