P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network
Meeting Summary
April 8, 2009The April 2009 monthly meeting of the POWER Collaborative Network (PCN) meeting was special to say the least. The PCN members wish to express a large amount of appreciation to AEG - Staples Center – Nokia Theatre L.A. Live for hosting which was the 100th monthly meeting of the PCN. Special thanks goes to Joe Herrera, Director of Human Resources and Perlita Pulido, Human Resources Manager, for making it happen in such grand fashion.
Listed below are all of 45 businesses and nonprofit organizations that have provided in-kind support to the P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network since its’ down-to-earth beginnings in January 2001. With 100 monthly meetings, numerous committee meetings, three annual two day job fairs, and six annual Chorographers of Careers© Awards Programs, the PCN has help raise the awareness and importance of expediting job delivery and development for the greater Los Angeles region. The PCN performs well as a business and labor assistance organization.
Joe Herrera, Director of Human Resources, Staples Center and Nokia Theatre L.A. Live conveyed his distinct pleasure to host the 100th meeting of the PCN and to also show appreciation to all of the job developers that have worked to refer employment candidates over the years for AEG building projects. He indicated that although construction at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live complex remains in process, there are no new jobs available at this time. However, Mr. Herrera stated that he understands the urgency of finding jobs for so many in Los Angeles, therefore, he is willing to help with mock interviews at Work Source Centers, where needed. Mr. Herrera can be reached by email at jherrera@staplescenter.com and Ms. Pulido’s email address is ppulido@staplescenter.com
Caroline Christian Hines, Hines Hospitality, volunteered supportive information to Mr. Herrera’s presentation with her personal interaction with AEG and how it has worked to help employ thousands of Los Angeles area residents. Ms. Hines indicated that the L.A. LIVE project has assisted her with employment in its four million square foot development adjacent to the Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center. It incorporates a number of venues, restaurants and clubs like the Club Nokia, the Conga Room, Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge, plus the new GRAMMY Museum, in addition to Starbucks, Lawry's Carvery, Flemings Steakhouse and Wine Bar, The Farm of Beverly Hills, ESPN Zone, New Zealand Natural Ice Cream and the Yardhouse restaurants. Ms. Hines stated that four additional restaurants are set to open soon, followed by a 14-screen Regal Cineplex. Current construction is near completion of the 54-story, 1001-room Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels that will host 224 luxury condominiums, which means a future in hospitality jobs still exists in Downtown Los Angeles.
Ms. Hines created a surprise that added value to the observance of the 100th PCN meeting. She coordinated PCN members to acknowledge the dedicated work of Dean Jones with keeping the spirit alive and effectiveness of the PCN activity over an eight year span. Ms. Anita Wallace, Los Angeles Urban League Worksource Business and Career Center manager, served as Co-presenter. Whereas, on behalf of the L.A. Urban League, Ms. Wallace presented a plague to Mr. Jones and the PCN for delivering consistent job development work toward bettering the greater Los Angeles region.
The PCN observance continued with a number of outstanding well wishers including;
Rosalind Pennington, President of the National Black Business Council presented a congratulatory plague for the PCN accomplishments. Ms. Pennington can be reached by email at rospennington@sbcglobal.net
Also, very kind remarks and testimonies on the progress of the PCN and its benefits were sincerely expressed by;
Jane Alcala, Los Angeles County Probation (jane_alcala@cacp.uscourts.gov)
Erick Cerda, Los Angeles County Probation (erick.cerda@probation.lacounty.gov)
Darryl Fisher, California Employment Development Department (dfisher@edd.ca.gov)
Michael Bennett, Los Angeles Urban League (Mbennett@laul.org)
Billy Williams, Los Angeles Urban League – West Adams WorkSource (billy.williams@laul.org)
LaVonté Jackson, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County (LJackson@goodwillsolac.org)
Sharon Cruse, Purple Reign - Personal Skills Training Center (admin@purplereignlifeskillscenter.com)
Sheila Wiley, Jobing.com (sheila.wiley@jobing.com)
Valerie Rowe, VisionSpot Consulting Inc. / Customer Service Institute presented two handsome plagues from the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources-LA Chapter, and VisionSpot Consulting Inc. Ms. Rowe later conducted the networking portion of the meeting by ensuring that everyone received the opportunity to introduce themselves and share any specific needs or resources with the other PCN members in attendance. Ms. Rowe’s email is: valerie@developing-u.com
Tim Whiteman, Marketing Manager, ESPN Zone @ L.A. LIVE, welcomed all of the PCN members and invited them to enjoy this new prime location hot spot right on the corner of Chick Hearn Place and Figueroa, spanning two floors. He provided a tour of the state-of-the-art sports bar that features several lounges and other rooms including ‘The Screening Room’ with a wall plastered with flat screens and individual monitors at each booth. Also on the lower level is ‘The Studio Grill’ for casual dining and a slick looking bar right on the corner. Upstairs is another comfortable lounge with adjoining private rooms (with fat leather couches) that overlook the wall of sports in the previously-mentioned Screening Room below. Also upstairs is the Sports Arena, with high tech interactive games of every description lining the walls. PCN members on the tour received a greatly appreciated $25 complementary game card to use on ESPN’s Interactive Sports Arena upon a return visit. Mr. Whiteman’s office number is (213) 765-7078, email: tim.whiteman@espnzonelalive.com
Al Washington Executive Director for the Construction Career Awareness Day scheduled for May 7, 2009, 9 AM to 3 PM, in Los Angeles, California, presented a formal invitation for PCN members to participate in Construction Career program, sponsored by Turner Construction. Approximately 2,000 Los Angeles Unified School District students and adults, age 18 yrs and over will attend and CALTRANS will issue passes to accept the job seekers and participating job developers. Mr. Washington can be reached at (626) 321-7041, or by email at alwash9727@aol.com.
Eric Clay and Tanya Carter of Operation Hope briefly presented on the importance for employees and job seekers to have an excellent credit profile. Good credit is required to obtain employment; rent an apartment; and to obtain financing for a home or car, plus having excellent credit can also save you thousands of dollars in finance charges. One of the services offered by Operation Hope is its Credit Counseling program that provides free one on one counseling sessions for the purpose of identifying basic credit, debt and budgeting issues so that individuals can improve their personal credit and financial profile. Mr. Lee stated that they have classes with a curriculum designed to provide individuals with specific wealth building tools. The series will benefit those individuals and families that desire to understand their consumer rights, how to establish and maintain “good debt”, how to make money “work” for them through investments, and tax law and preparation. Mr. Clay’s email is ericclay@operationhope.org, and Ms. Carter’s is tanya.carter@operationhope.org
Dean Jones, CEO, Southland Partnership Corporation, acknowledges his appreciation for the overwhelming support to the business of networking for expanding job and training resources throughout the Los Angeles market. He emphasized that the sharing of job/training opportunities provide a valuable community service and a positive socioeconomic impact for everyone living and working in the Southern CA region.
To that extent, he reminded everyone to take advantage of the no-cost community job announcement web site, www.ISartOnMonday.com for a complete resource of active training and job programs. PCN members like Erick Cerda, LA County Probation, Janaya Thomas Goodwill, Angel Del Villa, Dale McIntosh Center, Duffy Leah, Volunteers of America Jorge Orozco Para Los Niños, Dinah White, CA EDD, and Mary Ball, CA EDD, and Marie Martin, Compton CareerLink all consistently share a generous number of job, training, seminars, conferences, and other human services to this Internet sensation.
This community service program is part of the non-profit public benefits provided by the Southland Partnership Corporation, [Federal I.D. #91-2167324], which enhances the PCN member’s ability to extend opportunities to a much broader base of job seekers and employers, in order to better reach and meet the needs of all southern California organizations and businesses. This technology tool is receiving over 150,000 site visitors each month. Mr. Jones’ office number is (310) 637-7248, or email POWERSOLA@aol.com
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The next PCN meeting is Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 10 AM – Noon, hosted by U.S. Vets, Dwight Radcliff and Ivan Mason, 733 S. Hindry Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301, (310) 864-7008, or email: Imason@usvetsinc.org.
Meeting Attendees for April 2009
Al Washington, CalTrans Construction Career Day
Alphonso Reed, Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC)
Angel Del Villar, Dayle McIntosh Center
Anita Wallace, Los Angeles Urban League – Worksource Business and Career Center
Arecelia Sandoval, Personal Involvement Center, Inc. – Healthy Marriage
Armando Jamjian, Encore Tax Consulting Group
Armida Avila, Healthy Living
Barbara Lynn, Personal Involvement Center, Inc. – Healthy Marriage
Bennie Richards, Weingart Group
Billy Williams, Los Angeles Urban League – West Adams Workscource
Captain Joe Mariani, Los Angeles Police Department
Carolyn Christian Hines, Hines Hospitality
Cassandra Britt-Nickerson, Los Angeles Police Department
Charlotte Callegari, City of Carson - Career Center
Chris Floyd, Los Angeles OIC
Christine Haro, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Clarence Espinosa, Los Angeles World Airports
Coledias Wilson, Human Potential Consulting
Darryl Fisher, California Employment Development Department
David Broom, UCLA Government Community Relations
Dean Jones, Southland Partnership Corporation / P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network
Deidra Vandiegriff, New Directions, Inc.
Delores Frisby, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Dennis Stovall, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Diane Lessner, Veteran’s Administration – West Los Angeles
Din Prince, World Financial Group
Dorian Frank, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Duffy Leahy, Volunteers of America
Dwayne Price, Los Angeles Urban League
Edwin Duterte, PinkSlipMixers.com
Emma Castillo, Prudential – California Realty
Eric Clay, Operation Hope
Erick Cerda, Los Angeles County Probation
Gail Delgado, City of Los Angeles
Gary Wright, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
George Hernandez, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)
Greg Clayborn, Farmers Insurance
Greg McCormick, U.S. Vets, Inc.
Henry Smith, Compton CareerLink WorkSource Center
Jalonn Harrison, Los Angeles Job Corps
Janaya Thomas, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Jane Alcala, Los Angeles County Probation
Jason Johnson, Creation World
Jeanette Magee, El Camino College
Jeannie Sherafatian, Social Service
Jerry Edmond, JVS Los Angeles
Joan Samuels, WorkSource Hollywood
Joe Herrera, AEG – Staples Center – Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
Jose Guadron, Archdiocesan Youth Employment Services (Catholic Charities of L.A.)
Joseph Rouzan, City of Los Angeles Community Development Department
Karen Robinson, Creative Marketing
KC Loag, Tri-County Occupational Training Center
Kevin Kincey, U.S. Vets
Kevin Matthews, Los Angeles Job Corps
Kisheen Tulloss, Crystal Stairs
Larry Ervin, California Employment Development Department
LaVonté Jackson, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Leslie Parness, JVS / MDR
Luis Rivera, Encore Tax Consulting Group
Mark Calloway
Mark Reeves, State of California, Employment Training Panel
Maryd Miller, City of Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement, Boyle Heights
Michael Bennett, Los Angeles Urban League
Natalie Cole, Our Weekly News
Norma Coronado, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
Onica Ross, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
Perlita Pulido, AEG – Staples Center – Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
Rosalind Pennington, National Black Business Council
Sadiki Etienne, City of Los Angeles
Sal Barajas, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Sergeant Holder, Los Angeles Police Department
Sergio Castaneda, Wilshire Metro Worksource
Sharon Beard, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
Sharon Cruse, Purple Reign - Personal Skills Training Center
Sheila Clark, Computer Empowerment Project
Sheila Wiley, Jobing.com
Shirley Green, InterCoast Colleges
Tamika Taylor, City of Los Angeles – CCYF
Tanya Carter, Operation Hope
Tim Whiteman, ESPN Zone
Valerie Rowe, VisionSpot Consulting Inc. / Customer Service Institute
Veronica Martin, Allstate Insurance
Veronica Mendoza, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County
Victor Gomez, Abram Friedman Occupational Learning Center – LAUSD
Victoria Carter, Tax Credit Company
Winfield Bickley, Veteran’s Administration MC-West LA
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PCN started in January 2001, focused on job coordination for community residents in order to assist in public & private sector work placement. The PCN members are community builders serving to identify, nurture, & mobilize local assets by enhanced networking to rejuvenate economies, strengthen business investments, & ultimately build up civil society. The PCN meets monthly sharing job recruitment, funding, training, workforce projects, & other related topics at various member locations.
P.O.W.E.R. - Partnership Opportunities With Economic/Educational Resources
P.O.W.E.R. Meeting Hosts
Year 2009
Compton Career Link WorkSource Center
Personal Involvement Center
Jobing.com
AEG—Staples Center—Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
U.S. Vets
City of Carson
Los Angeles Urban League
Los Angeles County Probation Department
County of Los Angeles Title V—Senior Program
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
CA Employment Development Department
Goodwill Industries—Long Beach
Year 2008
Broad Spectrum CDC / City of Long Beach
Long Beach Job Corps
Jobing.com
InterCoast Colleges
City of L.A., CDD Youth Opportunity Movement
People Assisting The Homeless (P.A.T.H.)
Los Angeles Urban League
Los Angeles Job Corps
New Directions, Inc.
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
CA Employment Development Department
Goodwill Industries—Long Beach
Year 2007
Long Beach Workforce Dev. & Broad Spectrum
L. A. Urban League Career & Business Ctr.
LA Southwest College
L.A. Unified School District
Housing Authority, City of L.A.—Jordan Down
West Angeles, Community Development Corporation
Crystal Stairs, Inc.
L.A. Urban League Worksource Center
County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
CA Employment Development Department
Goodwill Industries—Long Beach
Year 2006
City of Long Beach & Broad Spectrum
L. A. Urban League Career & Business Ctr.
Los Angeles Urban League Worksource
City of LA Youth Opportunity Movement
City of Los Angeles World Airports
Veterans Industries-Omeric
County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
CA Employment Development Depart.
Southeast Los Angeles Worksource Center
Year 2005
Goodwill Industries—Long Beach
Veterans Industries-Omeric
Broad Spectrum & Ascension Church
Los Angeles Urban League
People Assisting The Homeless (P.A.T.H.)
Business Training Schools & SASSFA
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
Broad Spectrum & the City of Inglewood
CA Employment Development Department
A.B.L.E.—Int’l. Assoc. for Better Living & Education
Year 2004
Housing Authority, City of L.A.—Mar Vista Gardens
Los Angeles Southwest College*
Jordan-Locke Community Adult School
LA County Office of Education—Head Start
P.O.W.E.R. Job Fair and Resources Summit—LA Southwest College
Compton Community College
P.I.C. — Praises of Zion Baptist Church
Los Angeles World Airports—Flight Path Museum
Long Beach Job Corps
CA Employment Development Department
A.B.L.E.—Int’l. Assoc. for Better Living & Education
Year 2003
Los Angeles Southwest College
Golden State Mutual Life
Los Angeles Southwest College
P.O.W.E.R. Job Fair and Resources Summit—LA Southwest College
A.B.L.E. - Int’l. Assoc. for Better Living & Education
GAIN/CAL-WORKS—Employ. Preparation Center
Los Angeles Urban League—South LA Worksource
Compton Community College
CA Employment Dev. Dept. /UAW LETC
Esperanza School of Technology
Asian American Drug Abuse Program, Inc. (AADAP)
A.B.L.E.—Int’l. Assoc. for Better Living & Education
Year 2002
Los Angeles Urban League—West Adams Worksource
Los Angeles Southwest College*
P.O.W.E.R. Job Fair and Resources Summit—LA Southwest College
F.A.M.E. Renaissance Center
Southland Business Partnership—CA Science Center
Dept. of Public Social Services GAIN—Region IV*
Year 2001
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles City College
GAIN/CAL-WORKS—Employ. Preparation Center
Faithful Central Bible Church
University of Southern California
South Bay Worksource—Inglewood Library
Los Angeles Industry Opportunity Corporation
A.B.L.E.—Int’l. Assoc. for Better Living & Education
Metropolitan Water District
Los Angeles Southwest College
Center for Regional Employment Strategies
[*Hosted Consecutive Monthly Meetings]