Jim Clay, Vasili Millias, Lisa Kennedy and Janet Aceves

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce named accounting firm Clay, Millias & Company Small Business of the Year for 2011, at their annual gala on Friday night, March 9, 2012.

For many years, Clay, Millias & Company, has been supporting the community through their pro bono work on behalf of nonprofits. They have provided accounting services for approximately 18 local organizations.

The firm has been in existence for over 60 years and currently supports, on a pro bono basis, 12 nonprofits. Depending on the nonprofit needs, the Clay & Millias team, which includes Lisa Kennedy, prepares tax returns, payroll filings and Lisa is always willing go over and beyond to ensure their pro bono clients understand their books, accounting software and all that is needed to ensure their organization is in compliance with State and Federal laws. When there is a change in leadership in a nonprofit organization the Clay & Millias team is front and center to help go through the organization’s financials and teach the new executive director how to continue the business. It is amazing how quickly a nonprofit can get into hot water without the knowledge and support that the Clay Millias team provides.

Jim Clay received his Bachelors of Science degree from Armstrong College in Berkeley, California in June of 1980. After graduation he became employed with a local CPA firm in Pinole, CA until July of 1982 when he joined the practice. In 1983 he became a partner in the firm shortly after becoming a Certified Public Accountant. In addition to his public accounting experience he has been an instructor of Intermediate Accounting and Federal Taxation and other courses. Over the years he has also participated in various community service organizations and projects.

Vasili Millias graduated in 1982 with honors from California State University at Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Upon completion of his degree, Vasili was employed by Schrambling & Chu CPA’s as a tax accountant and auditor until 1984 in which he then went to work for Price Waterhouse. At Price Waterhouse, Vasili worked as an auditor and tax consultant for both individuals and businesses of various sizes.

Vasili joined the firm in 1989 and two years later he became a partner. With over 27 years of public accounting experience, Vasili has acquired a broad skill set that includes supervised auditing, computer consulting, and tax engagements for clients in a wide range of activities. These engagements have included companies’ large and small, in the fields of retailing, professional services, real estate, governmental, and non-profit entities. In addition to being a principal of the firm, Vasili is also a faculty member at both Diablo Valley Community College and Los Medanos Community College where he teaches courses in accounting and accounting computer software.

Antioch Citizen of the Year Sean Wright

Ruehlig Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce honored civic stars at their annual Inaugural Gala Dinner held March 9th at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center, naming Antioch chiropractor Sean Wright as Citizen of the Year – Most Impact for 2011, for his work in rebuilding and revitalizing a struggling Chamber and for his considerable youth mentoring. Also nominated for Citizen of the Year were Kirkland Smith, Pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship and Debbie Walls, Manager of Umpqua Bank.

The Citizen of the Year – Lifetime Achievement award was given to School Board Trustee and Antioch Music Foundation President Walter Ruehlig for his considerable array of civic involvements. Youth of the Year honors was garnered by Antonio Hernandez, a senior at Dozier Libbey Medical High School and President of the California Health Occupations Students of America. The other nominees were Krist Jensen, Manager of the Dow Wetlands Team, and community volunteers Wayne and Carole Harrison.

Small Business of the Year status was awarded to Clay, Millias Co., LLP for significant community pro bono work with eighteen charitable organizations, assisting in tax returns and helping many non-profits in management transition by guiding them on proper accounting systems. Other nominees were Antioch Veterinary Hospital and Wild Orchids the Salon.

Corporate Business of the Year honors went to Allied Waste for their illegal dumping cleanups, intensive recycling efforts and for being a helping neighbor on innumerable community projects. Also nominated was the Antioch Unified School District.

The event was emceed by Chamber mainstay Michele Copeland of American Trophy. She was assisted in event organization by Jacqueline Clarke, Patty Deutsche, Diane Gibson-Gray, and Jennifer Victor; by staff members Martha Goralka and Jack Monroe; and by the Chamber Ambassadors, Monica Ambriz, Clay Baskin, Bonnie McKean, Sandy Henry, Josh Sauberman, Verna Sanz and Jeff Scalier.

Public officials present were Mayor Jim Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Wade Harper, and City Council members Mary Rocha and Gary Agopian, Supervisor Mary Piepho and Maurice Delmer representing Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla. Former citizens of the year gracing the audience were Rick Carraher, Barbara Herendeen and John Slatten.

The Chair was turned over from Sean Wright to Donna McGee of Kaiser Permanente. Donna also won the Chairman’s Award for best assisting the Chamber throughout the year. The Ambassador’s award went to Gwen O’Neill from Juice Plus.

Sean Wright Biography

Sean is most proud of his role as husband to his beautiful wife Lani and father to his five children Haley, Tyler, Dylan, Colby and Rylie. Their love and support has allowed him to spend time in community service but even still, he has never lost sight of the importance of time spent at home and the impact it has in their lives.

Last year came in like a storm after he took the opportunity to serve as the Chamber’s Chairman-Elect in 2009. He quickly realized the challenges he faced when his first unfortunate task as Chairman was to let all of the staff go to avoid financial ruin for a Chamber that has been around for more than 70 years. With the help of volunteers and a terrific Board of Directors he went to work to create a new vision and direction to better serve our Chamber members and our community. He played a key role in reshaping the mission, creating a new website, adding business learning opportunities, organizing the office and by the end of 2012, the chamber will have paid off all of the past debt.

Sean has always loved Antioch and is proud to live, raise his family and run his chiropractic business here. He decided to take action that would make a difference by creating a forum to celebrate the good things that are happening in our schools, through our police force and in our community. This forum, “A Celebration of Antioch,” gave our Mayor, our Police Chief, and our Superintendent of Schools the opportunity to highlight and celebrate the things that make Antioch great and the reasons that we have hope for a positive future.

Sean also had the opportunity to serve as a commissioner on Antioch’s Economic Development Commission where positive changes and a new direction are taking place with a focus on Antioch and East County’s competitive advantages. In addition, working together with the Antioch Unified School District the Chamber has begun to create opportunities for businesses to go into the schools and help our students see real world application of the things that they are learning. Sean serves on the Leadership Team for the Antioch Unified School District’s Linked Learning and Pathway Program where he is a cheerleader for our schools and the great efforts and groundbreaking programs that are being created. His voice is being used to bring business thoughts and understanding into the classroom.

Sean is also the Scoutmaster for Troop 28 in Antioch, on the board of the Antioch Chichibu Sister City Organization, coaches a baseball team for the Delta Baseball League, along with coaching numerous Delta Youth Soccer teams for four of his children. Other volunteer efforts include the Youth Intervention Network, the El Campanil Theatre, Kiwanis of the Delta and the Delta Youth Soccer League.

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Walter Ruehlig

Walter Ruehlig Biography

Walter Ruehlig wears many hats. Walter is a veritble cheerleading fixture around town with twin passions in youth mentoring and diversity. Walter counsels adults with disablilties seeking workforce re-entry and has given career workshops to over 6,000 East county residents through the Antioch One Stop Career Center.

Walter is in his eighth year as an Antioch Unified School District School Board Trustee. He has been Antioch’s Representative to the County Library Commission for seven years, securing large book donations and is the former President and five-year representative on the Citizen’s Mello Roos Board. In 2011, Walter helped revive the Rivertown Fourth of July Parade. He co-chairs the 2012 Parade/Fireworks Committee.

Walter is a newspaper guest columnist and initiated www.volunteer4antioch.com. He is St. Ignatius’s Communications Director. A Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, he has co-organized the Knights’ Police Officer/Firefighter of the Year Luncheon.

Walter co-founded the Antioch Music Foundation and since 2005 has donated eight pianos and raised over $80,000. The Foundation annually sends 250 students to the SF Symphony and 1,600 students to the El Campanil Theatre to see Percussion Discussion and organizes competitions like East County Idol.

Walter was the 2004 California Columbian Squire Chief Counselor of the Year. He is on the Advisory Board of community Resources 4 Youth and has mentored through Scouts, Little League and PTA. He assisted Antioch’s Katrina Relocation Project, volunteers with two Filipino-Americans Clubs, chaired the county Human Releations Commission and sits on the Advisory Board of the Interfaith Peace Project. He chaired the 2010 and 2011 Peace Celebrations, bringing together twelve diverse faiths and planning a Peace Pole at City Hall.

Walter was the 2004 Center for Conflict Resolution Peacemaker of the Year and the 2004 County Board of Supervisors Martin Luther King Humanitarian of the Year. One local official aptly calls him an “ambassador of good will.”

By Antioch Police

On Tuesday, March 6, 2012 shortly after a young male suspect attempted to commit a residential burglary, the effectiveness of our Neighborhood Watch Program proved just how useful it truly is. The burglary suspect repeatedly rang a front door bell and then knocked on the door. When the resident didn’t answer the door, the suspect attempted to kick in the front door. The resident yelled at the suspect and the suspect fled on foot.

Soon thereafter an officer arrived in the area, located the suspect and then the chase was on. A neighbor, who happened to be a Neighborhood Watch Block Captain, had witnessed the attempted burglary and she started to follow the suspect while driving her vehicle. She temporarily lost sight of the fleeing suspect, but soon relocated him as she came across the pursuing officer. The Neighborhood Block Captain noticed that the suspect had quite a lead on the pursuing officer, so she pulled up alongside the officer and ordered him into her car. The pursuing officer happily obliged and the Neighborhood Block Captain drove the officer up next to the fleeing suspect and the officer promptly jumped out of the car and pounced on the surprised would be burglar. The suspect was arrested without incident thanks to the assistance of the Neighborhood Watch Block Captain.

A Neighborhood Watch Program can put the “Neighbor” back into a neighborhood by creating a sense of community. It brings citizens and law enforcement together to reduce crime. Neighborhood Watch allows us, community members and the police department, to effectively communicate about criminal activity in a particular neighborhood. It provides a network or set of contacts throughout the community, which serves to enhance the communication between the citizens and members of the police department.

This is an example of how a concerned neighbor helped multiply the resources of the police department, which in-turn helps reduce the incidence of crime and improves the quality of life for all.

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Calling all parents and students!! Are you interested in furthering successful outcomes for the Antioch schools? Come and share concerns and suggestions for your children’s education; envision what equitable and quality education looks like; explore what you know and don’t know about the education system; identify possible solutions to improve the school district.

Meet at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church Social Hall Tuesday, February 28th at 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information contact Sara Aceves of CCISCO Education Focus Group at (925) 322-9070.

The St. Ignatius of Antioch Community Garden Project inaugural meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 1st at 7:30 p.m. at 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. St. Ignatius of Antioch Church is considering establishing a garden on the parish grounds this summer with the primary purpose of producing fresh vegetables for distribution by St. Vincent de Paul to families in our area. It’s a heady challenge but many hands can lighten the load.

St.Ignatius is looking to expand upon an already vigorous social outreach program that includes projects targeted at foreclosure relief, educational equity, local jobs, immigrant opportunity, aiding the mentally challenged, feeding and housing the homeless, Habitat for Humanity, Mexican home builds, disaster relief, backpacks and school supplies for needy kids, Relay4Life, bloodmobiles, unwed mother assistance, street cleanup, etc.

For more information on the garden project contact Vicki or Brian at 778-4092 or e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

Join the Friends of Music for their next installment on March 31st at 7:30 p.m. as we celebrate the 327th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach. Don Pearson, Director of Music and Artist-in–Residence at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church will perform an organ concert of six of the the most exciting Prelude and Fugues ever composed by Bach.

A good will offering will be collected. Plenty of parking is available and a chocolate and champagne reception follows. Of course, Johann will be feted with a cake.

This concert follows on the heels of the successful Valentines Day Concert attended by over a hundred people. That concert featured Dawn Farry; Soprano, Paul Chaek, Baritone; and Don Pearson, Organist. The program featured music from “Phantom of the Opera”, “Rusalka” by Antonin Dvorak, “Tannhauser” by Richard Wagner and “The Kissing Bandit” by Nacio Brown. The evening concluded with the performance of Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Telephone”, which was staged.

To be put on the mailing list for future events e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com or call 756-7628.

The fish were hoppin’ and so was the crowd as over 400 people came, saw, ate and conquered at the Knights of Columbus inaugural fish fry this past Friday at St. Ignatius Church of Antioch. On top of appetites served, over $2,000 was raised for an educational center.

If you are motivated by Lenten observance, or merely a lover of fish, come this Friday, March 2nd or any Friday before Easter. It’s a meal you can die for. The Norwegian cod cooked in beer batter is heavenly and the golden french fries and sweet cole slaw are divine.

There are also cookies, cupcakes, and soft and adult beverages. You can sit down and enjoy fellowship or drive thru and pick up the cod and trimmings to enjoy at home. It all happens at 3351 Contra Loma between 4:30 and 7 p.m.

For more information contact Walter Ruehlig at 756-8628.

Sunday, Mar 11 3:00p to 10:00p
at Bases Loaded Bar and Restuarant, Antioch, CA
Price: $10.00 Adults – $5.00 children under 18
Phone: (925) 785-8342 – Barbara Gorin with Guitars not Guns
Age Suitability: All Ages

Bands to perform are Blue Moonshine, Square One, The Breedloves, Al Smith, and Haunted by Heroes – 11 year old boys who are nationally known as the youngest rock band in America! Plus special guest appearances!

Food and drink specials and a raffle for a guitar autographed by the bands with proceeds to Guitars Not Guns.

Guitars Not Guns, Inc, a federally exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides free guitars and lessons to foster kids, at risk youth and other deserving children.