As he handed out charter member lapel pins for the new Long Beach Young Professionals program, Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Gordon realized a dream.
“We are fostering future leaders,” he said at a recent breakfast gathering of 98 Long Beach Young Professionals members. Gordon added that starting such a program had been his dream for several years.
Jeremy Harris, the chamber’s senior vice president, will lead the group in monthly meetings ranging from breakfasts to evening socials and featuring guest speakers who will share their experiences starting out in business.
Harris, 35, said that membership won’t be capped. The first 100 people who signed up are charter members. Membership, available for those from ages 21 to 40, is $100 for the first year and $150 annually after that.
Long Beach Young Professional President Robert Arvizu, 33, and Vice President Bijan Noori, 29, said the group can foster future chamber members, community leaders and business owners.
“Part of this is just about getting to know each other, making sure that you sit by someone new,” Arvizu said of the program, which kicked off in May.
At the inaugural event in late June, new City Council members Lena Gonzalez, Suzie Price, Stacy Mungo and Rex Richardson spoke. All are charter members.
At the August meeting, John Howard, the franchisee for the Chick-fil-A in the Long Beach Towne Center, discussed his background as a military pilot as well as why he decided to open a Chick-fil-A in 2006.
“Be victorious and virtuous in your vocations,” he advised the Young Professionals.
The longtime chamber member also talked about playing to personal strengths in the professional world. He said his passion for making his employees the biggest fans of his eatery ensures people are happy on both sides of the counter.
Asked about his reaction to comments against same-sex marriage made in 2012 by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, Howard emphasized that his store has employed more than 1,000 people in the past decade, and that it has always been important to him to ensure that those he hires reflect the diversity of the community.
The crowd got a good laugh after one young professional asked about how Howard stays so physically fit as the owner of a fast-food restaurant. Howard didn’t miss a beat in his response, saying he eats Chick-fil-A every day he works, and he encouraged all in attendance to eat more chicken, too.
Howard ended his speech by telling the young professionals to take advantage of what the chamber has to offer and said they should applaud themselves for stepping up as tomorrow’s leaders.
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Long Beach Chamber of Commerce aims to cultivate young business leaders
Author:Ashleigh Ruhl ComeFrom:Press-Telegram Date:2014/9/9 23:35:04 Hits:1475
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