News & Media

Media

If you are with the media and would like to request an interview or quote, or if your organization would like to request OCBC President and CEO Jeff Ball to speak at your event, contact:

Paul Simonds

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Orange County Business Council
psimonds@ocbc.org

Logo Requests

To request a suite of Orange County Business Council logos, contact:

Maiken Sorenson

Communications and Social Media Specialist
Orange County Business Council
msorenson@ocbc.org

In the News

Dr. Wallace Walrod

NBC Los Angeles: It's not just gas prices. Everything is more expensive, per data

April 13, 2026
The Consumer Price Index, which tracks price changes for everything consumers buy, is up across the board.
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Costco store

The Orange County Register: Experts offer mixed reviews of Brea’s tax-sharing deal to land Costco

March 20, 2026
Supporters say it's a win that will pump millions into city coffers. Critics say tax breaks for retailers are a steep price to pay for little growth.
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President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance applauding

The Orange County Register: Orange County business perspectives from the State of the Union

March 2, 2026
Last week’s State of the Union address offered important signals for Orange County businesses navigating a rapidly changing economy. I was honored to attend in person and was primarily focused on the policies that matter most for our local businesses.
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Samueli Foundation building

Orange County Business Journal: Samuelis Expand Giving to Community Colleges

December 15, 2025
Five local community colleges and one university are receiving a $24 million boost from the Samueli Foundation for workforce development in the area.
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Lab technician holding a microchip

CSUF News: OC Business Council Grant to Train Students for Semiconductor Workforce

December 9, 2025
A new grant from the Orange County Business Council will support a Cal State Fullerton workforce training program to prepare students for careers in the semiconductor industry.
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An infographic of health care professionals standing on a map of orange county

The Orange County Register: City of Hope, Hoag and UCI Health chose to build in Irvine, what makes the area attractive for health-care investment?

December 6, 2025
When Mayor Larry Agran moved to Irvine in 1975, it was to support his wife in her breakthrough admission to the UC Irvine School of Medicine as part of one of the first classes to include women.
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Dr. Wallace Walrod

NBC Los Angeles: New report estimates the economic impact of 2028 LA Olympics for 5 counties

December 4, 2025
Southern California's five counties could see $13 billion to $17 billion in economic impact from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to a new report unveiled Thursday.
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Orange County Hospitals

The Orange County Register: Hospital openings in Irvine mean lots of new hiring in region

November 23, 2025
City of Hope and UCI Health-Irvine will open their doors in early December, with Hoag following suit next year. What does it take to staff such a hospital boom?
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Jeff Ball

Orange County Business Journal: California’s Legislature: The Good and the Ugly

November 3, 2025
The recently completed 2025 legislative session reflected both the complexity and potential of doing business in California. Though not all doom and gloom, Sacramento has far more work ahead to ensure our state remains a place where businesses, families and communities can thrive.
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Disneyland

The Orange County Register: Tourism tax ballot measure is a no-go for Anaheim City Council majority

October 28, 2025
A proposal to ask Anaheim voters if the city should collect an entertainment tax died with the City Council this week.
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City skyline

Vanguard News Group: Business Council Leader Says Housing Wins Offset by Mounting Economic Barriers

October 25, 2025
Orange County Business Council President and CEO Jeffrey Ball said California’s 2025 legislative session delivered meaningful progress on housing but warned that mounting regulatory and cost barriers continue to undermine the state’s competitiveness.
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Orange County coastline

The Orange County Register: Shrinking beaches, shrinking revenue: Sand erosion a concern for businesses, economy

October 24, 2025
The Orange County Business Council most recently cast its attention to an economic sector that is vital to the region’s growth and fortunes — its coast.
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Wisk aircraft

The Orange County Register: Could Fullerton Airport host self-flying air taxis in the future?

October 6, 2025
With a new partnership inked, Fullerton Municipal Airport, the last small airport in Orange County, could be among the first in Southern California to host self-flying electric air taxis in the not-so-distant future.
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Sacramento Capitol Buliding

The Sacramento Bee: Broadband group urges Newsom veto on bill related to cost of internet for renters

September 23, 2025
Pleas to legislators didn’t work. Neither did a paid newspaper article. Now a California trade group that represents major broadband providers has turned to the last person who can kill a measure that would allow renters to have more choice about which internet service they want in their homes: Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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Natalie Rubalcava

New Santa Ana: Anaheim’s proposed entertainment tax might be a costly mistake

September 19, 2025
Anaheim Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava has proposed a new entertainment tax targeting tickets and parking at major venues like Disneyland, Angel Stadium, and the Honda Center, aiming to address a $60 million city budget deficit.
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Automotive World: Wisk partners with the City of Fullerton to advance autonomous air mobility in Southern California

September 17, 2025
Wisk Aero, an autonomous aviation company, today announced a strategic partnership with the City of Fullerton, California to collaborate on potential future opportunities for infrastructure development for autonomous air taxis at Fullerton Municipal Airport.
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Overview of Orange County streets

The Orange County Register: Westminster secures $250,000 grant toward Little Saigon revitalization

September 12, 2025
Efforts to invest in Little Saigon are gaining ground, with Westminster recently awarded a $250,000 grant to help strengthen the area’s local economy.
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A person running alongside a factory

The Orange County Register: California’s fuel crisis threatens Orange County’s economic engine

August 23, 2025
California’s economy is at a crossroads. With two major refinery closures looming, the entire state is bracing for a substantial reduction in critical refining capacity. Experts predict these closures will spike gas prices in the coming months.
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Orange Plaza

Voice of OC: An End to The ‘Orange Way’: Scrambling to Prevent Municipal Bankruptcy

August 18, 2025
Orange City Council members are scrambling to avoid economic ruin after consultants tasked with assessing their financial future bluntly warned them they’d be bankrupt in three years if they don’t make radical changes.
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Armed law enforcement standing outside a building

Los Angeles Times: Even some Orange County Republicans question Trump sweeps targeting immigrant workers

July 2, 2025
As protests broke out in cities across Southern California over President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement sweeps, the mood in Huntington Beach was celebratory.
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Jeff Ball interviewed by Hetty Chang from KNBC

NBC Los Angeles: SoCal business owners and consumers adjust to tariffs

April 11, 2025
The Trump Administration believes tariffs will bring manufacturing back to the United States and boost the economy, however, local business owners say the escalating tariffs have made doing business nearly impossible.
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Policy Newsroom

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OCBC Legislative Update: House of Origin Deadline

June 1, 2026

As the Legislature moves beyond the House of Origin and key policy committee deadlines, several bills tracked by the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) are no longer moving forward this year, while other measures continue advancing through the legislative process.

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OCBC logo

AB 1777 (Garcia), OCBC OPPOSE, Fails to Advance in Assembly

May 29, 2026

The Orange County Business Council (OCBC) joined a broad statewide coalition of business organizations, labor partners and industry stakeholders in opposing AB 1777 (Garcia), legislation that would have significantly expanded the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) regulatory authority over indirect...

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Insights Newsletter

Stay informed with OCBC’s newsletter. Featuring business news from Orange County nonprofits and for-profits, the Insights newsletter is published every Monday. To subscribe, scroll to the bottom of the page.

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Making A Difference

Through the lens of OCBC investors, we hope to share how companies, businesses, and nonprofits are making a difference in their communities for the good of humankind in Orange County.

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