A speech by Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, election of officers and the presentation of awards highlighted the Valley Industry and Commerce Association’s annual meeting on Dec. 10. Whitman, who served as president and CEO of eBay for more than a decade, was the keynote speaker at the VICA event which commemorated the organization’s 60 years of advocacy efforts on behalf of San Fernando Valley businesses. The gathering, sponsored by staffing firm Manpower Inc. and Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne, brought together hundreds of local businesses, elected officials and community leaders, among them city Controller Wendy Greuel, and labor leaders Dolores Huerta and husband Richard Chavez, while Labor Secretary Hilda Solis sent a congratulatory video that was played at the event. “I’m a big believer in focus,” said Whitman who announced her candidacy to be the next governor of California in February of this year. “Let’s do three things at 100 percent as opposed to 10 or 15 things at 20 or 30 percent, because the devil is in the detail.” With 30 years of business experience that include stints at the Walt Disney Company and Hasbro, and as an accomplished executive that helped grow eBay from 30 employees and a little over $4.7 million in revenue, to more than 15,000 employees and nearly $8 billion in revenue, Whitman said she is in the best position to get the state out of its current financial crisis. Her agenda would focus on three things. First and foremost is creating jobs to tackle California’s 12.5 percent unemployment rate and help those 2 million people in the state that don’t have jobs, she said. “I’m going to look at everything through one lens: Does it create jobs in California? Does it keep jobs in California?” She’ll do this by streamlining regulation which she said is strangling businesses of all sizes, and by cutting taxes. Second on her list is reducing government spending, rooting out waste, fraud and abuse by introducing more technology and improving efficiency. Third, and what she called her personal passion, is education. On this front, Whitman proposes taking a page from Florida and grading schools with a letter from A-F, something that proved to increase parent involvement and improve academic performance in that state. She also advocates for increasing the number of charter schools. Whitman, who worked on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and later for John McCain, said she was inspired by them to “give back” and pursue a career in public service. She is competing against former congressman Tom Campbell and state insurance commissioner Steve Poizner for the Republican nomination. VICA’s 60th anniversary event also recognized outstanding Valley business leaders and welcomed the organization’s newly installed board and officers. James Garrison, Pacific Federal Insurance Corp., received the 16th Annual Harmon Ballin Community Service Award. Attorney Ralph Tarr was the recipient of the 4th Annual President’s Award. The 31st Robert E. Gibson Corporate Award of Excellence was presented to the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. “VICA has a talented and engaged membership that is illustrated by today’s honorees,” said VICA President Stuart Waldman. “With the support of these leaders and our other impressive members we hope to see the economy improve and a successful year for business in 2010.” VICA’s new board of officers includes Daymond Rice, public government affairs director at Vons, who replaces Greg Lippe as board chair. Joining Rice on the 2010 executive committee is 1st Vice Chair David Adelman from Greenberg & Bass LLP; 2nd Vice Chair Coby King, from MWW Group; and Treasurer Jerald Otchis, a Certified Public Accountant. “It was an honor to serve two years as VICA’s chairman,” said Lippe, a partner in the accounting firm Lippe, Hellie, Hoffer & Allison LLP. “I am confident that Daymond will continue VICA’s effective tradition of advocacy and bring fresh ideas that will carry VICA into the future.”