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.
The Greater Irvine Chamber celebrates its 40th anniversary on May 24. “As the Greater Irvine Chamber celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the organization’s professional staff and Board of Directors continue to work to support the Irvine Master Plan and to advance the economic vitality of Greater Irvine,” said Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber. “From its inception, the Chamber has supported progress in Irvine, working in collaboration with community and business partners, helping Irvine to become the global city that it is today.” Following a campaign launch in January 2019 to mark the milestone year, a more formal recognition will be held during the Chamber’s Celebrate Irvine event on June 28. Messages from key figures in the business community and city officials including Irvine Mayor Christina Shea will provide a look back on the Chamber’s role in the city, as well as thoughts on Irvine’s bright future. Over the past four decades, the Greater Irvine Chamber has been integral in the city’s growth. The Chamber has partnered with Irvine’s highly-ranked schools and 15 colleges and universities on programs that help ensure a sustainable talent pipeline for Irvine companies. Partnerships with accelerators such as UCI Applied Innovation, OCTANe, and Coded in...
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Conducting primary research on behalf of the Greater Irvine Chamber, 57 Chamber member volunteers visited more than 311 Irvine businesses during the April Business Outreach Rally. The volunteers conducted a survey to identify challenges that Irvine businesses face, and provided copies of the Business Outreach Resource Guide, which features information about support resources offered through the Chamber and its partner organizations. Out of the businesses surveyed, a majority reported that they either exceeded or met their business performance goals. The top two challenges that the surveyed businesses face are talent attraction and sales. Of the businesses surveyed, more than 65 percent are headquartered in Irvine. April’s Business Outreach Rally was led in activity by volunteer team Scott Jackson, Joe Alvarez, and Mathew Sipes who submitted the most surveys. April 24, 2018 Business Outreach Rally volunteers: Gary Abraham, Aspect Real Estate Partners, Inc. Joe Alvarez, Cybersecurity & Cost Management Group Jeannine Arrington, LegalShield Vivian Atkinson, Express Employment Professionals Cynthia Barry, CBE Office Solutions Giselle Baumet, Aspect Real Estate Partners, Inc. Dan Biedscheid, Umpqua Bank David Blair, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast Tara Bokosky, Tax and Financial Group Jamie Cansler, Council on Aging Southern California Tom Choi, Edward Jones Joanna Correa, Merrill Lynch MGC Group Cindy Denkins, Webster University Rina Durfee, Express Employment Professionals Ailene Dewar, Oasis,...
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Each year, the Greater Irvine Chamber grants scholarships to students enrolled at Irvine Valley College (IVC) in memory of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas U. Wall, a former chairman of the Irvine Valley College Foundation and the Chamber. Lt. Col. Thomas U. Wall Scholarship Committee trustees attended the 34th Annual Irvine Valley College Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 15 to award this year’s scholarship recipients: Melissa McGovern, Brandon Kessler, and Nicolas Hart. “Having the opportunity to meet with students and help them pursue continue their college education is incredibly fulfilling for both myself and the trustees of the committee,” said Whit Peterson, director of government affairs and economic development, Greater Irvine Chamber. “Their stories and their commitment to furthering themselves and their education is a true inspiration.” The scholarship is awarded to applicants who are U.S. residents, U.S. military veterans, and/or children or grandchildren of a U.S. military veteran, and are pursuing a career path in science, business, or law enforcement at IVC. Student applications were reviewed by a committee assembled by IVC. Selected students were then interviewed by trustees of the scholarship. Through Wall’s generosity, an endowment bearing his name has been created so that, in perpetuity, an annual scholarship will be awarded to student...
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By Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber As Published in the Orange County Register | Irvine World News: May 16, 2019 The adage often quoted, “It takes a village,” holds true for many important achievements. Partnerships make up the “village” of support that helps strengthen Irvine’s vibrant community, which is looked to as a model for cities throughout the world. A diverse catalog of partnerships is the cornerstone of Irvine’s success. In fact, Irvine was designed with partnerships in mind. The visionary Irvine Master Plan established more than a half-century ago planned for Irvine to be built around a university, now the University of California, Irvine (UCI), to ensure the city has a sustainable, highly-skilled workforce-ready population well into the future. Today, as then, partnerships ensure Irvine continues to provide an unparalleled quality of life for all of its residents and visitors alike. Many of the Chamber’s corporate partners are engaged in collaborative efforts that help achieve common goals in the community. Allergan and Edwards Lifesciences support Easterseals Southern California’s new Autism Therapy and Disability Services Center in Irvine which provides more than 1,000 people with state-of-the-art autism therapy services. The Allergan Foundation supports several UCI programs, including the Student Achievement Guided by Experience...
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