Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce
Our mission is to advance the economic vitality of greater Irvine.
Our mission is to advance the economic vitality of greater Irvine.
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The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, suggesting the labor market was holding firm despite a manufacturing slowdown and concerns the economy is on a path toward recession. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 for the week ended Aug. 17, the Labor Department said. The decline was sharper than expected. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims would drop to 216,000 in the latest week. U.S. stock index futures held onto gains following the data’s publication. The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, edged up 500 to 214,500 last week. Last week’s claims data falls during the same week the Labor Department conducts surveys used to estimate national employment during the month of August. The four-week average for new unemployment benefits claims was lower than the corresponding week in July, a positive signal for employment during the month. There are few signs a bitter trade war between the United States and China was spilling over to the national labor market, although growth in manufacturing jobs has slowed this year. While hiring has cooled, the pace of job gains remains well abov...
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Governor Gavin Newsom, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and California Volunteers released the grantees awarded $50 million in local disaster resilience grants and announced the official launch of the state’s new emergency preparedness campaign, known as Listos (Ready) California, to build resiliency in vulnerable communities at high risk for wildfires and other disasters. Climate change has created a new wildfire reality in California and socially vulnerable communities are disproportionally impacted by devastating wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters. Listos California is a new effort to boost disaster preparedness by engaging a statewide network of community-based organizations, CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams), Listos, AmeriCorps NCCC, veterinary organizations, Fire Safe Councils and management teams to ensure the state’s most vulnerable are ready when disaster strikes. “Emergency preparedness is not government’s responsibility alone. Solutions can’t be top-down – they have to come from the bottom-up,” said Governor Newsom. “We need more focus on building resiliency within California’s most vulnerable communities for the destructive and deadly wildfires ahead. We’re empowering non-profit organizations and emergency responders to work together to prepare for emergencies because California is at its best when we look out for each other.” Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services...
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Joe Alvarez, a cybersecurity specialist at Cybersecurity and Cost Management Group, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber 2019 Member of the Year. “Being exposed to the Greater Irvine Chamber community has allowed me to begin to form relationships with fellow Chamber members for mutual benefit and success,” said Alvarez, a Chamber member since 2016. “I’ve had the opportunity to enhance the profile of my company by connecting with people I know, like, and trust.” Alvarez is engaged in Chamber activities and groups, including serving as Team Lead on the Ambassadors Committee, whose members take a lead role in welcoming new members to the Chamber and helping existing members remain active and involved. Alvarez was this year appointed to the Leads Group Task Force as a networking trainer. In this role, he trains all Leads Group participants on networking tips and Leads Group etiquette during Greater Irvine Chamber Networking 101 training sessions, which are held monthly. He previously served as a Leads Group chair, and is now a member of the Wednesday Morning Leads Group. Alvarez has served as a mentor for the award-winning Career Edge program. He has volunteered for Business Outreach Rallies, conducting primary research on behalf of the Chamber on th...
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Irvine, a city well-known for innovation, is home to some of the world’s top innovators. Several Orange County innovators, including a number of Greater Irvine Chamber members, are recognized through the Orange County Business Journal’s Innovator of the Year Awards program. The Innovator of the Year Award program recognizes individuals and their organizations that are creating game-changing products and services, and demonstrate leadership in innovation. This year’s Chamber member nominees: Michael Dennin – University of California, Irvine Burton Eisenberg, M.D. – Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian/Hoag Family Cancer Institute Ville Houttu - Vincit Todd Norbe – BIOLASE Inc. Amy Oppedisano – TerraTech Corp/Blüm Award recipients will be formally recognized during the fifth annual Innovator of the Year Luncheon and Awards Program on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Hotel Irvine. For more information about the event, visit ocbj.com/bizevents.
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