A Message from Chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit:

Stockton Provides Place for Family Fun 

June 2007 -- As you can tell by the cover photo it’s San Joaquin Fair time in Stockton which provides fun for all of Northern and Central California. The San Joaquin Fair is a part of the history of this city and county, and has been enjoyed by many generations of families and residents from all over the area.

The San Joaquin Fair is one of Northern California’s premier county fairs. It features fun for everyone with big-name concerts, a terrific carnival, horse racing which is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary, agriculture exhibits which celebrate the county’s No. 1 industry, livestock, food and a myriad of interesting exhibits. Please attend the San Joaquin County Fair this year and spread the word of how much fun it REALLY is for all. For more information please go to www.stocktonchamber.org and scroll down to the SJ Fair logo or to the Fair’s website, www.sanjoaquinfair.com.

Talk about fun and success how about the 22^nd Annual Asparagus Festival? I am proud to have been associated with the festival since the beginning and so excited to see it improve each and every year in location enhancements, attendance, volunteers and the bottom line of much needed funds for so many non-profits.

Since I have the honor of sitting on the Board of Directors of the Festival, I have been thrilled to see the numbers coming in. The announcement and presentation of the amounts given to the non-profits will not be made until the official ceremony on June 28^th at the Stockton Golf and Country Club but I can tell you that there were over 100,000 people in attendance, record amounts of money was spent on food, beverages and goods leading me and the board to believe that the record set during the 21^st Asparagus Festival for the dollar amount given to the organizations has a good chance of being broken. That is always a good thing!

Everyone who came downtown was excited to see the continual face of the area changing and all for the better. People marveled at the rising Sheraton Stockton at Regent Pointe, the anticipation of the City moving forward on the Marina (which should be happening very soon), the safety of the event which made it great for families and everyone who attended.

A big thanks to the City of Stockton who is the Festival’s wonderful co-sponsor, all the city staff (Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, administration and all the City employees behind the scenes that help make it happen), the vendors, the suppliers and most of all the over 5,000 volunteers who give of their time and energy to help so many of their fellow human beings and citizens who need that extra boost to have a better quality of life. God bless each and every one of you and see you at the 23^rd festival which promises to be even bigger and better!!  Oh yes, did I mention the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce weather that had so much to do with the success of the Festival this year?  How could I forget that…….

Each and every day I move about this wonderful city I get more excited about the wonderful changes taking place and so happy to see more people out and about as they discover that there is a great deal to do here if you only put your toe in the water and find it is just right.

On the evening of Friday May 18^th I just drove around the four points of the compass around Stockton and there were people and families everywhere.

The area around the Stockton Civic Theatre was lined with cars for the performance of Damn Yankees, the malls were full, restaurants all around town had people and families, the Ports were playing, the City Centre Cineplex and surrounding businesses were bustling and people were just having a good evening with friends and family. Isn’t that what it is all about?

In early June Huell Howser with California’s Gold will be filming in Stockton and thanks to the hard work of Wes Rhea, Conference and Visitors Bureau Director, Huell Howser and his staff are very excited about the planned shoot. We will keep you posted on when it will be shown or better yet keep checking www.visitstockton.org to see when it will be aired and about all the other great things happening in your home town and nearby communities.

I also want to congratulate the Port of Stockton on a great past year. The annual report is now out and it truly demonstrates the importance of the Port of Stockton to this community past, present and more importantly into the future. I know you will find it very interesting and exciting to get a copy. Just let us know and we will get one to you. Another good way to learn about the Port of Stockton is to go to their informative web site, www.portofstockton.com.

 I also want to take the opportunity to thank President Charlynn Harless for a JOB WELL DONE! President Harless demonstrated her leadership, professionalism, concern, courage, compassion, knowledge, passion and her commitment to others, the betterment of the City of Stockton and making the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce the best it can be!

She led by example and I know that the Executive Committee, Board Members, Staff and membership respected her during her term in office.

She is a great asset to this community and I thank her for her support this last year in office but most of all for a lifelong friendship. You can participate in saying thanks to Charlynn at the Annual Installation dinner on June 21^st at the Stockton Golf and Country Club as she turns over the reigns to the 2007-2008 President Rick Aschieris, Director of the Port of Stockton. Call the Chamber; 547-2770 for reservations as soon as possible for this is always a sell out event.

Please read the entire Port O Call for all the events in June and news about your fellow members. Also, remember to go on a very regular basis to www.visitstockton.org and www.stocktonchamber.org.