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Tourism brings millions of dollars to Oxnard each year, so the Oxnard Chamber is bringing a key player in the industry to Oxnard! We are thrilled to welcome Caroline Beteta, CEO of Visit California. Visit California is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures totaled more than $122 billion in 2015 in California, supporting jobs for over 1,000,000 Californians and generating $9.9 billion in state and local tax revenues. Caroline Beteta serves as president & CEO of Visit California. In addition, she recently finished a term as chair of the board of Brand USA, where she provided strategic direction for the $200 million global program. Before that, she served two years as vice chair of Operations. During a two-year term as national chair of the U.S. Travel Association, she guided the successful merger of the Travel Industry Association with the Travel Business Roundtable (to form the U.S. Travel Association). Additionally, she has received numerous awards for her creative work and leadership in the travel industry, including 2009 State Tourism Director of the Year and the Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award in 2013. Caroline simultaneously serves as the Director of Tourism in California’s Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz). In her dual capacity, she is responsible for implementing Visit California’s $100 million global marketing program and serves as the lead spokesperson for California’s $122.5 billion travel industry. Caroline has shepherded the growth of Visit California into a global marketing franchise whose brand advertising alone generated incremental visitor spending returns of more than $8.5 billion in 2014. Under her leadership, California’s share of U.S. domestic travel has grown by more than 1 percent, bringing tens of millions of additional visitors to the state every year. In addition to Ms. Beteta's expertise on tourism, Ventura County's expert on the local economy will give us his insight on how Oxnard is faring. Bruce Stenslie is the President and CEO of the Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County (EDC-VC). The EDC-VC is a public/private partnership, providing business advising, training and capital access services to promote regional economic vitality, business expansion and job growth. Prior to joining EDC-VC, Stenslie served as Deputy Director for the California Workforce Association; Executive Director for Workforce Policy and Workforce Investment Board for the Mayor’s Office in Los Angeles; Deputy Director of the Ventura County Human Services Agency and Executive Director of the Workforce Investment Board; and Executive Director of the Candelaria American Indian Council, providing workforce and community development services throughout eleven California counties. "Bruce really understands Ventura County – what makes it tick, and what stresses it," remarked Chamber CEO Nancy Lindholm. "He certainly has his finger on the pulse of our local economy." The Oxnard Business Outlook will be held on November 4 at the Embassy Suite Mandalay Beach Resort. The luncheon will run from 11:30 to 1:30. Individual reservations can be made via the Chamber's website (www.OxnardChamber.org).