California Apartment Association

Nearly 400 people gathered last month for Tapped & Uncorked, an event that celebrated a year full of achievements by CAA Greater Inland Empire.

The second annual event came to the Riverside Convention Center on Thursday, Nov. 12.

Jennifer Halstead of Alliance Residential offered enthusiastic opening remarks, welcoming her fellow members of the Greater Inland Empire advisory board and introducing CAA IE’s executive director, Tim Johnson.

“This is what it’s all about, coming together as one,” Johnson told the audience. “We’re strengthening our industry through one shared voice. Participating in our events and being engaged fuels CAA Greater Inland Empire’s effective government affairs and political program.”

Johnson went on to introduce elected officials from the local and state levels before showing a short slideshow presentation that highlighted CAA GIE’s achievements in 2015.

“That was a quick three minutes,” Johnson said of the presentation. He then reiterated some of the highlighted government affairs victories across the Inland Empire, from Victorville to San Bernardino to Menifee, where CAA stopped a proposed moratorium on apartments.

Johnson introduced Jennifer Bedford, CAA GIE’s board chairwoman, to discuss the division’s philanthropic efforts.

“In the last few years, CAA Greater Inland Empire has done an amazing job, raising thousands in both monetary and in-kind donations to help fight homelessness in our region,” Bedford said. “I’m happy to share we’ve taken a big step forward and partnered with Inland Empire United Way for the next two years to help us take things to the next level.”

Gregory Bradbard, president and CEO of the local United Way, reviewed some of the challenges the region faces – such as one in four children living in poverty – to the work the organization does to address the problem, such as feeding hungry children through a program called Kids Pack.

Bedford encouraged attendees to give to United Way – something they could do easily through their cellphones.

“As you can see, CAA is evolving as an organization,” she said. “We continue to come together, we continue to grow and we continue to improve the lives of those we protect and serve.”

CAA Greater Inland Empire also wishes to extend a sincere “thank you” to the following wineries and brewing companies that donated to Tapped & Uncorked in support of United Way:

• New Belgium Brewing
• B+ Brewing
• Soule Brewing
• Coachella Valley Brewing Co.
• Wiens Winery
• Galleano Winery
• Filippi Winery