The
County Chamber has been a business advocate for over
100 years. They originally organized as the Merced
County Businessman’s Association in 1895 and
then in 1905 changed the name to the Merced County
Chamber of Commerce. On February 4th 1925 they incorporated
as the Merced County Chamber of Commerce.
We plan to continue this long history of business
advocacy and in 2011 advance that support by “Building
for Tomorrow.” Through our advocacy activities,
promotions and quarterly luncheons we will promote
business and farming interests of this County and
that of our members. We will work to grow business
to create jobs with the hope we can reduce the 20.1%
unemployment rate.
Through
the Education Committee we will work to find ways
to help reduce the 38% high school drop-out rate and
effect better education to give our businesses an
educated labor pool and a labor pool that will attract
jobs and new business.
We
will promote reasonable government regulations and
environmental policy and controls. We all want to
protect our people and environment but through reasonable
and not anti-business and anti-people policies and
regulations.
Now is the time to build. The interests of the public
at large, the governmental sector and the private
sector are more in alignment today than they have
been in the past. Draconian regulations hurt business,
chase new business away, cost the government sector
to much to control and regulate and most importantly,
cost the citizens of Merced County by chasing away
jobs and opportunity.
This
year with your help we can make our community a better
place and prepare it for the boom that is coming…and
it is coming.
Our County needs jobs, business growth and new businesses
and your Merced County Chamber of Commerce board of
directors is made up of very talented, industrious
and diversified individuals who are working to achieve
that goal. I could not ask for a better Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors, CEO Julius Pekar and I, look
forward to reporting our accomplishments to you as
the year progresses.
With your support we will all work together as a community
to build for tomorrow, a tomorrow that will offer
a quest for prosperity for all of our citizens and
many generations to come.
Thank You
M. Stephen
Jones
2011 President
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