By Ted AYALA

Some sad news to begin with this week. A very dear friend of our chamber’s, Bill Bates, passed away last Wednesday. Bill had long served on our board as treasurer and was a tremendous contributor to our community. His life had touched many and though I cannot count myself so fortunate as to have been able to meet him, I am in daily contact with the great deeds he wrought for our chamber.
Bill was a highly esteemed CPA in our community, but his real love lay in painting. He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. Funeral arrangements are still pending as of the writing of this article. Contact us for information.
Our annual golf classic is coming up April 22. A great day of fun and golfing at the Verdugo Hills Golf Course (6433 La Tuna Canyon Road, Tujunga) awaits you there. Me? I’m just looking forward to not getting marooned on a sand trap for several hours again. After the games, join us at Leo’s All-Star Sports Bar and Grill (2941 Honolulu Ave, La Crescenta) for an awards ceremony and dinner. We’ve been having lots of fun planning this event and we know you’ll have even more fun enjoying it. Help sponsor our golf classic to get some great ad space and word of mouth. You can help sponsor our event by donating a prize to our raffle. Find out how you can help the MVCCC help you by contacting me at (818) 249-7171 or by emailing me at tayala@montrosechamber.org.
Congratulations to our friends Sadd/Higashi/Shamma and Velazquez & Associates on their recent merger. Both teams have provided excellent tax planning and preparation, business consulting, accountant services, and more for decades. We wish them much success and know that combined they will be an even greater asset to our community yet. You can find their offices at 330 North Brand Blvd., Suite 200. Contact them at (818) 547-5701, (818) 550-8222, or online at www.svhscpas.com.
We also extend a warm welcome to our newest member, Jen Swain of Digital Orange Studios. Jen Swain and her team help businesses put a fresh face to the world through print and web design, illustration, photography, logo design, and more. Some of her work could be seen in past Rose Parade floats from La Cañada where her designs won awards from the parade jury. If you need some award winning help with your website, advertising, etc., contact Jen at (818) 429-6906 or email her at jen@getdigitalorange.com. To see some of her work, visit www.swainsdesigns.com. Welcome, Jen!
Don’t get left behind—follow the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce via our Facebook or our website at www.montrosechamber.org. Our offices are open Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can call us at (818) 249-7171 or email us at tayala@montrosechamber.org.
We also have some more surprises coming up at the MVCCC, so stay tuned to this column for a special announcement next week. As always—don’t forget to shop Montrose!

Ted Ayala is the executive director of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce.