A huge thank you to our Chamber members who jumped in on very short notice yesterday to help showcase our local business community during KCRA’s coverage of Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget discussion. We’re especially grateful to Chix Cabinets and Just Gluten Free Kitchens for making time to share their stories and represent the strength, resilience, and innovation of our business community. Your willingness to step up so quickly speaks volumes about the collaborative spirit of our membership — and we couldn’t be more appreciative.

You can view the KCRA coverage here!

The membership team had an active week supporting members. Tuesday, they welcomed a nearly full house to the May Luncheon held at Randy Peters Event Center, where we heard from Jeff Richardson, Senior General Manager of the Westfield Galleria, on the update of the outside promenade area redevelopment.

Thursday, the Women In Business group held their meeting with 50+ attending to hear from our Financial Panels. Thank you to Lynette Oakley with Tri Counties Bank, Lori Wattelet with Lori E Wattelet, CPA, and Tabitha Middendorf with Bandwidth Bookkeeping for speaking on our business financial panel. And, thank you to Mary Hanson with Blue Dot Wealth Management, Rachael Burns with True Worth Financial Planning, and Melissa Yano with Capital Wealth Planners for speaking on our personal financial panel. We appreciate you, ladies, for sharing your wisdom and financial expertise. And, thank you to Marcie Shelton with The Leader's Partner for facilitating the panels.

They celebrated two members with a Ribbon Cutting: Skyrise Aviation and Daniel Lee's Gift, and welcomed four new members this week:

• Wendy's
• A Grand Affair
• Horizon Counseling
• Winding Road Imagery

It is such an honor to witness the workforce development collaboration between our members Jessup University and Skyrise Aviation. Jessup University currently offers a four-year aviation program that provides the classroom and academic foundation for aspiring aviation professionals. Now, through its partnership with Skyrise Aviation, students will have a direct pathway to complete their flight training portion as well.

Skyrise Aviation is acquiring three aircrafts that will be based out of Lincoln Regional Airport, located less than 10 minutes from William Jessup University, creating a convenient and seamless transition from classroom learning to hands-on flight instruction.

In addition, Skyrise Aviation will provide a fully sponsored scholarship for one financial needs based student, taking a student with zero aviation experience all the way through flight school to become a certified flight instructor — at no cost to the student.

This partnership is an incredible example of education and industry coming together to create meaningful workforce development opportunities and invest directly in the future of aviation.

Our Coffee Passport Program is officially getting its moment in the spotlight! We were thrilled to have the program featured in a recent news segment highlighting the incredible local coffee culture growing throughout our region. The Coffee Passport was created to encourage the community to explore, support, and discover locally owned coffee shops while building connections across our business community — one cup at a time.

A big thank you to all of the participating coffee businesses helping make this program such a success already, and to Rose Cafe and Bagel for showcasing their craft on the air. Watch the segment here!

With the two-week deadline for Placer Valley 2026 quickly approaching, updated pricing is now officially in effect. This year’s event is unlike any before, bringing enhanced experiences, exclusive features, and added value for all attendees.

We’re also proud to recognize our 2026 Business Award recipients for their outstanding contributions and achievements within our community:

Young Professional of the Year – Awarded to professionals 40 or younger who demonstrate excellence, leadership, community involvement, and serve as role models in their field. Congratulations to Kerri Naber of Bank of Marin!

Emerging Business Award – Honoring businesses founded within the last 5 years that show strong entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, and early success in growth and profitability. Congratulations to Shaun Geronimo of ACASA Roseville!

Businessperson of the Year – Recognizing established leaders with 5+ years in business who demonstrate strong leadership, financial stability, and a positive impact on the community. Congratulations to John Shanahan of Lighthouse Window Cleaning!

In addition, attendees will have access to exclusive wellness experiences including complimentary F45 InBody Scans. These comprehensive, non-invasive body composition analyses take less than 60 seconds and provide valuable insights including body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, visceral fat levels, and more. Designed to help individuals track progress and set measurable health goals, the scans are one of many elevated benefits being introduced for the 2026 event experience.

Newsom Proposes Small Business Tax Cut in Revised California Budget

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a temporary tax cut aimed at supporting new small businesses across the state. As part of the revised 2026–27 state budget, the annual first-year LLC filing fee would be reduced from $800 to $400 for tax years 2027 through 2029. The proposal is expected to benefit approximately 250,000 new businesses each year and is intended to encourage entrepreneurship and ease startup costs for California business owners. The revised state budget will now move through negotiations with the Legislature ahead of the July 1 deadline.

Public Policy Institute of California Calls California’s Economy a Powerhouse

A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) highlights both the strength and ongoing challenges of California’s economy. The report notes that California remains one of the world’s largest economies, driven by innovation, technology, and small business growth, while also facing concerns around housing affordability, cost of living, and economic inequality. PPIC researchers say the state’s labor market has remained resilient, but many Californians continue to feel financial pressure despite broader economic gains. The findings underscore the importance of policies that support workforce development, housing production, and long-term economic opportunity for businesses and residents statewide.

RABPAC Voter Guide 

With the primary elections just around the corner, the Roseville Area Business Political Action Committee would like to share a voter guide, reminding members to get out and vote! Make sure to take a look at our website to review upcoming deadlines and who they’ve endorsed to protect and ensure a thriving business community in our area.