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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

VIA Gets Name, Image Makeover

Randy Moberg The Valley Industrial Association is more than just a business group for manufacturers. Its membership also includes professional service companies, such as banks, accounting firms and staffing agencies. That is why the 29-year-old organization has opted for a new name, Valley Industry Association, which is expected to be a truer reflection of exactly who makes up the group. “Even though it’s a small change, it’s a big change in terms of the meaning,” said Randy Moberg, the group’s chairman. “The new name reflects all businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley. We realized that over the years, it really has changed as more businesses moved up here.” The new name comes with many other changes – a new logo, a new slogan of “Connecting and Building SCV Industry,” a redesigned Web site, a blog and a Facebook account. The group’s leaders are also planning to team up with organizations outside the Santa Clarita Valley for future networking events. The group’s leaders decided to make the changes after surveying about 400 businesses in January and discovering the need for better representation of its more diverse members, “These days, you have to have a very clear focus,” he said. “You have to know who your members are and what they need and what they’re looking for.” Previous name changes This is not the first time the group has changed its name in order to broaden its business scope. The group started in 1981 as Valencia Manufacturing Association, and was changed in 1993 to Valencia Industrial Association. Then in 2003, the organization changed its name to Valley Industrial Association to expand the focus from Valencia’s industrial centers to the entire Santa Clarita Valley. Now the group has about 350 members that range from all types of businesses, from manufacturers and contractors to travel agencies and legal firms. Bob Jenner, president and CEO of The Network Doctor in Valencia, said that while the organization is already well known for its diversity in the business community, a name change could be a strengthening tool. “I think anything they’re going to do to increase the attendance at their meetings and the capabilities for members to network with others … is a good thing,” said Jenner, whose computer network repair and management business has been a member of the organization on and off for about 10 years. Other changes The organization has also rearranged its administrative duties, assigning its foundation to handle its workforce education programs in order to maximize grant funding opportunities, Moberg said. The newly named Valley Industry Association will also rework its member surveys to be shorter for convenience and more frequent for better trend analysis. “We’re going to survey our members more often and find out how their needs are changing so we can keep up with those changes,” Moberg said, adding that the surveys will occur quarterly. “We’re going to keep looking what we can offer to our members. It’s going to be a continual process.”

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