The Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 100-year history and take stock of its future at the headquarters of Tesla Motors this evening (Oct. 14).
The event will mark the chamber's centennial and celebrate its evolution from a coalition of small businesses to a group that features high-tech giants such as HP, Space Systems/Loral and Tesla.
It will also give current members a chance to meet each other and learn about other local businesses.
Tesla's famous electric roadsters will be on display, along with exhibits from various local companies, including Facebook, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Space Systems/Loral and Stanford Shopping Center.
"While this event celebrates a 100-year history within Palo Alto, the Chamber is now focusing on the future and the needs facing businesses within Palo Alto," Paula Sandas, chamber CEO, said in an announcement of the event.
J.B. Straubel, Tesla's Chief Technical Officer, said the company is "extremely happy to be a part of the Palo Alto community," which he said is "synonymous with innovation and leadership, two values very important to Tesla." The company moved its headquarters from San Carlos to Deer Creek Road in the Stanford Research Park last year.
"The Stanford Research Park provides a perfect working environment, beautiful land and incredible access to top engineering talent," Straubel said in a statement. "We look forward to many more years of growth in Palo Alto."
The event will go from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at Tesla's headquarters, 3500 Deer Creek Road.
Comments
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 15, 2010 at 9:07 am
on Oct 15, 2010 at 9:07 am
Is the Palo Alto Chamber associated with (dues-paying chapter, or whatever), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? I always thought that the Chamber was an association of small business owners. But, it turns out, it is a political organization spending an estimated $75M this year (nobody knows the number - it is private) "educating voters" on the campaigns of mostly Tea-Party Republicans. Nothing wrong with that, according to the Supreme Court, but, I admit that I don't look at the Chamber the same way that I did before.
Downtown North
on Oct 15, 2010 at 4:02 pm
on Oct 15, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Thanks for the coverage of a wonderful local event. The Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce is a stand alone non-profit membership organization without any affiliation to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. I'm the VP of Marketing and Membership, so I'm happy to correct that misconception.