Angela Pustorino

Petaluma’s Bay Alarm is one of only 17 branches of a family-owned company founded in the post-war years. Bay Alarm is now the largest privately owned security company in the nation. The Petaluma branch employs about 50 people and serves a mix of businesses and households.

The garage sale is all hands-on deck project for several months, Erica says. The team donates items themselves and picks up truckloads from their colleagues at other branches. We at COTS also put out the word to our supporters, and Bay Alarm graciously accepts everything from dolls and china to armoires and living room sets. In advance of the sale, every nook and cranny of the office gives way to furniture, appliances and knickknacks.

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Community banking means you know your customers and community.

“Our tellers greet customers who walks in by name,” says Roni Brown, Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing for Summit State Bank. “We all live in this community and are connected. We know what’s going on in our backyard. We know what’s important.”

We at COTS know that we’re lucky to have Summit State Bank on our side. The bank has been a generous supporter for many years. And a curious one—about us and about all the causes it supports.

“I do my research, so I know our donations are staying in our community,” Roni says. She’s responsible for vetting applications from nonprofits, and she pores over financial statements and program results. She also asks around. Having grown up in Sonoma County, she knows a lot of people to ask! The bank’s charter is “to do for the greater good of the community.” For Roni, that means “I need to make sure we’re giving to agencies that are effective and that are aligned with our mission.”

The North Bay Business Journal named the bank one of the top 20 corporate philanthropists in the North Bay.

Since the fires, basic needs like food, housing and security are high on Summit State Bank’s list, Roni says. That means support for agencies like COTS, the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Verity and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Now, during the pandemic, their focus is renewed. “Especially at times like these when so many people are out of work, it has to be about the basics.” Roni says. “This is hitting home for everybody.”

Most of the bank’s account holders are businesses, both the for-profit and non-profit kinds. For non-profit account holders, Summit State Bank has a special partnership, Nonprofit Partner Program, through which it pays above-market interest rates on account balances and provides donations and volunteer support. That volunteer support can include board membership, an invaluable donation of expertise and affiliation.

Christine Castillo, Executive Director of Verity, which works to end all forms of violence in Sonoma County, and focuses primarily on ending sexual assault and helping its victims heal, says, “Summit State Bank has been such an amazing partner and support to Verity. They understand the needs of non-profit organizations and are caring and supportive of our work. They are quick to provide us detailed response and support with not only our banking, but in checking in with us to see how we are all doing during this time of COVID19. It is truly a pleasure to work with Summit and a gift as well!”

The bank recently gained new business accounts because of its success with Paycheck Protection Program loans for its customers. “It was all-hands on deck,” Roni says. “Our focus was on helping our customers keep their doors open, keep their employees on the payroll.” With five branches and fewer than 100 employees in total, Summit State Bank closed over 500 loans in just three weeks.

“It was a constantly evolving process. There were a lot of touch points with customers, a lot of back and forth as we got new information,” Roni says. “The relationship we have with our customers was key to getting it done.”

“We’re never going to be the biggest player,” Roni says. “But that’s our strength, too. We’re accessible. One of the things that I’m most proud of is that we’re nimble and connected to the community.”

Thank you, Summit State Bank!

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For Friedman’s Home Improvement, both shopping local AND giving local is a way of life. Nonprofits, teams, schools, and organizations for seniors can all count on Friedman’s for support and advocacy.

At COTS, Friedman’s has been a mainstay of our programs for families with children since our very earliest days. Not only does Friedman’s fund COTS generously, the company provides us with free and discounted materials and lots of skilled volunteer labor. If you want a volunteer who knows how to paint, repair and build, recruit from your local family-owned home improvement store!

We also appreciate Friedman’s visits to check out how we’re doing. They are truly interested in how we help homeless kids and parents regain housing. We love the fact that they regularly donate advertisements on KZST for us. And we could never put on our Thanksgiving feasts without Friedman’s annual avalanche of turkeys. Next time you’re behind a green Friedman’s truck on the freeway, imagine it full of turkeys and you’ll get an idea of how much we depend on them every November.

Friedman’s has played a role in the North Bay’s recovery from fires and floods—and, now, a pandemic.

As an essential business, all of the Friedman’s Home Improvement stores remain open during the pandemic. Like all essential businesses, they’ve had to adopt new safety practices and incur new costs. “The pandemic has made it abundantly clear what is important: the people in our lives, our families and basic human needs. At Friedman’s our mission is to deliver the human side of home improvement,” Barry says.

When asked why his family company gives so widely and so generously, he says simply, “Friedman’s believes in supporting the community that has supported us for 74 years.”

And community involvement is more important than ever, Barry says. “Supporting each other, our team, our customers and our community: we are people helping people.” The pandemic offers a unique opportunity, Barry says, “to truly understand what it means to be a community, celebrating our differences and finding the common threads that unite us all. We are in this together.”

Thank you, Friedman’s Home Improvement!

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Philanthropy has always been part of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects’ (QKA) culture. But now, it’s more important than ever. “We really recognize how fortunate we are,” partner and founder Mark Quattrocchi says, explaining that the firm’s 65 employees are all working from home and that their projects remain on a comparatively smooth track. “This is the time for all of us who are doing well to do more.”

QKA, one of northern California’s top providers of comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education facilities, does much to help COTS. They’ve been invaluable consultants as we look at ways to repurpose our facilities to better serve our clients. The firm was also a generous sponsor of our annual fundraising breakfast, The COTS Hour.

“You can’t live in this community and not feel connected to COTS,” Mark says. His connection grew stronger while talking with COTS staff and stakeholders about how our sites could function better. Mark says he was taken by the array of services COTS offers to meet a variety of needs. He was particularly impressed with COTS’ focus on homeless prevention and with the permanent housing programs through which we house most of the children we serve.

Opportunity for children is important to Mark. Providing it is his life’s work: he’s spent 34 years designing their learning spaces. In Petaluma, QKA’s biggest project was Kenilworth Junior High. Their process depends on close collaboration with teachers to provide the types of learning environments students need. They create flexible and adaptable spaces so that schools can respond to changing needs or changes in methodology. When asked to name one thing that will never go out of style, Mark praised natural light, which improves concentration, mood, and scholastic outcomes. “We want to bring an abundance of daylight into the classroom,” Mark says. “Learning happens best in spaces that are light and uplifting. Every child deserves the right space to learn.”

But what happens to opportunity when classrooms close due to a pandemic? In April, Mark learned that many local students in poor or rural households were having trouble keeping up with lessons because they had no internet or very spotty internet. “Here the teachers had risen to the challenge of distance learning and adapted their lessons almost overnight. It was really remarkable,” Mark says. But some of their students were missing out. And school administrators were rushing to find the resources they needed for their students.

Mark serves on the Board of Directors for the Bergin University of Canine Studies in Penngrove, and QKA just built the first phase temporary classrooms for an eventual new state of the art campus. The university trains dogs and people to work together in a variety of fields, including police work, rescue work, hunting, service and therapy. QKA solved thousands of problems along the way, says a grateful president Bonnie Bergin, and the new campus was set to open this fall. The pandemic was the only problem among thousands that QKA could not resolve, says Bonnie, who is hopeful that her the campus will welcome students back in the spring.

Mark’s belief in the therapeutic power of dogs extends to another agency for which he serves on the board: Paws for Purple Hearts (a program which has its roots at Bergin University). This is a national organization that teams veterans with service dogs to help the veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress trauma or traumatic brain injuries. Through training their dogs, the veterans often experience relief from their symptoms. Mark was particularly moved by the story of one veteran who had his first good night’s sleep when his training dog was at his side.

Lots of events have been cancelled this year. Among them is the annual ball for the international organization A Chance in Life, which in its 75-year history has provided opportunities for thousands of at-risk children throughout the world. Mark serves as a board member and has been named the organization’s Man of the Year.

In the speech he would have delivered at the ball, Mark wrote, “To be of service to those in need is our highest calling.” We count ourselves lucky to have this local architecture firm that answers the call to help with generosity, skill, initiative, native creativity and empathy.

Thank you, Mark and all your team at Quattrocchi Kwok Architects.

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In 1950, seven Sonoma County employees formed a credit union by pooling their savings in a desk drawer. Their goals were to help one another with reasonably priced loans and to provide a safe place for members to save for their future.

Mission achieved.

That small credit union became Redwood Credit Union (RCU), now serving approximately 365,000 members. RCU is a not-for-profit financial institution with a mission to passionately serve the best interests of its members, employees, and communities.

And that means COTS is part of RCU’s mission. We are grateful for the organization’s steadfast support of our programs, especially of our programs for children and families. And we are just as grateful for the role RCU plays in pulling together the wider community to respond to disaster. After the 2017 fires, for example, RCU, together with the Press Democrat and State Senator Mike McGuire, created the North Bay Fire Relief Fund, which raised over $32 million to help in immediate relief efforts. That money, donated by over 41,000 donors, went directly to people who lost their homes. It also went to nonprofits, including COTS, to assist those who’ve been affected by the fires. The fund is one of the mainstays of our Rapid Re-Housing program. Since July 2018, ­­­­COTS’ Rapid Re-Housing has helped 449 people, including 149 children, regain and maintain permanent housing.

RCU can play an important role in community efforts like the Fire Relief Fund because of its large membership, its role as a large employer, its structure and history, says Matt Martin, RCU’s Senior Vice President of Community and Government Relations. “We’re a place where people and communities naturally come together,” he says.

Most recently, RCU helped save over 9,000 local jobs by adopting an all-hands-on-deck approach to the Paycheck Protection Program. RCU temporarily transferred 60 employees to its 20-person business services team. They worked diligently and secured loans for 1,700 local businesses.

“The effort we put into helping businesses get those loans was a labor of love,” Matt says. “It was about preserving jobs, keeping food on the table, and keeping families in their homes.”

“For us as a not-for-profit financial cooperative, it’s pretty easy to make decisions,” says Matt. “We focus on what’s right for our members, our employees, and our communities.”

“A key credit union philosophy is ‘people helping people,’” Matt says. That means RCU doesn’t need to hike fees and interest rates to satisfy shareholders. In fact, the credit union can help people avoid common traps like high-interest car loans. “We’re there when our members need us, through the highs and lows of life. And we try to smooth the path ahead by educating people about financial products and savings strategies. Helping people achieve their goals and dreams is what drives us.”

And in Brett Martinez, RCU’s President and CEO, Sonoma County has a true leader. “Brett makes financial education a priority—and not just in the communities RCU serves. He has taken the dialogue and plan of action to the national level.” As Chair of the Credit Union National Association, Brett was deeply involved with credit union advocacy efforts, actively meeting with local, state, and national lawmakers to speak about credit union issues and the importance of financial education.

“Community giving is part and parcel of improving the well-being and opportunity of members,” Matt says. “We’re all stronger when everyone has a chance.” When it comes to giving, RCU looks for causes and agencies that have shared goals with the credit union. “We give to organizations that provide the building blocks to well-being. Those focused on basic needs like housing and food programs, education, workforce development, and financial wellness. The environment is of great concern to us as well and we’re proud to house our headquarters in a LEED certified green building.”

“We give intentionally,” says Matt. “Instead of just writing checks, we carefully choose community partners that we know will produce positive outcomes. The impact we can make together is where the magic happens.”

Another RCU partner is the Downtown Streets Team, which begins operations in Petaluma this month. The Downtown Streets Team provides people without homes the opportunity to work, cleaning up their community, and the opportunity to access education and resources. Whenever the Downtown Streets Team expands operations to a new community, “RCU is the first to step up with support,” says Karen Strolia, Downtown Streets Teams, North Bay Director. The credit union not only provides financial support, RCU’s representatives show up to provide workshops, encouragement, direct assistance with opening accounts and ice cream! “We have seen our team members take this new information and apply it, which has moved them farther away from their homeless experience,” Karen says. “We are so incredibly grateful for the partnership.”

On behalf of the thousands of people who have helped through your support of countless organizations, thank you, Redwood Credit Union!

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Anthy O’Brien’s grandfather, like many Greek immigrants, owned a diner. His was in Detroit, and he made friends with his customers, many of them workers from an auto parts factory next door.

When the workers staged a sit in for better wages and working conditions, their managers locked them inside the plant. They thought the workers would get hungry and give up.  No such luck. Anthy’s grandfather set up a pulley and kept a steady supply of burgers, fries and solidarity going over the wall.

It’s a family story Anthy loves, and there are plenty more where that came from. Most of them are about hard work, standing up for what’s right, telling the truth, and extending welcome to everyone. And when Anthy says “everyone,” she means everyone. “Their doors were always open. It didn’t matter who you were,” she remembers. “My mother would say, ‘We have to have food for when the paperboy comes to collect. He may be hungry.'”

No doubt Anthy’s kids and grandkids will tell their own stories about her. And they’ll be variations on the same themes.

Top among them will be the story of how Anthy struck out on her own, leaving a high-flying management job at Pacific Bell to co-found Top Speed Data. She was already a trailblazer for women, working in I.T. management for Pacific Bell. She’d been recruited into software programming for the giant company right after graduating from UC Davis. Anthy had planned on becoming a teacher or a nurse and had taken PacBell’s aptitude test almost on a whim because her sister was already working there. “I did pretty well on it and they made me an offer,” she says.  “I never looked back,” she says.

But the job at PacBell stopped feeling right to her. “I realized after the fact how much I was holding back there,” she says. “I remember being at meetings, making remarks and giving suggestions. And they wouldn’t be addressed or they’d be overlooked. Then a man would say the same thing in the same meeting and the suggestion would be accepted and applauded and implemented.”

For a long time, she second-guessed herself. “I would think, ‘Well, maybe I didn’t say it right.” When she did quit, she just knew she was doing it because she needed to “be true to herself.”

Before this, “I had always thought I wasn’t a risk taker,” Anthy says. “But there I was, just recently divorced, with three boys, supporting them on my own. And I quit. I think back on it now, and I think, ‘Well, maybe I am a risk taker.'”

Right away, she found lots of work in consulting. Eventually, she and Glenn Illian founded Top Speed Data together in Petaluma, creating a company that resonates with Anthy’s family values.  Anthy was taught and believes that everyone should operate on a level playing field in the business world and she  does a lot to ensure that.   So many of us feel at the mercy of technology providers. The fine print is so inscrutable. The packages that solution providers offer can be so expensive, cluttered and confusing. The effort to combine disparate systems while maintaining security can be frustrating and mind-boggling.

Top Speed Data demystifies technology for their customers.  No one is disadvantaged by a service providers’ size or information monopoly. Instead, clients get individualized, customized packages, brokered by Top Speed Data to be priced fairly by the provider.  Top Speed Data’s services are always free to their clients.

COVID-19 means more business for Top Speed as they help companies figure out how to have employees work from home.

“We are definitely seeing an uptick,” Anthy says. “Suddenly, people who weren’t ready to make changes before now need to get their systems in place. The future of work is changing.”

What won’t change is Top Speed Data’s and Anthy’s commitment to her community.  The company’s  employees have a say in which non-profits get company support. Giving is generally focused on local causes, often involving education, children or the disadvantaged. Promoting STEM education for girls is also a constant. Anthy remembers her early career experiences and wants to pave the way for more women in the field.

We at COTS are very grateful for the support the company has provided to us for many years. We can count on Top Speed Data for financial contributions and for advocacy. Anthy’s introduced many people to COTS. “I just ask myself, ‘How was I so fortunate?’” Anthy says. “COTS offers a hand-up, not a hand-out, and I like that.” COVID-19 put on hold her plans to volunteer in our children’s programs, but we are looking forward to her help there in a few months.

But if there were a Top Speed Data gratitude pageant, COTS would be competing for the tiara against most of the other nonprofits around.

For Petaluma People Services Executive Director Elece Hempel, Anthy and Top Speed Data “are what community is about.” She’s especially grateful for Anthy’s recent help for PPSC’s You Are Not Alone program.  Thanks to Anthy, the program’s database is easy to use and yields useful information to better help the homebound seniors the program serves.

Top Speed Data has been a steady supporter of Rebuilding Together Petaluma, with both financial support and with hard-working volunteers. Jane Hamilton, who leads the agency, says that she is heartened by Top Speed Data’s commitment to providing safe and healthy homes to those members of our community who are disabled or facing economic challenges.

Susan Gilmore, who heads the North Bay Children’s Center, has counted on Top Speed Data and Anthy for ten years.  “I truly appreciate Anthy’s energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to addressing issues that threaten the stability of children and families near and afar.  We could not do what we do without volunteers like Anthy O’Brien,” she says.

The list goes on and on. Top Speed Data supports dozens of causes and Anthy’s served on the board for Cinnabar Theater, the Petaluma Educational Foundation, the North Bay Children’s Center, Hospice of Petaluma and the Petaluma Boys and Girls Club. It was on the Boys and Girls board in 1993 that she met her husband, Don O’Brien. They’ve raised their blended family of six kids ever since and are now doting grandparents to 14.

Anthy just won the Citizen of the Year award in the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Awards of Excellence. The awards ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic, and Anthy hopes “they just let it go. I am not a public speaker.”

We are giving her and Top Speed Data a standing ovation.

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