8:45pm | Former Long Beach City Manger Jerry Miller was honored last week as California’s 2011 Small Business Advocate of the Year by the California Chamber of Commerce.
Miller was honored for his advocacy efforts on behalf of small businesses during a luncheon attended by more than 400 at the California Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Summit in Sacramento.
“Jerry is one of the most active and passionate advocates in Long Beach,” said Randy Gordon, president and CEO of the local chamber, in his June 3 Strictly Business email newsletter. “He is most deserving of this award because of his strong desire to make our community the best place to do business. He is a masterful consensus-builder and is dedicated to working with others to improve the economic vitality of our city.”
Miller retired from his position as city manager in July 2007. He is currently a managing partner with IMC Municipal Consulting and is set to be installed as chair of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors later this month.
Gordon said Miller played a key role in the chamber’s layoff diversion program , which it launched after securing a $200,000 grant in 2010. Miller led the effort to implement what Gordon termed a “Red Team” of “dedicated” local business leaders and three other chambers of commerce in San Pedro, Wilmington and Lomita. This team had made contact with 539 businesses by December 2010, offering and providing services that would help stave off layoffs, Gordon said.
Late last year, Miller initiated with the local chamber a program to educate Long Beach businesses about the benefits of Enterprise Zones. He also helped to generate hundreds of letters of support urging the city’s state legislators to oppose cutting funding for the EZ program.
Miller is also responsible for the formation of the Green Business Council, which promotes sustainable business practices and advocates for “green” companies, Gordon said. Additionally, it facilitates business-to-business relationships and provides assistance in green technology incubation and accelerations.
The former city manager also acted as lead negotiator for the chamber during talks between the city and the Cal Worthington Ford car dealership regarding securing a loan to make necessary upgrades at the dealership’s facilities.
At right, Jerry Miller, left, receives the 2011 Small Business Advocate of the Year award from Allan Zaremberg, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, in Sacramento last week. Photo courtesy of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
Disclosure: Long Beach Post publisher Shaun Lumachi is a public policy consultant for the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.