Chairman's Message
At the Chamber’s 118th Inaugural Celebration, the Chamber looked back on the past year of significant progress and growth in our local economy. This progress would not have been possible without the leadership of our outgoing Chairman, Andrew Walcker. Andrew has done a phenomenal job of leading the Chamber through 2017 and has left Riverside in a prime position. In just one year we have witnessed astronomical growth in our community. The Chamber’s ability to move forward on projects such as the groundbreaking of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) facility, Streamline Riverside and the One Stop Shop, and the partnership between the University of California, Riverside and Riverside Unified School District with a new STEM School sets the tone for the next year. The pending Innovation District, the visitor and entertainment expansion in Downtown, in addition to the housing developments such as Stalder Plaza and the Imperial Hardware Lofts put Riverside in a position to attract businesses and residents while achieving substantial growth in our community. This coming year, the Chamber will continue to partner with our regional representatives, leaders, and stakeholders in our ongoing effort to foster business in our community. A key Chamber mission has always been to help secure the delivery of funding and services to match the area’s unprecedented growth. When the business community has a need, the Chamber responds. This means we will again prioritize our key military assets, including March Air Reserve Base and the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Corona Division. In addition to furthering their mission of national defense, these institutions contribute over $900 million in the region’s economy. The Chamber is committed to protecting these institutions by actively engaging representatives in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C. about issues concerning our military resources and about opportunities to expand their services and bring in new equipment, personnel, and technology. Continuous goals and objectives for the Chamber are to obtain more doctors and better healthcare resources, increase judgeships and better access to justice in our courthouses, and secure funding for roads, freeways, and infrastructure. I am deeply honored and humbled to serve as Chairman of the Board for this Chamber. I know you will join me as we work together to build a stronger local economy and better quality of life in Riverside. Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done. If we pull our resources together and maintain these connections, then we will certainly accomplish great things for our region. Joseph Ortiz
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