Economy Latest Area to Fall Under Class' Studies  

May 2007 -- Stockton’s economy is influenced by many factors. During the annual Economy Session, the class got a glimpse of a few of those factors, and learned about the bright future that lay ahead for Stockton.

The day began with an overview of the local economy by our very own Doug Wilhoit at the brand new WorkNet facility on Lincoln Street. Wilhoit highlighted the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, its past and future, as well as that of the Port of Stockton. Doug, who has chaired the Economy Session many times during the program’s 25 years, and with his breadth of knowledge about the history and inner workings of the local economy, set the tone for the day.

The first presenters of the day were no strangers to Leadership Stockton as they spoke on the Agriculture and its impact on the economy. Katie Matthews with the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation (SJFB) brought two special guests, Molly Watkins and Bruce Fry. Katie spoke from the viewpoint of the nearly 6,000 member families of the SJFB and the larger challenges facing the industry, describing the mission and many programs the SJFB offers to assist its members. Molly spoke about the “Select San Joaquin” program which promotes the consumption of locally grown produce, and which recently put on the AgVentures Day for local third-graders. Bruce followed Molly and covered the issue of the Lodi-Stockton Greenbelt, from the perspective of the farmer. All three gave the class a better appreciation of our county’s top industry. We look forward to continuing and expanding our relationship with the Farm Bureau in the future.

Following Agriculture on the agenda was Local Economic Development, by none other than the City of Stockton Economic Development Director, Steve Carrigan. Steve provided a brief history of the City’s recent economic development projects and a glimpse of what is to come. From power centers to big box initiatives, the future of Stockton continues to be a bright one. Steve’s candor and his obvious passion for his job are easily evident and his energy and humor are always a welcome addition to the Economy session.

Next on the agenda was Kevin Kauffman, director of the Stockton East Water District. Kevin covered the topic of “Water Supply & Our Economy.” From top to bottom the class learned “Water 101” from Kauffman touching upon topics such as water quality, salinity, storage, rights, banking and groundwater recharge. Fascinating information about a part of our daily life many of us take for granted.

After lunch the class carpooled over to Farmington Fresh where they were greeted by partner Dave Rajkovich. Dave gave the class a tour of this state of the art facility located just east of the Stockton Airport. Beginning later this month with cherries and then on to such fruits as apples and pears, Farmington Fresh is the only fruit packing and distributing plant that sits next to an airport in the nation. This amazing facility gave the class a true appreciation for the products we grow in San Joaquin County and the far reach they have worldwide. A class favorite!

Following the Farmington Fresh tour, the class headed over to the Stockton Airport for a quick update from Airport Director Barry Rondinella. Barry covered the current cargo and executive jet operations, the highly successful Allegiant Air flights to Las Vegas, and the future of Stockton Metro as a regional and international airport. Visiting the airport brought back fond memories for some and for others a glimpse at some great potential.

I would like to thank the following people for their contribution to the success of this session: our speakers (Katie, Molly, Bruce, Steve, Kevin, Dave and Barry) for taking time out of their busy schedules; San Joaquin County WorkNet for the use of its beautiful facilities; and to Doug Wilhoit, who, as one of the founders of the Leadership Stockton program, continues to give his knowledge and support to the program in this session and many others.

See us here next month as we recap the “Day at the Capitol” session to be held on Thursday, May 10th at the State Capitol.  If you would like more info on Leadership Stockton or wish to sponsor session next year, please contact Wes Rhea at 547-2770 or leadership@stocktonchamber.org.  Applications for the Leadership Stockton Class of 2008 will be accepted until June 15^th and can be downloaded from www.leadershipstockton.com