The CMSA Northern Region returned in person at Agave Uptown Oakland in 2021 with a mariachi band.
A Great Night Back Together at Agave Uptown
The CMSA Northern Region held its first post-COVID in-person event at Agave Uptown, Oakland.
What a wonderful evening we had at the California Moving and Storage Association Northern Chapter’s first “Back in Person” event. We had a lively group of licensed California movers and vendors at Agave Uptown in Oakland, California, where chef Octavio Diaz took care of us as if we were family. We enjoyed freshly made guacamole and chips, a choice of Chile Poblano, Enchiladas, or tacos, and finished with churros and ice cream. Agave Uptown’s bartenders and staff were fantastic, and this was our second time hosting a CMSA event there. We cannot wait to go back.
New Faces, Old Friends, and the First to Register
New attendees from Valley Relocations, PCS Relocation, and CompuMove joined the October event.
The evening started with Ken Jordan, Owner and CEO of J & S Paper, leading the Pledge of Allegiance. On the roll call, we welcomed two new guests: Dave Calhoun, President of Valley Relocations, who joined us for the first time, and Laura Engen, VP of Sales and Business Development at PCS Relocation Services, who came to check us out. We also had Sam Triantis, Sales and Marketing Director at CompuMove Systems Corporation, visiting from Southern California. As is our custom, we recognized the first person to register on our chapter’s website: Peter Pfeilsticker, General Manager, Bay Area for Ace Relocation Systems, Inc. In the age of COVID-19, Peter went home with a box of face masks and disinfecting wipes instead of the usual celebratory hat!
Industry Updates from John Chipman Jr. and Steve Weitekamp
John Chipman Jr. updated the group on the state of the industry; Karl Anderson was re-elected.
Next we heard from John Chipman Jr., Executive Vice President of Chipman Relocation & Logistics, who gave a brief update on the state of the industry.
We then heard from association president Steve Weitekamp, who conducted a vote for the Association’s Board of Directors. With no opposition, our friend Karl Anderson of Anderson Bros. is set to serve two more years. Karl could not join us in person, but Dave Calhoun stepped up for our chapter — not only by buying a large number of raffle tickets, but winning plenty of prizes as well!
The Mariachi Surprise
Mariachi San Francisco, the only Bay Area band with a harp, surprised guests at the event.
With the support and generosity of our event sponsors, we secured a Mariachi band. And since John Chipman Jr. has been serving as CMSA Chairman for two years, the only time in the association’s history this has happened, we had to book the only Mariachi band in the entire Bay Area that plays with a harp. Mariachi San Francisco surprised the guests, and true to tradition, when the “Mariachi Loco” song played, John Chipman Jr. was invited to dance. Restaurant patron Lili Lopez joined him on the dance floor.
Thank You to Dennis Jenkins, Gaylynn LaVenture, and Our Sponsors
Dennis Jenkins donated 18 bottles of wine and Gaylynn LaVenture sold every raffle ticket.
A special shout out to Dennis Jenkins of Lulu’s Hauling for his generosity, he brought 18 bottles of wine for our raffle. That is a chapter record!
Thank you also to Gaylynn LaVenture, Household Manager at Valley Relocation, for selling every single raffle ticket. Your support does not go unnoticed, and we appreciate you.
And a big thank you to all of our Mariachi sponsors. Without your generosity, we would not have had such a memorable evening of music, food, and reconnection.
Event Sponsors, please support those who support us:
Casey Myers of Champion Risk & Insurance Services | Charlie Gonzalez of CG Moving Co | Mitch Snelson & Andy Smith of CDS Moving Equipment | Jeff Nadeau of Dewitt Move Worldwide | Pedro Hermosillo of Pedro’s Moving Services | John Kay of Victory Packaging | Dustin Ullmer of J & S Paper
We were also featured on ABC 7 News Bay Area Instagram. Check it out!
Save the Date: Annual Holiday Dinner, December 10th
The chapter’s 2021 holiday dinner is Friday, December 10th at Dominic’s at Oyster’s Point, SSF.
We are finalizing the details for our next event: the chapter’s Annual Holiday Dinner! Pending approval from the CMSA office, save the date, Friday, December 10th, 2021 at Dominic’s at Oyster’s Point in South San Francisco, California. We cannot promise live entertainment or all-you-can-eat crab, but you will enjoy a delicious three-course meal, a cash bar, and all your friends from the CMSA Northern Chapter. More details to follow.
Want to be part of our next event? Check out the CMSA for membership information and our chapter’s event page for upcoming dates.
