News
Torrance Chamber to Host State of Education with Dr. Tim Stowe
Join the Chamber on next Wednesday, September 30th, to hear from Dr. Tim Stowe on what is happening in Torrance schools to support, engage, and celebrate our students and their successes. Dr. Stowe took on the role of interim Superintendent on July 1, 2020. He is a veteran educator who began at the District in 1992 as a teacher. Throughout the years, he was promoted and served as Assistant Principal, Principal, Senior Director of Secondary Schools and Chief Academic Officer within the District. Most recently, for the past four years, he has served as the District’s Deputy Superintendent. 

Dr. Stowe has spent his entire professional career advocating for students by developing a culture of exceptional learning and teaching. Having successfully led both the District’s academic and business divisions, many are confident that Dr. Stowe is the strategic and collaborative problem-solver needed to help the District navigate the current global health emergency and future economic challenges. RSVP here.
Happening Tomorrow: Workforce Roundtable with South Bay Medical Centers to Discuss the Future Healthcare Jobs 
What are the jobs of the future in healthcare? How has COVID-19 affected the workforce needs? Attendees will hear from a panel of esteemed speakers from the South Bay hospitals as they help us understand the key trends leading to higher demand for healthcare workers. Join the Chamber at the Workforce Roundtable discussion on tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:00 AM hosted by Andrea Sala, Torrance Chamber, Vice Chair of Leadership and Workforce. 

The panelists include: Kristin DiMirez, Sr. Consultant, Talent Acquisition at UCLA Health Sciences; Doug Pruss, Human Resources Director & Business Partner at Kaiser Permanente - South Bay & West Los Angeles Medical Centers; and Ingrid Cobb, Vice President, Human Resources/Assistant General Counsel at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. RSVP here.
Deadline to Complete the Census Is September 30, 2020 - Complete Yours Today!
You matter. Your children matter. But if you aren’t counted in the census, you won’t matter to those who distribute money for schools and health care in your neighborhood.
Fill out your form online today at my2020census.gov or by phone at 1-844-330-2020.
  • Everyone counts, regardless of immigration status.
  • It doesn’t matter if you are undocumented, an asylee or are a legal permanent resident. You can participate in the census. There are no citizenship questions on the census.
  • The census is private.
  • Under current federal laws, your responses are kept confidential and can only be used by the government to produce statistics. It is illegal for any census information to be shared with anyone outside the U.S. Census Bureau.
The deadline for completing the census is Sept. 30. 
Torrance Chamber Supports Proposition 22
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Policy (GAP) voting members voted to support Proposition 22 which will appear on the November ballot. The chamber, along with a diverse coalition and nearly 100,000 app-based drivers are fighting back by supporting Proposition 22, a ballot measure that would protect the ability of app-based drivers to work as independent contractors with control over where, when, how long and for whom they work.

Regulation is needed to provide drivers new benefits and protections like guaranteed minimum earnings and funding for health benefit, along with implements to strengthen new public safety protections such as recurring background checks and zero tolerance policies for alcohol and drug offenses. We need to preserve app-based rideshare and delivery services for millions of Californians. Read full article here.
The 'COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certification Program' & What It Can Mean For Your Business & Community
Last week, the new COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program (CSCCP) LA County launched to help train businesses on the implementation of the Health Officer's Orders. Today, we want to show you what this no-cost online training course can mean for a business, and it's community, when the public sees a business is following COVID-19 safety protocols.

Many businesses across LA County have already taken part in this training, received their COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificates, and are displaying window seals on their storefronts. Displaying a window seal is their way of reassuring employees and customers alike that their business is following COVID-19 infection control and physical distancing requirements. If you're a business owner, this kind of commitment may determine whether your employees come to work and stay healthy, your customers return, your business stays open, and whether your community thrives.

If you own a business and have not yet completed the course - or know of a business who hasn't heard of CSCCP - now is the time to know (or share) the process for completing LA County's CSCCP course. Learn more here.
New Marketing Solutions for New Times with Elevate!
Many small businesses have been jolted by the impacts of COVID-19. Sue Moylan, founder of Crest Marketing, Inc., will run through exercises that will help businesses take stock of new shifts and realities, as a way to assess possible new opportunities. With a focus and understanding of the client base and “personas,” she will discuss a variety of marketing communications vehicles and the right mix of these to ensure marketing efforts and dollars are properly spent.

Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and learn from each during the Roundtable Discussion and access to resources on Small Business Loans/Grants and the CalOSBA’s #GetDigitalCA Initiative and how to get your business online. Join Elevate! a Program for Small Business this Friday, September 25th RSVP here.
National Federation of Independent Business Survey: 94% of Small Business Owners Oppose Prop. 15
According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), results from a survey of its California small business members released last Wednesday by NFIB showed 94 percent of them opposed to Proposition 15, the November ballot initiative that would radically alter the Proposition 13 property tax protections enacted 40 years ago. Read latest news here.

“Our survey demonstrates overwhelming opposition to Prop 15 by the thousands of small and independent business owners, our state’s number one job creators,” said John Kabateck, state director for NFIB California. “Like our small-business owners, once voters understand the devastating impact Prop 15 will have on California’s small businesses, who are the foundation of their neighborhoods, they will vote no. We will continue to make our voices heard to voters up until Election Day. Small businesses across California are united against Prop 15.” Learn more here.
CalOSBA’s #GetDigitalCA Initiative with Grow with Google Starts Today
Grow with Google and the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) at the Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz), for a four-part small business workshop series, taking place between September 21st and October 9th, 2020. View schedule here.

Learning objective:
Learn how to use the Google tools and resources necessary to help your small business stand out online especially as we approach the holiday season. Sessions will cover key tools your business needs like Google My Business and YouTube. RSVP here.
To ‘V’ or Not to ‘V,’ That is the Question…
...The big question is: where from here? While there are all sorts of witty responses to the forecast letter game, the predictions can largely be put into two camps—the “V” group and the “U” group. While there is no set definition between the two, roughly, the “U” camp sees the pandemic’s damage to the economy as severe enough to suggest a slow, long-term recovery.

Most of the economic forecasts that were released immediately after the start of the COVID crisis suggested a downturn worse than what occurred during the Great Recession—with many tossing around the term “depression” as a descriptor of what was to come. Read full article here.
COVID-19 Laws Employers Need to Know
CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank, and CalChamber Policy Advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss three important employment-related bills that came out of the Legislature this year; two bills, AB 2257 and AB 1867, have been signed into law, and one bill, SB 1159, awaits action by Governor Gavin Newsom on The Workplace podcast. Listen or read more here.
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Office Depot Rewards Program
As a member of Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, you are entitled to savings at Office Depot store. Discounts vary on items and services, but they do add up and you can save a significant amount annually on 175 most frequently needed items. Just another benefit of the membership! To enjoy this, Contact Us Here.
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