Menifee economic development director receives national certification

MENIFEE – The City of Menifee announced that Economic Development Director Gina Gonzalez has been recognized as a certified economic developer by the International Economic Development Council. Menifee is the only city in southwest Riverside County to have a certified economic developer on its staff leading city economic development efforts and strategies.

The certified economic developer is the top designation for the economic development profession in the world and is difficult to achieve. Certification recipients must have at least four years of consecutive full-time economic development-related work experience within the past six years and must also take several professional development courses in varying economic development concentrations to test the skill and proficiency of each candidate. The final step is a three-part exam that tests against several disciplines including business retention, credit analysis, finance and real estate development and reuse.

“Gina has a proven track record of encouraging quality businesses and projects to come to our community and this achievement further exemplifies her expertise in economic development for our city and region,” City Manager Armando G. Villa said. “From new restaurants and retail to new hotels, corporate headquarters and booming industrial development, Gina and her nationally recognized economic development team, along with Menifee’s award-winning development team, continue to have great success with new business attraction efforts.”

In addition to being a certified economic developer through the IEDC, Gonzalez has also been recognized as one of only 150 accredited california economic developers in California through the California Association for Local Economic Development.

“Earning these accreditations is extremely important for cities as they help to ensure that they remain current on emerging trends, tools, and resources in the economic development industry, while also developing an integral economic development network and enhancing the performance and knowledge in economic development,” Gonzalez said. “I truly value the opportunity to work with our city leadership and local business community to continue growing our robust and thriving economy.” us Submitted by the City of Menifee.

For more information, visit http://www.menifeebusiness.com or email econdev@cityofmenifee.

Entrepreneurial Resource Center launching in Temecula

SAN BERNARDINO – A distinct new resource to serve as a catalyst for the creation of new businesses and the growth of existing small businesses in southwest Riverside County has been created in the city of Temecula and slated to launch in fall 2023.

The Entrepreneurial Resource Center is the result of a partnership with the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at California State University San Bernardino, the Riverside County Office of Economic Development and the city of Temecula.

The ERC will be an easily accessible hub for small business training and technical assistance services at the Temecula Valley Entrepreneurs Exchange located in the City of Temecula.

“The ERC in Temecula is exemplary in bringing together public education and local government to support the economic dynamism of our region through the creation of new companies and the growth of existing ventures,” Jack H. Brown College Dean Tomas Gomez-Arias said.

Occupying the entire second floor of the TVE2, the ERC will bring together a wide range of entrepreneurial support organizations to provide a complete set of training, technical assistance, and access to resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the city and adjacent communities, Paul Nolta, program director of the IECE Inland Empire Small Business Development Center, said.

“The City of Temecula is thrilled to be a partner and facility host to such a forward-thinking effort,” Temecula Mayor Zak Schwank said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and the ERC will raise the bar in providing the utmost in access and availability to partners and resources to help local business in the Temecula Valley grow and thrive.”

The new center will improve access to resources for all aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, increase the rate of business creation, and foster greater success and long-term sustainability for local small businesses. The ERC will also seek to address disparities in small business ownership and entrepreneurship through a deliberate focus and outreach to underrepresented groups in the region, Nolta said.

“Small business growth and entrepreneurship are the past, present and future of Riverside County’s economy,” Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington said.

“The county has a long history of supporting innovative programs for our small businesses and the ERC will be a significant asset to those efforts. The ERC is the first center of its kind in the inland region and will create a hub of diverse regional partners working together for business growth.”

The ERC will leverage the longstanding relationship of the three partners, who share a significant commitment to delivering innovative programs and resources that support entrepreneurship in the region.

The IECE, housed at the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration at CSUSB, is one of the largest university-based centers in the world and has a 20+ year track record of providing business assistance programs, having served more than 173,000 business owners and achieving an economic impact of more than $534 million.

The ERC represents another step in the evolution of the IECE. Already widely regarded as the “go-to” resource for entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire, the new ERC will serve as an anchor for local entrepreneurs seeking the coordinated assistance of more than a dozen varied entities that offer support for those looking to launch or expand a new business. This will include training, technical assistance, funding, marketing and other services needed by owners and managers of new enterprises, Mike Stull, a professor of entrepreneurship and director of the IECE and the CSUSB School of Entrepreneurship, said.

E ach partner is making a significant commitment to ensure the success of the ERC, including the Riverside County Office of Economic Development’s investment of $1.725 million over three years, the IECE is bringing in its major business assistance programs including the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center and Inland Empire Women’s Business Center and the city of Temecula providing more than 10,000 square feet of physical space at the TVE2.

The Inland Empire Center for

Entrepreneurship at California State University San Bernardino is the largest and most experienced organization in the Inland Empire dedicated to supporting small business and entrepreneurship on campus for the Jack H. Brown College of Business & Public Administration’s see CENTER, page B-8

Temecula State of the City to highlight achievements and future goals

TEMECULA – The Temecula

Valley Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the city of Temecula will host the 2023 State of the City Address Thursday, Aug. 10, from 7-10 a.m. at Pechanga Resort Casino. Mayor Zak Schwank will discuss the current achievements of the city, as well as projections for the forthcoming and future years.

The event will include a Nonprofit Expo with approximately 40 local nonprofit organizations that will advertise their resources. Past years events have hosted over 800 city officials and guests in attendance.

“It is truly an honor to serve Temecula and to be part of a team that places the safety and a high quality of life for all of its residents at the forefront,” Mayor Zak Schwank said. “Our great city has enjoyed 33 wonderful years, and I am confident that 2023 will be another year of growth and progress in which we continue to build upon Temecula’s reputation as an exceptional place to live, work and play.”

Reservations are $70 per attendee or $650 per corporate table of 10. Registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found at htt ps://bit.ly/40lnx0E. For more information, visit http://www. temecula.org or call 951-676-5090.

The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization based in Temecula, works to promote positive economic growth while protecting the environment for all businesses and by doing so, support the programs which preserve and improve the quality of life for the entire community. For more information, contact the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce at http://www.temecula. org, 951-676-5090 or email info@ temecula.org

Follow the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Submitted by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce.