SB, Riverside Counties Form Regional Pact With UCR, LA Harbor

(August 5) San Bernardino and Riverside counties this week declared their intention to utilize their respective economic development agencies to coordinate an effort involving the University of California at Riverside and the Los Angeles Harbor Department to stimulate regional employment development.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors this week approved a memorandum of understanding creating an economic development and innovation partnership with Riverside County and its economic development agency, the University of California, Riverside and its Center for Economic Development & Innovation, and the city of Los Angeles, Harbor Department, to promote successful economic development, enhance international investment, stimulate job creation and increase job retention.
According to Kelly Reenders, the administrator of the San Bernardino County Economic Development  Agency, the memorandum of understanding signed this week is intended to “cooperatively promote successful economic development, enhance international investment, stimulate job creation, and increase job retention, supporting the county goals and objectives. The partners are entering into this economic development and innovation partnership to maximize opportunities within the transportation corridor linking the Los Angeles Port and the Inland Southern California region, the Inland SoCal Link.”
Reenders said, “In March 2010, the state of California began designating innovation hubs (iHubs) in regionalized areas of California with the intent to harness the creative and entrepreneurial spirit. These designated iHubs provide a platform for research clusters, startup companies, government entities, business groups and venture capitalists by leveraging assets such as research parks, technology incubators, universities, and federal laboratories to foster innovation and job creation statewide. Currently, California iHubs support economic sectors such as agriculture, life science and medical technology.
On August 21, 2013, Assembly Bill 250 was amended by a majority vote to codify and expand the California Innovation Hub Program at the Governor’s Office of Business and
Economic Development for the purpose of stimulating economic development and job  creation through the coordination of federal, state and local innovation-support resources.
Subsequently, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development asked for applications to add three new hubs to enhance the existing structure. The newly designated hubs would support the healthcare, manufacturing and aerospace sectors.”
The county of Riverside applied for an iHub designation which included information supporting a collaborative with the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency’s departments of Workforce Development and Economic Development.
In October 2013, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development announced the designation of the “Inland SoCal Link” – a collaborative with the city of Los Angeles’ Port of Los Angeles, along with Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and with the support of the
University of California, Riverside. The goals of the partnership are to promote collaboration in the manufacturing and logistics sectors; expand the volume of exports that are manufactured or produced from both San Bernardino and Riverside counties; increase educational awareness about important transportation issues; encourage foreign direct investment as a mechanism for regional job creation; foster better communication between partners; create a sustainable platform to support federal, state, and local legislative matters that are mutually aligned between partners; and for the partnership to provide information, expertise and assistance with respect to key industries that the partners seek to attract, develop and retain.
The partners have agreed to collaboratively brand the region as a globally competitive destination for trade, investment and economic development. The partners are encouraged to cross-promote and support one another in marketing materials and in mutually relevant tradeshows and other marketing events.

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