Irvine Inspired pa r t 7 : e n t r e p r e n e u r i s m
A 10-part series celebrating the people and milestones in and around Great Park Neighborhoods as the community celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Irvine: A Hub for Jobs, Innovation and Entrepreneurism When Solis Park resident Robert Schafnitz was
dad’s brokerage and the insurance industry — until
growing up in Fullerton, his mom taught him a
he received a call from Farmers Insurance. With an
valuable lesson about entrepreneurism at age 9.
open mind and knowledge to support it, he decided to
Schafnitz didn’t get an allowance like some of his friends. His mom told him he had to work for it – and
pursue a career as an agent. Schafnitz now owns his own agency close to home.
that’s exactly what he did. It started with a paper
As a member of the Business Connect Club at Great
route. Then two… and three…seven days a week. On
Park Neighborhoods and through networking with
Saturdays, he rode his bike to his mom’s nail and
neighbors, he has since helped his community — and
beauty supply store to stock shelves and learn how a
many others regionally — find peace of mind with
business operates. He also learned valuable lessons
respect to their homes, cars, businesses and lives in
from his father, who had a very large insurance
general.
brokerage for more than 50 years.
“What keeps me going is how I feel when I help
His experience in the Navy after high school
someone and they are happy,” Schafnitz said. “I’ve
sharpened his self-discipline and work ethic even
learned over the decades how to be a problem solver
further. After leaving the military, he worked in the
and put the customer first in any business venture I
bicycle, mortgage and real estate industries.
chose to be involved in.”
Wanting to carve out a career path of his own instead
Schafnitz is an example of the talented workforce and
of working for his dad, he gravitated away from his
entrepreneurial culture that exists in Irvine.
Irvine’s
innovation ecosystem
Technology jobs are particularly abundant. The city
is supported by the Samueli Family Foundation, is
boasts more than 900 technology firms ranging
harnessing data and technology to create a healthier
from medical, biochemical, medical device, energy,
population. He is grateful for the diversity of people
fiber communications, cybersecurity, and advanced
and opportunities that exist in Irvine.
manufacturing.
“I am a first-generation immigrant and living in Irvine
Cadence Park resident Zeeshan Subzwari, who directs
and working in Orange County have certainly helped
a healthsocal.ai initiative that is led by Octane and
me achieve the American dream,” Subzwari said.
a haven for residents One of the more recent and continually
edge of Great Park Neighborhoods. The
evolving additions to Irvine’s reputation
land parcels — adjacent to FivePoint
as a job center is FivePoint Gateway, a
Gateway, Bake Parkway and the 5
four-building business and healthcare
freeway — represent what has become
hub near the Great Park and Irvine
a rare find within Irvine: entitled and
Transportation Center.
ready-to-develop commercial and
Located at the intersection of Barranca
industrial land for businesses looking
and Alton Parkways, FivePoint Gateway
to expand their operations in a highly-
is home to Broadcom, homebuilder
desirable location.
Lennar, and others. It also is the county
A grocery-anchored retail center off
headquarters to City of Hope Orange
Great Park Boulevard and Bosque was
County Lennar Foundation Cancer
also approved in November 2023. Once
Center, which is currently building an
completed, the neighborhood-serving
accompanying hospital dedicated solely
center will be a welcomed amenity and
to treating cancer that is planned to
another source of new jobs.
open in the coming years.
The city’s longstanding economic
To further serve the city’s employment
vitality, influx of high-growth industries,
base, FivePoint’s joint venture (Heritage
and low levels of unemployment are
Fields El Toro, LLC) recently received
just a few reasons why residents have
approvals for commercial land
chosen Irvine — and specifically Great
development along the southeastern
Park Neighborhoods — as their home.
The rise of an economic powerhouse Once considered a bedroom community of Los Angeles, Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, approximately 270,000 people work in Irvine and more than 22,000 companies have a business license in the city. Top global companies in a variety of industries have a presence in Irvine, including Google, Apple, Broadcom, Blizzard Entertainment, Johnson & Johnson, Edwards Lifesciences, Taco Bell, and Rivian. The city’s largest employer, University of California, Irvine, was founded even before the incorporation of the City of Irvine itself. In total, there are more than 15 colleges, universities, and professional training and trades programs based in the city. All are important employers and feeders of new generations of talent into the local workforce.
“Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California.”
fun fact Irvine is home to offices of nearly half of the top 100 publicly traded U.S. companies.