Entrepreneur, angel investor, Harvard Business School, US Naval Academy. Don Weil was an angel investor - member of three groups. Before retiring, he owned and ran four foundries, producing aluminum castings mainly for high tech and medical industries. Don also owned and ran a metals distribution center, a plumbing supply business and started a small engineering company. After retiring, Don Weil invested in and then ran the company that tows cars for the city of San Francisco.

Areas of Expertise

• Business Plan
• Funding/Loans
• Management & Operations
• Product Development
• Strategy Development

Industry Experience

• Manufacturing
• Professional Services
• Retail
   

CHRIS L. HORTON
U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT ADDRESS

Chris Horton is the District Director for the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), San Francisco District Office, serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma counties. He took the Oath of Office, in May 2023.

In his role as District Director, Chris provides the leadership, management, and oversight of the San Francisco District Office necessary to deploy all agency programs and services including funding programs, counseling and education, government contracting and disaster recovery. One of his top initiatives is to lead the region in outreach to marginalized individuals and underserved communities. Chris is committed to supporting small businesses in all phases of the business lifecycle by meeting them where they are. Every entrepreneur needs supportive conditions to flourish. One of the pillars of the proverbial American Dream is the opportunity to leverage the entrepreneurial spirit, energy, and infrastructural support uniquely provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration to make a better life for oneself. In supporting his region, Chris hopes to aid in strengthening the national economy.

Chris’ professional background includes expert and high-touch financial support to entrepreneurs in the areas of business credit, commercial lending, business banking services, commercial real estate acquisitions, business financial planning, credit restoration and debt consolidation. He is also the past Vice President of Membership and Sales with the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, past President and CEO of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, a graduate of the Western Association of Chamber Executives Academy, and currently a participant in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management four-year program.

Chris served as the Regional Lending Manager and Director for the Northern California SBDC Network and in this capacity, launched his passion-project The Inclusivity Project, a holistic initiative that focused on awareness, education, training and small business financing for Black and African American entrepreneurs.

Chris is energetic in his new role with the U.S. Small Business Administration and will work tirelessly in order to help the small businesses in his district thrive by identifying barriers to success, as well as opportunities for growth and then provide industry expertise. Chris took an oath to be the “The Catalyst”, “The Concierge”, and “The Change Agent” to advance equitable access to one on one advisory services, funding and capital, mentorship, and business training delivered through the SBA programs that will help American citizens start, grow, and expand small business concerns crystalizing opportunities of wealth creation.



For more information, please visit: www.sba.gov/district/san-francisco

TBDRESCHEDULED DATE

Subject:  Opposing the BLT – Next Steps

Foster City Council Approves Business License Tax Increase Amidst Contention.

In a narrow decision that has sparked significant debate, the Foster City Council approved a ballot measure to amend the business license tax structure during their meeting on July 15th, 2024. The decision to adopt a tiered tax model aimed at increasing city revenue has been met with strong opposition from some local business owners and representatives, who argue that the changes will have detrimental effects on Foster City's local economy.

The newly adopted model, referred to as Model 4x2, introduces a tiered rate structure starting at the current rate of 75 cents per $1,000 of gross receipts for businesses grossing $4.4 million or less. The rate gradually increases to a maximum of $3 for businesses grossing over $25 million. The measure also includes a cap on the business license tax, a major point of contention during the discussions. The cap would change from around $20,000 to $250,000, an 8.62x increase above the current cap. Notable moments from the meeting and discussion include:

·         Assistant City Manager Marlene Subhashini explained the rationale behind the model during the meeting: "We are bringing back an alternative model, Model 4x2, which introduces a tiered rate approach. This model starts at the current rate of 75 cents per $1,000 of gross receipts for businesses grossing $4.4 million or less and gradually increases up to $3 for businesses grossing over $25 million. We heard concerns from businesses about the $500,000 cap being too high, and this model aims to address those concerns by offering a more gradual increase in tax rates." (00:15:00.000).

·         Despite these reassurances, the opposition remains vocal. Sam Hindi, a local business owner, criticized the lack of direct communication from the city: "The engagement and outreach have not been sufficient. Specifically, due to the nature and timeline of your discussion of this item, many businesses, including mine, did not receive any direct communication from the city or the BLT team. The first time small and midsize businesses became aware that the BLT could potentially impact them was on May 20th, 2024. It's troubling that the city did not reach out to businesses through direct mail, which is how we usually receive important notifications. This lack of communication has left many business owners feeling blindsided by these proposed changes." (00:33:00.000).

·         Crystal Tilton from the Foster City Chamber of Commerce also voiced her concerns: "The notion that our city's delay in making gradual adjustments over the last several decades can be corrected in one fell swoop by placing the financial burden on our largest employers is unreasonable and shortsighted. This immense hike in the business tax cap risks further destabilizing our local economy and making it harder for businesses to recover and potentially stifling growth altogether." (00:31:04.279).

In response to the council's decision, the Foster City Chamber of Commerce has been asked by its members and other concerned parties to organize a meeting to better understand the city council's decision, outline the next steps required for voter approval on the November 2024 local ballot, and discuss options for Chamber and member positions on the ballot measure.

This crucial meeting will be held Via Zoom on August 28^th from 9 to 10 AM. Crystal Tilton from the Foster City Chamber will lead the discussions. 

Even if you will not be affected immediately by this ballot measure, we encourage you to participate in our efforts to educate the broader business community. We stand stronger together.

NEW IN FOSTER CITY 

OM Chanting in a group is an ancient practice enjoyed worldwide. The vibration of chanting OM empowers us in the depth of our being so we can feel a stronger connection with our True Self.

Duration: Approximately one hour

Please arrive on time to join the circle.

What to bring

A mat or chair to sit on

A bottle of water