OCBC Welcomes New Board Members

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Brett Lawrence, Senior Vice President of Investments, Rancho Mission Viejo Sridhar Sundaram, Dean of the College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton Ray Swartz, Senior Vice President, tk1sc, a member of WSP Heather Usiski, Industry Executive, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Brett Lawrence, Sridhar Sundaram, Ray Swartz and Heather Usiski Join Orange County Business Council Board of Directors IRVINE, CA (May 10, 2024) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) announced today that Brett Lawrence, Senior Vice President of Investments for Rancho Mission Viejo, Sridhar Sundaram, Dean of the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), Ray Swartz, Senior Vice President of tk1sc, a member of WSP, and Heather Usiski, Industry Executive and Managing Director of J.P. Morgan, have joined OCBC’s Board of Directors. “I am honored to have these community leaders join our board of directors,” said Jeffrey Ball, President and CEO of Orange County Business Council. “Their insights and talents will be invaluable for the Business Council as we continue to advance the economic development of the nation’s sixth most populous county with a focus on workforce, housing and infrastructure initiatives.” Overseeing all portfolio aspects such as cash equivalent, financial, real estate assets and more, Brett Lawrence is the Senior Vice President of Investments for Rancho Mission Viejo. Lawrence’s background in investment management includes leadership positions at WCM Investment Management and Carpenter & Company, where he began his career. Dean of the College of Business and Economics at CSUF, Sridhar Sundaram has a three-decade career in higher education, including two terms as dean at the University of South Florida. With research focused on finance, his current project examines the impact of the pandemic on minority-owned micro businesses. Ray Swartz, Senior Vice President of tk1sc, a member of WSP, oversees design operations and production activities while fostering sustainable innovations within a collaborative culture. He also acts as the District Business Line Leader for the Property & Buildings Business Line in California and the Pacific Mountain West Districts. Specializing in the municipal markets for counties, cities, schools and special districts, Heather Usiski is the Industry Executive and Managing Director at J.P. Morgan. With more than two decades of experience in finance and banking, Usiski also brings insights from her background as a financial advisor and small business owner. About Orange County Business CouncilFor over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to sustainable economic growth. Members include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media Contact:Lizz Mishreki, APRVice President of CommunicationsOrange County Business [email protected]

2024 Orange County Business Council Board of Directors Installed at Annual Dinner

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IRVINE, CA (February 16, 2024) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) installed its 2024 Board of Directors at its annual dinner on February 15 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Over 600 Orange County business and community leaders were on hand to recognize the contributions of outgoing 2023 Board Chair Jodi Duva of Cox Business, California and to welcome incoming 2024 Board Chair Kevin Haboian of HNTB Corporation. The evening also recognized a select group of OCBC investors who decided to “Choose OC,” fostering economic growth in Orange County in four categories. Honorees of the “Invest in OC Economic Development” award included Chipotle Mexican Grill for relocation; the Coca-Cola Company for consolidation; TS Conductor of Huntington Beach for the new business category, and Disneyland Resort for expansion. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard presented colors while Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce President and Executive Director Bobby McDonald opened the evening with the flag salute, followed by Vanguard University President Dr. Michael Beals giving the invocation. The evening also marked the release of the Orange County Business Council’s 2024 Annual Report. OCBC board members represent a broad sector of industries from biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation and utilities. Board members taking new positions include: Chair, Board of Directors: Kevin A. Haboian, P.E., Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer, HNTB Corporation Chair Elect: Rebecca Hall, APR, President and CEO, Idea Hall Treasurer: Larry Chung, Vice President, Local Public Affairs, Southern California Edison Immediate Past Chair: Jodi Duva, Vice President, Cox Business, California New board members installed include: Michael J. Beals, President, Vanguard University Ryan Chamberlain, Chief Executive Officer, Transportation Corridor Agencies Teresa Conk, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Institutes Officer, Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Henrik Conqvist, Dean, George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics, Chapman University Loreen Driscoll, CEO, Providence Southern California Stephen Finnegan, Government Affairs Manager, Automobile Club of Southern California Cathi Killian, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, Disneyland Resort Ramon Miramontes, Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Programs, Orange County Department of Education Steven Oh, Senior Vice President, Development, Related California Manishi Parikh, Region Bank President, Orange County Region, Wells Fargo & Company Tony Petros, Principal, LSA Associates Brenda Rose, Region Manager, Middle Market Banking, OC, IE, JP MorganChase Payman Roshan, Senior Vice President and Area Manager, Kaiser Permanente Orange County Nate Shinagawa, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, UCI Health Laurie Sicaeros, Chief Strategy Officer, MemorialCare Health System? Ramin Valian, Vice President, Eye Care and Pipeline Commercialization Strategy, Allergan, an AbbVie Company Dan Vozenilek, AT&T Caroline Wong, Director of Communications and Custom Content, Southern California News Group and The Orange County Register Continuing board members include: President, CEO and Secretary: Jeff Ball, President and Chief Executive Officer, Orange County Business Council Michael Balsamo, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Rancho Mission Viejo Julianna Barnes, Ed.D, Chancellor, South Orange County Community College District Dave Bartlett, Vice President, Land Entitlement & Housing Development, Brookfield Properties Development Juan Basombrio, Esq., Partner and Chair, International Group, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP Shari Battle, Senior Vice President, Market Executive Orange County, Bank of America Jill Dunn, Lead Corporate Affairs Advisor, Chevron Products Company Joseph C. Hensley, Orange County Market Leader, U.S. Bank Brian Hervey, CFRE, CGPP, Vice Chancellor, University Advancement and Alumni Relations, President UCI Foundation, University of California, Irvine Susan Hori, Esq., Partner, Land Use, Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP Michael Hunn, Chief Executive Officer, CalOptima Jena Jensen, VP, Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer, CHOC Darrell E. Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Orange County Transportation Authority Don Kennedy, Senior Vice President National Agency, First American Title Company Diana Kot, Vice President, Membership Development and Advocacy, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Abigail Lovell, Chief Sustainability Officer, Experian, North America Kurt MacNeil, Director, Building & Systems Engineering, West Region, United Parcel Service, South California District Robert (RJ) Mayer, Jr., Chairman and Chief Operation Officer, The Mayer Corporation Felipe Monroig, Senior Director, State Government Affairs, Charter Communications Annette Morgan, MBA, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Hope Orange County Eric Morgan, Vice President, Community Affairs, FivePoint Holdings, LLC Benjamin Rubin, Esq., Partner, Land Use and Environmental, Nossaman LLP Greg Saks, Vice President, University Advancement and Executive Director, CSUF Philanthropic Foundation, California State University, Fullerton William Shopoff, President and CEO, Shopoff Realty Investments, L.P. Nicole Suydam, President and Chief Executive Officer, Goodwill of Orange County Mark Taylor, Director, National Strategy and Engagement California, The Boeing Company Michael A. Thomas, Ph.D., President, Concordia University Irvine Anthony C. Williams, J.D., Director, Public Policy, Amazon Cedric Williams, Chief Safety Officer, Southern California Gas Company The 2024 annual dinner and installation of the board of directors was made possible by title sponsor HNTB Corporation. About Orange County Business CouncilFor over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to sustainable economic growth. Members include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media Contact: Lizz Mishreki, APR Vice President of Communications Orange County Business Council [email protected]

OCBC Welcomes New Board Members

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Seven Orange County business leaders join Orange County Business Council Board of Directors IRVINE, CA (February 5, 2024) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) announced today that Stephen Finnegan, Government Affairs Manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California, Tony Petros, Chief Executive Officer of LSA Associates, Inc., Nate Shinagawa, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of UCI Health, Laurie Sicaeros, Chief Strategy Officer of MemorialCare Health System, Ramin Valian, Vice President of Eye Care and Pipeline Commercialization Strategy at Allergan, an AbbVie Company, Dan Vozenilek, Director of External Affairs at AT&T and Caroline Wong, Senior Director of Communications and Custom Content of Southern California News Group and The Orange County Register, have joined OCBC’s Board of Directors. The Board consists of 52 members. “I am honored to have these community leaders join our board of directors,” said Jeffrey Ball, President and CEO of Orange County Business Council. “Their insights and talents will be invaluable for the Business Council as we continue to advance the economic development of the nation’s sixth most populous county with a focus on workforce, housing and infrastructure initiatives.” As the Government Affairs Manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA), Stephen Finnegan leads public and government affairs, community programs, traffic safety advocacy and efforts and more for AAA Southern California, Texas, New Mexico and Hawaii. Throughout his career, Finnegan has worked at Bank of America, served as a management consultant to public agencies and non-profit organizations and held leadership positions with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Since beginning his career at LSA Associates, Inc. in 1984, Tony Petros has risen to the position of Chief Executive Officer and now spearheads the organization’s continued goal of achieving project management excellence and client development. Petros has previously served as a City of Newport Beach councilmember, was the President of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, was appointed to the County of Orange Housing and Community Development Commission and provided LSA mobility services to clients throughout the United States, Middle East and Asia. With over 14 years of experience in hospital senior leadership and 10 years in public service, Nate Shinagawa is the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President at UCI Health, where he oversees the daily operations of Orange County’s only academic hospital with an annual net revenue of over $2.5 billion and 8,150 employees. Before joining UCI Health, Shinagawa held Chief Operating Officer roles at Banner Health in Arizona and served as a county legislator in New York for nearly a decade. Laurie Sicaeros is the Chief Strategy Officer for MemorialCare Health System, where she is responsible for the organization’s strategic goals and objectives, focusing on areas of growth, partnerships, and more. Since joining MemorialCare over 25 years ago, Sicaeros has served in various roles from mergers & acquisitions to marketing and more, established the MemorialCare Medical Foundation and been credited with the health system’s fundamental growth. As the Vice President of Eye Care and Pipeline Commercialization Strategy at Allergan, an AbbVie Company, Ramin Valian oversees the U.S. eye care business unit and is the global business unit head for eye care responsible for pipeline commercialization strategy. With more than three decades of experience, Valian has led the launch of seven significant projects and the global eye care strategy group that focused on increasing the net value of the Allergen eye care franchise. Leading AT&T’s government affairs, public policy, philanthropic and social engagement initiatives in Orange County is Dan Vozenilek, the organization’s Director of External Affairs for the region. Along with serving on numerous non-profit boards, Vozenilek is responsible for managing community partnerships with non-profit organizations, executing strategies that help attain corporate legislative objectives and presenting company positions to external stakeholders in key issue areas at AT&T. Holding board positions at South County Outreach and OC Forum, Caroline Wong is the Senior Director of Communications and Custom Content for Southern California News Group and The Orange County Register. Before joining The Orange County Register, Wong spent 11 years at FOX Television Studios working to bring shows like “American Idol,” “Glee” and “Good Day LA”—which dominated morning ratings while she was Senior Producer in promotions and marketing—across Los Angeles. About Orange County Business Council For over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to sustainable economic growth. Members include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media Contact: Lizz Mishreki, APR Vice President of Communications Orange County Business Council [email protected]

Thank You 2023 Nominees!

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The 13th Annual Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award winners will be announced live at the Awards and Holiday Reception on December 6, 2023 in Irvine. The Awards recognize outstanding public agencies for implementing policies and programs that cut through red tape, eliminate barriers to economic growth and open the door to private sector jobs creation. Below are the 2023 nominees for each of the six award categories.

Congratulations 2023 Winners!

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The 13th Annual Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award winners have been announced! The Awards recognize outstanding public agencies for implementing policies and programs that cut through red tape, eliminate barriers to economic growth and open the door to private sector jobs creation. Below are the 2023 Winners and Honorable Mentions for each of the six award categories.

OCBC Welcomes New Board Members

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Ryan Chamberlain of Transportation Corridor Agencies, Teresa Conk of Hoag, Cathi Killian of Disneyland Resort and Dr. Ramon Miramontes of Orange County Department of Education join Orange County Business Council Board of Directors IRVINE, CA (November 13, 2023) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) announced today that Ryan Chamberlin, Chief Executive Officer Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), Teresa Conk, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Institutes Officer at Hoag, Cathi Killian, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at Disneyland Resort, and Dr. Ramon Miramontes, Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Programs at the Orange County Department of Education, have joined OCBC’s Board of Directors. “I am honored to have these community leaders join our board of directors,” said Jeffrey Ball, President and CEO of Orange County Business Council. “Their insights and talents will be invaluable for the Business Council as we continue to advance the economic development of the nation’s sixth most populous county with a focus on workforce, housing and infrastructure initiatives.” Ryan Chamberlain is the Chief Executive Officer of The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA). Chamberlain brings over 25 years of transportation experience in both the public and private sectors, beginning his career as a transportation and environmental planner working on large-scale projects throughout California while at Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade and Douglas. He later joined the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) eventually leading the Department’s Transportation Planning Program as Division Chief in Sacramento. As the Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Institutes Officer at Hoag, Teresa Conk leads strategy and operations of Hoag’s Clinical Institutes: Hoag Women’s Health Institute, Hoag Family Cancer Institute, Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, and the Digestive Health Institute. Throughout her 25 years of health care experience, Conk has held leadership roles in the areas of physician integration, mergers & acquisitions, and more. With over 35 years of experience at The Walt Disney Company, Cathi Killian is the Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Disneyland Resort, where she is responsible for creating and implementing effective public affairs strategies while enhancing media, government, and community relationships. Starting her Disney career while still in high school, Killian has since led the communications and public affairs for international parks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Paris. Named the 2021 Superintendent of the Year by the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, Dr. Ramon Miramontes is the Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Programs at the Orange County Department of Education. Miramontes brings over three decades of experience, which includes serving as superintendent, district administrator, human resources director, principal, assistant principal, and classroom teacher, consistently championing educational innovation and student success. About Orange County Business Council For over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to sustainable economic growth. Members include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media Contact: Lizz Mishreki, APR Vice President of Communications Orange County Business Council [email protected]

2023 Legislators of the Year Announced by Orange County Business Council

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2023 OCBC Legislative Scorecard Measures OC Elected Leaders on Business Priorities IRVINE, CA (October 26, 2023) — Orange County Business Council (OCBC) today announced its 2023 Legislators of the Year—Senators Janet Nguyen and Kelly Seyarto, and Assemblymembers Laurie Davies, Diane Dixon, Kate Sanchez and Tri Ta. The six leaders were honored for representing Orange County’s business priorities in Sacramento, and scored highest among their peers on the Orange County Business Council 2023 Legislative Scorecard. OCBC’s annual Legislative Scorecard measures and compares how well Orange County’s elected leaders in the State Legislature aligned with OCBC’s policy priorities, including its core initiatives of economic development, workforce, housing and infrastructure. OCBC identified 17 bills as most critical to Orange County’s business community and regional economy. Senators Nguyen (36th District, Huntington Beach), and Seyarto (32nd District, Yorba Linda), aligned with OCBC on 11 out of 12 votes; while Assemblymembers Davies (74th District, San Clemente), Dixon (72nd District, Newport Beach), Sanchez (71st District, Mission Viejo), and Ta (70th District, Garden Grove), aligned with OCBC 100% of the time on 15 votes each. “It’s my privilege to recognize and thank Senators Nguyen and Seyarto and Assemblymembers Davies, Dixon, Sanchez and Ta for their dedicated service to Orange County,” said Orange County Business Council President and CEO Jeffrey Ball. “OCBC commends their commitment to advancing economic development in our region.” OCBC’s annual Legislative Scorecard is a tool that holds elected officials accountable for how they represent the business sector of the nation’s sixth most populous county. In this most recent legislative cycle, OCBC continued to oppose and advocate for sustainable policies. Of the bills that OCBC opposed, 69% were killed in the legislature, while 38% of the bills supported by OCBC were signed into law, leading to a 55% overall success rate. To view the 2023 Orange County Business Council Legislative Scorecard, visit ocbc.org.   About Orange County Business Council For over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance Orange County’s economic development. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to economic growth. Member organizations include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org.

Nationally Acclaimed CSUF Economists: Recession Postponed, Not Completely Canceled

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29th Annual Economic Forecast Conference co-hosted by CSUF and OCBC ANAHEIM, CA (October 20, 2023) — California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) economists Dr. Anil Puri and Dr. Mira Farka described the economy—locally and nationally—as resilient, yet complex at the 29th Annual Economic Forecast Conference on October 19 in Anaheim. A collaboration of CSUF and Orange County Business Council (OCBC), the conference marked the release of the 2024 CSUF Economic Forecast Report. Economists Dr. Puri and Dr. Farka attributed the complex landscape to mixed signals. One example being how soft landings and recessions are virtually indistinguishable. “Looking under the hood” to take a deeper look suggests that data itself is also complex, they shared. More than 425 guests attended the 29th Annual Economic Forecast Conference. Dr. Anil Puri is the director of the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting at CSUF and Dr. Mira Farka, a Professor of Economics, serves as the Co-director of the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting at CSUF. Puri, who has served as dean of the College of Business and Economics at CSUF, most recently served as CSUF’s interim provost and vice president of academic affairs. Farka has been published in academic journals and is a nationally recognized economist for the accuracy of her forecasts. Title sponsor of the 29th Annual Economic Forecast Conference was Farmers & Merchants Bank. About Orange County Business Council For over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance Orange County’s economic development. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to economic growth. Member organizations include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org.   Photo caption: Pictured at her first OCBC/CSUF Economic Forecast Conference October 19, 2023 is new Cal State Fullerton President Dr. Sylvia A. Alva, second from left, with (left to right) CSUF economist Dr. Anil Puri, economist Dr. Mira Farka, OCBC President and CEO Jeff Ball and Dean of the College of Business and Economics Dr. Sridhar Sundaram.

Law Enforcement, Fire and Health Care Workers Honored at Orange County Business Council’s First Responders Dinner

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IRVINE, CA (September 13, 2023) — Nearly 200 community and business leaders gathered at the 2023 First Responders Dinner hosted by Orange County Business Council on September 12th. The inaugural event in Anaheim recognized nine first responder organizations in law enforcement, fire and health care that protect and serve the businesses, residents and visitors of Orange County. Their commitment makes it possible for Orange County to be an economic leader in the state and the nation’s sixth largest county. Presenters also acknowledged the 22nd anniversary of 9-11 and the recent response to the shooting at Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon. 2023 honoree organizations and their stories below: Be Well Orange County—Samantha Cabrera, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Garden Grove HOPE Team