January 27, 2012: Regular Deadline for entries
February 3, 2012: Late Deadline for entries (comes with a late fee)

The AAF-Inland Empire is proud to announce the dates for its 2012 ADDY competition and Gala. The AAF-Inland Empire ADDYs® are the first step in the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting about 50,000 entries every year in local ADDY competitions. The mission of the ADDY competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in the art of advertising. As the premier event for the AAF-Inland Empire, we encourage you to review your work throughout the year with the ADDYS in minds so that you can be sure to include all your worthy pieces for judging.

We are also pleased that our gala will be returning to the Historic Mission Inn in Riverside on March 9, 2012.

http://aaf-inlandempire.com/addys/

“T.J. brings his valuable experience of a life spent in agriculture to the Index Fresh position. His hands-on experience gives him a unique understanding of growers and their specialized needs within the industry,” Cavaletto stated.

T.J. grew up in agriculture, living in Fallbrook and Anza, California, where he garnered daily experience at his father’s horse ranch. His love for farming has always been an important part of his life. Throughout his school years, he was active in 4H and FFA. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Cal State San Marcos in 2009, he worked for the fertilizer industry. His expertise in the fertilizer component of farming makes him a valuable resource for farmers.

When recently asked about his appointment to the position of field representative he commented, “In order for Index to succeed, growers must succeed. I look forward to addressing growers’ need for information in the continually changing agriculture industry, and I am looking forward to the challenges of serving them on behalf of Index Fresh.”

Index Fresh, Inc. is a grower-owned packing, marketing, and shipping company located in Bloomington, California. The company remains strongly committed to keeping Index growers, customers, and trading partners on the cutting edge of the produce industry.

The company distributes premium avocados – year-round – to large retailers, small specialty retailers, and to the food service industry. The company has been in business since 1914 and entered the import avocado industry in 1991, to accommodate the increasingly high demand for avocados.

Participants in this workshop will be provided with an introduction to the business plan, learning the steps needed to create a stand-out plan.  This is a basic workshop, and serves to outline what is necessary, but the information is clear and concise, and participants will come away from the workshop with a thorough understanding of what is required in the task ahead of them.

The workshop will be presented by Angel Cardoz, Director of CVWBC.  The workshop is presented in an innovative and motivational manner, so that the participants learn the steps to follow to make the writing process less tedious.

The CVWBC is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at California State University San Bernardino, in partnership with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

CVWBC provides free business counseling, training, mentoring, and networking designed for entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on women in business or women who want to start a business. The Center’s programs and services provided are targeted to a diverse range of needs and skill levels to meet client needs, providing services both in English and Spanish.  In an effort to encourage entrepreneurship, CVWBC provides assistance to all persons, regardless of gender, and in spite of the inference of our name.

The CVWBC is located at 77-806 Flora Road in Palm Desert.  For an appointment, information on the programs and services, 2012 schedule or more information please contact Kim Scanlan at 760.345.9200, visit and register at www.cvwbc.org.

For those who are curious about all the buzz surrounding social media but not sure where to start, or whether it is worth the time and effort, this free webinar is an excellent starting point.  In this webinar, participants will learn the importance of social networking as an integrated marketing tool for business – including such applications as Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and LinkedIn, among others.

This presentation is part of a larger group of 25 webinars and classroom presentations offered by CVWBC in partnership with CARAT (California Resources and Training), all of which train business owners in technologies necessary to grow a business.  Additional webinars and presentations will take place over the next five months.

The CVWBC is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at California State University San Bernardino in partnership with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The CVWBC provides free business counseling, training, mentoring, and networking designed for entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on women in business or women who want to start a business. The Center’s programs and services are targeted to a diverse range of needs and skill levels to meet client needs, providing services both in English and Spanish.  In an effort to encourage entrepreneurship, CVWBC provides assistance to all persons, regardless of gender, and in spite of the inference of our name.

The Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center is located at 77-806 Flora Road, Suite C in Palm Desert.  For an appointment, information on the programs and services, or a 2012 Calendar of seminars and events, please contact Kim Scanlan at 760.345.9200.  Visit and register at www.cvwbc.org.

“Tom McClintock has been an unwavering voice for conservatism in California and has stood up to the go-along, get-along crowd his entire career,” said Morrell. “I’m proud to have Tom’s support and will continue to fight for our conservative values in Sacramento.”

Congressman McClintock joins a growing coalition of support behind Mike Morrell including Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway and the majority of Republicans in the California Assembly Republican Caucus.

Mike Morrell is one of only five state legislators to receive a perfect 100% score from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and brings with him 30+ years of business experience. For more information, visit his website at www.votemikemorrell.com.

Ron Burgess, President of RedFusion Consulting, will speak on how your business can use proven marketing strategies to turn difficult economic times into new and profitable business opportunities. This seminar is provided at NO COST and is open to San Bernardino businesses. Space is limited. Register: 909-888-7881, ext. 268

Location:

SBETA

600 North Arrowhead Ave, Ste. 300

San Bernardino

Date:

Wednesday January 18, 2011

Time:

3:30 to 5:30

There is no shortage of controversy about government involvement in business and economic assistance. At least one agency has done some innovating to help businesses grow. SBETA – San Bernardino Employment Training Agency, the Workforce Investment Board of the City of San Bernardino, has traditionally trained and placed workers with businesses. With one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, few businesses were growing so that they could add jobs.

SBETA decided to try something to increase business growth for businesses in the city. They hired growth experts to help those businesses with a chance of growing in this economy. If the businesses grew, they could then hire local workers.

Growing businesses in this economy requires a sound understanding of the market and a clear perception on how the market niche perceives a business. Enter Ron Burgess and Ray Anderson of RedFusion Consulting. Ron is an expert in strategic growth issues, and Ray specializes in leadership and management issues.

Starting with self-assessment tools, company priorities were quickly and painlessly set by the management. The next element was the action plan. The vast majority of program companies identified activities having to do with sales volume rather than cost or employee management.

“We try to teach business owners to fish—not give them a fish,” states Anderson. “If we can increase management efficiency and help them understand how to ‘institutionalize”—that is, how to continue to execute the marketing process—growth could continue for decades. So, the few thousands of dollars we spend on them is more like planting a seed than transplanting the tree.”

Using this assessment, the businesses with a propensity to grow, were selected for more intensive direct consulting in the areas of growth. Directed by Ron Burgess, who has over 25-years’ experience working with larger small businesses, the first step was to evaluate the each business’ position in their market niche. Burgess is skilled at the process of defining position, which is a very important, since correctly positioning a company can be the most important issue to business growth.

“The way a company is perceived by its customers, prospects and competition, can grease the wheels or block the reputation of the company,” states Burgess. “Maximizing growth must match a company’s competencies with the customers’ expectations. So much waste can occur when the whole company is not moving in the same direction. An owner may believe one thing, his customers another; and, employees yet another. The result is wasted effort.”

SBETA’s main goal is to provide a trained workforce for the city’s employers. They recognize that the economy must grow to create the jobs to lower the huge unemployment rate.

To be sure, hiring experts to assist businesses is a risky investment, but is actually small when compared to many other government assistance programs. Several local, state and federal government agencies have various programs that provide money for property improvements or tax incentives. Money used for assets provide a place to do business, but that does not necessarily translate into additional hiring, several years down the road.

Scott Cathey, owner of Brydenscott Metal Products reports that, “We have received grants to keep us in San Bernardino, which was a real help to our business, but once it’s spent, it’s spent. This program has changed the way we grow our business, now and in the future.”

The program is just over half-way through—How is it doing?

“So far results are very good,” says Annette Kelly, program administrator for SBETA. “The 24 businesses that RedFusion Consulting has done work for to date, give them high scores. Most of the businesses would love to spend more time with the consultants. Some have been given a second round of consulting, because they have a strong propensity to do more hiring.”

Several businesses have already hired new people, recognizing increasing or returning revenues during the first six months of the project. Just fifteen, $30,000 jobs would yield three times the new wage base that will be spent on the program, for as many years as that job is maintained. So far, six clients report new employees have been added, and more new hires are anticipated to come.

SBETA Executive Director, Dr. Ernest Dowdy, says, “Our board, which is made up of at least 51% business people, has supported us in this vision. It is a risk—hiring business consultants who can deliver such a tall order—but we simply had to innovate. We need positions open so we can fill them, otherwise we’d be part of the problem; we like finding solutions.”

“I have spent my 25-year consulting career learning what it takes to grow businesses,” states Burgess of RedFusion Consulting. “The secret sauce is proper market positioning. Add that to good management, hard work and proper marketing execution, and real growth tends to follow. That is what we do for clients.”

“SBETA is really innovating here, by partnering with seasoned consultants, and providing services that a business would not be inclined to buy in a recession, they have broken the “retreat” mentality that often accompanies recessions. I applaud them for their vision, and of course we are happy to work our tails off to meet the goals. We want them to be pleased. But, more important, is our participation in trying to lift up one of the worst economies in the nation. It gives us real satisfaction that we can change lives,” says Anderson.

COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. (December 12, 2011) – The 2012 State of the County, titled “Your County, Your Future” will be held on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at Million Air located at the San Bernardino International Airport. The event will provide more than 1,000 business, community, civic and education leaders with an opportunity to hear how the County is facilitating the implementation of the County-wide Vision and learn how they can play an important role in the County’s new future.

On June 29, 2011 the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisor’s adopted the Vision. Since that time the focus has been on implementation, engagement and the public-private collaboration taking place to maximize the region’s resources. Focus areas identified as critical to the vision of a “complete county” include Jobs, Education, Housing, Public Safety, Infrastructure, Quality of Life and Environment, among others.

“In an era of limited and competing resources, we must prioritize these resources wisely and invest our energies in aligning priorities with our collective vision for the County. This must be done in a collaborative and complementary manner so that the result is a strong, balanced economy that provides economic investment and job growth, as well as a better quality of life. I look forward to the opportunity at our 2012 State of the County to engage even more of our businesses, education, healthcare, community and government leaders in identifying those actions that will prove to have the greatest value and potential to fulfill our County Vision,” said San Bernardino County Chair and Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales.

The Vision Process gathered input from hundreds of citizens at community meetings held throughout the County, thousands of online surveys and business roundtables with more than 25 expert groups including retail, environment, home building, military, education, health care and commercial real estate. The Process created a portrait of the future the County seeks to create.

The State of the County event begins at 4:30 p.m. with pre-event networking and registration. The State of the County program will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation by the Board of Supervisors. The event concludes with business networking.

State of the County 2012 will be held at Million Air at San Bernardino International Airport located at 295 N Leland Norton Way in San Bernardino. Tickets are $50. To register go to www.sbcountyadvantage.com.

The County of San Bernardino covers over 20,000 square miles of land making it the largest county in the U.S.  With over 2 million residents, the County is the 12^th largest county in the nation and is larger than 15 states with a local market GDP exceeding $1 trillion. The County of San Bernardino offers an affordable quality of life and cost effective location for business. The County’s unrivaled access to local and global markets and a diverse workforce of nearly one million people provides significant advantages to business. The region is well known for its unparalleled infrastructure including most major Southern California freeways, two of the busiest rail lines in the country, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and several Southern California airports. Rich in valuable human capital, San Bernardino County is where residents can experience an abundance of opportunity and successful businesses are built and sustained. For information go to www.SBCountyAdvantage.com or www.SBCountyBuzz.com

Author H. L. Stampley’s remarkable strength, tenacity, family love and strong belief in God gave him the ability to fight the good fight of faith… when others would have given up! A Fragile Child’s Cry exposes truths about the child care system and its many flaws.

Stampley strongly affirms the laws of today which determines the outcome of the lives of these children must change and they must change now. “We cannot afford to continue to sit back and do nothing.”

Street Positive CEO Terry Boykins has resided in the Inland Empire for nearly thirty years and is a Cal State University , San Bernardino graduate who holds a B.A. in marketing, management, and communications. He is organizer of the Million Father March and spearheads campaigns and movements that address the needs of critical social and economic issues including fatherhood, homeless youth, abuse, gangs, mentoring and more. The collaboration between Stampley and Boykins came about in 2009 after the Million Father March and Street Positive recognized fathers of disabled children. A colleague connected the two and they joined forces together to help raise awareness about the issues of child abuse in our society.

“Many fathers walk away from their responsibility of parenting good and healthy children looking for direction, love and support. A man who was willing to walk into the responsibility of fathering a special needs child knowing he had no escape clause and no time-out is simply commendable,” declares Boykins.

A Fragile Child’s Cry, published by Street Positive Publishing, is available at www.streetpositive.com. A portion of the proceeds from the book will benefit programs for foster youth, abused and children with disabilities.

About Street Positive
StreetPositive.com, a division of 4Positive Knowledge (1997), was originally established in 1999 to promote child safety among elementary school students. By 2003, both StreetPositive.com and Street Style Positive™ had evolved into notable ventures advocating various prevention and intervention campaigns among parents and youth.

Collaborative partners consist of community, social, educational and business organizations nationwide. Their vision is to instill family centered achievement models that cultivate positive and progressive socioeconomic advancement techniques which significantly impacts the future of African American youth.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (Dec. 8, 2011) – The Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino, the city’s redevelopment agency, and the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone are pleased to announce that Global Environmental Products Inc. recently established operations in San Bernardino. The start-up company acquired a 48,000 square-foot building in the zone at 4985 Hallmark Parkway.

The Economic Development Agency’s Office of Business Development played a key role in helping Global Environmental Products, a manufacturer of high-performance industrial road sweepers, obtain zoning verification, business licensing and local and state certification needed to sell sweepers from their facility.

“The city’s staff provided me with a number of services and resources that helped me set up my shop quickly,” said Walter Pusic, president of Global Environmental Products. “This area offers so many services and incentive programs that not only help businesses get started, but also sets them up for success. Choosing San Bernardino was one of the best decisions I’ve made for our business.”

The company also selected San Bernardino as its location because of the hiring tax credits offered by the enterprise zone. Since opening its doors, Global Environmental Products has hired and trained a staff of 24 employees with the assistance of the city’s workforce investment board. Many of the workers qualify for the enterprise zone program, which will allow the company to reduce operating costs and better position itself for growth in the coming years.

From San Bernardino, Global Environmental Products is manufacturing three-wheel, mechanical road sweepers for government authorities and transportation agencies across the U.S. The sweepers are purpose built and take approximately 400 hours to produce. The company will also service and supply these machines with parts.

Global Environmental Products also offers a range of refuse receptacle sanitizing equipment for garbage containers. The company provides an inexpensive service that protects containers against bacteria, flies and odors while offering a better solution for the environment.

About the Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino

The Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino, the city’s redevelopment agency, is a focused, diversified organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of San Bernardino by creating jobs, eliminating physical and social blight, supporting culture and the arts, developing a balanced mix of quality housing, along with attracting and assisting businesses both independent and through public-private partnerships. For more information, visit www.sbrda.org.

The Office of Business Development, a branch of the city’s Economic Development Agency, was created to promote business recruitment, assist with business retention and provide business resources and information to San Bernardino area businesses and companies. The center’s three divisions – recruitment, retention and business solutions – provide companies with a range of services and information from site selection and tax incentives, to marketing and workforce referrals.For more information call 909.963.5026, or visit www.sbbizresource.com.

About the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone

The San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone is an Enterprise Zone established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development to encourage investment, growth, development and job creation in economically distressed areas of the county. The zone covers approximately 42 square miles and includes areas of Colton, San Bernardino and unincorporated portions of San Bernardino County. The Enterprise Zone is a joint effort between the Inland Valley Development Agency, City of Colton, City of San Bernardino, and the County of San Bernardino.  For more information, visit www.SBVEZ.com, or email info@SBVEZ.com.

Washington, D.C.  Unveiling a proposal that both fights the unauthorized sale of digital goods and protects Internet security, commerce and speech, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) today released a draft text of legislation that would use trade laws to address the flow of infringing digital goods into the United States.  The draft legislation is based on the broad legislative framework that U.S. Senators Cantwell, Moran, Warner and Wyden and U.S. Representatives Lofgren, Chaffetz, Campbell, Doggett, Eshoo, Polis, and Issa released last week.

The Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act is now available at www.keepthewebOPEN.com, where visitors will have an unprecedented opportunity to review the legislation, submit comments, suggest edits and even ask questions about the legislation with a new tool called Madison.  Interested members of the public, industry and advocacy organizations and even those supporting alternative approaches to protecting IP are invited to visit the site and offer feedback.  Senator Wyden and Congressman Issa say that the site’s discussion will provide “invaluable” feedback as they work to finalize the legislation.

“Building on the International Trade Commission’s existing IP expertise and authority makes it possible to go after legitimate cases of IP abuse without doing irreparable harm to the Internet.  It also just makes sense,” said Senator Wyden.  “It is our hope that proponents of other approaches won’t just dismiss our proposal, but will instead take this opportunity to engage us on the substance.  Yes, IP infringement is a problem, but the Internet has become such an important part of our economy and our way of life that it is essential for us to get the policies that shape its future right.”

“Butchering the internet is not a way forward for America,” said Rep. Issa. “The OPEN Act empowers owners of intellectual property by targeting overseas infringers while protecting the rights of lawful Internet entrepreneurs and users.  The Internet is one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy, keeping it open is critical to job creation and our economic recovery.”

The OPEN Act would combat the flow of infringing digital goods into the United States by expanding the International Trade Commission’s existing authority to enforce copyright and trademark infringement as it currently applies to the import of physical goods.  While downloading a movie from a foreign-registered site is akin to importing a good from a foreign company, U.S. trade laws have failed to keep pace with the digital economy and have yet to extend the protections that U.S. rightsholders enjoy in the physical world to the online world.

The OPEN Act would expand those protections and empower U.S. rightsholders to petition the ITC to investigate cases of illegal digital imports just as they currently petition the ITC to investigate infringement cases involving physical goods.

While complex and difficult issues would take the ITC time to investigate and resolve, investigations into simple and obvious cases, like the “worst-of-the-worst foreign rogue websites,” could be handled in a matter of days.

In all cases, however the ITC would create a transparent and adversarial process in which all parties would have an opportunity to be heard and IP rules would be consistently applied.

In the event that an ITC investigation finds that a foreign-registered website is “primarily” and “willfully” infringing on the IP rights of a U.S. rights holder, the commission would issue a cease and desist order that would compel payment processors (like Visa and Paypal) and online advertising providers to cease doing business with the foreign sites in question.  This would cut off financial incentives for illicit activity and deter these unfair imports from reaching the U.S. market.

Unlike other legislation being advanced in Congress, the OPEN Act would not undermine the structure of the Internet by interfering in the Domaine Name System (DNS) and would target only sites “primarily” and “willfully” engaging in infringement.   By employing such a clear and targeted definition of infringement, the OPEN Act will ensure that only legitimate infringement cases are pursued and that sites engaged in free speech or the fair use of content do not become collateral damage.

To review the OPEN Act with Madison and learn more about how compares with other approaches to protecting intellectual property visit: www.keepthewebOPEN.com

Through Dec. 17, Accent will be collecting donations of unwrapped toys, gifts and clothing for boys and girls, ages 0 to 17. Requested items include art sets, backpacks/ suitcases, batteries, bedding, bicycles, board games, books, DVDs / CDs, electronics, gift cards, jackets / sweaters, jewelry / accessories, musical instruments, new shoes, perfume / cologne sets, sport equipment, socks, t-shirts, toiletries and video games.

Those interested in donating a gift can find Accent’s collection box at Cowboy Burgers & B.B.Q. restaurant located at 10789 Arrow Rte, Rancho Cucamonga.

Accent’s President Marty Kaufman has been a sponsor of the foundation for more than 10 years and is committed to helping the organization collect its goal of 3,000 gifts.

“The holiday season is especially difficult for children in foster care and group homes,” said Kaufman. “We are reaching out to the community for their help, so we can remind these children that they are cared for, and make sure that their holiday season is special.”

The Holiday Hero Gift Drive began in 2004 and has provided more than 30,000 gifts to local children throughout the years. Anyone with an interest in hosting a gift collection may contact Vanessa Vizard at (909) 825-5588 ext. 264.

For more information about Trinity Children’s Foundation of America, visit www.trinitychildrensfoundation.org.

About Accent Computer Solutions

Founded in 1987, Accent Computer Solutions, Inc. is a leading information technology solution provider serving a wide spectrum of businesses and organizations in Southern California and across the nation. Accent is headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and also has offices in Riverside, Los Angeles and Orange counties. The company caters to the needs of small to medium-sized businesses, as well as to multi-office, multi-location enterprises. Accent focuses on reducing the cost and risk of information technology by providing proactive IT services, IT outsourcing, network services, business telephone/VoIP, new building and remodel cabling, and wireless solutions. For more information, visit www.TeamAccent.com, or call (909) 481-4368.

            ONTARIO, CALIF. (December 6, 2011) – Recognized as the leading business event in the Inland Empire, the Ontario State of the City business networking event will be held at the Ontario Convention Center on March 21, 2012. In 2011, the event attracted close to 1,000 business, government and community leaders for a forward-thinking discussion about the City of Ontario and a panel discussion from local senior-level business executives.

For 2012, the event theme will be “Creating Opportunity. Building Value.” This 2012 theme will focus on issues important to business as well as provide updates to community members on important Ontario projects, including Ontario International Airport. The City will also use the event to emphasize its proactive support for business, including entrepreneurial start-ups, small business and global Fortune 500 corporations.

“In today’s economy, the most important role for local government is to help its existing businesses to thrive and grow and to position itself as a solid choice for new business investment,” said Ontario Mayor Paul Leon. “Our emphasis on creating a ‘Complete Community’ for our City must include both quality housing and amenities and ongoing job opportunities. The State of the City is an important opportunity for us to talk to business owners and employers and for our business community to network and build advantageous business relationships.”

Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, LLC and an expert in the study of regional economies, real estate dynamics, labor markets and business forecasting, will lead a business discussion on the local and regional economy following the Mayor and Council State of the City presentation.
Dr. Thornberg has established a reputation as one of the state’s leading economic forecasters. He is currently chief economic advisor to the California State Controller’s Office and serves as Chair of California State Controller John Chiang’s Council of Economic Advisors – the body that advises the state’s chief fiscal officer about emerging economic issues. Widely quoted in the media, he has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s Nightline, CNN, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, NPR, and is regularly quoted in major national and California dailies including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune.

Ontario remains committed to developing a ‘Complete Community’ for those who live and work in the City. Companies continue to see Ontario as an attractive long term investment. The City is committed to providing businesses a trained workforce, lifestyle amenities, and a variety of housing choices.

State of the City 2012 provides unique sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact Kelela Wakefield, kwakefield@ci.ontario.ca.us or 909.395.2297.

About The City of Ontario: The City of Ontario in Southern California ’Thinks like a business’. Located just 35 miles from Los Angeles, Ontario is uniquely positioned as an important “economic engine”. Ontario is home to Ontario International Airport, and an incomparable transportation system of three major freeways and two railroads that provide access to the region, the nation and the globe. With a highly skilled local talent base and lower cost space than coastal counties, Ontario, California is the place to do business. For more information, visit www.OntarioThinksBusiness.com.

This workshop will guide participants through the various options available to an entrepreneur as far as legal entities.  Explored within the workshop will be when a sole proprietorship makes sense, which entities offer limited liability, what tax benefits are found within each entity, and the benefits and burdens of each different entity.

The workshop will be presented by Kathie Browne, Attorney at Law, who has been an attorney since 1985 and currently practices in Rancho Mirage, specializing in business and corporate law, estate planning, employment law, real estate development, and finance and construction law.  Ms. Browne received her J.D. degree from Southwestern University, and an LL.M. in Corporate Law from New York University.

The CVWBC is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at California State University San Bernardino in partnership with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The CVWBC provides free business counseling, training, mentoring, and networking designed for entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on women in business or women who want to start a business. The Center’s programs and services are targeted to a diverse range of needs and skill levels to meet client needs, providing services both in English and Spanish.  In an effort to encourage entrepreneurship, CVWBC provides assistance to all persons, regardless of gender, and in spite of the inference of our name.

The Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center is located at 77-806 Flora Road, Suite C in Palm Desert.  For an appointment, information on the programs and services, 2012 Calendar of seminars and events or more information please contact Kim Scanlan at 760.345.9200, visit and register at www.cvwbc.org.

“In honor of Stater Bros. Supermarkets 75th Anniversary, Stater Bros. Charities’ focus for 2011 has been to help children-in-need,” said Sarah Cain, executive director of Stater Bros. Charities. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation was just a perfect fit and hopefully we’ve been able to bring a little bit of holiday joy to the kids helped by this great organization, as well.”

Board members from Stater Bros. joined Cain and presented the check at Make-A-Wish’s Holiday Open House in Riverside on November 17. In return, they received four plaques featuring a picture and wish story for each of the children whose wish Stater Bros. had adopted. The night was made even more memorable when Cain and the others met and had the opportunity to connect with two of those children and their families.

Devine, age 15, was one of those kids. Devine, who has a rare medical condition leading to tumors in his respiratory track, wished to have an electronics shopping spree. Armed with the list of items he hoped to buy, Devine set out on his wish day with a wide grin and a happy heart. Devine’s mother, Stacy, came to the open house with her son. She was grateful for the chance to meet the people from Stater Bros. who were responsible for giving her son an unforgettable day and helping his wish come true.

The three other wishes adopted by Stater Bros. included Brendan, Donald and Jade.

Brendan, who wished to go to Canada, is a 17-year-old boy battling leukemia. He grew up watching hockey with his dad, who was born in Canada. Brendan wanted to go to Toronto because he is passionate about hockey, and as a hockey fan, Brendan knew Toronto was the place to go. He and his family spent a week touring the city, going to Niagara Falls and visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame. The trip provided the much needed respite from his fight with leukemia and allowed him to feel like a normal, carefree teenager.

Donald is also a 17-year-old boy, living in Corona, who was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. Donald’s father bought a 1965 Mustang for Donald right before he got his driver’s license. The two planned on restoring the car together, but their plans came to a halt when Donald got sick.

When Donald was asked what his most heartfelt wish was, he knew instantly it would be to have his Mustang restored. Make-A-Wish contacted the folks at Barry’s Speed Shop, and before long, Donald’s car was completely overhauled. When the car was revealed to him, Donald was speechless, but the smile on Donald’s face said it all.

The fourth wish adopted by Stater Bros. was for 6-year-old Jade. This little girl is fascinated with everything Disney. When it came time for her to tell her wish granters what she wanted, she told them she wished to go the Walt Disney World Resort. While watching all the shows she loves on the Disney Channel, she saw the Resort and knew she had to visit there someday. Jade, who has leukemia, was flown with her family to Florida where they all experienced the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center and Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. To top it off, Jade got to eat at restaurants with her favorite Disney characters right by her side. Her wish allowed Jade and her family to leave all their struggles and stress behind them.

All four of these wishes provide lasting memories that will be cherished, not just for the wish kids, but for the families, too. According to a recent study, the wish experience can actually mark a turning point in a child’s fight against their illness. The study also showed a wish granted can help repair and strengthen a family, often strained by the stress of the illness.

Stater Bros. contributed to the well-being of numerous people through adopting the wishes of Devine, Brendan, Donald and Jade. The donation made a real, immediate impact on lives of everyone involved. Presenting the check at the open house was truly special, adding to the magic of the night. Stephanie McCormick, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish, was on-hand for the presentation.

“Stater Bros. clearly defines what it means to be a community partner,” McCormick said. “They have reached out and touched the lives of not just four children, but their families and the community, as well. We are grateful for their generosity and support.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire grants more than 300 local wishes a year. The Foundation relies on the support of the community and companies like Stater Bros. to help in its mission of granting wishes.

Somewhere in the world, every hour of every day, a child’s wish comes true thanks to the generosity of individuals and communities who support Make-A-Wish Foundation® through fundraising efforts. To find out more information about Make-A-Wish, please visit www.wishocie.org. To learn more about corporate involvement, please contact Kim Stauffer at (951) 321-0179 ext. 313.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with 62 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 200,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

About Stater Bros. Charities

Stater Bros. Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports critical needs in the communities where Stater Bros. employees live and work.  Since 2008, Stater Bros. Charities has provided over $5 million to countless local organizations and causes that benefit hunger relief, children in need, education for both youth and adults, services for the elderly and care for our Nation’s Veterans.  Funds are raised throughout the year from generous customers, supplier friends, and caring members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family.  For more information, log onto www.staterbros.com.

Lewis and Calvert also wrote to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, warning that the city’s Los Angeles World Airports agency must take immediate steps to either improve business at Ontario or turn it over to Inland Empire officials to operate and market. Without immediate action, Lewis and Calvert warned that the airport may be lost to the region.

“We strongly urge DOT to closely examine Los Angeles World Airport’s governance of Ontario International Airport,” the congressmen wrote to LaHood. “As currently structured, the aviation, traffic, and environmental needs of southern California are not being satisfied.  Without action, we are precariously close to losing the airport, a vital component to the economic health of San Bernardino and Riverside counties.”

As frequent flyers in and out of Ontario, Congressman Lewis and Congressman Calvert have become alarmed by the sharp decline in airline service at the Inland Empire’s only commercial airport. Their concern has been heightened by recent news accounts indicating that LAWA appears to have no plan to entice more flights into the airport.

“While air travel nationwide has declined, passenger traffic at LAX has actually increased over last year, while Ontario is often completely deserted these days,” Lewis said. “I understand why Los Angeles would make protecting LAX a priority – but that is all the more reason why we need to move control to our local officials who would provide similar support for Ontario.”

“Maximizing the potential of a medium-hub, full-service airport such as Ontario Airport is key to the success of the Inland Empire, especially at a time when our economy is struggling,” Calvert said.

Once a rising star among midsize airports, Ontario is now faced with many challenges, the congressmen wrote to Villaraigosa.  Saddled with high fees and expensive fares, Ontario has lost an estimated 8,000 airport related jobs and $400 million in yearly business activity.  Flights have been reduced by 47% and 60% fewer destinations are served.  The airport has lost a third of its passengers since 2007.  The impact of Ontario’s troubles on the already struggling Inland Empire has been enormous.

The FAA has been an eager supporter of the Los Angeles World Airports’ plan to spread air traffic more evenly among airports throughout the Southern California region. By turning its focus almost entirely on LAX at the expense of Ontario operations, LAWA is seriously undermining that plan, Lewis and Calvert said. It is time to turn the operations over to more local control – either the city of Ontario or some Inland Empire airport authority – to ensure some agency is focused entirely on the success of the local airport, he said.

“Los Angeles has been a big investor in the success of Ontario, but so has the FAA, and time is running short for us to protect that investment,” Lewis said. “We need aggressive management now that will work for the improvement of Ontario, and not have to worry if more flights in one location might result in fewer somewhere else.”

“Aggressively planning for the future of Ontario airport and making it a strong alternative to LAX for passengers benefits everyone,” Calvert said.

Lewis worked closely with LaHood during his time in Congress, when they were both members of the House Appropriations Committee for many years. Lewis and Calvert, who is also a member of the committee, hope to draw on their relationship with LaHood to convince the FAA to push for a resolution to the Ontario decline.

San Bernardino, November 22, 2011—Tough economic times can be opportunities.

With over two decades of successful client growth, Ron Burgess, speaker, will present actual case studies and illustrate why these companies have been able to grow, even in tough economic times.

The seminar, provided at NO COST, will also include information on how your business can use proven marketing strategies to turn difficult economic times into new and profitable business opportunities.

With three decades as a business-marketing consultant, Ron Burgess brings a unique understanding of marketing possibilities to small and mid-sized companies. A frequent speaker at marketing industry meetings, he has authored over one-hundred articles on marketing and the Internet. Burgess is also current President of the American Marketing Association (AMA) – Inland Empire; CEO of RedFusion Consulting; and Principal at Burgess Management Consulting. His personal clients include top market-share performers in agriculture, industry and professional services.

SBETA, (San Bernardino Employment and Training Agency) in partnership with RedFusion Consulting, has schedule this seminar, for business owners and senior managers, on November 30, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm at the SBETA offices, located at 600 Arrowhead Ave., Suite 300, San Bernardino. To reserve, call Katrina Smith at 909 888 7881, ext.269.

The service project was held at the Central City Lutheran Mission (CCLM) in San Bernardino where volunteers prepared clothes for the Mission’s resale store. The task was completed in a little over an hour; one CCLM employee indicated that it would have taken them a week to sort and organize all the items.

The second portion was spent with the students that attend the Mission’s after school program. The volunteers and students engaged in a round of dodge ball as an ice breaker to get acquainted with one another.

Volunteers  then offered 2 hours of one on one tutoring and homework assistance and finished the day by organizing  supplies for the after school program.

Overall, the volunteer event was very successful and Bank of America volunteers connected with the community on a personal level.  Bank of America is working with Arrowhead United Way to plan their next volunteer opportunity

“More local businesses are employing workers that qualify for the credit, which is a good sign for many unemployed residents that have not been able to get a job because they have difficulty obtaining employment,” said Wendy Clements, SBVEZ zone manager.

Last year, approximately 2,300 vouchers were filed by 182 businesses. This year 200 businesses have already taken advantage of the incentive.

The hiring tax credit is the most commonly used program incentive, which grants employers a tax deduction on their state income tax for each qualified worker they employ.  Workers that qualify for the credit are those that (1) were hired after January 2006, (2) work in the zone area, and (3) face challenges to employment such as long periods of joblessness, lack of skills and education, and having a disability or criminal history.

In order to claim the tax credit, a business must file a voucher certificate with an SBVEZ agent for each worker.

About the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone

The San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone is an Enterprise Zone established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development to encourage investment, growth, development and job creation in economically distressed areas of the county. The zone covers approximately 42 square miles and includes areas of Colton, San Bernardino and unincorporated portions of San Bernardino County. The Enterprise Zone is a joint effort between the Inland Valley Development Agency, City of Colton, City of San Bernardino, and the County of San Bernardino.  For more information, visit www.SBVEZ.com, or email wclemetns@sbrda.org

Palm Desert, California. – The Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center (CVWBC) will present a new workshop, “So You Want a Website…Steps to Achieve Online Marketing Success” on November 17, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the CVWBC office, at 77-806 Flora Road, Suite C, in Palm Desert.  The cost for the workshop is $15 with online registration; registrations must be completed by end of business of October 16.  To register online, visit the CVWBC website at www.cvwbc.org. For more information, call 760.345.9200.

This workshop will focus on the development of an online presence and the website’s role in the business.  Topics included in the workshop will be planning and establishment of site goals, design and content development, functionality and the visitor experience, SEO, the social media tie in, and much more.  Facilitated by Suzan Chin, CMO of Creative Raven, and Fadi Andraus, SEO and Social Media Specialist of Creative Raven, this promises to be a highly informative, motivating, and interactive workshop.

Suzan Chin comes to CVWBC as a volunteer instructor. A former marketing and public relations director for an international hi-tech opto-electronics manufacturing firm serving the wastewater and civil infrastructure security segments, Suzan brings year of expertise and experience to the table. 

The CVWBC is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at California State University San Bernardino in partnership with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The CVWBC provides free business counseling, training, mentoring, and networking designed for entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on women in business or women who want to start a business. The Center’s programs and services are targeted to a diverse range of needs and skill levels to meet client needs, providing services both in English and Spanish.  In an effort to encourage entrepreneurship, CVWBC provides assistance to all persons, regardless of gender, and in spite of the inference of our name.

The Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center is located at 77-806 Flora Road, Suite C in Palm Desert.  For an appointment, information on the programs and services, 2011 Calendar of seminars and events or more information please contact Kim Scanlan at 760.345.9200, visit and register at www.cvwbc.org.

You are invited to our  new location grand opening event!!!

Performance Fitness Studio
Saturday, November 19 at 11:00am – 5:00pm
21 E Citrus Ave
Redlands, Ca

Special Guest Krissy Chin IFBB Figure Pro

Free fitness and nutrition demo – expert diets and training tips plus free samples.
(restrictions apply)

http://www.performance-site.com/

Welcome to Performance Fitness Studio in downtown Redlands.  Our mission at Performance is a commitment to enrich the quality of life through safe and effective physical activity; to guide and
motivate our clients to improve their lifestyle and to achieve a healthier, functional, beautiful body.

“This is a great opportunity for us to meet and share ideas with other CA Technologies customers and partners,” says Ryan Hughes, Skygone Inc. COO. Earlier this year, Hughes was recognized as a “Cloud Accelerator” by CA Technologies, joining an elite group of cloud thought leaders and experts.

Powered by the CA AppLogic platform, Skygone Cloud can offer customers instantly deployable web applications as part of a robust and scalable IT infrastructure that fully contains everything it needs to run. The technology also enables customers to easily scale and replicate entire applications, host mission-critical applications on a redundant, high-performance infrastructure, maintain legacy applications that reside on legacy platforms and provide instant development platforms for developing new applications.

“Skygone is positioned as the leading GIS cloud provider on our cloud platform. Skygone’s vendor-neutral approach allows them to provide the best of breed GIS technologies from both commercial and open source providers,” says Ryan Shopp, senior director of product marketing, Virtualization and Automation, CA Technologies.

Through Skygone’s GIS application store, theGISmarketplace.com, customers can take advantage of the CA AppLogic platform to instantly deploy prepackaged geospatial solutions to solve many business problems. Whether businesses are looking to implement location-based services (LBS) for their customer base, manage assets and facilities, or conduct risk-avoidance “what-if” scenarios, theGISmarketplace.com makes available a wide variety of cloud-based geospatial solutions from the industry’s leading GIS applications.

“Our cloud platform is ideal for mobile development because we can support the entire product lifecycle from development, to testing, to deployment,” says Val Dotchkov, Skygone Inc. CTO. “We also have the knowledge and experience in location intelligent integration into enterprise business systems like SAP, Salesforce and help desk systems.”

For additional information, contact Skygone at info@skygoneinc.com or call 1-888-759-4471

About Skygone
Skygone enables organizations to implement leading-edge, enterprise-class solutions, quickly and efficiently by leveraging the Cloud.  Skygone’s depth and experience with geospatial technology, cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), virtualization, green technologies and data center consolidation services has made Skygone a go-to service provider for commercial and government customers around the globe. www.skygoneinc.com.

About theGISmarketplace.com
theGISmarketplace is a gathering place for you, the end-user of geospatial technology to discover solutions from leading and specialty software vendors in a neutral, no spin setting; to decide which technology is best for you with the help of comments from your peers, uploaded real-life implementation cases, and social networking plug-ins; and to deploy your chosen technology, in most cases instantly, on secure and high-performance environment powered by Cloud Computing.theGISmarketplace.com is operated by the GIS and Cloud Computing professionals at Skygone.

Follow Skygone & theGISMarketplace

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/skygone  | http://twitter.com/#!/thegismp

Facebook: www.facebook.com/skygone | www.facebook.com/thegismarketplace

San Bernardino, CA (November 8, 2011) – The County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board’s partnership with California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) helped a local manufacturer, Microdyne Plastics, create a more competitive pricing structure and identify cost savings to maintain profitability.

Judy Lopez, Director of Business Development at Microdyne has witnessed many changes since she joined the company in 1975. The recent recession demonstrated the need for a major cultural shift in order to succeed in this new climate.

“As competition grew, we didn’t want to lose jobs because we bid half a cent more than the company down the street,” she said. “We needed to reevaluate our suppliers and our pricing structure, cut costs if possible and look at ways to aggressively market ourselves rather than rely entirely on word-of-mouth.”

Lopez learned about the County’s Business Consulting Program after attending a marketing seminar hosted by the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board. This program provides local employers an opportunity to receive consulting services in cost cutting and marketing at no cost. In May 2011, Microdyne began an intensive process audit performed by California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC®) and began designing a new website with Ron Stark of Voice Marketing.

“Businesses that struggled most in this recession shared a common trait in that they could not easily shift production into different market segments,” said Michael Goblowsky, Account Manager for CMTC. “We showed Microdyne not only where they could cut costs and streamline operations, but also how they could expand and diversify to create new market opportunities.”

Microdyne completed the program in September 2011 and recently launched their new website at www.MicrodynePlastics.com.

“We are leaner and feel ready to take on new opportunities as well as create them with our new marketing plan and our website,” Lopez said proudly.

In 2010, the San Bernardino County’s Workforce Investment Board’s Business Consulting Program helped employers retain 902 jobs and create 204 new jobs.

“Our County Workforce Investment Board’s business consulting program is one of the few offered in the nation that streamlines and empowers regional employers,” said Chair Josie Gonzales, County of San Bernardino Fifth District Supervisor. “This is another example of why San Bernardino County is a great place to do business.”

“We are very proud of the results from the Business Consulting Program,” said Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board. “Our partners have given employers the tools they need to grow and have provided our workforce with new opportunities for long-term stability.”

Employers and job seekers can find out more information about the business consulting program and services offeredthrough their local San Bernardino County One-Stop Employment Resource Centers located in Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino and Hesperia.  Please visit: http://www.sbcounty.gov/csb-win/wia.htm.

About the Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County

The Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County is comprised of private business representatives and public partners appointed by the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors.  The Board strives to strengthen the skills of the County’s workforce through partnerships with business, education and community-based organizations. The County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors is committed to providing county resources which generate jobs and investment.

The Workforce Investment Board, through the County of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency and Workforce Development Department, operates the County of San Bernardino Employment Resource Centers (ERCs) and Business Resource Centers (BRCs). The ERCs provide individuals with job training, placement and the tools to strengthen their skills to achieve a higher quality of life, and the BRCs support and provide services to the County’s businesses including employee recruitment.

“This workshop covers the basics of starting a small business and introduces entrepreneurs to a variety of low-cost business resources,” said Lori Tillery, San Bernardino Economic Development Agency economic development manager.

The workshop will also focus on issues such as business financing, licensing and planning and how to become an entrepreneur. The seminar is co-sponsored by the California Small Business Development Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To register online go to www.iesmallbusiness.com or call 909.888.9011 for more information.

About the City of San Bernardino’s Office of Business Development

The Office of Business Development, a branch of the City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency, was created to promote business recruitment, assist with business retention and provide business resources and information to San Bernardino area businesses and companies. The Office of Business Development is funded by the City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency. For more information call 909.963.5026, visit www.sbbizresource.com or follow them on Facebook.

To Be Discussed:
Exports have the potential of becoming a significant source of growth for the Inland Empire, especially after the 2008-2009 recession. This unique report provides a detailed forecast and analysis of Inland Empire Exports.

Highlights

• Inland Empire is in the nation’s top 10% (40th out of 378 MSA) Metro Statiscial Areas based on export volumes originated in the area

• In California, the Inland Empire ranked 5th in exports ($5.3 billion) behind Los Angeles MSA ($51.5 billion), San

Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ($21.4 billion), San Francisco -

Oakland-Fremont ($16 billion), and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos ($13.4billion)

• Exports account for 5.7% of Inland Empire economy, with significant potential for upside

San Bernardino, CA (November 4, 2011) – The County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board (WIB) has been an instrumental partner in helping local manufacturers such as California Steel Industries, Inc. (CSI) successfully graduate 34 electricians and 17 mechanics from its craft development program. The in-house program provides on-the-job training and mentoring for employees to become “A” level electricians, mechanics or machinists. Starting salary for the trainees is $20.17 per hour. Upon graduation, an electrician’s pay increases to $32.32 per hour; machinists and mechanics to $30.22 per hour.

Currently, CSI has 43 employees in their training programs who attend classes tailored specifically to their respective trades at Chaffey College and San Bernardino Valley College. Employees from member businesses of the Manufacturers Council of the Inland Empire also attend classes.

“The program began 13 years ago and we have been very successful in developing high quality technicians who have become fully qualified craft workers at CSI,” said Brett Guge, Executive Vice President – Finance and Administration at California Steel Industries, Inc.

A survey of 800 manufacturers conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in 2005 reported that more than 80% experienced a shortage of skilled workers. When California Steel’s regional and national efforts to recruit qualified “A” level electricians, mechanics and machinists fell short, CSI  responded by creating the craft development programs assisted by the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board.

“Our company faced a shortage of skilled craft workers as our current workforce neared retirement age,” said Guge. “Even in this economy, we could not find qualified people to step into these positions.”

“Manufacturers across the nation are having trouble finding skilled workers, but here in San Bernardino County, the Workforce Investment Board supports our employers and employees with federally funded training programs to develop our local workforce with the skills local employers seek,” said Chair Josie Gonzales, County of San Bernardino Fifth District Supervisor.

The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board provides services to all manufacturers throughout the county. The Business Resource Team reaches out to employers of all sizes to help train and develop skilled employees as well as provide no-cost recruitment and hiring services. In 2010, the Business Resource Team saved county employers $3,647,877 through On-the-Job Training program reimbursement, and helped nearly 6,000 job seekers gain employment.

Employers and job seekers can find more information about the job training programs and services through their local San Bernardino County One-Stop Employment Resource Centers located in Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino and Hesperia.  Please visit:http://www.sbcounty.gov/csb-win/wia.htm.

About the Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County

The Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County is comprised of private business representatives and public partners appointed by the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors.  The WIB strives to strengthen the skills of the County’s workforce through partnerships with business, education and community-based organizations. The County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors is committed to providing County resources which generate jobs and investment.

The Workforce Investment Board, through the County of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency and Workforce Development Department, operates the County of San Bernardino Employment Resource Centers (ERCs) and Business Resource Centers (BRCs). The ERCs provide individuals with job training, placement and the tools to strengthen their skills to achieve a higher quality of life, and the BRCs support and provide services to the County’s businesses including employee recruitment.

The contracting and procurement event is an opportunity for small businesses to learn from and network with buyers and procurement professionals from utilities, cable companies and government agencies.

“This event will help small businesses gain access to public sector contracts in a personalized and informal setting,” said Assemblymember Carter, who will give opening remarks along with retired Assemblymember Gwen Moore. “The networking opportunities will expand businesses and help create more jobs in the Inland Empire.”

The event is free and includes continental breakfast, workshops, and business matchmaking. For additional information and to RSVP, contact Sheila Futch at Assemblymember Carter’s District Office (909) 820-5008 or at sheila.futch@asm.ca.gov.

NOTE:  This event is open to qualified industry professionals by invitation only. Please call Amy Blanes at 909-217-7400 to request an invitation.   

Solar Atmospheres is a commercial vacuum heat treating facility headquartered in Pennsylvania.  Last year, Solar decided to invest in a 22,000 square foot, 9 million dollar  green field plant in Fontana  to gain a share of the heat treating business for the greater Los Angeles area. That market is estimated to be over 100 million dollars per year. Solar Atmospheres’ vacuum furnaces provide heat-treating, brazing, carburizing of metal parts for manufacturers in a variety of industries.

Solar also chose to locate in the Inland Empire due to the numerous business incentives such as Southern California Edison rebates and tax-exempt and the California Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission industrial development bonds (IDBs). The company will also be working with the County of San Bernardino Workforce Development Department in hiring new employees.