Business & Economics Day

December 12^th, 2008- 

Business: A company or other organization that buys and sells goods, makes products, or provides services.

 

We were introduced to Chris Winek with County Bank, who educated us about the current banking conditions. He informed us that bank lending was getting tougher due to banks holding capital for self preservation, which was ironic after he also said that “credit is the life blood of the economy” and that banks need capital to lend capital. Elaine Post was introduced as the next speaker for the day. She is with the Redevelopment Department for the City of Los Banos.  She too stated that her department is suffering from State Budget cuts, but looked forward to working with the Merced County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDCO) on a Business Incubator in Los Banos.

 

Next, Scott Galbraith from Merced County Economic Development Corporation spoke on  “Economic Development 101”. This was very informative and educational on our way to the Safeway Distribution Plant. Once arriving at the plant, we were broken into two tour groups that were given a first hand look at a top notch distribution center.  Our next stop was just down the street to Quebecor World (formerly Colorpress). 

 

We then went to the Courtyard by Marriott and were greeted by Sean Williams the General Manager of the facility and Karen Baker of the California Welcome Center/Merced Visitors Services.  While we were at the Marriott, General Manager Sean Williams spoke to the class about the Hotel-Motel Association, and some of the difficulties that the Merced hospitality industry is facing, including but not limited to filling up all available beds.

 

The class took a crash course in ski boat building, from fiberglass molds, to hand-sewn leather, to Corvette engines, we became Malibu aficionados.   We then went to the Merced Municipal Airport. We wove our way around the airports hangars, getting a private tour of where the wings of Merced are housed.  Class 24 ended their Business and Economics Day where we began, in the bowels of a secure County Bank location, where we had a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities that we as local leaders face each day, especially in these troubled economic times.