Economic growth, job-training plan unveiled at Opportunity Stanislaus launch

Business and civic leaders have placed their stamp on a new plan for economic opportunity in Stanislaus County.

Opportunity Stanislaus was given a public launch Tuesday evening at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto. In an effort to boost employment, the campaign puts an emphasis on local business growth and training the workforce so companies in Stanislaus County can hire the employees they need.

Two other initiatives are designed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship and tell the world about the quality of life in Stanislaus County.

Although the campaign bears the name of the Stanislaus Business Alliance, it grew from 73 interviews last year with business and civic leaders. The surveys done by the Texas-based consulting firm, Funding Solutions, revealed a perception that the semi-public agency is a government entity and needs more private-sector leadership.

The alliance is going through a reorganization to make it more like a private economic development group, similar to the San Joaquin Partnership in Stockton, CEO David White said.

The campaign leadership includes Ron Jackson, president and CEO of Beard Land and Investment Co.; Jeff Foster, chairman of Foster Farms and alliance board chairman; Paul Van Konynenburg of Britton Konynenburg Partners; Doug Johnson, CEO of Stanislaus Surgical Hospital; and White.

The goals are to add 4,200 jobs through the Attract California Program by 2020, put 3,000 people to work through local business expansion, train and place 850 workers and find employment for 750 people in transition.

The plan doesn’t evoke the big dreams of attracting Fortune 500 companies, but will put more effort into finding companies that are a good fit for Stanislaus County.

One strategy for attracting employers is supply-chain development. By learning what suppliers outside the area sell to local businesses, the alliance can contact those suppliers and encourage them to place facilities in this county, the plan says.

Leaders also want to see 125 new businesses by 2020 and downtown innovation centers established in four local communities.

Fred Mickelson, a campaign director with Funding Solutions, said 80 percent of new jobs are spawned by existing businesses that are thriving, though barriers to growth sometimes need to be overcome.

He noted there’s a misconception that jobs are not available in the county. Manufacturers, food companies, and health care employers have job openings, he said, but available workers don’t have the required skills.

“We are a small company looking to grow and we are going to need qualified employees and partnerships to get there,” said Brian Fiscalini of the family-owned Fiscalini Cheese Co. of Modesto, who participated in a panel discussion for the launch.

Part of Tuesday’s presentation focused on the Washington Aerospace Training & Research Center in Everett, Wash., which is managed by a community college. The center trains workers for high-paying blue-collar jobs with Boeing and other companies that are losing skilled workers to retirement.

No one proposes to build commercial airliners in Modesto. But the private sector wants to see training opportunities for jobs such as maintenance mechanic, warehouse worker, hospital lab technician and robotic technician.

Programs in schools could inspire students, who are not necessarily college-bound, for careers in industry.

A piece of Opportunity Stanislaus is an investor relations plan to raise funds for a five-year $5 million budget. Jackson, of the Beard company, unveiled the pledges thus far from businesses, organizations and individuals – $710,000 or a five-year total of $3.57 million.

For top investors, giving $25,000, benefits include a seat on the executive board, quarterly meetings with the alliance CEO, opportunities to take part in recruiting trips and trade shows, and a company profile on the website. There are other opportunities for pledges between $1,000 and $10,000.

“People tend to support the things they help create,” White said of collaboration that went into Opportunity Stanislaus. “This is really the community’s plan.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Economic growth, job-training plan unveiled at Opportunity Stanislaus launch."