Dubroff: The role of a 21st Century chamber is economic development
Zoe Taylor had literally packed her bags the night before in Paso Robles when I caught up with her on her way home to Ventura. She had just wrapped up her fifth assignment as an interim chamber of commerce CEO, including a stint in Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and Kingman, Arizona. Before that, Read More →
Op/ed: Scholarships are investments that pay dividends for generations
Higher education remains transformative for many students and their families. It is truly an investment that will pay dividends for generations.
Op/ed: The Bob Hatch legacy, and lessons learned from a great mentor
By Gina Keough I joined the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce team in 1999. As staff, we saw President and CEO Bob Hatch’s business side, his military side, his funny side, his serious side, his angry side and his human side. Perhaps a better title than president and CEO would be “mentor.” What makes Read More →
Editorial: Rethinking agreement between port and city makes sense
Given the millions of dollars the port has spent to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, the potential for increased competition from ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast via a widened Panama Canal and the changes that technology have wrought, it’s smart for the Oxnard Harbor District and the Port of Hueneme to figure out if there is a better way forward.
Dubroff: Next Santa Barbara city manager must continue fiscal focus
“Methodical” is a word you might use to describe Jim Armstrong, the Santa Barbara City Manager who announced June 27 that he will be stepping down in September after 13 years on the job. Ironically, that’s not always the word you’d choose to describe Santa Barbara itself. It is, after all, a city with an Read More →
Op/ed: Morro Bay leads the way on sustainable fisheries management
Morro Bay continues to be one of the up-and-coming places on the Central Coast. It has largely revitalized its tourism industry, in part by producing a series of successful seasonal festivals centered around seafood. But if my sources and research are correct, bigger rewards for the city will come in future years as a unique Read More →
Editorial: Wine-tasting law would provide early taste of entrepreneurship for students
Working its way through the state legislature is a bill that would open the taps just a bit to allow under-aged viticulture students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and other California campuses to sample a small amount of wine or craft beer that they’re producing for a class. The bill, officially known as AB Read More →
