Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Dimitrios Alexiou, Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Tom Brickley, Erin Brinker, Ken Coate, Bill Easley, Dick Hart, Scott Hofferber, Lowell King, Bill Lemann, Temetry Lindsey, Sue McKee, John Mirau, Lou Monville, Tom Nightingale, Kristine Scott, Paul Shimoff, Steve von Rajcs, Phil Waller, A.J. Wilson and Ray Wolfe.
Guests: Melissa Boyce, Pam Langford, Sheriff John McMahon, Jim Morris and Nathan Miller
Announcements: 1) On June 28th there will be a Southern California Water Committee (SCWC) Bay Delta Conservation Plan workshop from 10a.m. to 2p.m. at Western Municipal Water District. For more information please use the link provided http://socalwater.org/images/SCWC_BDCP_Workshop_13.pdf 2) The Monday Morning Group of Western Riverside County has extended an invitation to the members of Inland Action to attend their Annual Reception celebrating their 50 year anniversary. The event will be on Thursday, June 27th at the Mission Inn. Please Rsvp to nadcock@riverside-chamber.com by June 24 if you plan to attend. 3) On July 11th the Randall Lewis Seminar series, held at UCR, will present guest speakers Assembly Member Jose Medina and Senator Richard Roth discussing 6 months in Sacramento-Reflections from Riverside Legislators. For more information and to register for the seminar please use the link provided http://or.ucr.edu/Event/index.aspx 4) A coalition of employees, businesses, community leaders have joined together and are gathering signatures on a petition to support Enterprise Zones. The petition was passed around the table to the membership present.
M/S/P: Minutes from June 11, 2013
Kristine Scott introduced Marco Robles, Public Affairs Director, Cardenas Markets.
The Cardenas family operates some 30 grocery stores and has over 3,500 employees. A non-union family owned business since 1981, the family recognizes the gap in services and the need in many communities for food quality and quantity. Seeing this need, they have positioned their markets in Hispanic communities where they can be a replacement business, moving in where other businesses have closed and left.
Cardenas Markets understand their customers and have a family oriented design for their store lay outs. Wider isles accommodate traditional family shopping and their shopping carts are equipped with two built-in child seats. Various murals are painted on the different store department walls adding to the ambiance of an outdoor fresh market experience. Adding to their success they have diversified their business by creating and selling ready to eat foods under the Del Real Foods label. Del Real Foods manufactures many popular Mexican dishes such as chile verde, baracoa, and carnitas that they distribute to various markets including Costco, SAM’s, Smart & Final, Stater Bros. and many more. The Cardenas family continues to play a leading role in the cultivation of each new Del Real Foods product, assuring that the taste and texture remains authentic and true to their Mexican roots.
Marco Robles discussed the Cardenas Market Inc. Scholarship Foundation. They partner with many educational groups such as Cal State San Bernardino, UC Riverside, Chaffey College, Cal Poly Pomona, The Inland Empire Scholarship Fund, The Public Education Fund and more in order to assist and invest in their communities. Internally, they see the growing retirement population and are sending employees thru retail training in cooperation with Cal Poly and Cal Grocers Association.
Cardenas Markets participate in the Champions for Change (Network for a Healthy California) program that is a commitment to help families eat more fruits and vegetables and be more physically active. They are also involved in making healthy changes in their neighborhoods and offer cooking classes, often with a tie to cultural events.
They actively encourage voter registration and community participation. At their Las Vegas market they served as an early polling place. The results were impressive with a 30% increase in voter turnout. Accessibility and a comfortable environment were key and could likely be recreated in other areas as well.
Future opportunities for growth are seen in the Inland Empire and Nevada.
Food is a commonality that brings us all together. Cardenas Markets are here for everyone and are helping to make a change in the community.
A Q & A period followed.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 a.m.