Gerald W. Hathaway Award

Michael Faust

Michael Faust, Senior Vice President of the Sacramento Metro CA Chamber is the recipient of the 2010 Hathaway Award that recognizes the top chamber staff person. Presenting the award is Toni Padron (Carlsbad CA), last year' recipient.

In memory of Gerald W. Hathaway, a 25-year veteran of the chamber management profession, and CACCE president in 1971, who died of leukemia in 1978. The award is given to an outstanding chamber staff member for contributions made to specific chamber goals, and/or for personally designing innovative new systems that have contributed significantly to the chamber development, this award includes a scholarship to next year’s W.A.C.E. Conference.

Michael Faust is the recipient of the 2010 W.A.C.E. Gerald W. Hathaway "Staff Person of the Year" Award. Michael serves as the senior vice president of public policy and economic development for the Sacramento Metro CA Chamber.

The following is the presentation by Toni Padron, last year's recipient of the Hathaway Award to Michael Faust.

Chamber of commerce creates jobs that lower the unemployment rate in Anytown, USA. WE are the job creators of the future.

This person came from the private sector with a deep passion and background in public policy, government affairs and economic development. They used their passion to develop a strategic and tactical plan that has made our chamber more engaged and relevant across the advocacy and economic development space throughout our region.

This person’s accomplishments this past year are many but I will attempt to summarize those that are most significant and relevant to this award recognition.

In January, nearly 50 lobbying appointments were completed in 3 ½ hours. Our chamber received broad positive feedback from legislators who recognized that our lobbying teams contained subject matter experts in each policy area: transportation, education, water/flood, budget, air quality, among others.

In the areas of economic development this person has made a significant impact. They not only maintained our program in 2010, but have successfully grown this program to become the region’s premier business retention and expansion program. This program – with 20 private and public sector partners – grew in size, scope and relevance during 2010. In the last 10 months alone, the program has visited nearly 3000, leveraging 667 volunteers and over 2,000 volunteer hours. While a program such as this – functioning in a market-driven economy – cannot keep every business’s doors open, it has improved the business climate by allowing for direct interaction by our economic development professionals and the small and mid-size businesses in our communities.

Because of this person, the chamber’s business retention program has been the catalyst for improved coordination and cooperation among the various economic, workforce and community development organizations – and individuals – within their 6-county region. It has helped to create trust and mutual focus on what’s best for the customer – i.e., the company that employs residents and makes investment decisions. In August 2010, Metro Pulse was awarded the Outstanding BRE Program/Project Impact Award by Business Retention and Expansion International at its annual conference.

Last, but certainly not least, another notable accomplishment was the creation, development and implementation of a new event and program called Gateway California. In the role as President & CEO of the Northern California World Trade Center, he worked with the board to develop a new international trade show and conference in an effort to place more focus on northern California as the gateway for international trade and commerce. Please join me in congratulating our 2010 Hathaway Staff Person of the year – Mr. Michael Faust, Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Economic Development for the Metro Chamber."