A Message from Chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit:
Chamber will continue 

to work for Stockton

JULY 2008 - Your Chamber has now begun its 2008-2009 year and thanks to all of you who helped make this past year a success. Outgoing President Rick Aschieris, his Executive Committee and board members thank all of you for your support of the Chamber’s programs, events, each other and the staff. Also a big thank you to the retiring board members and committee chairs who were honored at the Installation Dinner held on June 19th at the Sheraton Hotel.

At the dinner four chamber staff members were also honored for years of service. First, Mary Pennini who retired after 23 years of wonderful service and dedication to the Chamber, it’s members and the community was honored. She is a Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce institution and will always be part of our family! Sandy Dwyer was recognized for 15 hard working years keeping us on the financial straight and narrow and the reason your Chamber is so fiscally sound. Frank Ferral has, for ten years, led the Public Policy and Programs being an important and successful part of the Chamber. Wes Rhea has served for five years of service starting as BEA coordinator, then Leadership Stockton coordinator and then taking the new Chamber Conference and Visitors Bureau to the success it is today. Each of these staff members are symbolic of all the staff here at 445 W. Weber Avenue ! Thanks again to the four and all the staff for a continuing job well done.

June 2008 had some great moments and some not so great moments. First  a few of the good: On June 18th the Asparagus Festival Board hosted the celebration of the 23rd Asparagus Festival which set a new record ($461,912.00 for a 23 year total to LOCAL CHARITIES OF $4,518,926.00). 23rd Festival President and Sheriff Steve Moore did a great job in leading the board, volunteers and staff to the best festival to date and I know new president Jerry Smith, a good Chamber member, is poised to take the festival to a higher level. I must note here that your Chamber was a big part of the success, again this year, due to the “CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WEATHER!” The 24th hopefully will see the new marina playing a part in the festival since construction is scheduled to begin next month (August 2008).

On June 5th the Chamber’s annual Small Business Awards Luncheon and Trade Show Mixer was held at the Stockton Grand (soon to be Hilton) and both were a huge success. Congratulations to the award winners and a big thank you to the sponsors, attendees, exhibitors and staff for making the day a great day for all.

June 6th saw the opening of Stone Creek Village and it is such a great addition to our community. The investment by Stone Bros. & Assoc. and the stores that opened there, with more to come, shows that the hard work of so many over the past several years, the investment in Downtown, the Mayor’s Strong Neighborhood Initiative, to name a few is positioning Stockton to really be in the right time at the right place as the economy starts to recover.

The reason I say this is that just before I wrote this article on Wednesday June 18, 2008 I, along with others on the Editorial Board of the Central Valley Business Journal, got a sneak preview of the now released University of the Pacific Forecast Center first quarter report.   New UOP Forecast Center Director, Jeff Michael, feels that Stockton is in a good position to weather the economic slowdown and come out on top statewide when the economy begins to improve.

This is also supported by the article in The Record Money Section on that morning showing that San Joaquin County, County Seat being Stockton, ranked 90th in economic strength among 363 metropolitan areas across the country, according to a study by Plicom, a Palm City, Florida economic research firm that specializes in analyzing local and state economies.” “Earlier rankings showed the county ranked 212th five years ago, and then improved each year to 179th, 134th, 102nd and then 90th” in the most current report. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, did the visionary and courageous investments the last three mayors and their councils have anything to do with it? You think? No, I know so!  Just a small note about the downtown – the night Earth, Wind and Fire played the Bob Hope Fox, Paragary’s (please see pages 13 and 14 for further on Paragary’s and please pay particular attention to the last sentence of the article) and other restaurants did a bang up business prior to a sold out performance. Many, many people I talked to were excited about the evening by coming downtown, sharing with friends and fellow citizens and having good food in a safe atmosphere surrounding the Bob Hope Fox.

A tragic event took place in June but the good that came from it showed what a great community this is! I am referring to the devastating Quail Lakes Fire. The Record did a great job covering the story and thanking those in the Fire, Police, Emergency services and the victims fellow citizens for a job well done. It shows the professionals of our community are second to none and their courageous actions and the water system we have in Stockton saved lives and lessened the loss of property. Also, what should make us proud, is the continual outpouring of support by those not affected by the fire to those who lost so much.

There were many, many other good things happening and continuing to happen but space does not allow me to go into each one of them but thanks to all who left Deal or No Deal, America Has Talent, American Idol or Dancing with the Stars at home to experience THEIR COMMUNITY with family, friends and other members of Stockton and San Joaquin County.

One major negative in June took place on June 5th during the primary election and that was the dismal, embarrassing and sad 21% voter turnout. I will be talking more about everyone’s responsibility to vote as we get closer to the November 2008 election but suffice to say that nothing should keep a registered voter of this city, county, state or country from voting in every election either in person or absentee. YOUR vote does count !!!!! If you don’t vote you have no right to complain since you are part of the problem and not part of the solution.

When you receive this issue of Port O Call it will be very near to the Fourth of July. Your Board of Directors, led by Dennis Goldstrand, staff and I wish you, your family and employees a very happy Fourth of July and hopefully you will enjoy celebrating this GREAT NATION and COMMUNITY and at the same time rededicate yourself to making Stockton, San Joaquin County, California and the GREAT USA a better place to live now and into the future. It will take all of us to carry the load and do what is right for all and put aside pettiness and all row in the same direction.