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554 West Lancaster Boulevard Lancaster, CA 93534 (661) 948-4518
Serving the community by Promoting, Protecting, Encouraging and Developing Business since 1902

Business Connection

 

October  2019

In this Month's Issue

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce

 Executive Committee

                    
Chairwoman of the Board
 

Vice-Chair

Ex-Officio 
Mark Hemstreet - Chief Executive Officer
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce   
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors









Lancaster Chamber of Commerce

 Office Staff 

Mark Hemstreet, Chief Executive Officer
Anna Zarley, Event Coordinator
Sharon Molnar, Office Coordinator
What can the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce do to help grow YOUR business?

What is Your Chamber?

 

Since 1902, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce has existed as a private, voluntary, nonprofit (501(C)(3) and (C)(6) business organization dedicated to improving the economic environment of business growth and prosperity. The business community now serves a greater Antelope Valley Region, with a population of more than 480,000 people


 

As the Antelope Valley continues to develop and thrive, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce continues to evolve to meet the needs of its members and our growing community. The Lancaster Chamber offers a variety of benefits to help businesses, large and small, to network and grow. 

 

Membership Benefits 

  • Personal Page on Chamber Website
  • Chamber Mobile App
  • Monthly E-Newsletter
  • Community Calendar
  • Membership Directory Listing
  • Membership City Map Listing
  • Radio Talk Show - Free
  • Chamber Classes / E-Learning Portal
  • Conference room for Members
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Endless Networking Opportunites
  • Grand Openings/Ribbon Cuttings
Monthly Events  
  • Membership Luncheon
  • Business-4-Breakfast
Quarterly Events
  • Mega-Mixers
  • Breakfast with Legislators

Discount Advertisement 

  • AV Press - Chamber Page
  • Video Commercials
  • Web Video - Business Showcase

Please call the Chamber for more information: (661) 948-4518 

Member Benefits
Maximizing Your Membership
 
We all talk about how to bring more awareness to our business or organization. Social Media is nothing new, but are you on top of your game?  Are you part of the Lancaster Chambers Facebook page?  Add a quick post on our member to member page. Having an event? Weekend sale? End of Season Sell-off?  or other promotional opportunity you would like to publicize?  Give it a try, it's all part of being a Member of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce!
October  2019

53rd Semi-Annual Flea Market 
Hosted by the Lancaster Chamber 
10/06/2019
7:00 am - 4:00 pm
AV Fairgrounds
2551 West Avenue H
Lancaster, CA 93534

Lancaster Chamber of 
Commerce
Finance & Executive Committee Meeting  
10/08/2019
7:30 am - 9:00 am
554 West Lancaster Blvd
Lancaster, CA 93534

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
Membership Luncheon
LASD Captain Todd Webber
AV Hospital CEO, Ed Mirzabegian
10/09/2019
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Hellenic Center
43404 30th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534

PaintBall USA New Location
Ribbon Cutting Celebration 
10/12/2019
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Ribbon Cutting @9:30 am
540 West Carson Mesa Rd
Palmdale, CA 93550

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce 
Board of Directors Meeting
10/16/2019
7:30 am - 9:00 am
554 West Lancaster Blvd
Lancaster, CA 93534

Antelope Valley Harley Davidson 
2020 Roll-Out Mixer 
10/16/2019 
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
AV Harley Davidson 
1759 West Avenue J-12
Lancaster, CA 93534

BurgerIM Grand Opening 
& Ribbon Cutting 
10/19/2019
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Ribbon Cutting @ 12:30 pm
4075 West Avenue L
Lancaster, CA 93536

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce 
Legislative Committee Meeting
10/21/2019
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm 
AVTA Boardroom   
42210 6th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534 

Antelope Valley Ford 
40th Anniversary Celebration 
10/22/2019 
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Ribbon Cutting @ 6:00 pm
1155 Auto Mall Drive
Lancaster, CA 93534

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
Lunch & Learn Series
Grow with Google Workshop
10/23/2019 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Learn 4 Life
177 Holston Drive
Lancaster, CA 93534

Lancaster Chamber of Commerce 
Ambassador Corp Meeting
10/23/2019
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
554 West Lancaster Blvd
Lancaster, CA 93534

Lancaster Dental Care Associates 
25th Anniversary Celebration 
10/23/2019 
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
2030 West Avenue J
Lancaster, CA 93534

Business-4-Breakfast with the 
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce 
10/24/2019
7:00 am- 8:30 am
A.M. Cafe
44205 10th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534 



New and Renewing Members

August

  Introducing Our Newest Members!

661 Flooring
Jason Duran 
42216 50th Street West
Lancaster, CA  93536
(661) 522-3356

BurgerIM
Jackie & Ed Fraigun
4075 West Avenue L
Lancaster, CA 93536
(661) 802-7192

Joseph Fulco 
Lancaster, CA 93536
(661) 429-9918

Katie Hill
18565 Soledad Cnyn Rd, # 124
Canyon Country, CA 91351
(520) 301-6910

Piano Forte 
Music Academy, LLC 
Anna Artevisyan
566 West Lancaster Blvd, Unit 1
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 305-0702

We Are Pleased to Present Our Renewing Members

AECOM 
5001 E Commerce Center Drive 
Bakersfield, CA 93309
(661) 283-2323
Member Since: 1985

Atkinson & Associates, Inc
233 East Avenue K-6
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 723-5141
Member Since: 1989

Robert S Wolf Insurance
44421 10th Street West, Ste F
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 945-8003
Member Since: 1989

High Desert Broadcasting
570 East Avenue Q-9
Palmdale, CA 93550
(661) 947-3107
Member Since: 1990

Zonta Club 
of the Antelope Valley 
PO Box 1322
Lancaster, CA 93584
(661) 406-4322
Member Since: 1991

Mission Linen & Uniform Services
619 West Avenue I
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 948-5051
Member Since: 1992

Grace Lutheran School
856 West Newgrove Street
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 948-1018
Member Since: 1997

Lancaster Beauty School 
44646 10th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 948-1672
Member Since: 1997

Comfort Inn & Suites 
1825 West Avenue J-12
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 723-2001
Member Since: 1999

Sixcess, Inc
Drug Testing Services 
43535 17th Street West, Ste 302
Lancaster, CA 935345
(661) 951-0444
Member Since: 1999

American Travel Bureau 
2330 Mall Loop Rd, Ste 119
Lancaster, CA 93536
(661) 940-1165
Member Since: 2001

Care Pest Solutions
PO Box 2887
Lancaster, CA 93539
(661) 951-1843
Member Since: 2001

Melchers Construction
PO Box 1468
Rosamond, CA 93560
(661) 810-0327
Member Since: 2001

Aerotech News & Review, Inc
220 East Avenue K-4, Ste 7
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 945-5634
Member Since: 2004 

Design for Change Recovery
1066 East Avenue J
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 942-1026
Member Since: 2006

Clearview Eyecare Optometry  
43767 15th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 945-9883
Member Since: 2008

High Desert Health 
Systems Auxiliary
335 East Avenue I
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 471-4138
Member Since: 2009

Premier Events
39450 3rd Street East, Ste 106
Palmdale, CA 93550
(661) 224-1505
Member Since: 2010

Eastside Union
 High School District
45006 30th Street East
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 952-1200
Member Since: 2011

Security Defenders
528 West Milling Street
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 949-2581
Member Since: 2012

Antelope Valley Dream Center
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 418-6818
Member Since: 2014

FloraDonna's Cakery 
706 West Lancaster Blvd, Ste 103
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 510-0480
Member Since: 2015

Lancaster Modern Dentistry 
43531 10th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 839-7630
Member Since: 2015

LA County Office of Education
Gain Division 
1817 West Avenue K, Ste 309
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 729-1239
Member Since: 2016

Vinyl Alley / Voodoo Vinyl
765 West Lancaster Blvd
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 945-6511
Member Since: 2016

AV Restaurant Supply
825 West Avenue L-8, Unit B
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 202-3070
Member Since: 2017

Fran Sereseres
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 723-7232
Member Since: 2017

SMS Bookkeeping
& Financial Services
43831 10th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661)522-3462
Member Since: 2017

Antelope Valley 
Ukes for Schools
44320 Meyer Drive
Lancaster, CA 93536
(661) 435-9150
Member Since: 2018

Kona Ice of Lancaster
Lancaster,  CA 93536
(661) 524-5055
Member Since: 2018

TaVia Wooley Iles
Mary Kay 
Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 429-1379
Member Since: 2018
A message  from our Chairwoman of the Board


Greetings Chamber Members!

I hope you all have enjoyed your summer and the festivities around town. We have certainly had some excitement in our city. I got to ride in the Lancaster Chamber Fair Parade as the Chairwoman, and it was a lot of fun. Thank you, Anna and team, for making this all happen. You do an amazing job and we appreciate you! We also had a great luncheon with Kathy Strong talking about her new book "Secrets of Southern California". She was so amazing and if you missed her, I highly recommend you check out her book, it has some interesting secrets, even for the long-time residents of California. Thank you, Sandy and Destination Lancaster, for bringing her out to our Chamber luncheon.
 
We all must juggle at times and wear many hats throughout the year and finding time to do all of these activities can be challenging. I find myself picking and choosing which events I can and cannot attend. I wish I could be at all of them, I am truly in awe sometimes at the community in which we live. The Antelope Valley has somehow, in its growth, been able to maintain its small-town appeal. I am proud to be part of this community and organizations such as the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce for its part in the support of local businesses.
 
Thank you all for your continued support.

Katie Nelson
Chairwoman of the Board,  2019/20
____________________________

Membership Luncheon
 
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
11:30 am - 1:00 pm



Join the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm at our monthly luncheon.

This month we will have Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Captain for the Lancaster Station, Todd Webber. We will also have a short presentation from the Antelope Valley Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Edward Mirzabegian .

Don't miss out! Be sure to RSVP at the link below and bring plenty of business cards as we will have a drawing to win a FREE business card advertisement in our November e-newsletter.

Event Location
  JP Eliopulos Hellenic Center
43404 30th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534


_________________________________________________


2020 Roll Out Mixer! 

Join the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Antelope Valley Harley Davidson for the introduction of the 2020 line up including the LiveWire Electric Motorcycle; The first Harley-Davidson® electric bike!

There will be plenty of food and fun including raffle prizes!
Food will be provided by Schooners Patio Grille

FREE admission if you bring a raffle prize to promote your business!

When:  Wednesday, October 16, 2019 from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Where:  AV Harley, 1759 West Avenue J-12, Lancaster

Please RSVP at the link below. See you there!



___________________________________________________________________


The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce is pleased to offer the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) for its sixth year!
 
YEA! is a cutting-edge program that takes students in grades 6 - 12 through the process of starting and launching a real business or social movement over a 25 week course held at Antelope Valley College. By the end of the class, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried on after their graduation from the program. The academy also instills new self-confidence and coaches them to be able to not only knock out an elevator pitch, but present their business in a public forum. A key event is our "Shark Tank" style Investor Panel where the new CEO's compete for real start-up capital.
 
We are excited that YEA! will continue to make its mark in the Antelope Valley. The program currently operates in more than a hundred communities all over the U.S.
 
YEA! aims to teach students at an early age how to make a job, not just take a job. At a time when small business growth is extremely challenging, young entrepreneurs with the right tools can become a powerful force of innovative thinkers and even employers.
 
During the 25-week commitment, students brainstorm and form their business ideas, make pitches to investors for startup funding, file their DBAs, and launch their own businesses or social movements. Mentors and local business owners across a variety of industries, such as marketing, web development, law, accounting, retail, manufacturing, technology and more are invited to support the students throughout the hands-on curriculum as mentors, field trip hosts or guest lecturers.
If you know a student in grades 6-12 and see their entrepreneurial spirit, please recommend to them to fill out an application. If you would like to be a part of the YEA! program, please contact Mark Hemstreet at the Chamber office.


_______________________________________________________________

The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce is now a Google Partner and will be hosting a series of workshops on digital skills. Our workshop presenter will be Roberto Martinez, one of  Google's National Digital Coaches. Partnering with Grow with Google will help our community increase their digital skills.

About Grow with Google

Grow with Google helps ensure that the opportunities created by technology are available to everyone.  Since launching in 2017, Google Partners have trained more than three million people in business and organizations on digital skills. And through a network of more than 5,000 partner organizations, including the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, more people across the Antelope Valley can reach their full potential. 

During the first the workshop, there will be a 45 minute p resentation including  15 minutes of  attendee work time (bring your laptop or mobile device) where you will get help setting up Google My Business and start the verification process. 
   
 
WHEN: October 23, 2019, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

WHERE: Learn 4 Life, 177 Holston Dr, Lancaster, CA 93535

COST: $10 Chamber Members, $20 Potential Members

To register for our fist workshop click here:
 
______________________________________________

Employers Can Still Conduct Pre-Employment Drug Testing
 Sep 30 2019 -    Workplace Policies  -   Katie Culliton
 
California employers can still maintain a drug- and alcohol-free workplace, which includes marijuana, regardless of whether it is used recreationally or medicinally. Similarly, employers are not prohibited from conducting pre-employment drug testing for marijuana use.

Employers have many legitimate business reasons to conduct pre-employment drug testing. Eliminating substance abuse in the workplace can reduce health insurance costs, improve employee productivity and reduce the likelihood of accidents, which adversely affect workers' compensation costs.

Medical marijuana is not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) nor the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Because marijuana is still illegal under federal law, the California Supreme Court found that marijuana did not have the same legal status of other legal prescription drugs.
Employers have the right to pre-employment drug testing and should continue to be mindful of federal law.

Katie Culliton, Editor, CalChamber
______________________________________________________


BUSINESS - 4 - BREAKFAST
 
   Join us for business, stay for breakfast!

Thursday, October 24, 2019
7:00 am- 8:30 am

This Months Breakfast is Sponsored by:



Joel Green,  (661) 524-8701


Event Location

 

Register by Noon the day before the breakfast if you would like your business name to be included in the list that gets handed out to all attendees.
  
     FREE 
      Chamber Radio 
     Talk Show
"Minding Your Business"

Minding Your Business (MYB) the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce weekly radio show, features Chamber members and Friends each Saturday at 10:00 am on 
High Desert Radio 1340 KTPI AM

Hosted by Chris Spicher of AV Florist and 
Aaron Goldstein of Goldstein Digital. 
Music by Lions Named Leo of Bakersfield.
                       
 Call Chris Spicher: (661) 948-6006



  View our videos on YouTube 

The Month In Pictures - August 

Lancaster Chamber 
Monthly Membership Luncheon
Guest Speaker: General John "Dragon" Teichert
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting 
Prestige Assisted Living 
43454 30th Street West, Lancaster
(661) 949-2177
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Traditions Health (Formerly Pro Care Hospice)
42442 10th Street West, Suite E, Lancaster
(661) 951-1146
Business-4-Breakfast "Table Sponsor" 
TaVia Iles, Mary Kay 
(661) 429-1379
Business-4-Breakfast "Best Commercial Winner" 
Jodeph Fulco 
(661) 429-9918