Tara O'Brien
2011 -2012 Chairman of the Board

Healthy employees are a critical part of your business’ success, just as a healthy business economy is vital to the overall vitality of our community. In fact, my theme for the Chamber this year is “Thriving Business Builds a Healthy Torrance”. A healthy business environment ensures a fiscally sound local government, creates jobs for South Bay residents, and enhances our high-performing school district.

This is what the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce is all about: creating economic growth in Torrance and its neighboring communities. We do this in many ways. We bring people together to make connections and grow their businesses. We advocate for the interests of our business community. Our foundation pairs businesses with Torrance schools to ensure that we create the next generation of workers in the South Bay.

And in the coming year, the board of directors and I will continue to help create a vibrant business economy. We have some ambitious plans, including strengthening our business advocacy efforts and partnering more closely with the City of Torrance to retain and attract business. Even if you can’t attend one of our many business and networking events, know that the Chamber is working for your interests each and every day.

Here are some of my goals for the 2011-2012 year:

• To provide programs, services and activities which are of value to Chamber members and to the community at large - increasing membership, developing stronger ambassadors, developing regular sponsored mixers and other networking events within our Chamber and other Chambers, and expand member-to-member benefits.
  

• To provide a positive community image for business and promote a business-friendly environment in Torrance and the South Bay – maintaining and developing events which showcase our members and community, and develop and implement a survey for business, government and residents.
  
  
• To encourage a cooperative and favorable local, county, state and federal government climate that promotes an understanding of the needs of the business community – to be visible at City Council meetings, events with elected officials quarterly, determine priority of business needs, and communicate them to appropriate government officials/ agencies, and continue to involve government officials and city staff in Chamber committees and other Chamber programs. We are a business organization foremost, we need to take care of our members, but we also need to give back to our community.
  
  
• To take the information that we deemed vital from the board retreat and implement what as board we think is important and will work for the Chamber– as such, remind the board every month what we all agreed to do this year and after 6 months do a mid-year evaluation of what we have accomplished and still need to do.

I am confident that we will have a successful year, but I cannot do it alone! I need all of you Chamber members to get involved and come to a meeting or two throughout the month. You will get out of the Chamber what you put into it. It’s time for you to join a committee or Leadership Torrance, attend a networking at noon lunch or mixer, be present at an event or block party, come by to visit the Chamber, be a part of something special – Engage in your membership of the Torrance Chamber of Commerce.

I want us all to be “Business Motivated. Community Focused.”

Tara O'Brien
2011 -2012 Chairman of the Board