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