|
|
 |
Welcome to the second edition of the RJI e-newsletter.
You may notice that this month’s newsletter is slightly different from last month’s edition. Each month the topics of the RJI e-newsletter will vary depending on the most significant developments since the publication of the last newsletter. For example, this month we feature the Government Affairs Task Force and the Manufacturing and Construction Industry Clusters. We welcome your feedback on the newsletter and ask you to forward it to any of your colleagues who may be interested in the RJI. And, don’t forget the many events that will be held in July, particularly the RJI Mid-Year Meeting on Thursday, July 21, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Fresno Convention Center (see information below).
Governor Announces SJV Partnership
On June 24, Governor Schwarzenegger attended the Central California Mayor’s Conference to announce his executive order that establishes the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. The Partnership represents a significant commitment from Governor Schwarzenegger to the San Joaquin Valley and is the first of its kind between state government and this region. The Partnership will be comprised of eight state government members, eight local government members and eight private sector members and will be charged with, among other things, developing the “San Joaquin Valley Strategic Action Proposal” by October 2006 that provides recommendations to improve the economic conditions of the San Joaquin Valley.
The executive order and press release may be accessed at http://www.FresnoRJI.org.
RJI Mid-Year Meeting July 21
Make plans to attend the RJI Mid-Year Community Meeting on Thursday, July 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Fresno Convention Center. In addition to a brief update on the RJI, the focus of the community meeting will be on customer service from local government and the state of preparedness of our community’s physical infrastructure. City of Fresno officials will join experts from the development community in a targeted Q&A session designed to address the root challenges of customer service and infrastructure development. Further details of the event will be available shortly. In the meantime, please mark your calendars and RSVP for the meeting by calling (559) 294-6021 or by going to the Calendar section of the RJI website at www.FresnoRJI.org for online registration.
Construction Cluster Celebrates First Year
The Construction Industry Partnership (CIP) celebrated its first year at the June 23 cluster meeting. Fresno Mayor Alan Autry attended the meeting and stressed the importance of teamwork to the Fresno region stating that regions that act as teams will eventually win the battle for good economic development. Mayor Autry also noted that the CIP is a great tool for the construction industry but needs to be teamwork driven in order to succeed. At its last meeting, CIP and City of Fresno officials formed a task force to work with the City on contracting issues and to collaborate with the City to provide input on Measure C projects. If you would like more information about this, please send an email to inforji@fresnorji.org.
Manufacturing Cluster Meeting July 14
The next Manufacturing Cluster meeting will be July 14 at Pinnacle Armor, Inc. The cluster recently introduced an exciting new meeting format designed to bring the manufacturing community closer together by communicating happenings of the cluster and inviting industry experts to speak on informative topics that meet the needs of the business community. This quarter’s meeting will be held on July 14, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will feature Murray Neal, inventor for Pinnacle Armor. Please see the RJI online calendar at http://www.FresnoRJI.org/calendar for more information and to RSVP.
Software Cluster in the Making
In the next few weeks, RJI leaders will be contacting about twenty local software companies to invite them to an initial meeting to explore the possibilities of developing a software cluster in the region. If you are interested in participating, please contact Ian Duffield at ieduffield@hotmail.com or 559-304-6506.
Careers in Manufacturing Technology (CIMT) Offers Summer Job Training Opportunities
This summer, eighteen students have been selected as interns in ten different manufacturing and water technology cluster companies through the Careers in Manufacturing Technology program. The purpose of CIMT is to help ensure that students in the applied technology programs at Fresno City and Reedley Colleges finish the full training program before entering the full-time workforce. CIMT provides hands-on learning opportunities and interaction with potential employers. Part of the CIMT program is the CIMT Training Academy, which is a series of half-day workshops on topics important to the manufacturing and water technology clusters, such as workplace safety, manufacturing flow processes, basic shop math, teamwork and diversity, and basic job skills and character. These workshops help prepare students for their future occupations by providing them with these unique training opportunities.
Innovation Task Force Announces $100K Business Creation Competition
The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno (ranked 8th in the nation by Entrepreneur Magazine) is pleased to announce its $100K Business Creation Competition, which is the first of its kind in the nation. The winning business will receive start-up capital of $100,000 in cash and in-kind contributions and will be required to launch in the Fresno Region. We expect to attract entrepreneurs from across the nation through the competition. For further information regarding this project and to determine what role you may play to help make the Fresno Region a significant “entrepreneurial hub” in California, contact Beth Renge at (559) 294-2219 / bethr@lylescenter.com.
Interstate Designation for Highway 99 gets closer
Governor Schwarzenegger recently sent a letter in support of upgrading state route 99 and negotiating for interstate designation to the Valley’s representatives in Washington, D.C. The Governor’s letter represents an important milestone in the effort to achieve interstate designation and upgrade 99.
State Investment and Resources for the San Joaquin Valley
Assemblymember Juan Arambula, Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy, has requested the California Research Bureau conduct an ambitious study of how state resources are directed to the San Joaquin Valley as compared to other regions of the state.
The study was launched April, 2005. The resulting report will serve as a companion to the on-going Congressional Research Service report commissioned last year by our region's Congressional delegation to examine federal expenditures in the San Joaquin Valley. The Research Bureau's preliminary report is expected later this summer. It is anticipated these reports will document a historic lack of such investment in the Valley and illustrate the need for additional state and federal investments.
The empirical data and analyses generated from these reports will be used to support funding and policy initiatives to enhance our region's opportunities for greater economic development. Specifically, these two reports will identify potential policy priorities for the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley created by Governor Schwarzenegger last month, as well as the current Federal Interagency Task Force.
| |
|
