The
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
spent last
weekend in Oxnard at the Mandalay Beach Resort to
chart the
future course of the Chamber. “Board members pay
their own way and give up their weekend,
demonstrating their strong commitment to this
community,” said Chamber President
& CEO Leron Gubler. “We really
appreciate this high level of participation.” At
the retreat, the Board focused on planning in areas
of Public Policy, Economic Development and
Membership Services. Among the recommendations
coming out of the retreat were: the need to
continue upgrading and taking advantage of our
website, which receives several million hits
monthly; developing a new holiday tradition for
Hollywood; creating a “one sheet” to explain the
value proposition of belonging to the Chamber; and
creating a more formal process with some guiding
principles to review proposed developments seeking
the Chamber’s endorsement.
Healthcare Committee Visits Hollywood Presbyterian
Hospital
The
Hollywood Chamber’s Healthcare Committee
traveled to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital as
the first of several planned visits to
Hollywood-area medical facilities. Among the
issues discussed at the meeting were Healthcare
initiatives being discussed in Sacramento as
well as State requirements for nursing
students. Concerns were expressed about the
Governor’s requirement for a 4 percent payroll
tax by firms that do not offer health insurance.
Many felt the requirement was unrealistic and
might lead to firms canceling health insurance
policies now in effect for their employees. The
committee was also concerned when it learned
that California is 50th in the nation
in its nursing programs, and does not allow any
screening at the community college level in
admitting nursing students. There is not even a
requirement that a student have a high school
diploma. These issues will be discussed at the
next Legislative Action Committee in preparing
its agenda for the Chamber’s Sacramento trip in
May.
Hollywood
Chamber representatives, including Honorary
Mayor Johnny Grant, were on hand this week to
help Copymat Hollywood, celebrate its grand
re-opening, following extensive renovations at
its 6464 Sunset Blvd. location. Owners Bob and
Tatiana Gerholdt invite Chamber members to visit
their new, improved location, which they
undertook as their commitment to do their part
in improving the image of quality of life in
Hollywood. Their phone no. is (323)461-1222, and
website address is
www.copymathollywood.com.
Chamber Mixer Spices up
Networking and Grants and Raffles Cajun Style at
Bubba Gump
Hollywood Chamber’s monthly mixer was held on April
26th at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company’s
Universal Citywalk location. The well-attended
event afforded members and guests terrific
networking opportunities, and all
were
treated to outstanding Cajun style shrimp and ribs.
New members on hand to receive their plaques were
Erin Williams Photography, California Credits Group,
Spotlight Promotions, the Talking Drum – “The
African Voice,” and K&L Wine Company.
The
Hollywood Community Foundation presented a $2,000
check to Theatre of Note to help support its Young
Writers Project. The theatre has received
approximately sixty submittals of one-act plays, and
five will be selected to be performed on-stage.
The
14th annual Hollywood’s Women of
Distinction Luncheon will be held on Tuesday,
May 15th, at noon, at the Globe
Theatre at Universal Studios. This year will
honor four outstanding women, which will bring
the total to 100 women honored since the
luncheon was first instituted. Honorees
include: Gay Blackstone, Academy of Magical
Arts; Gail Koretz, Kaiser Permanente; Christi
Van Cleve, Roschen Van Cleve Architects; and
Renee Weitzer, Council District 4. In addition,
Michael-Jon Smith of AT&T will receive the
Golden Award for Community Service and Cindy
Williams will receive the Mary Pickford Award.
Co-chairs are Maureen Schultz of Capitol Records
and Laurie Goldman of GO! Goldman Organization. This year, a
record-setting number of sponsors have signed
up, with presenting sponsors AT&T, Argent
Ventures and Millennium Partners.
Platinum Sponsor is Kaiser
Permanente. Gold Sponsors are Capitol Records,
DS Ventures, Honda of Hollywood, Iron Mountain,
Jeff Hiatt Inc. Termite Professionals, Paramount
Pictures, Second Street Ventures, The Magic
Castle and Wells Fargo Bank. Silver Sponsors
include 5+ Design, Alliance Residential, Andrews
International, Briggs Law Office, Bond
Companies, Clarett Group, Greer Daily
Minter/Latham & Watkins, Grumpy Old Men,
Paramount Contractors, Ramsey-Shilling and The
Original Farmers Market.
If you are interested in
an investment of funds, product or time, please
contact Elizabeth McDonald at the Chamber
(323)785-1760. Tickets for this event will be
$100 per person or $900 for a table of ten.
A public scoping
meeting has been announced for the proposed
Columbia Square project, being proposed by
Apollo Molasky on the site of the CBS
studios at Sunset and Gower. The meeting will
be held on Thursday, May 10 from 6:30 to 8:30
p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1760 N.
Gower Street. The proposed project includes
approximately 400 residential units, a 125-room
hotel, 380,000-sq.ft. of office space, 22,500-sq
ft. of restaurant space, and 12,000-sq.ft. of
retail uses. … Newport Capital Advisors
announced this week that they have acquired the
landmark Hollywood Palladium property, covering
approximately 3.5 acres. It had previously been
announced that Live Nation had signed a long
term lease to book and manage live music events
at the Palladium and that extensive renovations
and restoration of that facility would be
undertaken with the goal to reopen in the fall
of 2008. The new owners are currently
evaluating what they plan to do with the
remainder of the property.
The
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
The
Hollywood Chamber’s Healthcare Committee
traveled to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital as
the first of several planned visits to
Hollywood-area medical facilities. Among the
issues discussed at the meeting were Healthcare
initiatives being discussed in Sacramento as
well as State requirements for nursing
students. Concerns were expressed about the
Governor’s requirement for a 4 percent payroll
tax by firms that do not offer health insurance.
Many felt the requirement was unrealistic and
might lead to firms canceling health insurance
policies now in effect for their employees. The
committee was also concerned when it learned
that California is 50th in the nation
in its nursing programs, and does not allow any
screening at the community college level in
admitting nursing students. There is not even a
requirement that a student have a high school
diploma. These issues will be discussed at the
next Legislative Action Committee in preparing
its agenda for the Chamber’s Sacramento trip in
May.
Hollywood Chamber’s monthly mixer was held on April
26th at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company’s
Universal Citywalk location. The well-attended
event afforded members and guests terrific
networking opportunities, and all
were
treated to outstanding Cajun style shrimp and ribs.
New members on hand to receive their plaques were
Erin Williams Photography, California Credits Group,
Spotlight Promotions, the Talking Drum – “The
African Voice,” and K&L Wine Company.
The
Hollywood Community Foundation presented a $2,000
check to Theatre of Note to help support its Young
Writers Project. The theatre has received
approximately sixty submittals of one-act plays, and
five will be selected to be performed on-stage. 
The
14th annual Hollywood’s Women of
Distinction Luncheon will be held on Tuesday,
May 15th, at noon, at the Globe
Theatre at Universal Studios. This year will
honor four outstanding women, which will bring
the total to 100 women honored since the
luncheon was first instituted. Honorees
include: Gay Blackstone, Academy of Magical
Arts; Gail Koretz, Kaiser Permanente; Christi
Van Cleve, Roschen Van Cleve Architects; and
Renee Weitzer, Council District 4. In addition,
Michael-Jon Smith of AT&T will receive the
Golden Award for Community Service and Cindy
Williams will receive the Mary Pickford Award.
Co-chairs are Maureen Schultz of Capitol Records
and Laurie Goldman of GO! Goldman Organization. This year, a
record-setting number of sponsors have signed
up, with presenting sponsors AT&T, Argent
Ventures and Millennium Partners. 
