News & Events from the Lafayette Chamber | |
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | |
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Ribbon Cutting at Horn Barbecue
Wednesday, January 22, 11am
Ribbon Cutting at Mathnasium of Lafayette
Thursday, January 23, 5:15pm
New Member Orientation
Wednesday, January 29, 4pm-5pm
Business Person of the Year Dinner honoring Nick Bozych, Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa
Deadline for dinner reservations is Friday 24th at 10am
Dinner: Thursday, January 30, 6pm-9pm
Citizen of the Year Nominations Due
Friday, January 31, 12pm
Lafayette Chamber Nonprofit Network
Thursday, February 6, 8:30am
Lafayette Business Women at East Bay Health
Wednesday, February 12, 8:45am
Lafayette Chamber Connectors
Wednesday, February 19, 8:15am
Ribbon Cutting for Dajenel Medical Aesthetics & Wellness
Wednesday, February 19, 12pm
Lafayette Chamber Young Professionals - Volunteer Event
Thursday, February 20, 3:15pm
➡ Lafayette Chamber Events Calendar ⬅
More events from our members!
Lafayette Community Events Calendar
Nonprofit Email Blast (Next issue Jan 31st)
Arts Community Blast (Current issue Jan-Feb 2025)
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2025 Lafayette Business Person of the Year is Nick Bozych!
The 2025 Lafayette Business Person of the Year is Nick Bozych, Managing Director of the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. A dinner will be held in his honor on Thursday, January 30, 6pm-9pm at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. The evening will also include the installation of the 2025 Lafayette Chamber Board of Directors.
Dinner registrations required by January 24th, 10am. Register here.
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2025 Lafayette Citizen of the Year Nominations
Deadline to submit nominations is Friday, January 31, 2025 at noon. Dinner tentatively scheduled for the evening of Thursday, March 27, 2025 at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa.
To be considered for Lafayette’s Citizen of the Year, the nominee must meet the following criteria:
- Non-affiliation with Elected Positions: The nominee must not be a current elected official whether paid or volunteer. This includes being a member of the City Council or school board.
- Lafayette Residency: The nominee must be a current Lafayette resident at the time of nomination, remain a resident through the award presentation date, and ideally throughout the year they are awarded.
- Community Contribution: The nominee should have demonstrated exceptional dedication through their time, financial contributions, or energy towards making Lafayette a vibrant and thriving community—one that encourages residents to live, work, and shop locally.
- Exemplary Character: The nominee must consistently model excellence in all aspects of their involvement and behavior within the community.
- Community Leadership & Pride: The nominee should be someone who fosters unity, brings the community together, and embodies the spirit of Lafayette, making residents proud to be part of this community.
Additional Criteria:
- Longevity of Service: Preference may be given to individuals who have shown long-term commitment and dedication to serving Lafayette over many years.
- Impact on Various Groups: Consideration for nominees who have positively impacted multiple community groups, such as youth, seniors, businesses, or non-profits.
- Unrecognized Contributions: Acknowledging those who work behind the scenes without seeking recognition, but whose efforts have greatly benefited the community.
- Volunteer Leadership: Emphasizing individuals who have taken leadership roles in volunteer capacities, such as organizing events or serving on local boards and committees.
- Mentorship and Youth Engagement: Recognizing contributions to mentoring and engaging the next generation of leaders within the community.
- Collaboration and Partnership: Highlighting those who have demonstrated exceptional collaboration with city organizations, schools, businesses, and non-profits to address community challenges.
- Sustainability or Innovation: Recognizing efforts that contribute to long-term sustainability in the community or introduce innovative solutions to local issues.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Acknowledging individuals who have worked to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all community members.
Previous recipients: W.B. Ellis, Ralfe Miller, Margaret Bainbridge, Mel Nielsen, John R. Jacques, M.H. Stanley, C.R. Turner, Theron Nelson, William Zion, Stanford White, Jack Hageman, Lou Repetto, Jop Van Overveen, Vern Odegard, Jack Marchant, Donn Black, Charles Franklin, Chris Adams, John Kennedy, Clifford Feiler, James Lloyd, Boardman Moore, Robert Augenthaler, Percy Whitten, Barbara Bupp, Irene Graff, Ed Stokes, Robert Fisher, Ernie Marriner, Ken Clifford, Don Young, Irene Thomas, Ned Robinson, Alice Johnson, Hirsh Morton, Sue Cross, Tom Cleveland, Herb Joyce, Skid Thomas, Su Stauffer, Tom Courtright, Lynn Hiden, Avon Wilson, Bill Wakeman, Richard Holmes, Guy Atwood, Connie & Mike Collier, Judy Garvens, Anne Grodin, Ellen Peterson, Norma Evans, Robert Wood, Mary McCosker, Budd MacKenzie, Kathy Bowles, Ivor Samson, Gwen Watson, Judy Carney, Jeanne Ateljevich, Team Library, Karen Mulvaney, Gayle Uilkema, Greg Moeller, Toni McShane, Marechal Duncan, Tom Steuber, Dick & Robin Holt, Donovan Jenkins, Don Tatzin, Rick and Janet Cronk, William Fraser and Janet Thomas, Mike Anderson, and John A. Coleman.
COY Committee is an Independent Selection Committee made up of current Board President, current recipient, and a former City Council member plus our staff liaison who serves to gather notes and moderate. Neither the Chamber Board nor staff in their positions have any influence in the decision process outside this committee. All nominations and comments are directed to this committee.
📷 Photo from the Citizen of the Year Dinner 2024.
Questions? Reach out to the Lafayette Chamber at (925) 284-7404.
To submit a nomination, complete the form here.
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Welcome our NEW Lafayette Chamber Members
The following recently joined the Lafayette Chamber! We encourage you to visit their websites to learn more.
A Nurse in the Family
14850 Highway 4, Suite A, #188, Discovery Bay, CA 94505
Cheryl Ringo, 925-477-7318
A Nurse in the Family is a concierge nurse care management group. We specialize in providing support to seniors as they age. During the consultation process, we can determine if there are gaps in their care.
Categories: Healthcare & Medical, Personal Services & Care
B&B Locksmith and Security Inc.
1449 SOS Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Alex Berger, 925-266-3393
Bay Area commercial locksmith company.
Category: Construction & Contractors
Makers Market
3571 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, CA 94549
Suzy Ekman, 404-210-5464
Makers Market celebrates 100% American-made, handcrafted goods from local artisans. We curate sustainable, high-quality pieces that honor craftsmanship and support skilled creators. Join us in reviving the legacy of American-made products—one story, one maker, one timeless piece.
Category: Shopping & Specialty Retail
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Thank you Renewing Chamber Members
The following members renewed their Lafayette Chamber membership January 13-20!
Alissa Scanlin, PsyD, member since 2007
barre925, member since 2022
Beth Rustigian, Realtor, member since 2022
Better Business Bureau, member since 2017
Cross Country Mortgage, member since 2024
Easy Life Home Solutions, member since 2024
Greet Lafayette; BeLocal Lamorinda & Diablo, member since 2017
Harriet Davidson Business Consultant, member since 2015
Kumon Math and Reading Center of Lafayette, member since 2008
Lafayette Clocktower, member since 2020
Lawyers in Lafayette, member since 2021
Mutual of Omaha Reverse Mortgage, member since 2023
Peter Pan Foundation, member since 2019
Roam Artisan Burgers, member since 2014
Sequoia Signs & Graphics, Inc., member since 2015
Sustainable Contra Costa, member since 2021
Traverso Tree Service, member since 2024
Ashley Battersby, Village Associates Real Estate Broker, member since 2021
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Dudum Financial & Insurance Services, Inc. Celebrates 20 Years with the Lafayette Chamber
Dudum Financial proudly celebrates 20 years as a member of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce! Founded in 2000 by brothers Keith and Jason Dudum, Dudum Financial began as an insurance and investment company focused on servicing families and businesses in the Bay Area. Today the company has clients in all 50 states and offices in Beverly Hills, Palm Desert, Las Vegas, and Seattle.
📷: Jason and Keith Dudum (co-owners) and their team
📞: (800) 574-9900
📍: 3505 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549
🌐: https://www.dudumfinancial.com
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Bethel Care Homes Celebrates 10 Years with the Lafayette Chamber!
At Bethel Care Home in Walnut Creek, we pride ourselves in offering exceptional, personalized care in a warm, family-owned environment. Our boutique style assisted living nestled in a peaceful neighborhood close to Rossmoor is designed to feel like home ensuring comfort with private bedroom/bathroom, and safety for every resident. With a high staff to resident ratio, we provide attentive support tailored to individual needs, including assistance with daily living, medication management, specialized care for our dementia residents with activities, music/pet therapy, and physical therapy. Our mission is to foster a luxurious yet compassionate atmosphere, where homemade meals, engaging activities, and private accommodations create a sense of love and belonging to our family.
📷: Carla Blaj (on the left) and staff
📞: (925) 280-6000
📍: 36 Cottage Ln, Walnut Creek, CA 94595
🌐: http://www.bethelwalnutcreek.com
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Lafayette Chamber Nonprofit Network
Sharing Knowledge & Building Community Together
At the Lafayette Chamber Nonprofit Network, we believe that non-profit organizations play an essential role in building and sustaining thriving communities. Our mission is to foster collaboration, share expertise, and promote best practices among non-profit professionals and volunteers in the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a newcomer to the non-profit sector, we’re here to provide you with the resources, connections, and support you need to make a positive impact in the world.
Our first meeting of 2025 will be Thursday, February 6, 2025 8:30am-10am at Creekside Commons, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette, CA.
FREE and open to Lafayette Chamber member non-profit executives, staff, board, volunteers. Not a Lafayette Chamber member? Register as a first-time guest.
REGISTER for February as well as future events here.
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Lafayette Business Women at East Bay Health
Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 8:45am-10:00am
East Bay Health
911 Moraga Rd Suite 101
Lafayette, CA 94549
Registration required! REGISTER HERE
No cost for Lafayette Chamber members. Guests welcome to attend the first meeting for free, then we encourage guests to join the Lafayette Chamber or pay the $20 guest fee during registration.
Chamber members should sign in with their representative account to confirm membership.
📷 Photo above is from the Lafayette Business Women meeting at the Lafayette Library. See more from the event here.
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Join Us for Another Fun Chamber Connectors Event!
We’re thrilled to announce the relaunch of Chamber Connectors—a monthly networking event designed to help you grow your business through meaningful connections and referrals!
Next meeting is Wednesday, February 19th,8:15am - 9:30am at Creekside Commons, 1035 Carol Lane (use Parking Lot A), Lafayette, CA 94549
REGISTER HERE
Whether you're a Lafayette Chamber member or new to our community, Chamber Connectors is your opportunity to showcase your business, meet local professionals, and build valuable relationships.
📷 See pictures from the January event here.
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Sincere thanks to Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa for hosting last month!
📷 Photo from January 16th at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. See pictures from our January 16th event here!
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Sign up for Text Notifications from the Lafayette Chamber! | |
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Choose one or more lists to receive information via text from the Lafayette Chamber. Typically, texts are sent within 24 hours of the event.
Community Events
"Coffee" with our Community Partners
Non-Profit Network
Young Professionals
Lafayette Business Women
Chamber Connectors
Membership Events (includes mixers and ribbon cuttings)
Sign up here!
Email notifications are also an option. To receive an email announcement for upcoming events, subscribe on this page: https://lafayettechamber.org/e-blast/.
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Nominations Open for the Women Making a Difference Awards
Nominations are now open for the Women Making a Difference Awards, a new award series presented by Kaiser Permanente in partnership with the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau.
The awards will celebrate three extraordinary women who positively impact the East Bay. Nominations are due on January 24 and winners will be honored at the East Bay Women’s Conference on Tuesday, March 4.
Award categories include:
- Innovation Award: Recognizes a woman who achieves measurable results through innovative solutions, advancing well-being in the East Bay.
- Leadership and Empowerment Award: Honors a woman with exceptional leadership and a dedication to empowering others, fostering inclusivity and collaboration.
- Rising Star Award: Highlights a woman with outstanding early-career achievements, leadership potential, and a vision for meaningful impact.
For more information about the awards including how to submit your nomination, visit walnut-creek.com/ebwc2025/ebwc2025-awards.
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New Simplified Chamber Login for Administrators!
As the primary contact for your organization, you now have access to new online member benefits through the Lafayette Chamber website. With your representative login, you can manage your organization’s member account including your profile, update your representative information, register for events, and post your job openings, news, or promotions.
To begin using these benefits, please login with the password you created during the application process or create a new password here by following these steps:
1. Enter the email address associated with your representative account.
2. Request a new password by checking your email for a verification code.
3. Use the verification code to set your new password.
If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out by replying to this email!
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New Member Orientation at the Lafayette Chamber!
If you are a new Lafayette Chamber member, new owner or employee in an already existing member business join us for a New Member Orientation.
We offer these once a month at our Chamber offices, the last Wednesday at 4pm. We are located at 251 Lafayette Circle Ste 150, Lafayette CA 94549.
Each event is limited to 10 attendees and will last no longer than one hour. Please register with your Member account using the link below. If you are having trouble logging in please contact us. We will not take walk-ins. If the registration button is no longer shown below, registration is full for this meeting. Please email Rebekah at Rebekah@LafayetteChamber.org to be added to the waitlist.
Don’t forget to bring your business cards and/or promotional materials to share with others and to leave on our membership wall. And come prepared to have your photo taken! Learn how to maximize your membership and how to get involved! Not a member? Click here to join: lafayettechamber.org/join.
View upcoming dates and REGISTER HERE!
Photo of a recent Meet & Greet with Product Deploy, Saint Anthony's Thrift, and Entrepreneurs' Organization - Mt. Diablo Chapter!
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Small Business Help Office Hours - Hosted by SCORE
SCORE has the largest network of free volunteer small business mentors in the nation. No matter what stage your business is at SCORE can be a valuable resource. The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce has been partnering with SCORE for over 15 years.
We welcome our chamber members and community members to schedule a complimentary meeting with a SCORE representative most Tuesdays between the hours of 1:30pm-4:00pm in our Chamber office at 251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150. View the calendar for upcoming dates.
Mike Harris is our in-house SCORE counselor. Mike earned a BS with an emphasis on electronics from Stevens Institute of Technology and an MBA from Santa Clara University. After a few years in engineering, Mike spent most of his career in high tech marketing and operations management. While continuing to work in electronics he helped manage his family retail business. After retiring from his career in electronics, Mike began working with small businesses helping them obtain working capital loans. Besides mentoring, Mike helps present SCORE business plans and financial planning workshops.
To schedule your appointment, please call the Lafayette Chamber at (925) 284-7404 or book your appointment online here by 10am the Friday before. Enter your desired time frame. In person meetings at the Lafayette Chamber office are by appointment only and are scheduled every 30 minutes.
SCORE also offers free and low-cost workshops. VIEW WORKSHOP SCHEDULE HERE.
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Upcoming Chamber Member Events | |
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AI in Action Workshop
Event Details:
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Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM thru 12:00 PM
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Location: Sonesta Select Pleasant Hill, 2250 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
WSI is hosting a 3-hour hands-on "AI in Action: From Fundamentals to Business Applications" workshop aimed at helping small to medium sized businesses reduce costs, incrase efficiency and stay ahead of the competition. In this workshop, you can expect to:
- Learn about the fundamental concepts including prompt frameworks of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI.
- Explore real-world use cases tailored for businesses like yours.
- Walk away with practical tools you can start using immediately.
Limited to 25 attendees. Introductory price of $299. Register by Jan 10 to receive the introductory rate. Learn more and register here.
Lafayette Chamber members can use the promotion code Chamber50 to receive $50 off of the ticket price.
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Roots and Wings Legal, P.C.
Event Details:
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Topic: What’s Missing From Your Estate Planning Strategy?
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Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Location: 1600 St Andrews Dr, Moraga
This engaging session will uncover often-overlooked aspects of estate planning and provide actionable steps to ensure a comprehensive and secure strategy. Presented by Roots and Wings Legal, P.C.
Register here.
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Crosswalk Daylighting Law Will Result in Removal of Some Parking Spaces to Improve Pedestrian Safety
Did you know that you can no longer park within 20 feet of an intersection or crosswalk? California's citation enforcement started on January 1, 2025, however, a grace period in Lafayette means that fines are not currently being issued while we educate the community about this change in State law and make physical modifications to some parking spaces and remove meters where necessary. Note that regardless of whether the curb is painted red or not, parking is still prohibited within the 20-foot range. Read more at www.lovelafayette.org/CrosswalkDaylighting
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City of Lafayette The Weekly Roundup
The Weekly Roundup, January 17, 2025 | Latest News | City of Lafayette, CA
News From the City Manager’s Corner
Last week’s updates from City Manager, Niroop Srivatsa highlight:
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Crosswalk Daylighting Law Will Result in Removal of Some Parking Spaces
- Get Tickets Now for Teen Tri-City Dance on January 24
- How We Are Prepared to Face Emergencies like Wildfires
- Special Joint Planning Commission and Design Review Commission Meeting on Tuesday Night Regarding New Proposal for Development Project at 1001 Oak Hill Road
➡ Lafayette Planning Applications and Major Development Projects: Want to know the planning applications that the City’s Planning Department is processing? You can visit the Planning Applications Received page for the latest application information. Curious about construction taking place around town? Information on major developments that are underway can be found on the Major Development Projects website.
➡ Are you listed on the Experience Lafayette website? If not, reach out to Suzanne Iarla at the City of Lafayette
➡ Sign up to receive City notifications: Sign up for meeting agendas and Lafayette’s publications at bit.ly/LafayetteNotifications. Also, find out how to follow the City of Lafayette on social media at https://www.lovelafayette.org/connect
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Supervisor Candace Andersen Weekly Update
January 17, 2025 Weekly Update (Constant Contact)
➡ Supervisor Andersen was Sworn in as Chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Tuesday
➡ 2025 Step into the Light Youth Arts Competition for Bay Area High School Students
➡ Caltrans Proposed Project for Caldecott Tunnel
➡ Seeking Volunteers for 1/30/25 Homeless Point in Time Count
➡ BART fares increased 5.5% on January 1, 2025
➡ PG&E Offers Customers Ways to Manage their Energy Use
➡ The Cleaner Contra Costa January 2025 Reduce, Reuse, Repair Challenge
➡ County Board and Commission Volunteer Opportunities
➡ AmeriCorps VISTA Job Opportunity!
➡ Caldecott Tunnel Proposed Project Public Comment Period Open
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Show Your Membership!
Would you like to include a Lafayette Chamber membership emblem on your website or other marketing materials?
The Lafayette Chamber would be happy to provide you with the appropriate logos. Simply email your request to holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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