Member of the Month Archive

Greater Irvine Chamber Member Marketing Opportunities

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

Marketing is at a particular premium during these economically challenged times. As one of the many benefits of membership, the Greater Irvine Chamber offers several opportunities for members to market their products and services. Members are encouraged to: Market updates of products and services updates on their company directory profile page (accessed through the member portal) Upload product and services marketing/promotions (whether a discount or not) to the hot deals page (accessed through member portal) Submit events to the community calendar Submit newsworthy articles (other than product/services promotion or events) for inclusion in our website news Advertise with the Chamber Tourism-related businesses, retail, and restaurants have th...

Economic Vitality Council Examines Disruptions Caused by COVID-19 Pandemic, Preparation for Future Disasters

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

During its mid-year July meeting held online, the Greater Irvine Chamber Economic Vitality Council (EVC) discussed lessons learned from the Coronavirus pandemic and steps the Chamber can take to help better prepare Irvine businesses for possible future disruptions. While assisting Irvine businesses the last few months, the Chamber and City of Irvine management team found that this pandemic revealed the extent to which Irvine businesses were or were not prepared to respond, manage or mitigate the disruptions caused by COVID-19. In breakout sessions, EVC members used these insights to identify ways to help businesses now and in the future. “The Chamber is in a unique position to leverage our networks...

Good Attendance Leads to Leads Groups’ Record Success Despite Remote Networking

Monday, July 13, 2020

The success of the Greater Irvine Chamber’s six Leads Groups is undoubtedly in large part due to record attendance. Attendance has been at its highest level despite networking being conducted online amid COVID-19 closures and social distancing practices. Following are Leads Groups members with the highest attendance record for FY 2019-2020: 22 meetings – John Forbes and Samantha Kist (1st & 3rd AM Wednesday) 22 meetings – Brian Page (1st & 3rd Wednesday) 21 meetings – Courtney Nakagawa (2nd & 4th Monday) 21 meetings – Ailene Dewar and David Harrington (1st & 3rd Tuesday) 21 meetings – Claire Na and Reza Ray Ghamsari (2nd & 4th Thursday) 13 meeting...

Record-Breaking Year for Leads Groups with $22.2 Million in Closed Business Referrals; David Feldberg Earns 2019-2020 FY Rainmaker Title with $5.7 Million

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

The 2019-2020 fiscal year was a record-breaking year for Greater Irvine Chamber Leads Groups. With more than 2,200 leads exchanged, the six leads groups generated $22,247,720 in closed business referrals during the period, surpassing any figure during the history of the program. David Feldberg has earned the Greater Irvine Chamber’s title of Rainmaker for the fiscal year July 2019 to June 2020, with $5,778,818 in closed business referrals. His performance in the 1st & 3rd Wednesday Leads Group contributed to the group’s total of $15,619,792, making it the top-earning Leads Groups for total closed business from referrals during FY 2019-2020. “The Greater Irvine Chamber continues to be a great source o...

Bryan Starr Touts Irvine’s Resilience in Irvine Standard

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

(As published in the Irvine Standard) Strong communities are made up of resilient and innovative individuals and businesses – those that courageously continue to work to find solutions, especially during times of crisis. Irvine is perhaps better positioned to weather disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic than any other city. The visionary Irvine Master Plan, established 60 years ago, and responsible city management throughout our city’s history has laid the groundwork for the best possible outcome of these unprecedented circumstances. World-Class Health Care Irvine is further bolstered by world-class health care institutions and medical personnel – all that are addressing COVID-19 and coming u...

Greater Irvine Chamber Among Select Group of Business Leaders and Dignitaries Meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a meeting with a select group of about a dozen California business leaders and government dignitaries on June 19 in Huntington Beach. Greater Irvine Chamber President and CEO Bryan Starr, along with former California Governor Pete Wilson, California Business Roundtable President Rob Lapsley, Orange County Business Council President and CEO Lucy Dunn, and others, met with Secretary of State Pompeo to discuss international trade, international relations, and cybersecurity. “Mr. Pompeo’s perspective was important to learn especially in terms of the role California and our community plays in international relations,” Starr said “With 79 languages spoken within its borders, Irvine can b...

Students Complete Greater Irvine Chamber Workforce Development Program, Exhibit Ethics

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Nearly 30 students, from Irvine High School and Portola High School, completed the semester-long Greater Irvine Chamber Ethics Forum program, created for students by the Chamber’s Business and Workforce Development Committee (BWD) in partnership with Irvine Unified School District and Vital Link. The program is designed to teach students by introducing, instructing, and promoting the process of ethical decision making, using common ethical dilemmas to determine criteria and to respond appropriately. Students learn why critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creative problem solving are critical to ensure successful situational outcomes. “The world we live in is filled with problems that have a lo...

Greater Irvine Chamber Awards John Colvin Memorial Scholarships for the Sixth Year

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

For the sixth year, the Greater Irvine Chamber awarded John Colvin Memorial Scholarships, this year totaling $11,500, to students who have been accepted to or are currently enrolled in a four-year degree program at a university or college in Irvine. Eligible students must have a 3.0 GPA or higher, a demonstrated commitment to a fitness lifestyle, and an objective of contributing to the health and economic vitality of Irvine and California in the future. The 2020 scholarship recipients were announced during the Chamber’s digitally presented Orange County World Trade Week. They are UC Irvine students Anganette Emily Cisneros, Jada Perez, and Isabela Zavalos...

Stephen Armstrong Named Greater Irvine Chamber 2020 Partner of the Year

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Stephen Armstrong, president and co-founder of MAPLE Business Council and principal of 360 Marketer, was named the Greater Irvine Chamber 2020 Partner of the Year for his support and volunteer leadership of the Chamber’s international development initiatives. For a number of years, Armstrong has helped grow the Chamber’s international presence, promote trade between Canada and Orange County, and tout Irvine for trade and investment. As a co-founder of MAPLE Business Council, Armstrong has forged a solid bridge between Canada and California. He is a champion of trade and investment, having executed several successful missions to Vancouver and Toronto to promote Irvin...

Suavecito Named Greater Irvine Chamber 2020 Exporter of the Year

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Santa Ana-based cosmetic product company Suavecito was named the Greater Irvine Chamber 2020 Exporter of the Year for its successful export strategies. This annual award, this year presented digitally during the Chamber’s Orange County World Trade Week Forum, showcases an Orange County-based business that has expanded its markets through successful export strategies. Launching the company in 2010, Suavecito’s founders began distributing their original product to friends and family. They have since scaled the company, successfully growing their markets, and now export their products to more than 55 countries around the world including Canada, Mexico, and Russia. The Suavecito brand now boasts mor...

Orange County is Built for Resilience

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

By Bryan Starr, President & CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber | Published in the May 25 issue of the Orange County Business Journal By many estimates, California is better positioned for economic recovery as we emerge from the Coronavirus crisis than any other state in the nation. While the state isn’t quite yet out of the woods, Orange County itself is ready to open. Monitoring trend lines of the disease to determine when and how to reopen business is a smart strategy. How we will fare is not purely a numbers game, however. Where the Golden State really shines—always, but particularly in times of crisis—i...

Orange County World Trade Week Captures Global Audience

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

In its sixth year, the Greater Irvine Chamber’s annual Orange County Work Trade Week Forum (OCWTW) captured a global audience with attendees tuning in to the digitized event from countries including Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and various states in the U.S. A lineup of speakers and panelists from across the globe delivered information on the current state of international trade as it relates to the economic disruptions caused by the Coronavirus. Mark O’Connell, CEO, OCO Global, calling in from Belfast, Ireland, in his keynote discussed Globalization: Pandemic, Populism, and Power, bringing attention to sectors hit hardest by the pandemic including travel and hospitality, aerospace, and transportation, and energy and infrastructure. O’Connell als...

Jorge Mora Named Greater Irvine Chamber May 2020 Member of the Month

Tuesday, May 05, 2020

Jorge Mora, business development consultant, KTimeHR, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber May 2020 Member of the Month. “Hands down, the most significant benefit that I’ve received as a member of the Greater Irvine Chamber are the relationships I’ve made. I have had the pleasure of meeting some phenomenal individuals across a wide variety of professions and have the privilege of now calling many of them friends,” said Mora. “I’ve also been very successful converting some leads into new business. I highly recommend the Chamber to anyone looking to meet top-notch professionals.” A member since 2019, Mora has regularly attended Networker...

David Feldberg Earns Q2 2020 Rainmaker Title with $2 Million in Closed Business Referrals

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

David Feldberg has earned the Greater Irvine Chamber’s title of Rainmaker for the second quarter in 2020 with $2,221,500 in closed business referrals. His performance in the Wednesday Leads Group contributed to the group’s total of $4,344,427, making it the top-earning Leads Groups for total closed business from referrals during the period. “The Greater Irvine Chamber continues to be a great source of business for me year after year. Joining the Chamber is, without a doubt, the single best business decision I have ever made for my business,” said Feldberg. “Each year that I am involved, I further cement the friendship...

Jennifer Annes Named Greater Irvine Chamber April 2020 Member of the Month

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Jennifer Annes, director of business development, Enterprise Data Solutions, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber April 2020 Member of the Month. “In my time as a member of the Greater Irvine Chamber, I have learned the value, integrity, heart, and mind of the many people who work and live in this community each and every day. They are true collaborators and mentors, and together we are making a difference,” said Annes. “When you have this type of impact, your business is better, your communities are better, and there is more to go around for everyone.” Since joining the Chamber in 2018...

City of Irvine’s Pete Carmichael Provides Update on Community Reinvestment at Greater Irvine Chamber

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Pete Carmichael, director of Community Development for the City of Irvine, during the March Greater Irvine Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee meeting, brought business and community leaders up to date on One Irvine, the city’s community reinvestment initiative, as well as new state policies and legislation impacting the city. Through One Irvine, the city partners with the residents of older Irvine neighborhoods to identify needs, and through a Neighborhood Action Plan developed by the city, to enhance curb appeal and maintain property values. Carmichael also addressed the traffic impact of development and steps the city is taking to address the issue, such a...

Greater Irvine Chamber Members Are Eligible for Rewards for Booking Group Meetings at Irvine Hotels

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Destination Irvine’s Loyalty Pays Off program offers exclusive rewards to Greater Irvine Chamber members that book group meetings in Irvine. Groups booking 10-30 rooms total earn $300 toward their hotel account, groups booking 31-74 rooms total earn $500, and groups booking 75+ rooms earn $750. Participating Irvine hotels include, AC Hotel, Atrium Hotel, Candlewood Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Irvine Airport, Courtyard Irvine Spectrum, DoubleTree by Hilton, Irvine Spectrum, Embassy Suites Irvine, Extended Stay America - Irvine Spectrum, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Irvine, Homewood Suites, John Wayne Airport, Hotel Irvine, Hyatt House, Irvine Marriott, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, Irvine Spectrum, Marriot...

Whit Peterson Promoted to Senior Director of Economic Development and Government Affairs at the Greater Irvine Chamber

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Whit Peterson has been promoted to Senior Director of Economic Development and Government Affairs at the Greater Irvine Chamber. Since joining the Chamber’s professional staff in 2016 as Director of Government Affairs, the scope of Peterson’s work has expanded to include facilitating decision-making incentives and transition benefits to qualified life science companies in their expansion to Irvine, made available through the Chamber’s Irvine Gateway soft-landing transition program. “Whit has proven to be an effective liaison for executives navigating the Irvine business landscape as they consider and plan expansion to our city,” said Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber. “His knowledge of busines...

Greater Irvine Chamber Represents SoCal Region at Pew Charitable Trusts’ Forum

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

The Greater Irvine Chamber was invited to join Pew Charitable Trusts for their 2020 Flood-Prepared Communities forum in Washington, D.C. in February. The Chamber’s Senior Director of Government Affairs and Economic Development Whit Peterson represented the Southern California region as a stakeholder during the three-day event with the Pew’s policy team. The focus of the event was to bring awareness to several pieces of legislation centered around modernizing federal flood insurance, mitigating disasters, prioritizing flood-ready infrastructure, promoting nature-based solutions to mitigate flooding, and addressing repetitive flood-loss properties. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created in 1968 to provide federally-backed floo...

UK Companies Look to Expand in Irvine

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

The Greater Irvine Chamber economic development team led by the organization’s Executive Vice President Linda DiMario visited London in February for scheduled meetings with expansion-ready U.K. companies looking to grow in the U.S. This visit was an extension of the Chamber-led foreign direct investment initiative underway for the last three years. The goal of this most recent visit was to illustrate to more life science and technology companies that Irvine/Orange County is a smart choice for the expansion of their company into the U.S. “We have signaled to U.K. life-science and technology sectors that Irvine and its innovation ecosystem are seriou...

University Lab Partners, Irvine Company, Greater Irvine Chamber Executives Welcome OC’s First Wet-Lab Incubator

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

Celebrating the grand opening of University Lab Partners (ULP), Orange County’s first wet-lab incubator, ULP Founder and President Ken Beall, Irvine Company President Doug Holte, and Greater Irvine Chamber President and CEO Bryan Starr welcomed guests to the Feb. 27 program at UCI Beall Applied Innovation. “University Lab Partners is an important addition to Irvine’s life science and med-tech startup community; it provides a home for early-stage bioscience and med-tech companies that need an environment where they can work to advance their technology forward,” Starr said. “ULP provides a unique opportunity for small companies in these sectors to successfully scale int...

Hoag Receives Highest Nursing Credential with Prestigious Magnet Recognition

Monday, March 02, 2020

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has again attained Magnet recognition for its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. As part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program, this voluntary credentialing program is the highest honor an organization can receive for professional nursing practice. “Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and is an incredible source of pride for our nurses,” said Robert T. Braithwaite, president and CEO, Hoag. “To earn this prestigious designation for an additional four years underscores the foundation of excellence and values that drives our entire staff to deliver the highest quality of care to this community.” Magnet has become the gold standar...

Innovation Drives Orange County’s World-Renowned Cancer Care and Healthcare

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

By Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber Innovation is the key to Orange County’s exceptional healthcare and is what sets our healthcare and its delivery far apart from other parts of the nation and the world. Patients accessing healthcare in Irvine, from routine maintenance to advanced disease treatment, receive top care delivered by some of the world’s most expert practitioners using the latest science and technology. The following are some of the ways Greater Irvine Chamber-partner healthcare institutions are at the leading edge of medical research and patient care in Irvine and Orange County. Cancer Care City of Hope, named the bes...

Greater Irvine Chamber Brings Home Top Awards from Executive Association

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

The Greater Irvine Chamber was honored with top awards by the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) for its communications accomplishments and portfolio in front of more than 400 attendees during the 2020 W.A.C.E. Conference in Portland, Oregon. The Chamber received the top honor of best Overall Communications Program Award, as well as first place in the E-Newsletter category for its Weekly Connection digital newsletter, and Special Merit in the Website category. Jessica Welch, vice president of operations, Greater Irvine Chamber, was recognized as a recently W.A.C.E. Accredited Chamber Executive for her own professional development, as well as encouraging that of other chambe...

Greater Irvine Chamber EVP Linda DiMario Discusses During Podcast Reasons Irvine is an Ideal Home for Global Companies

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Linda DiMario, executive vice president, Greater Irvine Chamber, spoke to Irvine’s strength and attractiveness as a hub for global companies in a recent episode of Going Global With America’s Best Cities, a podcast of Global Trade Magazine. DiMario, who leads Economic Development initiatives at the Chamber including business attraction and foreign direct investment, discussed the reasons global companies and companies involved in exporting find Irvine the ideal place to do business. “It’s because our companies are working in a very compatible environment in which they can grow and prosper and experiment…without fear of risk. We are a very much 21st-century sector-drive...

Greater Irvine Chamber Members Recognized for Excellence in Entrepreneurship

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Five Greater Irvine Chamber members are among the nominees for the Orange County Business Journal’s 2019 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards: The Chamber’s Board of Directors Chair Dan Han, Agapay; Board member Ville Houttu, Vincit; and members at large, John Bradley Jackson, CSUF Center for Entrepreneurship; Mathew Jacobson, Ducere Global Business School; and Greg Krueger, Uplift Transport The Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards program recognizes individuals who exemplify the American entrepreneurial spirit – individuals who by their creativity and determination have established and nurtured successful business ventures. Award recipients will be formally recognized during the fifth annual 2020 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards program o...

HBLA’s Dov Lazarus, City of Hope’s Nisha Morris Elected to Greater Irvine Chamber Board of Directors

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Dov Lazarus, CPA, audit partner at HBLA Certified Public Accountants, Inc., and Nisha Morris, associate vice president, Marketing and Communications at City of Hope Orange County, have been elected to serve on the 2020-2021 Greater Irvine Chamber Board of Directors. Lazarus has more than twenty years of accounting and auditing experience, with significant experience serving companies in a variety of industries including importing, manufacturing, distribution, automotive and retail. He has serviced some of the firm’s more significant clients. He previously worked at Price Waterhouse South Africa and Price Waterhouse Australia. Lazarus is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant...

Bryan Starr, President & CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Bryan M. Starr Bryan Starr is president and CEO of the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce, one of the largest chambers in California, overseeing economic development, and tourism for the organization as well as the Irvine Chamber Education Foundation. Each of these areas have resulted in significant economic impact for greater Irvine and Irvine area businesses. Here are a few areas of impact: OC Poised for Continued Economic Expansion Greater Irvine Chamber Launches Boston Second Jump Campaign with Trip to East Coast Business Hub Successful Greater Irvine Chamber-led Delegation to UK Showing FDI Progress Visitors Contribute $750 Million to the Irvine Economy in 2018 Lead...

HR Expert Shares Tools for Navigating Coronavirus Impact on Businesses

Monday, March 30, 2020

Tough Times: Real Help Right Now Episode 1 - HR In this series, industry experts in the greater Irvine business community deep dive into real-time, relevant, and essential information for businesses as they react to, respond to, and recover from the current global health crisis. The first episode in the series features human resources expert Brian Montes of Scaleocity Works. Resources: Company Property Policy Template Forgiveable Small Business Loan Information Sheet Sample Furlough Letter Surviving COVID-19 Crisis Presentation

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