Daily Republic
Todd R. Hansen
FAIRFIELD — The city launched its Business Retention & Expansion program Wednesday at the doorstep of a global logistics company that recently consolidated some of its divisions into that one location.
That included TricorBraun operations that already existed in Fairfield, but also at least one division that moved to the city.
That location is the Interchange Logistics Center on Fermi Drive – across from Rodriguez High School. It is the largest facility TricorBraun has in its international network, and connects the company to the nearby highway system as well as its local clientele.
Owen Larsen, director of TricorBraun WinePak, said the city’s Community and Economic Development group played a role in the consolidation move, a kind or precursor to the new program launch.
The primary mission of the new program is to help retain existing Fairfield businesses and to help them expand.
The event attracted about two dozen people, mostly connected to the city and program partners. Mayor Catherine Moy and Council members Doriss Panduro, Scott Tonnesen and K. Patrice Williams were on hand.
“More than 70% to 80% of local job growth typically comes from existing businesses,” Moy said. “Supporting you – our current employers – is not only smart policy, but essential to a thriving local economy. You are the backbone of our community, contributing jobs, investment and a sense of place.”
The program, she added, will help build the city’s competitiveness in business attraction, by showing those companies looking for a place to locate the kind of supportive business environment that is desired.
To that end, Moy also hinted that the city may not have been as responsive as it could have been in the past.
“We heard you. Businesses want quicker feedback, clearer processes and stronger connections. This program is designed to deliver exactly that,” Moy added. “Our goal is to remove barriers, accelerate solutions and build trust.”
It is a program the Solano Hispanic Chamber of Commerce believes will provide the kind of support and access to resources its members often cannot access because of language and other barriers.
Jerry Gonzales, who represents the Fairfield, Suisun City and Rio Vista area as a vice president for the chamber, said it is not always about financing.
He said the Latino-owned businesses, most of them smaller enterprises, need equal access to other resources and programs like the one the city has started.
Gonzales said the Hispanic population in Solano County represents a rich workforce resource for existing companies as well as those that may relocate, and that connection needs to be nurtured. Moreover, the chamber is active in all seven cities, and the unincorporated area. It also is directly linked to the state and federal Hispanic chambers.
“They are either part of the labor force or they own their own businesses that need the resources and the connections,” Gonzales said.
Dave Zellers, director of Community and Economic Development, emphasized that partnerships with the chambers and other organizations is a critical part of the city’s economic development mission.
The other must-have element, Zellers said, is communication.
That was evident in the work done with TricorBraun, which Zellers said started with a Friday morning email, which tsunamied into a wave of referrals and connections.
It also resulted in streamlining city permitting that was specific to TricorBraun’s needs for storing goods and distributing them.
A banner that served as a backdrop for the event speakers noted the partners involved, including the Hispanic and Fairfield-Suisun chambers, the Napa-Solano Small Business Center, the Workforce Development Board of Solano County and the Solano Economic Development Corp.
Though not listed, city officials noted that a representative from GO-Biz – the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development – attended the event.
City Manager David Gassaway, in an interview, said the state office is more about connecting Fairfield with firms looking to relocate, which is another element of the city’s economic development focus.
Chris Rico, president and chief executive officer of the EDC, touched on both existing and new business interests in his remarks, while Dave Hubble, executive director with the Workforce Development Board, said that development of labor resources and matching them to the needs of the business community is an important piece as well.
Businesses that participate in the BRE Program will receive tailored support from the Local Partners Consortium that also includes Visit Fairfield, which promotes local attractions and drives visitors to Fairfield businesses through tourism marketing and partnerships.
“The launch of this new partnership and joint BRE Program culturally demonstrates the strength and commitment of Fairfield’s business community,” Zellers said. “Our goal is to ensure companies have the tools, resources and partnership they need to continue investing in Fairfield. The BRE Program is a major step forward in creating a supportive, business-friendly environment.”
Businesses interested in participating in the BRE Program or scheduling a visit can contact the Economic Development Division at econdev@fairfield.ca.gov or visit www.fairfield.ca.gov/bre.