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Advanced Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry is one of the hardest hit around the nation in this transitioning economy. The Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County (EDC), however, continues to locate manufacturing companies. To keep a strong manufacturing presence in the region, the Manufacturing Cluster is exploring ways to support emerging industries through incorporation of green technologies. As a follow-up to July’s joint cluster meeting of the Construction, Manufacturing, and Clean Energy clusters, the Manufacturing Cluster will host a “think tank” session with the Clean Energy Cluster. Discussion will focus on general opportunities for Fresno County businesses as well as allow the exchange of information on specific challenges.
To help manufacturing companies initially identify opportunities, the EDC modified the Renewable Energy Project Policy report, Renewable Energy Demand: A Case Study of California, with updated information from the Blue Green Alliance report , How to Revitalize America’s Middle Class with the Clean Energy Economy, to focus solely on Fresno County (click here for report) . The report details renewable energy processes and identifies new products to manufacture based on a company’s current operations. According to the State of California Employment Development Department, Fresno County has approximately 92 companies that can support the renewable energy industry, including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy. The Manufacturing Cluster will explore these possibilities with the Clean Energy Cluster, looking forward to strengthen the industry in Fresno County.
The next Advanced Manufacturing Cluster meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 5 p.m., at Fresno EDC.
For more information, please contact:
Bethany Thompson, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County
Tel: 559-476-2503
E-mail: bthompson@fresnoedc.com
Clean Energy
Clean energy plays an important role in the San Joaquin Valley, for both its positive environmental impact and the influx of new business growth for the county. Stephane McShane, Fresno Division Manager of A-C Electric Company, is the new chair of the Clean Energy Cluster.
“Because of A-C Electric Company’s commitment to the clean energy sector, I was thrilled to be offered the position as the Clean Energy Cluster Chair for the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County,” McShane says.
The vision of the Clean Energy Cluster is to make the Fresno Region a leader in clean energy technology and production.
“A-C Electric has built several very successful utility-scale solar projects including one currently under construction at the University of California, Merced, campus,” McShane says. “We are proud to be playing an active role in the evolving renewable energy production scene.”
For the clean energy field to move forward, and for clean energy professionals to be in the driver’s seat to ensure its success, a mountain of information needs to be gathered and training needs to take place.
Sharing the information with fellow professionals is paramount. A critical element to filling in the gaps in resources and information will be to enhance the Clean Energy Cluster web page to contain local resources and information that are current. In addition, the cluster will support the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County in its production of an Asset Map and in development of a Fresno County Clean Energy Profile, making this important information for prospective investors clear, concise, and attractive. These are the steps the Clean Energy Cluster will take for clean energy businesses to choose Fresno County.
Training involves the Clean Energy Cluster collaborating with educational institutions and other partners to develop and expand energy efficiency and renewable energy technology education. Another focus of the cluster will be to develop opportunities to promote career pathways to students from kindergarten to grade 12. This is a growing labor market. Ensuring that all partners are prepared and training the workforce for tomorrow will ensure our success. The Clean Energy Cluster plans to hold events to communicate new revenue streams, showcase new technologies, and identify upcoming projects.
For more information, please contact:
Bethany Thompson, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County
Tel: 559-476-2503
E-mail: bthompson@fresnoedc.com
Construction
With a strong focus on community, the Construction Cluster is developing a well-rounded support system that will sustain the industry now and in the future. The cluster is supporting the first Central California Architect, Construction Management, and Engineer (ACE) Mentoring Program and local organization Central California Builders Exchange (CCBE) is taking the lead. The program will run during the school year with two teams, including one at Clovis East High School and one at Kerman High School.
Teams comprise 15-25 students and their industry mentors and are set up to emulate an actual design team with students guided through a mock design project. Mentors will introduce students to careers, industry vocabulary, and various roles companies play in the construction industry. The student project for this year is both timely and relevant to our community. Students will design a mock high-speed rail station that includes a visitor’s center. In spring 2010, the two student teams will compete for best design. All students in the program are eligible to receive a scholarship if they elect to pursue a career in the construction field. This includes the Architectural Engineering Program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, the Construction Management Program at California State University, Fresno, or an apprenticeship program with a labor union.
In partnership with CCBE, the Construction Cluster has been instrumental in involving key players to make this student project possible, including the City of Fresno, Fresno Convention & Visitors Bureau, Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County, and California High-Speed Rail Authority. For more information or to participate as an industry mentor, please contact CCBE Executive Director Roxanne Greenwood at Roxanne@cencalbx.com or 559-237-1831.
For more information, please contact:
Bethany Thompson, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County
Tel: 559-476-2503
E-mail: bthompson@fresnoedc.com
Food Processing & Ag Growers
On Sept. 29, 2009, the Food Processing Cluster convened for the first time in over a year. In an effort to rejuvenate the cluster and support the industry, Bill Smittcamp is serving as the cluster chair. California State University, Fresno, is taking an intricate role by providing staff support to the cluster. Dr. Charles Boyer, dean of Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, is directly involved the cluster providing a unique think tank and powerful resources. As a result of this new collaboration, the name of the cluster will now be Food Processing & Ag Growers.
This unique integration of local businesses partnering with the university and public sectors will provide a flow of skilled workers and allow businesses to take advantage of new opportunities including Workforce, Research and Development, Marketing, Data Management, and Public Policy.
The next Food Processing & Ag Growers Cluster meeting will be in December. The date and location is yet to be determined.
For more information, please contact:
Office of Community and Economic Development
California State University, Fresno
Tel: 559-294-6021
Information Processing: Call Centers
Who would have thought that one of the biggest topics at the last Information Processing: Call Center (IP) Cluster meeting was transportation. Originally, the IP Cluster explored van pools and extending bus routes to provide service to outlying areas as well as extended service–after 8 p.m. and on the weekends.
Unfortunately, IP businesses still face this issue. Some businesses are unable to provide service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because they cannot get employees to their facility on the current transportation schedule. If public transportation service were extended, business could double their employees.
The IP Cluster would like to know how many other businesses face this same issue and, if resolved, how many additional jobs could be created. In the coming months, the IP Cluster will explore surveying the IP businesses to collect data, proposing alternative routes, and collaborating with the City of Fresno.
The Information Processing Cluster is invited to attend the Central California Society for Information Management meeting on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. To find out the location, contact Bethany Thompson at Fresno County EDC (see below).
For more information, please contact:
Bethany Thompson, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County
Tel: 559-476-2503
E-mail: bthompson@fresnoedc.com
Logistics & Distribution
Fresno County is ideally situated in Central California to serve the six western states with next-day delivery. In addition, Fresno County has competitive land and leasing prices as well as an abundant workforce. The Logistics and Distribution (LD) Cluster is interested in understanding the bottom-line savings of doing business in Fresno County. While the Fresno Region has a number of significant pluses, State of California taxes may be toppling the advantages. To further confuse the subject, Nevada has steadily campaigned to attract California businesses with the capstone: State of California taxes. There may be truth to some figures. But Nevada is painting an exaggerated picture of California as the “villain” and Nevada as the place to “rescue” those businesses.
In response to this campaign, the California Association for Local Economic Development highlighted two articles Nevada Not Any Better for Business and Harsh Realities: The Issues Facing California and its Economic Recovery as well as the YouTube video California is Golden. The San Joaquin Valley is not represented in the video giving the Fresno Region a chance to craft our own message that stays true to who we are. The LD Cluster wants to set the record straight for outside investors by painting a truthful picture of Fresno County’s cost savings and assets. Let’s make sure the truth about Fresno County gets around.
For more information, please contact:
Bethany Thompson, Strategic Initiatives Manager
Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County
Tel: 559-476-2503
E-mail: bthompson@fresnoedc.com
Public Sector Collaborative
The Public Sector Collaborative is committed to creating “a community in which all public sector jobs are filled with exceptional employees” and meets on a regular basis to discuss the progress of its strategic plan.
This public sector jobs initiative will provide a networking system in the San Joaquin Valley that will attract and retain a higher number of diverse, talented and qualified candidates; raise esteem of public sector employment; leverage resources; and strengthen the community with a solid public sector workforce and safeguard the future of our region.
For the past few years, the Collaborative has been actively meeting and driving initiatives and has developed some aggressive future goals which would have a phenomenal impact on Fresno County. To this end, task forces were formed and include members in Outreach, Technology, Professional Learning, and Public Relations and Marketing.
Because of the limitations and constraints as a result of a lack of funding, with the main constraint being human capacity, the Collaborative is meeting the barrier head on. They plan to seek qualified interns to provide support in the areas of human resources and information technology.
The next Public Sector Collaborative meeting is Monday, Dec. 14, from 3 to 5 p.m., at Deloitte & Touche.
For more information, please contact:
Kim Mecum, Associate Superintendent
Fresno Unified School District
Human Resources/Labor Relations
Tel: 559-457-3548
E-mail: kim.mecum@fresnounified.org kim.mecum@fresnounified.org
Software
Software Cluster member Laurie Seaborn-Kronyak of Summit Software at the Oct. 8 Cluster meeting provided an overview of Spero Software, a new product she will soon launch. As industry professionals, Cluster members provided insight with their questions and perspective. Seaborn-Kronyak was able to make some improvements to the new product from the feedback of Cluster members.
Spero is Latin for “hope.” Spero Software gives “hope” to community-benefit organizations (CBOs) by solving the major issues each faces—overcoming redundancy, the need for transparency, renewed focus on clear results. The program allows multiple agencies to track the services provided to one person or family, allowing for measurement of true service impact. In mid-November, Spero Software will be launched with The Convoy of Hope.
The next Software Cluster meeting is Thursday, Nov. 12, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., at the Central Valley Business Incubator.
For more information, please contact:
Travis Sheridan
Central Valley Business Incubator
Tel: 559-292-9033
E-mail: travis@cvbi.org
Tourism
A vehicle to unite the tourism industry throughout Fresno County has long been desired. This summer, a group of tourism professionals representing local government, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, restaurants, hotels, national parks, and local attractions came together to discuss what could be done to expand and unify the Fresno County tourism industry, especially during the current economic downturn. It didn’t take long until the group agreed that all tourism- focused organizations in the region need to leverage resources and communicate one succinct message. Therefore, it was decided to re-launch the Tourism Cluster with the support of co-chairs, Jeff Eben, Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Shawn Miller, City of Clovis, and staff from the University Business Center at the Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno.
By exploring the region’s tourism industry and identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, it uncovered the need to align available resources, eliminate redundancies and develop a regionwide marketing strategy. The Tourism Cluster will begin to meet regularly in November just in time for the holiday season. All types of tourism organizations are encouraged to engage and support this vehicle in attaining its potential. This is one strategy that could benefit the entire regions’ prosperity. The next meeting of the focus group for the Tourism Cluster is Nov. 17.
For more information, please contact:
Emil Milevoj
University Business Center
Craig School of Business
California State University, Fresno
Tel: 559-278-2352
E-mail: emilevoj@csufresno.edu
Water Technology
For more than five years, the Water Technology Cluster has been driving toward three specific goals: Continue its plans to construct the International Center for Water Technology (ICWT);
Expand the Careers in Manufacturing Technology Workforce Development Program; and
Expand the export development and joint marketing activities of the Water Technology Cluster.
An initial business plan was developed to provide a clear strategic path and to ensure strides toward these goals. As the Water Technology Cluster continued to make impressive accomplishments, it became evident they needed to revisit their business plan so the cluster would continue driving forward to provide leadership and innovation to the industry. Therefore, Regional Jobs Initiative (RJI) and ICWT are collaborating to develop a new business plan for the Water Technology Cluster’s next phase.
ICWT is now a leader in its industry and world-renowned for its certification and testing. It hosts international tours of the facility and has an international membership base. To better serve the private sector, ICWT’s next step is to expand its testing and certifications services. The large agricultural industry and prolonged drought are driving forces that propel the private sector support and momentum of ICWT. Therefore, it is an ideal time for the Water Technology Cluster to expand.
Several years ago, it was determined that the water industry had workforce needs. Careers in manufacturing technology require industry experts with a unique skill-set, which is why there are several unfilled jobs in this industry. The Careers in Manufacturing Technology program has been developed and continues to expand throughout the private sector. A new outreach strategy and informative programs will be developed to educate high school students and their parents about successful careers in manufacturing technology and programs available in the San Joaquin Valley. The program’s objective is to align students with an education that has a successful career path and align businesses with a skilled workforce.
Export development and joint marketing activities are available to members throughout the Valley. ICWT has been providing international business training, one-on-one international consulting to cluster members as well as organizing international trade missions and in-bound trade missions. As the Water Technology Cluster has gained international awareness, this goal becomes even more important to expand as its brand power potential increases.
The business plan for phase II of ICWT has a target completion date of Nov. 15, 2009. Cluster members and industry experts are contributing to the needs analysis and additional market research, and analysis has begun through the Office of Community and Economic Development at California State University, Fresno. As the Water Technology Cluster continues to align resources and drive strategic planning, it will continue to expand, lead the international water industry, and serve our community.
The next Water Technology Cluster meeting is Thursday, Dec. 17, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Central Valley Business Incubator.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Ramos, Program Coordinator
International Center for Water Technology
California State University, Fresno
Tel: 559-278-2066
E-mail: lramos@csufresno.edu
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