Region Business

Region Business is a business-oriented advocacy association in the greater Sacramento region. The organization is a coalition of trade associations (Region Builders, Region Restaurants, Region Technology) under the umbrella of Region Business.

History
Region Business was founded in 2011 as Region Builders, a political action committee of the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange. The organization became a separate trade association in 2012. In 2015, the organization re-branded  from a building industry trade association to a business advocacy association.

Policy Positions taken

 * Supported the Sacramento City Downtown Arena.
 * Opposed a proposed $15 minimum wage in Sacramento City (Region Restaurants, Region Builders).
 * Supporting zero-percent loans for new restaurants (Region Restaurants).
 * Supported one-day building permit program called Permit Simplicity (Region Builders).
 * Opposed proposed soda tax in the City of Davis (Region Restaurants).
 * Supporting Downtown Soccer Stadium project (Region Business).
 * Supported bidding preferences on public projects for local contractors (Region Builders).
 * Supported creation of clean energy property investment (Region Builders).
 * Supported approval of Cordova Hills development project (Region Builders).
 * Supported the repeal of the Sacramento City Big Box "Superstore" Ordinance (Region Builders).
 * Opposed efforts by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments to remove local control on development project decisions (Region Builders).

Electoral activities

 * Supported Garrett Gatewood for Rancho Cordova City Council
 * Supported Darrell Steinberg for Mayor of Sacramento City (2016)
 * Supported Gary Davis for Mayor of Elk Grove (2012)
 * Opposed Loomis Mayor Sandra Calvert's re-election (2014).
 * Opposed Measure M & O in El Dorado County (2014).

Sacramento City Downtown Arena
Spearheaded the pro-arena effort for the Golden 1 Center. Filed the FPPC complaint that uncovered Chris Hansen as secret funder for STOP anti-arena campaign,           collected 15,000 petition withdrawals (the most in California State History ) to successfully block STOP measure from the ballot,    and ran the DowntownArena.org    and The4000    arena coalitions.

Current & past leadership
Info from official website.
 * Chet Fite - Board President - 2018-2020
 * David Temblador - Board President - 2015–2017
 * Ron Brown - Board President - 2014
 * Mike Kimmel - Board President - 2013
 * Bill Porter - Founder, Board President - 2011–2012
 * Scott Maxwell, Founder - 2011
 * Tim Fry, Founder - 2011
 * Joshua Wood (Smiling Assassin)  - Founder, Chief Executive Officer (2011–Present)

Affiliate organizations

 * Region Builders
 * Region Technology
 * Region Restaurants
 * the Economic Growth Institute