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BEST OF KERN 2020

We are honored by the nomination of TWO of our annual events in the Best of Kern readers’ poll for 2020. Our Annual Dia de los Muertos celebration and Annual Latin Food Festival: Menudo and Pozole Cook Off have both been nominated as BEST annual event in Kern County! Thank you so much for your support and attendance for each of these wonderful events.

2020 KCHCC Board of Directors

2020 KCHCC Education Foundation Board of Directors

Thank you to all who joined us as we celebrated 35 years of Excellence and Economic Prosperity in Kern County. The Hispanic Chamber has gone from a handful of business members to more than 1,200 today. In over 6 years, we have graduated more than 600 entrepreneurs from our small business academies that are moving beyond Bakersfield to other parts of the county. 

 Our annual KCHCC Installation and Business Awards continually sells out each year. Our board of directors represents a cross-section of our business and community sector, from healthcare and oil and agriculture to higher education and banking to non-profit and small business owners. In addition, our President/CEO has a seat on the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce representing over 800,000 small businesses and supporting legislation across the State. 

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• An update was given on AB 345 (Muratsuchi; D-Torrance) Oil and Gas Development Ban 

• SB 850 (Leyva; D-Chino) Work Hours: Scheduling – The bill requires an employer, which includes a grocery store establishment, restaurant, or retail store establishment, to provide its employees with a 21-day work schedule at least 7 calendar days in advance. Among other provisions, the bill would require an employer, except as specified, to pay its employees modification pay for each previously scheduled shift that the employer cancels or moves to another date or time, for any previously unscheduled shift that the employer requires an employee to work, or for each on-call shift for which an employee is required to be available but is not called in to work that shift. The KCHCC has identified SB 850 as a job killer because it will eliminate flexibility in the workplace for both employers and employees, deny employees the opportunity to work additional hours if desired, limit employers’ ability to accommodate customer demands, and subject employers to unnecessary layers of penalties, investigative actions, and costly litigation. 
• SB 873 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Gender Discrimination: Pricing -- The bill prohibits price differences for two substantially similar products that are intended for or marketed to different genders. KCHCC has identified SB 873 as a job killer because it includes a private right of action with a minimum of $4,000 in damages per alleged violation, which will expose small and large businesses to a flurry of costly litigation for claims that two products are substantially similar, even though they may be different, and that any price differential is based on gender when it is actually based upon legitimate non-gender related reasons.

Last week, Dustin Dodgin, Partner at Klein, DeNatale, Goldner presented at our Winter Small Business Academy for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners (Session 3). Dustin gave the entire class a legal overview of what you are looking at if you currently own a small business or looking at starting a business in California.

We are wrapping up our 4th week in session. This week, our special guest speaker was an Accountant, Chris Bernal. Bernal discussed the importance of knowing business finances and taxes.

Time flies when you’re investing in your business! We finished KCHCC Small Business Academy Session 5, where our students learned about business banking, finance, loans and more! Lot’s of great information presented by Wells Fargo Business Bankers - Sonia and Raquel! Awesome presentation!

KCHCC Diplomats Meeting

We had a great diplomat meeting this week with Councilmember Andrae Gonzales. An extremely informative conversion where the Councilmember addressed many Downtown Bakersfield Revitalization Projects. We appreciate all you do and thank you for commitment to your constituents and community.

Chef Lino’s Grill Grand Opening

Congratulations Frances Cueto and Chef Lino Gonzalez on the grand opening of Chef Lino’s Grill. It was a great event with so many wonderful family and friends of Chef Lino’s delicious food. From all of us, thank you for letting us take part in your special day!

Community Outreach and Partnerships

Shared from the Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: "Excellent TKHCC and Foundation Strategic Planning meeting today. Thank you to President/CEO Jay Tamsi of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for facilitating both our strategic planning sessions. The TKHCC and Foundation are looking forward to doing some big things for all our members this year.

January KCHCC Board Meeting

KCHCC Board Meetings - We love to celebrate our business accomplishments but we also love to celebrate our Board Member Birthdays (December and January)! Happy Birthday Robin, Julie, Ken, Denise, and Matthew! Thanks for all you do for KCHCC and our business community.

Winter Small Business Academy

Our Winter Small Business Academy, comprised of local entrepreneurs and small business owners, is off to a great start! This week our members were treated to a special presentation from guest speaker, Art Ruiz, La Mina owner. Ruiz shared his experiences of opening a local business and the art of customer service.

January Government Relations Committee Meeting

Special thank you to Russell Judd (CEO Kern Medical) and Ken Keller (President and CEO Memorial Hospital) for discussing and providing an update on the Kern Health Systems Ordinance at our January Government Relations Committee (GRC). GRC members also discussed Proposition 13-State School Bond and an update on SB 742 Implementation.

January Business Networking Mixer

Thank you to all who attended our first Business Networking Mixer of 2020. Hosted by the Petroleum Club of Bakersfield, our guests were treated to spectacular views of the city to inspire greatness for the new year and decade. We are grateful to have KCHCC Chairman Ken Ouellette ( Advanced Beverage) and KCHCC Business Education Foundation Chair Woman Cecilia Tomono (Adventist Health, Bakersfield & Tehachapi) leading the charge this year. We look forward to many more great events in 2020.