ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS &
INVESTOR
UPDATES
|
|
Dear Opportunity Stanislaus Investors:
This past year has been productive, successful and crazy with the unexpected pandemic that hit our country, state and county in mid-March. Who would have thought a year ago that we would be in the predicament? Nevertheless, I am proud to report that Opportunity Stanislaus and the Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center acted, and we acted fast. On Monday, March 16, we held a staff meeting, and on that day, we determined to put into motion a business relief program that would provide information and support for small businesses.
Within 24 hours we had a website up and running with real-time information on how businesses could access resources. We saw the storm coming and we acted quickly. I could not be prouder of our staff. Many of them worked around the clock to disseminate important COVID relief information to our local business community. That website,
www.cabizrelief.org
, and the associated advertising campaign let hundreds of businesses learn about COVID-related resources. It also alerted our SBDC staff to which businesses needed assistance, which they provided, helping 596 disaster-related clients receive counseling and access to over $10 million in loans! (By the way, the Governor issued his stay at home order on March 19.)
We also initiated a campaign to support those locally-owned businesses financially impacted by the pandemic. We created another website
www.supportstanislaus.com
along with a video and advertising campaign called
Stan Buy Me
to direct the public on how they could support local businesses. We purchased and handed out gift cards daily. We placed balloon towers next to open essential businesses to make people aware. We supported more than 300 locally owned businesses through this campaign.
We partnered with Stanislaus County to conduct a program called Good2Go Stanislaus to train business owners on what the proper protocol would be for them to reopen their businesses and keep their employees and customers safe. The website
www.good2goStanislaus.com
includes a video, a county-endorsed guide to COVID-19 protocols by industry sector, and information on how businesses could obtain decals and marketing materials to let the public know they are good to go! As of this writing hundreds of local companies have completed the training.
But that is just what we accomplished on COVID-related support!
This past year was a year of many accomplishments beyond COVID. For example, our local economy made historic strides with unemployment being the lowest it had ever been in the past 50 years, total employment being the highest it had ever been, income levels rising among all income brackets, and greater sales and opportunity than this county had seen in a very long time. We celebrated the expansions of many local companies (too many to list in this letter). We welcomed some new and exciting companies to the county such as Jatco, Entekra, and S2A Modular (which brings 270 new full-time jobs to the county).
VOLT Institute was awarded more than $1.4 million in new equipment through a federal Economic Development Administration grant and additional state grants. Our partnership with the Stanislaus County Office of Education and Modesto Junior College is strong and getting stronger! The equipment has been procured and the first shipment arrived in late June. We are excited to offer the new advanced manufacturing training courses this next year.
We started the Senior Leadership Series for C-Level executive strategic training with Next Gear Consulting. We began boot camps in PLC coding with Automation Group and Leadership, Communications, and LEAN principles with Beaudette Consulting and Ag Safe. We held the second Annual Ag Tech Summit in partnership with the National Ag Science Center, Better Food Ventures, Assemblymember Flora’s Office, MJC and many others. We held more than 80 different training events between Opportunity Stanislaus and Valley Sierra SBDC. We welcomed many new investors to the organization, including Bronco Wine, The Wine Group and Hilmar Cheese.
We started a Microenterprise Program with the City of Modesto aimed at helping people in low-income neighborhoods start microenterprises out of their homes. And we are partnering with the Stanislaus Community Foundation to develop a much broader, regional approach to community and economic development. One of our joint initiatives is to find ways to promote our Opportunity Zones for more investment in low-income communities.
In summary, this past year has been a great year. We are very excited for the future. The best is yet to come! And through your support and involvement in this important cause, we will see Stanislaus County and the surrounding region become even stronger and better than ever.
Best regards,
Dave White, Chief Executive Officer
|
|
 |
Olvera to Take Reins as Board Chairman
Incoming Board Chairman Dillon Olvera is a lot like Opportunity Stanislaus itself, a quiet, humble force getting things done without the need for affirmation or fanfare. Olvera, the President and CEO of Beard Land Improvement Company, joined the board at its inception because he was inspired by the vision and leaders at the time. Years later he remains impressed at both the caliber of supporters and the accomplishments of the grassroots nonprofit organization. “When we started we had these big goals and that drove what we set out to do and helped get the right team in place to do it,” said Olvera. “We created VOLT Institute, which is an asset to so many companies in our area. And we developed services—things like providing economic data and classes for training— all these resources that businesses want and need.”
Olvera believes the organization’s goal of creating a new strategic plan is key in taking Opportunity Stanislaus to the next level. “Now we are a mature organization. We have investors and they have expectations for existing work. But we also have momentum and we have talent so this is the time to really plan what we want to do strategically to further help our community. At the beginning we didn’t imagine what Opportunity Stanislaus would become and I think that by staying connected to our community and investors we have a chance to beat expectations again, to evolve and offer even more to our region. The answer to what we do next will come from leaders in all of our sectors. Some ideas we will lead and others we will support. I look forward to being a part of and guiding that process.”
Olvera is a native of Turlock and also serves on the boards of the Stanislaus Community Foundation and the Manufacturers Council of the Central Valley.
|
|
|
|
OS Welcomes New Officers and Board Members
We are pleased to announce new officers and the addition of four new board members to the Opportunity Stanislaus Board of Directors. At the July 27, 2020 Board Meeting the Opportunity Stanislaus Board unanimously selected Dillon Olvera, CEO of Beard Land and Development, as the new Board Chair to serve a two year term. Susan Hensley, Vice President of Human Resources for E.&.J Gallo Winery, was selected as Vice Chair with Chris Lehikainen, Vice President of Field Operations at Stanislaus Food Products as Secretary, and Dan Leonard, Chief Financial Officer at Bronco Wine Company, as Treasurer. The four new board members are Brad Stegmann, CEO of The Automation Group; David Needham, Chief Technology Officer at Oportun; Kathryn Davis, CEO of Valley First Credit Union; and Oscar Cabello, Vice President and District Manager of Wells Fargo Bank.
We also would like to express our sincere gratitude to Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center, who finished his two year term as Chairman of the Board. Under Warren’s watch, Opportunity Stanislaus was able to secure funding to expand VOLT Institute. We were able to significantly increase our programs through Opportunity Stanislaus, Valley Sierra SBDC and VOLT Institute. We also would like to express our gratitude to three board members who have finished their terms and have given great service to Opportunity Stanislaus for several years. They are Brad Hawn, CEO of CHG Structural; Jeff Foster, CEO of OF Logic; and Joe Duran.
|
|
|
|
|
State of California Announces Tax Credits for Growing Companies
GO-Biz, a state-funded business assistance program, is hosting a webinar to guide businesses through the application process for tax credits related to growth.
The program has allotted $80 million in funding for tax credits and the application period is open through Monday, August 17 at midnight. To access the application or get more information
click here
or contact Chief Business Services Officer Tyler Richardson at (209) 352-3131.
|
|
|
|
Modesto Chamber to Offer Remote Export Assistance Tool
As local businesses come to terms with the challenges of operating amid a pandemic, many companies struggle to adjust to the prospect of long-term remote working. In this new business “normal,” innovative technology solutions are playing a crucial role. Favorably for the export sector, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce is facilitating local exporters with access to SWIFTDOX, a revolutionary online platform for processing export certificates remotely and with expedited timelines.
Read full press release here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's like Christmas in July at VOLT Institute as the program begins to receive equipment purchased by funding from an EDA grant. The new equipment will fund additional areas of study including mechatronics, electrical, and the 9 NIMS duty areas.
|
|
The Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery recently launched a new campaign,
Calling All Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal.
This campaign is a call to action to
help all California small businesses
operate safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their digital footprints. Examples of some of these resources include free technical assistance from small business centers, branded toolkits and a PPE marketplace.
Click here to learn more.
|
|
Valley Sierra SBDC Shows Impressive Year Over Year Results
|
The Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center has been busy. Really, really busy actually. Here's a look at their 2019 numbers vs year to date in 2020 to show just how much the 5 person team has accomplished.
Clients counseled: 84% increase
New clients counseled: 100.6% increase
Hours spent with clients: 46% increase
New business starts: 33% increase
Jobs created: 515% increase
Trainings and workshops: 27% increase
Number of attendees at workshops: 131% increase
Capital infusion in loans/equity: 136% increase
The center is now offering a new online boot camp on bookkeeping. To sign up
click here.
To learn more about the offerings of the SBDC
click here
.
|
|
Premiere Management Training For Executives Offered, Limited Spots Available
Opportunity Stanislaus, in partnership with VOLT Institute and Next Gear Consulting, is pleased to announce a new class of its
Senior Leadership Series
designed to teach important skills such as strategic planning, building a positive company culture, and leadership to top executives. Taught by
Kristi Marsella, CEO of Next Gear Consulting
, and former VP of Human Resources at G3 and E.&J. Gallo Winery, this series is a great opportunity to improve upskill employees.
In order to maintain the integrity of the coursework, the seven-part biweekly series requires commitment to attendance. Classes will be held August 20, September 3 and 17, October 1, 15 and 29 and November 12 in addition to a networking reception on November 19.
The number of participants for this program is very limited and will be determined by a selection panel. Enrollment is not guaranteed, and preference may be given to participants from employers who create a local economic impact and add value to Stanislaus County or who have demonstrated support for economic development. Tuition is just $500. Applications are due July 31. To apply
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
