14 Dec The Valley Economic Alliance Newsletter January 2016 Highlights
Jingle & Mingle Holiday Open House
The Valley Economic Alliance, partnered with VEDC, American Institute of Architects-San Fernando Valley, United Chambers of Commerce, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce-Los Angeles, and Randy Witt Productions to host the annual Jingle & Mingle Holiday Open House on December 16, 2015.
Guests enjoyed food provided by Los Angeles Mission College’s Culinary Department and samples of hand crafted cocktails by Marsha Meyer, also known as The Natural Mixologist.
Attendees brought blankets to donate to Love is a Warm Blanket; an organization collecting and distributing blankets to the homeless in our communities during the winter season. Nearly 150 blankets were collected, including a generous donation of 100 SOS emergency blankets from the Volunteer Emergency Command Center of the San Fernando Valley.
Apple & Microsoft demonstrated their latest and greatest laptops and tablets. Other demonstrations included Hollywood Curling and Buzd Analytics.
Attendees were invited to create personal e-video cards by Randy Witt Productions with a holiday backdrop of choice and raffle drawings were held with prizes sponsored by Cooper Product and event partners.
Visit Facebook for more photos.
Marketing Strategy Workshop: Grow your Customer Reach through Market Research
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Click here for more information
The Valley Business Expo ’16
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Network, learn about valuable resources and showcase your products and services at the annual Valley Business Expo ’16 on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City.
Click here for sponsor and exhibitor rates and details. Contact Erica Gass at egass@economicalliance.org to register. Special $249 exhibitor rate for the first 50 to register.
Trade X – Trade Connect
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Introducing TradeX-Trade Connect, set for Thursday, March 17th at Los Angeles Mission College’s Campus Center Main.
This event includes demonstrations on new innovations by top manufacturers including clean technology and presentations on resources to enter the global market.
Hosted by The Valley Economic Alliance, Port of Los Angeles, and The Valley International Trade Association, TradeX-Trade Connect is a great opportunity for those that want to enter or grow in the global market.
Register at www.TradeX-TradeConnect.com
House and Senate Pass $305 billion FAST Act
On December 3, the House and Senate passed H.R. 22, the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.” This act authorizes the next five years of spending for our nation’s transportation infrastructure. This $305 billion highway bill is the longest reauthorization passed by Congress since 2005 and will therefore bring needed stability to federal transportation funding. The hard work from the business community played a significant role in the passing of this Act and could not have been accomplished without your support.
Every member of California’s Congressional delegation except for Reps. McClintock (Roseville) and Rohrabacher (Huntington Beach) voted to pass the bill. Please click here for a contact list to reach out to your Member of Congress and say thank you for his or her vote for this landmark legislation.
FAST Act Impacts on Business Community
- Renews Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) and extends its charter until 2019.
- Creates a predictable environment for states and localities to plan their long range infrastructure and highway projects.
- Provides more time for discussion on longer-term solutions for Highway Trust Fund without a short-term extension deadline.
- Includes permit streamlining provisions.
In the News
Spreading Warmth to the Homeless
Love is a Warm Blanket, a nonprofit foundation created by Angela Amirkhanian, is once again distributing donations of blankets to the homeless this winter.
“Though the street is not a home, we aim to provide warmth, love and attention where it’s needed most,” said Amirkhanian, whose personal mission is to help the homeless during the winter months with donations of blankets.
Amirkhanian seeks donations, then distributes blankets from October through the end of January. And 2015 is turning into the foundation’s biggest year. Love is a Warm Blanket has distributed nearly 400 blankets to the general homeless population living on the streets and through distribution events with homeless shelters.
What has helped make this year a bountiful one, Amirkhanian said, were contributions from a variety of businesses and organizations that allowed her to expand the amount of donations she presents. Donors include Lionsgate Entertainment, the Christian Outreach for Armenians Church and The Valley Economic Alliance.
Mayor Garcetti Announces Major Upgrades to Internet Speed Across Los Angeles
Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Google Fiber, a unit of Alphabet Inc., will explore L.A. as the next market for Google Fiber’s high-speed Internet service. The announcement follows the unveiling of AT&T’s plan to introduce its GigaPower fiber optic broadband service to the city. These announcements respond to continuing demand from residents and businesses for high-speed connectivity to the Internet.
These plans have the potential to offer affordable Internet connectivity that is 20-200 times faster than what is currently available to residences and small to medium-sized businesses in L.A. – which would be the nation’s largest market to date for both services.
“Expanding, improving and strengthening Internet access throughout Los Angeles is vital to further accelerating L.A.’s economic growth – and affordable service is essential to erasing a digital divide that leaves too many people without the tools to maximize potential in the 21st century,” said Mayor Garcetti. “When companies like Google and AT&T invest in our communities, it shows that L.A. is determined to be America’s most connected city, and will continue leading the world in innovation and creativity.”
The City of Los Angeles and Google Fiber have already engaged in initial discussions about construction, planning and coordination. Over the next several months, the company’s engineering team will study local factors that could shape development of a new fiber-optic network in Los Angeles.
AT&T’s 1Gbps GigaPower fiber-optic broadband service is available today to more than 1 million locations across the United States, which the company expects to more than double in 2016. Los Angeles is AT&T’s largest broadband market in the nation.
“Groundbreaking investment in our city’s virtual infrastructure from private sector partners at AT&T and Google Fiber will complement CityLinkLA: the joint effort between Mayor Eric Garcetti and me to make Los Angeles the most connected city in the nation. Access to high-speed Internet is essential to the City’s future economic competitiveness, and will drive Los Angeles’ entertainment, tech, and entrepreneurial activity,” said City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “We welcome AT&T GigaPower and Google Fiber to Los Angeles, and look forward to continuing to push Los Angeles to become the world’s premier gigabit city.”
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Out and About
Steve Adams, Vice President of Business Development from Buzd Analytics presenting on locational analytics technology on December 11th. Buzd provides real time analytics that help businesses observe the foot traffic of customers inside and around the physical location.
Kenn Phillips with James Thomas of Thomas Properties and Hilary Norton, Executive Director of FAST.
Kimball Strong, Senior at Crescenta Valley High School presented his winning team’s concept from the Valley Hackathon, at the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners Chapter’s meeting on December 15th.
Click here to view “Glendale Business Associates” presentation
Holiday Party and Induction Ceremony/Installation of Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Greater Los Angeles 2016 Officers and Board Members on December 12th. Gerry Palon passed the presidential gavel to new President Leo A. Maranan.
Avi Zaraya, Managing Director, Support Services of Kaiser Permanente, Woodland Hills Medical Center at their volunteer recognition luncheon on December 4th.
Mr. Zaraya initiated new volunteer programs such as Novel Companions, art, music and pet therapy.
Serving lunch & dessert to our veterans at the 8th Annual Operation Holiday on December 10th, hosted by the San Fernando Valley Veterans Employment Committee.
Transamerica‘s Glendale team passed out clothing to the homeless in Skid Row communities on Christmas morning.
2016 Career Fair / Health & Disability Expo
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Click here for more information