THE CEOs’ CORNER: Assume Positive Intent!
Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, when asked what the most important leadership advice she had been given was, she said, “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent.” Nooyi, who announced last month she was stepping down in early October, had a 12 year run at Pepsi, almost 2.5 times the average CEO tenure of 5 years, and is one of the few, if not the only woman of color running a Fortune 500 company.
The list goes on . . .
So, in a very real way, each one of us is continuously creating his or her own version of the reality around us based on the lenses through which we look at life. Put another way, every time an event happens, we have a choice about the reality that we create in our heads about what is actually happening.
“Assume positive intent” comes from the principle that most people aren’t deliberately trying to create negative results; in fact, the reverse – they are usually trying for a positive outcome. When there’s a problem or issue, it’s worth investing time in exploring the other person’s reality to find out which lens you are looking through that is preventing you from seeing what they are seeing. Nooyi apparently found that she got better results from the people around her when she started out assuming the best.
IRWINDALE - Governor Jerry Brown has signed 18 bills supported by the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership this year, with several hundred more to go before the end of the month. The California State Legislature passed nearly 1,300 bills this year and several critical pieces of legislation await a decision by the Governor as to whether they will be signed into law or vetoed. The Partnership has been actively engaged in advocating for key legislation with our legislators, encouraging the state government to adopt pro-growth policies while defeating bills that will harm business and consumers.
This week, Governor Brown signed AB 1900 (Brough), a bill that extends by five years local government capital incentive programs to encourage manufacturing. He has also signed AB 2782 (Friedman), requiring the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process to consider the damaging effects of not approving critical projects. Two important housing measures have also been signed - AB 2341 (Mathis) changes CEQA to say that aesthetics are not significant impacts for CEQA review and AB 3194 (Daly) makes it easier for housing projects to be built without having to go through a rezoning process.
The Partnership has taken positions on 114 pieces of legislation this year, much of it focused on labor, regulation, housing and energy issues.
An additional 30 more bills - 19 supported, 11 opposed by the Partnership - await action by Governor Brown before the end of September.
For more information, contact Brad Jensen, Director of Public Policy, at the Partnership.
The publication Diverse Issues in Higher Education lists Cal Poly Pomona among its 2018 “Top 100 Degree Producers” in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minority students. The university was ranked No. 25 for total bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students and No. 18 for the total bachelor’s degrees awarded to Asian-American students and to Hispanic students.
In their expanded online database, the following university degree programs were among the best in the nation in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minority students based on 2016-17 data.
Cal Poly Pomona is an inclusive polytechnic university with almost 27,000 students located in eastern Los Angeles County. The institution is nationally recognized for its quality educational programs and as a leader in providing its students with the skills and knowledge for successful careers and social mobility.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 4, 2018 - Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) today announced the full market launch of Spectrum Mobile for new and existing Spectrum Internet subscribers in Southern California. The Company completed a successful soft launch earlier this summer.
Designed to provide customers the highest quality experience and save them money, Spectrum Mobile is built on America’s largest, most reliable LTE cellular network and is combined with a nationwide network of Spectrum WiFi hotspots. Spectrum Mobile is a smarter network, designed for the way mobile devices are used today, and the way they will be used tomorrow.
· Flexibility to change rate plans any time at no additional cost.
· The most popular mobile devices with interest-free monthly installment plans.
In the SGV, customers can go to our Glendora store (1395 S. Grand Avenue, #120, Glendora) to order service, or also easily online at SpectrumMobile.com.
Charter plans to expand its device options and offer customers the ability to bring their own devices later this year. Spectrum Internet subscribers can sign up online, by calling (855) 251-3375 or by visiting their Spectrum retail store. Current store locations are available at Spectrum.com/Stores.
More information is available at SpectrumMobile.com. Additional media assets are available at Charter Newsroom.
Spectrum is a suite of advanced broadband services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband communications company and the second largest cable operator in the United States. Spectrum provides a full range of services, including Spectrum TV®, Spectrum Internet®, and Spectrum Voice®. Spectrum Business® similarly provides scalable, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to small and medium sized business organizations, including Internet access, business telephone, and TV services. Spectrum Enterprise is a national provider of scalable, fiber-based technology solutions serving many of America's largest businesses and communications service providers. Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold under the Spectrum Reach® brand. Charter's news and sports networks are operated under the Spectrum Networks brand. More information about Spectrum can be found at spectrum.com.
IRWINDALE - The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership has voted to support two key statewide ballot measures - Proposition 4, a $1.5 billion bond to support services and capital improvements at children's hospitals around the state and Proposition 5, an initiative that will allow homeowners to transfer property tax protections when they purchase a new home. These positions were approved by the Partnership's Legislative Action Committee which meets monthly throughout the year.
Proposition 4 places a $1.5 billion general obligation bond before voters to fund capital improvements for hospitals in California that specialize in pediatric care. These funds can be used to purchase new equipment and install new technologies for care and treatment as well as build or renovate existing facilities to expand capacity. Other hospitals may apply for funding from the measure to improve their health care services for children.
Proposition 5 will allow all homeowners who are over 55 (as well as others that meet certain qualifications) to transfer their current property tax savings to new homes if they should decide to move. Current state law moves new home buyers to a higher property tax rate upon the purchase of a new residence. Prop 5 will enable greater mobility for older residents of California by allowing them to carry with them their property tax protections if they should decide to change residences or downsize to a smaller living situation. Greater mobility in the housing market should make more housing stock available to prospective home buyers.
For more information on these two measures, contact Brad Jensen, Director of Public Policy at the Partnership, bjensen@sgvpartnership.org.
Students walk across campus on the first day of classes.
Cal Poly Pomona will welcome more than 7,700 incoming first-time and transfer students this fall, the largest class in the university’s 80-year history.
The increase comes as the campus, which is ranked No. 47 on Money Magazine’s list of “The 50 Best Colleges in the U.S.” for quality and affordability, ushers in its inaugural semester on Thursday, Aug. 23.
The number of applications received for fall 2018-19 totaled 36,642 for first-year students, a rise of nearly 5 percent from 2017-18. The number of transfer students applying also increased slightly, with applications totaling 15,754 for 2018-19, compared to 15,443 in 2017-18.
The College of Business Administration.
1. The colleges of Engineering, Business Administration, and Letters, Arts & Social Sciences are the most popular with incoming students. Of the new transfer students, 1,085 plan to study business and 1,074 will pursue degrees in the College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences (CLASS). For incoming first-year students, 869 selected engineering and 759 chose CLASS.
2. Although national trends point to a gender gap at colleges and universities where more women than men are pursuing higher education, Cal Poly Pomona’s incoming class is 51.5 percent male.
3. The number of first-generation college students is 2,339 for first-year and 3,336 for transfers.
4. A total of 801 California high schools are represented.
5. Cal Poly Pomona has an international flair with more than 45 countries represented, including China, Indonesia, Morocco, Germany, Nigeria, Kazakhstan and French Polynesia. The incoming class speaks 94 languages other than English.
6. An overwhelming majority of Cal Poly Pomona students are Californians. Of the incoming first-year students, 175 are from out of state. For transfer students, that number is 241.
7. A total of 34 of the female first-year students have something in common: the name Samantha. For female transfer students, the most common name is Jessica with 29. The name Daniel is the most popular among male first-year students at 35. David is the name of 26 incoming male transfer students.
INDUSTRY - The Partnership hosted over 150 attendees yesterday at a special Power Lunch event that provided expert advice to business owners on how to successfully engage in e-commerce and expand into foreign markets. The Power Lunch was co-sponsored with Partnership Board Member Bank of America Merrill Lynch, who generously provided lunch, as well as the KCAL Insurance Agency. It was held at iDream Space in City of Industry.
Adam Uttley, a partner at KPMG, introduced his colleague, Kameelah Kareem, Senior Manager of Indirect Tax Services at KPMG, who provided an in-depth presentation on the hazards business face who engage in e-commerce. Complications to e-commerce have arisen following the notable Wayfair court decision from earlier this year, which has reset federal law on interstate e-commerce for businesses. Click here to download the full presentation.
Kyung Yun Lee, Senior Manager for Trade and Customs at KPMG, gave the next presentation on the volatile global market in trade which faces uncertainty due to the new U.S. tariffs which have been enacted by the Trump Administration this year. This has brought about reprisals from other countries and difficulties for companies around the world. KPMG's expert analysis encourages businesses to examine their goods classifications and product country of origin to see if they fall under the new tariffs or not. Click here to download the full presentation.
The event closed with remarks by Jennings Imel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is the largest business organization in the world and has been a fierce critic of the new tariffs. He encouraged businesses to go online and discuss how the tariffs are affecting their companies.
PASADENA - Last week the Partnership hosted a special breakfast event with Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) at Shriners Children's Medical Center. Nearly 40 members of the Partnership attended the event and heard an update from Congresswoman Chu on a number of critical federal issues.
Congresswoman Chu addressed a broad range of topics, notably the new tariffs enacted by the Trump Administration and the negative effect they would have to key industries throughout California - notably the wine and agriculture sectors. Congress has been working to overturn those tariffs and help mitigate their effect. The Congresswoman also discussed her support for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the additional financial support that the designation has brought to the area to address long-term critical needs such as trail maintenance, trash collection and other important services. Breakfast guests were welcomed by this year's Chair of the Board Reyna Del Haro of Kaiser Permanente.
Partnership members attending the event came from the Arcadia and Citrus Valley Associations of Realtors, San Gabriel Valley Water Company, Citrus Valley Health Partners, Rose Hills, the City of Pasadena, Pasadena City College, and Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.
The Partnership thanks Shriners Children's Medical Center for generously hosting the breakfast and opening their facility to our guests.
Shriners Children's Medical Center CEO Chris Dougherty introduces Rep. Judy Chu to the attendees of the breakfast.
Metro presents "Pride of the Valley"
Businesses are encouraged to sponsor or donate to the event or get a vendor booth. Both are great ways to reach out to the local community.
To be a booth vendor, download the form here.
To be a sponsor, download the form here.
Please contact Vanessa Carbajal, Program Coordinator, Recreation and Community Services Department at 626-813-5245, Ext. 312 or Vcarbajal@baldwinpark.com.
PASADENA, CA - On Monday, August 6th the Partnership, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Alliance for SoCal Innovation hosted Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) at a special intellectual property roundtable discussion with half a dozen local companies. The event was hosted at Supplyframe DesignLab in Pasadena - a unique incubator space for creative engineering and tech companies.
Intellectual property protections provide security for companies that invest precious resources into extensive research and development. By owning the trademark, copyright or patent on a new discovery or technology, companies can fuel economic growth, hire more employees and build stronger communities. Without strong, workable protections for intellectual property, businesses are at the risk of being unable to build on their own discoveries and research.
Congresswoman Chu is very familiar with these important issues. She is the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus, a bi-partisan group of lawmakers working to strengthen intellectual property protections, especially from competitors overseas who steal American companies' products and designs.
The discussion at the roundtable generated several ideas on how to improve the legal and regulatory environment to better protect intellectual property. One suggestion was for the loser in litigation to pay the costs for both parties, thereby ensuring that there are consequences for pernicious bad actors. Another comment suggested that patent decisions be tried in the home state of the company in question, rather in states where people claiming patent or copyright infringement reside. There was also a wide-ranging discussion of how to improve the performance and regulatory processes of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
For more information on this event, see coverage (in Chinese) at the World Journal.
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