Bay Area Council Blog: Events Archive

Charting a Course for Megaregion Coordination

By Bay Area Council - April 06, 2018

Posted in: 21st Century Infrastructure, Community Engagement, Economy, Education, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Gender Equity, Government Relations, Healthcare, Housing and Sustainable Development, Membership, News, Newsroom, Science and Innovation, Storm & Flood Protection, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Water, Workforce of the Future

A rising economy, a massive housing shortage and growing traffic in the Bay Area are causing major changes across the Northern California megaregion that represent both opportunities and challenges. The Bay Area Council is spearheading an effort to bring together business, government, academic and civic leaders from across the megaregion on planning to embrace the former and minimize the latter. The Council last week traveled to Stockton where CEO Jim Wunderman presided over a meeting that included mayors from Stockton, Merced, Modesto and Livermore, leaders from key rail and regional planning organizations, and business and academic leaders.

In addition to hearing about the foundational research on the Northern California megaregion put together by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and University of the Pacific, participants focused on the potential for future rail investments–in the ACE train and high speed rail–to spur economic development. The meeting, hosted by University of the Pacific in partnership with Valley Vision, was the first of a series of meetings the Council is convening across the megaregion in the coming months that will seek to produce a common policy advocacy agenda for megaregional stakeholders. To engage in the Bay Area Council’s work on the Northern California Megaregion, please contact Senior Vice President Michael Cunningham.

Council’s Board Welcomes Senator Feinstein and Mayor Schaaf

By Bay Area Council - March 30, 2018

Posted in: 21st Century Infrastructure, China, Community Engagement, Early Childhood Education, Economy, Education, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Gender Equity, Government Relations, Healthcare, Housing and Sustainable Development, Membership, News, Newsroom, Science and Innovation, Storm & Flood Protection, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf met with the Bay Area Council’s Board of Directors Thursday to discuss a range of pressing issues, from healthcare reform and homelessness to infrastructure investment and public safety. Board Chairman and Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson welcomed both leaders to a packed room at Kaiser’s Oakland headquarters. Feinstein updated the Board on her efforts to ban assault weapons, an issue she has championed for decades. She also discussed the importance of making Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) permanent as well as her interest in leveraging public private partnerships to repair and rebuild the nation’s aging and crumbling infrastructure.

Investing to expand and improve the region’s congested transportation system was also a top issue as Feinstein emphasized the need for a new crossing south of the Bay Bridge. Tyson thanked Feinstein for her great leadership and urged Council members to join a business delegation we’re leading to D.C. in May to promote California’s importance to the nation as some critics frame the Golden State as out of control.

Feinstein also gave warm praise for Mayor Schaaf, who described the progress Oakland is making in turning around years of crime and addressing a complicated homeless problem. Schaaf also highlighted a measure she is championing for the November ballot—the Oakland Children’s Initiative—that would invest in expanding access to early education and other early childhood programs. She touted the huge returns that early childhood investments have in increasing employment opportunities and avoiding expensive social and public safety costs. This is an issue that has long been a priority for the Council, whose executive leadership has expressed early support for Schaaf’s November measure as she works to get it placed on the ballot. The Council extends its gratitude to Kaiser Permanente for hosting our meeting.

OCCUPATIONAL COUNCILS TARGET SKILLS GAPS

By Bay Area Council - March 09, 2018

Posted in: Economy, Education, Events, Membership, Workforce of the Future

Last Wednesday, the Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee wrapped up research for a one-year evaluation of its Occupational Councils (OCs) model. The study, conducted in conjunction with a Stupski Foundation Learning Grant, showed that Council members see the OCs as a critical platform for communication among the region’s economic stakeholders. As one member explained, “The Council serves as a great resource to discuss best practices within an industry that needs additional education for prospective students/members/educators.”

Employers surveyed expressed enthusiasm for the Occupational Councils’ ability to connect them with potential talent through hands-on experiences such as classroom visits and industry-specific career fairs, as well as the opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. As another member stated, “Whenever we are able to freely share best practices/challenges, and create opportunities that help all, we each benefit.”

First implemented in 2016 in partnership with the Bay Area Community College Consortium, Occupational Councils are groups of employers working together in conjunction with educators and trainers to solve the skills gaps pertaining to specific industries or middle-skills occupations. In response to the overwhelmingly positive feedback, the Workforce of the Future Committee is looking to recruit new employer members and establish additional Occupational Councils to facilitate information-sharing between employers, educators, and job seekers.

If you are interested in learning more about the Occupational Councils and other employer programs, please contact Senior Vice President Linda Bidrossian.

CELEBRATING WOMEN AND WORKING FOR GENDER EQUITY

By Bay Area Council - March 09, 2018

Posted in: Economy, Events, Gender Equity, Membership, Workforce of the Future

The world celebrated International Women’s Day on Thursday to honor the social, economic, and political achievements of women across the globe and highlight the considerable work that still needs to be done to provide more leadership and economic opportunities for women and eliminate gender inequity in the workplace and elsewhere. The day was marked by actions across the globe, with women walking out on strike in Europe to protest the gender pay gap and holding #MeToo rallies in South Korea. In the Bay Area and throughout California, women continue to be underrepresented in top leadership roles across many industries and challenged by some workplace practices.

The Bay Area Council has been working through our Gender Equity and Diversity Committee to address these issues, including releasing a Best Practices Resource Guide to build gender equity in the workplace.

You can join the Council’s Gender Equity and Diversity Committee at one of our upcoming meetings to discuss opportunities to advance gender parity in the workplace. On March 30 the committee will convene to hear the results of a transformative Bain & Company study about how flexible workplace policies support thriving employees (not just women) and improve overall employee retention within companies.

On April 12 we are honored to be hosting state Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) for a discussion on her new bill to address the rampant culture of sexual harassment across the nation. In response to the #MeToo movement, SB 820 would ban secret settlements in the cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault in an effort to address cultures of predatory behavior in the workplace. A new NBC News poll released today revealed that a majority of Americans believe the #MeToo movement has helped address gender inequality.

To engage in the Council’s Gender Equity & Diversity Committee work, please contact Policy Director Emily Loper.

LEADERS DISCUSS WAYS TO SOLVE THE BAY AREA’S HOUSING CRISIS

By Bay Area Council - February 09, 2018

Posted in: Community Engagement, Economy, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Government Relations, Housing and Sustainable Development, Membership, News, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Workforce of the Future

The Bay Area’s top business and political leaders converged at Facebook today (Feb. 9) to recommit themselves to addressing California’s housing crisis. The summit, cohosted by the Bay Area Council and Silicon Valley Leadership Group, featured state legislators David Chui, Jim Beall and Scott Wiener, who urged support for the upcoming state housing bond (SB3), a bill to increase density near transit (Wiener, SB827), and creating a cap and trade system for housing permitting. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf urged companies to invest in local affordable housing projects by working with cities to provide low-interest capital.

Led by Council CEO Jim Wunderman and Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino, a veritable who’s who of housing and company leaders, including Andy Ball (RAD Urban) and Denise Pinkston (TMG Partners), among others, discussed the economics of housing construction, while Council Housing Committee Chair Carla Boragno from Genentech and Elliott Schrage from Facebook discussed how the shortage is hurting communities and the Bay Area economy. Participants, which included some of the region’s top c-suite executives, also talked about the solutions they plan to support at state and local levels. To engage in the Council’s housing policy work, please contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: FIRST AVIATION CAREER EXPLORATION DAY IS A SUCCESS

By Bay Area Council - January 26, 2018

Posted in: Community Engagement, Economy, Education, Events, Membership, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Workforce of the Future

Seeking to find solutions to their growing technical talent needs, Bay Area Council members Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) joined forces with the Workforce of the Future Committee to envision, create and host an aviation career exploration event, “Working at SFO: An Insight Event for Local Educators & Community Partners,” last Thursday (1/18). A direct result of the Workforce of the Future Committee’s Aviation Maintenance Occupational Council, the impetus for the event came from employers’ needs to expand their talent pipelines into technical and non-technical roles. The event featured a career expo, career speakers and tours, and allowed local educators, workforce development staff and other career guidance experts to interact directly with employers and learn about the amazing career pathways offered in the aviation industry.

SFO International Airport and the Bay Area Council will host another event on May 16 for students, parents, community members, and interested workers. For more information, please contact Senior Vice President Linda Bidrossian.

REGIONAL MEASURE 3 TAKES IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD

By Bay Area Council - January 12, 2018

Posted in: Community Engagement, Economy, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Government Relations, Housing and Sustainable Development, News, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Workforce of the Future

A bold plan to invest $4.5 billion across the region to ease traffic and improve mass transit for millions of commuters took an important step forward this week (Jan. 10) when the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA)’s Oversight Committee recommended placing Regional Measure 3 (RM3) on the June ballot. The Bay Area Council, partnering with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, SPUR and the California Alliance for Jobs, gave input into the legislation by Sen. Jim Beall that authorizes the vote on RM3 and is preparing to lead the campaign for RM3’s passage. RM3 would make important investments to unclog traffic chokepoints on key major freeways in the East Bay, Silicon Valley and the North Bay, help complete the extension of BART to San Jose and replace its aging fleet, expand regional ferry service and make significant improvements to other key local and regional mass transit systems.

A recent poll by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) showed support for RM3 reaches as high as 60 percent, well above the majority threshold needed for passage. But polls are no guarantee of success and passing RM3 will require a concerted regional campaign to inform voters about the many benefits they will enjoy. To pay for the improvements, RM3 proposes raising tolls on seven state-owned bridges by phasing in three $1 increases over the next six years. BATA’s Oversight Committee recommendation to move forward with RM3 now goes to full MTC-BATA for final approval on Jan. 24. To help support the RM3 campaign, please contact Senior Vice President Michael Cunningham.

11TH ANNUAL ECONOMIC FORECAST CONFERENCE ON JAN. 19

By Bay Area Council - January 05, 2018

Posted in: 21st Century Infrastructure, Community Engagement, Economy, Events, Government Relations, Housing and Sustainable Development, News, Science and Innovation, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Workforce of the Future

What is the economic outlook for the Bay Area in 2018 and beyond? How will national and international trends affect our region? Join the Bay Area Council Economic Institute for the 11th Annual Economic Forecast Conference on Friday, January 19 from 8:00am-11:00am at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Each year this conference convenes the region’s top private and public sector leaders to share their economic outlook for the Bay Area, California and the nation. In addition to remarks by SF Fed President Williams, there will be a panel of thought-leaders from three different sectors: tech, commercial real estate, and finance. Also, visually compelling presentations by the leaders in the field of VR/AR will bring to life the economic forecast by showing what our cities will look like as this development occurs. From new urban homes and offices spaces being created in downtown Oakland to massive developments happening at the San Francisco Shipyards and around San Jose’s Diridon Station, we can now see the future before it is built. Speakers include:

Forecasting the Future
John Williams, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Ranjana Clark, Bay Area President, Union Bank
Kausik Rajgopal, West Coast Regional Manager, McKinsey & Company
Colin Yasikochi, Director of Research and Analysis, CBRE
Igor Popov, Economist, Airbnb

Visualizing the Future
O’Bien Chalmers, President, Steelblue
Radha Mistry, Futurist, Autodesk
Aaron Selvertson, CEO and Founder, Owlized

Special Announcement
Mayor Libby Schaaf, City of Oakland; Vice Chair, Bay Area Council Economic Institute

A continental breakfast will be served. Council members will receive a 50% discount using the code BACEI2018. Click here to register.

2018 POLICY AGENDA TARGETS HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, WORKFORCE

By Bay Area Council - December 08, 2017

Posted in: 21st Century Infrastructure, China, Community Engagement, Cybersecurity, Early Childhood Education, Economy, Education, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Gender Equity, Government Relations, Healthcare, Housing and Sustainable Development, Membership, News, Newsroom, Science and Innovation, Storm & Flood Protection, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Water, Workforce of the Future

Behind the Bay Area Council’s continuing advocacy, the California legislature this year took its first (albeit modest) actions to address the state’s historic housing crisis. Much, much more needs to be done, and the Council’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, under the leadership of Chair and Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard J. Tyson, this week approved a 2018 policy agenda that calls for escalating our work to achieve deeper, stronger and more effective reforms for spurring the tsunami of new housing the state so badly needs. Already, the Council is identifying new legislation for 2018 that can speed the approval and bring down the cost of new housing.

The 2018 agenda also prioritizes ridding the scourge of traffic fom the Bay Area’s roads and highways and getting more commuters out of their vehicles and into ferries, carpools, shuttles and other forms of transit. The Council is gearing up now for a campaign to win passage of Regional Measure 3, a $4.4 billion transportation investment plan that is expected to hit the June 2018 ballot. Rounding out the Council’s top policy priorities for 2018 is building a stronger workforce pipeline to meet the future needs of the region’s employers. The Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee is making immense strides to better align educators and employers to close the region’s yawning middle skills and talent gap, as well as creating new career opportunities for underserved youth.

Along with the top three policy priority areas, the 2018 agenda includes gender equity and workforce diversity, healthcare, advanced communication infrastructure, China and global innovation, carbon reduction and renewables, and water and climate resiliency.

The policy agenda was approved Thursday (Dec. 7) during a meeting hosted by new member Santa Clara University. The Board also welcomed state Sen. Jim Beall Jr. and applauded him for his incredible leadership as the author this year of SB 1, which invests $52 billion in statewide transportation improvements, and SB 595, which authorized the vote on Regional Measure 3. Beall talked about both measures and outlined his plans for new legislation for delivering transportation projects faster and at lower cost. The Council will be working closely with Sen. Beall on that project delivery legislation.

FOCUS TURNS TO 2018 FOR ESCALATING RESPONSE TO CA HOUSING CRISIS

By Bay Area Council - December 01, 2017

Posted in: Economy, Energy and Climate Change, Events, Government Relations, Housing and Sustainable Development, Membership, Transportation, Transportation and Land Use, Workforce of the Future

California’s housing crisis was the hot topic of a discussion the Bay Area Council Housing Committee hosted this week with special guest Eleni Kounalakis, 2018 candidate for Lieutenant Governor and former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. Kounalakis, former president of AKT Development, one of California’s largest housing development firms, said housing is a major plank in her campaign. She described a number of concrete strategies to increase housing production, many of which are consistent with solutions the Council is pursuing, including utilizing public land for development, adding teeth to the housing element law, making some public funds dependent on housing production, supporting bonds to subsidize housing, and creating CEQA exemptions for housing for teachers, first responders, nurses and other employees that are vital to supporting our “social infrastructure.” Kounalakis cited Bay Area first responders who live in Sacramento because of a lack of affordable housing in the Bay Area and the public safety risk that poses here. The Housing Committee will be advocating and potentially sponsoring state legislation next year to support many of these policies. To engage in the Council’s housing policy work, please contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.