THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL ATTEND THE HIRING OUR HEROES VETERANS JOB FAIR, JULY 10
The Chamber encourages companies to participate in one of the nation's premier veterans' job fairs, Hiring our Heroes, at Sony Studios in Culver City on Sunday, July 10, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free employer registration has been extended. Participating employers should have job opportunities available and will be expected to report hiring metrics to the U.S. Chamber after the hiring fair. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be making a special appearance at the job fair. Join us on July 10 to support our nation's veterans. It will be a day to remember for the businesses who participate and the veterans who find jobs. View a FAQ on the event or register your company today.

Chamber applauds Gov. Brown for vetoing State budget
The Chamber applauds Gov. Jerry Brown, left, for his veto of the budget sent to him by the Legislature yesterday, and called on the leadership of the Legislature to immediately restart negotiations toward a new budget proposal by July 1. "The budget sent to Gov. Brown yesterday by the Assembly and the Senate is no different from the budgets that the Legislature and the governor have passed and signed in recent years," said Chamber President & CEO Gary Toebben. "This budget uses the same sort of creative accounting and prolonged debt that has become the hallmark of California's fiscal crisis. It avoids difficult choices, makes no long-term structural reforms, does nothing to improve California's educational system or business climate and kicks the can down the road another year. The citizens of California deserve better and Governor Brown made that point clear. It’s time to restart budget negotiations." Contact Beverly Kenworthy, 213.580.7531.

Chamber honors former Rep. Jane Harman
On Monday, the Chamber honored former Rep. Jane Harman (CA-36) for her eight terms representing Los Angeles County in the House of Representatives. County Supervisor Don Knabe and Chamber Board Chair Joseph Czyzyk, Mercury Air Group, Inc., thanked Harman for her work while serving on the Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Energy & Commerce Committees, and for her regional accomplishments. At the breakfast, sponsored by Loyola Marymount University, Harman spoke about her new role as director, president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and how she looks forward to bringing much of that work to Southern California. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

Chamber meets with City on development reform plan
On Thursday, the Chamber, Central City Association of Los Angeles and industry stakeholders met with KH Consulting Group and Woolpert, Inc., the firms retained by the City of Los Angeles to develop The Strategic Plan for Development Reform: Building a Better L.A. The firms outlined the process in which recommendations were made to make the development process transparent, predictable and efficient as well as a plan for implementation. Highlights included institutionalizing services based on the case management model; creating a city-wide culture within the department versus the current departmental approach to the approval process; and comprehensive zoning code reform, which has not been done since 1946. The City's Development Reform Advisory Committee, chaired by Chamber Board Member Daniel Gryczman (above), Regent Properties, has given technical advice on land use development issues to the consultants. The Chamber is hosting the L.A. Planning Department at the Land Use & Mobility Council meeting on July 13. Representatives will describe how they are beginning the process of comprehensive zoning code reform and what the Chamber can do to support this important effort. Register now or contact Beverly Kenworthy, 213.580.7531.

Leadership L.A. 2011 immerses in Los Angeles arts and culture scene
More than 835,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created by creative industries in the last year in Los Angeles, while stimulating other industries, said OTIS College of Art & Design President Samuel Hoi to the Leadership L.A. 2011 Fellows on Friday. The Fellows focused on arts and culture in Los Angeles, with dialogues on the relationship between the arts and education; how the arts contribute to community-building; as well as social change and business. Excursions featured meetings with leaders at Inner-City Arts, Little Tokyo Service Center (above), North Grand Avenue arts institutions and the California Market Center to see how arts and culture intersect throughout the fabric of L.A. County. Read more about the day on Twitter. Contact April Tam, 213.580.7524.

Chamber thanks Kaylynn Kim for service on L.A. Port Commission On Thursday, the Chamber thanked Commissioner Kaylynn Kim, Terra Imperium Capital Partners, LLC., for her commitment to the Port of Los Angeles and the Southern California region at her last meeting on the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission. In her six years on the Harbor Commission, Chamber Board Member Kim, above left with Commission President Cindy Miscikowski, has fostered a strong working relationship with the Chamber and helped deepen the Chamber's partnership with the Port of Los Angeles. Kim served as chair of the Chamber's Global Initiatives Council, Vice-Chair and Chair of World Trade Week, and played a major role in the coordination of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's trade mission to South Korea last fall. SCLN Chair Kimberly Freeman appointed to L.A. Housing Authority L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently appointed four new commissioners to the seven-member Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' board of commissioners. Southern California Leadership Network Chair Kimberly Freeman, director of community relations for Southern California Gas Company, was among the new commissioners. “I am confident that these four commissioners will be great additions to the Board of Commissioners and will continue the work of the Board to provide quality, affordable housing to Angelenos in need," said Villaraigosa. Read more. Want your good news featured here? Click here to learn more.