There is no one-company solution to fill the void left by Aero Union Corp, it will take repeated efforts and multiple companies will be required to provide a similar economic impact at the airport and in the community.  The Chico Innovation Council is tasked with evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the facility, identifying potential clients, and successfully marketing the Airport.  Here are some of the highlights from the meetings on February 10th & 17th, at which various airport issues were discussed.

• We should focus in on specific company profiles
• MROs (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul of aircraft).  There is an MRO-ony trade show in Florida we will consider participating in.
• Those in need of runway and/or hanger access.
• Companies in CA looking to move to lower-cost facilities.
• Chico can solve issues for niche-market companies
• There is a lot of develop-able land adjacent to runway access lots, so companies looking to grow their operations could do so easily at Chico.
• Some issues to overcome:
• While the operations are fully functional, many facilities at the airport are quite outdated.
• Many companies will need to make adjustments to the custom-built, now vacant Aero Union buildings.  We need to emphasize a strong relationship with the City of Chico and local architects.
• Precise technical data should be present on all marketing materials.
• Butte College will work with former Aero Union employees to develop training programs in aircraft maintenance and basic avionics.  This will provide a training structure to enhance workforce marketability for aviation-related companies considering Chico.
• CMA marketing initiative integrated into economic development partnership initiative with City of Chico, approved.
• CEPCO President/CEO Bob Linscheid, City Manager Dave Burkland and Butte County CAO Paul Hahn will travel to Sacramento to visit McLellan Airfield & Industrial Park to tour facilities and discuss partnership opportunities. 

Marketing the Chico Municipal Airport will be an ongoing and dynamic process, one that the Chico Innovation Council and CEPCO are committed to seeing through to the end. 

Update from the CEPCO Tech Group

Local tech companies to talk directly to students at March 28 info session (5:30 pm, O'Connell 254, CSU Chico)    

The Cepco Tech Group recently gathered on February 11^th to discuss current upcoming topics in the local community.  John Shepherd from Chico Unified School District joined the meeting as a guest speaker.  The Tech Group will continue it's efforts to ensure that all CUSD graduates are career and college ready specifically through the use of technology.

On February 22nd Auctiva, Transfer Flow Inc., Landacorp, and Come Home to Chico were in attendance at the College of Computer Science, Engineering, and Construction Management Career Fair in the BMU at Chico State.  With a decent student turnout and several local companies actively recruiting, the event was certainly a success.  Students were excited to know local companies are interested in securing their talents, and many expressed strong interest in more thoroughly investigating local opportunities for jobs and internships.  Come Home to Chico distributed some materials for Shasta QA, and we welcome the opportunity to serve as a voice for other businesses unable to commit to manning a booth at future career fairs. 

An evening session for local tech companies will be held on March 28^th from 5:30-7:30pm. The evening session will be put on by local tech companies for the purpose of presenting to Chico State students who are pursuing a career in the tech world.  The session in co-sponsored by Come Home to Chico  and the College of Computer Science, Engineering, and Construction Management. Companies will give a 5-7 minute presentation stating what possible opportunities they have available and why they want to recruit local talent.  The Career Center at Chico State has agreed to help promote the event, and we strongly encourage local companies to participate.  To RSVP, please contact Bob Linscheid at bob@wemanage.org. 

February 22nd-25th in Las Vegas, NV

After promising publicly in January 2010 to help create 150 "clean tech" jobs in the region, the grassroots BayTEC Alliance says it has fallen short, but not by much. It points to about 140.

Just short of its goal, organizers are proud of its accomplishments for its first full year of activity. BayTEC used Thursday night at the Southside Center to talk about its progress to more than 100 who gathered.  But BayTEC President Weldon Larson said it isn't about job numbers.  

"Each job is a story" about how employers can create and grow their companies, and how employees can benefit from their productivity and efforts.  

Launched in 2009, the organization's goal was to boost the economy and put people to work, which in turn would help with crime and community spirit. BayTEC board member Jim Moll and others spoke Thursday about change and transformation that doesn't have to be huge to be meaningful. Counting the jobs, BayTEC organizers point to Recology, Clean Flame and Transfer Flow as local job creators, which all fall under the "clean tech" umbrella.  

Last year, waste disposer Recology opened an e-waste processing plant, tearing apart televisions, computers and other electronics to recycle their elements, hiring about 50 unemployed residents. Last year, Transfer Flow unveiled a proprietary particulate filter for diesel engines to comply with California air regulations. The Chico company projected it would have 15 to 30 employees by the end of this year, and has set up operations at the Cleantech Innovation Center at the Oroville airport. New jobs were also created at the innovation center. CleanFlame builds firelogs and firestarters from recycled discarded waxed cardboard boxes that carried produce. Established in 2003 in Oroville, it employs more than 30 now. Also in Oroville, Sierra Pacific Packaging, among other regional companies, have seen job growth as well.

Weldon Larsen, President BayTEC Alliance

Organizers say creating jobs is a nebulous process, with BayTEC and economic development personnel helping but not really responsible for hands-on creation. However, BayTEC still sticks to the 500-jobs number announced in January 2010, but says that's a regional figure, said BayTEC's Larson. Larson announced the job creation effort for the region will be falling to a "new player" called the Business Development Council, chaired by Joe Matz of Recology.

BayTEC still has an Oroville focus, but has joined in partnerships with local organizations like Butte County Economic Development Corp. and Chico Economic Planning Corp, Larson and CEPCO CEO Bob Linscheid will sit as nonvoting members of each other's boards, pointing to "partnerships" and "connectivity" as tools to make jobs happen.  

A lot of work is still being done inside the task forces that BayTEC set up last year and Larson called for volunteers to sit on the committees, which range from regulation and permit streamlining and K-14 education, to higher education and infrastructure.

Enterprise-Record Staff writer Laura Urseny can be reached at 896-7756 or lurseny@chicoer.com.

Economic Outlook for California

Dr. Julia Thornton- Snider of the UCLA Anderson Forecast Team recently presented "The Economic Outlook for California" to California State University, Chico, detailing the prolonged economic recovery.

The presentation started out with information regarding the economic outlook for the United States as a whole. Key points included mentioning this recession is just like the previous three we have faced, meaning each is one includes many unique factors. Dr. Thornton-Snider stated that the US economy is in fact recovering, yet unemployment is lowering at a much slower pace.

 -Click here for full article  

 Guest Speaker:

Jon Gregory,

President/CEO GROW-California

Monday,

March 28, 2011

5:30 pm

Local Tech Career

Opportunities Session

 5-7 minute presentations from local technology companies to College of Computer Science, Engineering, and Construction Management students

O'Connell Technology Center, Room 254

CSU Chico,  

off Warner St.

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