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Stockton Chamber of Commerce monthly magazine
Citation preview
PORT CALLGREATER STOCKTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.stocktonchamber.org 2012
Vol. 57 No. 12
Together in Spear-ItVolunteerism Keeps the Stockton
Asparagus Festival Growing
June Business Showcase & Tradeshow Mixer
2012 Celebrate! Awards Winners Announced
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PortOCall_8.75x11.25.indd 1 2/11/10 12:43:57 PM
CONTENTS
PORT CALL
Volunteerism Keeps the Stockton Asparagus Festival Growing 13
Don’t Miss!Networking Mixer
Hosted by:
CSU Stanislaus, Grupe Commercial Company
and Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences
University Park 612 East Magnolia Street
April 5, 5:15-7:15 p.m.
Tina Williams, DirectorPacific Gas & Electric
The Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce understands the importance of improving the
quality of life in our community. They know exactly how to reach out to the right people and
connect the right businesses to accomplish a common goal, which is to make Stockton a great
place to live and work.
68
June Business Showcase & Tradeshow Mixer
2012 Celebrate! Awards Winners Announced
From Your President 4
From Your CEO 5
Events 6
Leadership Stockton 7
Convention & Visitors Bureau 8
Programs and Public 10 Policy Department
New Members 11
Cover Story 13
Ribbon Cuttings 15
Calendar 17
PORT CALL
GREATER STOCKTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE445 W. Weber Avenue, Suite 220, Stockton, CA 95203
209.547.2770 fax [email protected]
Official publication of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce. Serving the Greater Stockton area business community since 1901.
CHAMBER OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Debbie Armstrong, Old Republic Title Company
SR. VICE PRESIDENT Gary J. Long, Gary J. Long Jewelers
FINANCIAL VICE PRESIDENTSteven Crabtree, Herum Crabtree
VICE PRESIDENT Blain Bibb, ServiceMaster Building Maintenance
VICE PRESIDENT Judith Buethe, Judith Buethe Communications
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Rick Goucher, C B Richard Ellis Commercial Real Estate
CHAMBER DIRECTORSStephen Barney, F&M BankMichael Cera, SMG/Stockton Arena/Bob Hope TheatreDonna DeMartino, San Joaquin Regional Transit DistrictDan Durst, Durst Contract InteriorsPat Filippone, Stockton Ports Baseball ClubLewis Gale, Eberhardt School of BusinessClint Harless, Stockton Auto Glass/Quick’s Glass ServiceDan Keyser, Grupe Commercial CompanyKenneth Levy, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLCSonya Morgan, External Resources, Inc.Darryle Oakman, San Joaquin County Rental Property AssociationBakul Patel, Dorfman PacificTina Williams, Pacific Gas & Electric CompanyDiane Vigil, Dameron Hospital FoundationBob Young, Stockton Golf & Country Club
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERDouglass W. Wilhoit, Jr. 209.547.2766
PROGRAM & PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR/ BEAFrank Ferral 209.547.2763
SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTORHeidi Altamirano 209.547.2764
OPERATIONS/FINANCE DIRECTORSandy Dwyer 209.547.2770
MEMBERSHIP SALESMatt Anderson 209.337.2723
SPECIAL EVENTS/ LEADERSHIP STOCKTON COORD.Timm Quinn 209.547.2960
SCAP COORDINATOR/ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTMikki Gilbert 209.337.2730
SCAP-SE COORDINATORMichael Morales 209.337.2716
BEA/ SCAP ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTKarla Gonzalez 209.547.2770
RECEPTIONIST/ CUSTOMER SERVICEAlyssa McConnell 209.547.2770
PUBLISHER Stockton Chamber of Commerce 209.547.2770
GRAPHIC DESIGNNever Boring Design Associates 209.526.9136
ADVERTISING Kristin Bowker 209.423.4940
PRINTINGSnyder Parks 209.466.9026
MAILINGSnyder Parks 209.466.9026
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Happy April! This month,
I look forward to seeing
all of you at the Asparagus
Festival enjoying good
family, community fun while
providing much-needed
assistance to our many non-
profits who do so much good
all year long.
Did you know in the past
26 years over $5.5 million has
been contributed back to local
charities directly from The Stockton Asparagus Festival?
This would not be possible without the continued help of the
community and the large amount of folks from outside Stockton
who come to our great city for this “Best of the West Food Fest!”
A very big thank you to all of you who sponsor and volunteer
hours of work for this great event.
This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever! This
is a great way to love and support our community and have a great
time doing it!
Also, don’t forget the Great Asparagus Dine Out is April 1-15!
You can find a list of participating restaurants at
www.visitstockton.org
Remember, living in and loving Stockton means shopping local
and keeping our money here so businesses can thrive!
I look forward to a great April and seeing many of you at the
Festival… God bless you all!
From Your President...by: Debbie Armstrong
APRIL2012 4www.stocktonchamber.org
From Your CEO...by: Doug Wilhoit
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce5
continued on page 10
WHAT DOES THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER: TEN
MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE (10.9
MILLION) MEAN TO YOU? Please think about it while you read
this article for there will be a test at the end!
With your leave, may I start off my April Port O Call article by
thanking many of you, and others who may not read this, with the
Wilhoit family’s profound gratitude and thanks for the many, many
acts of kindness and generosity since the passing of my father on
February 23, 2012! His wife of 70 years, my sisters, his grandchildren,
great-grandchildren and I were comforted by all of you and may God
bless you. Again, our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.
As I sit here on Sunday, March 11 (first day of daylight savings),
it is bittersweet. Each month as I prepared my article, my Dad
would ask what I was going to write about and sometimes I had a
basic idea and would run it by him. He would give me some input,
especially if it was about the trials and tribulations we are going
through in the City of Stockton he loved so dearly. He reminded me
of the days gone by (the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s) when Stockton had
the largest “skid row” West of the Mississippi, or as former Chief of
Police Rex Parker—our neighbor when I was born—told Dad in the
40’s and me in 1967, that good law enforcement and politics are bad
bedfellows, or how the decline of Downtown created new issues we
still see today. He always reminded me that we should always look at
the positive side and confront the problem with courage, conviction,
common sense and an open mind.
As I was growing up, he often quoted many of his heroes in life!
Here are just a few he believed in: General Douglas MacArthur,
“Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. Nobody grows old
by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting
their ideals. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt;
as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as
your hope, as old as your despair.” “In the central place of every
heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives a message
of beauty, hope, cheer and courage – so long are you young. When
the wires are all down and our heart is covered with the snow
of pessimism and the ice of cynicism then, and only then, are
you grown old.” George Washington, “the father of our country,”
who said: “Associate yourself with men of good quality if you
esteem your own reputation, for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad
company.” And finally, the legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear”
Bryant who said: “There are three types of individuals who play
the game: First, there are those who are winners, and know they
are winners. Then there are losers who know they are losers. Then
there are those who are not winners, but don’t know it. They’re the
ones for me. They never quit trying. They’re the soul of our game.”
Thanks Dad for everything, and I hope those that read this
article will think long and hard about what those who have gone
before us have said, done and sacrificed to make sure we enjoy life
to its fullest, as you did!
Also in today’s (March 11) Record there were some folks who
surely can relate to the quotes above: Pete Smith, Stockton PD
PIO, who answered the question “your two cents worth about
Stockton.” His answer: “This is a great city. It’s tough and has a
great heart. It will rise again, and be greater than ever.” This is
what we should all be thinking! Columnist Tony Sauro, who wrote
a great positive story on the Rebirth of show business city venues,
Mike Cera, Arena manager and Chamber Board member, who
said, “We’re looking at every single thing that comes to Northern
California. There isn’t anything we aren’t looking at.” Larry Richter,
founder and owner of Richter Entertainment
Eventsby: Heidi Altamarino
State of the City 2012 Sponsors(as of 3/2/12)
Platinum A.G. Spanos CompaniesAmerican Medical Response, Inc.Bank of Agriculture & CommerceBig Valley Ford LincolnCalifornia Water Service Co.City of StocktonDameron Hospital AssociationDelta Sierra BeverageFinancial Center Credit UnionGrupe Commercial CompanyHensel Phelps
Construction CompanyHousing Authority of the County of
San JoaquinHumphreys CollegeKaiser PermanenteLincoln CentermetroPCSNeumiller & BeardsleePacific Records ManagementPort of StocktonRabobank, N.A.Robert Half InternationalSan Joaquin Building & Construction
Trades CouncilSan Joaquin County WorkNetSan Joaquin Delta College
San Joaquin Partnership, Inc.San Joaquin RTD Sims Metal ManagementSt. Joseph’s Medical CenterStockton Convention &
Visitors BureauStockton Ports Baseball ClubThe Record/San Joaquin Media GroupUnited Way of San Joaquin CountyUniversity of the PacificWaste Management
Gold Builders Exchange of StocktonClark / McCarthy Oak Valley Community BankR & S Erection of Stockton, Inc. Stockton East Water DistrictSutter Gould Medical FoundationYara North America, Inc.
SilverDEVCON Construction, Inc.Dorfman Pacific Co., Inc.
TableCalifornia Water Service Co.Health Plan of San Joaquin
APRIL2012 6www.stocktonchamber.org@ Heidi Altamirano: [email protected]
June Business Showcase & Tradeshow Mixer
Sign up now for the June 7 Business Showcase & Tradeshow
Mixer at the Hilton Stockton, 2323 Grand Canal Blvd. Expose
your products and services to over 300 business attendees, meet
some new people and grow your business. Tables are just $250 for
Chamber Members. Table space is going fast, so sign up now!
To sign up or receive more information please call Timm Quinn
at 209.547.2960 or email him at [email protected].
State of the City 2012 to be Held on May 17!
If you’re ever in doubt that we live in a great community, just
attend our annual State of the City 2012! This year the State of the
City will be held May 17 at the Port of Stockton. Co-Sponsored
by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, the City of
Stockton and the Port of Stockton, this event features exhibits
showcasing the critical and inspiring services available to you,
your loved ones and neighbors, all in the interest of maintaining a
wholesome community.
Sponsorships are still available, so take advantage of this
high profile marketing opportunity for your business. For more
information, call Heidi Altamirano at 209.547.2764 or email to
[email protected]. Tickets are $35 per person and are
not available at the door. To purchase tickets, go to the Events tab
at www.stocktonchamber.org and download the faxable form.
Business Awards Nominations Needed!
Nominations are now being accepted for our June 7 Business
Awards Luncheon. We are seeking nominations in the
categories of:
• Small Business Person of the Year
• Business Employee of the Year
• Business Manager of the Year
• Business Person of the Year
• P3 Stewardship Award
To learn the nomination criteria and download the nomination
forms please visit the Chamber website, www.stocktonchamber.org,
and click on the “Chamber Message” tab or call 209.547.2770.
Nomination deadline is April 6, 2012.
2012 Asparagus Festival Volunteers Needed!
There is still time to join Tortellini Timm and Angel Hair Heidi
as a volunteer in the Chamber’s Pasta and Ice Cream Booth at the
ever famous, world renowned Stockton Asparagus Festival April
27, 28 and 29! If you’re into having some weekend fun with some
great people while raising funds
for our Chamber programs, then
you will love preparing pasta and
scooping ice cream with some like-
minded folks. Only a few timeslots
open, act fast.
To add your name to the
volunteer list please contact Timm
Quinn at 209.547.2960 or
Green Your Bottom Line with Product Stewardship!
Economic benefits abound: reduced operating costs, energy savings, reduced disposal costs, the creation of green jobs.
www.CalPSC.org
Design it Green | Make it Clean | Conserve Resources | Reduce | Reuse | Eliminate Toxics | Take it Back!
Become a Certified Green Business! Save money & gain customers by:
Reducing waste Conserving water and energy
Protecting public health Using recycled-content in your products
www.GreenTeamSanJoaquin.com
SMALL BUSINESS HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL*
Affordable Hazardous Waste Management for Your Business A Program of San Joaquin County Public Works
www.SJCrecycle.org (209) 468-3066
i Low cost way to safely dispose of hazardous materials. (Costs depend on your waste types.)
i Documentation that you properly manage hazardous waste.
i Assurance that the material will be disposed of properly. *Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG)
We also accept universal and electronic waste.
Leadership Stocktonby: Timm Quinn
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce7 @ Timm Quinn: [email protected]
Community Serving Community Session
Leadership Level Sponsor: Financial Center Credit Union
Charitable, nonprofit groups have always played an important
role in our lives, extending essential help to our local community
in many ways. That is why each year we devote an entire day to
exploring some of Stockton’s finest community-based organizations.
That day, the class was divided into seven teams, each assigned
to one of seven different community-based organizations:
Women’s Center of San Joaquin, St. Mary’s Interfaith Community
Services, Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, Child Abuse
Prevention Council, Emergency Food Bank of Stockton, Family
Resource & Referral Center/Podesto Teen Impact Center and
Gospel Center Rescue Mission.
At their host locations, each team was given a tour, an
information session and got right to work. After working hard all
morning, the class met for a great BBQ lunch to enjoy the outdoor
barbecue and pergola the LS Class of 2011 built at the Emergency
Food Bank. After lunch, Andy Prokop, President and CEO of the
United Way of San Joaquin County, talked to the class about his
journey into the world of nonprofits and thanked the class for their
commitment to the community and participation in Leadership
Stockton. Andy then spoke about the great things United Way does
for our community and how Leadership Stockton participants are
already well on their way to being the future of Stockton.
Each team then had the opportunity to share their experiences
at each community-based organization with other members of
the class. They used words such as “eye-opening”, “deep respect”,
“life changing”, “better understanding”, “amazing”, and “extremely
impressed” when speaking about their time spent at the various
non-profit agencies. Then Peter Johnson (LS ’02), Director,
University of the Pacific Westgate Center for Leadership and
Management Development, talked with the class about being
an impactful board member and leaving your legacy. Most
participants felt the session was one of their favorites this year.
I would like to thank the following people for their contribution
to the success of this session: Andy Prokop and Donna Ng from the
United Way for their help, Peter Johnson and to each hosting non-
profit director who helped make the day so special: Lindy Turner
(LS ’01), Uyen Do (LS ’08), Tim Viall (LS ’93), Edward Figueroa,
John Reynolds, Kim Miller (LS ’09), Tony Washington (LS ’98) and
Joelle Gomez (LS ’95)—Thank you for opening your doors!
4.30.12
Grow it, make it & ship it!
Connect with the San Joaquin Partnership.
Convention & Visitors Bureauby: Wes Rhea
APRIL2012 8www.visitstockton.org@ Wes Rhea: [email protected]
Be sure to become a fan on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/Stockton.CVB
2012 Celebrate! Awards Winners Announced
The Stockton Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced the
2012 Celebrate! Awards honorees to be recognized at the upcoming
2012 Celebrate! Awards & Tourism Luncheon on April 4, 2012.
The 2012 Celebrate! Awards will recognize the contributions
and efforts of the following:
• Industry Professional of the Year: David Crawford - Assistant
Operations Manager, SMG Stockton - Stockton Arena,
Stockton Ballpark & Bob Hope Theatre
• Industry Partner of the Year: The Downtown
Stockton Alliance
• Sports Partner of the Year: California Grapettes Girls
Fastpitch Softball
The event will take place on April 4 at the Hilton Stockton and
will address the current state of travel, tourism & hospitality in
Stockton and the Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau’s
efforts to promote and market our city. “At our luncheon we’ll
share the importance of travel and tourism in our region and
its impact on our local economy,” noted Wes Rhea, Executive
Director of the Stockton Convention & Visitors Bureau, “We
are also looking forward to celebrating some great people and
organizations that make our job a little easier by making a
difference in our industry.”
Doors open at 11 a.m. with the program beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Lunch, program and awards will finish about 1 p.m. Tickets
are $25 each and tables of 8 are available for $200. Tickets are
available now at www.CelebrateAwards.com.
For event or ticket information regarding the 2012 Celebrate!
Awards and Tourism Luncheon please call 209.938.1555 or email
The Great Stockton Asparagus Dine Out is Here!
Stockton will celebrate locally grown asparagus during the 3rd
annual Great Stockton Asparagus Dine Out – April 1 through 15,
with over 25 restaurant locations throughout Stockton serving up
delicious asparagus entrées, appetizers and cocktails!
Participating restaurants and their menus are featured at
www.DineOutStockton.com. Be sure to “like” our Facebook page
at www.facebook.com/Stockton.Restaurant.Week to win great
prizes and for the latest information.
PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES
For details and prices, call (209) 468-3066
√ Affordable, safe disposal of hazardous materials. √ Proof of proper management of hazardous waste. √ Universal and electronic waste accepted.
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce9
Output On: March 05, 2012 4:07 PM High-Resolution PDF - PRINT READY
Programs and Public Policy Departmentby: Frank Ferral
CEO Cont’d from pg. 5
Group, who said, “We plan on being a force. We plan on putting
these buildings on the map and making them successful.” And
a very special shout out to Ms. Georgia Brownlee, President of
the Sierra Vista Residence Council, who organized a community
meeting at the Dorothy L. Jones (one of my heroes) Community
and Health Center. Ms. Brownlee is correct when she states, “We
need to stop the violence plaguing our community.” She and all
those who participated are to be congratulated and their example
replicated all around the City of Stockton. As many wise folks have
said for years and I have stated often before, “IF YOU ARE NOT
PART OF THE SOLUTION, THEN YOU ARE PART OF THE
PROBLEM!” Thank you to the Record for the positive stories and
those stand up folks (Stocktonians) in the articles!
NOW: Back to the 10.9 Million PEOPLE at the beginning
of this missive: The first person who can tell me by 5 p.m. on
Monday April 9, 2012 -by FAX ONLY (209.466.5271)- what
the significance of that number is to our community AND as
completely as possible who, what, where, when, why, and how
(old police department training) I arrived at that number, will be
my guest at a Chamber Member restaurant of their choice for a
meal which will include appetizers, main course and dessert (no
alcohol beverages –sorry), two tickets to State of the City, two
Comcast Section tickets to a Port’s game of their choice and a copy
of our Chamber’s publication of the book; “Stockton. Renewed,
Revitalized and Redefined” written by Annie Gonzales. Put on
your positive thinking caps and good luck!
APRIL2012 10www.stocktonchamber.orgFor more info, contact Frank Ferral at [email protected]@
Adopt Your Own Environmental Policy…
Your Chamber Has
In 2007, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce adopted
its Environmental Purchasing Policy to not only reduce our costs
in doing business, but to lead by example on what businesses can
do to better the environment.
Statement of Policy This policy, known as the “Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) Responsible Purchasing Policy”,
supports a triple bottom line – economic, environmental and social. The Chamber supports sustainable
practices that:
• Reduce waste by increasing product efficiency and effectiveness
• Purchase products that minimize environmental impacts, toxins, pollution and hazards to work and
community safety, to the greatest extent practicable
• Purchase products that include recycled content, are durable and long-lasting, conserve energy and water,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use unbleached or chlorine-free manufacturing processes and use
wood from sustainably harvested forests.
2. Purpose
1.1 This policy is adopted in order to:
• conserve natural resources, preserve air, soil and water quality
• minimize environmental impacts such as pollution and use of water and energy
• eliminate or reduce toxins that create hazards to workers and our community
• strengthen and support strong local recycling markets by encouraging
Chamber members to use such products whenever practicable
• reduce materials that are landfilled
• increase the use and availability of environmentally preferable products
• identify environmentally preferable products and distribution systems
• create a model for successfully purchasing recycled products that encourages other purchasers in our
community to adopt similar goals
3. Specifications
3.1 Source Reduction
3.1.1 Chamber shall institute best management practices that reduce waste and result in the purchase of fewer
products whenever practicable and cost-effective, but without reducing safety or workplace quality.
3.1.2 Chamber shall purchase remanufactured products such as laser toner cartridges, furniture and equipment
whenever practicable, but without reducing safety, quality or effectiveness.
3.1.3 Chamber shall require all equipment bought after the adoption of this policy to be compatible with
source reduction goals as referred to in this section (3.1), when practicable.
3.1.4 All buyers shall consider short term and long term costs in comparing product alternatives, when
feasible. This includes evaluation of total costs expected during the time a product is owned, including,
but not limited to, acquisition, extended warranties, operation, supplies, maintenance, disposal costs and
expected lifetime compared to other alternatives.
3.1.5 Products that are durable, long-lasting, reusable or refillable are preferred whenever feasible.
3.1.6 Chamber requests vendors to eliminate packaging or use the minimum amount necessary for product
protection, to the greatest extent possible.
3.1.7 Packaging that is reusable or recyclable is preferred, when suitable uses and programs exist.
3.1.8 Vendors shall be encouraged to take back and reuse pallets and packaging materials.
3.1.9 Suppliers of electronic equipment, including but not limited to computers, monitors, printers and copiers,
shall be required to take back equipment for reuse or environmentally safe recycling when Chamber
discards or replaces such equipment, whenever possible.
3.1.10 Print and photocopy on both sides of paper; default copy machines to double-sided printing.
3.2 Recycled Content Products
3.2.1 All products for which the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA) has established
minimum recycled content standard guidelines, such as those for printing paper, office paper, janitorial
paper, construction, landscaping, parks and recreation, transportation, vehicles miscellaneous and non-
paper products, shall contain the highest post consumer content practicable, but no less than the
minimum recycled content standards established by the U.S. EPA Guidelines.
3.2.2 Copiers and printers bought shall be compatible with the use of recycled content products.
3.2.3 All pre-printed recycled content papers intended for distribution that are purchased or produced shall
contain a statement that the paper is made of recycled content. 100% post-consumer content is preferred.
For a full copy of our policy, please visit
www.greenteamsanjoaquin.com and click on “resources.”
Output On: March 05, 2012 4:07 PM High-Resolution PDF - PRINT READY
New Members For more information on becoming a new member, please call Matt Anderson
at 209.547.2770. Please allow up to 90 days for your listing to show.
Beauty Salons
Beauty Garden Salon & Spa4103 E. Morado Lane #140
430 Schmidt Court
Stockton www.beautygardensalonspa.com
Education / Colleges & Universities
UEI College4994 Claremont Avenue
Stockton www.uei.edu
Education / Veteran Training Services
Troops to Teachers5021 Bayview Circle
Stockton www.mpttt.org
Insurance - Agents & Brokers
USI Insurance Services of Northern CA Inc.2021 W. March Lane, 3rd Floor
Stockton www.usi.biz
Janitorial Supplies
Merit Supply Inc.540 N. Hunter Street
Stockton www.meritjanitorialsupply.com
Tammy’s Janitorial ServicesPO Box 117
Stockton www.tammysjanitorial.com
Mediation Services
Mediation Center San Joaquin County829 Rose Marie Lane, #D
Stockton www.mediatorsrus.org
Recycling
ECS Refining2222 South Sinclair Avenue
Stockton www.ecsrefining.com
Service Organizations
March of Dimes1729 Tully Road, #6
Modesto www.marchofdimes.com
Training Programs
LifeSaver CPR1478 Dunigan Place
Manteca www.lifesavercpr.net
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce11
APRIL2012 12www.stocktonchamber.org
COVER STORY
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce13
Together in Spear-ItVolunteerism Keeps the Stockton Asparagus Festival GrowingBy Justin Souza
When the 27th annual Stockton
Asparagus Festival closes its gates on
another successful year this April, it will
have an army of volunteers to thank for it.
Since 1986, the Stockton Asparagus
Festival has thrilled over 100,000 people
a year with great food, fun activities
and three full days of celebration of our
favorite local spear, all through the
hard work of a volunteer labor force
who have pitched in to raise over $5.5
million to support San Joaquin County
nonprofit organizations.
According to Kate Post, Executive
Director of the event, the Stockton
Asparagus Festival has become the largest
charitable festival in California, donating
all profit to the groups that send workers
to man booths, take tickets or do any of
hundreds of other jobs that make the
popular annual event possible. “We give
away more than anybody,” said Post.
“When you’re here, every bite you take
goes to nonprofits!”
The Stockton Asparagus Festival is
a major center of local volunteerism,
growing from 8,000 volunteer hours in
1986 to more than 32,000 at last year’s
event. The Festival provides nonprofits
a reliable funding source founded on
the steady popularity of the “Best of the
West” Food Festival, added Post. “The
whole premise of the Festival is to support
nonprofits in San Joaquin County.
Most nonprofits don’t do special event
fundraising anymore, but the Asparagus
Festival has proven to be a tried and
true method and many of our nonprofit
partners count on the money they earn
here for their yearly budgets.”
A Slice of the Spear
The Asparagus Festival works
through partnerships with local nonprofits
to staff the Festival’s attractions as well as
to set up and tear down the facilities and
provide background support. “Some of
these groups work their tails off, but they
still manage to have fun, too,” said Leslie
Snyder, who has served as Volunteer
Committee Chair for the Asparagus
Festival for the last 15 years. “We couldn’t
do this without them!”
Each year, long before the first spear
is battered and fried, the Festival’s
activities are broken down and analyzed
to determine everything required to make
the event a reality. All tasks are assigned
a certain number of hours needed to
accomplish them, then each is assigned
to one of over 100 San Joaquin County
nonprofit groups. The nonprofits are
responsible for handing out assignments
to individual volunteers.
According to Post, the event drew over
5,000 volunteer workers last year, many of
them manning grills, ovens or counters in
Asparagus Alley.
“It’s an interesting study in organization,”
said Post. “We communicate with the
heads of the nonprofit organizations and
their job is to communicate with and
structure their own people. The more
enthusiastic and organized we are, the
better volunteer experience we give to
our nonprofits.”
After the Festival ends, yet more
volunteers get to work figuring out what
the Festival took in and what costs it
incurred. The net profit earned is then
divided by the number of hours worked
by all the volunteers and an hourly
dividend is decided which determines
how much each nonprofit group receives.
Under last year’s dividend of $10.97,
a nonprofit whose volunteer workforce
put in a total of 100 hours would receive
a check for around $1,100 dollars from
Since 1986, the Stockton
Asparagus Festival has raised over $5.5 million for
local nonprofits.
APRIL2012 14www.stocktonchamber.org
the Festival. Dividends from the Festival
have reached as high as $15.95 and have
generally remained well above minimum
wage during the Festival’s 27 years.
Since 1986, over $5.5 million has been
donated to local nonprofits through these
dividends, including $351,457 from last
year’s event alone.
Snyder added that
her challenge is to
balance the hours
needed to keep the
Festival operating
while also keeping
an eye on the
bottom line. “I try
to keep the hours
in check because
that helps us give
a higher dividend
in the end.” This
can mean that
volunteers are
sometimes swamped
during the Festival’s
busiest times, but
minimizing staff
maximizes the size of
the check the Festival
can hand over.
“After we know what we’re able to
give to each group, we hold the Spear-
It Celebration for our groups,” added
Snyder. “We unveil a big check with the
total amount earned for our nonprofits
during the Festival and then present each
group with individual checks. It’s exciting!
None of the groups know what amount
they’ve earned until that day!”
Making the Festival a Success
With yearly attendance
of over 100,000 people
per year, the Stockton
Asparagus Festival could
be a logistical challenge.
But the innovative
organizational structure
of the Festival—its
focus on distributing
the managerial load to
individual nonprofit
groups—means that no
one person is in charge
of keeping everything
running smoothly.
When the Festival is
open, Snyder can be
found at the Volunteer
Information Booth. “I
always have my feelers
out there to make sure
that everything is going
smoothly and we have adequate staff. I
have a little backup group of
substitutes that I can send out to fill
any gaps.”
Volunteer workers are generally assigned
a shift of around 5 hours, said Snyder.
“Five hours isn’t bad when you’re having
a good time as a volunteer.” In addition to
the dividend earned for their nonprofit,
every volunteer receives a free meal for
every shift worked, a wristband that
allows entry to the Festival throughout
the weekend and free transportation
from Delta College, which saves them the
hassle of locating parking downtown.
Snyder said that while she has worked
hard to include as many groups as possible,
there is still a waitlist of interested groups
going all the way back to 2007. “Last year,
I took 6 or 7 groups from the waiting list
because of some new functions. When I
have an opening, I go to the waiting list. I
have gotten groups that sent letters in years
ago who were still interested and so excited
to be part of this.” Snyder added that while
she doesn’t place individual volunteers, only
groups, those individuals who are interested
in volunteering can contact groups
(including the Greater Stockton Chamber
of Commerce!) to find a spot to help out.
This year’s Asparagus Festival is
scheduled for April 27-29 from 10 a.m. to
7 p.m. Visit www.asparagusfest.com for
more information.
Ribbon Cuttings For additional information go to www.stocktonchamber.org
Attending Ambassadors
Annie RandazzoAllied Waste
Blair HakeAmeriprise Financial Services Inc.
Bryan MeadowsStockton Ports Baseball Club
Carol ClemonsAngel’s Caring Helpers
Cindy WardXango
Diane ReyesSt. Joseph’s EAP
Dr Eunice GreenGreen’s Nutrition
Ella HolmanCollins Reality
Gary GhanBrookfalls Water Co.
Geri BlasStockton Post Office
Glenn JoseH.O.P.E.
Gloria BlaineBasket Caravan & Gourmet Gifts
Greg WaltherPress F1 Computers
Griffin ShibleyStockton Ports Baseball Club
Henry PeraltaStockton Auto Glass
Jennifer LewisHilton Stockton
Joel CarignanEdward Jones
John Paval Kansas City Life
Justin RedmanCentral Valley Community Bank
Keith BurgadBurgad Imaging
Linda StocktonEntravision Radio
Loretta LeeCalifornia State Department of Rehabilitation
Luke ReiffStockton Ports Baseball Club
Mark McDonaldLegalshield
Marsha Saulsbury Dazzlin’ Cleaning
Max VargasSenator Wolk’s Office
Memri JohnsonSport Clips
Michele SherlockOptimal Hospice Care
Nick HarbotEco Chic Salon Naturally
Patricia DeSotoPatricia V DeSoto CPA
Patti Gulick New Image Signs
Peter LopezStockton Ports Baseball Club
Phyllis KleinKlein Insurance
Rebecca DealRabobank
Ross MoermanDoctor Data
Sam WardXango
Shannon DingAssemblymember Bill Berryhill’s Office
Tim AragonTNT Quik Connect
Vince RosatoNew Image Signs
Wes RheaStockton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Networking MixerMarch 1, The Reserve at Spanos Park
PORT CALL Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce15
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CalendarApril 2012
Highlights4/5 - Networking Mixer – 5:15 - 7:15 p.m.
@ University Park
612 East Magnolia Street
also don’t miss... 5/3 - Networking Mixer
@ Pacific Records Management/Bekins
Wilshire Ave., Stockton
13 Leadership Stockton Education Session – 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. @ Health Plan of San Joaquin
12 Manufacturers Industrial Distribution Roundtable – 7:30 a.m. @ TBA
11 Outback Steakhouse Down Under Scholarship Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. @ Outback Steakhouse, March Lane
11 Green Team San Joaquin – 9:00 a.m. @ Chamber Conference Room
18 Chamber Executive Committee Meeting – 7 a.m. @ Stockton Golf & Country Club
13 Government Relations Council – 3:30 p.m. @ Chamber Conference Room
26 Chamber Board Meeting – 4 p.m. @ Prison Hospital
24 Effective Strategies Group: How to Effectively Use E-Mail Marketing, Karen Rice, Constant Contact 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. @ Chamber Conference Room
25 Business Education Alliance – 3:30 p.m. @ Chamber Conference Room
2 Stockton Chamber Golf Tournament – 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. @ Stockton Golf & Country Club
5 Stockton Chamber April Mixer – 5:15 - 7:15 p.m. Hosted by California State University, Stanislaus, Grupe Commercial Company and Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences @ University Park
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