Chamber in Action

Working Hard on Your Behalf

The Chamber's mission is to be a catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger Santa Maria Valley. Here's a glimpse at how we've been working hard on your behalf this past month to serve our local community and fulfill our organization's mission. You can see recaps of our work from previous months featured in our monthly newsletter, available here.

Catalyst for Business Growth

The Economic Development Commission (EDC) assisted a Mobile Medical Ultrasound Tech business start-up and a Tanning Salon business purchase. Additionally, the EDC assisted Altrusa in securing a location for the season and taught another round of a Business Startup course for Allan Hancock College. The EDC is also in talks with a foreign manufacturing company seeking to establish a presence in the United States.
The Chamber filmed our latest Local Business Spotlight Video, done in partnership with the Santa Maria Times. For November, we highlighted Nostalgic's Inc and interviewed owner, Roy La Plante. Nostalgic's Inc recently celebrated 40 years in business.
The Tourism Board participated in the inaugural Central Coast Film Society's Entertainment Expo and spoke on the Filming on the Central Coast panel.

Convener of Leaders & Influencers

The Chamber hosted the annual State of the City Address, where city leaders updated our local business leaders on the current and prospective status of the city.
The Tourism Board attended the Central Coast Tourism Retreat and Board meeting and hosted two familiarization tours.
The Chamber joined the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber and the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board to launch eight Industry Sector Roundtables to gather input from local businesses about economic development and workforce strategies.
The Chamber met with business participants from our first round of Teacher Tours to discuss how to further their partnerships with our local schools, teachers, and students.
The Chamber’s Ambassador Committee continues to meet monthly to stay connected in supporting new members as well as to play an active role in attending upcoming ribbon cuttings and events.
The Chamber’s weekly BYB, (Build Your Business) continues to meet every Friday morning at 8AM at Roscoe's Kitchen in Santa Maria.
The October Chamber Mixer was co-hosted by the Central Coast Trucking Center and the American Cancer Society in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Champion for a Stronger Santa Maria Valley

The Chamber continued the FBLA Speaker Series, where HUB Insurance gave a presentation on the importance of soft skills to over 100 attendees.
The Chamber published the Vote Record summarizing how ballot measures and local candidates aligned with the Chamber’s public policy positions.
The LSMV class enjoyed their November topic day on parks and recreation.
The Chamber joined with neighboring Chambers in Northern Santa Barbara County to continue sponsorship of award packages presented to Guardians and Airmen honored during the Vandenberg Space Force Base quarterly awards.
The Chamber continues to advocate for businesses at the state and federal levels. This month we joined coalitions opposing increased taxes on fuel and pushing back on new air quality regulations that would make warehousing and transporting goods more difficult and expensive. Additionally, Chamber Board Chair Sandra Dickerson provided testimony in a CalOSHA hearing expressing concerns about proposed extensions of the state's COVID-19 emergency rules, including the potential continuation of exclusion pay rules.

Testimonials

"Since joining the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, I’ve developed so many new relationships unique to our local chamber business community. The new business generated immediately paid for itself many-fold! I am grateful for my fellow chamber members like Kelsi Fitzgerald of Veritas Innovative Pest and Termite Solutions whose support and encouragement has been such a warm welcome to the SMVCC family. My business certainly wouldn’t be where it is today without my chamber of commerce relationships."

-Marina Garcia-Endert
Owner of Truly Gifted “Your Professional Gift Company”

"As a 40 year resident of Santa Maria, there was never any question where I would start my own business! I have owned Wine & Design in Orcutt for over two years now, and I know first-hand how the right community support can help your business grow! Being a member of the Chamber has opened doors for Wine & Design that we may not have found otherwise! The camaraderie and extensive networking opportunities are second to none! If you are not yet a member, feel free to call and ask me about it! If you are a member, do your business a favor, and look into attending as many Chamber functions as you can! Chamber members take care of one another!"

- Julie Jorge
Owner, Wine & Design Orcutt

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce for all the work they have done to keep the busieness community informed during the recent COVID-19 outbreak. As a sponsor member of the Chamber, we have used the services offered to businesses many times. We find that the SMVCC website has numerous resources available to fit the needs of our business. Being a Chamber member also helps us to make connections and gain exposure in the communities we service. This has enabled us to grow our business through networking with other businesses. We would highly recommend any business to become a member."

- Omar and Petra Hernanadez,
Owners, Shred 2 You, Inc.

“The SMV Chamber has helped amplify our agency’s marketing efforts and given us opportunities to promote our business in areas that we otherwise wouldn’t be able. We are in constant contact with our Chamber representatives ensuring we are maximizing our membership so we don’t miss out on a golden opportunity. They are always there to help guide, promote, and see to it that we continue to remain top of mind.”

- Morris & Garritano Insurance Services

"I can honestly say that the Chamber and Visitors' Bureau has significantly helped me with my sales personally. With them always sending us updates on events and what is going on within the city and even the Central Coast, I have been able to turn that information into selling points to get tourist groups to not only visit my hotel but also go to some of these events supporting Santa Maria Valley. Without their assistance and constant updates, especially during COVID-19, we would probably not be doing as well as we are now. Thank You Santa Maria Valley Chamber & Visitors' Bureau! Best Western PLUS big America appreciates you!"

- Robert Cooks, Sales Manager
Best Western PLUS Big America

The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce provides me an opportunity to interact with other businesses in the community and gain the exposure that every business needs. With weekly and monthly events available to get involved, you truly will get as much out of the experience as you put in. It has been my experience that the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to providing events which benefit the community and business members. I recommend chamber membership to anyone who wants their business to grow.

-Timothy J. Bomben
Wave Business

"The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce has been an excellent partner in helping promote and generate visibility to Allan Hancock College’s new skills-based career readiness app/job board; Career Connect powered by Jobspeaker. Working together with SMVCC, we have developed a consistent and efficient way to build and maintain relationships between our local employers and students at Allan Hancock. Our new regional platform is an easy and intuitive way for students to interact with employers. This new app scientifically increased our ability to build and expand relationships with our employer partners and for employers to access an excellent pool of career ready students across the region. As local businesses continue to re-open and look to find the right candidate, Career Connect can help find the candidate with the skills sets that the best suits their need. We look forward to our continued partnership with SMVCC, to generate opportunities for employment and successful placement, as well as to empowering and lifting our community."

- Alma Miranda, Career Readiness Specialist: Business Partnerships
Allan Hancock College

The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce has been really good to me and has been great for my business! The Chamber is the hub of the city, the who's, what's, and where's of just about anything in the area.
I started a business back in 1995. I had no idea how to network, as I was very shy. I went to a Chamber meeting on an invite from a client, scared to death, and gave my 60-second introduction. The Chamber was very warm, welcoming, and informative; and I built my business just through Chamber referrals! It was so much fun I later became an Ambassador for the Chamber, and still enjoy helping new people with ideas and resources to help their businesses grow! There is no competition in the Chamber. Members are willing to help other members, even if they are in the same profession, as there are plenty of customers for everybody. I invite you to check out one of our Build Your Business breakfasts on zoom, or a mixer, and learn of the benefits that the Santa Maria Valley Chamber has to offer you and your business!

- Tara Hoffmann, Owner
Tara's Mobile Footcare