Press Releases

Comevo, a technology company that specializes in online orientation software, provided $75,000 in immediate funding to San Luis Obispo County businesses disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant recipients for the SLO County Small Business Relief Fund were notified via video conference on Tuesday, May 19th.

“As a long time business in downtown SLO, I am deeply grateful to be a recipient of this grant that will help our business survive through these unpredictable times.” said Jim Dee, owner and operator of the Palm Theatre. “I’ve always had a sense of community in our special town, and this partnership from Comevo and the SLO Chamber exemplifies the thoughtful and caring support for business that make San Luis Obispo unique.” Some recipients will use the funds for basic operating costs such as utilities and inventory, while others hope to update their business model and operations to reflect the new health and safety practices that need to be in place before they can reopen.

“95% of our customers are tourists, so it will be some time before our business recovers,” said Katie Hayward, owner of Uncorked Wine Tours. “It’s been a hard two months of being forced to temporarily close, but this grant is a breath of fresh air. Our community is amazing and this showing of support for small business warms my heart.”

The applications, open from May 7 – 14, saw an overwhelming response with nearly 600 businesses applying to receive a grant. In the end, 15 businesses across a breadth of industries and locations throughout our county received $5,000 each: ● Savvi Skin Studio, SLO ● Trillium Massage, SLO ● Global Forensic Services, SLO ● Thrive Training Center, Inc., Atascadero ● Rocket Fizz, SLO ● Aurora Adventures, Morro Bay ● Hair Haven, SLO ● Parlour-A Hair Salon, SLO ● Summerland Co, SLO ● Hive Natural Beauty Collective, SLO ● Hop’s Bounce House, Atascadero ● CrossFit Paso Robles, Paso Robles ● Palm Theatre, SLO ● Big SLO Bike, SLO

“While our revenue has grown as a result of the online space we’re all operating in, we know that many other businesses have been completely devastated.” said Scott Machado, CEO of Comevo. “We were in a fortunate enough position to give back to the community, and our hope is that others will be inspired to partner with the Chamber to do the same.”

At this time, a second round of funding has not been scheduled, however the Chamber is putting out a call for any other businesses who would like to join the effort to support small businesses in the County who have experienced detrimental effects of COVID’s economic impact. The first round of grants from the Relief Fund came entirely from Comevo. If you or your business is interested in donating to the SLO County Small Business Relief Fund, please contact Kaila Anderson at kaila@slochamber.org. If you would like further information or to request an interview with Comveo, the SLO Chamber or any of the recipients please contact Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth at jacqui@slochamber.org or (760) 473-3531.

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ABOUT COMEVO Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, Comevo is a cloud-based software company serving customers since 1999. Comevo is the market leader in online orientation for higher education. Other industries served include construction, human resources, government and non-profit organizations. Comevo strives to be a leading global software provider of software services that streamline and enhance communication. For more information, please visit Comevo.com.

ABOUT THE SLO CHAMBER The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce is the oldest and largest voluntary organization in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. As an independent nonprofit corporation (not affiliated with government or any other agency), it uniquely serves the needs of its nearly 1,400 members. For more information, please visit SLOChamber.org.

May 8, 2020

San Luis Obispo, CA – Grant applications for the newly formed SLO County Small Business Relief Fund open this Thursday.

Comevo, a technology company that specializes in online orientation software, is providing $75,000 in immediate funding to San Luis Obispo County businesses disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants are eligible to receive a grant of $5,000 or more to help fill immediate financial gaps until they can resume normal operations or until other more permanent financing becomes available.

“Dedication to helping businesses succeed is part of Comevo’s DNA, and there has never been a time where this has been more essential or challenging,” said Comevo CEO Scott Machado. “We feel so lucky to call San Luis Obispo home and our small businesses are key to this community’s character, economic renewal and ongoing success. Comevo is committed to supporting our community through the long road ahead and we hope these grants not only provide direct, immediate aid but also inspire others to imagine how they might step up and support one another in this time.”

While currently funded solely by Comevo, the Chamber is putting out a call for any other businesses who would like to join the effort to support small businesses in the County who have experienced detrimental effects of COVID’s economic impact.

“According to a recent survey we conducted, 80% of businesses have identified cash flow as their number one need. So, when Comevo came to us with this incredible idea, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help make a difference for some of the Doers + Dreamers who are the lifeblood of our County,” said Jim Dantona, President and CEO of the SLO Chamber. “We are grateful to have partners like Comevo who understand the significant role small businesses and their leaders play in our community’s vibrance.”

Applications for the first round of grant funding open at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 7 and will remain open until midnight on Thursday, May 14. Businesses, not just SLO Chamber members, can see the eligibility criteria and apply here.

Recipients will be notified on Tuesday, May 19.

Eligibility

• For profit businesses owned and operated in San Luis Obispo County
• Employers with less than 200 employees
• Businesses who have been continuously closed since the “Shelter-in-Place” preferred

This grant can be used for:

• Paying rent and utilities
• Payroll expenses
• Paying outstanding debt to vendors
• Other immediate operational costs

If you or your business is interested in donating to the SLO County Small Business Relief Fund, please contact Kaila Anderson at kaila@slochamber.org. Additionally, Downtown SLO is collecting donations for “Welcome Back to Business Kits” for their retail members. If you wish to donate financially or in-kind to the effort, please contact Bettina Swigger at bettina@downtownslo.org.

For more information on the information provided in this release or to request an interview with Comevo or the SLO Chamber, please contact Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth at jacqui@slochamber.org.

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ABOUT COMEVO

Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, Comevo is a cloud-based software company serving customers since 1999. Comevo is the market leader in online orientation for higher education. Other industries served include construction, human resources, government and non-profit organizations. Comevo strives to be a leading global software provider of software services that streamline and enhance communication. For more information, please visit Comevo.com.

ABOUT THE CHAMBER

The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce is the oldest and largest voluntary organization in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. As an independent nonprofit corporation (not affiliated with government or any other agency), it uniquely serves the needs of its nearly 1,400 members. For more information, please visit SLOChamber.org.

October 8, 2018

Comevo Awards $6,000 in Scholarships to Deserving College Students

San Luis Obispo, CA – California software company, Comevo, has awarded scholarships to deserving college students as part of their annual giving program to help students interested in higher education reach their goals. “Working in the higher education industry, we see the challenges students face while trying to achieve a degree. One major obstacle is the cost of higher education. This program is one way we can give back and have an impact on a student’s life,” commented Comevo spokesperson Christine Sommer.

Over the four years the program has been in place, hundreds of students have applied for the scholarships. Of the more than 350 applicants for the 2018 scholarship program, two community college students and two university students have been selected to receive allocations.
Ethan Gallant of Moraine Valley Community College and Michelle Blanco of West Hills Community College have each been awarded $1,000 scholarships. “I’m blessed to not only have been given this opportunity, but to have been chosen as a recipient as well. I plan on using [the scholarship] towards my nursing school expenses which will greatly help alleviate the financial stress of myself and my parents,” says Blanco.

Aaron Gutierrez of California State University Fullerton and Jessa Canlas of the University of Illinois at Chicago are each $2,000 scholarship award recipients. “I plan on using this scholarship to […] help me cover costs associated with the completion of my academic internships in the fall and spring where I hope to put the skills I’ve learned in my field of study to the test and get real-world, hands-on experience,” says Gutierrez.

The applicants are judged on a number of factors including GPA, financial means, extra curricular activities, leadership roles, work involvement, and a short essay question. The application period for the 2019 scholarship program will begin in January.

Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, Comevo is a software company dedicated to cultivating technology that will serve the staff and students at colleges and universities throughout North America. Our definitive product is not software; it is helping staff streamline communication processes that are more effective, which ultimately helps students succeed.

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3/1/2017

To my community,

I would like to take a moment to keep you all up to date with the responses to “A Day Without Immigrants”. With very few exceptions, your response has been overwhelmingly positive. From the replies on our social media, the notices in the Tribune, the KSBY web site, and the amazing responses by our guests, I guess doing what I consider the right thing by my staff, well, it was a good thing.

I would like to take a moment to thank the individuals that took the time to write notes supporting us, but their names are way too many, and some of your handwriting is almost as bad as mine! However, we would like to send out a big thank you to Comevo, Inc. I had never heard of them before. Comevo is a local software company, they called me and asked if they could pay our staff for the days wages that they missed! Talk about paying it forward! None of you need to hear my sob story about how thin the margins are in restauranting, we all have our own load to bear, but there was just no way that we could pay the staff for the day that we were closed. Due to the generosity of Comevo, all staff members who missed work on “A Day Without Immigrants” have been paid their hourly wages for that day. So, a Big Sky thank you to Scott, Chistine and the rest of the team at Comevo.

As a central coast local, Lompoc born and raised, I cannot begin to

thank all of you enough for supporting our restaurant. We shall do our best to continue to make “real food by real people” supporting our local farmers and trying to make good choices with our actions. I don’t want to be anything but a cook. Politics is not my game/goal, but sometimes we all have to make a stance.

Now, please, let me get back to feeding you folks, cuz’ that’s way more fun than this other stuff!

Cheers, Greg

Greg Holt, Chef/Owner, Big Sky Cafe

Online Orientation Software Company To Offer Three $1500 Scholarships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     DATE:  April 22, 2015

(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA)    Comevo, a San Luis Obispo-based company that creates online-orientation software for colleges, universities and vocational schools, has announced that they will offer three $1500 financial scholarships to students attending school in the Fall 2015 term.

According to Leslie Coe, Director of Operations, this is the first year Comevo has granted scholarships. “Our company is staffed by people who care very deeply about helping students succeed.” Coe said. “Knowing that there are many bright, deserving students who may not be able to continue their schooling without financial assistance, these scholarships just seemed like the most meaningful way to help.”

Coe said one scholarship will be presented to a student attending a university, one to a student attending community college, and one to a student attending a trade/vocational school in the United States. The deadline for applications is June 30, 2015.

Comevo LLC is the leading provider online orientation for Higher Education. Comevo streamlines and enhances communication between organizations and their constituents. Comevo offers cloud software services with engaging multimedia, 24/7 accessibility, consistent delivery, fast deployment, and monitored results.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit www.comevo.com, call Christine Sommer at 800/748-0975 x807, or email christine.sommer@comevo.com.

NODA Review April 2015

Best Practices for Online Orientation
By: Katie Colombo and Christine Sommer, Comevo LLC

Orientation is the first stepping-stone in a student’s educational experience. Developing a relevant and effective orientation program is crucial to ensuring both institution and student goals are met. Online Orientation not only caters to today’s digital native students, but it provides convenience, consistency, and data-driven improvements. For those students who are unable to make the in person orientation, often due to costs involved, they still need an orientation to ensure their success.
After the initial step of deciding to move forward with online orientation, the next step is developing the content. Comevo’s experience in the online orientation industry – coupled with feedback from current customers — has enabled us to develop a set of best practices to consider when developing and implementing online orientation.

1. Add Variety
Cater to the millennial generation by including a wide variety of multimedia, and utilize a diverse colors, texts, images, audio recordings, and videos to aide in comprehension and retention of information.

2.  Keep it Short & Sweet
As attention spans continue to shrink, providing only necessary information is as important as ever. Utilize bullet points to make information more digestible.

3. Quiz Them
Utilize quizzes to reinforce important content and ensure comprehension. Most schools surveyed require a passing rate of 70%-85%.

4. Introduce Resources to Succeed
Provide additional information that incoming students will need to meet his/her goals, including club, sports, library, tutoring, and financial resources.

5. Diversify Speakers
A variety of presenters will hold students’ attention more effectively than by just using one speaker.

6. Collect Data
Your reporting program should allow you to track completion, pace, questions right/wrong and commonly missed questions. Orientation data can be used to improve next years program as well as other programs around campus.
As a market leader in the online orientation software industry, Comevo provides @school online orientation™ software services, support and resources to develop an effective orientation program. For more resources on online orientation for higher education, visit Comevo’s Blog.

San Luis Obispo, CA – April 2, 2014 – Comevo LLC, the leading provider in the online orientation software industry and VolunteerHub, the leading volunteer online management software provider for nonprofits, announced on Monday a mutually beneficial partnership in the volunteer online training software industry.

Comevo’s services will satisfy VolunteerHub’s clients’ need for effective volunteer training software online, while saving the clients both time and money.  The partnership will allow Comevo to expand further into the volunteer training industry and VolunteerHub to grow as an online training solution provider.

When it comes to its customers, VolunteerHub wants to offer the best in class in online volunteer training and they feel Comevo will provide that.

“We are pleased to partner with VolunteerHub and provide a solution to help their clients,” said Doug Sawyer, Comevo’s Business Director. “They have a virtual scheduling and management software in addition to other products that they sell and have partnered with us so that they don’t have to spend their energy in this area and can focus on their other service offerings. They will continue to sell their virtual orientation software and we will support it.”

“Comevo fills a need for many of our clients in the nonprofit sector,” said Corbit Harrison, Vice President of Business Development for VolunteerHub. “Training volunteers is an essential step in reducing churn and increasing engagement. Comevo helps our customers do just that.”

The collaboration between Comevo and VolunteerHub will allow clients to streamline communication with volunteers by utilizing tailored management tools and convenient online training software.

To learn more about Comevo and its volunteer online orientation and training services, visit www.comevo.com.  For more information on VolunteerHub and its cloud-based approach to online volunteer management, visit www.volunteerhub.com.

About Comevo LLC

Comevo strives to be the leading global provider of technology based support service tools that streamline the communication and enhance the relationships between organizations and their constituents. Comevo offers service tools to streamline communication with engaging multimedia, 24/7 accessibility, consistent delivery, fast deployment, and monitored results. 

About VolunteerHub

VolunteerHub (a product of Carr Engineering, Inc.) is a leading volunteer management software used by non-profits and other event-focused organizations. CRM integration, virtual kiosk, mobile compatibility, and event-specific landing pages make it easier to engage, recruit, and manage more volunteers. Since 1996, VolunteerHub has helped organizations manage over 5 billion volunteer hours and process millions of users and events.

Announced Today – Together, Comevo and SmarterServices offer customers a vehicle to maximize student success and retention by measuring learner readiness and non-cognitive skills through an intuitive orientation.