On the Town: Mixer serves up food and updates about chamber’s capital-improvement project
Along with sharing information about happenings taking place in every aspect of Burbank life and one another’s businesses, members of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce who gathered for the organization’s May mixer also welcomed new members and celebrated the completion of two major projects.
Hosted by assistant manager Luis Carmona and the staff of Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill, members were welcomed to the Empire Center restaurant by the chamber’s managing director Chris Hunter, board chairwoman Gema Sanchez, and executive committee member Karen Volpei-Gussow.
Always an enjoyable evening of mingling, interesting and enlightening conversation, food, cocktails and raffle prizes, the mixer held last week also provided members with an update on the progress the chamber has made during the first two quarters of 2018.
Late last year, during a strategic goal-setting session led by Lee Wochner, outgoing chamber chairman, plans were adopted to move forward with a capital-improvement project at the organization’s Magnolia Boulevard building, along with operational upgrades that would include the creation of a new, more user-friendly website.
Serving as the emcee was David Knight, the founder and president of the Burbank-based Angel City Data, said he was proud to advise the assemblage that, along with improvements to the chamber’s conference room, which were done earlier this year, the final work is now being completed on the building’s new roof.
“We are also excited to announce that our new website has been launched and is now up and running,” Knight said.
“It was time for us to update the look and functionality of our site to be both more visually appealing and offer better navigation for users,” he added.
Hunter, who played a major role in enhancing the chamber’s digital presence, said that, along with the physical improvements being done to the facility, she is also pleased to see the accomplishments of goals that will have far-reaching impact to members of the community and beyond.
“Our website is an important tool that offers vital information for our members, businesses [that] are looking to open or relocate here, and Burbank residents,” Hunter said.
The mixer also served as an opportunity for the organization to welcome two new members, Ed Gibbons of T&T Improvements, who has been providing work called out in the chamber’s capital-improvement plan, and Debra Moeley, who serves as the branch manager at Coldwell Banker Hallmark Realty.
Among the chamber members at the festive mixer were Michelle Bouse of Beauty Boutique, and Patricia Nelson of Nelson Treasures, who creates custom-made jewelry of which a portion of the proceeds are donated to help people of the Wayuu tribe in Cartagena, Colombia, with much-needed food, clothing and education.
Others who enjoyed the evening included Ed “The Car Guy” Levitt, Jeannie Vlazny, Burt Johnson, Rey Sanchez, Barry Gussow, Don Baldaseroni and Nancy Serpa.
The Burbank Chamber of Commerce, which represents nearly 1,000-member businesses with more than 33,000 employees, hosts mixers at different locations every month.
The next mixer will be held on June 28 at Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill, which has been a legendary Burbank watering hole since 1939.
For more information about the chamber’s upcoming events and membership, call (818) 846-3111.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
