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Greetings!
| Steve Gonsalves Returns as CEPCO Chairman Poised to lead again, Steve Gonsalves reflects on today's challenges and his previous chairmanship (1994-1996)
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Steve
 Gonsalves has an inspiring, if slightly troubling response to why he took on
the role of CEPCO's Chairman for a 2nd time: "Self
preservation." The longtime Nichols,
Melburg and Rossetto architect sees changes in priority and mindset as vital to
Chico's economic future. "We simply
cannot survive on a consumption based economy" states Gonsalves. The slow, backward slide of dependency on the
service industry and consumerism to fuel our economy is a "losing battle" and
works "contrary to the goals of CEPCO."
See the "message from the Chairman" for more details on Gonsalves'
dynamic approach to reinforcing and re-conceptualizing economic development in
Chico.
Gonsalves
has a unique perspective to offer, having been CEPCO's chairman during the
relative economic boom-time of the mid 1990s. Then, Gonsalves remembers, Chico was a regional retail hub and the
economic future was envisioned around that reality. Gonsalves recalled an instance when a speaker
at a Tri-Counties EDC conference in 1997 pointed out the dangers of relying too
much on retail. "What we did not realize
was the potential end-point of a retail, service based economy," that end-point
being the jobs crunch Chico is experiencing today. Gonsalves believes that given the
ever-growing popularity of on-line shopping and the continued high cost of home
ownership in Chico, reliance on retail is unsustainable. Of course, retail was not the only sector
booming in the 1990s.
"Back in
1996, we had more base-level jobs in play. Today, many of those quality manufacturing jobs have packed up and
left." In Gonsalves view, the community
may have been overly reliant on the economic engines of CSU Chico and Butte
College. With the state budget crisis
hitting the higher education system hard, the imbalance between development and
reliance has been exposed as worse than expected. "Now, we need to step up and take care of
business."
Gonsalves is
looking to CEPCO's time-honored tradition of seeking quality innovation jobs
and enhancing entrepreneurship to revitalize and stabilize the local
economy. "The song remains the same for
CEPCO, we just have to cast a wider net than traditional manufacturing." Gonsalves cited CEPCO's recent successes in
the technology sector and in identifying talent coming out of CSU Chico as
examples of what Chico needs to succeed. "Job creation via innovation is more important now than ever" says
Gonsalves.
With
visionary goals and a strong work ethic more important now than ever, CEPCO is
glad to have Steve Gonsalves in the Chairman's seat once more.
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Message from the Chairman
| I recently
attended the City of Chico Economic Development Committee (EDC) meeting to
offer some comments on behalf of CEPCO. It was my first official action as
chairman. The point of my remarks to the committee was the Economic Development
Element of the updated City of Chico General Plan should be raised to the same
status as other major elements commensurate with the importance of economic
development and job creation in today's economy. During my brief comments to
the committee, I repeated the metaphor I adopted during my first term as
chairman of CEPCO which was, economically speaking, a "rising tide lifts all
ships." I used this metaphor to communicate an expanding economy, based on
creating jobs and exporting goods and services, increases prosperity for all of
us. With increased prosperity comes more support for non-profit and charitable
organizations, more tax revenue for local government, support for our schools
and upward social mobility.
During my
remarks to the EDC council person and committee member Andy Holcomb remarked
that if a rising tide lifts all ships, a receding one must have the opposite
effect. His comment was a good natured attempt to lighten up the meeting.
Admittedly, I portrayed our current economic situation as perilous. Andy and I are both right. I am correct in
the observation that we are in a precarious position economically and Andy is
correct about a receding tide, economically speaking, hurting everyone. Anytime
two people like Andy and I who frequently disagree on policy, agree on an
issue, we should immediately look to move forward with an implementation
strategy. In this case I recommend the strategy include the following elements.
First, we
need to recognize that we have an environment ideally suited to fostering
advanced technology entrepreneurial enterprises. We have the knowledge base and
resources of Butte College and CSU, Chico, a highly educated and capable work
force and a community most people would be thrilled to call their home. What we
need to do is express collective encouragement and support for our
entrepreneurs to create businesses which can compete and thrive here in Chico.
There are a
great number of successful individuals who left Chico after college and have gone on to
successful careers elsewhere. We need to continue and step up our "Come Home to
Chico" campaign
to reach out to these individuals and encourage them to take a look at
returning to their roots with their business enterprises.
We have an
underutilized gem of an airport that can provide a great venue for aviation
related businesses and a foreign trade zone that increases the value of that
asset for business that assemble or manufacture products from imported goods or
materials.
There are
many other avenues we could pursue economically and I will address my ideas on
these in subsequent messages. We need to be proactive and take our economic
future into our own hands. The good fairy is not coming to our economic rescue.
Unless private business, local government and our institutes of higher learning
commit to cohesive and coordinated actions, we all stand a chance of losing
much of what we love about our community and our lifestyles.
The path we
need to take is truly the road less traveled, but this journey is not only
worth taking it is imperative we take it. There will be disappointments and
setbacks along the way but we can't fail
if we never give up. You will hear those eight words in bold text in the
previous sentence many times from me in the months ahead as they are the slogan
I've adopted for my second term as chairman of CEPCO. I hope you all will join
me in this effort as we embark on our second quarter century of job creation.
Thank you,
Steve Gonsalves
Chairman of the Board, CEPCO
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CEPCO Returns to Live with the Chico Chamber
After 25 years, new office is a sort of homecoming
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The organization and mission of CEPCO was formed from the
Chico Chamber Economic Development Task Force in 1984. Incorporated independently in 1985, CEPCO
served as the business attraction and retention organization for Chico in
collaboration with the Chamber, City of Chico and the Butte County Economic
Development Corporation. Several times in CEPCO's history the Chico Chamber has
been the landlord and chief collaborator for the organization.
In mid-July CEPCO returned home to an office within the
walls of 300 Salem Street occupied by the Chico Chamber. An agreement reached
by Chico Chamber CEO Jolene Francis and CEPCO President Bob Linscheid further
enhances the relationship between the two organizations. Collaboration and its ensuing synergy have
been engines for innovation in our community for years. CEPCO and the Chico Chamber look to continue
the proud traditions of both organizations, together, for years to come. CEPCO will now be able to use the Chico
Chamber meeting space for regular meetings as well, enhancing the capability
for communication and connectivity the organization thrives on. The Chico Chamber and CEPCO share many
overlapping interests as well as history, thus the shared space at 300 Salem
feels very much like a natural alliance.
Come see us in our new/old home at your earliest convenience.
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Sincerely,
Bob Linscheid,
President/CEO
CEPCO |
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August Meetings
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Thursday August 5
Job Creation Committee
7:30 a.m.
555 Main Street
3rd Floor
Presentation:
R&R Horn, ResiSolutions product
www.resisolutions.com
Friday August 6
CEPCO Tech Group
8:00 a.m.
Butte Community Employment Center
2445 Carmichael Drive
Special Guest:
Dave Burkland, City Manager- City of Chico
Thursday August 12
Job Creation
Committee
7:30 a.m.
Chico
Chamber
Conference Room
300 Salem Street
Presentation:
Gateway Project, Gary Phillips
Thursday
August 26,
CEPCO
Board of Directors
7:30 a.m.
Chico
Chamber
Conference Room
300 Salem Street
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