California Chamber of Commerce

The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is a business network providing support and lobbying services for California businesses. It provides assistance on areas including health care, workers' compensation and business taxes.

CalChamber membership facts:

Members total more than 16,000
Members employ one-fourth the private sector workforce in California
75% of CalChamber members have 100 or fewer employees

Mission statement

"To make California a better place to do business by giving private-sector employers a voice in state politics and providing a full range of California-specific products and services."

Board of directors

Allan Zaremberg, President and Chief and Executive Officer
Edwin A. Guiles, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Sempra Energy
Frederick R. Ruiz, First Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board, Ruiz Foods
Larree M. Renda, Second Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Strategist and Administrative Officer, Safeway Inc.
S. Shariq Yosufzai, Third Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Global Marketing, Chevron
Russell Gould, Immediate Past Chair and Senior Managing Director of Wachovia Portfolio Services

History

The CalChamber has been presenting the business viewpoint for nearly 120 years with an experienced public policy advocacy staff. the CalChamber is the most effective voice in the state capital for all California employers. It has consistently functioned as a source for legislative campaign information and the coordination of political contributions with grass-roots strength stemming from ties with California's local chambers of commerce.

On the issues

Each year the CalChamber tracks some 3,000 legislative proposals on behalf of employers, works to promote cost-saving reforms and fights anti-business legislation.

Backed by the veto pen of a pro-jobs Governor in Arnold Schwarzenegger, the CalChamber has stopped numerous “job killer” bills from becoming law, saving employers millions of dollars and protecting jobs for the California economy. In recent years, the CalChamber has made efforts to:

protected workers’ compensation reforms,
helped control unemployment insurance costs,
helped control health care costs,
stopped tax increases — both in legislation and at the ballot box,
kept a lid on wage costs,
safeguarded the ability of California ports to keep goods moving,
won voter approval of investment in critical infrastructure,
stimulated business activity through support for the enterprise zone program,
ensured students are better prepared for the workplace,
helped California small businesses,
promoted tourism marketing,
kept the lid on excessive litigation.
increased world trade, investment and tourism opportunities.