The Chamber is often talked about from the perspective that it is an association of businesses and that is true. The Chamber is about serving our member businesses in a myriad of ways so that those businesses can grow. But the Chamber is also about people.
The activities and organizations of the Chamber and its member businesses are are made up of people working toward a common goal of betterment of business, the economy, and the community. When business, the economy, and the community grow, the quality of life of the people involved improves. And when everyone grows as a person, the Chamber and the community is stronger and grows as well.
It is a unique and exciting time that we live in. Both the United States and the world are witnessing unprecedented change brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the many changes brought on by this change, tremendous opportunities exist.
Looking to the future involves a combination of identifying trends and possibilities, analyzing current conditions, and having an informed perspective on history. But since the future is intrinsically uncertain, any vision we create must be robust enough to accommodate unforeseen circumstances that may sometimes rapidly materialize. To be successful, we must be constantly ready to see, analyze, and capitalize on new trends in business markets, technology, society, and the economy, especially in the 3 to 10-year term.
It was not that long ago, Friday, October 18, 1912 precisely, that Torrance founder and visionary, Jared Sydney Torrance incorporated one of his companies, the Dominguez Land Corporation, to develop what would become the City of Torrance. His vision was broad enough to plan for a balanced community in an ideal spot that would become the ‘location of choice’ for business. Based on events of this day he had a robust vision for the future.
Yet it is not easy to see the future, even only ten years out. It was even more recent that another October Friday made history: Friday, October 13, 1989, often remembered as the stock crash of ’89. In the years that followed, with a major recession, how many could have foreseen then or been drivers of the internet and technology boom that helped propel the market to new highs?
We must have both mid-term and long-range plans. Both the Chamber and the city have strong strategic plans with a clear direction. And the incoming Board of the Chamber is working diligently, using a balanced plan approach, to develop a program of action for this fiscal year.
Because the members of our organization come from different backgrounds, building the relationships for business requires an understanding of those backgrounds. The diversity of our members is one of the chambers greatest strengths. When individuals bring a unique background, experience, and expertise to the group, the Chamber and community are stronger. The intertwined relationship between the growth of members and the Chamber and community cannot be overemphasized.
As we near the end of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce’s fiscal year, we must take the time to say, ‘thank you’ to all of those who are part of this organization. It is with heartfelt gratitude that we extend appreciation to the involvement of the Board of Directors, Ambassadors, and members who served on committees and programs and supported the Chamber to make a successful year for all. It is with gratefulness that was say thank you to Mayor Pat Furey, members of the Torrance City Council and local, regional, and state leaders and their staffs for their support. And, it is vital that we thank the members of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce for we truly are as strong as our members.