Jackson Bell Ask Charles R. “Bud” Alleman...

Jackson Bell

Ask Charles R. “Bud” Alleman Jr., the Burbank Chamber of

Commerce’s 83rd president, what he considers his most important task

in his position and his answer is simple: continue the level of

excellence.

His plan for the 2003 term is to follow in the tracks of Executive

Director Susan Bowers and last year’s president, Lisa Rawlins.

“My job is not to shift, but to maintain the momentum,” he said.

“The chamber is solid and the board is phenomenal.”

A 29-year certified public accountant and partner of the firm

King, King, Alleman & Jensen, he has been on the board since 1998. He

has also served as its treasurer. Rawlins headed the nominating

committee that selected him. He was installed Thursday.

Titling the theme of his presidency, “Maintaining the Momentum,”

Alleman understands he will have to deal with the recent challenges

local businesses face such as unemployment and looming sales-tax

hikes.

“I’m a business advocate 100%,” he said. “Any community that has a

good business foundation is a good community overall because they

have employment and capital resources there to help the city, which

is funded by the tax structure.”

One of his strongest points, he said, is that his career as a CPA

has trained him to properly advise any business, large or small.

Bowers agrees.

“He is a very strong advocate for business,” she said. “His

financial knowledge of what businesses has to deal with is invaluable

because he understands tax legislation and what it means to them.”

A Simi Valley resident, Alleman also considers Burbank his home.

He is also a member of the Burbank Noon Lions Club and treasurer of

the Burbank Community Foundation.

Alleman received a bachelor’s degree from California State

University, Northridge in 1974 and has worked for King, King, Alleman

& Jensen his entire professional career.

As a longtime member, he considers the chamber essential to the

community’s livelihood.

“The technical name for a chamber of commerce for the IRS is

‘business league,’” he said. “In my mind, that is a group of

businesses that have similar goals and problems that solve them as a

group rather than as individuals.”