Fellow Members,
 
As your 2008 Chamber President I am looking forward to a prosperous year for business and our community. To all who attended the Installation Dinner on January 18th at the Italo Lodge, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a grand event. A very special “Thank You” to Past President Dawn Kinney, Past President Michele Gabriault Acosta, Director Mike Waite, Treasurer Mary Ward, CEO Julius Pekar and Event Chair,  Secretary Teresa Burrola for their hard work to prepare and produce such a great event. I also appreciate Sheriff Mark Pazin, County CEO Dee Tatum, District Attorney Larry Morse and Supervisor Kathleen Crookham for all their assistance.  A special thank you to Brenda Johnson for her great rendition of the National Anthem .

I want to recognize a good friend who selected me to be on his Board of Directors, Past President Jeff Pennington. I want to thank President Steve Gallichio for his outstanding work this past year. I have some big shoes to fill this coming year. 

Most importantly, I want to thank  my wife, Cindy...who is there to support me as I go forward. She says, “ I have three husbands: a politician, a financial advisor and a drummer. ”Business, Prosperity and a Little Rock N Roll, is my slogan for this year. “Business”... to support business in the difficult times that may be ahead. I see the Merced County Chamber of Commerce as a resource for small and large business development. A resource for business and industry looking to locate in Merced County.  As a resource for entrepreneurs.  I see us continuing as business advocates to lobby elected officials for our members. “Prosperity”...even in tough times, prosperity is possible. It is a mind set to succeed.  Members working together and sharing information that can promote business opportunities for each other.  We need to be innovative and avoid the old catch phrase “that is the way it has always been done”.  That old adage always gets me the most  because there are always better ways to do business.  Today we need to think globally and act locally.  We have the Internet and Global Economy to work with. These resources may be beyond some of our thinking, but we need to explore and use these world resources to all our benefit. “Rock N Roll”...takes us back to a better time where everything was possible with the promise of a bright future.  We saw the beginning of television, the transistor, sputnik and man’s walk on the moon. We had the promise, the hope and the excitement of the future and if you look beyond the naysayer of economic doom, that promise is still with us today.

Today we cannot depend on government to assist us with our economic journeys. We need to become more self sufficient to succeed.  With your Merced County Chamber, we will all work as one for  community prosperity.  Remember the TV series Wagon Train?  As Ward Bond, the star of the show did, we are going to circle our wagons and work together and bring about a better future for families and our community.  It takes unity to go forward and achieve...Business, Prosperity and a Little Rock N Roll.
 
Have a Prosperous 2008
Nelson Crabb
President