OCBC named Advocacy Champion by CalChamber

Mar182024 May 28, 2024 Orange County Business Council Vice President of Government Affairs Amanda Walsh, pictured center, accepts CalChamber’s 2024 Advocacy Champion Award on behalf of OCBC. Connections between the California Chamber of Commerce and local chambers of commerce were highlighted at the CalChamber Capitol Summit. The Summit brings together local chamber staff and volunteer leaders, CalChamber Board members, policy makers and advocates for an invaluable exchange of insights and strategies. At the Summit, the CalChamber named 12 local chambers of commerce as recipients of the 2024 President’s Circle Award, 13 as Advocacy Champions and nine as HR Champions. The President’s Circle Award celebrates top Local Chamber Partners from across California. Established in 2009, this accolade highlights chambers’ exceptional efforts in business advocacy and helping their members comply with complex California employment laws. Three of the chambers have received the President’s Circle Award all 16 years it has been presented. The 2024 recipients of the President’s Circle Award are as follows. An * marks the chambers that have received the award all 16 years: Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce: Janelle Capra, president/CEO; Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce: Bret Schanzenbach, president/CEO; Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce*: Danielle Borja, president/CEO; Corona Chamber of Commerce: Bobby Spiegel, president/CEO; Greater High Desert Chamber of Commerce: Mark Creffield, president/CEO; Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce: Kim Cousins, president/CEO; Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce*: Jeremy Harris, president/CEO; Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce*: Nick Adcock, president/CEO; Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce: Glenn Morris, president/CEO (award accepted by Molly Schiff, director of advocacy and initiatives); Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce: Kathi Van Etten, president/CEO; Tulare Chamber of Commerce: Donnette Silva Carter, president/CEO (award accepted by Tiffany Brown, membership engagement coordinator); and West Ventura County Business Alliance: Nancy Lindholm, president/CEO (award accepted by Andy Conli, business development manager). President’s Circle Award recipients published vote records of their state legislators on key business issues, joined coalition efforts to let state elected officials know about community sentiment on issues of interest to members, voiced the local chamber’s position at legislative policy committee hearings, and participated in the CalChamber compliance product resale program at an exemplary level. This is the second year the Advocacy Champion Award has been given to recognize chambers for excellence in business advocacy. The 2024 awardees are incredible advocates for business-friendly policies and are leaders in driving impactful change in their regions. Recipients of the 2024 award are as follows: Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce; Fremont Chamber of Commerce; Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce; Lodi District Chamber of Commerce; Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce; Orange County Business Council; Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce; San Jose Chamber of Commerce; San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce; Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce; Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce; Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors’ Center; and Valley Industry & Commerce Association. Advocacy Champions published vote records of their state legislators on key business issues, joined coalition efforts to let state elected officials know about community sentiment on issues of interest to members, voiced the local chamber’s position at legislative policy committee hearings and met with state elected officials on important policy issues. The HR Champion Award was created in 2023 to recognize chambers that excel in helping their members comply with California employment laws. The 2024 recipients of the award are as follows: Fresno Chamber of Commerce; Gilroy Chamber of Commerce; Imperial Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce; Oakdale Chamber of Commerce; Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce; Porterville Chamber of Commerce; Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce; Santa Fe Springs Chamber of Commerce; and Whittier Area Chamber of Commerce.

Virgin Galactic launches Iron Bird testing facility in Irvine

May 28, 2024

UCI Health, the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, has completed the acquisition of four hospitals and associated outpatient locations from Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Beginning today, the team members at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center and Placentia-Linda Hospital are now part of UCI Health.
“This is a historic day for UC Irvine, California and beyond. We celebrate the transformation of UCI Health as a leader in the integration of academic and community-based health systems while promoting solutions to challenges facing healthcare,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. “This visionary leap forward will bridge gaps in regional care and advance the University of California’s mission to serve our communities through academic excellence, cutting-edge research and dedicated public service.”
As Orange County’s only academic health system, UCI Health plays a unique and critical role providing healthcare in the region. This acquisition builds on that commitment to improve health in communities by expanding unrestricted healthcare access for more people in Southern California.
“The people of Southern California and the patients across these local communities have something truly remarkable to celebrate today,” said Chad T. Lefteris, president and chief executive officer of UCI Health. “UCI Health has built a legacy as a nationally regarded academic health system that is fiercely dedicated to improving the health of our communities. We are investing in building a healthier future for people that harnesses the power of advanced medicine with the convenience of care available close to home.”
Lefteris said UCI Health recognizes a unique opportunity to build on the quality care already being delivered in the communities served by these hospitals. Patients of the former Tenet hospitals and outpatient offices can continue receiving care at their local facilities as they normally would from their trusted physicians and care teams.
“Our goal is to become the nation’s friendliest and most accessible academic health system,” he said.
The acquisition adds 858 inpatient beds that, when paired with the 459 licensed beds at UCI Medical Center in Orange, strengthens UC Irvine’s ability to meet the continually increasing demand for inpatient beds for a range of intensive and critical care needs.

“UCI Health is backed by the power of a world-class public research institution, reflected in the academic excellence of the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences,” said Steve A.N. Goldstein, MD, PhD, FAAP, Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs, UC Irvine. “This combination of top tier research, education of the next generation of providers, and commitment to the public health is advancing healthcare solutions and innovations in Southern California and beyond. Together, with providers in the new hospitals, UCI Health is building bridges for collaboration between academic and community-based healthcare and offering more people across California access to the highest caliber of healthcare.”
More patients will have access to advanced therapies in the region’s largest and most diverse portfolio of clinical trials, ranging from cancer to neurosciences, digestive diseases, orthopaedics and internal medicine specialties. UCI Health has consistently placed in the top 10 for quality and safety among the nation’s leading comprehensive academic health systems and received the top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum.

“We deeply appreciate the enthusiasm and support we have received since announcing this new chapter for healthcare in our region,” said Lefteris. “Now, we can begin strengthening the collaboration with local physicians and patients to expand healthcare services and provide unrestricted access for more people. Together, we will be an innovative, powerful team that will transform to meet the health needs of our communities.