News & Updates

One Paseo Mixed-Use Development Project Approved

Policy

June 30, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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The San Diego City Council voted 8-1 to approve the One Paseo mixed-used development project last month. The Chamber team has been highly active in ensuring the project passes, as it will add much-needed housing, retail, and commercial space while providing a model for future development in San Diego.

Additionally, the One Paseo project will also:

  • Provide a true, walkable main street that will connect and complement the existing surrounding uses of retail, offices and housing.
  • Set a new standard for energy-efficient and drought-resistant green communities.
  • Generate thousands of construction jobs as well as permanent, high-paying jobs in this vital commercial corridor.
  • Incorporate needed housing close to where people work.
  • Provide millions of dollars in private investment toward traffic improvements and millions more for an Adaptive Traffic Management system, as well as optimization technology that will reduce travel times on the local roadways.
  • Generate significant taxes and fees for the City and a boost to the local economy that help fund vital public services, including our schools and affordable housing.
  • Help to fulfill the General Plan’s strategy for a “City of Villages” as well as important state, regional and local policy land-use initiatives.

The new mixed-use village will be built on a 23.6-acre parcel located on the southwest corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. 10 percent of the development project’s housing will be committed to affordable units, and a transit shuttle will connect visitors to the nearby Solana Beach Coaster station.

The Chamber looks forward to watching One Paseo lead the the way in green design while boosting San Diego’s commercial real estate industry.

Chamber Hosts Luncheon with Homeland Security

International

June 29, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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CaptureThe Chamber hosted a luncheon with Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, Alan Bersin for a follow-up to the previous meeting with Bersin in Washington, D.C. last September.

Bersin asked the Chamber to continue its leadership in the #OneBorder initiative, promotion of North America as a coalition, and continue to educate the public on the importance of cross-border commerce to combat the gap in reality and perception

Bersin also provided an update on the Department of Homeland Security’s work on joint border management, including:

  • Confirmation that Canada, Mexico, and the United States are working to consolidate documents required to travel between the 3 countries in order to facilitate trade, commerce and tourism with the creation of a North American Trusted Traveler Program
  • Confirmation that the 3 governments are working to consolidate programs for commercial trucks for: Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and the Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) & NEEC New Scheme for Certified Companies” (Mexico’s equivalent of C-TPAT), by expanding the Trusted Trader pilot program
  • Creation of a North American Fugitive Program between the three countries
  • Launch of a campaign against Human Trafficking

Economic Update on the Trans-Pacific Partnership

International

June 28, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) released a report detailing the likely impact that the Trans-Pacific Partnership would have on the U.S. economy and specific industry sectors, including manufacturing (electronic equipment) and technology services. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed free trade agreement between 12 countries that will reduce the costs of international trade by 1) eliminating tariffs and tariff-rate quotas for imported goods, 2) eliminate or reduce cross-border non-tariff barriers to trade, and 3) reducing barriers to investment in specific sectors.

Main findings:

  • General: The economic model estimated that TPP would have positive effects. By year 15 (2032), U.S. annual real income would be $57.3 billion (0.23 percent) higher than baseline projections, real GDP would be $42.7 billion (0.15 percent) higher, and employment would be 0.07 percent higher (equivalent to 128,000 new full-time positions).U.S. exports to new free trade partners would grow by $34.6 billion (18.7 percent) while U.S. imports from those countries would grow by $23.4 billion (10.4 percent).
  • The manufacturing, natural resources, and energy sector growth will contract by 0.1 percent. Please note that this does not mean TPP will cause a contraction; only that it will grow at a slower rate.The USITC believes the negligible contraction is due to the fact that manufacturing, natural resources, and energy are already liberalized sectors and that under TPP domestic resources will be diverted to other, more profitable sectors of the U.S. economy.
  • Computer services: The e-commerce policies will remove almost all significant barriers to trade and investment and strengthen market access, national treatment, and regulatory transparency. Most of U.S. export gains would likely be to Japan, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Related links:

Help C-PIP Shine a Light on Policymakers’ Effect on the Economy

Policy

June 27, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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How is it that law makers are able to cast votes without thought to the effect on the economy? The California Policy Impact Project (C-PIP) aims to help lawmakers see the impact of their actions and we need your help.

The San Diego Chamber has formed a partnership with dozens of statewide and regional business groups with C-PIP to shine a bright light on the direct economic impacts of policy makers’ votes.

For many years, state and local lawmakers have been getting a “free pass” when they cast votes that hamper job creation or stunt economic growth. At the state and local level, policy makers move from issue to issue, seemingly, without regard to the cumulative impact they are having on the economy.

In poll after poll Californians say that “jobs and the economy” are the most pressing issues in our state. Yet often their elected representatives are pursuing an agenda that cuts against job creation. And they are getting away with it because no one is collecting, compiling, organizing, and presenting the downside economic consequences in connection with their votes on these “job killing” bills or ordinances.

The Chamber intends to connect the dots so law makers no longer get that free pass. We need your help to do this. There are three phases to C-PIP.

  • Phase I will require information collection, from your business or company.
  • Phase II will focus on “telling the story.” We will compile the information and present it to the public, lawmakers’ constituents, the media, and social media. This will be carried out by the Chamber communications team in coordination with their counterparts in other business organizations.
  • Phase III will be advocacy focused. We will work with policy makers to address or mitigate the downside economic consequences of their votes. This phase will be conducted by the Chamber policy staff and advocacy team and our counterparts in the other business organizations.

Lawmakers’ decisions, at the state and local level, to vote for extreme minimum wage hikes is a good place for us to begin because these laws are relatively new with long-term and broad industry impacts. There is a clear upside for those who will enjoy the wage increase. Yet the lawmakers’ disregarded the downside impacts: lost jobs, reduced hours, reduced benefits, business closures, stalled expansion plans, exacerbating the youth unemployment crisis, etc. We anticipate other economically damaging measures to come from this legislature and many local governments, so we must organize ourselves in a collective effort so we can replicate this effort on other issues in a sustained and impactful manner. This project will start with the minimum wage impact. And depending on our success in Phase I we will pursue other policies.

So here is how you can help, please go to go to www.C-PIP.org and fill out the simple survey. That’s it.

The survey does not require you to include the name or your company or business. Is does, however, require your email address, first name, and phone number in the event there is a verification need. The survey will only take 5-10 minutes. The questions are mostly multiple choice. However the last question allows an “in your own words” response if you have a “story” to tell. If you are willing to share your story, simply check the box and our communication team with follow up with you.

Member Spotlight: Kumon Math & Reading Center of Point Loma

Member Spotlight

June 27, 2016

Kumon Math & Reading CenterKumon Math and Reading Center of Point Loma is part of the largest after-school math and reading program in the world that unlocks the potential of children so they can achieve more on their own. Kumon has over 26,000 centers in 49 countries and regions and more than four million students studying worldwide.

The Kumon math and reading programs help children master those fundamental skills so critical to their overall academic performance. The fundamental skills instilled by Kumon over time lead to accelerated learning throughout life. Kumon parents find their children performing above grade level, which increases educational opportunities and can open up a new world of advanced and gifted schooling.

FB_Romeo 3-5 copy 2Learn more by attending a parent orientation at the Kumon Math and Reading Center of Point Loma.

Contact:

Roland Ibanez, Instructor/Director
KUMON Math and Reading Learning Center of San Diego – Point Loma
3960 West Point Loma Boulevard, Suite C
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 619-738-5200
Email: rolandoibanez@ikumon.com
Website: http://www.kumon.com/SAN-DIEGO-POINT-LOMA
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KumonofSanDiego

Chamber Hosts Successful Congressional Luncheon

Events

June 23, 2016

The San Diego Chamber hosted its annual Congressional Luncheon Monday at the beautiful Hilton Bayfront Hotel. The event brought together nearly 500 business leaders and government officials, to hear from the luncheon’s featured panel speakers Congressmembers Susan Davis, Duncan Hunter, Darrell Issa, and Scott Peters.

Chamber Executive VP & COO Aimee Faucett moderated the panel and asked the Congressional delegation about their (sometimes heated) views on the upcoming presidential race, homelessness, gun control, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and other federal issues related to the well-being of San Diego’s regional economy. The Congressional delegates also answered poignant questions from the audience during an interactive Q&A session.

Thank you to everyone who attended, including our Congressmembers and our title sponsors: Bridgepoint Education, SeaWorld, and BAE Systems. For more information on the event, we invite you to view our Facebook photo album, visit the #DCinSD hashtag recap on Twitter, or watch our event highlight video below.

We’ll see you again next time!

Chamber Participates in Bush Institute Working Group

International

June 23, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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International Business Affairs Project Manager Mayra Vazquez attended a Bush Presidential Institute Working Group meeting at the North American Development Bank (NADB) office in San Antonio, Texas. The group contains business, transportation, financial, and academia leaders that meet regularly to analyze the possibility of a North American border infrastructure bank and strategies to expand the current role of the NADB, which currently finances projects in the border regions of the US and Mexico (but not Canada).

A discussion document is in the works and considerations from this working group will be taken into account for a final proposal following additional working group sessions. The Chamber team has worked to strengthen its relationship with both the Bush Institute and NADB in order to include San Diego priorities and educate the local community on two organization’s role in cross-border commerce.

 

County Business Outlook Regains Stability

NewsSan Diego

June 22, 2016

Biz4Cast-Ticker-BlogThe following content is from the June edition of the Business Forecast newsletter, sponsored by Silvergate Bank. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

Business Forecast Highlights:
  • BOI moves up a couple points to 21.3
  • Poor long-term trends for hospitality and restaurant segment
  • Government regulations sapping business confidence
  • Overwhelming consensus is that starting a successful business locally is hard work
  • Slightly more than half say they would start a new business in County

Survey respondents say starting a business in San Diego County is difficult

Following three months of erratic business confidence, this month’s Silvergate Bank-sponsored Business Forecast shows modest change in outlook among county businesses from last month. San Diego County’s Business Outlook Index (BOI) rests at 21.3, four points below its all-time average of 25.1. As the BOI ranges from -100 to +100, with zero being neutral, the business community’s outlook does remain moderately positive.

San Diego Business Outlook Over Time

(click for larger image)

 

Looking at long-term trends affecting the outlook, there is evidence of specific impacts by industry and geography. The hospitality and restaurant industry has shown a year-long trend of a weaker outlook which has weighed down local economic sentiment. Geographically, the long-term decline has come from county businesses located outside the City of San Diego.

The short-term trends show that the BOI has recently been flat. Firms in Santee are the notable exception, as confidence there has grown. For members of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, the BOI has moved from a lackluster 12 in the previous quarter to a robust 40 this month.

Minimum wage increases remain the top challenge facing County businesses, as 9 percent mention them. Government regulations in general, changes in the political environment, taxes, and the Affordable Care Act combine to affect another 14 percent. This means that more than one out of every five San Diego County businesses see government as a barrier to success. That takes a toll on business confidence. Those citing government as a challenge report a BOI of 16 and those specifically citing regulations as the challenge post a BOI of only 3.

Last month we saw that sentiment related to hiring was a critical factor dragging down the BOI. This month, hiring, at least among large companies, has rebounded. However, small firms are not nearly as likely to add workers.

This month’s survey asked about business start-ups finding that the consensus is it takes a lot of effort to get a good business off the ground in San Diego County. Seventy-four percent of business people say it’s difficult to start a successful company in their area and 30 percent describe it as very difficult. Only 19 percent rate the process as easy.
 

Survey: How Difficult Is it in San Diego to Start Business?

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Two types of businesses that don’t share the dismal outlook of starting a business are home and garden, and healthcare related companies. Companies in these industries rarely rate starting a business as very difficult. Also, businesses located in the county’s south suburbs tend to be split on the ease of setting up shop successfully. What is interesting is that we find no correlation between how confident a business person is and their perception of the difficulty of starting a company.

When it comes to where to start a new business, opinions are as varied as the options. Likely reflecting a physical tether to the County, a slim majority would start a new company here. However, only 32 percent would start that company in their own city or town. Only 6 percent would look to somewhere else in the state, but another 23 percent would start that company outside of California. There are 15 percent who say, under no circumstance, would they start a new business.
 

San Diego Business Survey: Where would you start your business?

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ABOUT THE BUSINESS FORECAST

The San Diego County Business Forecast, sponsored by Silvergate Bank, is a scientific look at where our region’s economy is headed. The survey for this month’s installment was fielded May 16-31, 2016 by Competitive Edge Research & Communication using responses from 232 randomly-selected members of the San Diego, East County, Alpine, Escondido, Lakeside, Vista, Santee, and National City Chambers of Commerce. All Chamber members are invited to complete the survey either online or over the phone.

The Business Outlook IndexTM (BOI) is comprised of four self-reported assessments regarding the next three months: Will a respondent’s business increase or decrease its number of employees, experience an increase or a decrease in revenue, increase or decrease the number of hours its employees work, and experience an improvement or a worsening of business conditions. For each assessment, definite and positive responses are scored 100, probable and positive responses are scored 50, neutral responses are scored 0, probable and negative responses are scored -50 and definite and negative responses are scored -100. The scores are summed and divided by 4 to get a range for the BOI of -100 to +100, with zero being a neutral outlook. Visit https://sdchamber.org/businessforecast to see past Business Forecasts.

ABOUT SILVERGATE BANK,BUSINESS BANKING REDEFINED

For over 25 years, as a San Diego based community bank, Silvergate provides a rewarding banking experience where the client’s needs always come first. Our business banking experts listen to needs and work to provide customized solutions to support your company’s growth and profit objectives. Our bankers are committed to superior responsiveness, local decision making, and the agility that allows our clients to choose the way they want to bank with us. To learn more, visit www.silvergatebank.com or contact Dino D’Auria at ddauria@silvergatebank.com.

#OneBorder Binational Coalition Meeting in Washington, D.C.

International

June 21, 2016

The following content is from our latest Policy Update newsletter. To get these updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.

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Last week, the Chamber team met with representatives from the private sector and economic development organizations across the U.S.-Mexico border. By strengthening cross-border relationships and uniting as one voice, the Chamber seeks to attract both public and private investment to the region.

The #OneBorder coalition worked to establish common policy goals, techniques, and methods of collaboration. The Wilson Center has provided the following notes from the meeting:

Discussion Item #1: Re-statement of Coalition’s Objective and summary of first #OneBorder coalition meeting in Las Vegas

Speaker: Michael Camuñez – President and CEO, ManattJones Global Strategies

The previous meeting held in Las Vegas established that an overarching problem driving the need for an initiative like the #OneBorder Coalition is a lack of understanding of the border in Washington, DC and Mexico City. The border is merely seen as a place that has to be secured and protected – a pass-through zone consisting of entry ports that allow people and goods to reach other places of the United States and Mexico. The #OneBorder Coalition is bringing together a group of private businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and others who have a stake in the border. The overarching goal is to provide a stronger voice to advocate for the interests of the border, educating Congress and the Mexican legislature to view the border as an asset and to invest accordingly.

The Las Vegas meeting identified a set of common challenges experienced by groups on the border – from San Diego and Tijuana to Brownsville and Matamoros. These included infrastructure, water, energy, and economic development. In order to overcome these challenges, it is key for border communities to share best practices. Recognizing that the border towns have undergone similar experiences and hardships at different times, they should share strategies that have worked in the past, rather than view each other solely as economic competitors.

While infrastructure is an important component for the border to continue growing, it is essential to look beyond that and map transborder industries, identifying clusters and zones that are strong in certain industries and shaping the narrative of the border as an economic driver. The group needs to talk to Mexican colleagues on how they see infrastructure priorities.

The ensuing conversation in Las Vegas centered around finding a common policy agenda that affects all border communities. This includes pushing hard for joint recognition of trusted traveler programs, extending and making permanent pre-clearance pilot programs, and shifting the focus of the High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED)’s subset of border issues to encompass more than just infrastructure. This can only be achieved by having meaningful border representation on bodies like the HLED and the CEO Forum.

It also means that there must be effective advocacy on all levels. Some questions that the Washington DC meeting needs to answer are the kinds of strategies that #OneBorder will employ such as Executive and Hill visits, and the kind of structure behind this organization. After answering these questions, it will be better able to engage people beyond the border and develop the right messaging and narrative that will catalyze meaningful progress.

Moving forward, it is important to remember that the #OneBorder Coalition is a private-sector organization, not a public body. While it will continue to engage members at all levels of government to realize the visions it has for the border, it is ultimately driven by private stakeholders.

Discussion Item #2: Presentation by Government Representatives on the importance of border stakeholder collaboration and how to positively impact Washington, DC and Mexico City policy-making on border issues

Speakers: Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX 16th District) and Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Alan Bersin

Note: This portion of the meeting was conducted off the record.

Discussion Item #3: Toward a Border-wide Policy Agenda

Speakers: Chris Wilson, Deputy Director of the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute and Paola Avila, Vice President, International Affairs at the San Diego Chamber of Commerce
The policy agenda must be driven by border communities working together, not against one another. We must set aside the culture of competition and rivalry that has pervaded the border in the past, focus on areas of mutual benefit for the entire border region and share best practices.

A survey sent to the participants of the Las Vegas meeting and those invited to Washington ranked the 20 policy priorities initially identified in Las Vegas. In order to generate momentum and showcase early successes, the #OneBorder Coalition needs to focus on key public policies.

Based on the survey and discussion with group members, consensus was reached to prioritize the following goals for #OneBorder Coalition work:

  1. Promote joint recognition of trusted traveler programs: SENTRI, FAST, C-TPAT, NEEC, Global Entry, and Viajero Confiable
  2. Grant multiple entries for holders of a Mexican business visa (FMM) to eliminate requirement to return the visa on a daily basis
    • Streamline the FM3 process
  3. Ensure that the border is a focus for the High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) and the CEO forum
  4. Support U.S. Census and INEGI coordination and collaboration to promote harmonized data gathering and reporting (possibly through negotiation of a MOU)
    • Start a list of specific asks for information currently lacking for both sides of the border
    • Advocate for border-specific reports
  5. Pursue additional federal appointments for border region residents to ensure that border voices are being heard
    • Identify a short list of candidates for key positions that affect the border
  6. Address staffing issues to implement border initiatives
    • Formula-driven methods to ensure adequate and sustained staffing
  7. Ensure NADBank reauthorization and recapitalization
  8. Reinvigorating the Border Governors Conference and Border Mayors Association (or another meeting of mayors)

Policy agenda issues to be analyzed and considered for future #OneBorder prioritization and action:

  • Support the Trans-Pacific Partnership
  • Finding ways to best utilize existing forums, such as the Binational Bridges and Border Crossing Group (BBXG), the 21st Century Border Executive Steering Committee to include greater border stakeholder involvement
  • Address the issue of border banks de-risking (closing accounts and closing branches). Related to Dodd-Frank.
  • Expand CBP involvement in community outreach efforts
  • Support agreements to allow emergency responders to easily cross the border • Workforce development efforts
  • Education

Discussion Item #4: Discussion of potential techniques or types of collaboration to achieve the group’s goals

Speakers: Marcos Delgado – EVP Operations/Business Development, The Borderplex Alliance and Laura Rodriguez – Principal, The Raben Group

One of the primary issues that the #OneBorder Coalition must address is to educate the rest of the country on the border and the Coalition. There are three target audiences: elected officials at all levels of government, corporate heads, and national media leaders. Confirming ownership of the #OneBorder Twitter handle and the internet domain should be undertaken promptly, followed by development of a website that outlines the mission of the Coalition at the appropriate time.

The formality and structure of the #OneBorder Coalition was discussed but not resolved. Members who advocated for a formal structure to this organization cited reasons such as legitimacy and feasibility of fundraising. They also raised concerns about direct lobbying without being a licensed organization and limits within their own organization structures. Those members who advocated for a loose structure stressed the importance of being an inclusive movement, arguing that a formal structure might inherently exclude key supporters like the Wilson Center and the Bush Foundation from some of the Coalition’s initiatives. It was unanimously agreed that the #OneBorder Coalition intends to be a lasting, long-term organization, not just a movement that will be dissolved at a predetermined point such as the November 2016 election. Dialogue on the formality of the Coalition’s structure remains open as members continue to determine the most effective way to develop this organization while still promoting growth for the border in the meantime.

Discussion Item #5: Next Steps

Speakers: Lydia Nesbit – VP, Education/Workforce Development, The Borderplex Alliance and Federico Schaffler – Director of the Texas Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development, Texas A&M International University in Laredo

The members will begin to execute the agreed-upon policy agenda and continue to discuss the structure and scope of the #OneBorder Coalition. This includes packaging the issues and creating a singular narrative for the border. Furthermore, several participants urged that the the scope of the Coalition be broadened to include education, the environment, and to define the nature of the organization.

Members were encouraged to identify and recommend Mexican stakeholders and political figures to target and include in this Coalition.

U.S.-Mexico Border Summit August 3-5 in El Paso, TX and Cd. Juárez, Mexico hosted by the Borderplex Alliance. Coalition members are encouraged to attend and a possible meeting may take place if there is a critical mass at the conference.

November 2016 Meeting: Tentative location(s): Tijuana and Ensenada, Baja California

December 2016 Meeting: Phoenix and Tucson were proposed as two potential meeting locations

Francisco Schaffler offered to host a future meeting in Laredo, Texas.

The host organization would be expected to organize the meeting and assume the meeting costs; participants would cover their own travel and lodging expenses.

Finally, continue spreading the #OneBorder hashtag on social media.

Business Leader Spotlight: Renita Mollman, Vice President of Burns & McDonnell

Member Stories

June 21, 2016

Renita Mollman, Vice President of Burns & McDonnell

Renita Mollman, Vice President of Burns & McDonnell

This week, we’re excited to present a business leader spotlight from Renita Mollman, the Vice President of Burns & McDonnell, which is a nationally-recognized engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm.

Renita is one of the first female officers at Burns & McDonnell, and – as the initiator of Burns & McDonnell’s Professional Women’s Exchange – she has personally dedicated herself to advancing and mentoring women within the firm. As Vice President, Renita oversees a team of dedicated professionals in Burns & McDonnell’s Southern California offices, and ensures that the firm works to deliver innovative and cost-effective solutions to a wide array of clients.

Renita is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies, plus the San Diego and Orange County chapters of WTS. In 2015, she was also recognized by WTS as the San Diego Chapter’s Woman of the Year.

Read what Renita had to say below:

What are you most excited about for Burns & McDonnell Engineering this year?

It’s incredibly exciting that we’re engineering new solutions to the same challenges our founders Clinton Burns & Robert McDonnell faced 118 years ago – to build our country’s infrastructure.

Today, innovations are leading to some of the most advanced infrastructure designs our world has ever seen. In fact, we’re doing so much in the fields of renewable energy and aviation, that we’re predicting Burns & McDonnell will grow an unprecedented 15 to 20 percent in California alone.

Renita Mollman Accepting Woman of the Year Award

Renita Mollman Accepting Woman of the Year Award

Wow, that’s really exciting! So, from your experience – what do you see for the future of San Diego business?

Well, California is actually leading the charge for renewable energy across the entire country. We’re making great strides with innovative solar and wind powered systems, as well as microgrids, battery storage and onsite generation. With looming state and city mandates, this will be a huge opportunity for economic growth.

Our clients are always looking for ways to take efficiency, reliability and resiliency to an all new level and we’re proud to have built this as a true area of excellence for our firm. In fact, Engineering News-Record just ranked Burns & McDonnell as the No. 1 engineering design firm in the country serving the electric power industry.

And, for San Diego – the Navy and ports are continuing to serve as the heartbeat of our economy. They’re making exciting investments to their infrastructures, making them more reliable and sustainable than ever before, and this is sure to draw more tourists and businesses to the region.

Great news! Now, since you’re the executive leader of a large and dynamic firm, do you have any advice for young professionals who want to be in your shoes one day?

My advice to young professionals is to continue to grow, take risks to move yourself up, and establish a good network of mentors and managers who can support you along the way.

Also, look for ways to continuously reimagine your career. Find a gap and fill it. Identify a role that can benefit the company and your clients – and show how you run with it and provide value.

I was really fortunate, because Burns & McDonnell is a 100 percent employee-owned firm, so I learned early about taking ownership on projects and everyday tasks, because it’s an extremely entrepreneurial environment and you have the opportunity – and responsibility – to act as an owner. We encourage our employee-owners to get uncomfortable, take risks and try new things. In our view, staying the same is simply a step backwards.

Good to know. So, tell us – what book is currently sitting on your night stand?

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful

And, in a parallel universe, what career would you be in?

I have a passion for bringing new life to old Victorian homes and bungalows, so in a parallel universe I would probably be restoring charming 20th Century homes.

And last, which famous person would you like to take out for coffee, past or present?

Mother Teresa

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A special thank you goes to Renita Mollman for taking the time to sit with the Chamber team and answer our questions! Do you know a Chamber member with a great story to tell? Nominate them for a business leader spotlight by emailing communications@SDChamber.org.