Senator Thomas J. Umberg Honors Orange County Small Business of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2021
CONTACT: Ana.Gonzalez@sen.ca.gov; (714) 287-0164
Senator Thomas J. Umberg Honors Orange County Small Business of the Year
(Sacramento, CA) – This weekend, Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) honored The Recess Room in Fountain Valley, as Small Business of the Year for the 34th Senate District.
“Mr. Pham and Recess Room are an inspiration to all of us and a perfect example of Orange County’s community mentality,” said Senator Umberg. “I am proud to recognize him for his ongoing commitment, inspiring work for his community, and the amazing dedication he brings to ensuring the people of Orange County are fed well.”
Viet Pham, the owner (who also owns Good Vibes Restaurant in Huntington Beach), grew up in Glendale as part of a restaurant family. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from California State University, Long Beach and, in 2016 co-founded Recess Room with his four best friends.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Viet Pham was focused on staying afloat as a business – however over the last 18 months, that mission has evolved to so much more. He partnered with Nailing It USA to give back to our communities with free meals to seniors, the unemployed, and anyone who needs a helping hand every week since our shutdown began. In fact, since March 2020, Mr. Pham and Recess Room have provided more than 70,000 restaurant meals to healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and vulnerable seniors. The effort continues with biweekly food distribution.
The California Small Business Association sponsors the annual “Small Business of the Year” celebrations. The event typically includes a special ceremony on the Senate Floor in which most of the Senators honor a small business that has significantly contributed to their district. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the statewide ceremony and luncheon was held remotely. However, Senator Umberg joined Viet Pham at the Recess Room this past weekend to officially present him with his award and resolution and thank him for his dedication to SD34.
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Senator Thomas Umberg represents the 34th Senate District which includes the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Orange, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, and Westminster. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, and former federal prosecutor. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.