CALED's 2007-2008 Sponsors

A special thanks to this year's sponsors. They bring strength and expertise to our programs.

Please show your appreciation by learning more about what they have to offer you.

USDA Rural Development California
Is your team of dedicated professionals committed to the future of rural communities in California? Using 25 offices and nearly 150 staff in rural California, we provide leveraged loan and grant resources for rural communities, families, and businesses for:

• Job creation
• Business development
• Infrastructure improvement
• Housing for single family and multi-family needs
• Community facilities / first responders
  

Contact us to get the USDA-RD Catalog of Loans and Grants and find your local office. www.rurdev.usda.gov

Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company is committed to the economic vitality of all the communities we serve. Our PG&E Economic Development Team, consisting of 20 representatives, works closely with our partner organizations to attract and retain businesses and jobs in Northern and Central California.

Wells Fargo Bank
Much more than a bank.

Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison (SCE) supports economic and business development efforts to retain, expand, and attract business and to increase the competitiveness of our business customers. As the business community prospers, so does the community at large. SCE’s Economic and Business Development group offers guidance, resources, and assistance to business customers to help them make more informed decisions and to help increase their competitiveness. www.sce.com

Small Business Programs, California Community Colleges Economic & Workforce Development
A primary mission of the CA Community Colleges is to advance global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement. Through the statewide network of the Economic and Workforce Development Program (EWD), local colleges are able to assess regional business workforce needs, create public/private partnerships, and leverage resources that help to increase college market responsiveness. www.cccewd.net

Rabobank
Rabobank, N.A. is a community-oriented bank providing financial services to agricultural customers, commercial real estate investors and developers, and small- and medium-sized enterprises from 25 Rabobank locations throughout Southern and Central California, and from the 14 branches of Community Bank of Central California, located in the Central Coast. Community Bank of Central California was acquired by Rabobank in January 2006, and now operates as a division of Rabobank, N.A. Rabobank, N.A. also provides a full array of depository, treasury management and retail banking products for consumers and businesses. www.rabobankamerica.com

Chabin Concepts, Inc.
Headed by Audrey Taylor, Chabin Concepts specializes in economic development marketing, creatively positioning cities, counties, and states to win new jobs and investment. Through firsthand contact with site selectors, Chabin knows what drives a location decision. They have assisted over 150 communities with award-winning projects and are results-oriented. In addition to strategic planning and marketing campaigns, including full implementation, Chabin assists with economic development assessment and training. www.chabinconcepts.com

BNSF Railway Company
BNSF’s Economic Development Team is poised to help manage the complex process of relocating or expanding your business, by ensuring that you grow up on the right side of the tracks. And we’re the experts at finding ways to generate new opportunities and operational efficiencies through alliances with logistics and distribution partners. www.bnsf.com

California Employment Training Panel
The Employment Training Panel (ETP) is a State of California agency founded in 1983 as a cooperative business-labor program designed to upgrade the skills of incumbent workers, and has become the State's number one economic development tool. ETP provides up to $85 million yearly for training workers in high-wage, high-skill jobs in companies facing out-of-state competition.

The program also has special funds for companies in high unemployment areas, for small businesses, and for training the owners of small companies. These funds are frequently used in business attraction and retention projects. ETP provides funding for customized training programs via performance-based contracts.
www.etp.cahwnet.gov

Community Reinvestment Fund
Community Reinvestment Fund, USA, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization, is the nation’s leader in bringing capital to public and private nonprofit community development lenders through the secondary market for loans. Formed in 1988, CRF has injected hundreds of millions of dollars into low-income and economically disadvantaged communities around the country to help stimulate job creation and economic development, provide affordable housing and support community facilities. www.crfusa.com

Growth Capital Associates, Inc.
Growth Capital Associates, Inc. (GCA) specializes in arranging for the issuance of low-interest rate tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds for industrial development, waste recycling and nonprofit, community-benefit projects. GCA works closely with local municipalities, economic development professionals, business advisors and business owners and mangers to qualify projects, structure credit support, receive necessary approvals and a document bond issues. GCA provides the highest level of service to insure that the bond issuance process is as easy as possible for the borrower. As a result, GCA completes bond issues in the most efficient and time-effective manner. Phone: (310) 459-8100

International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
IEDC is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals improve the quality of life in their communities. Serving close to 4,000 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC members are key decision makers in the profession. IEDC provides a diverse range of services including research, advisory services, conferences, certification, professional development, publications, legislative tracking and more. www.iedconline.org

Kosmont Companies
Kosmont Companies is a development services firm offering a full range of real estate and economic advisory, brokerage, project finance, investment, and planning services for the public and private sectors. Kosmont Companies has become a nationally recognized expert in economic development and real estate development projects involving government and private sector partnerships. Whether the objective is getting a project entitled and approved, financed, developed, leased or sold, or if the goal is to generate new tax revenues, jobs or business opportunities, Kosmont Companies ensures success. Our diverse and uniquely qualified development services team provides the depth and expertise required to help clients conceptualize, structure and implement real estate projects of all product types, sizes and complexities. www.kosmont.com

MBIA Muni Services
Since 1978, MBIA MuniServices Company (MMC) has consistently provided the highest level of municipal revenue enhancement services–helping municipalities preserve, enhance, and manage their revenue base. Working exclusively in the government sector, MMC is one of the few firms in the country providing Revenue Discovery, Audit, Collections, and Information Services that encompass every municipal tax source. MMC helps local governments fulfill the expanding constituent demands, even in the place of flat or low-growth revenue performance. To date, MMC has recovered over $800 million in tax revenue for its clients. www.muniservices.com

CDC Small Business Finance
CDC Small Business Finance is committed to transformational economic development by providing access to capital to small businesses, and stimulating growth and job creation, especially to underserved areas and populations. We work with a variety of partners to offer a mix of lending products ranging from SBA 504 loans to smaller community loans and guarantees to our Direct Capital vehicle, which makes New Markets Tax Credit financing available to small businesses. www.cdcloans.com

Rosenow Spevacek Group, Inc.
Rosenow Spevacek Group provides community development consulting services for over 125 public and private clients throughout California. Our economic development services include market analysis, financial and resource reviews, strategic economic planning, business development and retention programs, and program implementation. Our experienced professionals create customized solutions, emerging from an understanding of each community’s unique set of challenges and opportunities. www.webrsg.com

Keyser Marston Associates, Inc.
KMA’s principals are recognized industry experts who have earned their reputations for excellence in specialized practice areas, notably disposition consulting, development feasibility and implementation, fiscal impact, redevelopment financial planning and plan adoption, affordable and market-rate housing, economic development, nexus studies and strategic planning. KMA principals bring knowledge, expertise to the forefront of every assignment; their personal involvement is a key element to the firm’s successful track record. www.keysermarston.com

Claggett Wolfe Associates
Headed by Chuck Wolfe, Claggett Wolfe Associates specializes in economic development activities involving the formation, expansion and attraction of small and medium-size enterprises around the world. Working with public, private and academic clients, Claggett Wolfe Associates conducts feasibility studies, prepares business plans, provides training, evaluates programs and develops policy recommendations in the areas of business incubation/acceleration, technology commercialization, and community-based lending. Mr. Wolfe co-authored the book “Best Practices in Action: Guidelines for Implementing First-Class Business Incubation Programs” and was a major contributor to the recently published “Developing a Business Incubation Program: Insights and Advice for Communities“. www.claggettwolfe.com

Team California
TeamCalifornia’s growing network of economic development organizations is actively involved in business attraction and job creation efforts throughout the state. TeamCalifornia members are working to enhance California’s economic development image and support a business-friendly environment. Watch for our new expanded cooperative marketing and tradeshow program at this year’s conference. TeamCalifornia and CALED are partnering to provide marketing services to augment your business recruitment program. www.teamca.org

Business Facilities Magazine
Over the last 38 years, Business Facilities has established itself as a leading full-service media brand specializing in corporate relocation, expansion, and consolidation. Through our monthly magazine, e-mail newsletters, news portal, and our award-winning LiveX-change event, Business Facilities has created a dynamic community for C-level executives and economic development organizations. Each of the brand’s channels educates corporate executives from all major industries on issues related to choosing the best location for their growing companies, giving economic development organizations a comprehensive marketing outlet and tremendous reach into the corporate marketplace. www.businessfacilities.com

California Enterprise Development Authority
The California Enterprise Development Authority is a joint powers authority that will serve as a “one stop” center for economic development financing resources and referrals. The cornerstone of the California Enterprise Development Authority is a new business finance program offering lower interest rates and reduced upfront equity requirements for business expansion projects - available only through the CALED-sponsored California Enterprise Development Authority. www.caled.org/edfinancing

California Workforce Association
The California Workforce Association (CWA) is a non-profit organization representing the 50 Workforce Investment Boards, over 200 One-Stop Career Centers and other workforce development partners in California. Our members include local non-profits, government, educational institutions and community based organizations involved in training, education, economic development, welfare, and employment. California Workforce Investment Boards are private sector-led boards focused on strategic solutions to workforce issues in their regions. www.calworkforce.org

California Workforce Investment Board
California’s Workforce Investment Board assists the Governor in setting and guiding policy in the area of workforce development. The Board has four Special Committees to carry out the vision detailed in our new Two-Year Strategic State Plan. The Business and Industry Committee, the Targeting Resources Committee, the Lifelong Learning Committee, and the Accountability in the Workforce Committee bring a wealth of public and private sector expertise to bear on the design of workforce policy and programs to address the multiple challenges that face California’s businesses and workforce. www.calwia.org

Center for Economic Development, CSU Chico
The Center for Economic Development (CED) is a community outreach and technical assistance organization of the California State University, Chico Research Foundation. Our mission is to educate, thus building the knowledge and capacity of California economic development professionals. This will enhance the well-being of the all the region’s citizens by facilitating sustained, long-term, and coordinated economic development strategies. The CED assists and connects with North State communities, development professionals, organizations, and businesses. We provide training, an up-to-the-minute newsletter full of information, grant assistance, extensive data resources, and a broad range of publications related to improving and economies and quality of life of Northern California. www.csuchico.edu/cedp

Customer Service Academy, California Community Colleges
The Customer Service Academy provides training in key areas of service and equips participants with skills that can be applied in their workplace. The Academy can arrange for classes in virtually any part of California. Currently classes are available in: Customer Service, Attitude in the Workplace, Communicating with People, Stress Management, Time Management, Team Building, Ethics and Values, Managing Organizational Change, Decision Making and Problem Solving, and Conflict Resolution. A new partnership is being formed with CALED and new curriculum we have developed that will focus solely on public sector employees. http://www.mccd.edu/csa

Area Development: Fast Facility
Area Development continues to lead the industry using fresh ideas and new approaches through a powerful mix of traditional, broadcast and electronic media including Google and CNN TV. Our print division offers Industry Target publications, a Consultants Site Guide, and seven issues of Area Development magazine, which are all supported by creative marketing. FastFacility™ is our innovative, GIS-driven free-access database of available buildings and sites. Our new Consultant Forum series produced 3 sold-out events both in 2006 and 2007 including San Diego this June 3-5. For over 42 years we have successfully built an affordable network of publication, web-based marketing and conference opportunities offering a choice of effective media maximizing your organization’s potential for qualified response and measurable results. http://www.AreaDevelopment.com; www.FastFacility.com; http://www.CorporateLocationDirectory.com

Site Selection Network
Site Selection Network (SSN) is a national information source on available buildings and sites for companies with plans to relocate or expand. The SSN is a free and confidential service for the thousands of members of the National Assn of Manufacturers, American Hotel and Lodging Assn, American International Automobile Dealers, and the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. This service is also available to the members of over 350 trade associations that have more than 150,000 member companies. SSN members (economic developers, utilities, states, regional groups, rural electric coops, and real estate brokers) pay an annual membership fee for the opportunity to respond to SSN searches. www.namssn.org

MapInfo
Ever wonder why you can’t get that desired retailer or restaurant to open in your town? Now, you can take a hands-on role in determining your retail future. You can benefit from:

• increased sales tax receipts
• more jobs • revitalizing your downtown
• enhancing the overall quality of life in your community

The Buxton Company
Since 1994, Buxton has been the largest provider and #1 retail expert in customer analytics solutions. In recent years, Buxton has expanded its scope to also advise healthcare organizations, consumer packaged goods manufacturers and city governments. Buxton's CommunityID enables communities nationwide to successfully recruit retailers, resulting in increased local tax revenue and employment, satisfying consumers desire to shop at home, and improving the over-all quality of life. With 1,500 clients and working with over 300 communities, Buxton has analyzed every type of retail, restaurant, & service concept. www.buxtonco.com

Indigo Key West (IKW)
IKW is CALED's new technology partner with powerful and innovative solutions for California cities, counties, and EDCs. Its systems keep jobs and contracts in the local marketplace. IKW is a full service provider that does the hard work of linking local companies to corporate, government, and international buyers. Its proprietary software helps to measure and manage the impacts of existing and future development. www.indigokeywest.com

Golden Capital Network
Venture Communities is an initiative by Golden Capital Network (GCN) designed as a cost-effective, sustainable program for communities and regions to support their homegrown, high growth businesses. GCN, a nonprofit consulting, networking and training organization, believes a region's best chance to create sustainable companies and jobs is to support its own innovation and technology growth entrepreneurs. Venture Communities is an angel investor, venture capital and growth entrepreneurship economic development program that puts an economic development office, chamber of commerce, work-force investment board, entrepreneurship center, incubator, municipality -- or better yet, some collaborative partnership between all these stakeholders -- at the center of a new groundswell of innovation, technology entrepreneurship and angel/venture capital investing. Since 1999, GCN alumni companies have raised in excess of $1 billion in private angel and venture capital and created more than 1,000 jobs in the innovation and technology sectors across the U.S. Organizations interested in learning more about bringing Venture Communities to their region should contact Jon Gregory, President/CEO of Golden Capital Network, 530-893-8828. www.goldencapital.net

CBRE Consulting, Inc./Sedway Group
CBRE Consulting, Inc./Sedway Group is a nationally recognized full-service real estate and urban economics consulting firm with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Our expertise extends to all major land use types including residential, retail, office, industrial, hotel, and mixed use specializing in entertainment, disposition consulting, location analysis, retail, transit-oriented development, public/private transactions, redevelopment, economic revitalization, and fiscal and economic impact. CBRE Consulting provides our clients with market assessments, financial projections, and economic analyses by drawing on our expansive network that includes our parent company CB Richard Ellis, the world’s largest commercial real estate provider, and capitalizing on our extensive experience with all facets of real estate and its place in the economy.

VEDC
VEDC has successfully been in business for 30 years---revitalizing communities by creating jobs and assisting businesses with financing, training, consulting and workforce services. VEDC continues its economic impact through successful retail revitalization projects, exampling from efforts in historic Downtown Los Angeles and in Panorama City, California. VEDC is concentrating in retail revitalization of city centers, through the assistance of other municipalities, business improvement districts and other community development agencies in implementing aggressive business development efforts. These projects have proven to improve local economic growth, increase in sales tax revenue, job creations for local residents, vitality of a city center, among other opportunities. The foundation of VEDC’s retail revitalization program includes an accurate market assessment of the residential, employee, and visitor markets of a re-vitalization area, critical mass mixing and business assistance

City of Fresno, Economic Development Department
The Economic Development Department’s vision is to provide the means for all Fresno citizens to continually increase their standard of living. Successful business development requires the building and maintenance of several key economic cornerstones including the availability of skilled labor forces, access to capital, adaptable technology and research, a modern infrastructure, competitive tax and regulatory policies and an attractive quality of life. In close partnership with businesses, government agencies and nonprofits, we provide leadership in creating the conditions for a thriving economy throughout the City of Fresno.