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Hello, Santa Cruz County business and community leaders. It is September and we made it through the Labor Day holiday weekend despite the ongoing record-breaking heat wave. I trust you are staying cool as you read the Chamber’s eNews. I believe the Chamber is finally in recovery mode as we head into the fall and early winter months. I use the “winter months” lightly because of the weather challenges that are exacerbated by climate change; indeed we are in a new normal weather pattern. For most of the past two-plus years, organizations like your Chamber, which are highly dependent on networking and in-person events, learned to pivot to online webinars and Zoom meetings as a health and safety precaution. It is now commonplace to have a hybrid meeting where some people will choose to stay at home or at their remote workstation — while other folks are eager to get out and about and be a part of the community. There is nothing like person-to-person engagement. Mental Health America found that 71% of people turn to family or friends when they feel stressed. Humans have a natural need for social connection and like feeling valued, cared for, and supported by others. Numerous studies demonstrate both the risks of social isolation and loneliness on mental health as well as the dire importance of human connection. One of the key components of the fabric of Santa Cruz is the interconnection between people and places — whether it is Labor Day crowds at Main Beach in Santa Cruz, a stroll down West Cliff Drive, or attending a community event — connecting to people is an indicator of good health. Next Tuesday, September 13, the Chamber is holding a lunchtime speaker event hosted at the beautiful Chaminade Resort. We are blending a hybrid webinar event and an in-person lunch with our special guest, California State Controller Betty Yee. The registration link for both events is here: https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/Hybrid-VirtualInPerson-Luncheon-Event-Welcoming-the-State-Controllers-Office-5316/details. What is inspiring about a weekday lunch out on the Chaminade patio is our guest speaker is taking time out of her busy statewide schedule to come to Santa Cruz County. It isn’t often that a state cabinet public official makes their way to Santa Cruz. But State Controller Betty Yee has a fondness for Santa Cruz County — she began her public sector career working for former state Assemblyman Sam Farr. She continued on a public sector career as a Member of the State Board of Equalization for Northern California, and then moving up to the State Controller position, where she is completing the last few months of her second four-year term. She is not here to pitch a campaign speech. She is coming to Santa Cruz to share her past accomplishments as well as provide a focus on where California is headed in the years ahead. As the state’s chief fiscal officer of the world’s fifth largest economy, Controller Betty Yee has held the responsibilities to chair the Franchise Tax Board, serve on the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). As the nation’s largest public pension funds these two boards oversee a combined portfolio of more than $800 billion. While we see the latest financial discussions by the Chair of the Federal Reserve with interest rates going up and a slowing of the economy in some sectors, it is the careful eye of the Controller to ensure that our state’s financial situation is on solid ground. Now back to your mental health — connecting people to people is a staple of the Chamber. We have been the community catalyst for bringing people together since 1889. What is absolutely essential to the Chamber’s longevity is our people, our members and the greater Santa Cruz County community. The role of the Chamber is to be the convener — now the rest is up to you to join us for a great conversation with a state leader and help yourself with a healthy dose of connecting. Trust me, it will be beneficial to all of us. I look forward to saying hello to you on September 13. Click here to register!
Hello, Santa Cruz County business and community leaders. It is September and we made it through the Labor Day holiday weekend despite the ongoing record-breaking heat wave. I trust you are staying cool as you read the Chamber’s eNews.
I believe the Chamber is finally in recovery mode as we head into the fall and early winter months. I use the “winter months” lightly because of the weather challenges that are exacerbated by climate change; indeed we are in a new normal weather pattern.
For most of the past two-plus years, organizations like your Chamber, which are highly dependent on networking and in-person events, learned to pivot to online webinars and Zoom meetings as a health and safety precaution. It is now commonplace to have a hybrid meeting where some people will choose to stay at home or at their remote workstation — while other folks are eager to get out and about and be a part of the community. There is nothing like person-to-person engagement.
Mental Health America found that 71% of people turn to family or friends when they feel stressed. Humans have a natural need for social connection and like feeling valued, cared for, and supported by others. Numerous studies demonstrate both the risks of social isolation and loneliness on mental health as well as the dire importance of human connection.
One of the key components of the fabric of Santa Cruz is the interconnection between people and places — whether it is Labor Day crowds at Main Beach in Santa Cruz, a stroll down West Cliff Drive, or attending a community event — connecting to people is an indicator of good health.
Next Tuesday, September 13, the Chamber is holding a lunchtime speaker event hosted at the beautiful Chaminade Resort. We are blending a hybrid webinar event and an in-person lunch with our special guest, California State Controller Betty Yee. The registration link for both events is here: https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/Hybrid-VirtualInPerson-Luncheon-Event-Welcoming-the-State-Controllers-Office-5316/details.
What is inspiring about a weekday lunch out on the Chaminade patio is our guest speaker is taking time out of her busy statewide schedule to come to Santa Cruz County. It isn’t often that a state cabinet public official makes their way to Santa Cruz. But State Controller Betty Yee has a fondness for Santa Cruz County — she began her public sector career working for former state Assemblyman Sam Farr. She continued on a public sector career as a Member of the State Board of Equalization for Northern California, and then moving up to the State Controller position, where she is completing the last few months of her second four-year term. She is not here to pitch a campaign speech. She is coming to Santa Cruz to share her past accomplishments as well as provide a focus on where California is headed in the years ahead.
As the state’s chief fiscal officer of the world’s fifth largest economy, Controller Betty Yee has held the responsibilities to chair the Franchise Tax Board, serve on the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). As the nation’s largest public pension funds these two boards oversee a combined portfolio of more than $800 billion. While we see the latest financial discussions by the Chair of the Federal Reserve with interest rates going up and a slowing of the economy in some sectors, it is the careful eye of the Controller to ensure that our state’s financial situation is on solid ground.
Now back to your mental health — connecting people to people is a staple of the Chamber. We have been the community catalyst for bringing people together since 1889. What is absolutely essential to the Chamber’s longevity is our people, our members and the greater Santa Cruz County community. The role of the Chamber is to be the convener — now the rest is up to you to join us for a great conversation with a state leader and help yourself with a healthy dose of connecting. Trust me, it will be beneficial to all of us. I look forward to saying hello to you on September 13.
Click here to register!