Iyad Shihadeh
1. As a son of immigrants, I love my community and have been proud to call South San Francisco home my entire life. Having grown up here, I have been seeking a way to contribute back to my community. I have fond memories attending events as a youth at the South San Francisco Conference Center. I want members of our community, especially the next generation, to enjoy the Conference Center the way I did growing up.
I believe the Conference Center should be a place that is accessible to all members of our community, no matter their income or status. Over the years, I have seen the Conference Center being used primarily by larger businesses for events. While I think it’s important that the Conference Center remain a great resource for larger businesses, it’s equally important for it to be accessible to smaller businesses and all members of our community.
As a member of the Conference Center Authority, I want to help steer the Conference Center back to its roots as a community center for everyone’s use, while remaining a great resource for our large and small businesses.
2. A Business Representative of the Conference Center Authority should have a diverse background in their career. I spent nine years working in government as a member of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s staff in San Francisco. I served as her Constituent Services Director. During my time in government, I learned to problem solve by helping Californians solve their issues with the federal government. My ability to problem solve and navigate government bureaucracy will be a crucial asset for the Conference Center Authority, as the center is owned by the city. Recently, I moved into the private sector by joining my family’s restaurant business, where I have been helping run our operations at Amoura Restaurant. As I have been working in my family business, I have developed strong skills in budgeting, operations, and marketing. These business skills are crucial for running any successful enterprise, and can contribute the Conference Center greatly by helping guide it so that it is run efficiently and reaching its operating potential. I believe my background in government and business are a unique combination that will allow me to contribute greatly to the Conference Center Authority.
3. I’ve seen South San Francisco go through tremendous growth the past decade in the public and private sector. While this growth is important, it’s crucial our residents maintain a strong quality of life as we transition into the next decade. To provide our residents the best quality of life, it’s crucial our private and public sector leaders come from a variety of backgrounds in our community. Equity and inclusion are important for any city to grow and thrive. Additionally, climate change is happening at a rapid pace with rising sea levels. If we want our city to continue growing, it will be crucial we tackle climate change collectively to ensure our future generations have a livable city.