Oakland Business Review May 2013

April 2010 | 1

THE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION OF THE OAKLAND METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |

Oakland Business Review

www.oaklandchamber.com | VOL XXXIX NO. 5 MAY 2013

Visit www.oaklandchamber.com for more businessopportunities, news and event registration.

> Deadline for A’s-Giants tickets is May 10

> Celebrate Clorox’s 100th anniversary at Chamber’s Annual Meeting

This year’s Annual Meeting of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber ofCommerce will do more than recognize and celebrate a number of itsmembers, the lifeblood of the organization. It will also help celebratethe 100th anniversary of The Clorox Company, and will feature akeynote address by Don Knauss, the chairman and chief executiveofficer of Clorox who has overall responsibility for directing thecompany's worldwide business.

The 108th Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon will be held onWednesday, June 26 at the Oakland Marriott City Center.

Knauss has held his current position since October 2006, following12 years with The Coca-Cola Company.

For Clorox, it all began on May 3, 1913, when five entrepreneurs invested$100 each to start a business in Oakland and fulfill their American dream ina bottle of bleach. Today, the company is a thriving, multi-national businesswith 8,400 talented employees; $5.5 billion in sales; tens of millions of dol-

lars in grants, product donations and support to nonprofit organizations; and hundreds of products that arehousehold staples throughout the world. While many things have changed over the years, some remain thesame – Clorox’s dedication to delivering enduring value, and a mission to make everyday life better, every day.

Clorox, a long-time Chamber member, has also been a substantial contributor to the economic vitality ofOakland. Their Foundation has been a leader in supporting education and educational programs to enhancethe quality of life in Oakland.

In addition to helping celebrate with Clorox, the Annual Meeting will celebrate achievements in thebusiness community. Nominations are open for the following awards:• “Oakland on the Map” – Presented to individuals or organizations that have exemplified a commitment

to Oakland through a personal action or with a project that creates jobs and expands the local economy.• “Oakland Advocate” – Awarded to an individual who consistently and unselfishly contributes to the

economy of Oakland.• “Small Business Innovator” – Presented to a growing business that extends its influence to encourage

others to invest in Oakland. Success breeds success!The event presents members with an opportunity to celebrate a year of Chamber accomplishments, a

chance to network with new and award-winning members,and a way to show support for the Chamber and our manyprograms. The luncheon is also one of the major fundraisingevents of the year, providing the Chamber with funds tocontinue those programs and our strong advocacy for localbusiness.

The 108th Annual Meeting and Chamber Awards Luncheonwill begin with an 11:30 a.m. registration. The luncheon beginsat noon.

Sponsorships can be secured by contacting Joe Haraburda,the Chamber’s president and chief executive officer, at (510) 874-4810.

Reserve your tables now to support the work of the Chamber as we represent business to government,promote the business community, and bring quality networking events to our city.

To reserve a table or seat, visit www.oakland chamber.com or contact Ivette Torres at the Chamber ofCommerce, (510) 874-4800, ext. 319 or at [email protected]. �

On Tuesday evening, May 28, the Oakland A’swill face the World Series champion San FranciscoGiants for a “Battle of the Bay” in Oakland.

The Chamber is selling excellent seats for the game,which has a 7:05 p.m. start, with tickets in the PlazaLevel at O.co Coliseum directly behind the A’s dugout.

The deadline for ticket sales is Friday, May 10!Tickets are just $40 per person ($50 for non-mem-

bers) and the ticket price is guaranteed – even as regularticket prices increase for this exceptional rivalry.

Purchased tickets will be held at the Coliseum’sWill-Call window under your name, so you have the

option to arrive at whatever time you wish.To reserve tickets for the A’s-Giants game on May 28, visit www.oaklandchamber.com or contact Ivette

Torres at [email protected] or at (510) 874-4800, ext. 319.Help the Chamber cheer the A’s on to victory! �

Wells Fargo is committed to helping its customersand team members who live and work in Oaklandprosper and make the community stronger. Justrecently, a team of 25 Wells Fargo employees helpedHabitat for Humanity build homes in Oakland. Formore information on Wells Fargo’s work in thecommunity, see pages 12 and 13. �

COUNCILMEMBERLIBBY SCHAAF at InsideOakland Friday, May 246

CHAMBER: NEW SBDCADMINISTRATORPage 3

‘REMEMBER THEM’MONUMENTDedication May 31Page 24

> Helping to build the community

BANKING

Three members of the Oakland A’s – two playersand a coach – joined radio announcer Ken Korach atthe Oakland A’s luncheon last month hosted by theChamber of Commerce in partnership with TheSalvation Army of Alameda County. On hand were(left to right) bench coach Chip Hale, secondbaseman Eric Sogard, starting pitcher TommyMilone, and Korach, the voice of the A’s. For moreinformation on the luncheon, see page 21. �

> A’s luncheon was a home run

Don Knauss

NANCY PFUNDto speak at Womenin Business June 7Page 20

Is yourbusiness one teamplayer short?Page 11

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com2

Names in the news

• Pamela Schock Mintzer, a partner at the law firm of Wendel,Rosen, Black & Dean LLP, has been selected as one of the Bay

Area’s Most Influential Women in Businessby the San Francisco Business Times. Thishonor recognizes outstanding femaleprofessionals who make a difference in theircompanies, industries and communities.Mintzer focuses on eminent domain, inversecondemnation and public agency law,including acting as general counsel tonumerous Bay Area transportation agenciesand joint powers authorities.

• Robert Cross, who has more than 30years of experience in federal and state

court litigation of complex business, financial and real estate cases,has been named partner at the Oakland law firm of FitzgeraldAbbott & Beardsley LLP. In addition, Matthew Avedikian hasbeen named an associate in the firm’s Business & CorporateTransactions and Real Estate Practice Groups.

• Jerome Hoban, who has worked at theOrange County Fair for more than 20 years inthe areas of fair management and facilityoperations, has been named the new chiefexecutive officer of the Alameda CountyFair. His experience includes masterplanning, facility maintenance, marketing,sales, community relations, sponsorships andcompetitive exhibits.

• In recognition of the vital importanceof supporting children and families, CharlesPankow Builders is contributing to the renovation of the SanFrancisco Child Abuse Prevention Center’s Waller Street facility.The Prevention Center project is one of four voluntary constructionprojects being performed by Pankow in California to celebrate its50th anniversary.

• The annual breakfast meeting of the Downtown Oakland andLake Merritt/Uptown Community Benefit Districtswill beheld on Thursday, June 13 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Kaiser CenterAuditorium, 300 Lakeside Drive. Attendees will have a chance toexperience the “Mini-District” and thank the Ambassadors forthe vital services that they provide. Free and open to the public.For information, visit www.downtownoakland.org or call(510) 238-1122. �

Pamela SchockMintzer

Jerome Hoban

The Scott’s catering team of Director VickieEiges, Catering Manager Kelly Hodgins andCatering Coordinator Haley Klatt put togetheran excellent evening featuring delicious horsd’oeuvres and beverages for all who attended.

The event was held in Scott’s newlyrenovated Pavilion, a waterfront room thatholds up to 350 guests. With the addition of

the new custom-designed walls and upgraded lighting and specialeffects, the new Pavilion has become a premier location for weddingsand celebrations as well as corporate and nonprofit events.

Pictured at the After Five Reception below were (left to right)Eiges; Klatt; Hodgins; Chamber Chair of the Board Shannon Pedder;Barbara Vernon, Scott’s assistant general manager; Ramiro Carabez,general manager; and Joe Haraburda, the Chamber’s president andchief executive officer. �

> A mixer with a viewScott’s Seafood at

Jack LondonSquare was hostof the annualChamber After

Five Reception inApril.

May 2013 | 3

Small Business Development Center

> Meet your new SBDC business advisors

Editor’s note: The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is the newadministrator for the Alameda County Small Business Development Center(ACSBDC), which provides tools and expertise to small business owners throughfree counseling and outstanding seminars on a variety of topics.

The following story is one example of the work the ACSBDC is doing withAlameda County businesses.

> SBDC making a powerful impactin Alameda County

The ETA is an extension of the current Dig DeepFarms project, which represents a uniqueopportunity for the ACSBDC/BEC to participate inwith a high-visibility and well-supported effortleading to training and employment opportunitiesfor at-risk youth and prior offenders in a highunemployment area of Alameda County. TheACSBDC will deliver the ETA and provide one-on-one business advising to participants in theacademy and to support to Dig Deep.

BackgroundDig Deep is an urban farm and community-supportedagriculture (CSA) program located in Ashland,California, in unincorporated Alameda County. DigDeep is a project and social enterprise of DSAL, aprivate tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

Dig Deep seeks to create a sustainable localfood economy that brings fresh, healthy affordablefood to the area’s residents and other vulnerablecommunities in the East Bay (there are at least200,000 people living in the flatlands of Oakland,

San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Hayward lacking access to fresh, healthyaffordable food). In total, the project will create a cascade of communitybenefits including healthy food and healthy people with a vital stake in theirown community, ultimately breaking the bonds of dependency and buildingself-reliance.

In short, the goal of Dig Deep is to build and operate a self-sustaining localfood enterprise network of complementary businesses that create jobs inAshland and Cherryland based onproducing healthy food.

Current statusDig Deep currently grows fruits andvegetables on nine acres of local farmland.As needed, it acquires additional producefrom other local CSAs. It takes orders andcurrently supplies 200 subscribers and 100weekly deliveries. Dig Deep is an approvedSNAP provider. It currently acquirescustomers through word of mouth,promotional flyers, community events andother presentations. In addition, it isbeginning distributions to localrestaurants (currently serving Lukas, Florasand others) and will soon open a producestand in the local community.

Future plans include expanding currentdistribution channels, selling at farmers’markets, working with institutionalproviders (e.g., Revolution Foods), anddeveloping and offering valued-addedproducts.

Dig Deep has access to 44 acres ofland, of which nine is used for farming and35 is grazing land where future plans include producing meat, poultry, andeggs.

To date project funding has come from a variety of sources includingthe Kresge Foundation, the USDA Agriculture Food and Research Initiative,Community Development Block grants, and job training funds for peoplere-entering the community from Santa Rita jail. Key partners include CountySupervisor Nate Miley, the Sheriff’s office, the Probation Department, theGeneral Services Agency, the Public Health Department, the Housing andCommunity Development Agency and the Social Services Agency.

Entrepreneurship projectPresently, Dig Deep and DSAL are partnering with the ACSBDC and BEC todevelop and engage with a thriving community of entrepreneurs who caneither grow, process and package, and/or sell products and services related toDig Deep farms. The Entrepreneurial Training Academy intends to source, trainand support entrepreneurs for this purpose. After the ETA entrepreneurs will beencouraged to complete a business plan, you may apply to Dig Deep for grantsto launch your business and develop products in a commercial kitchen at abelow-market cost. �

The Alameda CountySmall Business De-velopment Center(ACSBDC) and theBusiness Entrepre-neurship Center

(BEC) are workingwith the Alameda

County Deputy Sher-iffs’ Activities League

(DSAL) and anAlameda County-based social enter-

prise, Dig DeepFarms & Produce

(DDF&P) to deliver aDig Deep Farms En-trepreneurial Train-ing Academy (ETA).

The following is one of the Alameda County business advisorswho can assist business owners interested in minimizing risk andaccelerating the success of their ventures.

Deagon Williams

Deagon Williams knew that shewanted to be a chef since she was atoddler. Something in her drew her tothe life of a professional kitchen longbefore she really knew what thatmeant. As a young child, rather thanplaying with dolls, she wouldmeticulously create rudimentarymenus and drawings of the diningroom layout.

Now the principal and owner of Culinary Business Strategy,Deagon Williams is a 25-year veteran of the culinary industry.Both a French-trained chef, and an MBA, she brings a lot to thetable.

Born in California, Williams’s real cultural and culinarytraining ground was Paris, where she moved as a teenager inorder to undergo formal culinary training. There she earned herGrand Diplôme d'Études Culinaires at l'Ecole de Cuisine, LaVarenne and supported herself as a private chef to severalambassadors and the U.S. embassy. Upon completion of herformal training she apprenticed with Patrick Cirotte, RogerVerge, Guy Savoy and Michel Comby.

Upon return to California she became the executive chef ofThe Heritage House on the Mendocino Coast. There shemanaged a 25-person staff and a daily changing menu, earningrecognition from Gault-Millau.

Having achieved high honors as a chef, her love for solvingpuzzles and for seeking new challenges led her on a gradualorganic change in career direction. In order to buildorganizational expertise, Williams studied systems andorganizational theory, earning a BA in Sociology at Mills College.Next, she sought to deepen her understanding of business andeconomics by earning an MBA, also at Mills. She then becameclient services manager at the Center for Culinary Development,where she worked on business development and food marketingfor multinational corporations.

Williams now enjoys running her own consultancy, CulinaryBusiness Strategy, where she enjoys the challenge of deliveringstrategic results and business growth for her clients. From smallbusinesses to large ones, from start-ups to established outfits,from restaurants and consumer packaged goods to food trucks,Culinary Business Strategy serves a variety of businesses in thefood world.

The consultancy focuses on four areas of service for foodbusinesses: Branded Marketing; Culinary and Menu; OperationalGrowth; and Financial Analysis.

Culinary Business Strategy’s philosophy is that, “everybusiness can become phenomenal by fusing small victories –from exquisite food to efficient systems, inspired collaboration,and smart marketing.” More information about CulinaryBusiness Strategy can be found at www.culinarybusinessstrategy.com.

Deagon Williams remains highly committed to serving thecommunity and donates considerable time and expertise to LaCocina, a nonprofit kitchen incubator in San Francisco whosemission is to cultivate low-income food entrepreneurs. Learnmore about La Cocinaat www.lacocinasf.org.

She also workswith the AlamedaCounty SmallBusinessDevelopment Centeras a business advisor,providing services tosmall businesses thatwould not otherwisebe able to afford it.�

Deagon Williams

To learn moreabout the businesscounseling, technicalassistance, seminars,online courses andother services offeredby the ACSBDC, visitwww.acsbdc.org.

May 2013 | 5

From the President | Joe Haraburda

Don Knauss, the chairman and chiefexecutive officer of Clorox who hasoverall responsibility for directing thecompany's worldwide business, will beour keynote speaker.

For Clorox, it all began on May 3, 1913,when five entrepreneurs invested $100each to start a business in Oakland andfulfill their American dream in a bottle ofbleach. Today, the company is a thriving,multi-national business with 8,400 tal-ented employees; $5.5 billion in sales;tens of millions of dollars in grants, prod-

uct donations and support to nonprofit organizations; and hun-dreds of products that are household staples throughout the world.While many things have changed over the years, some remain thesame –Clorox’s dedication to delivering enduring value, and a mis-sion to make everyday life better, every day.

Clorox, a long-time Chamber member, has also been a substan-tial contributor to the economic vitality of Oakland. Their Founda-tion has been a leader in supporting Education and educationalprograms to enhance the quality of life in Oakland.

In addition to helping celebrate with Clorox, the Annual Meetingwill celebrate achievements in the business community. This yearnominations are open for the following awards:• “Oakland on the Map” – Presented to individuals or organiza-

tions that have exemplified a commitment to Oakland through apersonal action or with a project that creates jobs and expands thelocal economy.• “Oakland Advocate” – Awarded to an individual who consis-

tently and unselfishly contributes to the economy of Oakland.• “Small Business Innovator” – Presented to a growing

business that extends its influence to encourage others to invest

The Chamber stands up for businesses in every part of Oakland.

From the president | Joe Haraburda

Save the date – Chamber’s Annual Meeting to help celebrate Clorox’s 100th

in Oakland. Success breeds success!Sponsorships can be secured by contacting me at (510) 874-4810.

Reserve your tables now to support the work of the Chamber as werepresent business to government, promote the business commu-nity, and bring quality networking events to our city.

For more information, contact Ivette Torres at the Chamber at(510) 874-4800, ext. 319 or at [email protected].

Join us for ‘Remember Them’ dedication May 31 – Not to be missed!The formal dedication of the “Remember Them: Champions forHumanity” monument will be held on Friday May 31 at 3 p.m. atHenry J. Kaiser Memorial Park in downtown Oakland.

The dedication is the culmination of 12 years of effort by adedicated group of volunteers and a committed list of donors. Overthe years no one gave up hope that we would complete the project.The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Foundation isproud to have been part from the very beginning promoting thevalue of enhancing the quality of life in our city through art!Formal program – Seating will be reserved for major sponsors

and available on a limited basis as open seating. An area will be iden-tified for wheelchair access.

The program will open with music provided by a local schoolchoir, presentation of the colors by the Oakland Fire Department,introduction of guests followed by an original poem reading bystudents of the Oakland School for the Arts.

Speakers confirmed at this time include executives from KaiserPermanente. Ruby Bridges, humanitarian, will be joined by a choirfrom her namesake school. Mayor Quan and Governor Brown havebeen invited. Plans are also in the works to have additional choirmusic.

The program will include Mario Chiodo acknowledging each ofthe Humanitarians with a historical brief and announcing the LocalHeroes and Heroines on section #4 with their family memberspresent. He will explain how the wall of humanitarians will revealthe facial characteristics and personal quotes, bringing eachrepresentative on the Monument to life for the visually impaired.

He will share the relevance of the Fire Fighter reaching for thebronze replica of steel and the history of the steel received from theWorld Trade Center and now buried in the foundation of section #4.The Oakland Fire Department and Oakland Police Department willparticipate in the recognition of those on the Monument.

Please join us.

Welcome Nikki MendezPlease join me in welcoming Nikki Mendez, who has joined the

Chamber staff as membership director. Nikkihas rich sales and Chamber of Commercebackground, working as a consultant andmembership director for the Castro Valley/EdenArea Chamber of Commerce since August 2011.She has also been a consultant and insuranceagent with Farmers Insurance Group in CastroValley since November 2011. Please greet her atupcoming Chamber meetings and events. �

Join The CloroxCompany to helpcelebrate their

100th Anniversaryat the Chamber’s108th AnnualMeeting at the

Oakland MarriottCity Center onWednesday,

June 26.

Nikki Mendez


> StopWaste Business Efficiency Awards honor leaders in waste reductionby Michelle Fay

The much anticipated Tribune Tavern has opened in downtownOakland’s landmark Oakland Tribune building. RestaurateurChris Pastena of Chop Bar fame with partners Temoor Noor ofGrand Tavern and Tom Henderson, owner of the iconic OaklandTribune building, have completely remodeled the ground floorspace while staying true to the 1923 building’s original aesthetic.Tribune Tavern aims to carry on the tradition of a communal,convivial gathering spot.

At the ribbon cutting (above) are Pastena (holding the scissors),former Los Angeles Lakers star A.C. Green (fourth from the left), andHenderson (between Green and Pastena). Others pictured includeChamber President Joe Haraburda (next to Pastena) with Chambermembers and staff.

Tribune Tavern is open with dinner service, and will be introducinglunch hours soon. Reservations are recommended and can be made bycalling (510) 452-TRIB (8742) or at tribunetavern.com. �

> The new Tribune Tavernis now open

On May 9, 2013, local public agencyStopWaste will recognize 12 businesses andinstitutions from around the county foroutstanding achievements in wastereduction. The practices these champions haveput in place are as varied as the industries theyrepresent – from the promotion of recycledcontent products in construction and landscaperetail to institutional food waste prevention andeffective recycling programs in commercialproperties.

Fast Food restaurant initiativeAmong those being recognized are nine

McDonald’s restaurants in Alameda County, one of which is located in Oakland.As part of a waste reduction initiative within McDonald’s Pacific Sierra Region,the owners and franchise partners of these restaurants made recycling andcomposting of food scraps and food-soiled paper a priority at their businesses.Employees at these model restaurants now collect recyclable and compostable

materials from kitchens while customerssort materials for recycling and compostingwith the guidance of custom signage.

The StopWaste Business Assistanceteam provided bilingual staff trainings tohelp launch the new programs. McDonald’sPacific Sierra Region is receiving the awardfor Waste Reduction Excellence in Fast Food Restaurant Recycling and Com-posting.

Green Multi-Family Property ManagementIn the category of Waste Reduction Excellence in Multi-Family PropertyManagement, The John Stewart Company takes the award for properties theymanage throughout Alameda County, including two properties in Oakland –the Fox Courts building at 555 19th St. and Clinton Commons at 720 E. 11th St.Both are among several of the company’s GreenPoint Rated properties. Inaddition to instituting proactive on-site recycling programs, they have trainedmany of their staff in other green topics, including energy efficiency, waterconservation, indoor air quality and use of non-toxic cleaning products.

Compared to similar properties that are not managed with the same levelof commitment to sustainable practices, The John Stewart Company’s greensites have collectively reduced usage and costs of electricity by 61 percent,water by 26 percent, gas by 21 percent, sewer services by 71 percent, andgarbage by 31 percent.

Other industries represented by the winners of the 2013 StopWasteBusiness Efficiency Awards include manufacturing, building materials suppli-ers, hardware stores, commercial property management, product distribution,and office operations.

Many Oakland businesses and institutions have been honored withStopWaste Business Efficiency Awards in recent years, including ShorensteinRealty Services fortheir management of555 12th Street CityCenter, the UnitedStates Postal Service’sProcessing & Distribu-tion Center, PeerlessCoffee & Tea Company,University of California Office of the President, Amtrak’s Operations &Maintenance Facility, Chabot Space & Science Center and Kaiser FoundationHealth Plan.

Visit www.Stop Waste.Org/2013Awards to RSVP for the free StopWasteBusiness Efficiency Awards celebration and learn how your business can be aleader in waste reduction.

The recognition event will be held on Thursday, May 9 from 7:30-10 a.m. atthe Oakland Asian Cultural Center. �

Michelle Fay is program manager at StopWaste.org.

Michelle Fay

� At McDonald’s, ownersand franchise partnershave made recycling andcomposting of food scrapsand food-soiled paper apriority.

May 2013 | 7

H enry C. Levy & Company, CPAs and Consultants is proud to

announce that it has changed its name to The Henry Levy Group.

We have also added three new shareholders to our management team:

Beth Attebery, CPA • Anthony Barr, CPA • Stacy Owens, Political Treasurer

> Welcome ‘The Henry LevyGroup, A CPA Firm’

The name change is inspired by theaddition of three new principals:Beth Attebery, Anthony Barr andStacy Owens. All three principalshave been working with the firm forseveral years, and have been activelyengaged in the growth and expansionof the firm’s accounting, politicalcompliance, litigation, and taxplanning services. The professional

group’s purpose for renaming and reimaging the firm is to reflectits commitment to collaboratively helping a diverse range ofclients.

Stacy Owens brought her skills and experience as a politicaltreasurer to the firm when she joined founder Hank Levy in 1999.In 2006, Beth Attebery and Anthony Barr joined the firm and beganpursuit of their Certified Public Accountant accreditations shortlythereafter. Collectively, the group has successfully helped localindividuals, small businesses, and political campaigns solve theirproblems and deliver relevant solutions.

The firm congratulates them on their recent achievements andthanks its staff for their ongoing dedication to excellent clientservice.

Since Hank Levy founded the business in 1991, the Oaklandfirm has expanded its outreach and increased its staff to 18 skilledservice personnel. The Henry Levy Group has also expanded therange of services to meet the challenges of its clients. It offersservices for individual, estate, and trust tax planning and prepara-tion; small business clients, such as nonprofit organizations andlabor unions; as well as bookkeeping and political campaignfinancial services.

Moving forward, The Henry Levy Group continues to build fromits more than two decades of tax and accounting experience. Withits new website, the firm can now provide more client and businesscommunity outreach by keeping its clients informed about currentand relevant issues, offering convenient technological tools forsecurity and efficiency, and implementing green office practices.

The firm also thanks its clients, old and new, and its affiliatesfor their confidence and trust in The Henry Levy Group, A CPA Firm.�

The Henry C. Levy &Company, CPAs andConsultants, whichhas more than twodecades of tax and

accounting experience,has changed its nameto The Henry LevyGroup, A CPA Firm.

> Schnitzer Steel to sponsor food driveThe event is free and all proceeds from the food drive will godirectly to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, whichdistributes more than 300,000 weekly meals to those in needin Oakland and throughout Alameda County.

The Walk to End Poverty will begin at the Lake MerrittBandstand, right behind Fairyland, starting at 9 a.m. withevents for the whole family including a community resourcefair, children’s activities, and live entertainment.

Schnitzer Steel and its employees will be accepting fooddonations from 9 a.m. to 1 pm.

For more details on the food drive, contact Jackie Lynn Ray, public relations andgovernment affairs manager for Schnitzer Steel Industries at [email protected].

For more information on the Alameda County-Oakland Community Action Partnershipand to register for the event, visit www.AC-OCAP.com. �

> Walk to help save lives CSS is the 501-c-3 nonprofit agency that provides

suicide prevention and crisis intervention counseling for allAlameda County residents. Since 1966, Crisis Support’s24-hour crisis line has answered more than 60,000 calls forhelp each year in our community. CSS educates more than10,000 students annually about suicide prevention in morethan 40 public schools, offers grief counseling services, andserves isolated seniors in their homes.

In the U.S. alone, a person dies by suicide every 15minutes, claiming more than 35,000 lives each year. It isestimated an attempt is made every 45 seconds; with nearlyone million people attempting suicide annually. It’s verylikely that you or someone you know has already been

touched personally by this tragedy. One in five persons in the U.S. suffers with adiagnosable mental illness. Probably someone you know.

Sign up to walk, run or become a corporate sponsor to help cover the costs of theevent. A $100 tax deductible “Course Sponsorship” donation will put your company nameon one of the many signs to line the 5k course around beautiful Lake Merritt that day.Many other sponsor and volunteer opportunities also exist.

The walk/run will begin at the 8am at the Edoff Memorial Bandstand on BellevueAvenue at Lake Merritt. For more information contact Elise Deleon at (510) 220-0265 orregister online at http://tinyurl.com/HealingHearts2013. �

On Saturday, June 1,“Healing Hearts:

Walk/Run for SuicidePrevention” offers anopportunity for you to

participate in animpactful communityevent while support-ing the life-saving

work of Crisis SupportServices of Alameda

County.

Schnitzer Steel will besponsoring a food

drive at the AlamedaCounty-Oakland

Community ActionPartnership’s 8th

Annual Walk to EndPoverty on Saturday,

May 18.


The A’s weren’t on the radar of the experts last spring.

During the course of the season, however, they made aSPECIAL SECTION Small Business

Understanding premises liability law and implementingsome straight-forward procedures at your business cango a long way towards guarding against potentiallycostly premises liability claims.

The law and its application for businesses California Civil Code Section 1714(a) essentially providesthat all property owners are responsible for injuriescaused by their lack of ordinary care and skill inmanaging their property. Businesses are negligent andpotentially liable for damages if an injury was caused bytheir failure to use reasonable care to keep their property

in a reasonably safe condition.A crucial first step in any premises liability claim is determining the cause of

the incident. Sorting out who’s to blame, however, is not always straight-forward.Businesses should complete as timely an investigation as possible with hard doc-umentation – photos, incident reports etc. – to obtain the facts needed to assessfault.

The initial facts of the incident are vitally important and often decide whethera claim can move forward. Essentially, if the facts demonstrate an injury wascaused by a dangerous condition on the premises, the involved business faces aviable claim for damages.

A dangerous condition can be anything – a spilled drink on the floor, a ricketystaircase, or even an exposed sharp edge. If a condition creates an unreasonablerisk of harm, a business can be liable for injuries it causes.

Liability, however, is not automatic. Dangerous conditions can pop up at anytime, and a business might not even know one existed before it caused harm. Forthis reason, determining whether a business had notice of a dangerous conditionat the time it caused injury often makes or breaks a premises liability claim – abusiness charged with such notice faces a high probability of liability.

Legal “notice” generally has two forms: actual and constructive. Actual noticeis straight-forward – a business has it when informed directly of a dangerous con-dition, or upon observing one.

Constructive notice is trickier. A business will be charged with this notice if itshould have known a dangerous condition existed at the time the conditioncaused injury. Whether a business “should have known” is a fact-driven analysisdetermined on a case-by-case basis. Generally, however, if a dangerous conditionexisted long enough for the business to have sufficient time to discover it andtake action to protect against the potential harm – i.e. repair the condition, placewarning signs etc. – a finding of constructive notice is likely.

What businesses can doCompleting regular inspections of the property and using maintenance/sweeplogs are two simple ways a business can protect itself from premises liability.

Regular inspections help uncover dangerous conditions and reduce the chanceof an injury in the first place. If an injury does occur and a dangerous condition isto blame, a business wishing to avoid liability should expect to have to prove itdidn’t have notice. Proving lack of notice without a maintenance/sweep log isoften quite difficult.

A properly-documented log – i.e. one showing regular and reasonableinspections were completed with documentation of dangerous conditionsand subsequent maintenance – gives businesses good evidence that regularinspections are taking place and that potential dangerous conditions are beingtimely addressed.

Any business choosing to use maintenance/sweep logs, however, should bediligent about completing them. Problems can arise with incomplete logs show-ing inspections were only completed sporadically; such logs can provide evidencethat a key inspection was missed and that a business should be charged withconstructive notice of a dangerous condition.

Another push back against premises liability claims is the “open and obvious”defense. Generally, this defense applies if an individual could be reasonably ex-pected to observe the applicable dangerous condition. The defense comes withexceptions and does not guarantee insulation from liability. Businesses shouldwhenever possible address dangerous conditions, even the obvious ones.

Finally, businesses should keep in mind that an injury can happen anywhere,including locations “off limits” to customers. Even in these forbidden locations,businesses can be held liable for injuries if the cause of the injury was a dangerouscondition, and it was foreseeable that an individual would encounter it. �

Ross Dwyer, Esq. is an associate attorney with the law firm of EricksenArbuthnot in Oakland. He can be reached at (510) 832-7770, ext. 105.

SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE

> Premises liability –What your business needs to know

Fred and his wife Susan have been working in themerchant processing industry for more than tenyears. As merchant advocates they strongly believein honesty, integrity, and expertise. They are activeAmbassadors for the chambers in Oakland, SanLeandro and Hayward.

Fred and Susan are both major networkers.Besides their active participation in localchambers, they have been active members andleaders in BNI (Business Networking International)since 2002.

Fred and Susan put customer service first.Their emphasis is on finding the right solution atcompetitive rates and the proper service for eachprospective customer. They take the time toeducate their prospective clients on the “ins andouts” of the merchant processing industry. Afterassessing their client’s needs and individualcircumstances, they prepare a written proposalfrom which the client can make an informeddecision without pressure. After an agreement isreached, they are on hand to train and assist theirnew customers with their new solutions, equip-ment, and services for as long as they are needed.They are willing to come back as often as is needed

or desired. Then they keep in touch, stopping by on a regular basis to makesure their customers are happy and satisfied.

For more information, contact Fred or Susan Schott at (510) 786-9595 orat [email protected] – or visit www.2cpbay.com. �

AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

> Schott is number one for March

Editor’s note: The following is the first of two stories on premises liability. Thismonth’s story contains information on premises liability within a business. Nextmonth we’ll examine premises liability as it relates to parking lots, sidewalks, andother areas outside the store.

by Ross Dwyer, Esq.

Ross Dwyer

Fred Schott

Fred Schott, theregional sales

manager of 2CPMerchant Process-

ing – althoughsome people referto him as a “mer-chant advocate” –is the Chamber’s

Ambassador of theMonth for March

2013.

May 2013 | 9

The A’s weren’t on the radar of the experts last spring.

During the course of the season, however, they made aSPECIAL SECTION Small Business

I went to Carmel, California recently. We drovefrom Reno and I had all the best intentions toget a lot of work done in the car on the five-hour drive. I did get a few things done butnothing substantial and I thought, oh well, I’llhave time this weekend. We were there for afamily function and I did sneak in a little work,but truth be told, I didn’t feel like working. Ijust wanted to walk on the beach and enjoymy family. I knew if I didn’t get a certainamount of work done I would have to worknights this week.

As a business owner there is always too much to do, so workingnights and weekends is a requirement sometimes. If I want to be sure tohave time to sell during the week, I have to carve that time out and thatmeans things that don’t absolutely have to be done between 8 a.m. and5 p.m. get done on nights and weekends.

Selling is not one of the things that can be done later. You have tocarve time out every week and not let things get in the way.

As a business owner you may not like sales so you may procrastinateand do everything else you can think of rather than spend time selling.Or you may just be busy serving the clients you have. Either way you willeventually be sorry if you are not constantly prospecting or coachingyour salespeople to do so. Keeping your sales funnel or pipeline full isone of the most important jobs you have along with closing business.

What is selling time?It’s any time you spend prospecting, qualifying, educating or closing.It can be in person, on the phone, through email or social media. Itqualifies as selling time if you are learning about the needs of aprospect to determine if there is a good fit between what they needand what you sell.

So what should you do?Spend time each day prospecting. You can meet people by phone, email,social media or in person – one on one or at networking events. Makesure you have at least one networking event each week with the peoplemost likely to buy from you.

Next, work on closing deals. Keep track of where you are in the salescycle with each prospect and be sure to close any deals that are ready tobe closed. Once the prospecting and closing are taken care of you can goback to see where your other opportunities are and move them forward.Qualify any prospects that showed interest. Ask good questions andlisten so you can quickly determine if there is a good fit. Educate yourqualified prospects so they understand how your product or servicemeets their needs. Suggest they demo your product or call a fewsatisfied customers. Handle any objections that come up and make surethe prospect has all the information they need to make a good decision.

Don’t delay. Sales cycles are long enough without you or yoursalespeople prolonging them.

Making time for salesThe only way to make time for sales is to put it on your calendar. Blocktime several times a week at a time of day when you are at your best anddo the selling work that needs to be done. You need to block severalhours for prospecting every week. Then put several other blocks of timeon your calendar to do the other selling work that needs to be done.Don’t do other work during your selling time unless it’s an emergency.Do things after hours if you have to and make sure you get your sellingtime in.

Give yourself a breakNothing is fun or easy when you are tired and crabby. And if you are tiredand crabby, please don’t try to sell. You need to be at your best whenselling. Use your calendar to plan and schedule so that you have time todo the things you need to and so that you get some time for yourself.Selling is always easier when you are in a good mood.

If you need help finding time to sell, call me. You are not the onlyone. I have helped many business owners carve out the needed sellingtime from their busy schedules and I will help you too. �

Alice Heiman is a sales strategist. She can be reached [email protected] or at (775) 852-5020.

ASK THE EXPERT

> Carve time out every weekfor salesby Alice Heiman

Alice Heiman

You might even offer services to yourcustomers via a mobile app. If you haven'tpublished an online privacy policy, youmay be violating California privacy law.

Under the California Online PrivacyProtection Act (CalOPPA), operators ofcommercial websites or online services,including mobile and social apps, thatcollect “personally identifiable informa-tion” (PII) from Californians mustconspicuously post a privacy policyinforming consumers what information iscollected and how it is used. PII includesbasic information like a consumer’sname, physical address, e-mail address,telephone number, or any other identify-ing information that can be used tocontact the individual physically oronline.

This means that if your website oronline service has a “contact us” or“mailing list” form for visitors tocomplete, CalOPPA requires you to posta privacy policy meeting minimum

statutory requirements.Consumer privacy, especially in the mobile apps context,

appears to be a priority for California Attorney General KamalaHarris, who last July created the DOJ Privacy Enforcement andProtection Unit. That Unit will focus on protecting consumer andindividual privacy through civil enforcement of state and federalprivacy laws, including CalOPPA and other laws relating to cyberprivacy, health privacy, financial privacy, identity theft, governmentrecords, and data breaches. Attorney General Harris also has issuedformal warnings to approximately 100 app developers andcompanies whose apps did not comply with CalOPPA’s privacypolicy requirements.

In December, she filed the state’s first enforcement actionunder CalOPPA against Delta Airlines for not having a privacypolicy in a mobile app that collected customers’ PII. She soughtpenalties of $2,500 per download of the non-compliant app. ThisJanuary, Attorney General Harris issued “Privacy on the Go:Recommendations for the Mobile Ecosystem” to provide guidanceon developing privacy practices and mobile-friendly policies.

Full and honest privacy policies are not only important from alegal compliance standpoint. Studies show they create consumerconfidence which leads to customer loyalty and brand strength.Consumers rank a clear privacy policy an important factor whenbuilding trusted relationships with businesses.

If your business has an online presence, you should have privacycounsel review your privacy practices to ensure compliance withCalOPPA, and other state, federal, and even international privacylaws. Some considerations are:

• Does your website or online service collect PII as defined bythe statute?

• Is your privacy policy conspicuously posted on your websiteand accessible from your online services, such as mobile and socialapps?

• Does your privacy policy accurately describe the types of PIIyou collect, how such information is shared, how users can reviewand request changes to their information, how users will benotified of changes to the privacy policy, and the privacy policyeffective date?

•Is your business subject to additional privacy laws andregulations? For instance, are you engaged in financial servicesor healthcare, or do you target children under 13? Do you havecustomers in other countries?

Investing in a sound privacy policy should not be a particularlycomplicated or expensive process. It is an important one, however,to improve customer relations and avoid potential liability underCalifornia law. �

Carolyn E. Barreno is an attorney at Donahue GallagherWoods LLP, where she specializes in business counseling,with an emphasis on intellectual property, privacy anddata protection, and commercial leasing. She can bereached at (510) 451-0544 or at [email protected].

SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE

> Is your business violating California privacy law?by Carolyn E. Barreno

Carolyn E. Barreno

Almost every busi-ness today has anonline presence.Your business

most likely has awebsite. Maybe

you also engage insocial media, such

as blogging ormaintaining Face-book® or Twitter®

pages.


> The ‘development journey’ of Alameda Point

CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY

Economic Development

The Chamber’s EconomicDevelopment Forum lastmonth was treated to anupdate from the city ofAlameda’s dynamic man-ager, John Russo.

Russo delivered a pres-entation (speaking withoutnotes or a power point) formore than one hour on the“development journey” ofthe former Alameda NavalBase, now known asAlameda Point. The rapteconomic developmentcommittee of over 45 peoplewas entertained and en-gaged on the topic, many ofwhom are in the architec-ture, planning, developmentand engineering fields.

First Russo gave a short overview of the history of Alameda Point, notingthat when the Naval Base first closed in 1997 the surplus property at thenorthwest end of Alameda Island was managed by the BRAC (Base Realignmentand Closure Commission) process. Russo indicated that this process was notall that successful because it was “very open ended” and produced “no realeconomic analysis.”

Following the BRAC process, the U.S. Navy gave a no-cost conveyance tothe city of Alameda wherein the city would own the land and the Navy would“clean it up” (from environmental pollutants). This led to the city of Alamedaholding an open call for proposals in 1999 or a “RFP beauty pageant for devel-opers,” according to Russo. Almost all of the developer-proposed scenarios forthe area “did not pencil” because the necessary 4,000 to 5,000 housing unitsrequired to make development profitable were going to be too expensive forthe Navy to ensure adequate environmental remediation.

A second developer, SunCal, was selected after the first round of RFP re-spondents’ projects failed to work, and as a result of a failed ballot measure anda plan that was “too aggressive” the project stalled again. Locked at a stand-still, the Navy was considering taking the land back into its ownership and theproposed projects at Alameda Point appeared completely stalled.

However, in June 2011 (shortly after Russo joined the city of Alameda as citymanager), the city re-negotiated with the Navy to produce a different result. Asa result, the Navy will pay for a portion of remediation per housing unit (easingthe risk on the development side) after absorption. The city of Alameda willcontinue to own the land and extend the leases of the current tenants of theformer Naval Base, including the likes of Rosenblum Cellars and Hangar OneVodka, an area Russo jokingly referred to as “booze alley.”

As for the remaining planned development in the former base area, the citywill take the lead on developing the baseline zoning and CEQA process. Thiswork is currently underway, and will be “open for business by early 2014” withthe support of the city’s mayor, Marie Gilmore. The city is also preparing aninfrastructure plan and a form-based code for the proposed town center areaof the Alameda Point development. This work will be partially underwritten bya grant from MTC, the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

To complicate matters further, the former runway areas of the Naval Base(on the western-most half of the point) are now hosts to 300 pairs of nestingbirds (the California Least Tern) and in an effort not to disturb them, that areain the master plan is slated to be a nature and wildlife preserve and a place for“passive recreation.”

Russo concluded the presentation stating that, “Our plan is [that] ‘there isno plan’ and Alameda will respond to market signals” and ensure that “what-ever development takes place” will “benefit the city of Alameda” over the longterm.

Following the presentation, the remaining attendees had a robust round ofquestions for Russo, mostly about the potential for future work on the site, andthe traffic restrictions that the tube poses for accessing Alameda Island.

Please attend the Chamber’s Economic Development Forum on Wednesday,May 8 at 3 p.m. at the Chamber featuring Dr. Robert Raburn, BART Director, Dis-trict 4. Raburn will discuss in detail BART’s “State of Good Repair” project andother capital improvement projects.

Do you have an idea for a future Economic Development Forum? If so, emailus. It is never too soon to plan for late 2013! �

Eleanor Hollander is the Chamber’s director of economic development.

� Alameda City Manager John Russoaddressed the Chamber’s EconomicDevelopment Forum in April, pointing outthe next steps for Alameda Point, theformer Naval Base.

> Restored Ogawa Plaza anchorsdowntown renaissance

More than 100 major new restaurants, 25 clubs and bars,30 galleries, 30 annual festivals and well-attendedperformances at the iconic Fox and Paramount theatersare creating critical mass and generating great buzz.This – in addition to an influx of residents snapping upnewly-constructed housing – is creating a bustling24-hour downtown that is garnering regional andnational media attention, including the New York Timesranking Oakland the 5th best place to visit in the world.

Frank H. Ogawa Plaza has just undergone a $93,000restoration to return this beloved treasure to a community gathering place forall; the city is working to offset this cost through insurance. Ogawa Plaza was akey component in the city’s $123.7 million civic center capital projectcompleted in 1998. This public investment leveraged additional private-sectorinvestment, giving rise to the renaissance downtown Oakland is experiencingtoday.

The recent restoration of Ogawa Plaza included installation of new sod,repairs to the sprinkler system and installation of vandal-proof irrigationboxes. Preservation of the spectacular Jack London oak tree planted by thefamed Oakland author’s wife in 1917 was an important part of the Plazarestoration. The work will restore the Plaza as an important communitygathering place. In a typical year, Ogawa Plaza hosts more than 70,000 peopleat 50 public events, including the city’s premier music and arts celebration,Art + Soul Oakland.

Attracting investment in downtownNamed after long-time Oakland City Councilmember Frank H. Ogawa, thePlaza has served as Oakland’s front yard, where citizens gather to celebrate ourcity through arts, culture and recreation. The 1998 civic center capital project,including restoration of City Hall, renovation and expansion of the WilsonBuilding and construction of the Plaza and Dalziel Building, totaled $123.7million. Funding came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Stateof California, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency and other local funds andbonds.

Ogawa Plaza was a key component in the city’s comprehensive plan tocreate a community-oriented government and revitalize downtown. The Plazabrought renewed vitality to the junction of 14th Street and Broadway and was acatalyst for further investment in downtown Oakland. The Rotunda Buildingunderwent renovation and re-opened in 2000. In 2002, Shorenstein openedthe new 21-story, 487,000-square-foot 555 City Center building. More than4,500 new housing units were constructed downtown. The long-shuttered FoxTheater re-opened in early 2009 and further bolstered Uptown’s ascension asan entertainment and dining destination.

Private sector investment continues in downtown Oakland. In addition tothe scores of new restaurants, galleries, clubs, bars and major festivals thathave sprouted up in the last several years, city staff report that the trend iscontinuing with nearly 30 new businesses opening in downtown in just thepast year alone. Moreover, some 10 new businesses are building out theirspaces and another 15 have signed new leases in the past couple of months.

To further spur private investment, the city offered grants for façadeimprovements through the now-defunct Oakland Redevelopment Agency.

Approximately 40 downtownfaçade improvements, leveragingmore than $1 million in privateinvestment, were completed in thepast year.

Adding to this thriving mix ofnew businesses is "popuphood,"the wildly successful retail pilotproject that has brought severalnew stores to Old Oakland and isnow expanding to othercommercial areas. The popuphoodventure has fast become a nationalmodel, generating positive mediaexposure from coast-to-coast andaround the world.

Downtown Oakland has alsobecome a hub for innovativecompanies. Pandora’s 51 percentgrowth in active listeners – now

totaling some 55 million – and attention-grabbing IPO have created a buzzdubbed the “Pandora effect” that’s ignited an innovation-driven tech hub indowntown Oakland. It mirrors the impact Google has had in Mountain Viewand Twitter in San Francisco.

Last year, Fast City named Oakland among 15 U.S. cities that make up the“Nation of Innovation,” citing the number of tech companies, like Pandora andAsk.com headquartered here and the fact that Oakland consistently ranksamong America’s most sustainable cities, with “green-energy startups galore.”

While tech start-up CEO’s are attracted to Oakland’s affordable office rentsand the unique character of much of the available office space, their workers,

by Eleanor Hollander

By allaccounts,downtownOakland is

experiencinga true

renaissance.

who tend to be on the younger side, like downtown Oakland’s happeningrestaurants, bars, art galleries and two concert theaters as well as the city’ssunny skies, diverse and affordable housing options and easy access – fromBART to bike lanes and freeways to the free Broadway Shuttle.

From renewable energy, alternative fuels, green building andenvironmental consulting, more than 250 green businesses have also flockedto downtown Oakland. �

Last year, Fast City namedOakland among 15 U.S.cities that make up the “Na-tion of Innovation,” citingthe number of tech compa-nies, like Pandora andAsk.com headquartered hereand the fact that Oaklandconsistently ranks amongAmerica’s most sustainablecities, with “green-energystartups galore.”

May 2013 | 11

SPECIAL SECTION Banking & Finance

How do you know if your banker is onyour team? If you cannot answer each ofthe following questions with a confident“Yes,” your business team is playing oneplayer short.

1. Do I know my banker’s name and does he/she know mine?2. Does my banker stay in touch on a regular basis?3. Does my banker truly understand my business, its financial needs, and my

industry as a whole?4. Am I confident that my banker can respond swiftly to my financial needs?5. Will my banker be there to support me in times of plenty and in times of

drought?6. Does my banker always have my best interests at heart?You will derive great benefit from a banking partner on your team who knows

you, your business and your industry and who also understands your business plan– and can provide meaningful feedback. A good banker will take the time tounderstand the game plan you have developed and work with you and youraccounting group to set up an early warning system that highlights any aspects ofyour game plan that may not be performing as anticipated. And a good banker canalso give you some comparative data on how your business stacks up against itspeers and competitors.

> Is your business one team player short?by Wim-Kees van Hout

These are core values you should seek in your banking partner, as they areimportant to the success of your business.

You should seek out a bank where experienced Relationship Bankers areempowered to build the kind of professional relationship that allows them tobecome a vital and productive member of your team. They should be well preparedif you need to borrow funds to take advantage of an opportunity or to respond to a

threat. They should also stand ready to alertyou to ways of achieving greater efficienciesin daily banking – from looking at thebenefits of separating out your payrollaccount, to reviewing how you process yourincoming and outgoing payments.

Preferably, they should be seasoned loanunderwriters, so you are dealing with at leastone of the decision makers to evaluate yourloan or lease requests. Such direct lines ofcommunication keep loan decision timesshort and on target, allowing for innovationand customization to fit your business needs.

Make sure you team up with a real bankerwith experience, a strong work ethic, and anability to help you execute your game planplay-by-play. Someone who can cut through

to the core of an issue swiftly, provide soundfinancial solutions, and stand with you in goodtimes and bad as a part of your team. Someonewho strongly supported their clients through therecent recession and who is excited abouthelping businesses and business owners like youto reach each platform of your game plan tosuccess – and to celebrating with you as a teammember when you do!

Make your life easier. I invite you to call us at(510) 625-7850, visit us at 1111 Broadway indowntown Oakland, or look us up online atScottValleyBank.com. Our rates are low and ourconfidence is high – game on! �

Wim-Kees van Hout is senior vice president and commercial bankinggroup manager for Scott Valley Bank.

You probably think of thepeople who work in your

business as being members ofyour team. And, you may thinkof your vendors, suppliers, andperhaps even your clients aspart of your team. But how

often have you thought of yourbanker as a team member?

� Wim-Kees van Hout(left), the senior vicepresident and commercialbanking group managerfor Scott Valley Bank,attended the Chamber’sAfter Five Reception atScott’s Seafood Grill & Barin Jack London Square lastmonth. Joining him wereJoie Seldon, a businessresults coach, and StephenProuty, a vice presidentand relationship bankerwith Scott Valley Bank.



Oakland is a special place and Wells Fargo iscommitted to helping our customers and teammembers who live and work here prosper andmake the community stronger. As part of thatcommitment, Wells Fargo has granted more than $5million to 204 Oakland schools and nonprofitorganizations involved in the arts, economicdevelopment, education, human services and alsocivic organizations over the past three years.

Since 2010, Wells Fargo’s Oakland team membershave recorded more than 9,700 volunteer hours. Theyhave donated their time to filling a variety of

important community needs – from building homes tohelping underserved children learn to read, to serving on the board of Oakland-based nonprofits.

Just recently, a team of 25 Wells Fargo team members helped Habitat forHumanity build homes in Oakland. Showing their dedication, team memberscame from throughout the greater Bay Area and beyond including Lathrop,Campbell, Sacramento, Antioch, Pleasanton, Novato, and Oakland itself. Workby volunteers included sawing, nailing, painting, siding, and many moreconstruction-related activities to contribute to the completion of homes. Thehomes are expected to be completed by volunteers in April 2015.

Home preservation workshopsIn this economy, some families continue to confront housing challenges. Wewant to help our communities work through unprecedented challenges in thehousing market. Part of our commitment as a financial institution is to educateour customers, and we create opportunities to meet face-to-face withcustomers struggling with mortgage payment challenges.

Wells Fargo has hosted four large-scale Home Preservation Workshops in theBay Area since 2010 where customers facing payment challenges could meetface-to-face with home preservation specialists and learn about options thatmay help them overcome payment challenges, understand how they may be able

> Wells Fargo – Making Oakland stronger by Micky Randhawa

to keep their homes and avoid foreclosure,and connect with helpful resources likehousing counselors and online tools.

It’s important for context to know thatin California in the fourth quarter of 2012,our foreclosure rate was just 1.04 percent – less than half our national rate.

While Wells Fargo’s Home Preservation Workshops are focused on helpingcustomers facing mortgage payment challenges, our bank recently introducedthe CityLIFT℠ program to help stabilize local communities by helping qualifiedhome buyers with down payment assistance. In launching East Bay CityLIFT℠,Wells Fargo committed $5 million to help stabilize nine East Bay communities inthe form of $20,000 grants in down payment assistance for qualified homebuyers.

Wells Fargo is thrilled with the progress of helping local homeowners accessthe down payment assistance, and there are still funds available. Local nonprofitThe Unity Council manages the program funds.

Wells Fargo has a long history in Oakland. In fact it was in 1869 when weopened our first Oakland agency at 9th & Broadway in what is now “VictorianRow.” And since then, we have continued to work hand in hand with members ofthe local community. Through our philanthropy, volunteerism, support ofsustainable home ownership and lending to create jobs, we are making adifference.

We look forward to continuing to help create a successful Oakland well intothe future. �

Micky Randhawa is the East Bay president for Wells Fargo.

� A team of 25 WellsFargo team membersrecently helped Habitatfor Humanity build homesin Oakland.Micky Randhawa

May 2013 | 13


My research and financial analysis of datadating back to the 1970s found that thecommunity bank, which started in 2003with $20 million in initial capital and sevenemployees, had grown to achieve record-setting growth and stability.

When I first became aware of TorreyPines Bank, I wanted to find out their se-cret to business success. And as I continueto follow the company, I’m amazed that, inspite of challenging economic times andan industry in flux, Torrey Pines Bank neverreached any plateaus, rather they continu-ally win new customers and grow marketshare. Today, the bank boasts of $2 billionin assets, close to 250 fulltime employees

and 11 offices, including Oakland and Los Altos.Of course, being one of the fastest growing California and U.S.

banking start-ups in the past ten years would have been impressive ingood times, but the near collapse of the financial markets and thegeneral business slow-down of the Great Recession retreated manyrising tides. And yet, through that turmoil, they kept growing andlending. They know the impact their lending has for helping busi-nesses create jobs and stimulate the local economy. In fact, duringthe height of the recession is when they experienced their greatest

> More history being madeby David Stratton

> Banking on good service

Like many of the entrepreneurs it serves,Torrey Pines Bank (TPB) is a California businesssuccess story. Founded in 2003 with $20 millionin capital, one office and seven employees, TPBhas grown into a thriving regional commercialbank with more than $2 billion in assets and240 employees as of December 31, 2012.

During its ten years in business the bankhas committed to providing the highest level

of personal service and guidance to local business owners andprofessionals. It prides itself on offering the resources of a largefinancial institution with the personalized service and attention of acommunity bank.

At the reception, above, Torrey Pines Division President LarryFountain receives a “Remember Them: Champions for Humanity”monument book from Chamber Chair of the Board Shannon Pedder.Others at the mixer included Chamber President Joe Haraburda (left),Torrey Pines Bank vice president and private banker Dale Marie Golden,and Chamber Board member Eric Kisshauer (Pankow Builders). �

> Wells Fargo brings value to local small business owners

In 2010, Wells Fargo announced a $1 mil-lion EQ2 (equity equivalent investment)to Grameen America to help fund itsmicro lending work across the country.One-half million dollars ($500,000) wasused to help launch the Grameen AmericaOakland branch and to date, the WellsFargo dollars have funded more than 170loans to entrepreneurs living below thefederal poverty line in the East Bay.

In total, Grameen America’s Bay Area branch has lent $700,000 inloan capital to more than 500 women who reside in Oakland, Fremont,Hayward, Richmond and Union City.

It is important to mention that nearly 30 percent of businesses in theU.S. are owned by women today, and more financial institutions areadding services and programs specially geared toward helping womenentrepreneurs. Wells Fargo recently announced its commitment to lend acumulative total of $55 billion to women-owned businesses by 2020, inaddition to offering numerous resources for small businesses.

We want to help women grow their businesses, stay competitive,contribute to the economy and create jobs.

Today there’s a growing list of government, nonprofit and privateorganizations that provide resources for women in business, and WellsFargo wants women to be aware of their options.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) operates Women’sBusiness Centers across the country. These centers are designed to assistwomen in starting and growing small businesses. There are four centersthat provide assistance in downtown Oakland – Women’s Initiative forSelf Employment, Oakland U.S. Export Assistance Center, Alameda CountySmall Business Development Center (SBDC) and East Bay SCORE.

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is alsoa valuable resource helping to propel women business owners into greatereconomic, social and political spheres of power worldwide. There is a SanFrancisco/Bay Area chapter and they host monthly events.

Wells Fargo wants to help all small businesses succeed financially,and wants to work closely with business owners to help them access thecapital and financial services that they need to operate and grow theirbusinesses.

Micky Randhawa is the East Bay president for Wells Fargo. �

by Micky Randhawa

When it comes tonew banks coming totown, the East Baycan definitely tout,“Been there, done

that.” For five yearsnow I’ve beenfollowing one

California-basedcommunity bank –Torrey Pines Bank.In 2008 I wrote anarticle entitled the“History MakingSuccess of Torrey

Pines Bank.”

Torrey Pines Bankat 1951 Webster St.

in downtownOakland was the

site of theChamber’s AfterFive Reception in

March.

surge of lending to local businesses.Torrey Pines Bank clearly saw opportunities to serve more customers

at a time when business owners were most in need of a conscientiousfinancial partner. They must be meeting an unmet need – in the past twoyears alone, the bank’s loan portfolio has grown by 42 percent while beingonly one of only 35 California banks to be recognized by the FindleyReports for achieving “Super Premier” performance in 2012.

Along with their business success, they also take pride in their abilityto contribute to the vitality of the community in which they do business.Every company owes their success to the communities they call home.And based on the $2 million in donations they’ve provided through theyears, it’s clear they welcome the opportunity to give back whenever theycan.

How are they able to do all of this? I asked Larry Fountain, who is thebank’s Bay Area division president. Here’s what he said:

“Throughout the economic storm, we adhered to the same prudentbanking fundamentals we had when we started. We had a long termvision and protected it over short term interests. Our bedrock principleshelped us remain viable for our clients who trust us with their dreams,and we do our best to help bring those visions to fruition.

“We are led by an all-star team of seasoned bankers, and we tap theirexperience to provide careful guidance to our clients in their businessthinking and consequences of such thought.”

It’s easy to imagine other financial institutions being envious of thisbank’s good fortune – but very little of their success is owed to sheer luck.Setting aside all the financial metrics one could use to measure success,their tenets have allowed them to evolve, grow, and expand with a com-pass that navigates towards ethical conduct. These are uncompromisingvalues that endure over time. That is a very good thing, because as theyapproach their ten-year anniversary, we should expect to see more his-tory being made. �

David Stratton is a Chicago-based business writer who writeson a variety of topics including business, finance, sports andtechnology.



I wish I had a nickel for every time someone asked me what the difference isbetween CPAs and non-certified accountants.

Essentially, non-certified accountants can simply hang up their shingle and open theirdoors for business. There are no educational requirements.

By contrast, CPAs have usually majored in accounting in college; sat for CPA examscovering theory, practice, auditing, and law; worked for an established accounting firm fortwo years; and, acquired 500 hours of auditing time to earn their certification. In addition,they are required to complete a certain number of hours of continuing education to maintaintheir license.

Why is it that one individual has to go through rigorous testing and on-the-job trainingto become certified to practice accounting and another can practice accounting without anyformal training? It has to do with the concept of “free enterprise.” Remember the old adage,

“Caveat Emptor?” It means, “Let the buyer beware.” In other words, it is the buyer’s responsibility to choose aqualified professional.

But there are some legal restrictions that define the range of services that can be performed for certified andnon-certified accountants. For instance, there are three main types of financial statements that can be prepared byaccountants: (1) audited, (2) reviewed, (3) compiled.

Only a CPA can prepare an audited financial statement. This process requires the CPA to methodically examineand test the financial records of a company. A report is then issued by the auditing accountants stating whetherthey found the information contained in the financial statements to be presented fairly, in all material respects.

In addition, only a CPA can prepare a reviewed financial statement. The review process is less involved than anaudit, but some testing is doneto verify information. The CPAissues a report describing thescope of the review, itslimitations, and findings.

Both CPAs and non-certifiedaccountants, includingbookkeepers, can preparecompiled financial statements.A report is issued with compiledstatements indicating that noauditing or review methodswere used and that the financialstatements were compiledusing information provided bymanagement.

This means that, if youwant to have your financialstatements audited orreviewed, you must have a CPAperform that work. Obviously,those services cost more than acompiled financial statement.Your circumstances may dictatea need for such services. For ex-ample, it may be a requirementfor a bank loan to have yourfinancial statements audited.Or, other partners or stock-holders may insist that thebooks be audited or reviewedin order for them to feel securein their investment. Usually,these are businesses that havea substantial net worth.

Does your business needan outside accountant? It alldepends. If you require anaudited or reviewed financialstatement, then, yes, you needa CPA. In any event, it is alwaysa good idea to maintain arelationship with an accountantno matter how small yourbusiness. Whether youraccountant is a CPA is up toyou. �

Iryna Oreshkova, MBA, CPAis founder and presidentof Iryna AccountancyCorporation. She can bereached at (510) 467-9506.

> CPAs vs. non-CPAs – A look at the differencesby Iryna Oreshkova, MBA, CPA

Iryna Oreshkova

‘... there are somelegal restrictionsthat define therange of servicesthat can beperformed forcertified andnon-certifiedaccountants. Forinstance, thereare three maintypes of financialstatements thatcan be preparedby accountants:(1) audited,(2) reviewed,(3) compiled.’

May 2013 | 15


As Bank of Alameda celebrates its 15thanniversary, it can look back with pride in itsrole of serving our communities and thesmall businesses that reside in them. Asnapshot of financial life in the U.S. pointsout that community banking has alwayssupported small businesses in a substantialfashion.

Small business lending is the bread and butterof community banking. In fact, besides beingdescribed as a powerful economic engine for the

economy, community banks are often referred to as a small businessthemselves.

Bank of Alameda, along with small community banks in general, operatein the same communities as their customers and understand the uniquechallenges they face better than anyone else in the marketplace. Lendingdecisions are always kept local and the dollars remain at home, also bene-fiting the local economy.

Although community banks only make up about 20 percent of all bankassets and 20 percent of the deposits, they make about 60 percent of thesmall bank loans according to the Independent Community Bankers ofAmerica. This translates into a powerful economic engine that propelssmall business growth and is a valuable source of working capital.

On the political front, Congress is finally recognizing that poor policieshave allowed the largest financial institutions to place the burdens of theirrisk-taking on the average American taxpayer. Hence the recent clamor torein in the too-big-to-fail or largest financial institutions by Congress. Weare seeing large bank customers migrating to local community banks.

All change comes at home, and by utilizing a community bank, the localbusiness customer will quickly come to realize the benefits of conveniencewith working with a local banker, as well as the value of keeping money inthe community benefiting friends and neighbors.

Community banks are engaged in their communities, and the localcommunities are where the banks’ interest lie. The employees and theirfamilies live in the community, the children attend the local schools andthe bank customers happen to be local too. In fact, community banks areimmersed in their community as part of local chambers, nonprofit andcharitable concerns, and with the organizations that improve the qualityof life at a local level.

Bank of Alameda is proud to be local and urges you to patronize localbusinesses. �

Stephen Andrews is president and chief executive officer ofBank of Alameda.

> Small business lending is the breadand butter of community bankingby Stephen Andrews

Stephen Andrews

> Don’t commit the seven financial sinsby Robert Griffin

The “seven deadly sins” often referred to inreligious literature are wrath, greed, sloth,pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Although itusually does not involve the same soul-searching, you may be guilty of some other“financial sins” in the way you handle yourpersonal affairs, particularly as it relates toyour investments.

Fortunately, redemption does not have to be dif-ficult. Here is a list of seven common mistakes youmay be guilty of making that may be rectified with

relative ease. If you have not committed any of these “sins” before, continueto avoid them.1. You are overly emotional.Do not let your emotions dictate financial

strategies. For instance, when the stock market is booming, greed can leadyou to make bad decisions. On the flip side, if you are faced with a decliningmarket, you cannot let fear overtake your financial sensibilities. Try to main-tain an even keel.

2. You are too optimistic. Back in the 1990s, investors took it forgranted that they would generate annual returns averaging 10 percent oreven higher. But that is no longer a realistic outlook. If you lower your ex-pectations slightly, you can better position yourself for what might happen.3. You pay excessive fees.Of course, you usually “get what you pay

for,” but that does not mean you should pay exorbitant fees in connectionwith investments. Rely on trusted financial advisers to steer you in the rightdirection.4. You do not have enough insurance. Insurance is a key component of

most financial plans. This includes various forms such as life insurance,health insurance, disability income insurance, etc. Try to have your needsquantified based on your current and future objectives.5. Your risk exposure is too great. It’s been said often that there is an

inherent risk in making investments. Recognize that it is possible to makemoney, lose money or stay in the same basic position. Do not risk more thanyou can reasonably afford to lose. Consider your “risk tolerance” as part ofyour investment decisions.6. You do not have emergency

funds. It is generally recommended thatyou keep enough financial “cushion” tosustain your family through six to 12months if financial disaster should strike.Consider an emergency fund that will lasteven longer if you are contemplatingretirement or already retired.7. You refuse professional guidance.

This does not mean you are unqualifiedto manage your own financial affairs. Butalmost everyone needs a little help. Asmentioned in #3, you should not payexcessive fees, but you should still obtainguidance when the situation calls for it.

Do not let your pride get in the way.Otherwise, this could turn out to be the“deadliest” financial sin of all. �

Robert Griffin is managing partnerof Williams, Adley & Company LLPin Oakland. He can be reached at(510) 893-8114.

Robert Griffin



JOIN Chamber members for this informative breakfast at theOakland Chamber of Commerce, 475 14th Street.

This event is free to Chamber members and $10.00 fornon-members. To attend, you must RSVP by Wednesday, May 22.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER ONLINE www.oaklandchamber.com.

Have questions? Contact Paul Junge at (510) 874-4817 or [email protected].

Come to “Inside Oakland Breakfast Forum” andhear from people who affect the policies andprogress of the city in which we live and do business.

Oakland City CouncilmemberLibby SchaffFriday, May 24 • 8:30 - 10 a.m.

Are you comfortable keeping up withapproximately 400 legal and regulatory changesevery year? Are you confident about making up to268 tax calculations annually? Do you prefer to doroutine administrative tasks instead of servingyour customers?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, youcan stop reading. But if you’re like most businessowners, these issues are among the very lastthings you want to deal with. And yet, they’reexactly what you need to be doing if you processyour own payroll.

Sooner or later nearly every business ownerrealizes it’s time to let someone else handle the

time-consuming, risky and unproductive task of processing payroll to aspecialist provider. But how do you choose the right one? When you makethat decision, here are five key things to consider – and to ask potentialproviders about as well.

Tax liabilityTax issues are probably the number one pitfall of handling payroll yourself.Every year federal and state penalty notices, levies, and legal action notonly reduce productivity, but put many small companies out of businessentirely. Often the business owner was trying to do everything correctly,but was simply unaware of all the rules for calculating paychecks, timingtax payments and filing.

If you hire a CPA or accountant to do your books, that person can handleyour payroll as well. But that individual isn’t going to pay your penalties andinterest if something goes wrong. A professional payroll service companywill. And a good one will even work with the tax authorities on your behalfif you ever face a payroll tax problem.

Payroll expertiseAny reputable payroll service you choose will be able to cover the basicneeds, such as calculating hours and vacation time, cutting checks andmailing them to your employees. The trouble is, those might not be yourneeds. An experienced, trained payroll professional will get to know yourbusiness, understand what it requires, and work with you to make sure yourpayroll solution is a good fit. For example, you may want to combine youronline banking with online payroll processing or offer your employees a401(k) plan.

A trusted providerOf course, the provider you select needs to be someone you can trust. Forsomething as critical as handling your payroll and taxes, look for anestablished brand with a solid history, extensive resources and experience,and a reputation for great service. The last item is particularly importantsince at some point you’ll probably face an urgent situation – if youradministrator unexpectedly went into labor tomorrow, could your providerstep in and make your filings on time?

The right featuresAll businesses have different needs, but those of small companies areespecially diverse – and are becoming more so. These days, even with just ahandful of employees, you might need payroll deductions for 401(k), aflexible spending account, and perhaps a Health Savings Account (HSA) foryour health plan, plus direct deposit. And because every minute you spendon administration keeps you away from your core business responsibilities,you want it all to work as smoothly as possible.

To simplify your finances, consider working with your bank. Full-servicebanks can offer payroll services that have some unique advantages, such astying payroll directly to online banking for maximum convenience. If youfind yourself in a situation where you need to move money very rapidly, youwill appreciate having payroll services as part of your overall bankingrelationship.

Cost effectiveIf you’re still wondering whether hiring a payroll provider is worth the cost,consider that one in three1 business owners will face a tax penalty eachyear. After several years the question will no longer be if you’re one of them– it will simply be a matter of when. Even if you’re a very hands-on manager,working with the IRS or state agencies on payroll issues is one task you’ll beglad to give to a professional payroll provider. When that time comes, thepennies per week you spend on payroll processing may turn out to be thebest business investment you ever made. �

Molly Addington is vice president, Business Payroll Services West Areamanager for Wells Fargo.

1U.S Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Nation - http://www.uschambersmallbusinessnation.com/toolkits/guide/P06_4498

ASK THE EXPERT

> Five things to think about when considering a payroll serviceby Molly Addington

Molly Addington

A Global Company with a Local Focuswww.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness

May 2013 | 17

> Inside Oakland looks at fightingcrime in Oaklandby Paul Junge

In April, Schnitzer Steel Oakland opened its gates to theOakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s PublicPolicy Committee, which included representatives fromKaiser Permanente, Waste Management, Pacific Gas &Electric (PG&E), Oakland Association of Realtors, ChabotSpace & Science Center, Recology, and East Bay RentalHousing Association.

The tour provided a glimpseinto the world of metals recy-cling and Schnitzer Steel,which opened its Oakland fa-cility in 1965. The facility wasawarded the Chamber’s SmallBusiness of the Year award in

1989 and has now grown to become one of Schnitzer’s largest fa-cilities in North America.

For more information on Schnitzer, contact Jackie Lynn Ray,public relations and government affairs manager, [email protected] or at (510) 452-8896. �

> Chamber’s Public Policy Committee tours Schnitzer Steel

Public safety is a bigger issue in Oakland than any of us wish it tobe. And so it was no surprise that Oakland Police Department (OPD) ChiefHoward Jordan would be a popular draw at April’s Inside Oaklandbreakfast. Perhaps it was a surprise to some that when Jordan was unableto make it, his assistant chief Anthony Toribio was such a strongreplacement.

Toribio, a 23-year OPD veteran, told the full house about many of theinitiatives being pursued by OPD to make our city safe. Two of theseincluded the dividing of police responsibilities into five parts with acaptain responsible for each area and a Call Reduction Strategy.

The assistant chief explained that each of the five captains has fourresponsibilities. First, he or she must simply manage the day-to-dayoperations within the geographical area. Second, the captain and his orher entire staff need to develop specific strategies to address the uniquecriminal problems in the area. Third, they must address police andcommunity relations and are responsible for compliance andadministrative issues.

Toribio told the group that responding to calls from dispatch isanother area of changing focus and priorities. He said officers often hearthose calls as though they were “the voice of the chief,” when in fact theymay just be dispatch trying to clear his or her board. Toribio said thatinstead of area captains, lieutenants and sergeants needed to helpestablish priorities.

Toribio told the group he gets an update every 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. onthe number of calls standing (waiting for response). On this Fridaymorning the previous 10 p.m. number was 141 and the 6 a.m. number wasdown only to 40. This meansinstead of addressing proactivecrime reduction strategiesofficers are racing from call tocall. It also frustrates citizenswaiting for service.

To reduce the number of calls,several strategies are beingimplemented. Some calls thatdon’t require officers will getassigned appointments or behandled by others. For example,when a car is blocking a drivewaythe plan is for parkingenforcement to handle the call,not a police officer. Anotherexample is child custodyexchange. Oftentimes courtsrequire this be done with a policeofficer, but OPD intends thoseexchanges should all happen at apolice station where an officer isstationed instead of callingofficers to other locations.

Because of OperationCeasefire, the better use oftechnology, computer statistics(Compstat) to understandproblems and develop solutionsand a developing crimereduction strategy, and agrowing number of policeofficers due to a steady streamof new recruits being trained inAcademies, Toribio painted apositive picture of OPDimproving its performance andimproving the public safetyconditions in Oakland.

Oakland City Councilmember Libby Schaaf is thenext featured speaker at InsideOakland on Friday, May 24. �

Paul Junge is the Chamber’svice president and director ofpublic policy.

Public PolicyREPRESENTING THE INTERESTSOF BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT

� Assistant Police Chief AnthonyToribio addressed the Chamber’sInside Oakland Breakfast Forumin April.

� Public Policy Committeemembers (left to right) TomGuarino (PG&E), Minna Tao(Recology) and JillBroadhurst (East Bay RentalHousing Association) tourSchnitzer Steel in Oakland.

More people are living downtown and nearly every otherdistrict of the city saw small declines in population over thelast ten years. That’s what the 2010 U.S. Census shows, and itmeans Oakland City Council districts will have to be redrawn.

Districts for the Oakland Unified School District board will beaffected as they match City Council districts.

The city of Oakland has hired National Demographics Corp.(NDC) to hold public hearings and suggest to Council how toredistrict the City Council seats. The consultant says the consensusstandard is any district whose population varies from mean by5 percent or more should be adjusted. In Oakland that impacts D2(Kernighan – down 6.9 percent), D3 (Gibson-McElhaney – up 12percent) and D5 (Gallo – down 5.4 percent) will have to change.

The plan calls for two meetings in June to get general input,and three meetings (one each in D2, 3 and 5) with draft maps inSeptember. Those three districts share common borders and couldtherefore be the only three districts to see their boundarieschange. It is possible, however, that all seven districts in the citycould see changes. The new map required by the City Charter mustbe approved by the City Council no later than December 2013.

City budgetThe city of Oakland will soon tackle its two-year budget (coversJuly 2013 to June 2015). The five-year forecast shows deficits for thenext five years of $15, $24, $41, $38 and $48 million. It also showsbigger deficits if deferred payments were made of the followingtotal amounts: $110, $120, $142, $141 and $152 million over the nextfive years.

Mayor Jean Quan released a proposed budget in April that willserve as the basis for Council consideration in the coming months.One welcome highlight of that budget is a plan to hold two policeacademies each year of this two-year budget cycle. With currentsworn police staffing levels below 650 officers and an average re-tirement rate of about four officers every month, recruiting andtraining new police officers is essential.

The Oakland City Council will hold special meetings in May andJune to take public comments and deliberate. The Council mustpass a balanced budget by June 30. �

> City Council districtsare changingby Paul Junge

Toribio told the groupthat responding to callsfrom dispatch is anotherarea of changing focusand priorities. He saidofficers often hear thosecalls as though they were“the voice of the chief,”when in fact they mayjust be dispatch tryingto clear his or her board.

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com 18

SPECIAL SECTION Leadership Oakland

> “Government Day’ is an educationfor Leadership participants

The Leadership Oaklandparticipants felt fortunate that sixcity leaders took time out of theirday to share their roles in thegovernment, discuss what broughtthem to the decision of being apublic servant, and then allow anopen, candid question and answersession.

The day started with Mayor JeanQuan, who spoke to the challengesand rewarding opportunities thatbeing mayor of such a major U.S.city such as Oakland offers. TheMayor covered steps that were taken in her life that led to her election.She expressed many passions that continue to drive her, includingproviding a better education for children, having a safer Oakland, andbuilding an improved economy that will provide more job opportunitiesfor residences.

All of these passions have a common thread – her love for Oaklandand the desire to see the city prosper and continue to be one of thenation’s best.

Following Mayor Quan, the group got to hear from Oakland’s publicworks director, Vitaly Troyan. Director Troyan explained in very tangibleways all that the Public Works Department is responsible for maintainingand operating. For many in the group it was eye-opening to appreciatethe breadth of what this department accomplishes in a given year. Thedirector discussed the efficiency and documented statistics that thedepartment uses to continually improve at both the individual employeeand department levels. The director also covered all of the ways thatcitizens of Oakland can get involved in public works on their own or inconjunction with the city or private organizations.

The group finished the morning with City Auditor Courtney Ruby andAssistant City Administrator Fred Blackwell. Topics of discussion

April’s Leadership Oakland sessionfocused on city government. Thisfull day session allowed theLeadership Oakland class, which iscomprised of private and publicsector individuals, to understandwho is involved and what theirresponsibilities are.

by Bobbi Jo Price, Kim Arnone and Aaron Quaresma

included Oakland’s budget,transparency and engagement forcitizens, economic development,and specific projects such as theArmy Base, Brooklyn Basin, and OakKnoll. Ruby and Blackwell shared awealth of knowledge about currentevents.

Ruby is a Leadership Oaklandalumni, and was a past Alumni ofthe Year Award winner for all of herwork through the years.

Lunch was followed by a tour ofCity Hall and Frank Ogawa Plaza byAnnalee Allen. It was a wonderfuland informative way to spend thelunch hour. I think we are all goingout to buy the new book, “Oakland,The Story of a City,” by BethBagwell.

Two Councilmembers, LarryReid of District 7 and Pat Kernighan,Council President andCouncilmember of District 2,completed our day by sharingupdates from their districts andallowing us to ask questions aboutthe Council’s priorities. Both were

extremely forthcoming on thechallenges that the city currentlyfaces and the opportunities that areavailable for positive change. The

economy is improving, they said, which is bringing in higher revenues, butmany difficult discussions and decisions still are ahead to maintain ourpositive course.

One main take-away from the day is that everyone needs to beinvolved to create a great city. It is not just the job of public officials. If youdesire to be involved there are ways to be part of the process and people toguide you in the right direction.

Thank you to all of the people who gave their time to be part of theLeadership Oakland “Government Day.” �

Bobbi Jo Price is director and account manager of inside sales at Granicus,Inc., Kim Arnone is a senior attorney at the Katovich & Kassan LawGroup (and is co-chair of the Chamber’s East Bay Women in BusinessRoundtable), and Aaron Quaresma is associate principal at DegenkolbEngineers.

� The Leadership Oakland classof 2013 welcomed Mayor JeanQuan to its “Government Day”session in April.

� Vitaly Troyan (second from theleft), Oakland’s director of publicworks, was greeted by classparticipants Kim Arnone (left),Aaron Quaresma, and Bobbi JoPrice.

May 2013 | 19

EDUCATION UPDATE

> O’Dowd breaks ground on Centerfor Environmental Studies

Bishop O’Dowd HighSchool celebrated amomentous occasionon April 11, the ground-breaking for the Centerfor EnvironmentalStudies (CES) – adestination forexperiential learningand discovery in thenatural world.

Diocesan officials, CES

capital campaign committee

and O’Dowd Board of

Regents members, donors,

project architects and

builders, parents, students,

faculty and staff gathered in

the sun-drenched Living Lab

to watch shovels turn dirt

for the $3.6 million state-of-

the-art teaching space.

Situated on the hillside

adjacent to the Living Lab,

the center will feature two

new science laboratory/

classrooms, an outdoor

classroom and dedicated

space for planning, research

and experimentation.

Also on hand was

former faculty member Brad

Goodhart, who introduced

the first environmental

science class at O’Dowd in

1970, setting the wheels in motion for the expansive program.

Tom Tyler, former O’Dowd science teacher, co-founder of the Living Lab and

a colleague of Goodhart’s, detailed how the Living Lab and CES site have been

transformed over the past 50 years, from a rock quarry to a certified wildlife

habitat. Students have always played a part in the effort, he noted. Members of

the Class of 1956 serving detention “voluntarily” planted the first trees on the

site. Those trees were recently felled and carefully milled by current students so

that the wood can be used in the construction of the center.

Responsible for the construction of four high schools in a span of ten years

in Seattle, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Oakland Archbishop Alex

Brunett said he understands the great impact the CES will have on the lives of

students, their families and the community. “This building will become a focal

point of quality education,” he said. “A science lab is not simply a place where

you learn a lot of facts, it’s a place that teaches you to evaluate ideas.”

Meanwhile, Principal Pam Shay talked about O’Dowd’s commitment to

be a model of environmental excellence and sustainability. To that end, new

curriculum is being developed to integrate hands-on experiences and

classical scientific content.

O’Dowd will hire a director of sustainability to create a strategic program

that will lead to a community-wide participatory effort in the “greening” of

O’Dowd, Shay noted. The director will also administrate the center, working

closely with the science department and all other departments to develop

curriculum, programs and extracurricular activities that will best utilize the new

building. �

> Five lessons learned for Oakland businesses from the Boston Marathon bombings

In just over 100 hours we witnessed diverse

businesses step forward to immediately

serve their community. The Westin Hotel

became a command center for the official

operation; the El Pelon Taqueria opened its

doors to provide refreshments, restrooms, a

place to charge cell phones, and a calm place

to rest; and countless other businesses and

organizations helped the people of Boston

to respond with unshakable compassion

and courage.

Here are some of the simple but powerful

ways every business can help ensure the city

of Oakland will respond quickly, effectively,

and powerfully to whatever we face.

1) Make certain that you have rapidaccess to any security camera footageyou may have. Whether it’s a suspect on

the run or a lost child, quick access to

security videos can be crucial This includes

making sure the footage is accessible via

cloud or off-site backup.

2) Build your company’s ability toimmediately send messages to andreceive messages from your staff.Email, texts, Facebook, group phone

messages – whatever methods you use,

flex your ability to get messages in and out

quickly. Whether you are sending a warning

to keep employees safe, alerting them to a possible issue, or calling them

in to address a critical situation, speed and having redundant, resilient

systems is key.

3) Help your employees build their ability to reach their familymembers and loved ones quickly. A big part of your business resilience

is the resilience of your employees. Remember: the heads, hands, and

hearts of your employees will be focused on their families until they have

made contact.

4) Feed your employees a steady diet of helpful stress-reducinginformation.Many people have negative reactions just from watching

coverage of tragic events. Provide information about stress and grief

counseling, and make sure they know they can call 2-1-1, crisis hotlines,

and other free and confidential resources. Encourage them to sign up for

local alerts from the police department. Send reminders for people to

stay hydrated and to breathe deeply.

5) Empower employees to do the right thing in a crisis oremergency. One stress you can take away from your employees: having

to wonder if your company will help in the aftermath of a crisis. Often

there is no time to wait for approvals, and with a little bit of advance

discussion you can help your employees step forward with confidence.

Help your employees plan to be great!

One of the most powerful messages to emerge from the Boston

Marathon bombings is that the people of Boston will not be cowed – not

by terrorists, not by hate-mongers, not by anyone. From the beginning

of the event Boston’s people, businesses, and emergency response

communities stood strong, united, and committed to each other and

their great city. Let’s all do our part to ensure Oakland’s people, businesses,

and emergency response communities are able to respond immediately,

generously, and with true Oakland style.

For more information or to schedule a quick response training for your

team, call (510) 451-3140, or email [email protected]. �

Ana-Marie Jones is the executive director of Collaborating Agencies

Responding to Disasters (CARD) and is co-chair of the Chamber’s

Nonprofit Roundtable Committee.

Ana-Maria Jones

by Ana-Marie Jones

From the timethe bombs wentoff at the BostonMarathon, untilfour days laterwhen suspected

bomber DzhokharTsarnaev was

found, the city ofBoston’s people,businesses, and

emergencyresponse

communitiescame together inbrilliant ways.

� At the groundbreaking (left to right) –

O’Dowd Board of Regents Chair Glen

Hentges; Vice Chair Kim Walsh;

Superintendent of Schools for the Oakland

Diocese Sister Barbara Bray; O’Dowd

President Steve Phelps; Apostolic

Administrator of the Diocese of Oakland

Archbishop Alex J. Brunett; O’Dowd

Principal Pam Shay; and O’Dowd Vice

President for Advancement Michael

Petrini.

photo by Donovan Rittenbach


WIB

R

EAST BAY WOMEN IN BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE LUNCHEON SPEAKER SERIES

2013SAVE T

HE DATES•

JUNE 7• A

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“WOMEN OF DISTINCTION”Nancy Pfund

Managing Partner, DBL InvestorsJune 7 • Waterfront Hotel

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> Nancy Pfund, DBL Investors,to speak about “Oakland’s Economy:Sustainable and Successful”

> Oscar winner Chapman has advice for Women in Business

“There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. Thatdestiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us; youonly have to be brave enough to see it.” – Princess Merida, heroine from “Brave”

Brenda Chapmen greeted the audience with a warm smile at the April EBWIBR luncheon at theWaterfront Hotel. High on her recent Oscar win for co-director of “Brave,” the new Pixaranimated movie, Chapman provided a delightful and colorful conversation that showcased herpioneering spirit. She discussed her triumphs and struggles, and described her love foranimation, strong female leads, and storytelling.Chapman addressed four themes – passion, opportunity, perseverance and change.

The Academy Award winner took the opportunity to share her passion for storytelling and howshe succeeded in a field typically dominated by males.

Originally from the Midwest, both her parents were working class. However, her motherwas an incredible artist and encouraged her children to pursue a higher education. Despitehaving only an eighth grade education, Chapman’s mother attained a bachelor’s degreethrough a mail correspondence class so she could receive a promotion at work.

Inspired by her mother,Chapman attended CALARTs, afeeder arts school for Disneyanimation studios. She was oneof only three females accepted ina class of 32.

After graduation, her dreamwas to be a storyboard artist andshe received that position atDisney. It was there that shebranched out from a storyboardartist to lead director.

Through the encouragementof male mentors, Chapmanlearned how to cast actors anddirect an animated film. Thisincluded her participation in“The Little Mermaid,” “Beautyand the Beast,” and ultimatelyhead of story for “The Lion King.”

Though she found success at Disney, Chapman took a leap andeventually landed at Pixar where she created and directed “Brave.”

The Oscar-winning director said that her career did includesetbacks and offered words of advice about the importance ofhaving passion and loving what you do.

At the same time, she reiterated that everyone must be readyfor change. It was her relationship with her daughter that inspiredher to create “Brave,” a story about a strong-willed heroine whoclashes with her mother. This change has included the creationof a production company with her husband – Chapman LimaProductions. Like the heroines in her movies, Brenda Chapmandemonstrates that going against the grain can be both achallenging yet rewarding experience. �

Bedilia Ramirez is a business servicerepresentative at Rubicon Programsand is a member of the East BayWomen in Business RoundtableSteering Committee.

by Bedilia Ramirez

East Bay Women In Business Roundtable(EBWIBR) is excited to host Nancy Pfund asour next guest speaker in the “Women ofDistinction” luncheon speaker series, Friday,June 7, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at theWaterfront Hotel in Jack London Square.

Pfund is the managing partner for SanFrancisco-based venture capital investment firmDBL Investors which has helped launch a number ofnotable local East Bay firms including Revolution

Foods, Solar City, and Tesla Motors. The firm’s name is derived from itsintentional “Double Bottom Line” philosophy of not only funding prom-ising new business enterprises that will create new jobs, but also focus-ing on those prospective new companies committed to beingenvironmentally, socially and economically conscious and promotingsustainability.

Pfund is one of those rare individuals who has managed tocombine her immense skills and work experience with her deeply feltpassions into one workplace. Prior to working at DBL Investors, sheworked for the Sierra Club, Intel,Stanford University, and the stateof California. She later rose in theranks from securities analyst tomanaging director of the VentureCapital department of JPMorgan(previously Hambrecht andQuist). Notably she also success-fully raised two children whileworking full time in a businessenvironment where that wasrare. She continues to appreciateHambrecht and Quist for theirgroundbreaking support in thatregard.

In addition to brieflydescribing her personal journey,Pfund will provide the groupwith a brief overview of invest-ment banking and venturecapital funding. Most of her talk,however, will focus on Oaklandand the East Bay’s overalleconomic development andespecially Oakland's continuing ability to attract successful, socially re-sponsible businesses. With luck on the timing, Pfund may be able to an-

nounce one or more of the next local enterprises tobenefit from DBL Investors expertise and funding.You will not want to miss this opportunity to hearNancy Pfund speak! �

Sally Van Etten is currently working as asenior analyst for Hausrath Economics Groupand is on the EBWIBR Steering Committee.

� Members of the EastBay Women in BusinessRoundtable SteeringCommittee welcomeguest speaker and Oscarwinning director BrendaChapman (third from theleft) to the luncheon atthe Waterfront Hotel.From left are Dawnn Hills(Vantage BusinessSupport & InsuranceServices), Karen Fisher(Northern CaliforniaCourt Accountings),Allison Rodman (ElderCare Referral &Information Services),Bedilia Ramirez (RubiconPrograms) and SheilaSimon (Rodan & FieldsDermatologists).

Nancy Pfund

by Sally Van Etten

The EBWIBR “Women ofDistinction” speaker seriesis a lively and results-orientednetworking opportunity. For moreinformation, contact Ivette Torres,Oakland Metropolitan Chamber ofCommerce at (510) 874-4800, ext.319. The event begins with check-in and networking at 11:15 a.m. andcontinues with the luncheon at11:30 a.m., the program at noon,and networking from 1 to 1:30 p.m.$35 for Chamber members and $45for prospective members.Reservations must be pre-paid andreceived by June 3 to guaranteeseating. After June 3 and at thedoor, a $10 fee will be added. �

SAVE THE DATE! EBWIBR15th Anniversary Celebration,September 19th, Lake ChaletBar & Seafood Grill �

May 2013 | 21

> A’s luncheon is another home runSome 200 fans turned out for the Oakland A’s luncheon, hosted bythe Chamber of Commerce and The Salvation Army of AlamedaCounty last month at the Hilton Oakland Airport. The luncheon hadeverything you’d expect for a defending American League Western Divisionchampion – cheers, chants, autograph hounds, a highlight video, and aprediction from pitcher Tommy Milone that the A’s would repeat as WesternDivision champions.

Milone, second baseman Eric Sogard, and bench coach Chip Hale wereon hand, with the luncheon featuring the radio voice of the A’s, Ken Korach,as master of ceremonies.

The luncheon also honored the wives and fiancés of many of the playerswho have volunteered to support the mission of The Salvation Army. Capt.Dan Williams presented plaques to the women for their continued work withchildren in need.

Since 1883, The Salvation Army has been serving Alameda County andhelping to restore hope and transform lives. Its role is to serve and assistindividuals and families in crisis through a myriad of programs and services.

Go A’s! �

> Walking on air

The Chamber recently joined in a ribbon cutting ceremony for new memberThe Walking Company, which has opened at 6012 College Ave.

The Walking Company wants you to walk in comfort in all aspects ofyour life, whether you are purchasing a fashion comfort sandal to wear whiledining out, comfortable dress shoes to commute to work, an ultimatecomfort clog to use while on your feet all day, or a new pair of performanceshoes to reach your fitness goals.

The staff is dedicated to bringing you the best brands available, andcan provide you with the most technically-advanced comfort shoes on themarket.

Pictured above at the ribbon cutting were store business managerBrittany Jo McIntosh (holding the scissors with Chamber Vice President PaulJunge) and store district manager Allen Tapp (standing next to McIntosh).

Also pictured – assistant store business manager Anjelica White (right)and sales associate Omar Evans.

For more information on The Walking Company, call (510) 653-8430. �

� Capt. Dan Williams of The Salvation Army honored the wives andfiancés of many of the players who have worked to support the mission ofThe Salvation Army and who have volunteered their time to help childrenin need. Above, Capt. Williams honors (left to right) Kaycee Sogard (wifeof infielder Eric Sogard), Tina Sarnecki (fiancé of pitcher Tommy Milone)and Brooke Sizemore (wife of infielder Scott Sizemore). The flowers werepresented by four children from The Salvation Army’s Garden Street ChildDevelopment Center.

� Four children from The Salvation Army’s Garden Street ChildDevelopment Center receive a hug from Stomper at last month’s OaklandA’s luncheon. The center is a year-round facility located in the FruitvaleDistrict, and features programs that are provided to participatingfamilies at no cost.

22 | OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com

> Clorox, Kaiser among BayArea Council winners

The Clorox Company and Kaiser Permanente, along with the city ofOakland, were among the organizations recently honored by the BayArea Council. Victoria Jones, vice-president of government affairs, and amember of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, accepted the recognitionon behalf of Clorox; Bernard Tyson, president and chief operating officer,accepted for Kaiser Permanente. Lynette McElhaney, a newly-electedCity Councilmember, received the award on behalf of the city.

Founded in 1945, the Bay Area Council advocates for a strongeconomy, a vital business environment, and a better quality of life foreveryone living in the region. The honorees were recognized for their“leadership, vision and commitment in founding the Bay Area Council in1945 and working to make the Bay Area the most innovative, globallycompetitive and sustainable region in the world.” �

> Oakland restaurant musings

Throughout the stroll, the focus was on restaurant andbar window voyeurism. Each establishment’s look, feeland vibe differed tremendously, especially as one passedby, noting the distinctions of The District and Mua. Thecommon attribute of every bar, restaurant and loungeobserved throughout the 25+ blocks traversed was theywere all busy. Not just partially full, but really busy. Noempty tables to be seen. No empty stools at the bar. Infact, most bars were several persons deep.

While it was a beautiful warm evening, and it wasFriday, the overwhelming level of activity in each andevery bar and restaurant was amazing, especiallyconsidering that this wasn’t a single neighborhood or ablock long occurrence, but was wide spread over a hugearea.

The interest in Oakland as a dining destination has received an untold number ofarticles, reviews and national media attention. The accolades have certainly piquedthe interest of people that may not have considered Oakland as an alternative to theirnormal haunts in Walnut Creek, or Larkspur or San Francisco. To fill that manyOakland restaurants on a rather prosaic Friday night in April is remarkable. The mediaattention has been wonderful in getting the uninitiated to experience Oakland for thefirst or second time. The success of these restaurants to drive consistent business istheir ability to identify their client’s wants and to satisfy them. Satisfy them throughgetting their product offerings right, but also getting the hospitality componentplaced firmly in front of their clients.

The innovativeness and exploring theunproven is working in Oakland. There havebeen some recent examples:

Homeroom (400 40th St.) has launched anapp that enables a diner to order Homeroom’sinteresting and sometime eclectic mac andcheese. Pay for it on line and pull up front anda staff member will bring out your M&C toyour car. Innovative from the sense of “howcan we do more, be more, sell more” with avery small restaurant. Clearly the “DriveThrough mac & Cheese House” concept isworking up on 40th.

Blue Bottle (Broadway & 42nd Street) hasopened a coffee shop in the 2,000-square-foot-old WC Morse building. Two thousandsquare feet for BB is more than all of theirother outlets combined. This large BB willhave a café and also a place where clients canbring in their own coffeemakers for serviceand advice. With the other uber-large brands(S & P’s) dominating the “cup to go” market,Blue Bottle’s innovative thinking about whatwould appeal to their customers is brilliant. Inaddition to bringing the beagle down withyou, tuck the Gaggia under your arm also.

Marrow (325 19th St. between Harrison &Webster), a lunch-time, meat-centric, eaterythat morphed from Jon’s Street Eats to a brickand mortar restaurant. One of the ongoingconcerns about the food truck invasion intoOakland was the demise of the brick andmortar businesses. Jon has realized that theclients’ demand for his unique offerings canonly be facilitated through the conventionalrestaurant. You will need to get there early asthe food may run out each day before the 3p.m. closing time.

Toast Kitchen + Bar (5900 College Ave.)continues to grow. Recently expanding intothe neighboring vacant space, Toastcontinues to flourish. The combination of theindoor atmosphere combined with the largepatio on the great corner for people-watchinghas proven to be a success. On a street thathas seen dozens of liquor license transfersover the past decade as the bright start-upsquickly fade, Toast has shown that theirsteadfast commitment to creating awelcoming atmosphere with extraordinaryservice has been their key to success andexpansion. �

Mark Everton is the general manager ofthe Waterfront Hotel and is co-chair of theChamber’s Oakland Restaurant Associa-tion.

On a recent Fridayevening, this author

had the opportunity tostroll through JackLondon Square, up

Washington Street pastthe collection of OldOakland restaurants,

and finally upBroadway to Grand

and back downto Telegraph.

by Mark Everton

SPECIAL SECTION The Oakland Restaurant Association

> Wendel Rosen honoredWendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP has received a first-tier ranking for itsBankruptcy Practice in the third annual “Best Law Firms” list, published byU.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers. Additionally, the firm’s Land Use& Zoning Law, Litigation – Real Estate and Real Estate Law Practicesreceived second-tier rankings.

Inclusion in the “Best Law Firms” listing is based on a rigorousevaluation process that includes data collection, evaluation andfeedback from thousands of clients, lawyers and law firm representa-tives spanning a wide range of practice areas nationwide.

The inclusion in the “Best Law Firms” list comes on the heels of fiveof the firm’s attorneys being named to The Best Lawyers in America 2013.

May 2013 | 23

Keeping you connected and informed

> MAY8 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.

8 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.

15 | Young Professionals Mixer|5:30-7:30 p.m.The Terrace Room at the Lake MerrittHotel, 1800 Madison St.

16 | Breakfast at the Chamber |7:30 - 9 a.m.an update of Chamber activities forprospective, new and long-timemembers

21 | Nonprofit RoundtableCommittee meeting |2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

23 | Lunch & Learn|noon - 1 p.m.featuring “Healthy Living & Eating” withThe Vegetarian Gourmet

23 | After Five Reception |5:30 - 7:30 p.m.Faz Restaurant, 1111 Broadway, streetlevel, free for Chamber members, $15 fornon-members

24 | Inside Oakland BreakfastForum |8:30 - 10 a.m.featuring Oakland City CouncilmemberLibby Schaaf, no charge for Chambermembers, $10 for non-members

28 | Oakland A’s vs San FranciscoGiants, “Battle of the Bay” |game begins at 7:05 p.m.O.co Coliseum, with seats directly behindthe A’s dugout in the Plaza level, tickets$40 per person for Chamber members,$50 per person for non-members

31 | Dedication of “RememberThem: Champions for Humanity”monument |3 p.m.featuring a number of special guestsincluding Ruby Bridges, one of the hu-manitarians honored, Henry J. KaiserMemorial Park

> JUNE

5 | Lunch & Learn|noon - 1 p.m.featuring a presentation from The Centerfor Independent Living, “From Lawsuits toLoyal Customers,” a guide on how to pro-tect your business from nuisance disabilitylawsuits and comply with federal, stateand local legal access requirements

All events held at Chamber offices, 475 14th Street, unless otherwise noted. Call 874-4800 to confirm dates and times. Meetings are open to all Chamber members.

Women in BusinessLuncheon| June 7 | Waterfront Hotel

A’S vs Giants| May 28 |O.co Coliseum

May23 After Five Reception

No charge for Chamber members.$15 for non-members. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

1111 BroadwayStreet Level

After FiveReception| May 23 | Faz Restaurant

INSIDE OAKLAND| May 24 | CouncilmemberLibby Schaaf

The purpose of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamberof Commerce is to promote commerce and industry,to advance economic growth and to enhance thequality of life in the city of Oakland.

OBR OAKLAND BUSINESS REVIEW (ISSN 1092-7220)is published monthly at $100.00 a year by the Oak-land Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 475 14thStreet, Oakland, CA 94612-1903. Membership duesinclude subscription. Periodicals postage at Oakland,CA. Contents can’t be reproduced without permis-sion. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toOAKLAND BUSINESS REVIEW, 475 14th Street,Oakland, CA 94612.

Editor

HANK MASLER, (510) 874-4808

[email protected] | www.oaklandchamber.com

Design/Production Editor

CARTER DESIGNS

The articles published in this publication do not

necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the Oakland

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEChair of the BoardSHANNON PEDDERBRAND: CREATIVE

Vice ChairsMARIO CHIODOChiodo ArtDevelopment

MARK EVERTONWaterfront Hotel /Miss Pearl’s

DAN COHENFull Court Press

CHARISSA FRANKFMG Architects

ERIC KISSHAUERPankow Builders

DAVID TUCKERWaste Managementof Alameda County

ZACK WASSERMANEx Officio CorporateCounselWendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP

KEN WHITEFidelity Roof Company

MICHAEL ZIEMANNSummit Bank

Immediate Past ChairJOHN NELSONmurakami/Nelson

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KIM ARNONEKatovich & Kassan LawGroup (representingWomen in BusinessRoundtable)

HARMINDER BAINSSecuritas

ALICIA BERTPG&E

DAVE CANNONBarney & Barney LLC

GREG CHANEast Bay MunicipalUtility District

JOHN DOLBYCassidy Turley

SOLOMONETS-HOKINColliers International

RON FORESTMatson NavigationCompany

GARY FOSSRecology East Bay

JOHN GOODINGThe Quadric Group

STAN HEBERTCalifornia State University, East Bay

MICHAEL HESTERMcGuire & Hester

VICTORIA JONESThe Clorox Company

ISAAC KOS-READPort of Oakland

MICHAEL LEBLANCPICÁN Restaurant

BARBARA LESLIEAT&T

KEN LOWNEYLowney Architecture

ART MARTINEZBank of America

KEN MAXEYComcast

IKE MMEJEAlta Bates SummitMedical Center

NATHAN NAYMANVisa

NATHANIELOUBRE, JR.Kaiser Permanente

MICKY RANDHAWAWells Fargo

ELÑORA TENA WEBB,PH.D.Laney College

KEITH TURNERSafeway

RICHARD WHITEFitzgerald Abbott &Beardsley LLC

JOSEPH HARABURDAPresident and CEO

7 | East Bay Women inBusiness Roundtable luncheon|11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.“Women of Distinction” series,featuring Nancy Pfund, managingpartner of DBL Investors, speakingabout “Oakland’s Economy:Sustainable and Successful”

12 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.12 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.


19 | Young Professionals Mixer|5:30-7:30 p.m.location to be announced


26 | Chamber’s 108th AnnualMeeting & Awards Luncheon|11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.honoring Chamber members in a number of categories, OaklandMarriott City Center

27 | After Five Reception |5:30 - 7:30 p.m.Executive Inn & Suites, 1755Embarcadero, free for Chambermembers, $15 for non-members

28 | Inside Oakland BreakfastForum |8:30 - 10 a.m.no charge for Chamber members, $10for non-members

> JULY

10 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.

10 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.


17 | Young Professionals Mixer|5:30-7:30 p.m.location to be announced


25 | After Five Reception |5:30 - 7:30 p.m.location to be announced

‘Remember Them’ dedication| May 31 | Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park

> ‘Remember Them’ monumentto be dedicated May 31

After 12 years of tireless work by Oakland artist MarioChiodo, and with the help of major sponsors, the Chamberof Commerce has announced that the “Remember Them:Champions for Humanity” bronze monument will be dedicatedat the Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park near the Fox Theater onFriday, May 31 beginning at 3 p.m.

Incited by the horrific events of 9/11, Chiodo envisioned an

educational monument dedicated to the compassionate spirit of

humanity. The project has remained a collaborative work of art

for the sake of education, justice and peace.

Just one month ago, a steel

remnant from the World Trade

Center in New York was placed

within Section 4 for its final resting

place. The piece of steel was

acquired by the Chamber of

Commerce from the Port of New

York and New Jersey. The ten-

pound piece, which was originally

hundreds of pounds in weight (but

reduced by the heat of the fire),

was carried from the Chamber of-

fices to City Hall, where it was kept

on display, then moved to the

monument via a Fire Department

procession.

The remnant was placed within Section 4 by Oakland Fire

Department Lt. John Farrell, who was a first responder in 2001 and

aided in the recovery at the World Trade Center.

The grand unveiling of Sections 1, 2 and 3 were originally held

on Sept. 6, 2011, almost ten years to the day of the disaster in lower

Manhattan; Arlington, Virginia; and an empty field in Pennsylvania.

Since then Chiodo and his team have completed Section 4, the

largest of the four sections, along with a visually impaired wall that

contains the faces of the 25 humanitarians and one of their famous

quotes in braille.

According to Chiodo, “This

monument represents an interna-

tional cross-section of visionaries

throughout several centuries who

have inspired and aided others

through their passionate beliefs

in human rights and peace.”

On May 31, the day of the

dedication, the monument will be

the largest bronze monument on

the west coast, and the only

monument in the country

dedicated to civil rights.

For more information on the

dedication, contact Ivette Torres

at the Chamber at itorres@oak-

landchamber.com or at (510) 874-

4800, ext. 319. �

� Sculptor Mario Chiodowelcomes Maya Angelou to hisstudio to view one of the finalversions of the RememberThem monument. Angelou isone of the 25 humanitarianshonored.

Oakland Business Review May 2013

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Transcript of Oakland Business Review May 2013