April 2010 | 1

THE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION OF THE OAKLAND METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |

Oakland Business Review

www.oaklandchamber.com | VOL XXXIX NO. 4 APRIL 2013

Visit www.oaklandchamber.com for more businessopportunities, news and event registration.

> Oakland Chamber wins bid to host local SBDC

> Oakland A’s luncheonset for April 16The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce,in partnership with The Salvation Army of AlamedaCounty, will hold a luncheon to honor the OaklandA’s (and many of the players’ wives) at the HiltonOakland Airport on Tuesday, April 16 from11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Individual tickets for theluncheon are $75, which includesparking; tables of ten can bepurchased for $1,500, whichincludes preferential seating.Sponsorships are available.Proceeds from the event will go

to the Chamber of Commerce Foundation and to TheSalvation Army of Alameda County.

Besides having A’s manager Bob Melvin inattendance (there’s an A’s-Houston Astros game at theColiseum that evening), the luncheon will also honorthe wives of many of the players who have volunteeredto support the mission of The Salvation Army.

Since 1883, The Salvation Army has been servingAlameda County and helping to restore hope and trans-form lives. Its role is to serve and assist individuals andfamilies in crisis through a myriad of programs andservices.

For more information on the April 16 luncheon,contact Ivette Torres at the Chamber of Commerce atitorres@oaklandchamber.com or at (510) 874-4800,ext. 319.

For information on sponsorships, contact SaraTarano at The Salvation Army at (510) 645-9710, ext. 219or at sara.tarano@usw.salvationarmy.org. �

On April 2, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber ofCommerce will open the new offices of Alameda County’sSmall Business Development Center (SBDC).

Aer an open solicitation process that concluded in January,the Northern California SBDC Lead Center announced the intentto award up to $215,000 in federal funds to the Oakland Chamberto host the local SBDC office and take over the day-to-dayoperations of the center.

The Alameda County Small Business Development Center(ACSBDC) provides free, one-on-one consulting and low-costtrainings to more than 2,000 small businesses in the countyannually. The SBDC is a nationwide program which is funded bythe U.S. Small Business Administration and local match fundingto help small businesses start and grow in their communities.

The NorcalSBDC LeadCenter – whichoverseesprogrammaticand fiscaloperations of 11 centers in 14 Northern California counties –stepped in to manage the ACSBDC two years ago. Over that timethe center has grown into a top performer in the region – with aspecialty in helping small businesses access capital.

“This new funding will allow us to expand services for ourmembers and all businesses throughout the county,” said JoeHaraburda, president of the Chamber. “The Alameda CountySBDC, its program manager and existing 17 consultants have along track record of solid performance filling the needs of localbusinesses. We intend to continue in that tradition.”

According to Alameda SBDC client surveys, positive impactscreated through SBDC services in 2012 included more than $26million in acquired loans and equity capital, $4.6 million in salesincreases as well as the launch of 39 new businesses. NorcalSBDC Regional Director Kristin Johnson said that in searchingfor the right host for the ACSBDC, the Lead Center needed a well-established nonprofit with a similar mission and local matchfunding in order to draw down federal funding to provide servicesto the community. They also hoped to find a strong team thatwould be able to pick up where they le off.

“We are counting this search for a new host a success on allcounts and we are excited at the prospect of having anotherchamber in our SBDC mix,” Johnson said. “We have long beeninterested in diversifying the types of places Northern Californiaentrepreneurs can access our services and we’re confident thatthe Oakland Chamber team is going to add value to our network.”

The Alameda County SBDC will relocate to the OaklandChamber offices at 475 14th St. on April 2.

For more information about how to apply for SBDC services,go to www.acsbdc.org or call (510) 208-0410.

About the Norcal SBDC Program: Small Business DevelopmentCenters of Northern California (Norcal SBDC) help individualsmanage the growth of their businesses. Their sole focus is onhelping entrepreneurs improve their bottom line. Their expertisecan help take the mystery out of business management and allowcompanies to focus on the issues most critical to their success.Their business advisors have years of experience and know whatit takes to operate profitably and grow a business in NorthernCalifornia. SBDC services address business plans, financial projec-tions and budgeting, operating challenges, purchase or sale of abusiness, funding your venture, loan packaging, and more. Allprivate coaching/advising services are offered at no cost to theclient. �

This year’s Annual Meetingof the Oakland MetropolitanChamber of Commerce willrecognize and celebrate itsmembers, the lifeblood ofthe organization. It reflectsChamber members –members of the businesscommunity – saluting itsown that have contributedboth financially and throughvolunteerism for the better-ment of Oakland.

The 108th AnnualMeeting and AwardsLuncheon will be held onWednesday, June 26 at theOakland Marriott CityCenter.

The Clorox Company isthe title sponsor.

The event presentsmembers with anopportunity to celebrate ayear of Chamberaccomplishments, a chanceto network with new andaward-winning members,and a way to show supportfor the Chamber and ourmany programs. Theluncheon is also one of themajor fundraising events ofthe year, providing theChamber with funds tocontinue those programsand our strong advocacy forlocal business.

The 108th AnnualMeeting and ChamberAwards Luncheon will beginwith an 11:30 a.m.registration. The luncheonbegins at noon.

To reserve a table or seat,visit www.oaklandchamber.com or contactIvette Torres at the Chamberof Commerce, (510) 874-4800, ext. 319 or atitorres@oaklandchamber.com.�

MAYOR’S SUMMERJOBS PROGRAMPage 21

TAX TIPSFor the small business ownerPage 8

‘REMEMBER THEM’ MONUMENTDedication set for May 31Page 24

� Oakland A’smanager BobMelvin will bewatching over hisreigning AmericanLeague WesternDivision Championsin 2013.

> Chamber willcelebrate itsmembers – and108 years – atAnnual Meeting

OAKLAND A’SDefending theirdivision crownPage 9

Join us for two exciting A’sgames – page 18

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com2

Names in the news

• Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP Partner Leonard Marquez

has been selected by the San Francisco Business Times for inclusion on its

annual “40 Under Forty” list for 2013. This

distinction highlights business leaders 39 years

of age or younger who are building the Bay

Area’s future by making significant contribu-

tions to their industries, their companies

and/or to their communities. A litigator at

Wendel Rosen, Marquez’s practice extends to

commercial leasing disputes, business torts

and contract litigation.

• Citing such accomplishments as the

recent award from the Obama Administration for PG&E's supplier

diversity achievements, its support of Veterans programs and its

extensive community engagement, the Oakland African American

Chamber of Commerce recently selected PG&E as its 2012 Oakland

Corporation of the Year.

• The East Bay Rental Housing

Association has promoted Jill Broadhurst to

executive director of the Oakland-based,

nonprofit trade association. She had been

director of community affairs and advocacy

since 2011.

• Chris Iglesias, who brings 25 years of

experience to his new role, has been named

chief executive officer of The Unity Council,

a national model for the nonprofit community development sector.

Iglesias previously served as executive director of the San Francisco

Human Rights Commission as well as the director of Regional Workforce

Initiatives at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

• Jonathan Boland and Janet Kan have been named associates of

ENGEO Incorporated, an employee-owned firm of geotechnical and

civil engineers, geologists, hydrologists, environmental professionals

and construction services technicians.

• AgeSong at Lake Merritt has changed its name to The Lake

Merritt, Independent Senior Living, located at 1800 Madison St. The

property will continue its philosophy on aging and empowering elders.

• Hampton Inn & Suites Oakland Airport in Alameda has received

a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which

honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that

consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.

Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor

receive this prestigious award.

• Jason Flom, who represents corporate

and individual clients in a variety of matters

while specializing in civil litigation, has been

named an associate at the law firm Donahue

Gallagher Woods LLP. Flom graduated from

the University of California, Hastings College

of the Law in 2012.

• KGO Radio News has been honored

with two top awards for broadcast excellence

in 2012 by the NorCal Radio Television News Directors Association. KGO

won awards for Best News Broadcast and Best Feature Reporting.

• Great Place to Work® has named ENGEO as one of the best small

and medium workplaces in the United States on their annual 2012

Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, published by Fortunemagazine.

Ranked #5, the list recognizes companies that have exceptional work-

place cultures. Now in its ninth year, the competition is divided into two

categories, Small (50-250 employees) and Medium (251-999 employees).

• The 20th anniversary celebration of Biotech Partners’ Career

Technical Education (CTE) programming in biotechnology was recently

held in San Francisco. Biotech Partners provides a linked-learning CTE

program for at-risk and underserved high school and community college

students that features a rigorous hands-on lab education; job prepared-

ness training; paid practical internships in the biotechnology, bioscience

and healthcare industries; and academic and personal support. �

Leonard Marquez

Jill Broadhurst

Jason Flom

April 2013 | 3

Chamber is new administrator for Alameda County SBDC

> Meet your new SBDC business advisorsEffective April 2, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerceis the new administrator for the Alameda County Small BusinessDevelopment Center, which provides tools and expertise to smallbusiness owners through free counseling and outstanding seminarson a variety of topics.

The following are only some of the Alameda County business advisorswho can assist business owners interested in minimizing risk andaccelerating the success of their ventures.

Paula Groves – Services DirectorSpecialties: Business planning and financialprojections; loans and equity financing

Paula Groves assists companies with obtainingequity and debt capital, business planning andfinancial projections. She has more than 20 yearsof private equity/venture capital experience andworking with entrepreneurs seeking funding. Shehas helped generate over $80 million in returns toinvestors.

Previously, Groves was co-founding partner ofAxxon Capital, a venture capital firm based in Boston that invested intechnology-oriented companies led by underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Gerry BarañanoSpecialties: Technology

Gerry Barañano has been vice president ofmarketing and sales for companies ranging in sizefrom Fortune 100 to startups and was instrumen-tal in positioning and closing the sale of Xros, atelecommunications startup for $3.5 billion.

Barañano brings a comprehensiveunderstanding of all the elements necessary tostart a successful technology company from hisexperience as founder and chief executive officer

of several startup companies. He has hands-on experience in launching productsand services in the telecommunications, computer manufacturing, software,hardware, and green/clean tech industries.

Ron BarrettSpecialties: Government guaranteed loans

Ron Barrett, the vice president and manager ofgovernment guaranteed loans at Pan Pacific Bank, hasmore than 30 years of entrepreneurial and financialservices experience. Prior to joining Pan Pacific Bank,Barrett served as manager of government guaranteedloans for Bank of Alameda. Previously, he was a businessdevelopment officer at Wachovia Small Business Capitaland earlier served as a broker and financial advisor forMerrill Lynch.

Carolyn JohnsonSpecialties: Business planning, financial planning andmarketing

Carolyn Johnson is a licensed business intermediarywith Sunbelt Business Sales and Acquisitions, a businessbrokerage located in Alameda. As a business intermediaryher job is to help people buy or sell a business. She cameto Sunbelt as a business advisor and trainer with morethan 20 years of experience in small business managementand finance. She continues her advisory and training rolesassisting business clients from startup to exit.

As an advisor, she helps businesses with planning, marketing and operationalchallenges. In addition, she assists with financial projections, loan packaging andinvestor presentations.

Lee LambertSpecialties: Business strategy, buying/selling businesses,business plans, financing, business operations

Lee Lambert has more than 25 years of experience inmanagement consulting, investment banking, venturecapital, corporate and business development and start-upcompanies. He founded and served as chief executiveofficer for companies in the internet and finance sectors.He has served on the Board of Directors for several privateand one publicly traded company.

Lambert currently consults to both technology andnon-technology companies in the areas of strategy, business planning, businessdevelopment, raising capital and mergers and acquisitions.

Paula MattisonsierraSpecialties: Marketing, retail, wholesale, design andproduct development

Paula Mattisonsierra has more than 20 years ofprofessional experience within the field of marketing andas an entrepreneur. Her broad background in marketingcovers advertising, sales, public relations, productdevelopment and special events, and allows for seamlessadaptability to consulting with a variety of businesses.

Mattisonsierra’s background arches over a variety ofareas from managing $85 million in client marketingdollars to starting her own product-based business to

consulting in the field of marketing and operations.

David MitroffSpecialties: Social media, restaurants, retail, andprofessional services

David Mitroff, Ph.D. is the founder and chiefconsultant at Piedmont Avenue Consulting. He questionsassumptions, offers creative ideas and encourages newinitiatives from strategy through implementation. Hiswealth of knowledge is transferred to clients leading toheightened sales, increased customer experiences, andenhanced relationship building techniques.

As an advisor for the SBDC, he conducts workshopson leveraging new technologies including Social Media and specializes inconsulting with restaurants, retail, and professional services clients.

Dorian WebbSpecialties: Business planning, business development,strategic planning, branding, sales and marketing andlicensing

For more than 20 years, Dorian Webb has designedand manufactured semiprecious jewelry and Venetianglass housewares for the luxury market. This award-winning designer has created collections for high-enddepartment stores, specialty boutiques and hotelsthroughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Webb draws on her decades of business experiencewhen assisting clients with business planning, business

development, strategic planning, branding, licensing and sales and marketing tohelp them develop a strong foundation for sustained business growth. �

> The impact of SBDC’s mentorscan be significant

SBDC has a team of professionals withdecades of real world experience who mentorbusinesses in all functional areas – sales,marketing, manufacturing, venture capital, webdesign, government contracting, SBA loans,and government grants.

In addition, SBDC offers a series of trainingseminars.

SBDC services are free to businesses. Signup for free services on acsbdc.org.

The impact of SBDC’s mentors can besignificant, as demonstrated by Cool EarthSolar, an innovative start-up company locatedin Livermore, which won more than $2 millionin government grants.

Only at the prototype stage with its technology and with tight budgets,Cool Earth needed grants that would help it complete product develop-ment and deploy systems for field trials.

As a technology company, Cool Earth required advisors with specializedknowledge and experience. Cool Earth applied to the Tech Futures Group(techfuturesgroup.org), a new initiative of the SBDC that has assembled ateam of technology specialists with expertise in technology commercial-ization, raising equity capital through angels and venture capitalists,intellectual property protection, and special government grants, such asSBIR.

Cool Earth met with two SBDC advisors, Charles Eason and GerryBarañano. Eason is the SBDC expert in Small Business Innovative Research(SBIR) grants that provide funding for research in specific areas. Barañano isa technology commercialization expert with deep knowledge of all aspectsof technology companies.

Both advisors helped Cool Earth improve the quality of their grantapplications. Following Eason’s advice, Cool Earth won two $150,000 SBIRphase 1 grants and is line to win much larger amounts in subsequentphases.

Barañano recommended that Cool Earth reach out and develop a strongrelationship with Lawrence Livermore National Labs (LLNL), and also writea white paper geared to first customers. Using their LLNL relationship andthe body of the white paper, Cool Earth won a $1,732,000 grant fromCalifornia Energy Commission.

“We owe much of our success with these grants to the experience,knowledge, and cheerful assistance of these two gentlemen,” exclaimedTony Chen, Cool Earth’s director of business development. �

The Oakland Metro-politan Chamber ofCommerce has be-

come the administra-tor for the AlamedaCounty Small Busi-ness Development

Center (acsbdc.org),whose mission is to

assist small businessowners and entre-

preneurs succeed intheir ventures.

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com4

April 2013 | 5

From the President | Joe Haraburda

In their work at the SBDC, there are a handfulof economic impacts that they are gearingtheir advising outcomes toward – job creation,job retention, acquisition of loan or equitycapital, increases in sales, and new businessstarts. All of these milestones are catalysts foreconomic growth and are at the core of theirservice mission within the SBDC program.

As a result of being the Administrator forthe program, the Northern California SBDCLead Center announced the intent to award upto $215,000 in federal funds to the OaklandChamber. This new funding will allow us toexpand services for our members and all busi-nesses throughout the county. The Alameda

County SBDC, its program manager and existing 17 consultants have a longtrack record of solid performance filling the needs of local businesses. Weintend to continue in that tradition.

Learn more about SBDC and how it can benefit your business(consultation services and seminars at no cost to you) – www.sbdc.org.

We stand up for businesses in every part of Oakland.

> Walk to help save livesOn Saturday, June 1, “Healing Hearts: Walk/Run for Suicide Prevention” offers anopportunity for you to participate in an impactful community event while supportingthe life-saving work of Crisis Support Services of Alameda County.

CSS is the 501-c-3 nonprofit agency that provides suicide prevention and crisisintervention counseling for all Alameda County residents. Since 1966, Crisis Support’s24-hour crisis line has answered more than 60,000 calls for help each year in ourcommunity. CSS educates more than 10,000 students annually about suicideprevention in more than 40 public schools, offers grief counseling services, and servesisolated seniors in their homes.

In the U.S. alone, a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes, claiming more than35,000 lives each year. It is estimated an attempt is made every 45 seconds; with nearlyone million people attempting suicide annually. It’s very likely that you or someone youknow has already been touched personally by this tragedy. One in five persons in theU.S. suffers with a diagnosable mental illness. Probably someone you know.

The June 1 event raises community aware- ness of the free counseling andcommunity education services CSS offers, and it’s about removing the stigma oftenassociated with mental illness, depression and suicide. By supporting this 5K walk/runevent you will help increase awareness about depression and suicide, advocate formental health issues and encourage the many survivors of suicide loss.

Sign up to walk, run or become a corporate sponsor to help cover the costs of theevent. A $100 tax deductible “Course Sponsorship” donation will put your companyname on one of the many signs to line the 5k course around beautiful Lake Merrittthat day. Many other sponsor and volunteer opportunities also exist.

The walk/run will begin at the 8am at the Edoff Memorial Bandstand on BellevueAvenue at Lake Merritt. For more information contact Elise Deleon at (510) 220-0265 orregister online at http://tinyurl.com/HealingHearts2013. Sign up before May 1t to save$10! �

From the president | Joe Haraburda

Oakland Chamber wins bid to host local SBDC; A’s Spirit Week; and police recruits

Oakland A’s Spirit WeekJoin in as we cheer for the Oakland Athletics! During the week of April 1, wecan show our commitment and passion for the A’s by attending opening nightand the rest of the A’s home games that week. Enjoy “Spirit Week.” Wear A’sapparel or green and gold all week long! And be sure to attend our April 16 A’sluncheon at the Airport Hilton. Get insight on the season from Ken Korach,the radio voice of the A’s, and from A’s manager Bob Melvin.

CongratulationsOur congratulations to the new Oakland police graduating class. We wishthem a long and prosperous career making Oakland a safer city.

Recently, 51 recruits comprising the Oakland Police Department’s 167thRecruit Academy began their 27-week training. Police Chief Howard Jordan,joined by his command staff, addressed the recruits, welcoming them to thelaw enforcement family, and emphasized the role and responsibility a policeofficer has in the community. No matter their unique characteristics, allrecruits share the same quality – the desire to professionally serve thecommunity of Oakland.

For more information on becoming an Oakland police officer, visithttp://www.opdjobs.com. �

April is a big monthfor the Oakland

Metropolitan Chamberof Commerce, being

named theAdministrator for

the Alameda CountySmall Business

Development Center(SBDC), which has

more than 15 advisorsto help serve the

business community.

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com6

> Newcomer to Sacramento with an ambitious agendaby Paul Junge

Last September, the Oakland City Counciladopted an ordinance requiring the registra-tion and inspection of small non-owneroccupied rental properties (1-4 units). Theordinance cites studies from two respectedpolicy organizations, Urban Strategies Counciland Policy Link, which conclude that owner-occupants are more likely than “some” investorproperty owners to maintain real property tohigher standards. (It is unfortunate that theordinance does not cite any specific percentagequantity for “some,” which leaves the readersconfused about how extensive the problemmay be.)

The ordinance will cause these investors to pay fees to have theproperties inspected and then, presumably, will cause them to rehabilitateand correct any sub-standard conditions found. A close reading of theordinance may cause some confusion as to the motivations of the CityCouncil. One clause implies that the Council would like to find ways toactually prevent non-owner occupiers from even purchasing homes inOakland (in which case any fees/costs to such investors might be deemed“just punishment”), while other clauses simply seem to desire to regulatethe improvement of such properties.

I assume that the primary purpose of this ordinance is to causeimprovements to real property. I will not address the other issue, which isa policy issue.

As a CPA, an Oakland small business owner, a former Oakland land-lord, and a concerned community member, I applaud the efforts to findmethods to improve living standards and to reduce blight, hazards, andsub-standard living conditions. There is no doubt in my mind that thereare many “investors” who have a similar larger view beyond their ownimmediate self-interest.

However, all investors and landlords are concerned about their ownbottom line – this is the motivation for them to accept the risks and costsof property ownership. A program that causes investor/landlords toimprove their properties will cause the following costs and risks tothemselves:

1. The costs of this ordinance will not be insubstantial – annualregistration at $339 and probably multiple inspections at $99 each, plusadditional fees.

2. The costs of the upgrades themselves.3. If the inspections require substantial rehabilitation of the property,

this will cause an increase in county property taxes.4. The investor/landlord is not guaranteed to get higher rents due to

his or her rehabilitation of the property.5. The investor/landlord will only get income tax advantages through

depreciation over a long period of time (27.5 years). So, it is not unreasonable to think that this ordinance will generate

significant opposition. Fortunately, I think the city of Oakland can achieveits goals and reduce the opposition to this ordinance by incentivizingimprovement and blight reduction through the city’s Gross Receipts tax.

I propose that the City Council provide incentives through its GrossReceipts tax to give credits for both the fees and any resulting rehabilita-tion required by this ordinance. For example, I suggest that 50 percentof the fees imposed by this program and 75 percent of any costs ofsubstantial improvements to properties as a result of this program reducethe Gross Receipts tax imposed by the city. Because it is likely that smalllandlords pay relatively small amounts of business taxes, I recommendthat any credits which reduce the tax below zero could be carried forwardfor 15 years.

If such incentives proved to be beneficial, the city could also considerextending such credits to improvements done to all real property,whether as a result of this inspection program or not.

If this idea were to be adopted, the city would lose some fundsthrough a loss of Gross Receipts tax, but it would benefit by increasing theconditions of housing properties in a manner that is fair to both the cityand investor/landlords. �

Henry (Hank) Levy, CPA/ABV, CFF/CFE, is managing owner of The HenryLevy Group.

> Taking a look at non-owneroccupied rental propertiesby Henry (Hank) Levy, CPA/ABV, CFF/CFE

JOIN Chamber members for this informative breakfast at theOakland Chamber of Commerce, 475 14th Street.

This event is free to Chamber members and $10.00 fornon-members. To attend, you must RSVP by Wednesday, April 24.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER ONLINE www.oaklandchamber.com.

Have questions? Contact Paul Junge at (510) 874-4817 or atpjunge@oaklandchamber.com.

Come to “Inside Oakland Breakfast Forum” andhear from people who affect the policies andprogress of the city in which we live and do business.

Oakland Police ChiefHoward JordanFriday, April 26 • 8:30 - 10 a.m.

State Assemblymember Rob Bonta wasthe guest speaker at the Chamber’s InsideOakland breakfast in March. Bonta, aformer Alameda City Councilmember and SanFrancisco Deputy City Attorney, was firstelected to represent the 18th District, whichcovers Alameda, San Leandro and much ofOakland, in November 2012.

Bonta discussed many of the public safetyand gun-related bills he is working on in Sacramento. One is an exemptionfrom state law that would allow the city of Oakland to pass morerestrictive gun laws than the state typically allows. Another idea is a taxon ammunition with the proceeds going to cities experiencing the highestlevel of violent crime.

Bonta, along with Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (who representsthe other parts of Oakland as well as Berkeley), will chair a SpecialAssembly Committee on Gun Violence. They expect to hold hearings onthat subject in Oakland and other cities in California in the months ahead.

The new Assemblymember took note of the fact that his party,Democrats, now have a two-thirds or “super” majority in both theAssembly and Senate in Sacramento. This would allow the legislature topass (with no Republican votes – a sticking point in previous legislatures)new tax measures without having to go to the voters for approval. Bontadid say, however, that Governor Brown has said that Prop. 30 (which raisedthe sales tax and income tax on high earners) was the “new” revenue andso even with a super majority new taxes may not come from thislegislature.

Also on the tax front, Bonta said this legislature may reduce the two-thirds vote necessary when voters approve local tax measures. He saidthat threshold may be lowered to 55 percent voter approval required forlocal tax measures to pass.

� California StateAssemblymember RobBonta (center),surrounded by well-wishers, will chair aSpecial AssemblyCommittee on gunviolence.

Henry Levy

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), the new method for deter-mining state financial support for local schools, was also discussed. Bontasaid with the passage of Prop. 30, all districts will see an increase in statefunding. But the LCFF formula would direct more money to districts whereany of the following conditions applied in higher levels than other districts– poverty level incomes for student families, higher concentration of fostercare amongst students in the district, and higher percentages of studentswith language needs. Bonta said that the LCFF formula would lead tohigher funding for all school districts in his Assembly district.

On two Chamber priorities, public employee pension reform and CEQAreform, Bonta indicated there was little likelihood of action this year in thelegislature.

The Chamber’s next Inside Oakland Breakfast Forum will be held onFriday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. Our guest speaker will be Oakland Police ChiefHoward Jordan.

City Councilmember Libby Schaaf is our speaker in May. �

Paul Junge is the Chamber’s vice president and director of public policy.

Public PolicyREPRESENTING THE INTERESTSOF BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT

EDUCATION UPDATE

April 2013 | 7

> Children don’t stop learning;why do schools stop teaching?

According to the NationalEducation Commission onTime and Learning, “Everychild in America deservesan education that preparesthem for success… Ourantiquated school calendaris too limiting to providechildren with the breadthand depth of educational

experiences they need to thrive.” In the commission’s 1994 groundbreaking report, “Prisoners of Time,” Beacon

Day School in Oakland was recognized as a pioneer in preparing students for the21st Century workplace.

Beacon recognizes that the relationship between time and learning is animportant one. The school’s year-round approach addresses the student’s needfor well-paced learning experiences and the parent’s need for a socially-responsive school calendar – one that speaks strongly to the preservation offamily life.

For 30 years, Beacon’s 225-day school year (196 days in middle school) hasnot only been appreciated by busy parents, but has also demonstrated successfulacademic outcomes.

Beacon mom Michelle Bonfilio, a busy executive with The Gap, recognizesthe benefits of a year-round school. “Our daughter receives more concentrated,in-classroom learning time so that new concepts really stick,” she says. “Asworking parents, it’s great to see her thrive in the year-round curriculum.”

Another advantage of a year-round schedule, for both parents and students,is the reduced need for homework (in the elementary grades). Beacon studentsreceive all the time they need during the regular school day learning from skilledinstructors. Busy families can spend the remainder of their evenings focused onquality family time instead of waging the homework battle.

Preservation of family life is key for Terry Parker, a software engineer atGoogle, “With two full-time professional parents, family time together isprecious. Beacon's year-round schedule ensures that our children get the timethey need to master the skills they are learning, without the burden of excessivehomework. My fourth grader and kindergartener still love to be quizzed on mathproblems, but it is for fun rather than another item to be packed into our busyschedules.”

Year-round school provides numerous advantages including:• Higher rate of student knowledge retention• Ability to address individual learning styles• Expanded enrichment opportunities, both in academics and the arts• Reduced need for excessive homework• Positive effects on performance, attitude, achievement and attendance• Flexibility and compatibility with parents’ vacation schedules• Opportunities for children to spend quality family time during the weekAnd here’s one more – no summer activities scramble.“Beacon’s all-year schedule means I never worry whether my daughter is

safe, engaged and happy at a camp,” says a senior editor of Stanford digitalmagazine and mom to a first grader. “She’s at school with her second family,she’s having fun and she’s learning.”

What are your kids getting up to this summer? Beacon students are joyfullylearning in school and are having fun doing it. �

Jan Stone is executive director of Beacon Day School in Oakland.

> Have lunch with the Leagueof Women VotersJoin the League of Women Voters of Oakland for good food, inspiring awards, andan outstanding presentation – all for a good cause. The association’s 22nd annualAll-City Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, May 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.at Scott’s Pavilion in Jack London Square.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will help the League publish its free “OaklandEasy Voter Guide,” translated into Spanish and Chinese, and “Who RepresentsOakland,” a copy of which was inserted in the February issue of OaklandBusiness Review.

At the luncheon, Jennifer Pahlka, the founder of Code for America, will bethe keynote speaker and will present the Making Democracy Work Awards.Pahlka’s presentation, “Of the People, By the People, For the 21st Century,” willdescribe how Code for America fellows, talented computer technologists whohave taken a year off from their full-time jobs, are working with Oakland cityleaders to develop systems to make our government work better.

This year the League will present Making Democracy Work awards to: • San Pablo Avenue/Golden Gate Neighborhood Associations, for

organizing and presenting an effective candidate forum for Oakland CityCouncil candidates in District One.

• West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, which has empoweredresidents to work effectively to improve air quality in their community.

• Esperanza Tervalon-Daumont, executive director of Oakland Rising, acollaborative of five social justice organizations empowering voters in Eastand West Oakland.

• Naomi Schiff, community activist with Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA)and the Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt (CALM).

Reservations are available at http://www.lwvoakland.org or call (510)834-7640. �

> Ambassador of the MonthKelly S. Wright, a State Farm agent in Oakland, has beennamed the Chamber’s Ambassador of the Month.

A new member of the Chamber who joined in thelatter part of 2012, Wright realized quickly that theChamber had much to offer business owners likeherself and the Oakland community at large. Shejoined the Ambassador Committee in January.

The role of an Ambassador allowed her theopportunity to reach out to other small business own-ers and share the value of the Chamber. “I enjoynetworking and connecting with people,” she says.“This ties in perfectly with my role as an Ambassador. I

am able to speak with local business owners, find out what their needs are andhelp them leverage support and resources through the Chamber.”

Wright has been with State Farm Insurance since 1998, working in thecompany’s underwriting, claims and agency management divisions. She openedher own independent agency in June of 2011, which is located at 3645 GrandAve., suite 105 in Oakland (inside the Piedmont Executive Center). Since then,she and her team (John Wright, Thomas Kleinsmith and Yvette Alvarez) havebeen helping the Oakland community manage the risks of everyday life, recoverfrom the unexpected, and realize their dreams.

Wright has fostered a “client-centric” environment in her agency. The goalis to be the primary source for education, consultation and purchasing ofinsurance and financial services in the community. She believes that she andher team have a responsibility to their clients to provide ongoing evaluation oftheir current needs and future goals. These relationships allow them to assistand help each client prepare for the ever-changing realities of life.

Kelly S. Wright can be reached at (510) 488-3505. For more information, visitwww.kellyswright.com. �

> Join the Ambassadors

Fellow Chamber members – it is an honor and a pleasure to be of service to youand your business. As an Ambassador for the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber ofCommerce, I help serve as a connector to the business community.

The mission of the Ambassador Committee is to Advocate, Inform andRetain current and new members by providing the support they require in orderto thrive.

As your Ambassador Training & Development Chair, I welcome you to joinus! Being an Ambassador gives you the opportunity to meet with members – tolearn about them and their business, make a new friend, and create a win-winopportunity for both parties.

Ambassadors make solid and long-lasting business contacts throughparticipation in the committee. Additional benefits of participation include:

• Providing greater visibility for your company and/or employer whenworking events with the Chamber.

• Sharpening communication and marketing skills.• Increasing overall knowledge of the Oakland business community.In addition, the Ambassador of the Month receives an invitation to the

Chamber’s Board of Directors luncheon and receives exposure through OaklandBusiness Reviewwith a story and photo. �

Dawnn Hills is co-chair of the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee and is anagent for Vantage Business Support & Insurance Services.

Kelly S. Wright

by Jan Stone

by Dawnn Hills

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com8

Here are some tips for the small business ownerthat may help alleviate the stress of preparing for taxseason (and if you’ve already filed, use these tips tohelp you prepare for next year).

Track your deductionsOffice equipment like copiers, computers, desks, etc.

can be added to your list of itemized deductions.Section 179 of the tax code allows businesses to take a full deduction of thecost of furniture and equipment in the year the purchase is made. Don’tforget about the licensed software you use to run your business. These aredeductible as well. Keep detailed records of these purchases.

Keep your records well organizedI have to admit that I have to hire people to keep me organized, but it iswell worth it when it comes to tax time. Keep all receipts and supportingrecords of purchases and other expenses. Keep files by expense type to aidin summarization of each expense type at the end of the year. Using abookkeeping software like Quicken or Quickbooks can also help you keeporganized and have a summary of information at your fingertips whenneeded.

ContractorsKeep up-to-date records on your contractors. Make sure to get form W-9from each contractor before he or she begins working with you. Ensure thatyou have the correct and most recent address for each contractor, and surethat the tax ID number is correct. Remember, you will be required to file a1099 form for each contractor at end of the tax year. You will not want to bescrambling at that time to gather the information necessary to issue and file1099s.

Self-employment taxesIf you are not paying yourself as an employee, remember that you have nothad any taxes deducted from you pay. Set aside money each month toensure you have enough to pay this tax at the end of the year.

Know where to get assistanceIf you plan to prepare your own tax return, know that there is help availableif you find yourself unsure of a deduction or reporting requirement. Inaddition to tax professionals who are skilled and licensed to prepare orconsult on tax preparation, the IRS website at www.irs.gov can be accessedfor guidance. �

Mittie Grigsby is owner of Grigsby Finance and Tax Services inOakland, and is an Enrolled Agent, licensed to practice before theIRS. She can be reached at (510) 638-4878.

Running your small business may be stressfulin and of itself, so adding the pressure ofpreparing an accurate tax return tends toincrease our anxiety this time of year.

> Tax tips for the small business owner

SPECIAL SECTION Taxation

by Mittie Grigsby

Mittie Grigsby

SPECIAL SECTION Small Business

The California Legislature has implemented many new changesfor 2013 of which California employers should take note. Althoughmost of these changes expand protection for employees, someshould provide employers more flexibility in complying with thelaw, such as a new provision permitting electronic retention ofpersonnel files.

The changes discussed below took effect Jan. 1, 2013 unless other-wise stated.

• Social media. Labor Code §980(a) will prohibit employers from re-questing employees or applicants to 1) provide user names or passwordsfor personal social media accounts; 2) access personal social media in theemployer’s presence; and 3) disclose whether they use personal socialmedia at all, subject to certain exceptions.

• Reasonable Accommodation for Religious Observance. TheFair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA) will clarify that an employer’sattempt to segregate an individual from other employees or the publicbased on religious dress or grooming practices (i.e. head covering, facialhair) is not a “reasonable accommodation” for those dress or groomingpractices.

• Breastfeeding and Sex Discrimination. The FEHA will beamended to expand the definition of “sex” discrimination to includebreastfeeding and related medical conditions as protectedcharacteristics.

• Inspection of Personnel Records. Labor Code §§ 226 and 1198.5will permit employers to retain “copies” of personnel records electroni-cally. They will also limit the number of inspection requests an employeemay make, and reduce the severity of the penalty for failure to comply.

• Penalties for Wage Statement Violations. Labor Code §226 willclearly state that an employer’s failure to provide an accurate wagestatement, or a failure to provide a wage statement at all, constitutes an“injury” entitling the employee to a penalty, costs, and attorney’s fees.

• Commission Agreements. Labor Code §2571, requiring that allcommission agreements be in writing, will provide an exception forcertain incentive payments that increase, but do not decrease, paymentunder the contract.

• Fixed Salaries and Overtime. Under Labor Code §515, payment ofa fixed salary to a nonexempt employee will be deemed payment only forthe employee’s regular non-overtime hours, notwithstanding any privateagreement.

• Human Trafficking Posting. By April 1, Civil Code §52.6 willrequire specified businesses to post a notice regarding the eliminationof human trafficking. Covered businesses include those offeringmassage or bodywork services for compensation, those engaged inon-premise sale of alcohol to the public, transit hubs, and urgent carecenters. A compliant notice will be available for download from theDOJ website by April 1.

• Warehouse Workers. Labor Code §2810 prohibits persons orentities from entering into agreements with certain contractors wherethe person or entity know or should have known that the agreement didnot include sufficient funds to comply with all applicable laws.

• Itemized Wage Statements. Effective July 1, Labor Code §§ 226and 2810.5 will require temporary services employers (“temp agencies”)to provide additional information in their wage statements, including rateof pay, total hours worked, and the address of the physical work location. �

Cathy Arias, Allyson Cook and Andrew Shalauta are partners atthe Oakland-based law firm of Burnham Brown, and BrendanBrownfield is an associate.

SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE

> New laws impacting California employers in 2013by Cathy Arias, Allyson Cook, Andrew Shalauta and Brendan Brownfield

April 2013 | 9

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s> With A’s, Melvin has found his happy place

The A’s weren’t on the radar of the experts last spring. During the course of the season,

however, they made a stretch run to overtake the two-time defending American League

champion Texas Rangers, and this spring, Oakland is getting the respect.

The A’s earned it. So did Melvin.

“He has a great demeanor for baseball,” A’s outfielder Seth Smith said. “He has a quiet

intensity. He knows want he wants and stands firm.”

The third time has been charming for Melvin, who has roots in the Bay Area. He was born

in Palo Alto, went to high school in Menlo Park, and attended the University of California in

Berkeley. He even spent three of his ten big league seasons playing across the bay with the

San Francisco Giants. “There are horses for courses,” Melvin said. “There are places you really

feel right. This is one of those places.”

His managerial career started in Seattle, where he was on the job for two years, taking

over for fan favorite Lou Piniella. Piniella led the Mariners to the only three postseason

appearances in the franchise’s history, and seven winning seasons in ten years on the job. The

Mariners have only four other winning seasons since their creation as an expansion team in

1977. One of those three seasons came in Melvin’s debut. The Mariners were 93-69 in 2003.

Age, however, caught up with the Mariners in a nasty way. They slipped to 63 wins in ‘04.

Melvin matriculated to Arizona, where in 2007 he led the D-backs to a National League

West title. He, however, was dismissed 29 games into the ‘09 season by general manager

Josh Byrnes, who had been hired prior to the ‘06 season and inherited Melvin. Byrnes’ main

lieutenant, farm director A.J. Hinch, took over for Melvin in a move that was a part of why

Byrnes himself was dismissed a year later. “In some places, there is a shelf life, and that was

the case in Seattle,” Melvin said. “It was a team that got old at the same time. In Arizona, in

my view, it was a different situation.”

Then came the chance in Oakland, where he took over midway through the 2011 season,

after general manager Billy Beane made the difficult decision to let go of his childhood friend

Bob Geren. Melvin and Beane had never been teammates or worked together after their

playing careers, but they had developed a professional relationship. “We’d always found time

to talk, whether it was during Spring Training, when I managed Arizona, or when I was in

Seattle and we’d play the A’s, or even the year before when I was scouting [for the Mets],”

said Melvin. “We had good conversations.”

Now, they are enjoying a good working relationship. “When we came out of Spring

Training [last year], you knew we had good pieces, and I felt we had the ability to get better

and better as the season went along,” said Melvin.

The season began to turn around in mid-June. At 26-35 after being swept in a three-game

series at Arizona, leaving them in third place on June 10, the A’s went into Colorado, swept a

three-game series from the Rockies and began their climb up the standings. They moved into

second place on July 24 and eventually faced Texas for a season-ending three-game series,

trailing the division-leading Rangers by two games. Three wins later, the A’s celebrated a

division title.

“In that second half, we had a different feeling,” said Melvin. “Billy did a great job of

managing the roster. Every move he made had an impact of some degree on our success.

Everything fell in place.”

And Melvin knew he was finally in the right place. �

Story courtesy of Major League Baseball and the Oakland A’s.

Bob Melvin wasn't lookingto prove anyone wrong. He

just wanted a chance tomanage again so he could

prove himself right.Mission accomplished.

Given a third shot atmanaging by the Oakland

A’s, it’s been a charming turnof events for Melvin. A yearago, in his first full season

with Oakland, he led theteam to the franchise’s firstAmerican League West title

in six years and mostvictories (94) in nine years.

And he isn't done yet.

Bob Melvin

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com10

April 2013 | 11

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

Now that the season hasstarted you can once againsmell hot dogs and popcornand hear the crack of thebat! The grand old baseballtradition continues withone looming question –“Will Oakland hold on totheir beloved A’s?”

As the tug of war continues between the Giants and the A’s, their lease atO.co Coliseum is set to expire at the end of the 2013 season. With no resolutionforthcoming, A’s owner Lew Wolff and the Oakland Alameda County ColiseumAuthority are negotiating a five-year lease extension. In a letter dated Dec. 12,2012 from Lew Wolff to the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority, Wolffwrote, “The A’s organization certainly prefers to remain in Oakland for the nextfive years rather than being forced into looking elsewhere for a temporary homevenue. If possible, we should retain the 130 full-time jobs and the almost 800union jobs that encompass a full baseball season, the fun of the A’s, and MajorLeague Baseball in Oakland for five more years.”

The city of Oakland is on the move. Oakland was fifth on the list in New York

> Oakland – A city on the moveby Catherine Arlin

Times “45 Places To Go in 2012.” The BART extension to Oakland International Air-port is under construction, and for the first time in more than 100 years the LakeMerritt channel is reopened. Oakland’s restaurant scene is burgeoning and tenant

demand in the Oak-land Metropolitan mar-ket is increasing.

The success of theGiants’ AT&T Park and theeconomic growth theyfueled in San Francisco is anexample of what a sportscomplex is capable ofbringing to Oakland. A newstadium brings more thanjust baseball. Having a majorsports franchise makes thecity a travel destination andis part of a larger plan tobuild hotels, restaurants,create jobs, increase prop-erty values and generateadditional tax revenues.Oakland is poised and ready.

“The underlying thingpeople forget about is community,” states Ken Meyersieck, managing partner ofColliers International in Oakland. “The presence of sports teams in a city bolsterscommerce and retail, which translates to jobs, entertainment, and communitypride – a flourishing, business-friendly environment.”

Let’s play ball! Go Oakland A’s! �

Catherine Arlin is operations manager for Colliers International inOakland, which is a global leader in real estate services with morethan 15,000 professionals operating out of 480 offices in 61countries. For information, visit www.colliers.com.

The A’s 2012season was bothspectacular and

unexpected,reminding fans

why the A’s havebeen part of the

Oakland landscapefor 44 years.

Good luck in the 2013 season!

ABC Security Service, Inc.

The Board of Directors of

the Oakland Metropolitan

Chamber of Commerce

wishes the Oakland A’s

well.

Let’s Go A’s!

Best of Luck in 2013!Go A’s!

FMG ARCHITECTS330 15th StreetOakland, CA 94612(510) 465-8700www.fmgarchitects.com

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com12

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

Nobody expected the A’s to accomplish what they

did last year, and that probably includes owner Lew

Wolff and general manager Billy Beane. The team

won 94 games, captured the American League West

title on the last day of the season, and took the

Detroit Tigers to the limit in the five-game American

League Division Series before the organization’s pie-

in-the-sky dream season finally ended.

A team of largely unknown, disparate parts in

spring training – one player suggested everybody

wear name tags so they could identify one another –

the A’s somehow came together as a force under

American League Manager of the Year Bob Melvin

and stirred the blood not only in Oakland and the

East Bay, but throughout baseball.

By the end of the year, the A’s were filling the

Coliseum with so many raucous fans, there were

pleas that Wolff rip off the third-deck tarps so even

more people could cram in to cheer a team that delivered 15 thrilling walk-off

wins and outpitched the competition despite a starting staff comprised of five

rookie pitchers.

In short, it was an unforgettable, magical year, one of the best in the A’s

45-year run in Oakland. But how can they possibly repeat it, let alone improve

on it?

Melvin, who cultivated the A’s amazing chemistry with bold

experimentation and faith in unproven players, believes it’s possible on both

counts. Albeit young, the club has a strong and deep pitching staff, a gifted

> Can the A’s repeat the magic of 2012?

The San FranciscoGiants may have won

the World Seriesacross the bay, but it

was the OaklandAthletics who trulyshocked the world

in 2012.

by Carl Steward

outfield of potential All-Stars and a lineup boasting both speed and power. All

that’s needed is a fresh alchemy.

But Oakland will not sneak up on opponents this year. There are high

expectations as well in an American League West with two rich and talent-laden

heavyweights, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Texas Rangers. So

the A’s front office and manager know that maintaining the status quo is not an

option.

“What I told them in our first meeting was that we have to understand

that nothing is given to us based on past experience,” Melvin said. “You have to

experiment to find what works. If you are not moving forward, you're moving

backward.”

Beane also understands that implicitly. Baseball’s Executive of the Year

took more risks. He traded starting infielder Cliff Pennington for Arizona

outfielder Chris Young. He signed a veteran Japanese shortstop, Hiroyuki

Nakajima. He traded power hitting first baseman Chris Carter to Houston for

middle infielder Jed Lowrie, and also

upgraded at catcher with the

acquisition of John Jaso from

Seattle. All four moves served to

create depth but also competition,

particularly at the crucial middle

infield positions.

The A’s did lose some key

veterans in Jonny Gomes and

Brandon McCarthy, and Gomes was

particularly instrumental as a

clubhouse leader. But Melvin feels

new leaders will come to the fore

based on the experience gained by

many players last year.

Oakland’s young starting

staff, anchored by 13-game rookie

Carl Steward

� In 2012, first baseman BrandonMoss hit .291 with 21 homers.

April 2013 | 13

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’swinners Jarrod Parker and Tommy Milone, will be rejoined for a full season by

left-hander Brett Anderson, who missed much of last season due to elbow

surgery but was back to form down the stretch. They will be joined by veteran

workhorse Bartolo Colon, who was re-signed despite a performance-

enhancing drug suspension, along with another second-year starter, A.J.

Griffin. The A’s also have a number of young arms in the minors who could

step up if someone falters.

Unsettled a year ago at this time, the bullpen is deep, versatile and

potent, led by closer Grant Balfour and standout young setup men Sean

Doolittle and Ryan Cook.

In the infield, surprising Brandon Moss (.291, 21 homers) will now anchor

first base, while Josh Donaldson, who came on strong at midseason, appears

to have locked down third. Derek Norris and Jaso will share the catching

duties, and the middle infield will sort itself out among Nakajima and Lowrie

and returners Jemile Weeks and Scott Sizemore.

But it’s the talented outfield that no doubt will drive’s Oakland’s

offensive fortunes. Cuban free agent signee Yoenis Cespedes turned out to be

everything the A’s had hoped for and more, hitting

.292 with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs in his first

season, and many experts believe he’ll be an even

better player this year.

Josh Reddick, meanwhile, became a Gold Glove right fielder in his first

full major-league season and led the team with 32 home runs and 85 RBIs

despite hitting just .242.

While Coco Crisp returns to center field and will lead off, the A’s have

considerable insurance in Young, an outstanding defender who also brings

more power and speed to the lineup, along with Seth Smith, a versatile

outfielder who proved to be a steady bat for Oakland last season.

It all adds up to a team with tremendous upside that nonetheless has a

heady challenge to duplicate its fabulous feats of a year ago. But for now, anyway,

optimism about the A’s is unbridled, and that simply couldn’t be said a year ago.

They’ve come a long way. �

Carl Steward is a sports columnist for the Oakland Tribune and Bay AreaNews Group.

� Last year rookiepitcher Tommy Milonecompiled an Oaklandrecord 13 victories.

> A team leaderRight fielder Josh Reddick might have led the A’s in nearly every offensivecategory in his first season in Oakland in 2012, but he’s also made a namefor himself defensively. Reddick, who spent the first five years of hisprofessional career with the Boston Red Sox, not only had 32 home runsand 85 RBIs in 156 games last year, but was also honored with the RawlingsGold Glove Award for American League outfielders. He finished the yearwith 15 assists from the outfield, the third most in Oakland team history. �

77 Hegenberger Rd. • Oakland, CA 94621 • (510) 638-7777www.hioaklandairport.com

Holiday Inn Oakland Airport –Proud Sponsor of the Oakland A’s

> A break-out year Brandon Moss wasn’t even on the A’s roster at the beginning of last sea-son, but he came up in June and took the American League West by storm.In just 84 games, the first baseman hit .291 with 21 home runs and 52 runsbatted in. The home runs tied for third the most in American Leaguehistory by a player with fewer than 90 games played – and Moss becameone of only three players in Athletics history to hit 20 home runs in fewerthan 100 games. �

� Right fielder Josh Reddick

> Purchase tickets by phone: (877) 493-BALL (2255)

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com14

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s> Former MLB player looks back on his career

OBR: Who’s the toughest pitcher you ever faced?McCarty: Randy Johnson was a tough one. He threw so hard, but the thing thatmade him so tough in my mind was his slider. It started in the left handedbatter’s box and as a hitter you see that and your mind thinks “Ball” so youdon’t swing. Then the ball comes screaming back across the plate and you’djust get locked up. I can’t imagine the poor left-handed hitters who had toface that.

OBR: Are there any advantages that the A’s have playing at O.co Coliseum?McCarty: I think the high sky we tend to get here gives opposing outfielderstrouble at times. I also think all the day games that the A’s play makes it toughon visiting teams because their bodies aren’t ready to go at 100 percent forthose games. When the A’s put a winning team on the field, the crowds getlarge and the atmosphere can get pretty electric. That really gives you a boostas a home player.

OBR: Why did you and your family decide to stay in the East Bay afteryour career came to an end? McCarty: I grew up in Houston and went to Stanford. Once I got here andexperienced the weather and all that the Bay Area has to offer I was hooked. Mywife grew up in the East Bay and we moved from the Peninsula in 2000 for thegood schools in our neighborhood and to be near my wife’s family. This is agreat place to raise a family and to live. Where else can you drive 15 minutesand be in San Francisco or three hours and be at world class ski resorts? �

He earned a World Series ring when the Boston RedSox won it all in 2004. A utility player in the purestsense, McCarty was a first baseman and outfielder,and was even called upon to pitch. After completinghis career he became a Red Sox analyst on local TVfrom 2005-2008 and then moved back to Oakland.

Representatives of Oakland Business Review (OBR)caught up with him recently for this question-and-answer report.

OBR: What’s the highlight of your career and why?McCarty: Winning the World Series with the Red Sox in 2004. It was anincredible experience that I will never forget. When we flew back to Boston andwere on the bus back to Fenway, traffic was literally stopped on the freeway inthe opposite direction because people were out of their cars waving and takingpictures. For the next couple of days I had people stopping me in the street to sayhow special the championship was to their family. There were some very touch-ing stories. And the parade was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The noisewas deafening and there were a couple of million people along the parade route.

OBR: Is there a particular highlight with the A’s?McCarty: Every day at the park with Miguel Tejada. He was a great teammate andabsolutely hilarious to watch on a daily basis. Everyone on the team got a kickout of his antics when he was on the field. He just did funny things prior to thefirst pitch and at other times during the game as part of his preparation. Miggywould also talk to himself in the dugout after making an out and guys would becracking up.

OBR: Which teammate with the A’s did you admire the most?McCarty: It’s tough to just pick one. We had the Big Three (Mulder, Zito, andHudson). They all worked hard and studied their craft. We also had Dye,Hatteberg, Tejada, and Chavez. It was a really good group of guys and a close-knit team. It was surreal to be on thatteam and then shortly thereafter playingagainst them in the playoffs after I waspicked up off waivers by Boston.

OBR: You’ve mentioned in the past thatLee Smith is one player who should be inthe Baseball Hall of Fame. Who else de-serves to be enshrined in Cooperstown?McCarty: Lee Smith is a no-brainer. The guy wasdominant. I’d also add Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell,and Craig Biggio. All three were gamers andspecial players at their respectivepositions. My final and controversial pickis Barry Bonds. If you look back at hisstats from the first ten years of hisMajor League career he has Hall ofFame numbers. I played with himin 1995-1996 and he was anobvious HOFer at that time. Thewhole steroid issue has clouded hischances, but I think he’ll get in aftera cooling off period.

Dave McCarty, anassociate with Lee &

Associates inOakland, had a 15-

year career in MajorLeague Baseball,

including stints withthe A’s in 2003 andwith the Giants in

1995-96.

April 2013 | 15

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

The following are just some of the many events thatthey participated in last season:

The Salvation ArmyA number of wives and girlfriends teamed up withThe Salvation Army over the past year to help betterserve the families who come to them for assistance.Last May, during National Salvation Army Week, theBooth Memorial Child Development Center hosteda read-a-thon and book drive. The women came toread to the children, helped to pick out books forthe classrooms, played and danced with kids on theplayground, and helped serve lunch.

Many of these women returned to The Salvation Army during the summerto continue reading to the children.

And, thanks to the A’s and the A’s wives and girlfriends, each child whograduated from The Salvation Army’s Child Development Center intokindergarten last year received new backpacks filled with back-to-schoolessentials as well as new pairs of shoes and socks.

Canned Food DriveThe A's wives helped to collect canned food and donations to benefit theAlameda County Community Food Bank. Each Wednesday starting in June, fanswho donated $5 or five cans of food to the Food Bank received two-for-oneplaza-level ticket vouchers to a selected A's game.

MUG Root Beer Float DayThe A’s raised more than $24,000 at the 13th Annual MUG Root Beer Float Daylast June, with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Funds were raised through the sale of root beer floats, tips given in exchangefor autographs and pictures with the celebrity scoopers, including the A’swives and girlfriends, the sale of autographed mugs and a silent auction ofsports memorabilia. Since 2003, the A’s have raised more than $353,000 for theJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation through MUG Root Beer Float Day.MUG Root Beer Float Day was sponsored by Pepsi.

Breast Cancer Awareness DayThousands of dollars have been raised on Breast Cancer Awareness Day withproceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society, Cancer Prevention Instituteof California, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Over the past 12 years, the A’sBreast Cancer Awareness Day has raised more than $1.2 million for breastcancer education and research.

Funds were raised through the sale of special ticket packages,commemorative pins, jerseys and hats, an A’s autographed quilt raffle, and fan

> Join us in recognizing the wives of Oakland A’s

and sponsorsupport. Inaddition, as a partof “A Gift of Faith”grant, the A’sdonated $5,000 tothe Breast CancerEmergency Fund ofSan Francisco inmemory of the lateFaith Fancher, thelongtime KTVUChannel 2 reporter.

A’s Breast CancerAwareness Day waspresented by Big OTires. �

� At The Salvation Army’s Child Development Centerlast year, Lt. Dan Whipple and two young childrenwelcomed (left to right) Abby Chavez (wife of bullpencatcher Casey Chavez), Kaycee Sogard (wife of EricSogard), and Brooke Sizemore (wife of ScottSizemore).

> Worth the risk

The Oakland A’sluncheon on Tuesday,April 16 will feature aspecial tribute to thewives and girlfriends

of A’s players andcoaches who volun-

teer their time to helpthose in need by

teaming up with avariety of good

causes.

The Oakland A’stook an expensive

gamble inFebruary of 2012

when they wonthe bidding for

Cuban outfielderYoenis Cespedes,a five-tool playerwho neverthelesshad never playeda Major League

game.

The gamble paidoff. The 26-year-oldCespedes, whodefected from Cubato the DominicanRepublic in the summer of 2011, hit a team-leading .292as a rookie for the A’s in 2012 while hitting 23 home runsand driving in 82 runners in 129 games. He also led the A’s in on-base percentageand slugging percentage, and his batting average was second best in Oaklandhistory among rookies who qualified for the batting title.

Cespedes finished second to the Angels’ Mike Trout in the balloting for the2012 Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) American League Rookieof the Year Award. �

� Yoenis Cespedes

Kent Alexander

Brady-Harbord-Payne

Insurance Brokers

(510) 444-5645, ext. 9

Yeda Altes

Oakland Fire

Department

Prevention & Support

Services Bureau

www.Oaklandnet.com

Fire safety:

www.oaklandwpd.org

Graig Brooks

Jaguar Productions

(510) 432-1429

Marvin A. Clark

Sigma Beta Club

(510) 867-8436

marvin@1stmaint.com

Victor O. Dominguez

Surf Clean

Carpet & upholstery

cleaning

(510) 383-3563

www.surfcleaners.com

Cynthia Dorsey

Oakland Chamber

Toastmasters

(510) 919-6830

procd@aol.com

Susan Harlow

Harlow Music

& Entertainment

susan@harlowmusic.com

(510) 670-2801

www.harlowmusic.com

Dawnn Hills

Vantage Business

Support & Insurance

Services

(510) 754-3165

dawnnh@vantagebss.com

Tara Johnson

D.I.V.A.S. with S.O.L., Inc.

Diversity Is Victory

Among Sisters with

Soldiers of Life, Inc.

(510) 777-1765

www.divaswithsol.org

Chadwick Spell

Comcast Business Class

(510) 673-5524

Chadwick_Spell@

cable.comcast.com

Andrew Thompson

Merrill Lynch

(515) 975-4071

acthompson@ml.com

Darren White

AWAMC – AW Anger

Management Consulting

(510) 604-1323

Awame15@gmail.com

www.awame.com

Kelly S. Wright

State Farm Insurance

(510) 488-3505

www.kellyswright.com

The following members of the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee wish the Oakland A’s a successful and winning season.

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com16

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s> Oakland A’s help strike out hunger

100 Filbert Street • Oakland, CA 94607510.444.7959

GO A’S!

• Australian-born relief pitcher Grant Balfour saved a team-leading 24 games in a team-high 75 appearancesin 2012 while posting a 2.53 earned run average. His save percentage of 92.3 ranked fourth in the AmericanLeague and tied for fourth best in Oakland history.

• Starting pitchers Tommy Milone and Jarrod Parker both recorded 13 wins in 2012, the most wins by anyrookie pitchers in team history. The A’s became the first team since the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers to have tworookies win 13 games or more.

• First baseman Brandon Moss, a non-roster invitee to spring training last year, went on to bat .291 with 21home runs and 52 RBIs in just 84 games.

• Starting pitcher Dan Straily made his Major League debut with the A’s in 2012 after leading all of MinorLeague Baseball with 190 strikeouts, the most strikeouts by an A’s minor leaguer since 1971.

• Second baseman Jemile Weeks’ brother Rickie plays for the Milwaukee Brewers.• Originally born Covelli Crisp, A’s outfielder Coco Crisp got his nickname from his great grandmother, who

called him Co. His sister and godmother, inspired by the character and the name on the Coco Krispies cerealbox, lengthened the name to Coco.

> Did you know?

GoodLuck

in 2013

Visit us on the web at www.thecloroxcompany.com

The Oakland MarriottCity Center

Wishes the A’s a great2013season!

Go A’s!

1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607(510) 451-4000 | www.marriott.com/oakdt

> For the foreseeable future, the A’s will call Oakland home

While the Oakland Athletics may have made aquantum leap in competitiveness in one year,the same could not be said for their long-term ballpark plans.

They remain maddeningly stalemated, withone caveat that could give the city of Oaklandhope to keep the team in the East Bay for theforeseeable future.

Because owner Lew Wolff has not been able tomake any headway with Major League Baseball inhis long-held desire to move the team to San Jose,the club expressed -- through a formal letter inDecember -- its desire to remain in Oakland forthe next five years, through the 2017 season.

The A’s currently have a lease at the OaklandColiseum that expires after the 2013 season.Commissioner Bud Selig’s three-man blue-ribbonpanel, commissioned in March 2009, still has notissued its recommendations for the team’s BayArea future, and Wolff now believes that even ifMLB resolved the matter in the coming months, itwould still require five more years before the teamcould relocate.

“I stress that the A's organization certainlyprefers to remain in Oakland for the next five yearsrather than being forced into looking elsewherefor a temporary home venue," Wolff wrote in theDec. 21 letter to the Coliseum’s Joint PowersAuthority and other city and Alameda Countyofficials.

But even that went badly. The letter wassomehow lost, city officials accused Wolff ofplaying games in the media, and when it wasdetermined that the A’s in fact had delivered theletter, apologies had to be issued.

Maintaining that the A’s do have optionsthey’d rather not exercise, Wolff said in the letter,“Our goal is to stay in Oakland, if they want us.”

But negotiations could be protracted anddifficult. The JPA is expected to ask for moreconcessions on parking and other revenue in anynew agreement as well as clauses that wouldprotect the Coliseum’s interests in the event theA’s tried to break the lease and leave early. The JPAbelieves it has some leverage with the A’s, whatwith the San Francisco Giants continuing to holdfirm on territorial rights to San Jose granted themseveral years ago by MLB.

Clouding the situation even further are leaseextension negotiations with the Oakland Raidersand how any stadium changes for the footballteam might impact the A’s.

While making the five-year extension request,Wolff has steadfastly refused to discuss a newballpark plan with Oakland officials until MLBdelivers its findings on the A’s quest to move tothe South Bay. �

Carl Steward is a sports columnist for theOakland Tribune and Bay Area News Group.

by Carl Steward

Had you been luckyenough to make anOakland A’s homegame during theirheroic October runlast season, youundoubtedly marveledat the site of 36,000passionate fanshelping “will” theirteam to victory.

But here’s a soberingthought – the numberof people at a sold outOakland A’s game –36,000 – is less thanthree-quarters of the49,000 people AlamedaCounty Community FoodBank serves every week.

That stark reality (somany local residents struggling with the burden of hunger) is something theOakland A’s are very aware of and, as such, they’ve stepped up for nearly 15years to make a difference.

Alameda County Community Food Bank has been honored to have theOakland A’s as one of its strongest partners since the late 1990s. Their broadrange of support has included volunteer participation, player and owner ap-pearances at events, food and fund drives, and donations of auction items.

The center of the partnership, however, is “Food Bank Wednesdays.” A’s fans and Food Bank supporters alikeare eager for the start of summer when, at seven Oakland A’s home games, the Food Bank sets up shop at threegate entrances to collect food and monetary donations. As a “thank you” for contributing, donors receive a2-for-1 voucher to a future A’s home game.

While this has been a popular promotion during past seasons, the Food Bank expects even greater demandafter last year’s unforgettable season.

Also in demand? Volunteering to staff Food Bank Wednesdays! The Food Bank is thankful for groupsrepresenting many of its top corporate supporters for their ongoing support – and nearly fanatical enthusiasm –making each event a success.

Collectively, A’s fans, food bank supporters, volunteers and the entire Oakland A’s organization are takingtremendous steps toward ending hunger in Alameda County.

The first Food Bank Wednesday game is June 26 versus the Cincinnati Reds, and the promotion goes throughSeptember. �

� Athletics second basemanJemile Weeks (right) andformer teammate Tyson Rossgreet a fan during a food andfund drive at the Food Bank’sdistribution facility inOakland.

April 2013 | 17

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

The Oakland A’s Community Fund supports charitableorganizations in improving the quality of life forpeople throughout the Bay Area. Specifically, the fundendeavors to improve educational programs, aid theunderprivileged, assist in crime and drug prevention,promote health awareness, and champion children andsenior welfare. The Community Fund believes in theneed to invest in the community’s future.

The following are examples of Community Fund events:

Golf Tournament – The 2013 Oakland A's Community FundGolf Classic will be held at Round Hill Country Club in Alamoon Thursday, June 27. Current and former A’s players attend theevent, which supports the Community Fund through the tournament, andsilent and live auctions. For questions about sponsorship packages, contactDetra Paige at (510) 563-2241.

MUG Root Beer Float Day – The OaklandAthletics raised more than $24,000 at the13th annual A’s MUG Root Beer Float Day inJune 2012. All proceeds benefitted theJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Since 2003, the A’s have raised over $353,000 for the Juvenile DiabetesResearch Foundation through MUG Root Beer Float Day.

A’s players, coaches, and broadcasters, along with local and nationalpersonalities and celebrities, served MUG Root Beer and Orange Crush floatsin the Eastside Club. Proceeds were raised through the sale of floats, tipsgiven in exchange for autographs and photos with the celebrity scoopers,the sale of autographed mugs, and a silent auction of sports memorabilia.

MUG Root Beer Float Day is sponsored by Pepsi. The ice cream for theevent was donated by Dreyer’s.

The next MUG Root Beer Float Day is Wednesday, June 26.

Breast Cancer Awareness Day – The Athletics raised $53,600 in 2012on A’s Breast Cancer Awareness Day with proceeds benefiting the AmericanCancer Society, Cancer Prevention Institute of California, and Susan G. Komenfor the Cure. Over the past 14 years, this event has raised more than $1.25million for breast cancer education and research.

Funds were raised through the sale of special ticket packages, commem-orative pins, hats, pink jerseys, heart ribbon pendants, an A’s autographedquilt raffle, and fan and sponsor support.

> The A’s Community Fund – Benefiting people around the bay

Pre-game ceremonies featured more than 500 Bay Area breast cancersurvivors forming a symbolic human ribbon on the field in dedication ofhope and survival, and the release of white doves as a symbol of hope.

In addition, as a part of “A Gift of Faith”grant, the A’s donate $5,000 annually to alocal charity in memory of long-time KTVUChannel 2 reporter, the late Faith Fancher.Last year’s grant and award was presentedto the Friends of Faith organization.

The 2013 Breast Cancer Awareness Daywill be held on Sunday, Sept. 1.

Holiday Party – The 2012 A’s HolidayParty included an animal presentation in theWildlife Theater at the Oakland Zoo, lunchfor the children courtesy of Round TablePizza, plus face painters, arts and crafts, anda visit by the A’s mascot Stomper. The playerssigned autographs and posed for pictures asthe children enjoyed lunch. Each childreceived a wrapped gift, compliments ofGood Tidings Foundation.

Silent Auctions – At every Saturday and Sunday home game (and selectweekday games), the A’s Community Fund hosts a silent auction featuringboth signed and unsigned A’s memorabilia as well as game-used items. Thesilent auction is located in the A’s Fan Center behind section 120 and endswith the last out in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Last season, various charity groups received a portion of the more than$50,000 raised as silent auction partners.

Proceeds from the auction benefit the A’s Community Fund and variousother local charities. Purchased items are tax deductible. �

Let’s Go A’s!A Whole NewBall GameGo A’s(510 452-4565

233 Broadway, Oakland CA 94607www.innatthesquare.com

> Home Run Readers programThe A’s Home Run Readers program encourages teachers to establishreading goals for their students based on each child’s individual readinglevel. As incentives, A’s players, coaches, mascot Stomper, and A’s staff visitparticipating schools to congratulate thestudents and to encourage them tocontinue reading, both inside and outsideof the classroom. Students who participatein the program attend the game on HomeRun Readers Day as guests of the A’s.

� Pitcher Jerry Blevins readsto students as part of theHome Run Readers program,which encourages teachers toestablish reading goals fortheir students.

� A’s manager BobMelvin signed autographsand scooped ice cream atlast year’s MUG Root BeerFloat Day.

� Pitchers Ryan Cook(left) and Sean Doolittlemet young fans at theteam’s Holiday Party atthe Oakland Zoo.

Go all the way and

we’ll throw you a parade.

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com 18

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

The Chamber has reserved a section at two A’s games thisyear that should be particularly entertaining. The first ison Saturday aernoon, April 27 at 1:05 p.m., when the A’stake on the Baltimore Orioles at O.co Coliseum. Thegame will not only feature two of the American League’sbest teams from 2012, but will also feature free ReggieJackson bobbleheads to fans as the team recognizes the30th anniversary of the 1973 Oakland A’s, the WorldSeries champions. Many members of the 1973 squad willbe on hand, with a celebration taking place on the fieldprior to the game.

And then, just to make the game even more enticing,the Chamber has acquired Lower Box seats on the Field

Level down the first base line within the first 20 rows of the field – and will beselling half-price tickets to children 14 and younger. The $34 adult ticketsbecome $17 for the younger crowd.

The second Chamber game is the first 2013 meeting of the annual “Battleof the Bay,” with the A’s facing the World Series champion San Francisco Giants,also at O.co Coliseum. The Giants game will be held on Tuesday evening,May 28, with the Chamber holding a block of tickets in the Plaza Level rightbehind home plate. The first pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Tickets for the A’s-Giants showdown are just $40 per person ($50 fornon-members) and the ticket price is guaranteed – even as regular ticket pricesincrease for this exciting game.

Purchased tickets for each of the two games will be held at the Coliseum’sWill-Call window under your name, so you have the option to arrive at whatevertime works for you.

To reserve tickets for the A’s-Orioles game on Saturday aernoon, April 27 thatfeatures a visit by the 1973 A’s champions – or the game on Tuesday evening, May28 against the San Francisco Giants, visit www.oaklandcham ber.com or contactIvette Torres at itorres@oaklandcham ber.com or at (510) 874-4800, ext. 319.

Help the Chamber cheer the A’s on to victory! �

> Join us for two exciting 2013 Oakland A’s games

The Oakland A’s will have a number of new players this year as they defend theirAmerican League West title. Here are just a few to keep your eyes on.

John Jaso – A four-year veteran catcher, Jaso was acquired from Seattle ina three-team trade during the offseason. Jaso is a .255 career hitter who ledAmerican League rookies in walks in 2010 while playing with Tampa Bay. Lastyear he hit .276 with ten home runs and 50 RBIS during his lone season with theMariners.

Jed Lowrie – The A’s landed infielder Lowrie from the Astros in a five-playerdeal. The 28-year-old switch-hitter will be asked to get comfortable at essen-

> Newcomers to watch

AprilMonday, April 1, Seattle, 7:05 p.m.Tuesday, April 2, Seattle, 7:05 p.m.Wednesday, April 3, Seattle, 7:05 p.m.Thursday, April 4, Seattle, 12:35 p.m.Friday, April 12, Detroit, 7:05 p.m.Saturday, April 13, Detroit, 1:05 p.m.Sunday, April 14, Detroit, 1:05 p.m.Monday, April 15, Houston, 7:05 p.m.Tuesday, April 16, Houston, 7:05 p.m.Wednesday, April 17, Houston, 12:35 p.m.Thursday, April 25, Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.Friday, April 26, Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.Saturday, April 27, Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.Sunday, April 28, Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.Monday, April 29,

Los Angeles Angels, 7:05 p.m.Tuesday, April 30,

Los Angeles Angels, 7:05 p.m.

> A’s 2013 Home ScheduleMayWednesday, May 1,

Los Angeles Angels, 12:35 p.m.

Monday, May 13, Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Tuesday, May 14, Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Weds., May 15, Texas, 12:35 p.m.

Fri., May 17, Kansas City, 7:05 p.m.

Sat., May 18, Kansas City, 6:05 p.m.

Sun., May 19, Kansas City, 1:05 p.m.

Monday, May 27,

San Francisco, 1:05 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28,

San Francisco, 7:05 p.m.

Friday, May 31,

Chicago White Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Building OaklandTogether

Pipelines, Grading, Paving, Concrete,Landscape, Mechanical, Materials

In Oakland since 1926Phone: (510) 632-7676

www.MandHcorp.com

www.barneyandbarney.com(510) 273-8888

“GO A’S”

The staff of the OaklandMetropolitan Chamber ofCommerce wishes the A’swell on their quest torepeat as American League Western DivisionChampions.

(510) 874-4800www.oaklandchamber.com

� Infielder Jed Lowrie� Catcher John Jaso

tially every infield spot, with starters Hiroyuki Nakajima at shortstop, JoshDonaldson at third, and Scott Sizemore and Jemile Weeks fighting it out atsecond. He could also spell Brandon Moss at first base. Lowrie hit .244 with16 homers and 42 RBIs in just 97 games for Houston last year.

Hiroyuki Nakajima – Signed as a free agent after 11 seasons playing forSeibu in Japan, infielder Nakajima left with the 19th best all-time battingaverage in the Japanese leagues. Last year, besides hitting .311, he was honoredwith the “Best Nine” defensive award at shortstop for the second consecutiveseason and fourth in his career.

Chris Young – Outfielder Chris Young was acquired from the ArizonaDiamondbacks following the 2012 season. After seven seasons with Arizona,he leaves ranked second on its career list in doubles, walks, stolen bases, gamesplayed and at-bats. He’s also third in home runs, RBIs and runs scored, andfourth in hits. He’s the only player in Diamondbacks history to have completedthree seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. �

The Oakland A’s,the 2012

American LeagueWestern DivisionChampions, have

started thedefense of their

title. And theChamber is

already makingplans to help

cheer them on tomore victories.

> The Chamber congratulates the 2012 award winnersExecutive of the Year – Billy BeaneAmerican League Manager of the Year – Bob MelvinRawlings Gold Glove Award winner – Josh Reddick

April 2013 | 19

SPECIAL SECTION Oakland A’s

The Oakland A’s offer a variety ofprograms for local children. Hereare just a few of those community-oriented activities.

YOUTH BASEBALL PROGRAMS

A’s AmigosThe “A’s Amigos” program gives thecommunity’s Hispanic children theopportunity to interact with bilingualSpanish-speaking A’s players.Participants are able to learn about thevalue of sportsmanship and hard workfrom their role models. In addition to thepre-game chat, each child receives agame ticket and an A’s cap. A’s Amigos issponsored by Kelly-Moore Paints andXFINITY, Home of the Most Live Sports.

Take the Field with the A’sThe “Take the Field with the A’s”program selects youth baseball andsoftball teams to join Oakland A’splayers on the field during the NationalAnthem, giving the youth a chance tolive out their Major League dreams. Eachparticipant receives an autographedbaseball courtesy of the Oakland A’sCommunity Fund and a t-shirt courtesyof Washington Hospital.

Race Around the BasesChildren 14 and under are invited ontothe field after every Sunday day game torun the same bases that the A’s do. A’smascot Stomper is present to cheer theparticipants on as they round the bases.Presented by Chevy.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Home Run ReadersTeachers and administrators can enroll in the Oakland A’s Home Run ReadersProgram to work together in promoting the importance of literacy and encouragereading in the classroom. Help your students set reading goals and work towardexciting rewards. Students who achieve their goals receive:

• Free A’s giveaways• An entry into a drawing to be one of six schools visited by an A’s player or coach• An invitation to the Oakland A’s Home Run Readers Day at O.co Coliseum.More than 100 Bay Area schools have participated in the A’s Home Run Readers

program.

MathleticsSince the “Mathletics” program inception in 2003, more than 200,000 Bay Area andNorthern California students’ grades first through eighth have participated. TheMathletics program is sponsored by Ross Dress For Less and Comcast SportsNetCalifornia.

The A’s design and distribute thousands of Mathletics workbooks which utilizesimple formulas for calculating statistics of A’s players to students in hopes topromote the importance of math among Bay Area youth. Students who are in thefirst through eighth grades who complete the workbooks and submit the answersheets to the A’s have a chance to earn two ticket vouchers to an A’s game.

All answer sheets must be submitted by Friday, June 28, 2013.

Science of the GameChevron and the Oakland A’s are proud topresent a new educational program for2013. “Science of the Game” givesstudents in grades 1-8 the opportunity toearn two (2) free ticket vouchers to anA's game by learning about baseball andthe roll that science plays.

A’s AcademyThe Oakland A’s are proud to partner with The ESM Group to create the A’s

Leadership Academy. The Academy gives 11th and 12th grade students from the EastBay an opportunity to get an insider’s perspective on how a sports business is runand to also become an active participant in this unique process. The academy willrun July 8-12 at O.co Coliseum.

> The A’s – Staying active in the community

Green Stampede Homework ClubOn select game dates elementary school students from acrossOakland come to the O.co Coliseum to receive help with theirhomework from tutors and aids. After the students have finishedtheir homework they are able to sit in the stands and watch thegame. On the last meeting of the spring and fall sessions an A’splayer will visit and sign autographs for the students as a way tocongratulate them for all of their hard work. �

> Save Oakland Sports

The mission of SaveOaklandSports is simple – to convincethe Raiders, A’s and Warriors to stay in Oakland, and helpincrease individual and corporate fan support as well as tocreate a game plan to build new state-of-the-art stadiumsthat will benefit these franchises, fans and the entire EastBay for generations to come.

Our mission is to keep our teams here, where each hasplayed through the decades and has honored our city with storiedvictories and world championships. Where each spurs economicdevelopment that radiates throughout the region. Where a loyalfan base has adorned silver and black, green and gold, and yellowand blue with pride – attending games through thick and thin,rain or shine. Where a new generation is emerging, ready to takeon the mantle of diehard fan.

Founded by five long-time fans and East Bay residents overcoffee in 2011, SaveOaklandSports (SOS) has added supportersfrom across the region. Supporters from Oakland, Lafayette, andRichmond, from Alameda, from Dublin and from across the bayrecognize the importance of saving our teams.

SOS members believe each team is a civic treasure. Theydon’t want to imagine an Oakland without the Raiders and theroar of the Coliseum when the team scores a touchdown on alast-minute miracle drive. They don’t want to drive outside citylimits to watch our beloved A’s celebrate after a dramatic walk-offwin. Everything our teams need – land, supportive infrastructure,transportation, optimal weather and a storied base of fans – canbe found right here at home.

As SOS grows, so too does its multi-faceted approach to mis-sion fulfillment. The key is putting forth tangible and responsible

proposals for increasing fan support, ticket sales and funding new stadiumconstruction. As is collaboration with city and county leadership andlike-minded organizations wherever they can be found. Increasing publicawareness of how vital our teams are to providing jobs, supporting regionaltourism and fostering local investment is also mission critical.

What continues to drive the SOS mission is people – their knowledge,commitment, ideas and volunteerism. Surely they have better things to dothan talk about saving Oakland’s teams after a hard day’s work. Yet they do.Why? Because they care about the Raiders, A’s and Warriors, and keepingthem here based on a win-win game plan amenable to all sides of a complexequation. They care about showing the teams through growing numbersthat we all care, that the entire East Bay and Northern California is commit-ted to helping them stay and thrive here.

You are invited to become involved with SOS and fulfilling its mission asa volunteer or new member at www.saveoaklandsports.org. �

Debbie Hauser and Jim Zelinski are members of SaveOaklandSports.

� A’s Amigos

� Take the Field with the A’s.

by Debbie Hauser and Jim Zelinski

> Mini Suites are availableEnjoy Oakland A’s baseball from the comfort and privacy of a Mini Suite. Allyou need is six people to reserve a Mini Suite experience, which includes agame ticket and a set food package.

> Fans park free on TuesdaysTo continually provide value to A’s fans, “Free Parking Tuesdays Driven byChevy” is back for most Tuesday home games during the 2013 season. Allfans park for free at these Tuesday home games.

Additionally, 500 tickets in Plaza Reserved are available for each ChevyFree Parking Tuesday for only $4. To activate the discount, purchase onlineonly and use promo code CHEVY, while supplies last. Once $4 tickets havesold out for one of the following games, the CHEVY promo code cannot beentered.

> Changing the game in emergency readiness:Safety, simplicity, sustainabilityby Ana-Marie Jones

The Oakland A’s became part of disasterresponse history when the Loma Prieta earth-quake interrupted the 1989 World Series – “TheBattle of the Bay” – played against the SanFrancisco Giants.

After a ten-day delay, the A’s went on to win the

series, and fueled by the massive level of media atten-

tion, the Bay Area won the right to reinvent readiness

for those needing a different approach.

Two decades later, we know that for Oakland

residents and businesses to build robust readiness

and resilience, emergency preparedness and planning

efforts must address three key concepts:

SafetyThe tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,

Connecticut, as well as gun violence and crime in our own community, must

give rise to readiness efforts that immediately increase our public and personal

safety. While “Drop - Cover - Hold On” will remain the familiar refrain for earth-

quake response, “Run - Hide - Fight” (the recommended order for response in

the face of an active shooter incident) will become more known, understood,

Ana-Marie Jones

| OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com20

and shared. To be relevant, valued, and successful, preparedness efforts must

address our immediate safety and wellness needs, and reflect our current and

pressing concerns.

SimplicityIn the years since 9/11, emergency preparedness and community readiness have

been in an ill-fated marriage with the complex and highly-politicized field of

Homeland Security. The explosion of acronyms, bureaucracy, and complexity,

the harmful use of fear/threat-based messages, as well as the ever-growing

and changing types of plans, requirements, and certifications can be daunting

to the most zealous emergency managers. But for most people, and for our

local businesses, it's simply overwhelming.

Simplicity is the solution! Wisely choosing the simplest, most empowering

interventions that yield the greatest return-on-investment can leave you

exponentially more prepared and able to address emergencies.

CARD's (Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters) top pick for

Chamber members – program your cell phone to be your greatest safety tool.

Some of the easiest items to program: emergency contact numbers, medical

information, non-emergency numbers for police and fire, rally points, poison

control, 2-1-1, colleagues’ cell phone numbers, crisis response checklists,

essential vendors, etc. This simple behavior of making your phone serve your

readiness needs – practiced consistently – is remarkably powerful.

SustainabilityThe very best emergency plans and preparedness programs, written by the

best consultants on the planet, are no match for the destructive power of

budget cuts and baby-boomer retirements. One of the greatest lessons we

should have learned from Y2K is that when it comes to preparedness, it’s not

what’s attainable that matters – it’s what's sustainable.

Businesses of all sizes, and govern-

ment agencies of any discipline, can

suddenly go from a high state of readiness

to barely functional with merely a budget

cut and a retirement or two. Embrace the

mantra of the environmentalist movement

and have sustainability become a

cornerstone of your emergency readiness

efforts.

As a nation we’ve long resisted

changing our approach to readiness. We

use binders and brochures long after we

learned that they are ineffective. Disaster

preparedness campaigns have been

measured by their corporate branding

capacity, rather than their ability to

actually prepare our communities.

Residents have been scared, but not

prepared.

For a recent FEMA publication, I was

asked my thoughts about the future of

disaster readiness. I shared that the future

of disaster readiness had little to do with

disasters. Instead, it will be about building

the capacity of ALL residents and busi-

nesses to engage their communities,

mobilize their assets, contribute their

skills, and address critical needs – whether

it’s for responding to disasters, creating

jobs, fighting obesity, or whatever else.

All of us who love Oakland know that

the brilliance of our city is often over-

shadowed by the perception of threats

and dangers, ranging from crime and

violence to earthquakes and civil unrest.

We are looking to have Oakland become

the safest, most connected, and prepared

city in the country. Join us in removing

the shadow and let’s have Oakland’s light

shine to the world. This is a game we can

all win. Call us at (510) 451-3140 and

connect via Facebook at

www.Facebook.com/CARDcanhelp. �

Ana-Marie Jones is the executivedirector of Collaborating AgenciesResponding to Disasters (CARD) andis co-chair of the Chamber’sNonprofit Committee.

April 2013 | 21

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> March’s Economic DevelopmentForum Looks at the OAK Airport

CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY

Economic Development

Chamber members at the Economic Development Forumlast month were treated to an update from the Port ofOakland regarding capital projects underway andcurrently out for bid at Oakland International Airport(OAK). The event speaker, Joan Zatopek, senior aviationproject manager at the Port of Oakland, provided a livelypresentation for nearly 40 people, many of whom are in thearchitecture, planning and engineering fields.

Zatopek gave a short overview of the Port of Oakland,noting that often when “people are thinking of the Port, theyforget that it includes the airport.” Port revenue chiefly comesfrom the Maritime and Commercial Real Estate divisions andthe aviation sector. Because Oakland is an “unconstrainedairport” there is a “great potential for growth.” In fact, the BayArea is the third largest air market in the country.

This is a good thing for OAK expansion, and positions itwell to be in line to meet MTC’s (Metropolitan TransportationCommission) growth projections in the region. In anticipationof this, back in 2006, the Port built a new terminal known tosome as the “Southwest Terminal” or “Terminal 2” at OAK. Thisexpansion has allowed OAK to capture many existing East Baycustomers who find flying out of Oakland much moreconvenient.

Recently OAK added five new airlines including Allegiantand Volaris, and new exciting international destinations suchas Amsterdam. In fact, with Alaska Airlines’ recent expansioninto the Hawaiian air market, “OAK has more seats to theislands than any other airport,” according to Zatopek.

Since the uptick in business in 2012, she shared that thePort estimates that 14,667 jobs are a direct result of airportamenities, and that OAK contributes $3.9 billion to the regionaleconomy.

Air cargo is also a big portion of OAK’s business, with theirlargest tenant being FedEx, which is in the middle of a largehangar expansion for its operations at OAK.

The airport is working hard to demonstrate that “it is easier”to fly from Oakland and has a “lower cost per plane-age” feethan its direct competitors of San Jose and San Francisco. Othermarketing efforts at OAK include trumpeting the sustainabilityefforts (EV charging stations) and low-cost parking opportuni-ties available in Oakland. As the presentation progressed,Zatopek described the capital projects underway at the airport,including the following jobs (not an exhaustive list):

• Oakland Airport Connector, a train from OaklandColiseum BART direct to the airport parking lot, due to becompleted in 2014.

• FedEx Facility Expansion, with $50 million in capitalinvestment from FedEx.

• Air Traffic Control Tower, funded by the FAA.

by Eleanor Hollander

> Next Forum April 10Please join us onWednesday, April 10 at 3p.m. at the Chamber forour next EconomicDevelopment Forum, withguest speaker John Russo,city manager of Alameda.He will discuss in detailthe development progressat the former AlamedaNaval Base.

Do you have an ideafor a future economicdevelopment forum? Ifso, email us. It is nevertoo soon to plan forlate 2013!

� Guest speaker Joan Zatopekexplains how OAK costs remain thelowest in the Bay Area.

• Terminal 1 Retrofit and Seismic Upgrade, due to startin late 2013.

Following the presentation, Chamber members had a robustround of questions for Zatopek, mostly about the potential forfuture work on the site, and the re-bidding of the on-callcontracts. �

Eleanor Hollander is the Chamber’s director of economicdevelopment.

> Mayor’s summer jobs program kicks off with Bank of America grant The Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program, which last year offeredsummer employment to almost 1,000 Oakland youths,recently kicked off this year with a $50,000 grant from Bankof America.

“My goal is to provide a job for every kid who applies,”Mayor Jean Quan said. “Last year, that was about 2,000 kids.We were able to find positions for about 1,000 of them, andabout half of them were kids from some of our toughestneighborhoods.”

Bank of America’s grant is to the East Bay CommunityFoundation through its workforce development fund. The$50,000 grant will create 31 jobs for local teens, workingwith the city of Oakland, nonprofit organizations, and localOakland businesses.

Quan continued, “This is an important part of our long-term solution for economic justice and reducing violence inour most challenged neighborhoods. A summer internshipgives kids experiences and connections that will help themaccess the critical jobs pipeline later in life. Kids who get theseinternships are more likely to graduate high school, morelikely to go to college and more likely to find productive em-ployment. I want to thank Bank of America for again being acorporate leader in giving back to the Oakland communityand stepping up to make a difference.”

According to Martin Richards, Bank of America’s BayArea market president, “Teens have been disproportionallyimpacted by the recession, with unemployment rates exceed-ing those of any other age group and at an all-time high. Weare pleased to once again support the Mayor and the East BayCommunity Foundation in providing jobs this summer thatwill provide youth with valuable skills to develop into self-sufficient adults.”

To help connect unemployed and underemployed people,including young adults, with training and educational oppor-tunities, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has madeworkforce development and education among its topphilanthropic priorities.

To support the jobs program and hire a youth for summer2013, make a tax-deductible contribution to support localyouth by contacting the Mayor’s Office at (510) 238-3141 or atmeverhart@oaklandnet.com.

SPECIAL SECTION Leadership Oakland

22 | OBR Oakland Business Review | www.oaklandchamber.com

> Bikes, wastewater and building codes – A Leadership Oakland lesson

The day started with a tour of Port View Parkand Point Arnold at Middle Harbor ShorelinePark, located at the end of 7th Street on Portof Oakland land. Tara Reinerston, a naturalistat the Port of Oakland and owner of SteppingOut Stepping In, guided the group through

different views of the bay and a look back into the rich history of the site.The park is built on what used to be the Oakland Naval Supply Depot, onrocks and mud that once served as piers constructed out into the bay soships could unload and avoid the shallow waters.

The park’s location also marks the end of the intercontinentalrailroad tracks. Middle Harbor Shoreline Park offers all Oaklanders aneducational glimpse into ourshipping and transportation past at adramatic and scenic location wherethe city meets the bay.

Once the park tour concluded,the Leadership class made its way tothe offices of Wendel, Rosen, Black &Dean at 1111 Broadway for afascinating mix of guest speakers,including Matthew Ridgway,managing principal of Fehr and Peers(traffic engineers) Oakland office, andJason Patton, bicycle and pedestrianprogram manager for the city ofOakland. They teamed up for twotransportation-related presentations.

Ridgway shared specific insights into transportation trends inOakland and the Bay Area in the context of larger points around climatechange, the increasing costs of energy, the dependence of roadmaintenance on a transportation funding that comes from gasolinetaxes, and health issues in our community and across the nation. Asthma,diabetes, and obesity cases are at an all-time high in Oakland.

When looking at this issue on a national scale, his sources indicatethese trends can cost the country up to $245 billion per year. Emissionsand lack of physical activity (as simple as walking or biking to the localgrocery store) contribute to this growing trend of an unhealthypopulation, including increasingly unhealthy youth.

Strategies to encourage alternatives to automobile driving forshopping or simple errands include demand management for parking,

On March 8, theLeadership Oaklandgroup’s focus was on

Transportation and theEnvironment.

by Kristin Bowman, Peter Laufenberg, Sally Van Etten and Alejandro Rodriguez

where the cost to park varies by time and day based on parking availability.A “complete streets” ordinance would make it mandatory to have multi-modal levels of service on Oakland roads, making it a requirement to beeligible to receive federal funding.

“Forty percent of the area in a city is roadways and parking,” Ridgwaysaid. It’s encouraging to know that recommendations are in place to helpthe community shift its transportation practices to promote better health.

Another striking statistic was shared during Jason Patton’spresentation. “Forty percent of Oakland deaths are related to a lack ofphysical activity,” Patton indicated. He also estimates that $1 billion areneeded annually to maintain Oakland’s streets.

The city is partnering with “I Bike Oakland” to implement a BicycleMaster Plan that can dramatically increase bicycle riding with a city-widebikeways network. The goal of this plan? Connecting Oakland through 216miles of bikeways so that one can easily get from one edge of town to theother, all while on some form of bikeway. As of the end of 2012, the city isalready at the 132-mile mark, up from 90 miles in 2007. In addition,parking spaces have nearly doubled in that time span, from 3,224 to 6,315.Oakland is currently fifth in the nation (out of the 50 largest U.S. cities) in

bike mode share. Fordetailed maps and more onthis exciting project,including the six types ofbikeways highlighted on IBike Oakland, visitwww.oaklandbikes.info.

Other topics presentedabout Oakland’stransportation andenvironment includedsustainability, divergentthinking, waste watertreatment, energyregulation, the GlobalWarming Solutions Act(about decreasing Americanenergy usage to levels of

1990 by 2020, and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050), and buildingcodes.

Phil Tagami, the well-known and dynamic president and chiefexecutive officer of the California Capital Investment Group, shared hispersonal development philosophy as it applies to his specific newdevelopment planned to transform the Oakland Army Base into acompetitive multi-modal logistics and transportation center.

Sophia Skoda from the Resource Recovery Program at East BayMunicipal Utility District (EBMUD) led the group on an excellent “virtualtour” of the EBMUD wastewater treatment facility, while explaining thebasics of wastewater engineering with easily understandable concepts(and all without the smell!)

Garrett Fitzgerald, sustainability coordinator for the city of Oakland,shared insights on sustainable development and Oakland’s SustainabilityPlan.

Finally, Andrea Traber, principal of Sustainable Use Americas, educatedthis year’s Leadership Oakland class about LEED and other energy efficientbuildings, and energy efficient building code requirements. �

Kristin Bowman is park services manager for the San Francisco Recreationand Parks Department; Peter Laufenberg is a partner at Wendel, Rosen,Black & Dean LLP; Sally Van Etten is an urban economics consultant; andAlejandro Rodriguez is the assistant to the executive director in the officeof the president at Samuel Merritt University.

� The Leadership Oakland class of 2012-13.

April 2013 | 23

Keeping you connected and informed

> april

5 | East Bay Women in BusinessRoundtable luncheon|11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.“Women of Distinction” series, featuringPixar’s “Brave” Academy Award winner,Brenda Chapman, director and writer

10 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.

10 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.featuring guest speaker John Russo, citymanager of Alameda, speaking ondevelopment at the former AlamedaNaval Base

16 | Oakland A’s luncheon |11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.Hilton Oakland Airport, One HegenbergerRoad, $75 per person, recognizing players’wives and girlfriends for their help withThe Salvation Army of Alameda County

16 | Nonprofit RoundtableCommittee meeting |2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

17 | Young Professionals Mixer|5:30-7:30 p.m.location to be announced

18 | Breakfast at the Chamber |7:30 - 9 a.m.an update of Chamber activities forprospective, new and long-timemembers

22 | Lunch + Learn |noon -1:30 p.m.featuring speakers on the East BayGreenway development

25 | After Five Reception |5:30 - 7:30 p.m.Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar Pavilion,Jack London Square, free for Chambermembers, $15 for non-members

26 | Inside Oakland BreakfastForum |8:30 - 10 a.m.featuring Oakland Police Chief HowardJordan

27 | Oakland A’s vs BaltimoreOrioles |game begins at 1:05 p.m.Oakland Coliseum, lower box tickets $34for adults, $17 for children 12 and under,Reggie Jackson Bobblehead Day withrecognition of 1973 World Series champi-onship team prior to game

> MAY6 | Young Professionals Mixer

|5:30-7:30 p.m.location to be announced

All events held at Chamber offices, 475 14th Street, unless otherwise noted. Call 874-4800 to confirm dates and times. Meetings are open to all Chamber members.

After Five Reception| APRIL 25Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar

Business & Procurement Fair| May 16 | Oakland Marriott

Oakland A’s Luncheon| April 16Hilton Oakland Airport

Apr.25 After Five Reception

Jack London Square

No charge for Chamber members.$15 for non-members. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar Pavilion

A’s – Baltimore Orioles game| April 27 | O.co Coliseum

Inside Oakland Breakfast Forum| April 26 | Police Chief Howard Jordan

The purpose of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamberof Commerce is to promote commerce and industry,to advance economic growth and to enhance thequality of life in the city of Oakland.

OBR OAKLAND BUSINESS REVIEW (ISSN 1092-7220)is published monthly at $100.00 a year by the Oak-land Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 475 14thStreet, Oakland, CA 94612-1903. Membership duesinclude subscription. Periodicals postage at Oakland,CA. Contents can’t be reproduced without permis-sion. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toOAKLAND BUSINESS REVIEW, 475 14th Street,Oakland, CA 94612.

Editor

HANK MASLER, (510) 874-4808

hmasler@oaklandchamber.com | www.oaklandchamber.com

Design/Production Editor

CARTER DESIGNS

The articles published in this publication do not

necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the Oakland

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEChair of the BoardSHANNON PEDDERBRAND: CREATIVE

Vice ChairsMARIO CHIODOChiodo ArtDevelopment

MARK EVERTONWaterfront Hotel /Miss Pearl’s

DAN COHENFull Court Press

CHARISSA FRANKFMG Architects

ERIC KISSHAUERPankow Builders

DAVID TUCKERWaste Managementof Alameda County

ZACK WASSERMANEx Officio CorporateCounselWendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP

KEN WHITEFidelity Roof Company

MICHAEL ZIEMANNSummit Bank

Immediate Past ChairJOHN NELSONmurakami/Nelson

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KIM ARNONEKatovich & Kassan LawGroup (representingWomen in BusinessRoundtable)

HARMINDER BAINSSecuritas

ALICIA BERTPG&E

DAVE CANNONBarney & Barney LLC

GREG CHANEast Bay MunicipalUtility District

JOHN DOLBYCassidy Turley

SOLOMONETS-HOKINColliers International

RON FORESTMatson NavigationCompany

GARY FOSSRecology East Bay

JOHN GOODINGThe Quadric Group

STAN HEBERTCalifornia State University, East Bay

MICHAEL HESTERMcGuire & Hester

VICTORIA JONESThe Clorox Company

ISAAC KOS-READPort of Oakland

MICHAEL LEBLANCPICÁN Restaurant

BARBARA LESLIEAT&T

KEN LOWNEYLowney Architecture

ART MARTINEZBank of America

KEN MAXEYComcast

IKE MMEJEAlta Bates SummitMedical Center

NATHAN NAYMANVisa

NATHANIELOUBRE, JR.Kaiser Permanente

MICKY RANDHAWAWells Fargo

ELÑORA TENA WEBB,PH.D.Laney College

KEITH TURNERSafeway

RICHARD WHITEFitzgerald Abbott &Beardsley LLC

JOSEPH HARABURDAPresident and CEO

8 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.

8 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.

15 | Young Professionals Mixer|5:30-7:30 p.m.The Terrace Room at the Lake MerrittHotel, 1800 Madison St.

16 | Breakfast at the Chamber |7:30 - 9 a.m.an update of Chamber activities forprospective, new and long-timemembers

16 | East Bay Business &Procurement Fair |2-5 p.m.featuring dozens of local businesses, or-ganizations and public agencies, $199 perbooth for Chamber members ($159 for re-turning participants), $299 per booth fornon-members ($239 for returnees), nocharge for individual admission, OaklandMarriott City Center, 1001 Broadway

21 | Nonprofit RoundtableCommittee meeting |2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

23 | After Five Reception |5:30 - 7:30 p.m.location to be announced, free forChamber members, $15 for non-members

24 | Inside Oakland BreakfastForum |8:30 - 10 a.m.featuring Oakland City CouncilmemberLibby Schaaf, no charge for Chambermembers, $10 for non-members

28 | Oakland A’s vs San FranciscoGiants, “Battle of the Bay” |game begins at 7:05 p.m.O.co Coliseum, with seats directly behindthe A’s dugout in the Plaza level, tickets$40 per person for Chamber members,$50 per person for non-members

> JUNE

7 | East Bay Women in BusinessRoundtable luncheon|11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.“Women of Distinction” series, featuring Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner ofDBL Investors, speaking about“Oakland’s Economy: Sustainable andSuccessful”

12 | Ambassador Committeemeeting |noon - 1 p.m.

12 | Economic DevelopmentForum |3 - 4:30 p.m.

26 | Chamber’s 108th AnnualMeeting & Awards Luncheon|11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.honoring Chamber members in a number of categories, Oakland MarriottCity Center

> ‘Remember Them’ monumentto be dedicated May 31After 12 years of tireless work by Oakland artist MarioChiodo, and with the help of major sponsors, the Chamberof Commerce has announced that the “Remember Them:Champions for Humanity” bronze monument will be dedicatedat the Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park near the Fox Theater onFriday, May 31 beginning at 3 p.m.

Incited by the horrific events of9/11, Chiodo envisioned an educa-tional monument dedicated to thecompassionate spirit of humanity.The project has remained acollaborative work of art for the sakeof education, justice and peace.

Just one month ago, a steelremnant from the World Trade Centerin New York was placed withinSection 4 for its final resting place.The piece of steel was acquired by theChamber of Commerce from the Portof New York and New Jersey. Theten-pound piece, which was origi-nally hundreds of pounds in weight(but reduced by the heat of the fire),was carried from the Chamber officesto City Hall, where it was kept ondisplay, then moved to the monumentvia a Fire Department procession.

The remnant was placed withinSection 4 by Oakland Fire

Department Lt. John Farrell, who was a first responder in 2001 andaided in the recovery at the World Trade Center.

The grand unveiling of Sections 1, 2 and 3 were originally heldon Sept. 6, 2011, almost ten yearsto the day of the disaster in lowerManhattan; Arlington, Virginia; andan empty field in Pennsylvania.Since then Chiodo and his teamhave completed Section 4, the

largest of the four sections,along with a visually impairedwall that contains the faces ofthe 25 humanitarians and one oftheir famous quotes in braille.

According to Chiodo, “Thismonument represents an interna-tional cross-section of visionariesthroughout several centuries whohave inspired and aided othersthrough their passionate beliefsin human rights and peace.”

On May 31, the day of thededication, the monument will bethe largest bronze monument onthe west coast, and the onlymonument in the countrydedicated to civil rights.

For more information on thededication, contact Ivette Torresat the Chamber at itorres@oaklandchamber.com or at (510) 874-4800, ext. 319. �

� A steel remnant from theWorld Trade Center stood atthe base of Section 4 onemonth ago just momentsbefore it was lowered intothe monument – its finalresting place.