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02.04.2010
Office of Community and Economic Development has implemented the furlough schedule adopted by California State University, Fresno
Regional Jobs Initiative operations will be closed on those days, which are included on the RJI Web site calendar for easy reference. Administration may be contacted by e-mail.
To find out when the office will be closed each month from August 2009 through June 2010, go to the RJI calendar, select the month and year then click "Go."
If you have any questions, please call our office at 559.294.0621.
12.22.2009
Reception aimed at luring ex-Fresnans back
Boomerang event is part of a city effort to sell Fresno to its former residents.
By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee
It may take a lot to persuade former Fresno resident Steve Sevgulian to relocate from Newport Beach back to his hometown.
But city, economic development and education officials are going to try.
Sevgulian was among more than 100 people at the first-ever Boomerang Reception at Fresno State's Smittcamp Alumni House on Tuesday.
The reception was a key part of the recently launched campaign to try to persuade former Fresno residents -- especially those between the ages of 28 and 38 -- to come back home.
Event organizers hope that Fresno's slower-paced lifestyle, family connections and high-paying jobs will be enough of a draw.
Sevgulian, who works in sales for a manufacturer, said he'd consider returning if he could find a well-paying job. He has lived in Newport Beach for about five years.
"I have lots of good memories living here," Sevgulian said. "But I also need job security, and I think that is what a lot of people are looking for. We have big city experience, but are there private-sector jobs here?"
Event organizers say there are many unfilled jobs in the Fresno area, including positions in executive management, speech therapy, information technology, pharmacies and nursing.
Local officials -- including Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin and the presidents of Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University -- were on hand Tuesday night to woo the potential boomerangs, a term used for people who return to their hometowns.
Also attending were representatives from the Workforce Investment Board of Fresno County and the Regional Jobs Initiative.
Suzanne Bertz-Rosa, a graphic designer and member of Creative Fresno, one of the event's sponsors, was excited with the number of people who attended.
"We had a far greater response than we anticipated," said Bertz-Rosa. "And this says a lot ... about what people think about Fresno."
Organizers used electronic ads at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, a Web page and social networking sites to attract potential boomerangs.
Kristina Kinard of Tulare didn't need much persuading to return home. After working for three years in San Diego as a medical researcher, Kinard was yearning to be closer to family and live in a more affordable city.
She was fortunate to find a job at Children's Hospital Central California.
"I used to pay $1,300 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, and now I am in a position where I may be able to buy a home," Kinard said. "I couldn't do that living in San Diego."
11.25.2009
Valley aims to bring back young professionals
By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee
Call it the boomerang campaign.
With electronic ads at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, a Web page and social networking efforts, officials are targeting young professionals who departed from the Valley and may -- now that the unemployment market has cooled -- be willing to return for the right job.
Though unemployment rates are high in the Valley, employers here say they still need educated professionals in many fields. The recession, along with family ties, may provide an incentive for some who left to return.
Along with new ideas, so-called boomerangs "also come back with a renewed interest and passion for the area," said Mike Dozier, chief operations officer of the Office of Community and Economic Development at California State University, Fresno.
The challenge has long been figuring out how to lure these former Valley residents -- especially those between the ages of 28 and 38 -- away from their big cities, vibrant life and higher-paying jobs.
Travis Sheridan, chairman of the networking group Creative Fresno and one of the leaders in the boomerang campaign, said several factors are working in Fresno's favor: a weak economy, local family ties and many unfilled, highly skilled jobs in the region.
It's no accident that the first ad was placed at the airport a few days before Thanksgiving. It's designed to get people to start thinking about Fresno and, perhaps more importantly, provoke their relatives to start that conversation.
"Parents can be a very persuasive tool," Sheridan said.
Lillie McHenry is part of Sheridan's target audience. She's been trying for several years to get her son Micah, who was born in Fresno, to move back from Chicago. She was at the airport Wednesday to pick him up.
"I have even tried to find girlfriends for him here," she said jokingly. "But it hasn't worked."
Micah McHenry, 30, admits he thinks about coming back, but he owns a successful landscaping design firm in Chicago.
"The thought of coming back does cross my mind," Micah McHenry said. "But to be honest with you, there is no money here. It would be too hard."
Part of the boomerang strategy is convincing people like Micah McHenry that Fresno does have opportunities.
The airport's ad includes a Web address--www.fresnoboomerang.com--that invites people to a reception at the Smittcamp Alumni House from 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 22.
Local officials, including the presidents of Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University, will be on hand to woo potential boomerangs.
Organizers say that despite the county's double-digit unemployment rate, there are still many unfilled jobs including executive management, speech therapists, information technology, pharmacists and nurses.
"We realize that some of the people who have left and gone away aren't aware that there are jobs available for them," said Dozier. "And this is the first step in letting them know that."
Although the recruiting effort is operating on a shoestring budget, many organizations have donated their time or facilities, including Fresno State, Fresno Pacific University, the Regional Jobs Initiative and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Project supporters say Fresno's slower-paced lifestyle also can help convince some to return home.
"With this economic downturn, people are looking at their options, and some people may be growing tired of the rat race, the expense of living in a large city or their long commutes," said Sheridan. "People are looking to improve their quality of life."
Cathy Frost, president of Bennett Frost Personnel Services in Fresno, said the struggling economy may also be driving former Valley residents back home to launch their own businesses.
"If people can find the jobs they are looking for, that's great," Frost said. "But this also is a great time to be an entrepreneur. This economy has really changed the mind-set of lots of people and they are looking at all the possibilities."
Veronica Hernandez and Ryan Metzdorff are among the boomerangs who returned to the Valley and decided to start their own company. She's from Sanger; Metzdorff grew up in Fresno.
Earlier this year, the couple opened Munchies on Wheels, a late-night food delivery business.
Hernandez, a graphic designer, and Metzdorff, a video game designer, lived in Orange County for nearly six years, but the failing economy made it unaffordable for them.
"We knew that it was cheaper to live here and that our families were here and they could help us," Metzdorff said. "And even though starting your own business has been tough, we think this was the right thing to do."
Suzanne Bertz-Rosa, a graphic designer, also has no regrets about returning to the Valley. A Visalia native, Bertz-Rosa spent 12 years living in San Francisco and Austin, Texas, before returning to Fresno in 2002.
And it was her life experiences outside of the area that sparked the launching of MindHub, a popular local listserv that's widely used by people promoting their events and ideas.
"I love my life here now," Bertz-Rosa said. "This is a place that provides you the freedom to create your own life."
09.22.2009
Fresno personnel department awarded
The Business Journal
The City of Fresno Personnel Services Department was honored last week with an Award of Excellence from the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IMPA-HR), a nonprofit organization that provides resources and advocacy for public human resource professionals at all levels.
The award, presented at the IMPA-HR conference in Nashville, recognizes the quality, accomplishments, and contributions of agency personnel programs over a three year period. Fresno was selected, in part, for its prudent fiscal management during recent budget challenges, which have crippled many public agencies.
“Our City’s employees benefit every day from the outstanding work of our Personnel Department,” said Mayor Ashley Swearengin. “The professionalism of the department staff and their commitment to providing top quality service is clearly reflected in this much-deserved recognition.”
The City’s award in the medium-sized agency category reflected its service to 4,950 permanent, permanent part-time and temporary employees. IPMA-HR cited the City’s leadership and involvement with the County of Fresno, Fresno Unified School District and Fresno County Office of Education to form the Public Sector Collaborative (PSC), a cluster of the larger entity, the Regional Jobs Initiative (RJI).
Internally, the department has also developed a multi-level staff development program focused on succession planning and developing future city leaders. The program includes opportunities for those not currently serving in leadership roles to better understand “what life is like as a supervisor.”
09.10.2009
Poor job market heats Fresno State business incubator
Companies not hiring? Program gives students space to create their own.
By Bethany Clough / The Fresno Bee
In a sign of just how rocky the job market has become, a program at Fresno State that helps students start and run their own businesses is full for the first time.
All six offices at the Lyles Center Student Hatchery are occupied -- and that reflects a national trend as university students increasingly turn to business-launching programs and entrepreneurship classes, educators say.
Spurred by a bad economy and a shortage of job prospects, today's college students are seeking to create their own future. And at Fresno State, the growing reputation of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is attracting lots of interest.
The incubator-like program inside the Lyles Center gives students office space to run a business professionally, as well as access to entrepreneurship experts.
The hatchery started in 2006, and it has had some empty desks until now, said Genelle Taylor, the center's associate director. But this year, the program had more applications than it could accept.
Adam Mortanian, a 22-year-old senior, has a space in the hatchery, where he worked on the business he founded, Adnik Asset Management. The business changes locks, cuts grass and drains pools for bank-owned foreclosures. Mortanian recently sold it for $100,000.
He started the business from his bedroom at his parents' home.
As the business grew -- it employed 15 people from San Joaquin to Ventura counties, including four licensed contractors -- Mortanian needed a more professional space.
He couldn't meet with clients or interview job applicants in his bedroom, so he met them at Starbucks. But even that didn't have the air of professionalism he wanted.
"I'm trying to portray a certain type of image, and I couldn't do that without the office," he said.
Now he's working on several other ventures, including Remove-It, an environmentally friendly water-spot remover for cars, windows and other surfaces.
Mortanian and the other student entrepreneurs are working on businesses that include hair-clip makers and mobile skateboard shops. They work out of offices with floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of Shaw Avenue. They have desks and chairs for visitors and access to fax and copy machines, a receptionist and a mailing address that isn't their parents.' Most students use their own cell phones and laptop computers.
The space is called a hatchery because it's less intense than an incubator program, said Lyles Center director Tim Stearns. The students are welcome to bounce ideas off the center's employees. This year, they are working with entrepreneur-in-residence John Jacobson, who has experience starting businesses and funding them as an investor.
Students qualify for the office space in several ways. Two students qualified by winning entrepreneurship scholarships that include $5,000 and the office space. Another space is allotted to the winner of a Fresno State business plan competition.
Others apply for the space, pitching their businesses to Lyles Center officials, who look for students who are "coachable," said Taylor, the Lyles Center's associate director.
"There's so many great applications coming in, it's really hard to decide," she said.
The Lyles Center isn't alone. In the Midwest and in rural areas in particular, centers like this are rapidly growing, said Heather Van Sickle, executive director of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. It reflects the evolving priorities of students, she said.
"They are more interested in figuring out ways they can create jobs or create opportunities," Van Sickle said.
The Lyles Center -- which opened in 2004 -- is recognized as a leader. In April, for example, Entrepreneur Magazine showcased the center alongside programs at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as part of a story on what it termed the "entrepreneurial vanguard."
That kind of program appeals to today's college students, who are different from their predecessors, Van Sickle said.
"The younger generation, Gen Y and the Millennial generation, are more interested in creating their own future," she said.
Jacobson agreed, saying the old model of graduating from college and working at a job at a large firm for 40 years is changing.
"You work for yourself," he said. "That kind of culture ... is creeping in and is being driven by the fact that IBM isn't hiring 35 new kids into their program each year the way they were 10 years ago."
The dismal job outlook gives students an even greater incentive to create their own businesses than in years past, Mortanian said.
"Now it's more like 'Wow, am I going to have a job?' " he said. "I think it's really getting students to think twice: Is my idea a business?"
07.28.2009
Valley air cleaner this summer
By Christine Bedell / The Bakersfield Californian
A cooler-than-usual June and efforts to clean the valley's air are combining to make breathing a little easier this summer.
Not since 2005 has the San Joaquin Valley violated a key national air standard fewer days at this point in the year.
We stood at 50 exceedances of the so-called 8-hour ozone rule Monday, down from 65 in 2008 and 64 in 2007, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
Weather has a lot to do with our air quality conditions but evidence suggests more than just a meteorological fluke is in play here, said Scott Nester, air district director of planning.
Yes, June was cooler than normal and there were 10 or 11 fewer days over the standard than is typical, he said.
But peak ozone concentrations didn't change from June to July, suggesting efforts to clean the air have played a role, too, Nester said.
"Emissions are going down," he said. "That's what the San Joaquin Valley air district wants."
And there's also the economic downturn. Fewer goods are being moved and fewer miles are being driven, which could also be helping clear our air, Nester said.
Other air districts in the state are generally seeing air improvements, he said, also suggesting the economic climate is having an effect.
Ozone is an invisible gas formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight.
It's the main ingredient of smog and can damage lung tissue and aggravate breathing problems.
From the "Who knew?" file, really warm temperatures like those we saw last week can improve air conditions.
When temperatures get over about 105 degrees, the inversion layer rises and the concentration of ozone close to the valley floor tends to stabilize, and not continue to climb, Nester said.
Bakersfield is the second most ozone-polluted city in the country after Los Angeles, according to the American Lung Association's 2009 State of the Air rankings. We stood there the year before, too.
OZONE RULE VIOLATIONS AS OF JULY 26
2009: 50
2008: 65
2007: 64
2006: 65
2005: 47
Source: San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
The reporter can be reached at cbedell@bakersfield.com.
07.27.2009
Pelco now an Energy Star partner
The security camera company, headquartered in Clovis, has been named an official Energy Star partner.
By James Olinger / Business Street Online
Pelco has been named an official ENERGY STAR Partner in recognition of its ongoing “Go Green” initiative.
The partnership was made official on June 2. Pelco applied to be a partner after more than two years of energy conservation efforts that ranged from facility-wide recycling to the installation of improved lighting.
Pelco’s responsibilities as a partner will include monitoring its energy performance, formulate and put into effect a plan to improve that performance, adopt the ENERGY STAR strategy, and inform its employees as well as the public about the partnership, activities and achievements.
“We are dedicated to doing our part to protect the environment by considering how ‘green’ can be incorporated in our daily activities,” says Julie DeBenedetto, director of employee services and facilities. “We believe that an organization-wide energy management approach will help us enhance our financial health, improve the environment and drive value to customers through cost efficiency.”
07.23.2009
Stimulus funds topic of Fresno meeting
By Gabriel Dillard / The Business Journal
A standing room crowd of more than 125 people gathered at California State University, Fresno Wednesday to learn how federal stimulus money is being spent in the Valley.
Presenters included Mark Stout, vice president of renewable technology from CleanTech America, discussing how construction and manufacturing industries can participate in the clean energy boom. And former state Assemblymember Nicole Para, director of the Governor’s Regional Development Initiatives, outlined stimulus funding at the state level.
Also, a panel of representatives from various municipalities and other state and federal agencies discussed how they plan to use stimulus funds.
The audience was mostly made up of representatives from the manufacturing, construction and green energy sectors wanting to learn about available opportunities for picking up business.
An estimated $85 billion of a total of $787 billion is slated for California from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Peter Weber with the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley also discussed opportunities stemming from the high-speed rail project expected to link Los Angeles and San Francisco.
He said the project is requesting $7.5 billion out of a total of $8 billion in stimulus funds for rail projects. While he doesn’t think high-speed rail in California will receive that entire request, he’s optimistic billions of dollars will be secured.
“We are going to get a substantial amount of that money,” Weber said.
Steve Geil, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County, urged business owners to take advantage of all opportunities. That includes gunning for contracts associated with stimulus funding as well as participating in programs such as the Enterprise Zone, which gives business owners tax breaks on employees they hire.
“Take what’s out there right now,” Geil said. “Go after everything that is available.”
For more information, visit www.fresnoedc.com
07.20.2009
Cashing in on the sun
Visalia airport has been slowly saving money with solar power.
By Gerald Carroll / Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register
Solar-generated power does pay but over the long term, experts say, and that appears to be the case at Visalia Municipal Airport.
Since 2006, a 171-panel solar power system has been in operation there, using six inverters, which convert sunlight into energy, to generate nearly 60,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
During the day when the sun is shining, the system generates electricity, which is channeled back into Southern California Edison's grid and causes the airport's electricity meter to run backward saving the city, on average, about $650 a month, according to figures compiled by the array's manufacturer, San Luis Obispo-based Deventec Inc., the city of Visalia and research by the Times-Delta.
That translates to $7,800 a year and, so far, more than $31,000 during the system's first four years of operation.
"It's enough [electricity] for the [airport's] parking lot lights, and for the main lounge and offices," said David Williamson, a supervisor at the airport. "The only problem we've had was replacing some of the inverters."
Inverters, which convert sunlight collected by solar panels into electricity, are at the heart of the system, said Joel Weiss of Deventec, who helped install the Visalia system and continues to monitor its electricity production online.
"They need replacing, on average, once every 20 to 25 years," Weiss said. "Still, this array has been operating well and producing electricity for the airport's operations."
Inverters are not cheap. Of the $176,000 the city has invested in the system, 75 percent of that cost has gone to the inverters, said Eric Frost, Visalia's director of administrative services.
One of the six inverters was not working when the Times-Delta took a power-production reading Monday online, but the other five inverters were producing measurable electricity.
Savings are greatest in the spring, when sunlight is maximized and heat is down.
"Summer sunlight does produce power, but extreme heat keeps the amount down," Weiss said.
For example, in April and May, the five functioning inverters produced 9,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity, or around $1,272 worth of power at 14 centers per kilowatt-hour, the average summer rate.
In contrast, those same five inverters produced only 2,010 kilowatt-hours in January only $205 worth at 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, the average summer price, Deventec's charts show.
"The savings are there," said Mario Cifuentez, airport manager. "So far, the system is working."
07.20.2009
Stimulus funds flow into Valley
Local projects, economy get a boost from federal money.
By Sanford Nax / The Fresno Bee
The federal government's stimulus package is coming to the Valley -- and there is something for everyone.
From tax relief to retraining. From new solar panels on schools to refurbished airport taxiways. From traffic signals to freeway extensions. From new apartment complexes to renovated houses.
The money is starting to flow -- and is finding a home in the Valley.
Over the next two years, California is expected to receive about $85 billion of the $787 billion pledged nationally through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
How much comes to the Valley depends in part on how well local agencies and businesses compete for funds.
Some federal money already is being put to work in the Valley.
For example, the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board got $18 million in stimulus money, said Pam Lassetter, assistant director. The board is using most of it to help put 3,000 students in summer jobs, provide vocational training to former Elkhorn Correctional Facility youths and to teach adults who lost their jobs new skills in health care and other expanding industries.
In Hanford and Lindsay, two affordable-housing developments, delayed after their complicated tax-credit financing sources dried up, got the financing from the stimulus act -- more than $16 million combined.
One of the biggest transportation projects in the Valley -- the extension of Highway 180 from Temperance Avenue to Academy Avenue -- will start in the fall with help from nearly $18.5 million in stimulus money.
That project, which will provide dozens of construction jobs, originally was earmarked for 2011-12, but the state budget crisis would likely have delayed it, said Tony Boren, executive director of the Council of Fresno County Governments.
At least $58 million is earmarked for dozens of transportation-related projects in Fresno County. Those include new traffic signals along Maple Avenue in northeast Fresno, a $1 million roundabout at Dinuba and Buttonwillow avenues in Reedley, resurfacing parts of Blackstone Avenue in Fresno and an automated farebox system on Fresno Area Express.
Valley officials have their eyes on more than $1.1 billion in stimulus money, enough to fund 26 regional initiatives on the eight-county San Joaquin Valley Partnership's wish list.
They include widening parts of Highway 99 and other highway improvements; $108 million for high-speed and intercity rail projects; new railroad tracks and a shipping container yard at Port of Stockton; expanding telemedicine programs centered at the University of California at Merced; expanding broadband to rural communities; and the rehabilitation of a water pumping plant in Kern County.
"The Valley is in a good position to do well if they continue to work together like they have been doing," said Cynthia Bryant, director of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's California Recovery Task Force.
Boren said the construction projects are important because they ripple through the economy. The workers buy food from stores, eat at restaurants, buy vehicles from car dealers.
"There is a real benefit," he said.
Stimulus money will be used to make houses and public offices more energy efficient. Paul Johnson, executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, hopes it also can lead to more ambitious green projects in the Valley.
"These funds, if pursued and captured wisely, could help make the Valley a leader in alternative fuel," he said.
Grants for weatherizing houses can be leveraged with stimulus money to improve struggling neighborhoods -- and to provide jobs to contractors and small businesses at the same time, said Craig Scharton, director of the Downtown and Community Revitalization Department in Fresno.
The city has joined with three agencies and one business to buy, renovate and resell abandoned houses in the Lowell Jefferson area of downtown Fresno to low- and moderate-income families.
The goal is to stabilize neighborhoods and create construction jobs. Scharton said stimulus funds can be used in conjunction with other money to go beyond just buying houses.
"We want to concentrate some of the resources in areas where we can have a lasting, positive change in the neighborhood rather than dispersing it into the wind," Scharton said.
07.14.2009
Fresno event to highlight energy, stimulus
Staff Writers / The Business Journal
A local event has been planned to give manufacturing, construction and clean energy industries a leg up in business.
The event, entitled "Taking Advantage of the Clean Energy Boom & Bid on Local Stimulus Projects," will be presented by the Economic Development Corp. serving Fresno County (EDC), the Regional Jobs Initiative and the Central California Builders Exchange.
The event is planned for July 22 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the University Business Center at California State University, Fresno.
It is billed as a joint cluster event for companies to find out who is contracting with private businesses, what types of projects are up for bid, when stimulus funds arrive, when bids are posted and how the bidding process will unfold.
Speakers will include Steve Geil, president and chief executive of the EDC; Mark Stout, vice president of renewable technology for CleanTech America; Nicole Parra, director of the Governor's Regional Development Initiatives and Peter Weber with the California Partenship for the San Joaquin Valley.
The event is free, but RSVPs must be made by July 20. To reserve a spot, contact Bethany Thompson with the EDC at (559) 476-2503 or bthompson@fresnoedc.com
07.08.2009
Fresno hosts 'Road to Recovery' conference
By Dale Yurong / ABC30
California News (KFSN) -- With California expecting 85-billion dollars in federal stimulus funds over the next two years, many wonder how that money will be distributed.
Wednesday in Fresno local leaders learned they'll need to focus to be able to tap into those funds to create jobs.
Fresno State was the first stop on the California "Road to Recovery" tour. Mayor Ashley Swearengin told the California Recovery Task Force much needed federal stimulus money could be put to use in several ways.
Swearengin said, "We know in the San Joaquin valley we have a lot of the natural assets that would create a foundation for a clean energy foundation. All the natural assets. We have the sun. We have the dairy poo. We have in the eastern-southern part we have the wind."
But those seeking funds must navigate a drawn-out process of applying for money from specific departments such as energy, housing and water.
Pete Weber of the Regional Jobs Initiative said, "It's a very complicated process."
Camille Anderson of the Recovery Task Force explained, "There's over 300 pots of funding for us to access here in the state of California so we're here to provide information to local government entities, local business and others."
Some say a regional push is needed to secure the funding needed to create jobs and stimulate the local economy.
Pete Weber said, "I think it's very important for the valley to speak with one voice. I think multi-jurisdictional, multi-county applications will fare a lot better."
Weber believes green jobs, those having to do with energy conservation, will attract a good chunk of federal funding.
This was the first Recovery Task Force conference to be held in the state. Future meetings will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center and San Jose State.
Download California Road to Recovery State & Federal Stimulus Resources
Click for ABC30 story.
06.23.2009
Visitor's Bureau names Eben president, CEO
Visitors Bureau names Eben president, CEO
The Fresno Bee
After serving in an interim capacity since January, Jeff Eben has been hired as president and chief executive officer of the Fresno City and County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Eben was selected in part because he understands that tourism can be a major industry for the Fresno area, said Stan Oken, a bureau member.
Eben said the city and county need to forge a closer relationship with the nearby national parks, better promote niche agriculture and other niche tourist markets, and offer convention packages that include an extra night at the beginning or the end.
Eben's annual salary is about $95,000.
06.18.2009
Employees see double when they open their checks
By Tracy Correa / The Fresno Bee
At a time when many workers are seeing pay cuts or even losing their jobs, 113 employees at a Fresno food-processing plant got a huge surprise Thursday: an extra paycheck.
It was a gift from LiDestri Foods Inc. owner Giovanni "John" LiDestri back in New York state. He wanted to share his excitement after learning he would be inducted into the Rochester Business Hall of Fame.
More than 700 LiDestri Foods workers in Fresno, New Jersey and New York received two checks this payday. LiDestri said it was the least he could do to thank the employees who have helped the company succeed.
"I thought it was a great honor. I thought I needed to share this," said LiDestri. "I needed to do something more than to say thank you. So, I decided, it's a great excuse to do something nice."
At 63, he said, "I am a stage in my life where material things don't mean that much."
The extra money made Janie Sanchez, a production relief worker in Fresno, smile through tears. "I read this letter," she said, referring to a letter from LiDestri attached to the envelope with the bonus check.
He wrote: "No, you are not seeing double. No, we did not have a computer glitch. Yes, you are getting a double paycheck."
It went on to say: "I know most of you will want to thank me for this gesture, but I have said it a thousand times and I will say it again, that the 'thank yous' should go from me to you because, after all, the only thing I contribute is the vision, and you on the other hand, do all the hard work."
Sanchez said she will give the extra money to her husband, who is building his dream motorcycle before a scheduled amputation of his leg next month. He suffered complications from knee surgery and has other health problems.
LiDestri Foods manufactures sauces, dips and salsas under labels including Newman's Own, Francesco Rinaldi and Sante Fe Salsa.
Giovanni LiDestri, who got his start at 16 working as a bottle washer for Ragu, has owned the company for 30 years. LiDestri operated a plant in Selma from 1992 to 2003, when it expanded and moved to Fresno. The 200,000-square-foot plant and warehouse is on Temperance Avenue south of Kings Canyon Road.
The company's other plants are in Fairport, N.Y. -- the company's headquarters, near Rochester -- Dundee, N.Y., and Pennsauken, N.J.
Only a handful of people high up in the company were in the loop. Even the human resources managers at the company's four plants were kept in the dark until Thursday morning, said Monica Draper, human resources manager at the southeast Fresno plant.
Draper was told not to open the FedEx packages containing paychecks until instructed to do so by telephone Thursday. "Is this our final paycheck?" was the first thing that came to mind, she said.
By 10:30 a.m., she was allowed to open the payroll packages -- and learn the secret. Within a few minutes, she told plant manager Willie Bynum. They called in the eight managers on duty. "There were high-fives," Draper said. "A lot of smiles."
Scott Speck, a master mechanic who has worked at LiDestri for 11 years, said it didn't surprise him that "John," as they all call him, would do such a thing. After all, workers also receive Fourth of July bonuses -- $4 for every month they have worked at LiDestri. "John's a great guy. He's very generous," Speck said.
Company officials wouldn't say how much they handed out in total. In Fresno, everyone from forklift drivers to sanitation workers to managers received the bonuses. Pay at the Fresno plant ranges from $10 to $25 an hour.
Employees were signing a giant card Thursday to thank LiDestri. The messages they wrote were simple. Said one: "Thanks John."
06.18.2009
Survey identifies Fresno's pros, cons
The Fresno Bee
A recent survey about Fresno found that people like the area's national parks, fresh produce and easy commute. But they were not fond of the lousy air quality, crime and poor job opportunities.
The online survey was spearheaded by the Fresno County Convention and Visitors Bureau and was done with the support of Decipher Inc. and The Fresno Bee. More than 1,000 people responded to the survey, which was designed to provide a better picture of what people think about the region.
It will also be used to develop a brand for the region.
Of those who took the online survey, most were female, highly educated and between the ages of 35 and 55.
Along with listing their likes and dislikes about Fresno, survey participants found a few reasons to brag about the area, including its access and location, its proximity to attractions, its conservativeness, its diversity and its friendliness.
When asked whether Fresno has a negative image, an overwhelming number -- 86% -- said yes. But 75% also believe that the negative image can be overcome, and 44% think the image is improving.
The region's self-esteem, however, did not rate very high. Only 7% said the region had a high self-esteem, 48% said it was average and 45% said it was low.
04.30.2009
RJI tells businesses to survive, plan
Job-creation group points to benefits of collaboration.
By Sanford Nax / The Fresno Bee
This recession is so severe that businesses should hoard cash, put thoughts of expanding aside and focus on just surviving--yet they also need to prepare to capitalize on the opportunities that arise when the economy recovers.
That was the central theme of Wednesday's annual meeting of Regional Jobs Initiative, appropriately titled "Planting the Seed for a New Economy."
The RJI started as a grass-roots effort to lower the area's unemployment rate and create jobs in five years. A half-decade later, business leaders and participants have decided to keep going. They say they believe in the collaboration and innovation that the initiative spawned.
"Rethink, reposition and renew," Mike Dozier told a packed audience at TorNino's in Fresno. Dozier is interim director of the Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State and an RJI leader.
In 2003, the initiative started with the goal of creating 25,000 to 35,000 jobs by 2008 by focusing efforts on 12 industry clusters, such as manufacturing and arts and culture.
By the end of 2007, the region had added 17,100 jobs in those clusters. The recession has hit in force, and there have been some setbacks; but Dozier still calls the initiative a success.
"We are ahead of other regions just because of [the innovation and collaboration], and we are doing it at all levels," he said.
Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin co-founded RJI when she headed the Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State. She appeared at the annual meeting to encourage continued innovation and collaboration among businesses, education and government.
Swearengin said businesses and agencies that once were rivals now work together toward a common goal.
"That was a major breakthrough, embracing collaboration," she said. "If we collaborate, we save money and do a better job."
She encouraged the transitioning RJI to focus on developing a workforce to match the new realities, to create more research and development centers, to offer sales and marketing support, and to build up business infrastructures and advocacy.
She highlighted the Central Valley Business Incubator, the water technology research and incubation program at Fresno State and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, also at Fresno State, as shining stars in the new economy.
But first, the Valley has to get through this recession.
Brad Triebsch, a partner in the Central Valley Fund, told business leaders to "hunker down" for the next 18 to 36 months
Companies should postpone all but the most essential expenditures, renegotiate contracts with suppliers, delay expansions, conserve cash and cut back where they can, he told about 200 people who attended the annual meeting.
Triebsch, who was part of a panel discussion, suggested businesses emphasize retaining customers through good service because that costs less than adding new ones.
"Protect your vital core of business at all costs," Triebsch said. "If you make it through, there will be more opportunity when you come out at the end."
Dan Doyle, president of Central Valley Community Bank, said that loan volume has increased, despite what many people think.
He said the 322 banks in California--most of which are community leaders--issued more loans in the first quarter than in the same period last year. Loan volume at Central Valley Community Bank increased 11% during that period.
But loans to certain industry segments, such as construction, have declined, Doyle said.
"Develop a survival plan," he said. "These are the times we find out who the good managers are."
04.07.2009
Regional Jobs Initiative sees larger role
Central Valley Business Times
• Broadens from its original objectives
• ‘The real benefit of the RJI is collaboration'
Fresno’s Regional Jobs Initiative will see a change in emphasis as it marks its fifth anniversary and comes under the helm of Mike Dozier, director of the Office of Community and Economic Development at
California State University, Fresno.
Originally focused on bringing jobs to the Fresno County area, RJI has seen its mission widen to take on more challenges, he says.
“The real benefit of the RJI is collaboration,” says Mr. Dozier.
He says the RJI in the years ahead will be working not just on jobs but also infrastructure improvements ranging from land use and planning to the high-speed rail plan.
“There will be a whole different area that has not been looked at before – the human side of things – everything from education, workforce development, welfare, food stamps,” he adds.
Mr. Dozier says the broad outlines of the new goals will be part of RJI’s fifth annual meeting, co‐presented by the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County.
The April 22 meeting is expected to bring together more than 200 local business executives, the public and community leaders from throughout Fresno County.
As the keynote speaker, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin (former executive director of RJI) will focus on the future of economic development and RJI’s fundamental role within the region.
03.17.2009
RJI Industry Cluster Surveys
As many of you know, the RJI we’ve known for the last five years is in a transitional period. As a result, business and community leaders are in the process of shaping the future of RJI’s Industry Clusters.
We want you to be part of this important process and need your input. Our goal is to provide collaborative value within the clusters to make a strong impact in the community.
To gather your input efficiently and quickly, please complete a brief 10-minute survey. We appreciate your participation and support.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please complete a survey for each cluster in which you participated.
RJI Clean Energy Cluster
RJI Construction Cluster
RJI Food Processing Cluster
RJI Healthcare Cluster
RJI Information Processing: Call Center Cluster
RJI Logistics & Distribution Cluster
RJI Manufacturing Cluster
RJI Public Sector Cluster
RJI Tourism Cluster
RJI Software Development Cluster
RJI Water Technology Cluster
Remember to mark April 22 on your calendar for RJI's Annual Event.
We look forward to serving you.
Sincerely,
Mike Dozier
Executive Director | Regional Jobs Initiative
Office of Community and Economic Development
California State University, Fresno
559.294.6021
03.05.2009
Fresno event offers help for small business owners and workers
By Bethany Clough / The Fresno Bee
Hundreds of small-business owners and employees on Thursday descended upon workshops designed to help businesses thrive.
Representatives of new and established businesses said that despite the daunting economy they were determined to survive and expressed optimism about the future at the city of Fresno's first-ever Small Business Development Day.
Mike Zertuche said he came looking for information to increase business. He works in outside sales for Johnstone Supply in Fresno, which sells heating and air conditioning parts and equipment at the wholesale level and is doing OK despite the recession.
"Our attitude is that we're not going to participate in the recession," Zertuche said.
The event at the Fresno Convention Center's Exhibit Hall offered informational booths and free workshops in marketing, writing business plans, contracting with government agencies and other topics.
"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy," said Angela Vasquez of the Downtown and Community Revitalization Department. If they thrive, the economy thrives, she said.
Historically, small businesses have generated between 60% and 80% of all new jobs, according to the Small Business Administration.
Andy McTavish, area manager for Gaskets-N-More, which sells commercial kitchen hardware, said his company is trying to do more than survive.
He was checking out financing options for buying new equipment and expanding the business.
The company currently manufactures its products in Las Vegas, but McTavish said he hopes to bring some manufacturing here and eventually hire new employees, he said.
Optimism was shared by fledgling businesses, too.
Catering by Joe is just a few weeks old. The Fresno business, founded by Joe Velasquez, offers all kinds of ethnic catering and American food, along with DJ services and table-and-chair rentals for everything from weddings to small luncheons.
"It's scary," he said of starting a business in this economy.
On Thursday, he was learning how to deal with taxes and to market his company to set it apart from competitors. He said he has struggled with how to let customers know he can cook various ethnic foods -- without handing them a gigantic menu.
Despite his obstacles, Velasquez constantly smiled while talking about his company.
"Even with the economy being so bad, I am looking forward to the challenge," he said.
02.18.2009
Great day for Clovis as Tour comes to town
City couldn't have ordered up better conditions for international cycling event's triumphant visit.
By Ken Robison / The Fresno Bee
For a few hours Wednesday, Clovis was in the international spotlight.
Thousands of biking enthusiasts, fun-and-sun lovers and Lance Armstrong fans descended on downtown Clovis for the Tour of California, which finished its fourth stage in Old Town.
Officials said 35,000 to 50,000 people turned out on a sunny day as Mark Cavendish won a sprint down Pollasky Avenue. Even more watched on television or the Internet as the event was shown all over the world.
The final sprint came after the peloton -- the main body of cyclists -- caught up to a three-man breakaway that had run most of the race ahead of the pack. That's when the Columbia-Highroad team unleased sprinter Cavendish, who edged past Tom Boonen of the Quick Step team in a photo finish.
Levi Leipheimer of Astana finished safely in the bunch to keep the leader's gold jersey.
Today's Stage 5 starts in Visalia at 10 a.m. and finishes in Paso Robles. The Tour of California, which began in Sacramento, ends Sunday in Escondido.
The mood was festive in Clovis as spectators lined the streets leading into Old Town and mobbed the area near the finish line.
Ed Borjas, wife Mona and daughter Yvonne of Clovis arrived on Pollasky Avenue at 6 a.m. and parked their fold-up chairs near the finish line.
Borjas, a furniture maker, had taken the Clovis race organizers' entreaty to "take the day off" from work.
When he heard the race was coming to his town, and that Armstrong was racing, Borjas asked for the day off weeks ago.
"I'm a big fan of Lance Armstrong," he said. "What he's been through. He fought cancer and beat it. Won the Tour de France. He's a great role model, what he did for cancer."
Indeed, Armstrong was the most visible presence in Clovis on Wednesday. Hundreds of spectators wore yellow T-shirts bearing his "Livestrong" logo. Numerous booths on side streets were devoted to fighting cancer or supporting cancer patients and survivors.
"That's the mystique of Lance Armstrong," said Bob Wover, a postal driver from Winnipeg, Canada. "All of us know someone who has had cancer or died from it."
Wover and his friends left Winnipeg -- where the low temperature Wednesday was 18 degrees below zero -- and landed in San Francisco on Sunday. They're following the Tour of California all the way to Southern California.
"I like the way cycling as a sport is growing in North America," he said. "OK, they whiz by really fast, but who cares. It's a chance to see Lance in person.
"And [bicycling] is good for us as a people -- a healthy endeavor, good exercise, gets us outdoors."
Tina Chandler of Clovis had a seat in the sun in Clovis to watch the finish. Husband Jeff was in the snow near Bass Lake.
"That was exactly the sprint finish I wanted," she said. "I'm a Cavendish fan."
Jeff Chandler drove into the foothills through North Fork, parked his truck, hopped on his bike and joined a group of spectators watching the riders finish their King of the Mountain climb over Crane Valley Road.
He then drove down the mountain, hoping to see the finish.
"As I was getting off 168 at Fowler, I could see the helicopters crossing Herndon," Jeff said. "I knew I didn't make it."
But he wasn't crying about missing the final sprint.
"[Tina] likes the finish and I like to see them go up the mountains. I never got to see that before. I got to see them go by once today, but twice would have been better."
Rusty Smith and his wife, Laurie, from Meridian, Idaho, parked their RV in Fresno and cycled to Clovis for the race. Rusty Smith, 55, races on a circuit for men older than 50.
Taking a few sips in the wine garden, he was eager for a sprint finish.
"There's nothing in the world like a half-dozen riders barreling down a straightaway," Smith said. "These guys take the sport to a different level."
From a vantage point in the courtyard of Giovanni's Caffe Italiano, Jeff Moore of Madera County and friends Dan Darby and Rob Pearson had a fine view of the large-screen television at Pollasky and Fifth.
"This country has changed. There are more cyclists on the roads," Moore said. "Lance has done that.
"We're cyclists, and we've ridden the same route down from Spring Valley School. This is a great place to ride."
On Wednesday, it was also a great place to watch -- especially near the finish line in a front-row seat secured at 6 a.m.
"It's one of those things you get to see maybe once in a lifetime," Ed Borjas said. "It was quite an experience for me.
"Worth every minute I came out for."
And did he get to see his hero, Armstrong? Like most folks, Borjas wasn't sure.
"I was looking hard, but they go by so fast," he said. "You wink and you miss him."
02.12.2009
Garamendi discusses proposed medical school for the Valley
Visalia Times-Delta | Tulare Advance-Register
By Victor Garcia
TULARE - Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and others discussed the importance of a medical school in the Valley with the small crowd that gathered at Tulare Community Auditorium this week.
The Central Valley Community Forum "Medical Education in the Valley: Long Term Solutions" on Tuesday included two medical professionals, a high school senior interested in a medical career, Tulare's high school district superintendent and a Valley businessman.
There are 30 percent fewer general-practice physicians in the Valley than the California average, and about 50 percent fewer specialty physicians, Garamendi said.
He said the lack of physicians in the Valley hurts the economy in two ways.
"Businesses will not locate where there isn't good health care," he said. "[And] over $800 million leaves the San Joaquin Valley to drive to Los Angeles or San Francisco where health care is available."
Part of the solution for more medical professionals in the Valley is a medical school at University of California, Merced, he said.
There wasn't much interest in a UC Merced medical school by UC officials until recently, he said. That changed under the UC's current chancellor, Mark Yudof.
A Washington Advisory Group report, which is Yudof's focus, has a three-phase approach to a medical school at UC Merced, said retired Fresno businessman Peter Weber, who is a member on the Valley Coalition for the UC Merced Medical School.
Phase one would be a pre-med program at UC Merced that could start next year, he said. Phase two would be a partnership with University of California, Davis, where UC Merced's medical school branch would actually be in Davis. Phase three would be a full-fledged program at UC Merced by 2020.
Weber said the Valley needs to speak with one voice to make Garamendi's medical school proposal happen.
"With the lieutenant governor's support we need to make our voice heard to the UC Regents and create a sense of urgency to get this done," he said.
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