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RJI prepares to launch the 'next phase' in community transformation
Regional Jobs Initiative officials said the next phase of the Fresno community transformation will center on collaborative work in three overlapping spheres – economic development, infrastructure development, and human development.
Coordinating initiatives and activities among the three spheres is a key element in developing a prosperous and healthy community, RJI Co-Chair Ken Newby said at RJI’s annual meeting on March 28.
“Doing so will offer our community and region the best chance of overall success, will provide the best opportunity for use of scarce economic and human resources, and will greatly tighten our social and economic fabric and our sense of community and citizenship.”
The elements of those spheres include:- Economic development: Industry clusters, innovation, entrepreneurship; workforce enhancement; government processes, public policy; business retention and attraction; regional branding.
- Infrastructure development: Land use; transportation of people and goods; air and water quality; industrial parks; sewer/wastewater; green spaces, parks and trails; workforce housing; cultural arts.
- Human development: Health, welfare and safety; traditional and vocational education, multifaceted literacy; workforce readiness; addressing poverty issues; access to good jobs; a positive physical environment.
Newby added that a fourth sphere – the whole – is where leadership must operate to form and cast a broad vision.
“If we are to truly have a prosperous and healthy community, it will be essential that the leaders in our community have an informed view of the whole, as well as the distinct elements, and have a commitment to coordination and cooperation with others,” Newby said.
Download the RJI Annual Meeting Presentation located on the RJI Web site.
Fresno-Madera job growth outpaces state average
The rate of nonfarm job growth in the Fresno-Madera region was 52 percent higher than the state of California’s average from 2003-2007, according to figures released in the RJI’s 2007 Annual Report.
The Fresno-Madera region’s nonfarm job growth was 8.1 percent during that period, compared with the state average of 5.3 percent. RJI industry clusters added 17,100 jobs, generating 74 percent of all nonfarm/nongovernment job growth.
“Even in these difficult and volatile times, there is significant evidence that our economy has become more diversified,” the report noted. “Significant progress has been made on our No. 1 issue of workforce development, and the community has been engaged in collaborative problem-solving like never before.”
The report notes a number of significant highlights from 2007, including:- The Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology (WET) Incubator opened and was 100 percent occupied within the first 30 days.
- Two startup companies in the Software Cluster received Venture Capital, a first for the region.
- The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board completed a second annual survey researching the actual number of jobs open in Fresno County and the number of jobs projected to be created within three years. The research indicates that nearly 2,500 jobs are currently vacant in high-wage, high-growth jobs.
- State Center Community College District convened a Workforce Development Summit to assess training and workforce needs to respond to current and future demand among RJI industry clusters. The community colleges have created more than 1,000 new vocational training slots to meet the needs of the cluster industries.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Center feasibility study was completed in cooperation with industry stakeholders, identifying the need for the center and recommending that it be built at Fresno State.
- A new Logistics and Distribution program began at Fresno State.
Download the RJI 2007 Annual Report located on the RJI Web site.
Costco Symposium links buyers and local vendors
More than two dozen Fresno-area vendors on March 12 connected directly with buying teams from Costco in a symposium sponsored by RJI’s food processing cluster.
Tim Rose, Costco senior vice president, and 22 lead buyers from the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Taiwan attended the symposium and met with the local vendors. Approximately $44 billion in buying power was in the room for the symposium, officials estimated.
Costco officials estimated $300 million in potential sales opportunities as a result of the direct contact at the symposium.
Craig School offers applied marketing, logistics degree
A new bachelor’s degree in applied marketing and logistics at Fresno State will help create alliances with local businesses to give students real-world experience in meeting the growing needs of RJI’s Advanced Logistics and Distribution Cluster, cluster officials said at the RJI annual meeting.
The Craig School of Business created the degree in October 2007. The program includes the following courses:
Required Courses (8 Units)
- Logistics Management (4 Units)
- Global Logistics and Technologies (4 Units)
Elective Courses (7-8 Units)
- Purchasing and Material Management (4 Units)
- Logistics Internship (1-3 Units)
- Independent Study (1-3 Units)
- E-Business Enabled Supply Chain Management (3 Units)
- Project Management (3 Units)
- Geographic information Systems (GIS) for Business (3 Units)
“Working with the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County and the RJI Advanced Logistics and Distribution Cluster, the program’s direct communication with the local company base will provide valuable insight and help identify current and future needs,” said Steve Geil, president and CEO of the Fresno EDC.
First Water and Innovation Showcase set for May 1 in Fresno
The Central Valley Business Incubator (CVBI) will celebrate the first anniversary of its Claude Laval Water & Energy Technology (WET) Incubator with an Innovation Showcase beginning at 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, at the Piccadilly Inn University in Fresno.
The event will identify challenges and issues facing Californians regarding water and energy, as well as highlight the cutting-edge technology being developed by world-class companies that CVBI’s WET serves.
The showcase will begin with registration and trade show exhibits at 7 a.m., followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) in Sacramento, will give the keynote address.
Quinn leads the largest water organization of its kind in the nation. With offices in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., ACWA is a statewide association whose 450 local public water agency members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California.
For more information, call the WET Incubator at 559.278.4540 or e-mail lori@cvbi.org.
Incentives can help businesses in tight economic times
The City of Fresno Economic Development Department will hold an Incentive Zone Workshop on Thursday, April 17, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at the Central Valley Business Incubator Launching Pad, 1630 E. Shaw Avenue, Suite 163.
There are a variety of local, state, and federal incentives available to businesses located within specific boundaries in the City of Fresno. Attendees will learn about how the Municipal Restoration, Enterprise, and Empowerment Zone incentives can benefit their businesses.
The event is free; however, registration is requested. For more information, please visit www.FresnoEZ.com, or contact Kelly Trevino, Incentive Zone Manager, at 559.621.8426.
In addition, the city will hold an Enterprise Zone Resource Fair & Workshop at the Fresno Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall on Wednesday, May 7, from 3 to 6 p.m. Attendees can learn about the City’s Enterprise Zone and how business can benefit from hiring tax credits, sales and use tax credits, business expense deductions, net operating loss carryover and net interest deductions for lenders.
Admission is free. Registration is encouraged by April 30 by e-mailing economic.development@fresno.gov or calling 559.621.8361.
Business owners can check if a property is in one of the incentive zones by selecting the Incentive Zone Address Locator on the Economic Development Web site, www.FresnoEZ.com. Visitors can enter any Fresno address to determine in which of the five incentive zones their property is located.
For more information, contact Incentive Zone Manager Kelly Trevino at 559.621.8426.
CVBI continues business fundamentals seminar series
Seminars about human resources and legal issues will be offered in May as part of the Central Valley Business Incubator’s 2008 Business Fundamentals seminar series.
The May seminars are “Brand-Based Hiring and Performance Management,” presented on Wednesday, May 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., by Travis Sheridan, CVBI business services director; and “Legal Landmines,” presented on Friday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to noon, by Christopher J. Palmer, Esq., of Dowling, Aaron & Keller.
The series, consisting of two seminars per month, features topics that are useful to entrepreneurs and business owners at any stage. The sessions allow for participants to get a refresher or learn business fundamentals in one session.
For more information or to register for a seminar, visit www.store.cvbi.org or contact Lori at lori@cvbi.org or 559.292.9033.
City of Fresno working with ETP on customized job training
More than 80 companies attended a recent orientation about customized job training available through the California Employment Training Panel (ETP). The City of Fresno Economic Development Department partnered with ETP to present the orientation.
ETP recently raised its reimbursement rates and is now providing more money for training to priority industries such as manufacturing, high technology, construction, and crop production. Because of the high unemployment rate in Fresno County, almost any company or industry is eligible for ETP funding.
A better trained work staff directly impacts a company’s viability and can free up training money for use in other areas and also gives the ability for local businesses to elevate their employee’s skill base to be more efficient, productive and competitive all at little or no cost.
The Economic Development staff will track the results from the orientation and will be conducting similar workshops every quarter to educate businesses on dollars available to train their employees.
To find out more about future ETP training workshops in Fresno, contact Peggy Chiok at peggy.chiok@fresno.gov.
For more information about ETP, contact Barry Worthington at 916.327.5262 or bworthington@etp.ca.gov.
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