2021
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May 6, 2021 - Katy Thoma, President & CEO interviewed by Action News Now & Chico ER
The City of Chico Homeless Solutions Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of Mayor Coolidge, Councilmember Huber, and Councilmember Tandon invited a number of representatives from the community including the Chico Chamber to participate in a discussion pertaining to people who are homeless in Chico. There was much discussion about services provided to those in need including a sanctioned campground. Thoma expressed a well-managed campground could be successful as long as the “path of travel” to services be considered as to not further impact local businesses. Thoma said the results of a point in time survey conducted by the Chico Chamber, where businesses stated after COVID, their biggest challenge, frustration or concern included the impacts of homelessness on their businesses – the safety of their workers, customers/clients and their facilities. ANN INTERVIEW Chico ER Interview |
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March 18, 2021 - Our President & CEO, Katy Thoma was interviewed by Natalie Hanson with the ChicoER this week reflecting about local businesses a year ago and how they are fairing one year later. Chico Chamber of Commerce President Katy Thoma said when she thinks of the state of the local business community one year ago, she thinks “It was fear.
“People didn’t know what was to come. We thought we were going to be shut down for two weeks.” As the year went on, “It was a case of whiplash every day. Because the rules kept changing.” The chamber pivoted to become a source of information on new guidance from the state for the entire business community. But Thoma said for many there was “so much anxiety and so much fear.” FULL ARTICLE |
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February 2, 2021 - Chico Enterprise Record, "Chico business community focusing on building; pandemic increases homeless concerns"
Katy Thoma, Presidient & CEO is quoted about the the Chico Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Special Report released Friday, January 29th and outlined why its goal is to increase single-family housing. Thoma also mentions the top concerns for the Chamber is homelessness. FULL ARTICLE |
2020
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December 10, 2020 - KPAY NEWS, "Butte County Stay at Home Orders"
Katy Thoma, Preident & CEO, Chico Chamber of Commerce talks about the Stay At Home orders for Butte County , part of the Greater Sacramento region, and the impact on Local Business. FULL RECORDING |
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December 10, 2020 - Chico News & Review, "Treading Water, Business Await Further Financial Aid, Struggle to Adapt and Survive Amid Prolonged Pandemic."
Chico Chamber President & CEO Katy Thoma talks about how the Chamber has become a one-stop shop for information on how to remain sustainable, including financial resources, customer retention tips, understanding ordinances and laws, and navigating payroll requirements. FULL ARTICLE |
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August 28, 2020 - Chico Enterprise Record, "All Together Now, Chico Chamber of Commerce Serves as the Community's Go-To During Covid-19" - by Alice Patterson
Chico Chamber President & CEO, Katy Thoma talks about how the Chamber has served as the go-to resource during COVID-19 by pivoting to crisis communication, creating COVID-19 resource pages, partnering with the City of Chico, Butte County and other local organizations to keep Chico moving forward. FULL ARTICLE |
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August 6, 2020 - Chico News & Review, Disaster County - Recent Major Emergencies Shape Local Response to Coronavirus. "In early March, as coronavirus started to spread through the Sacramento Valley, Katy Thoma remained optimistic. She understood the gravity of the situation—Butte County officials had recently declared both a local emergency and a local health emergency—and, as executive director of the Chico Chamber of Commerce, Thoma helped business owners navigate a sea of ever-changing information..." Full article HERE
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June 26, 2020 - KRCR Channel 7 News video coverage of the Chico Chamber curbside mask giveaway. In the video Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber is interviewed: "The whole purpose of this was to provide masks for business owners for customers and clients that come into their office without a mask." 33,000 masks that were donated by the North Valley Community Foundation, the Feather River Health Foundation, and made by Salus Supply, were distributed by the Chico, Oroville, Paradise, and Gridley Chambers of Commerce. CLICK HERE for the full video.
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May 21, 2020 - Video review by Christina Vitale of Action News Now on her interview with Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber regarding upcoming projects in the City. Katy reports on the repaving of the Esplanade as well as other construction, housing, and building projects happening in Chico. CLICK HERE to get the full story and interview.
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May 14, 2020 - Enterprise-Record article by Laura Ursney on the Chico Chamber distributing masks donated by Slater and Son Inc. Slater and Son bought 5,000 masks from 5th Sun for the Chico Chamber to distribute to local employees. Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber adds in the article the importance of giving local businesses the tools they need to get back on their feet. CLICK HERE for the full article. |
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May 13, 2020 - Camille Von Camel of the Enterprise-Record's article on Gavin Newsom approving Butte to be the first county in California to open for dine-in. Von Camel interviews Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber on how businesses are reacting to the new capacity for dine-in. CLICK HERE for the full article.
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May 13, 2020 - Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber joins Scott Michaels of KPAY 1290 News Talk to discuss Gavin Newsome's approval for Butte County businesses to partially move into phase 2. CLICK HERE for the full interview.
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May 8, 2020 - Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber speaks during the May 8 Butte County Health live stream. The live stream included reports from different sectors on safely reopening Butte County. Katy Thoma Speaks at the 20:00 minute mark on businesses reopening within guidelines. CLICK HERE for the link to the video.
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May 7, 2020 - Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber joins Scott Michaels of KPAY 1290 News Talk to discuss the City of Chico and the Chamber are doing to help business reopen within the Governor's guidelines. CLICK HERE for the full interview.
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April 13, 2020 - Interview with Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber COVID-19 on Action News Now. Katy talks about the launching of new set of tools and resources on their website to help the business community navigate COVID-19 information. CLICK HERE for the full interview.
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April 8, 2020 - Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber joins Scott Michaels of KPAY 1290 News Talk to review available resources for local businesses during the Covid-19 Crisis. Katy also explains what the Chamber's actions to support the business community at this time. CLICK HERE for the full interview.
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April 6, 2020 - Katy Thoma, President & CEO of the Chico Chamber joins Julia Yarbough of Action News Now to discuss how local business owners can survive and navigate the coronavirus downturn. CLICK HERE for full Interview
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March 25, 2020 - Katy Thoma President & CEO of the Chico Chamber joins Scott Michaels of KPAY 1290 News Talk to go over how the Chamber is responding and supporting businesses who have had to close or have reduced operations due to COVID-19. CLICK HERE for the full interview.
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February 4,2020 - Acton News Now anchor, Julia Yarbough interviews Katy Thoma about the 2020 Special Report and the current pulse of the Chico business climate. Full Story
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Tuesday, November 19, 2020 - The Chico Chamber Legislative Action Committee approved a motion to recommend to the Chamber Board of Directors a letter of support in opposition to the California Air Resources Board regarding a mandatory data reporting rule on businesses to support future regulations on electrification of delivery vehicles. How will your company be affected? Read More
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2019
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November 4, 2019 - Governor Newsom’s Chief Economic and Business Advisor Lenny Mendonca and Isabel Guzman, Director, Office of the Small Business Advocate hosted a business round table discussion at Sierra Nevada Brewery today. The purpose of the round table was to hear from small business owners on the impact of the Camp Fire on their business. Most businesses referenced issues labor retention and recruitment and the need for infrastructure improvements. Mr. Mendonca expressed the Governor’s commitment to the economic well-being of the North State and promised they would continue to support the economic vitality of the North State. The Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development has a variety of resources to support small business. https://www.business.ca.gov/
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November 4, 2019 - President/CEO Katy Thoma attended a Community Resource Forum on Homelessness in Oroville today hosted by Rep. Doug LaMalfa, Senator Jim Nielsen, and Assemblyman James Gallagher. The main speaker of the forum was San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer who has been a champion of the homeless issue in San Diego. They have reduced their homeless population by 6% in the last year by working collaboratively and in a non-partisan way with service providers, government funders and the private sector. Thoma said, “Mayor Faulconer is a strong leader and is committed to caring for the homeless in a compassionate manner and holding them accountable.”
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October, 1, 2019 - President/CEO Katy Thoma spoke before the Chico City Council at their October 1, 2019 meeting. Thoma spoke in support of City Manager Mark Orme’s recommendation for the $3,000,000 allocation made by the State to assist in mitigating some of the Camp Fire impacts to Chico. Thoma said, “We are heartened by the city’s efforts in seeking and applying for every grant they can to mitigate the impacts to the City’s infrastructure post Camp Fire. We are looking forward to the widening of Bruce Road and the new bridge over Little Chico Creek. We are especially looking forward to traffic solutions in the E. Park Ave/Hegan Lane area.”
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June 6, 2019 - Chico, CA The Chico Chamber participated in a tour of Paradise and Magalia with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce along with a number of their national partners: Wells Fargo, Target, Drop Box, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and JP Morgan. The purpose of their trip was to find ways in which to partner with those who have been affected by the Camp Fire.
May 31, 2019
Businesses asked to join anti-theft program, Chico ER
CHICO — Local businesses were urged to take part in the city of Chico’s Retail Watch program through a series of public service announcements distributed in a joint effort by the Chico Police Department, the Chico Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Chico Business Association. Read More
May 10, 2019
Chico Chamber Attends Special Council Meeting in Support of AB430
Friday, May 10th President & CEO, Katy Thoma spoke on behalf of the Chico Chamber in support of AB430 at the Special City Council Meeting called by our Mayor, Randall Stone. City Council voted 4-1 to remove the City of Chico from AB430.
April 8, 2019
Chico Chamber in Sacramento - AB430
Monday, April 8, 2019 - President & CEO, Katy Thoma, Legislative Action Committee Chair, Tom Lando attended the Assembly Natural Resources Committee at the State Capitol. The intent of Assembly Bill 430 is to streamline the environmental review process for certain housing projects to cope with the severe housing shortage in the county in the aftermath of the deadly Camp Fire. Katy says, "I was encouraged by the number of business owners, local government officials and Camp Fire survivors who made the trek to Sacramento to speak in favor of AB430. "
For more information about AB430
Click Here
For more information about AB430
Click Here
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April 5, 2019
Our Future After the Fire: Housing Impacts with Julia Yarbough, Action News Now. |
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February 25, 2019
Chico Chamber Board Chair, Michelle Niven and Board Task Force & Chair Elect, Jolene Francis 2019 Special Report interview on Action News Now. |
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February 6, 2019
The Chico Chamber was recognized for Chico Retail Watch Program at the 2019 Western Association of Chamber Executives Conference held in Anaheim, CA. The Retail Watch Program is in collaboration with the Chico Police Department and Downtown Chico Business Association. Monthly Retail Watch meetings take place with local retailers to help decrease shoplifting in Chico. For more information: click HERE. |
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February 6, 2019
Chico Chamber Podcast Episode #27 “Love, Warriors, and Healers” – Camp Fire Recovery Conversation with Alexa Benson –Valvanis, North Valley Community Foundation November 8th the Paradise community experienced the worst fire disaster in the history of California. With that, surrounding Butte County communities have also been impacted by this horrific event. We wanted to sit down with Alexa Benson-Valavanis, President & CEO of the North Valley Community Foundation here in Chico to learn more about how she and her team sprang into action by very quickly creating the Camp Fire Recovery Fund. We began by getting to know a little more about Alexa and the history of the foundation followed by an in depth conversation about the Camp Fire Recovery Fund, NorCal Recovery Fund partnership with Aaron Rogers and how these efforts were successfully planned out and executed through NVCF by Alexa and her extraordinary staff. According to Alexa, it takes “Love, Warriors and Healers”. To hear entire podcast visit www.chicochamberpodcast.com |
