Sessions Introduce Emerging Leaders to Porterville History and Demographics, and Economic and Workforce Development

 

February was a busy a month for class members of Leadership Porterville, beginning with our evening session during which each member was introduced to his/her mentor. The matches were made based on each individual’s goals and what they hope to take away from the program. Brad Dunlap, City of Porterville presented on the General Plan and on local demographics and how that data is used to identify consumer mar- kets. Historian Brent Gill provided interesting insight into the founding of the
greater Porterville area.

These activities were followed by presentations on some of the different eth- nicities and cultures that make-up our local demographics. Ela Pandya pre- sented for the Eastern Indian community, Marlene Marquez represented the Mexican American and Philippine communities, and Charmaine McDarment spoke about the Native American community. Each presenter introduced us to their cultures and the challenges faced while integrating into American cul- ture.

 

The full day session introduced us to Economic and Workforce Development. The day began at the Employment Connection where we were educated about the wide range of resources offered both for the unemployed and for business-es seeking to hire. Our visit to this site also included Linda Wammack, City of Porterville, presenting on how businesses are brought into communities. Sierra View District Hospital was our next stop where we were treated to lunch in the board room, followed by an informative tour of the facility. The hospital is one of the community’s largest employers, and they keep growing in services. Next we headed to Tule River Aero Industries to hear from Dave Nenna about the entrepreneurial spirit behind the start-up of this business serving the aviation industry.

Beckman Coulter, Inc. is another rare jewel in Porterville. An international company that designs and builds pharmaceutical testing equipment, the lo- cal site makes the circuit boards that power these machines. The unique tour experiences continued as we concluded our day in the heart of Porterville, our downtown district. Owner Steve Feleay welcomed us to the new location of his business, Hoagie’s Heroes. He provided his perspective gained through 31 years of challenges and successes in operating a small business. A surprise visit with our City Manager John Lollis, who dropped in to meet us and chat, was a great wrap-up to a very informative day.

The busy month also included our official introduction to the public at two events. The LP Class of 2010 Welcome Reception gave us a chance to meet business and community leaders, and we made our first ‘speeches’ about why each of us wanted to be in the program. The Tule River Tribal Council and Eagle Mountain Casino are appreciated for their sponsorship of the reception. The Chamber’s monthly networking mixer brought our next introduction to the many people who attended.
Submitted by Class Members: Rick Land, City of Porterville Fire Department and Sarah Shapiro, Family HealthCare Network