Colton Chamber Welcomes Supervisor James Ramos as Keynote Speaker for Installation Night

Last Friday evening, the Colton Chamber of Commerce held their annual Installation & Awards night at the Pinnacle Peak Steak House in Colton. The Chamber was fortunate in having two County Supervisors present to install new members and make comments on the economic future of Colton and the surrounding cities. San Bernardino County Supervisors Josie Gonzales and James Ramos were co-presenters of the key awards given out that evening and were working in tandem when the new chamber board was installed. Supervisor Gonzales was as gracious as ever when she walked to the podium to introduce her colleague, Supervisor Ramos, as that evening’s keynote speaker. She emphasized how grateful she was in finally having another colleague on the Board that shared the same visions she had for the cities within her district. Some of those visions are growth in economic development, increase in public safety dollars, improved transportation, ending chronic homelessness, and environmental stewardship. Supervisor Gonzales said, “I have been waiting a long time to finally have someone who believes in the same things as I do for both my residents and the other countywide constituents that we serve.” Supervisor Gonzales then proceeded to introduce Supervisor James Ramos to over 100 of the Colton chamber members and their families and friends. Once Supervisor Ramos took over the microphone, he presented an impassioned speech concerning the importance of small businesses and their overall effect on the different communities throughout the County. He informed the audience of why he championed small businesses, because at a young age while being raised on the San Manuel Indian Reservation, his family and he were always looking for business opportunities to provide income for those families who lived on the reservation. Supervisor Ramos said, “My first venture was turning a stable into a horseback-riding business where food and drink could be sold to those who rented the horses for an afternoon of fun and relaxation. Secondly, the tribe members and I got involved in selling cigarettes at a discounted price to visitors who came to the reservation until Federal and State regulations curtailed that activity. And then finally gaming became an incredible opportunity for the tribe.” Also, while Supervisor Ramos was attending school, he took positions at a couple of fast food restaurants such as Jack in the Box and Long John Silver’s. Even today he is a successful owner of two restaurants in the Inland Empire, and he is a town crier for all of the small businesses located in his Supervisorial District and those throughout the County. His passion, which was quite evident that evening, is to reduce regulations and ordinances that inhibit the growth of small businesses and to instill a mindset amongst the different cities and counties to seek ways to assist the small business owner to set up shop and reduce the one-time fees that accumulate quickly to hinder progress. Supervisor Ramos said, “I want to fill those empty shops that line the streets in Colton, San Bernardino, Grand Terrace, Redlands and the San Bernardino mountain cities as quickly as possible; and I want those store owners to know that local government is business-friendly.” Ramos’ background also includes an associate’s degree at Victor Valley Community College, his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University, San Bernardino and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. Supervisor Ramos ended his speech by emphasizing that all in attendance need to “support their local businesses on a daily basis.”