The Leading Voice of Business
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Remote Work Trends, Retaining Young Professionals, Preparing Students for a Hybrid Workforce: New OC Findings |
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Since 2010, the Orange County Community Indicators Report has come to be known by some as the “State of the County.” Today, the report continues to serve as a tool for business, academia, government and community organizations to understand the region’s growth and its impact on the long-term stability and economic success of the nation’s sixth largest county. Presented in partnership with CalOptima Health, Orange County Community Foundation, First 5 and OC United Way, the 2022-23 Community Indicators Report areas of focus include how educators can better prepare students for careers in a world of remote and hybrid work, how Orange County can better attract and retain young professionals in light of housing prices, what schools can do to reverse trends in rising mental health concerns for young and teenage children, and more. This year’s special section will focus on remote work trends. The 2022-23 Orange County Community Indicators Report & Rollout in Anaheim October 4 includes a luncheon, a speaker panel presentation, and a copy of the report. Registration is now open.
Image courtesy of OCBC
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Victories & Setbacks: Legislative Session Ends With Mixed Results for Biz Community |
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The Legislature voted on hundreds of bills before its session ended on August 31, and OCBC’s Government Affairs team was hard at work to ensure that pro-business legislation advanced and anti-business bills failed. There were numerous important victories, but some bills harmful to jobs and the economy made it to Governor Newsom’s desk despite vigorous advocacy. Here are some highlights:
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Last-Minute Climate Package: In the final weeks of session, the Governor pushed ambitious climate change bills—leaving little time for legislators and stakeholders to analyze them or provide input. Legislative solutions to climate change must also protect the economy, but these bills (AB 1279, AB 2133, SB 1137) set impractical regulations and targets that could eliminate jobs across industries. Unfortunately, AB 1279 and SB 1137 passed, costing OC jobs and economic development. But AB 2133, which would unfeasibly increase the state’s 2030 GHG emissions reduction target from 40% to 55%, was defeated thanks to each OC Senator and Assemblymember voting no or abstaining.
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Pro-Biz Bills Sent to Governor: OCBC proudly supported AB 1951 (Grayson), which will provide tax incentives to bolster CA’s manufacturing sector; AB 2836 (E. Garcia), a bill extending a tax incentive for emissions-reducing technology; AB 1845 (Calderon), which allows Metropolitan Water District to utilize alternative project delivery methods for a Regional Recycled Water Project, among other projects; and SB 717 (Dodd), which authorizes a study on barriers to and opportunities for broadband deployment and access.
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Burdensome Reporting Bill Fails: SB 260 (Wiener) would have required businesses to report GHG emission data throughout the entire supply chain, from assets they do not own or control, upstream and downstream of their main operations. Mandating companies to collect incomplete data would not fight climate change, but would be costly and duplicative of existing reporting. THANK YOU to Assemblymembers Chen, Choi, Daly, Davies, Nguyen and Quirk-Silva for voting NO.
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CARE Court Moves Forward: SB 1338 (Umberg), which will make it easier to address mental health crises in homeless individuals, received unanimous support from the OC delegation. It has been amended to apply to certain counties, including Orange County, instead of the entire state. The business community is pleased to support this monumental step forward in uplifting homeless members of the community.
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OCBC investor SCE has has stepped up to help Orange County by having a representative appointed as co-chair of the first Orange County Planning Committee for California Clean Air Day on October 5. Now in its fifth year, the goal of this initiative is to start conversations about how neighbors and businesses can reduce pollution while improving local air quality and raise awareness about the sources of pollution. Together, we can clear the air leading up to—and on this year’s—California Clean Air Day, October 5. Take the Clean Air Pledge today!
Image courtesy of CA Clean Air Day
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City of Hope and FivePoint Rise Above Cancer at Great Park |
To commemorate the first patients walking through the doors of the new City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, City of Hope Orange County recently sent the iconic Great Park Balloon in Irvine into the sky with a message of hope for ending cancer. Passengers of the iconic balloon, marked with the powerful message to Rise Above Cancer, included City of Hope patients. The initiative, co-led by City of Hope Orange County and FivePoint, was a joint expression of optimism for Orange County’s 3.2 million residents and a national call to action to come together to eradicate cancer. City of Hope Orange County and FivePoint invite community members to get screened and support everyone impacted by the disease.
Photo courtesy of City of Hope Orange County
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OC Sports Commission Speaker Series Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Title IX |
Join the Orange County Sports Commission for The Women Who Champion Orange County Sports, a speaker series marking the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark law that created equitable opportunities for women to participate in sports. The September 8th event will feature a panel moderated by Olivia Phelps and speakers Deputy Commissioner Big West Conference Kristi Giddings, Senior Vice President and GM, Honda Center/ocVIBE Kim Bedler and Senior Vice President/GM Bally’s Sports West, SoCal, San Diego Rebecca O’Sullivan-Schulte.
Image courtesy of OCSC
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Concordia University Irvine Launches New Branding |
As Concordia University Irvine nears its 50th anniversary, the private university recently launched a campus-wide rebranding effort. Designed to reflect the distinctive Lutheran Christian education that the university offers regionally, nationally, and worldwide, a fresh color palette of green and gold unites the university and athletic brands, along with a new logo. The official university seal and fierce, feathered mascot, known as Marty the Eagle, have also been updated.
Image courtesy of Concordia University Irvine
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OCTA Receives $2.5 million for Zero-emission Buses |
More zero-emission buses are headed to Orange County streets thanks to a federal grant awarded to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for battery-electric paratransit buses. The Federal Transit Administration recently announced that OCTA will receive $2.5 million in federal funding toward purchasing 10 battery-electric buses that will replace 10 gasoline buses in the OC ACCESS program, which serves bus riders with physical or cognitive disabilities. OCTA’s paratransit bus service provides approximately 1.5 million boardings annually. OCTA is already working toward a zero-emission future with its bus fleet by 2040.
Photo courtesy of OCTA
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UPCOMING ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS COUNCIL EVENTS |
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2022-23 Orange County Community Indicators Report and Rollout
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The 2022-23 OC Community Indicators Report and Rollout will be held Tuesday, October 4 at 11 a.m. at the Westin Anaheim Resort. Presented in partnership with CalOptima Health, Orange County Community Foundation, First 5 and OC United Way, this year's report examines how educators can better prepare students for careers in a world of remote/hybrid work, how Orange County can better attract and retain young professionals in light of housing prices, and how local business leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders can prepare for a coming recession and its impact on the nation's sixth largest county. Appreciation goes to sponsors--title: Amazon, platinum: Cathay Bank, City of Hope Orange County and Orange County Regional Consortium, gold: Goodwill of Orange County, Kaiser Permanente, Orange County Education and Research Institute and Orange County Department of Education and silver: Chapman University, Disneyland Resort, Rancho Mission Viejo, SDG&E, SoCalGas, South Orange County Community College District and Wells Fargo for making the event possible. Registration is now open. |
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28th Annual Economic Forecast Conference
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Join the 28th Annual Economic Forecast Conference co-hosted with OCBC investor CSUF College of Business and Economics on Thursday, October 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Disneyland Hotel. Learn from leading CSUF economists Director of the CSUF Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting Anil Puri, Ph.D. and Co-Director Mira Farka, Ph.D. as they share their insights into the current environment, including recessionary risks, stagflation, potential limitations for growth and other concerns. The presentation will be followed by a discussion on the current commercial real estate market with a panel of experts examining interest rate risk, post-pandemic trends and projected market conditions. Thank you to sponsors--title: Commercial Bank of California, platinum: Cathay Bank, Kaiser Permanente and Orange County Regional Consortium, media sponsor: The Orange County Register, gold: Disneyland Resort, Infinity Bank, Orange County Department of Education, Titan Capital Management and corporate: American Business Bank, California Bank & Trust, Brookfield Residential, Friendly Hills Bank, LSA and Marcum LLP. Registration is now open.
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12th Annual Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet
Application Deadline: September 9, 2022
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Last chance to submit nomination applications for OCBC's 12th annual Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Awards. Deadline is Friday, September 9, 2022. Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet is OCBC's groundbreaking awards program that honors outstanding public agencies, leaders and public-private partnerships for implementing programs that cut through red tape, eliminate barriers to economic growth and open the door to job creation. Thank you to sponsors--silver: Spectrum and Verizon. Save the date for the Awards Reception on Thursday, November 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Irvine. Registration opening soon. |
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If your company, business, or nonprofit is a member of OCBC, send your news for consideration to the Communications Team.
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Committee meetings are an exclusive benefit offered to Business Council investors.
Click the committee meeting link to learn more about the specific topics and issues that will be covered and any special guest speakers.
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September 9
9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
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September 13
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
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September 14
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
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September 21
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
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The Center for Civics Education at Concordia University Irvine (CUI) is partnering with the National Archives at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, an OCBC investor, to present a series of lectures on the origins, purposes and meaning of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Presenters include professors/experts from OCBC investors CUI and California State University, Fullerton. The free lecture series begins September 13 at the Library and via live stream.
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If you’re an Orange County employer looking for STEM interns, join OCBC investor California State University, Fullerton’s In-Person and Virtual STEM Internship & Career Expo! Meet undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and the College of Engineering & Computer Science at the career expo. Register to attend in-person on Oct. 19 https://bit.ly/3pMFUeM, or virtually on Oct. 20 https://bit.ly/3KhR98x.
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Join OCBC for the next Economic Development Committee meeting September 21 at 8 a.m. when Trelynd Bradley, Deputy Director of Sustainable Freight and Supply Chain Development for the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, discusses the state’s investment in supply chain initiatives and its impact on industry. Registration is now open. Contact Emily Jackson to attend in person or register to attend virtually.
- Join Amtrak®, its railroad partners and Operation Lifesaver during Rail Safety Week for a Track Safety Community Event on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25, at the Fullerton Transportation Center. The free event, open to all ages, will offer train tours, and the opportunity to meet railroad workers and to learn important railroad safety tips.
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NOT AN INVESTOR? JOIN TODAY! |
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Join Orange County Business Council and connect with the most influential companies and top executives actively engaged in creating a pro-business environment and prosperous economy. Hundreds of Orange County's leading businesses, cities and non-profit organizations represent an elite group from every industry cluster. But we need YOUR VOICE! For more info, contact Natalie Rubalcava, The Business Council's Chief Operating Officer.
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