Business
City National Bank Named Premier Sponsor of the 2020 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards Televised Broadcast

Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Longtime Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards VIP sponsor, City National Bank, has elevated their support in 2020 as the Premier sponsor! The Spirit Awards, now in its 18th year, has adapted the show program from a live event with over 1,000 attendees into a televised broadcast in order to continue the tradition of supporting and celebrating local entrepreneurs of Inland Southern California. Over the years the Spirit Awards has grown to be known by participants as the “Oscars of Business” and has continuously recognized the top innovators and entrepreneurs for the past 18 years.

City National Bank saw a unique opportunity to elevate their support for this unique delivery of the very first televised program format in Spirit Awards history, at the same time supporting and honoring those entrepreneurs that have given so much in the face of the pandemic.
“We want to continuously support regional companies that are driven by entrepreneurial spirit,” said Cary Wanner, Senior Vice President and Area Manager at City National Bank. “City National aims to provide world-class banking services and that starts by focusing on growing strong business relationships. As the 2020 Premier sponsor of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards, I can’t think of a better time to recognize these innovative entrepreneurs and celebrate them center stage!”
The 2020 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Award will be televised on November 21st, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on KSCI Channel 18. The program format will include the presentation of the COVID Hero and COVID Innovator Entrepreneur Awards to recognize those entrepreneurs that have survived, thrived, and played a key role in helping the community adapt and overcome the coronavirus pandemic through their direct efforts.
Airing November 21st, 2020 at 7pm -8pm pst on KSCI LA Channel 18
The 2020 Spirit of the Entrepreneur program features:
Mistress of Ceremonies – Janice Bryant Howroyd
The Spirit Awards televised program will feature Janice Bryant Howroyd, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The ActOne Group, as our distinguished Mistress of Ceremonies. She is currently #39 on Forbes list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2014, Mrs. Howroyd was recognized by Black Enterprise as the first black woman to own and operate a billion‐dollar company. She was BET’s first ever BET Honors Entrepreneur of the Year and has received Black Enterprise’s Business of the Year award. In 2013, she was appointed a USA Ambassador of Energy at the White House.

She operates by the mantra “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.”
“Janice’s quality of character as an individual, ownership mindset and driving success as an entrepreneur certainly aligns and elevates all that the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards aims to honor and celebrate! Janice most definitely graces the stage with her effervescent spirit of entrepreneurship!” says Mike Stull, Founder and Executive Producer of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards.
Featured Entertainment – Vintage Trouble
The Spirit Awards featured entertainment is one of rock n’ roll’s best kept secrets – the LA based quartet, Vintage Trouble, presented by City National Bank. They have appeared in more than 3,000 shows across 30 countries. Their distilling swaggering rock, soulful blues grooves, and pop ambition delivers a bold and brash brew of infectious music. The quartet—Ty Taylor [vocals], Nalle Colt [guitar], Rick Barrio Dill [bass], and Richard Danielson [drums] – have been on tour with music industry legends such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Lenny Kravitz, and Bon Jovi, to name a few.

Along the way, they also performed on Later… with Jools Holland, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Conan, The View, and The Tonight Show (four times in one year!) in addition to receiving acclaim from New York Times, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and more. All with a trio of albums under their collective belt!
“They bring immense talent and spirit you can feel right through the screen”, says Stacey Allis, Co-Producer of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards. “We are more than delighted to support local talent as they certainly know how to deliver inspiration!”
2020 AWARD UNVEILING
The Spirit of the Entrepreneur will unveil the 2020 COVID Hero and COVID Innovator Awards! Drawn from nearly 200 nominations and determined by an external panel of judges representing past Spirit Award recipients, the COVID Hero and COVID Innovator Awards seek to honor and recognize those entrepreneurs that have significantly insighted change and/ or community support and business growth in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. See the list of finalists…
The 2020 Spirit Awards Finalist line-up:
COVID INNOVATOR ENTREPRENEUR FINALISTS:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire Jennifer O’Farrell – Riverside
- C.H.A.N.T. Training Academy/ G.S.M. Management & Consulting LLC Vincent Garrett – Rancho Cucamonga
- RPP Products, Inc. Eric Zwigart – Bloomington
- SoCal Face Shields for Frontline Workers Zubin and Tenzing Carvalho – Hemet
COVID HERO ENTREPRENEUR FINALISTS:
- Another Brilliant Idea, Inc. – Brilliant Mobile Messaging Mary Barnett – Corona
- Inland SoCal United Way Lisa Wright – Rancho Cucamonga
- Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce Patrick Ellis – Murrieta
- Victor Valley Rescue Mission Bill Edwards – Victorville
The Garner Holt Student Fast Pitch Competition
One of the most beloved features of the Spirit Awards is the Student Fast Pitch Competition. This year the program has 3 finalists competing for prize money for the 2020 Garner Holt Student Fast Pitch Competition in which college students have 90 seconds to present their winning idea. The top pitch is chosen from a panel of judges for the quality of their pitch and the attractiveness of their business concept.
This year marks 18 years of celebrating The Spirit of the Entrepreneur! Join us this November for a memorable televised broadcast filled with inspiration and innovation at this black-tie gala as we celebrate the top business innovators of Inland Southern California.
For more information, including broadcast and rebroadcast information visit SpiritAwardsIE.com https://spiritawardsie.com/
Business
Fire Helmet Manufacturer Helps Disabled Community find Employment

Riverside’s Phenix Technology Leads with Inclusion, Empowering the Disabled Community Through Workforce Training and Employer Education
Written by Logan Rosselli, IEBJ Content Contributor
In the heart of Riverside, off of Chicago Avenue, a small, but mighty team has been quietly manufacturing life-saving equipment for firefighters across the world for over 50 years. Phenix Technology Inc. is an internationally recognized fire helmet manufacturer who builds their products from start to finish right here in the Inland Empire. For their great products, they’ve received numerous awards such as the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Innovator of the Year, a 2016 “E” for Exports award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, a finalist position in the “Coolest Thing Made in California” competition and more. However, their most recent accolade doesn’t involve their products at all.
In 2024, Phenix founded the ground breaking “Opportunity for All” program to provide disabled community members with the opportunity to access career education, hands-on experience and employment opportunities through an 11 week training cohort. In this program, neurodivergent individuals wanting to find stable employment learn about standard hiring practices, writing a resume, effective interviewing and professional attire while getting on-the-job training with a partnered employer in the community. It has helped dozens of disabled community members to find a new sense of independence and achieve their full potential while helping local employers find dependable employees who bring a unique perspective to the workplace.
It’s for this program that the National Association of Workforce Development Boards (NAWB), a representative of over 570 workforce development boards across the United States, honored Phenix with the prestigious W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award in late March.
“While we take tremendous pride in the products we make, we also believe we have a mission to create a better world through developing opportunities,” said Angel Sanchez, CEO of Phenix Technology in a statement released in early April. “Opportunity for All has helped prove that individuals who have historically been excluded from the workforce don’t just contribute — they elevate organizations. We are honored to receive this national award and grateful to the partners who have helped us make this vision a reality.”
CEO Angel Sanchez Jr. accepts the NAWB Award
Though “Opportunity for All” is certainly the cornerstone program for the company, Phenix’s leadership team was not satisfied to leave their mission there. Thus, in 2024, the company founded its nonprofit arm, Phenix Gateway to offer more programs and advocacy to the community. Through Phenix Gateway, the company offers workforce development workshops for individuals who don’t need the full scale of the “Opportunity for All” program, but want to improve a specific skill like resume writing or workplace social skills.
However, Phenix knows that preparing disabled people for the workforce is only one end of the equation; the workforce also has to be prepared to accept the unique skills, perspectives and challenges of the disabled community. For this reason, Phenix Gateway offers employer training workshops as well as educational materials available to businesses and the community. Training programs cover a lot of ground, ranging from assistance with optimizing interviews for people with neurodevelopmental disorders to creating sensory-friendly environments in the workplace.
In Riverside, these programs have had a huge impact on the local community. As of March 2025, Phenix’s Opportunity for All program has had over two dozen participants and 44% found stable employment through or after the program. Their one-off workforce development workshops have seen over 200 participants learn new skills and help them find employment and the nonprofit currently partners with close to 90 businesses to assist them in their endeavor to create a more inclusive workforce.
Phenix Gateway staff helps a program participant with his skills
For businesses or community members interested in learning how they can support or participate in these programs, Phenix encourages them to reach out by email to info@phenixgateway.org and to attend their First Annual Gala: Rising Together, A Phenix Gateway Celebration, on Thursday, May 15th. Tickets for this event are available at phenixgateway.org.
Business
Supported by Local Leaders, CALED’s Annual Conference will be in Ontario this May

Empowering Economic Growth: CALED Conference Set to Unite Industry Leaders in Ontario
CALED’s ‘Growing Local Economies from the Ground Up’ Conference is being held in Ontario at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport on May 7-9. This event is co-hosted by the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County, with Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, CALED’s Chair of the Board and Derek Armstrong respectively representing their city and county as Co-Chairs of the event.
With over 950 members and 45 years of empowering economic developers, CALED is the largest economic development association in the country and the annual conference is the number one place to meet and connect with the boots-on-the -ground, decision makers in our communities.
The conference will include a pre-conference teaching tour, ‘Building & Paying for Development Projects’ on May 6th and then begin in full on May 7th, with a welcome session and breakouts. Overall, there will be four general assembly sessions and 18 breakout sessions, which will delve into local economic development practices and innovative tools.
In addition to compelling content, the conference will have numerous opportunities to connect with community leaders and valued peers through networking receptions, the culinary crawl, and new this year, the Tournament of Champions, where conference attendees will navigate a gauntlet of games to win the grand prize on the evening of Thursday, May 8th.
To learn more about the conference and register, visit the CALED website at www.caled.org.
Business
Strengthening Community Connections: Our Exciting New Partnership with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL

Contributed Content | By Chris Venhoff, Senior Vice President and Inland Empire Market Leader for Consumer and Business Banking at U.S. Bank
As the Inland Empire market leader for U.S. Bank, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: we are proud to be the Official Bank Partner of Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center. This partnership represents a reflection of our deep commitment to the Inland Empire and our dedication to fostering a vibrant, thriving community.
At U.S. Bank, we believe that strong partnerships drive meaningful progress. Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center are at the heart of the region’s culture and economy, bringing people together for world-class entertainment, business conventions, and community events. By joining forces, we’re not only expanding our presence but also creating opportunities to engage with residents, businesses, and organizations in ways that make a lasting impact.
Through our sponsorship, we’ll support concerts, sporting events, and conventions that showcase the diversity and energy of the Inland Empire. But this is only the beginning. As our partnership evolves, we’ll work closely with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL to introduce community-focused programs, including financial literacy workshops and charitable giving initiatives.
This partnership is designed to bring added value to the people we serve. For our customers, we’re introducing the U.S. Bank Fast Pass Lanes, providing priority access at Toyota Arena events. Special offers, exclusive event experiences, and tailored financial solutions for businesses operating in the region are just a few of the many perks we’re excited to roll out.
Our employees are at the core of our success, and this partnership allows us to recognize their dedication. Through exclusive access to events, corporate hospitality opportunities, and community volunteer programs, our team will have new ways to engage with and celebrate the community they serve.
The Inland Empire is a dynamic, fast-growing region, and we’re committed to supporting its continued success. By investing in Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center, we’re helping to create and sustain jobs while driving local business growth. These venues bring in visitors, revenue, and visibility, strengthening the region’s economy.
This collaboration is about more than just sponsorship—it’s about making a difference. By working together, we can elevate not just these venues but the entire Inland Empire. At U.S. Bank, we’re committed to being a partner in progress, supporting our customers, businesses, and communities every step of the way.
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