On Friday, October 12, 2018, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce welcomed small business leaders to The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa to celebrate the 2018 Small Business Awards Luncheon. The event marked President & CEO, Ted Owen’s last signature event as head of the Chamber. Elected officials and members of the Board of Directors also…
BY AHMED HAQUE Chairman of the Board CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE My most rewarding experiences as a Board Member and Chairman have been the hundreds of entrepreneurs I have had the privilege to meet over the years. Although I helped run a small business a long time ago, I have spent most my career working…
BY CAROLINA ALBAN-STOUGHTON The midterm elections are only one month away. As candidates prepare for the final stretch, voters will be watching closely to see if their campaign messages are addressing the needs of the constituents. For Carlsbad Chamber members, the top priorities can look a little bit different than the ones portrayed in the…
BY CAROLINA ALBAN-STOUGHTON With the unemployment rate edging down to 3.9% in July this year, and a workforce that has more options when it comes to choosing a place to apply their bucket of skills, employers are asking themselves what is it that they can offer to retain good talent. According to a recent study…
BY AHMED HAQUE Chairman of the Board CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE While the Chamber does not endorse candidates for office, we do take a position on a select number of matters that may appear on your ballot this November. The first such matter we have considered is Measure HH, which if approved by 55% of…
BY CAROLINA ALBAN-STOUGHTON Business leaders, local government officials, Carlsbad City staffers and local residents gathered at the new Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa on August 24th to celebrate one more edition of the State of the City. This signature event organized by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the City of Carlsbad addressed the city’s…
BY AHMED HAQUE Chairman of the Board CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Two common misconceptions about the Chamber are that we are either a lobbying organization or an agency of the City of Carlsbad. After all, the US Chamber of Commerce is by far the nation’s largest lobbying group and other chambers in California promote economic…
Make an impact in your community by becoming a Civic Champion By CAROLINA ALBAN-STOUGHTON As a young student in Oklahoma, Sue Loftin took a civics class not really knowing the impact a particular hands-on project from that class would have later in her life. “We were required to pick an item that was to be…
Brilliant splashes of color, textures, and artistic statements. What began as teacher Nicole Moersch’s vision has become an inspiring installation of art, as four new murals fill Aviara Oaks Middle School’s (AOMS) campus with color and creative expression. Last year Ms. Moersch, along with music and ASB (student leadership) teacher Marina Hall, conceived a…
BY CAROLINA ALBAN-STOUGHTON A problem finds a solution. An idea turns into a project, which then transforms into a service or product. And when passion threads these processes, a small business is born. “Carlsbad Food Tours was born out of our love of fine wines, delicious food and traveling,” said Cherimarie Poulos, who started her…