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UCI Applied Innovation Collaborates with Netherlands Health Campus for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

With a vision to help make Orange County a national and global leader in scalable innovation, UCI Applied Innovation recently entered into the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Collaborative Agreement with Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus of the Netherlands. The agreement was formally signed by Richard Sudek, chief innovation officer and executive director, UCI Applied Innovation, and Jan Cobbenhagen, CEO, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, during a ceremony commemorating the partnership. The signing of the agreement was followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony, led by Gerbert Kunst, Counsul General of the Netherlands, to celebrate the opening of their office at UCI Applied Innovation. The event recognized...

UCI Renews as Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle Gold Sponsor

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

University of California, Irvine (UCI) recently renewed as a Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle gold-level sponsor. Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, and innovation. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. Located in Irvine – one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities – UCI is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. Leaders Circle members of the Greater Irvine Chamber are among the...

Josh Friedman Earns Rainmaker Award for First Quarter in 2019 with More than a Quarter Million in Closed Business

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Josh Friedman has earned the Greater Irvine Chamber’s title of Rainmaker for the first quarter in 2019 with $250,349 in closed business. His performance in the Wednesday Leads Group contributed to the group’s total of $295,417, making it the top earning Leads Groups for total closed business during the period. "The Leads Group program is what drew me to join the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce. It has given me an opportunity to really get to know other business owners on a level beyond small talk at a networking event,” Friedman said. “I have developed true friendships with people that have extended...

MemorialCare Now the Official Healthcare Partner of Angels Baseball

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member MemorialCare is now the official healthcare partner of Angels Baseball. Both organizations look forward to working together to promote healthy lifestyles for baseball fans and the general population across Southern California. Two years ago, the MemorialCare brand was launched on the brand pillars of Patient Centricity, Ease and Access and Systemness. During that time, the healthcare organization shared that it would be looking for opportunities to build brand awareness externally and seize opportunities to elevate the brand. “With this partnership we will delight children at our very own MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach...

Greater Irvine Chamber Members Nominated for OC Business Journal’s Women in Business Awards

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

A number of women business professionals from Greater Irvine Chamber member companies have been nominated for the Orange County Business Journal’s 25th Annual Women in Business Awards. The nominees’ photos and profiles are featured in the Women in Business Special Report issue of the Orange County Business Journal. Greater Irvine Chamber member nominees include: Alzheimer’s Association Orange County Chapter – Anne Grey Arbonne International LLC – Bernadette Chala City National Bank – Natasha Davis, Marie-Lou Godinez City of Hope – Annette Walker City of Irvine – Janet Colclaser Cox Business – Jodi Duva Edwards Lifesciences – Diane Biagianti FivePoint – Lynn Jochim Hotel Irvine – Diane Dillon Irvine Company – Stacy...

Pretend City Offers Early Childhood Education Program to OC Businesses

Friday, April 12, 2019

Pretend City Children’s Museum recently launched, Screen, Play and Ready (SPR) to improve Orange County’s kindergarten readiness by increasing awareness of and participation in developmental screenings for children in their first 5 years. SPR provides a free Lunch and Learn program to businesses in Orange County to educate parents and caregivers on understanding early childhood development, increase regularly completed developmental screenings and provide referrals as needed, set the pattern for parents to continue regular screenings, and reduce the number of children who are not considered ready for kindergarten. The Early Development Index (EDI) data released last year from First Five/Children and...

Edwards Adds $20B Market Value in Two Years

Tuesday, April 09, 2019

What does a one-year, 35 percent jump in shares look like? For Edwards Lifesciences Corp., $10.2 billion. That’s its market cap growth over 12 months. They did it the year before, too. The Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member now trades at about $39.7 billion, up from $19.9 billion in 24 months. It’s the only Orange County-based public company with a valuation topping $20 billion, let alone pushing $40 billion, although newcomer Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is nipping at that first number Edwards in two years has added more to its market capitalization than the value of any other firm on the Business Journal’s annual...

Joe Alvarez Named Greater Irvine Chamber March 2019 Member of the Month

Tuesday, April 09, 2019

Joe Alvarez, a cybersecurity specialist for Cybersecurity and Cost Management Group, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber Member of the Month for March 2019. Alvarez has become increasingly engaged in Chamber activities and groups since becoming a member in 2016. Joining the Ambassadors Committee and moving on to become a Team Lead for the group, he takes the lead role in welcoming new members to the Chamber and helping existing members remain active and involved. Recently, Alvarez was appointed to the Leads Group Task Force as a networking trainer. In this role, he trains all Leads Group participants on networking tips...

Horizon Consumer Science Renews as Greater Irvine Chamber Silver-level Leaders Circle Sponsor

Friday, April 05, 2019

Horizon Consumer Science has renewed its Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle silver-level sponsorship. “As a member of the Leaders Circle at the Greater Irvine Chamber, Horizon has been able to connect with like-minded executives, make mutually beneficial relationships and gain understanding on how its services can positively impact the needs of the local business community,” said Dr. Ian Cesa, president and CEO, Horizon Consumer Science. “We continue to engage the Irvine and OC business community with a view to helping them ask the right questions, and get them the right answers to their business and data problems. Helping companies get the right answers...

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle Member City of Hope Raises More Than $1.2M at OC Gala

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member City of Hope’s fifth annual “Let’s Be Frank About Cancer” Gala on March 23 grossed more than $1,258,000 to support life-saving cancer programs, bringing the event’s five-year fundraising total to more than $7,292,000. Orange County cancer survivors, community leaders, and noted physicians attended the event at the Hotel Irvine, with excitement in the air as City of Hope plans to extend its care this year with a world-class cancer center in Irvine. The gala honored Emile Haddad, chairman and CEO, FivePoint, with the Frank Di Bella Humanitarian Award and Hazem Chehabi, MD with the Champion...

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle Member Horizon Consumer Science Celebrates 25 Year Milestone

Monday, March 25, 2019

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member Horizon Consumer Science has market research down to a science. For 25 years, Horizon has been focused on what most of the market research industry has not – getting the right answers to the important questions their clients have. From an office in downtown Los Angeles with a staff of one when he founded the company in 1994, Dr. Ian L. Cesa has grown Horizon into a consumer research firm with offices around the world and a prestigious client list with close relationships dating back over 20 years. These long-standing relationships, more than anything else, are a testament to...

UC Irvine Most Popular UC Campus Among California High School Students Applying to College

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member University California, Irvine has become the top choice in the UC system for California high school students. The university announced recently that the 70,540 soon-to-be graduates who applied to the campus for the upcoming fall semester were the most among the nine campuses in the University of California system. “We have very robust outreach efforts,” campus spokesman Tom Vasich said. That includes helping high school students realize they have the potential to attend college and helping them navigate the application process. The university has partnerships with high schools and community colleges in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Compton, and...

Emily Hilker Named Greater Irvine Chamber February 2019 Member of the Month

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Emily Hilker, walk director for Alzheimer’s Association, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber Member of the Month for February 2019. Hilker’s increased engagement in Chamber events and activities since she joined in 2018 has made her an obvious choice for the recognition. She serves on the Chamber’s Women of Influence Committee, assisting in the planning of the annual Women of Influence event, and coordinate community outreach efforts aimed at empowering women and supporting local nonprofit organizations. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Women of Influence Committee and to get to know such wonderful individuals that are passionate...

City of Irvine, Business Community Band Together for Educational Excellence

Monday, February 11, 2019

Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) has released its 2019 list of Top 100 Companies Supporting Education Excellence. Heading the list is the City of Irvine. Also included is the Greater Irvine Chamber and several of its Leaders Circle sponsors, Allergan; Cox Automotive; Cox Communications; FivePoint; Google; Google Fiber; Hoag Hospital; Hoag Orthopedic Institute; Kaiser Permanente; Kia Motors America; University of California, Irvine; UPS, Waste Management; and Wells Fargo. All 100 supporting organizations were formally recognized during a VIP reception at the Resort at Pelican Hill in February. Greater Irvine Chamber Vice President of Operations, Jessica Welch, and Irvine Mayor Donald Wagner. Steve Churm, , FivePoint,...

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle Members Recognized in Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for Diversity

Monday, February 04, 2019

Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle members Kaiser Permanente, Google, and University of California, Irvine, have been recognized as some of America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2019 by Forbes. Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to create its second annual ranking of America’s best employers for diversity. The list was compiled by surveying 50,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions. Respondents were first asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation equality, as well as that of general diversity. These responses were...

Carla Aylesworth Named Greater Irvine Chamber January 2019 Member of the Month

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Carla Aylesworth, regional director of venue sales for Live Nation – FivePoint Amphitheatre, has been named as the Greater Irvine Chamber Member of the Month for January 2019. Aylesworth joined the Chamber in 2017, soon thereafter becoming a member of the Wednesday Leads Group, a group that directly contributes to the economic vitality of the greater Irvine area by exchanging referrals and leads with fellow Leads Group members. Each Leads Group comprises 25-30 individuals that meet twice a month in non-competing industries to help each other with selling techniques, presentation skills, recruiting, strategic partnerships, referral exchange, professional relationships and more. “I’ve met some...

Greater Irvine Chamber Receives the Nation's Highest Honor in Exporting & International Trade

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on May 21, presented Greater Irvine Chamber with the President’s “E” Award for Export Service at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. “The Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion. The “E” Awards Committee was very impressed with the Chamber’s creation of an International Development Committee. The Chamber’s development of a series of trade opportunities between companies and organizations in Orange County, California and potential buyers and officials...

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