New mayor speaking on change
Newly seated Orland Mayor Wade Elliott is to speak Wednesday at the Orland Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the City Gates Cafe.
The meeting starts at noon with Elliott focusing on change, which, he said, "Is the only constant in business."
Elliott has a long history in business management having worked for the Johnson's Shoes chain in the Bay area as a regional manager.
He said in a prepared statement, he moved to Orland in 1991 after the company sold its Bay area stores and managed stores for Johnson in the Valley Plaza and Chico malls until 1995.
Elliott and his wife then purchased a Johnson's Shoes in Willows and re-opened it as "Roberts and Elliott."
The couple sold the store in 2001 to Zappos.com which helped pioneer retail shoe sales over the Internet, he said. However, the company succeeded to become one of the largest independent shoe retailers on the Web.
From there, Elliott established Oak Tree Christian School and also was hired to create a faith-based elder care community for his church, he said, in a press release on his planned talk.
Today, Oak Tree Christian School is merged with Providence Christian High School to become North Valley Christian Schools in Orland.
Now, Elliott is in charge of WestHaven Assisted Living Center in Orland, a licensed care home, that is under expansion to include a wing for Alzheimer 's and other dementia patients at its Fairview Street facility.
He said his appointment as mayor on Nov. 16 caught some by surprise.
"As a freshman council member, I recognize I was not the obvious choice," Elliott said.
Councilman Reggie Olney nominated Elliott for the position and he was approved on a 3-2 vote.
Elliott said he plans to introduce himself to a "broader segment of the business community," at the luncheon.
"Change is about transformation," he said. "It's about growth. "Individuals and organizations that don't plan for or manage change well can't grow."
For information, call 865-2311. City Gates Cafe is on Hoff Way across Interstate 5.
