In order to reach Greystone Mansion, which sits atop a mountain overlooking breathtaking city views, guests took shuttles provided by Starline Tours of Hollywood. Upon their arrival, they were greeted with two luxurious Aston Martin vehicles, courtesy of Aston Martin Beverly Hills, as well as an abundance of photo opportunities. Prior to the address, the Chamber hosted an elegant reception full of mingling, entertainment, and networking. Guests indulged in impeccable hor d’oeuvres and cocktails, courtesy of Mírame Beverly Hills, buzzbox premium cocktails, AsomBroso Tequila, Gothic Gin, Morandell Imports, and Icelandic Glacial. A live saxophonist from Artists Creating Entertainment set the mood for the evening, as he added a jazzy flare to current hits and classics.

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On October 7, 2021, the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce held the first back in person signature event since February 2020, An Evening with The Mayor: State of the City Address at the iconic Greystone Mansion. We were joined by over 350 of our members, esteemed guest, and local colleagues as Mayor Bob Wunderlich delivered the annual State of the City Address.

Upon 5 PM arrival to the mansion on shuttles provided by Starline Tours of Hollywood, guests were greeted by two luxurious Aston Martin vehicles, courtesy of Aston Martin Beverly Hills. The evening began with a beautiful reception featuring and electric violinist courtesy of Artists Creating Entertainment and impeccable hor d’oeuvres and drinks provided by Il Fornaio, buzzbox premium cocktails, AsomBroso Tequila, Morandell Imports, and Icelandic Glacial.

Thanks to Watch Rapport, our guest were able to enjoy the craft of handmade Cuban Cigars.

At 6 pm everyone filled the seats in the formal gardens to witness the State of the City Address. Chamber President & CEO, Todd Johnson, kicked off the announcements with a welcome message and special thank you to our sponsors. He then introduced the honorable City of Beverly Hills Mayor Bob Wunderlich.
Mayor Wunderlich’s State of the City Address thanked his family and community. He touched on exciting city happenings including the substantial investment by LVMH in Rodeo Drive with the proposed Cheval Blanc Hotel, the new Saks Wilshire project, and many other enhancements and continued investment in the business triangle.

Mayor Wunderlich introduced ‘First Thursdays’. A program championed by Next Beverly Hills Committee in collaboration with the Chamber. First Thursdays is an initiative support businesses and restaurants, and to have fun. Participating businesses around the City will provide complimentary items, discounts, extended Happy Hours, special menus, or other attractions. Re-launching City trolleys as a hop-on hop-off service connecting six stops around our City during the First Thursdays from 5 – 9 PM.

To view more photos from the event, click here.

The Chamber would once again like to thank each and every sponsor, staff and crew member, Chamber Ambassador and Board of Director, and all of our volunteers for making the evening go so seamlessly. Very special thanks to each of our incredible event sponsors Aston Martin Beverly Hills and Watch Rapport, First Republic Bank, Waldorf Astoria, The Beverly Hilton, Valmont Cosmetics, Hills Views & Valleys, and Starline Tours of Hollywood, Mr. Chow, Rochelle Atlas, Torrey Pines Bank, East West Bank, SoCal Gas, CMIT Solutions, Motev, and ACS Security, Assil Eye Institute, Just in Case BH, Network Experts, Newlight Technologies Inc., and Hills Views & Valleys, Il Fornaio, Artists Creating Entertainment, buzzbox premium cocktails, AsomBroso Tequila, Morandell Imports, and Icelandic Glacial.

To view the official event program, click here

The post An Evening with they Mayor 2021 Recap! appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

This year, the Chamber and City met with a total of 24 companies over three days, ranging from major international companies to small restaurants, including Aldea, ARTECHOUSE, Black Seed Bagels, Chanel, Cote Steakhouse, David Yurman, Gabriela Hearst, Gucci, Junzi Kitchen, Kopitiam, La Ligne, LVMH, Major Food Group, Maman, Miznon, Ole & Steen, Onitsuka Tiger, Rahi, Ralph Lauren, Roman and Williams Guild, Saks Fifth Avenue, Samsung 837, Showfields, and The Armoury. The delegation received positive feedback from the businesses and interest in pursuing further ventures with the City of Beverly Hills.

Following the trip, the Chamber works to provide real estate listings, tours and other information to business attraction companies and to further collaborate with existing businesses on projects they are working on in Beverly Hills. Following past trips, a number of companies, including the restaurant Avra, the luxury retailer Berluti, and coffee shop La Colombe, have expanded to Beverly Hills. Overall, the delegation had a great and productive time in New York and look forward to continuing our efforts to support the Beverly Hills economy.

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Upon their 5pm arrival to the mansion on shuttle busses provided by Starline Tours of Hollywood, guests were immediately greeted by two luxurious Rolls Royce Motor Cars courtesy of O’Gara Coach Beverly Hills. Live rock music from Kirschner Creative Artists’ Ryan Ayers helped set the mood for the evening, while over 400 attendees were treated to hors d’oeuvres provided by Il Fornaio, delicious dessert from Fatamorgana Gelato and an assortment of beverages from buzzbox premium cocktails, AsomBroso Tequila, Morandell Imports, and Icelandic Glacial.

Following the delightful cocktail reception, guests headed to the formal gardens to welcome City of Beverly Hills Mayor, John A. Mirisch ahead of his highly anticipated official State of the City Address. Co-founder and Creative Director of Vydeo Media, Ariana Escalante welcomed guests to the garden for the Address. Beverly Hills Chamber President & CEO Todd Johnson provided opening remarks and lead the honoring of the First Responders of Beverly Hills. The Chamber would like to thank the Beverly Hills Police and Fire department for their incredible dedication to the community and the City’s safety. Following these remarks, Deborah Kallick, the 2019-2020 Chairman of the Board of Directors, introduced Mayor John A. Mirisch to the stage.

In his formal address, Mayor John A. Mirisch touched on some exciting city happenings including the sing-along at the Wallis, the Louis Vuitton X Exhibit on Rodeo Drive and the City of Beverly Hills’ first-ever Dodger Day. He went on to mention that the METRO Purple Line is currently in the works and the 20-foot sound wall with an elaborate artistic design is to be unveiled soon. The City’s focus on increasing the modes of transportation in the area is in line with their Complete Streets project which will continue happening through the rest of his term.

The Chamber would like to thank each and every sponsor, staff and crew member, Board of Director, Chamber Ambassador, and all of our volunteers for making the evening a success! Special thanks to all of our event sponsors who made the night possible, including: Presenting Sponsors: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Beverly Hills and Kennedy Wilson; Silver Sponsors: Cedars-Sinai Health System, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Ten Thousand, Starline Tours of Hollywood, MCE Checkin, and Kirschner Creative Artists; Row Sponsors: Starpoint Properties and NMS Consulting Inc.; as well as these exhibitor and reception sponsors: Assil Eye Institute, Network Experts, Thrive RX Consulting, Il Fornaio, Fatamorgana Gelato, buzzbox premium cocktails, AsomBroso Tequila, Morandell Imports, and Icelandic Glacial.

To view more photos from the event, click here.

And last, but certainly not least, we would like to thank all of our guests for sharing the evening with us. We hope everyone had a fabulous time and look forward to seeing you at our next signature event, the Best of Beverly Hills Golden Palm Awards on November 19 from 6 – 9 PM. More details and registration can be found via this link.

The post An Evening with the Mayor: State of the City Address 2019 Recap appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Our MVCC Member Appreciation highlight this week is Mr. David Perez. David is the CEO/President of OMEGA International Group Inc., a private security firm specializing in providing security for the luxury market.  He is a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, who has worked in the White House and Pentagon. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California.

Current Profession

CEO of a private security firm based in Beverly Hills, OMEGA International Group Inc.

Which military service branch were you a part of?

United States Marine Corps

How many years did you serve in the military?

Eight years

What was the most challenging part of serving our country?

Serving overseas in other countries and experiencing humanity, bravery, and disparity up close. Many people around the world live in very humble and challenging conditions and we often forget that.

Joining the military involves many sacrifices. What motivated you to embark on this journey?

I come from a military family and wanted to follow the tradition. Serving others is in my blood. I wanted to earn the right to be part of the Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment.

What was the biggest takeaway from this experience?

I have many takeaways however I learned two things; Discipline and Commitment. With discipline and commitment, anything is possible.

Is there anything that you hope for our country’s future?

I hope our children can serve humanity better than we have.

The post MVCC Member Appreciation: Meet David Perez appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

• Los Angeles

When did you start working at the Chamber?

• 2016

What were you doing before you started working at the Chamber?

• I am an attorney by background.  I worked for many years at a law firm downtown and then had my own practice for several years.

Favorite thing about your job:

• The ability to make connections and solve problems for our members and see them do well.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

•  I love to hike, read, watch sports and travel

What are the best and worst things about living in LA?

• The best thing about LA is the diversity of things to do and the people; it’s never boring.  The worst part is the traffic
  and lack of green space.

One piece of advice for Chamber members:

• Show up to events and functions.  Nothing beats the connections you make face to face.

Three bucket list items:

1. Travel to Australia
2. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
3. Attend the Olympic games.

What is one thing you wish you could tell your fifteen-year-old self?

• Enjoy the journey!

Favorite movie:

• Field of Dreams

Which technological advancements excite you the most?

• Autonomous vehicles

If you could have one superhuman power, what would it be?

• To fly

The post Meet the Director of Economic Development and Government Affairs – Blair Schlecter appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania I came to LA 32 years ago.

When did you start working at the Chamber?

While I was in the restaurant world, I was involved with the Chamber for 12 years on their Board and served as President of the Board 8 years ago and Chief Financial Officer for 2 years. I took over as CEO almost 3 years ago. Being on both sides, I feel that I have a unique perspective on both sides of the table being a member and part of the staff.

What were you doing before you started working at the Chamber?

I was in the restaurant business for 28 years and 17 years was with Lawry’s. I was the General Manager for the Beverly Hills location then served as Regional Manager for 6 ½ years.

Favorite thing about your job:

Being an extrovert, I enjoy meeting people and listening to their opinions and perceptions. It’s also not a normal 9-5 job which I have never wanted, hence going into the restaurant world. When you find what you’re passionate about, you don’t mind working 50-60 hours a week because it is no longer work…it’s a lifestyle.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love doing stuff with my wife and dogs!  Also, Scuba diving, skiing, gym, long walks

What are the best and worst things about living in LA?

Worst: The traffic – It’s overpopulated, but hey there’s always other places to live. My hometown has a population of 3,000 and a total of 4 stop lights!

Best: There are so many culturally different styles of people that makes it very interesting. And of course, the weather. There’s also a lot to do here!

One piece of advice for Chamber members:

Get involved! I always tell people, “You have to join the Chamber for the right reasons. And you’re going to get out of it what you put into it.” It’s like a gym membership. You have to go to see results. Our Chamber offers over 150 events a year, and you can choose which to get involved in, but bottom line, get involved!

Three bucket list items:

1. My wife and I are avid scuba divers and there are some other tropical locations we want to go to.
2. I want to be remembered for making a difference in someone’s life in a positive way – I try to make sure that people who work for me leave better than when they started. I want to make sure that I’m doing my best for them.
3. I don’t necessarily have a bucket list because when there’s something I want to do, I go do it!

What is one thing you wish you could tell your fifteen-year-old self?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. This was a piece of advice my mother gave my wife and me when we got married, and my parents are celebrating 60 years next month. And ultimately, you grow and learn when things aren’t good. It’s great when you’re loving life and things are rosy, but I think that your faith is never tested until it’s stretched and, in the end, it makes you a better person.

If you could have one superhuman power, what would it be?

The ability to communicate with everyone on the planet.

The post Meet The Chamber CEO Todd Johnson appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Mark Lloyd is a clinical professor of communication, teaching in both the Communication School and Journalism School. From 2009-2012 he served as the associate general counsel and chief diversity officer at the Federal Communications Commission, advising the Commission on how to promote diverse participation in the communication field. Professor Lloyd spoke in favor of net neutrality.

Milan Miric is an assistant professor of Data Science and Operations at the USC Marshal School of Business. He has researched and written extensively on both digital innovation and competition for marketplace attention with ties to net neutrality and platform availability. Professor Miric spoke in favor of the recent FCC decision repealing rules on net neutrality.

Net neutrality is the principle that internet service should enable access to all content and application regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites. A 2015 FCC Ruling Classified Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as “Common Carriers” which prohibited blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization; a recent 2017 FCC decision repealed this policy. Professor Lloyd argued that the current repeal of net neutrality is primarily based on partisan politics and could negatively impact access to content. Professor Miric believed that this repeal might improve competition but there are other factors that would need to be considered. Professor Miric used a pipeline analogy to describe the relationship between ISPs and content providers; ISPs control the pipeline that the content providers use to reach consumers. Professors Miric and Lloyd both believe it is too soon to determine the long-term effects of the FCC’s policy on the marketplace. Two factors that need to be considered which would impact the ruling are related regulations and who we as a society want to be the gatekeeper of the “pipelines.”

The post The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee Engages in an Important Discussion About Net Neutrality appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Small Business Saturday is a national campaign created by American Express in 2010. There is Cyber Monday and Black Friday – Small Business Saturday is a way to show support for our local small businesses during the holiday season.

Why shop small? According to Civic Economics, “on average, 48% of each purchase at local independent businesses is recirculated locally, compared to less than 14% of purchases at chain stores.” Therefore, even though small businesses may not generate as much money as big corporations, they play a vital role in maintaining a healthy local economy. In fact, research shows that 91% percent of small-business owners contributed to their community in the last year through volunteering, in-kind contributions, and direct cash donations, and that’s without counting the contributions these businesses make via paying local taxes. By supporting your local business, you are giving back to the community; join the Chamber in participating in Small Business Saturday on November 25, 2017.

Go out and ‘SHOP SMALL’ Beverly Hills!

Throughout the month of November, the Chamber will produce Small Business Saturday themed events, as well as inform our members of specials and deals through our newsletter and social posts. Please stay connected to learn more about the day. Subscribe here.

Small Business Saturday Festivities in Beverly Hills:

• Launch Party Mixer, Thursday, Nov. 9, 5-7pm, The Stinking Rose
  • Complimentary – to register, click here
  • Includes: special information and giveaways to Beverly Hills businesses
• Small Business Saturday Rally, Nov. 25, 9-10am, Beverly Canon Gardens
  • Includes: goodies and delicious treats from Sweet Beverly, giveaways and more
• Small Business Saturday Walk with the Mayor, Nov. 25, starting at 10am
  • Join the Mayor and a team from the Chamber to walk with us in support of our city’s small businesses
  • Look forward to the following business stops including but not limited to:
    • Get Threaded
    • Laduree
    • Nate’N Al
    • Gratitude Beverly Hills
    • Edelweiss Chocolates
    • Pussy and Pooch
    • Alfred
    • Official route TBA

The post Shop Small With Us on November 25, 2017 appeared first on Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

The evening began at 5pm with a beautiful reception featuring wonderful live music by Kirschner Creative Artists and impeccable hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided by Il Fornaio, Gratitude, buzzbox, Asombroso Fine Tequilas, Jardesca, and Waldorf Astoria. This year, our guests were escorted to the event in amazing Mercedes-Benz shuttles provided by Lion Heart Lifestyle.

At 6pm everyone filled the seats in the formal gardens to witness the State of the City Address. Chamber CEO, Todd Johnson, kicked off the announcements with a special thank you and regards to our sponsors. He then welcomed everyone to the Chamber’s signature event and gave a warm introduction to Mayor Lili Bosse.

Mayor Bosse’s State of the City Address informed us about the City’s disaster readiness program and improvements to the longevity of the Beverly Hills community and business. She gave insight on where she sees the City going in the coming year in terms of business development as well as the BOLD (Beverly Hills Open Later Days) initiative. The community saw tremendous success with the summer BOLD program, from increases in business, and great events for our residents and visitors to experience. Because of the success, the City plans to extend BOLD into November and December to bring an extra bit of vibrance to the holiday season.

The Chamber would once again like to thank each and every sponsor, staff and crew member, Board of Director, Chamber Ambassador, and all of our volunteers for making the evening go so seamlessly. Special thanks to all of our event sponsors who made the night possible, including: O’Gara Coach Beverly Hills; Horizon Design International, LCC & Horizon Steel & Ironworks; Kennedy Wilson; Wanda Beverly Hills Properties, LLC; Jet Aviation; Lion Heart Lifestyle; Garth Fisher, M.D. BioMed Spa; Eldridge; Strategic Legacy Investment Group; Flintridge Insurance Services Inc.; Square Root Designs; The Bouquet Bar; and zkipster, as well as these reception and exhibitor sponsors: Il Fornaio, Gratitude Beverly Hills, Asombroso Fine Tequilas, Jardesca, buzzbox premium cocktails, Kirschner Creative Artists, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills; Choice Group Inc.; Jet Aviation; OneWest Bank; Nourmand & Associates; and Ten Thousand. And last, but not least, we would like to thank all of our guests for sharing the evening with us. We hope everyone had a fabulous time and look forward to seeing you around Beverly Hills for the holiday edition of BOLD!

Click below for the full KBEV report on the 2017 Evening with the Mayor which includes Mayor Lili Bosse’s official address.

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