Chamber Awards Businesses At Gala
By Nancy Gross
“This is very nice, very special,” said Ojai Studio Artist Ruth Farnham early Thursday evening, and indeed, the third Annual Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala allowed chamber members to unwind, have fun and socialize in elegant comfort at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa.
And to wear some fancy clothes. Chamber president Bob Kemper of Troop Real Estate said, “I don’t think I can recall seeing so many well-dressed people in Ojai, especially at the same time.”
Yet, coupled with the pleasures of talking and mingling, the gala is a significant opportunity for businesses to be invigorated by the work ethic, innovations and successes of one another. Monthly chamber mixers fulfill these aims also.
Kemper said, “The six businesses that will be recognized represent only a small segment of the excellent businesses in the Ojai Valley. This is an important event for all, a congratulatory event.”
The gala was also a time to reflect on the year. Roberta Raye of Made in Ojai said “I just keep thinking of where I was last year compared to this year. Right after this event we formed the co-op, and the chamber has been so supportive.”
The chamber’s chief executive officer Scott Eicher offered a statistic that testifies to the tenacity and forward thinking of Ojai business owners. After last year’s gala, the chamber held a series of workshops to help businesses cope creatively while facing a nationwide economic recovery. Eicher said that according to Bruce Stenslie, of the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County, the rest of the county had similar programs going, but Ojai’s were the best attended.
Additionally, it was mentioned that chamber services provide for many needs of nonmember businesses by default. “We are the voice of business in the Ojai Valley.”
During the cocktail hour some guests shared their thoughts about how they are managing while the economy moves sluggishly toward health. Interior designer Philip Brocious of Kava said, “I’ve been doing a lot of redesign which involves rearranging and fine tuning, suggesting paint colors. I charge per room and it is a lot about making suggestions.” He said it allows people to make small changes to their surroundings, and make purchases over time. “It shifts the energy completely and it spreads throughout the house.”
Amy Segovia, front office manager at The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa said the inn benefited from Valentine’s Day being on a long President’s Day weekend, and that spring break is about to start, and, due to different school schedules, it will cover many weeks.
Segovia added, “Guests enjoy going into town. We compliment the city and the city compliments us.”
After chatting, drinks, appetizers and photographs, Steve Vera’s large group of employees and family from Smart Technology Enablers, who offer managed services for computer networks, posed for a shot by one of the inn’s fireplaces, the guests moved over to the awards ceremony.
Before the awards were given to six businesses who had won through a balloting process, Eicher recognized his executive assistant Shannon Allen, who has gone above and beyond in her 10 years with the chamber, “improving the weekly e-blast and website, helping both the Lions and Woman’s Clubs meet their financial goals, changing the business and shopping map from a two-color map to a four-color map,” and creating an interactive online map that a visitor on the way to Ojai can access to navigate into and around town. Allen was awarded a spa day at Spa Ojai.
Roger Phelps handled the video and audio, as each of the three nominees in each category had been taped in their businesses by Olga and Aaron Singer, often speaking about the honor of being chosen, the privilege of working in Ojai and the benefits of working with the chamber.
The first category, Small Business of the Year, recognized a for-profit, locally owned business with no more than 10 employees, with an innovative approach to customer service. Emily Sandefur of Heritage Financial presented, and Feast Bistro took the prize.
Susan Coulter, chef and co-owner of Feast Bistro with Beryl Schwartz, accepted the award and said, “We’re all in this together. We rely on each other. We need each other. It’s important to be a part of the community. The chamber is the way to go” She especially thanked the merchants in the Arcade, and said, “I hope we’re around for a long time after this.”
The next honor was presented by Eicher, and Ojai Valley Directory’s Ren Adam, for the best Environmentally Conscious Business, and E.J. Harrison and Sons was chosen. Myron Harrison, the owner, who said he began driving a trash truck in 1965, accepted and also said, “I’d like to thank the chamber and the city of Ojai for all their efforts. “This is a family business. We love this valley,” Harrison said.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit award, presented by Kathy Hartley of the Ojai Theatre and the Lavender Inn, and Olga Singer of Graphics Unlimited, went to Lara Moga of Casa Bella residential care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Her moving acceptance speech brought silence to everyone else in the room. She began, “I’m the luckiest person in the world because I get to take care of people.”
She thanked her father for his “grace and courage under unbelievable circumstances,” and told him repeatedly that she loved him, and that he had given her a great life. She also said, “Nobody gets anywhere alone. My husband Dorulet is my rock. As an engineer, he built Casa Bella for me.” She added some special phrases to Dorulet in Romanian, and lastly acknowledged her father one more time for being someone who “showed me you could do anything in life. He always asked, ‘why not?’”
The Tourism Development Award was given by Janis Clapoff, managing director for the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, and Dave Brubaker, president and CEO of Ojai Community Bank. Ojai Studio Artists won in this category.
OSA president Linda Taylor accepted the honor and said “I’m very excited. We’ve had our open studio tour for 27 years. The chamber helps us so much. They sell our tickets. I want to thank Scott in particular. He is such a great support and always gives us so many great suggestions.”
The Heart of Ojai award was then given to a nonprofit chamber member offering enhanced quality of life for those living in the Ojai Valley. The Ojai Valley Youth Foundation took the honor, and Dan Burrell, interim executive director and Meg Wall, program manager accepted.
Burrell said, “I so wish that Cindy Jones was here,” and he commended her for her outstanding fundraising ability, saying that at a recent luncheon she was able to “raise 45,000 in one hour and 15 minutes, from this community, in this economy.”
Burrell also said that Wall “began with the Youth Foundation when she was 12 years old, and is now our amazing program director,” and Wall expressed thanks for the way the valley supports its teens.
The final award was the Cornerstone Award, given to a chamber member with more than 10 employees, making an investment to grow business in the valley. Dawn Shook, executive officer of the Ojai Board of Realtors, and Martha Dowden, branch manager for Los Padres Bank, presented the award to Rains Department Store.
Alan Rains was videotaped saying the store began in 1914. He kept his comments brief, expressing appreciation and thanks. “We’re not new to the block. We are a specialty department store. We are honored and humbled. Being a chamber member for more years than I remember is an asset to us.”
Throughout the evening, chamber members returned to the topic of tourism, and enthusiasm was expressed for the work of the chamber in securing $160,000 from the city of Ojai to begin a public relations and marketing campaign for Ojai as a tourist destination. Ruth Ballin’s PR firm has been chosen for this enterprise. Ballin currently oversees the Ojai Playwright’s Conference.
Dharma has met her match!
Thank you to those who contributed to this enlightening discussion. There are several items here I want to check on.
To “Death in the US,”
I deeply appreciate your kind comment,
Namaste.
dharma and coach mike need to stop squabling because you are both correct. “These are tax dollars paid by city residents, and I’m not convinced we truly get our money’s-worth…” this is a true statement since property taxes fund all city projects. What city projects are going on right now I don’t even know since I pay no attention. My guess is, however, that I’m probably not getting my money’s worth since one of the things that those taxes are to help out is public school’s and I think the stink!
I have to say Coach Mike wins this one.
“It is the bed and sales tax generated by our local business that support your city, not your personal income taxes.” This too is a kind of true statement. Our local businesses don’t generate bed and sales tax – the patrons that shop/stay there do. Without those patrons, its not there. And, although income tax and property tax is considered seperate by the IRS,let’s face it – it all comes out of the same pocket.
OVN Doesn’t DST start Mar 14? Just wondering, just getting a jump on it or is my calender wrong?
ADMIN: Yes, March 14.
Read my above post and tell me where I actually call you a name? Just pointing out the irony in your original post Dharma Jr. AKA J.A.T
Ah sweet Death in the US,
Thank you for doing exactly what I imagined you would do, which is to resort to name calling.
What a sarcastic remark, talk about a snide know-it-all Just Another Taxpayer!
Dharma, you just can’t miss a chance to be a snide know-it-all, even when you don’t know what you are talking about. The bed tax (Transient Occupancy Tax or TOT) pays only 27% of the City’s budget, the rest is sales, property and other taxes paid by residents. Coach Mike is right that Ojai residents pay taxes that are part of the $160K going to the Chamber. Suza, as former mayor, you must know this. How about a little intellectual honesty?
This is from the last City Council meeting, a public document available for anybody with Google. The column on the
Revenues
The Adopted Budget contained a forecast of just over $7.9 million in General Fund revenues,
which was a decline from $8,840,608 in the FY 2008/09 Budget. Unfortunately, we will not
reach the $7.9 million forecast, and in fact will fall far- short. The revenues we now expect by
year-end are shown on the chart below:
Revenue Adopted Budget Revised Budget
Property Tax $1,211,482 $1,284,761
Sales Tax $1,277,074 $1,025,252
TOT $2,000,000 $1,464,919
Other GF revues $3,443,323 $3.250,105
TOTAL $7,931,879 $7,025,037
btw, I am a fan of the Chamber, these people volunteer time, sponsor teams and local programs, donate good and services (thank you for the Cluff Park and getting rid of that unsightly gas station!) and make Ojai a place visitors want to come to.
OK, you can go back to making personal attacks and talking about dead jaguars, now. Thank you.
I am incredibly disappointed that Coach Mike can’t have a discussion or make a point without turing into a Jr High school kid. If you want people to listen to your jabber, make a valid point with enough knowledge to back it up rather than wasting everyone’s time. Or, if you think you can do a better job, by all means, show us.
Thank you Suza, your acknowledgement means the world to me. It is good to know there are other people like myself that care about animals in Ojai and even though I realize my comment was off topic, I knew if I posted it one of the other few real Ojains that are posting here would respond. Cheers to Suza , a true Ojai soul~ Namaste
most of the rich people who attend these chamber events are republicans
Is this where Coach Mike’s “liberal door-knob” name-calling comes from?
http://blogs.reuters.com/oddly-enough/2008/11/10/you-see-this-doorknob-barack/
or
http://www.squamishchief.com/article/GB/20091019/CP02/310199929/-1/squamish/door-knob-replacement-justifies-signs-advertising-federal-economic&template=cpArt
Seriously folks, we are all in this together. My heart goes out to all those struggling every day to keep their sinking ship afloat.
As the late psychiatrist Scott Peck said in “The Road Less Traveled,” — “Life is hard.”
Once again Replies are separated from the ones they are responding to.
I realize the moderator is doing his best (not blaming anyone) but want to know if the OVN has future plans to change over to a blog programs where this does not happen.
I acknowledge that this is a small matter compared to the magnitude of the loss of the last known Jaguar in North America above the US border (see above off topic Comment) and all the other losses in this still beautiful world.
Another self-congratulatory event for the snobs of Ojai
and their rich friends (Democrats).
Coach Mike has met his match!
I know this is off topic but we Ojaians care about this kind of thing. THe last known Jaguar in North America above the US border was killed. Way to go USA.
Ah sweet Coach Mike,
Thank you for doing exactly what I imagined you would do, which is to resort to name calling instead of fessing up that you know nothing about economics and nothing about how the City actually makes money and pays it bills… and you want to be on the Council? Shame on you…
And by the way, Coach, by way of experience, you may have dusted your hands in Iraq, but I am a generation ahead of you and witnessed more bloodshed and mayhem before you ever earned your commission.
And I am not a petty liberal door knob – I’m not even a liberal… And by calling me a door knob, my dear friend, you have just effectively alienated half of the voting public in Ojai.
But clearly, your mind is your worst enemy.
LOL Right On Dharma!!!
Has anybody seen Anon.5? Of course not, I killed him.
The businesses in Ojai deserve our support. We now have better businesses and services than every before and can shop right here in town without traveling out of the valley. They support our youth activities and schools and are always wiling to make that donation even though they are struggling. And Mr. Eicher does a lot for the town with little compensation.
Dharma
I’ll challenge anyone’s so-called “world experience” against mine! Including yours.
Perhaps you need to pull your head out, and experience some of it…If you have the guts. But for some reason, I just don’t think you do.
And yes…I guess I’m just not qualified as a petty little, insulated, entiltled, liberal door-knob.
Sorry to hurt your feelings. No, not really!
$160,000 will be used to bring more tourism to a town
that employs illegal labor at minimum wage. I’m sure
that every attendee loved and relished this fact.
Thanks for chiming in Dharma!
I hope Coach Mike considers what you said.
(I do appreciate that Mike is honest and has the guts to reveal himself.)
Coach Mike… Get a clue about life. It is the bed and sales tax generated by our local business that support your city, not your personal income taxes.
You are in essence a product of an education system that has failed to teach you anything about fundamental economics. You might be a Vet, and you might be a coach, but really, my dear, you are clueless about how the world works and how cities, especially Ojai generate revenue…
And if in your infinite wisdom, you should ever run for office in the City of Ojai, the first challenge will be for you to prove you know anything beyond lipsync-ing the no nothing party line of the ultra right.
How much the chamber benifits all is the $160K question!
These are tax dollars paid by city residents, and I’m not convinced we truly get our money’s-worth from Scott and his small band of deciples.
Many a business in Ojai conscientiously choose not to join the chamber because it’s simply not worth it.
I say give tax breaks to the individual Ojai businesses. Let them do with THEIR OWN money what they please, and cut off support to Eicher and his little social club.
LPB:
In case you have not heard, businesses in this town are struggling, just as are the schools. The Chamber is there to assist in the promotion of the businesses, who, in turn, help out all with the generation of taxes that help pay for the infrastructure that keeps this town running. Street lights, street sweeping, Libbey Park benches for you and you brethren to sleep on all day. The attendees of the bash paid for thickets to said bash. It was not a hosted event. The Chamber benefits all.
What a party! Some people get rich (Ojai Valley Chamber
of Commerce) and some people get poor (workers,schools,
children and teachers of the Ojai Valley).