Workforce Committee Meeting

July 9, 2025 @ 8:30 am – 10:00 am
2 Park Plaza, Suite 125, Irvine, CA 92614
Comprised of leaders in business, academia, and government, the Workforce Committee meets throughout the course of the year to discuss a variety of issues relating to career readiness in Orange County. Contact Jesse Ben-Ron for meeting details.

Infrastructure Committee Meeting

June 10, 2025 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
2 Park Plaza, Suite 125, Irvine, CA 92614
The Infrastructure Committee advocates for an infrastructure system critical to meeting the growing needs of Orange County’s residents and businesses. Whether it’s increased investment in the county’s roads and highway system, or increasing the supply of quality drinking water, OCBC works to make sure Orange…

Tariff Policies in Practice: What Business Leaders Need to Know

May 28, 2025

Tariffs are shaping the future of global business and understanding them is essential. Orange County Business Council and The Richard Nixon Foundation invite you to join us for a high-impact discussion that explores the purpose and structure of tariffs, as well as the operational and strategic considerations companies must evaluate in today’s evolving trade environment. Our panel of industry and policy experts will break down what business leaders need to know and how to proactively position their organization for long-term resilience. Whether you manage business strategy or public relations, this is a timely opportunity to gain clarity and walk away with practical strategies to strengthen your approach to trade policy.

Panelists: Kevin Depew (RSM US LLP), TJ McCree (Cathay Bank), Dr. Christopher Schwarz (UCI), Charron Ricks (UPS Supply Chain Solutions), Jeff Ball (Moderator)

OCBC 2026 Annual Dinner​ Sponsor Opportunities

OCBC 2026 Annual Dinner and Installation of the Board of Directors Sponsor Opportunities Thursday, February 26, 2026 Additional Event Details Sponsor opportunities Coming Soon Thank you sponsors! Title Sponsors VIP Reception Sponsor Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsors Amazon The Boeing Company Cal State Fullerton and the College of Business and Economics CalOptima Health CHOC Girl Scouts of Orange County Goodwill of Orange County Idea Hall JPMorganChase LSA Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Nossaman LLP Orange County Department of Education Orange County REALTORS Rancho Mission Viejo Rancho Santiago Community College District SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P. South Orange County Community College District UCI Health U.S. Bank Verizon Business WSP For more information Lauren Martin Director of EventsOrange County Business [email protected]

Navigating Healthcare Costs: Business Insights for Competitive Benefits & Sustainable Savings

April 29, 2025

More than 60 healthcare leaders joined industry experts for “Navigating Healthcare Costs: Business Insights for Competitive Benefits & Sustainable Savings.” Panelists included Chris Arias, Executive Director of Business Development at OCBC investor MemorialCare, Ron Scaffidi, Benefits Consultant of The Baldwin Group, and Lester Morales, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Next Impact, LLC. The event offered practical strategies for managing healthcare costs while maintaining competitive benefits, highlighting alternative solutions, cost-control methods for small to mid-sized employers and guidance for those concerned about administrative capacity.

Cybersecurity Strategies for Small Businesses

March 19, 2025

OCBC, in partnership with Concordia University Irvine, held an “OCBC Business Connections” session that featured a panel of industry experts who shared key strategies, best practices, and resources to help businesses strengthen their resilience against cyber threats.

OCBC Business Connections is a new initiative for the Council where industry leaders present in-depth insights on critical issues facing the business community. Panelists, pictured L-R, included moderator OCBC President and CEO Jeff Ball, Randy Jeter of Procure IT and Lance Larson of Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center.

SCAQMD PARS 1111 & 1121

February 5, 2025

The inaugural “OCBC Business Connections” featured a panel of industry experts who discussed the implications of two proposed amendments by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. If adopted, Proposed Amended Rules (PARs) 1111 and 1121 would mandate businesses, residents and new buildings to exclusively install and/or replace natural gas appliances with electric appliances. While OCBC supports clean air initiatives, the conclusion of this meeting was that these amendments would have minimal benefits for the environment yet financially would burden businesses and individuals. Most notably, these amendments would further reduce the region’s already sensitive affordability index for housing.

Helping to shed light on SCAQMD’s proposed mandate were, pictured R-L, The Honorable Don Wagner of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Jessilyn-Ellise Davis of SoCalGas, Brian Bunger of Holland & Knight LLP, and moderator OCBC President and CEO Jeff Ball. AQMD declined an invitation to take part in the panel.