SCV Means Business

Tune in to this episode of SCV Means Business as host Ondre Seltzer, President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, engages in an insightful conversation with Mark, Director of the California Economic Forecast. They explore pressing economic trends including the future of remote work, the impact of AI and automation on the workforce, and the trajectory of inflation heading into 2025. Mark shares his optimistic outlook for the Santa Clarita Valley, highlighting strong development prospects, industrial growth, and the region's competitive advantages. The discussion also covers crucial insights about workforce dynamics, real estate market trends, and how the region is positioning itself for continued economic expansion despite broader market challenges. 

 Tune in to this episode of SCV Means Business to join host Dr. Jey Wagner, President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, as he interviews economist Mark Schniepp about the current state of the economy. They discuss the stalled progress on reducing inflation, the Fed's restrictive monetary policy, and the impact of geopolitical events on the economy. Mark also shares insights on labor market trends, the housing market outlook, challenges in the commercial real estate sector, and the film industry's slow recovery from the writers' and actors' strikes. He also reveals why he remains optimistic about the Santa Clarita Valley's economic strength and growth potential. 

Tune in to this episode of SCV Means Business to join host Dr. Jey Wagner, President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, as he interviews economist Mark Schniepp for an illuminating update on economic trends locally and nationally. Mark shares the latest projections on inflation, interest rates, the real estate market, and overall GDP growth. He also discusses how the softening labor market could impact office vacancy rates and remote work. 

In this special episode of SCV Means Business, outgoing president and CEO Holly Schroeder is interviewed by board co-chair Calvin Hedman. Holly discusses the history and evolution of the EDC over the past decade, the organization's role in supporting local businesses, her proudest accomplishments, and the recent approval of a major new film studio project. This farewell episode provides perspective on the growth and bright future ahead for the region.

Dennis Verner, General Manager for Burrtec Waste Industries, joins the program to provide an overview of his organization and discuss California's new food waste law. Discover the details of the law, which requires every jurisdiction to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses, with the goal of reducing food waste in California by 75% by 2025. Dennis reveals the successes and challenges of transitioning to the new waste removal requirements and talks about the experience and certifications needed to be a waste management driver. 

Economist Mark Schniepp returns to the program to provide an update on the local and national economies.  Mark shares an update on the unemployment rate and reveals his prediction about the odds of a recession occurring in Q2 of 2023. Discover the industries in California that are expected to experience growth this year and the key economic indicators that may determine the health of the economy. 

In this episode, you'll learn about Amicis Research Center and the work they are doing to help advance the clinical research industry. Discover how Amicis serves both medical professionals as well as patients, and the testing process for clinical trials. You'll also hear about the training and background necessary to work in the field of clinical research and the variety of career pathways.  

In this episode you'll learn about DrinkPAK, a premiere contract manufacturer of premium alcoholic and non-alcohol beverages based in Santa Clarita. Discover what makes DrinkPAK the most technologically advanced canned beverage facility in North America and the skills that DrinkPAK looks for in potential hires. You'll also hear about how DrinkPAK is addressing environmental and sustainability issues and why they decided to base their business in Santa Clarita. 

Economist Mark Schniepp from California Economic Forecast returns to the program to provide an update on the national, state, and local economies. Mark shares his thoughts about various economic indicators and whether the U.S. economy is headed into a recession. Discover the impact of retirement on the labor force and how companies can best manage their labor needs. Mark also discusses the impact of automation and provides an overview of the housing market in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

Stacy Chambliss, CEO of Valencia Technologies, joins the program to share the origin story of her organization and reveals details behind their innovative eCoin device. Discover how eCoin is reshaping the delivery of long-term therapy for bladder control. Stacy also discusses the growth that Valencia Technologies has experienced over the past year and the qualities that they look for in job applicants.   

This episode features an interview with realtor Neal Weichel of the Neal Weichel Group, as he provides an overview and tour of some of the different areas of the Santa Clarita Valley. Discover some of factors that are driving population growth in the Santa Clarita Valley and the range of homes available. Neal also reveals the pros and cons of new and older homes. 

Yoni Lavi, President of Lavi Industries, joins the program to provide an overview of his organization and the various queuing solutions they provide. Yoni shares insights about virtual queuing services and how the COVID-19 pandemic created an increased demand for digital queuing solutions. Discover the management approach and culture that has allowed Lavi Industries to pivot and meet evolving industry demands.  

Paul Butler, Owner and Client Parter at Newleaf Training, joins the program to discuss how he came to start his company and provides an overview of the services that Newleaf provides. Discover the 3 greatest barriers that prevent people from achieving their goals and how the pandemic has changed the delivery of training courses. 

Justin Campbell, owner of Firefly Fabrications, joins the program to provide an overview of his company and reveals what goes into the manufacturing and repair of food trucks. Discover what it takes to run a food truck business and how to get set up. Justin reveals the skills that he looks for in a potential employee and the current state of the food truck industry in the U.S.

Jason Altman, VP of Business Development and Operations for Elite Media Technologies, joins the program to provide an overview of the services that his company provides and share the story of his own career journey. Jason discusses the various educational paths that can lead to a career in post-production and shares advice for anyone looking to break into the field. Discover the importance of cybersecurity when it comes to protecting content, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on media consumption, and the need for post-production services.

Tony Cuccio, Founder and President of Star Nail, joins the program to discuss how he was able to pivot his business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some of the challenges he has had to overcome over the past several years. Tony reveals how he has been able to find quality talent even during the "Great Resignation" and how the support he has received from the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation and has helped his business.

This episode was recorded live at the Fall 2021 Economic Outlook Conference. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and associated business disruptions brought unprecedented challenges for companies in the Santa Clarita Valley and across the globe. It's more important than ever for business leaders to arm themselves with vital information and data to make decisions that will impact growth and success in 2021 and beyond. In part four of this series, you'll hear from a panel of business leaders about how they are dealing with supply chain issues and key lessons learned from the pandemic.

This episode was recorded live at the Fall 2021 Economic Outlook Conference. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and associated business disruptions brought unprecedented challenges for companies in the Santa Clarita Valley and across the globe. It's more important than ever for business leaders to arm themselves with vital information and data to make decisions that will impact growth and success in 2021 and beyond. In part three of this series you'll hear from a panel of business leaders as they discuss how they navigating the ever-changing COVID-19 guidelines and vaccine mandates. 

This episode was recorded live at the Fall 2021 Economic Outlook Conference. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and associated business disruptions brought unprecedented challenges for companies in the Santa Clarita Valley and across the globe. It's more important than ever for business leaders to arm themselves with vital information and data to make decisions that will impact growth and success in 2021 and beyond. In part two of this series you'll hear from a panel of business leaders as they discuss how workforce and technology issues impacted their business during the pandemic. 

This episode was recorded live at the Fall 2021 Economic Outlook Conference. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and associated business disruptions brought unprecedented challenges for companies in the Santa Clarita Valley and across the globe. It's more important than ever for business leaders to arm themselves with vital information and data to make decisions that will impact growth and success in 2021 and beyond. In part one of this series you'll hear from a panel of business leaders as they discuss talent and hiring issues during the pandemic. 

Dr. Mark Schniepp, Director of the California Economic Forecast, returns to the program to discuss where Santa Clarita Valley is in terms of its recovery from the pandemic induced recession. Discover the state of various industries in Santa Clarita and the impact of trends in the national economy on the region. 

Tim and Sarah Hudson, founders of Hudson Spider, share the challenges and opportunities that they faced along the way as they built their company. Tim discusses how while working as a lighting cameraman, he found the need for a light that was soft, directional and mobile, and how he and Sarah then created a parabolic 36” fixture, known as the Redback, which has quickly made its way on to movies, tv shows, commercials and stills shoots.

Dr. Mark Liker, world-renowned neurosurgeon and Founder, Owner and President of BrainStim Centers, Inc. joins the program to discuss the work that BrianStim is doing to provide transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, to patients to help improve their brain function. Dr. Liker explains the process of TMS, some of the conditions that TMS can help treat, and how TMS can help patients achieve optimal brain functioning.

Robert Gleason, Executive Director, Product Engineering & PMO for ITT, Inc, joins the program to discuss the work that the company does for both the civilian and military aerospace industries. He reveals some of the recent trends, challenges, and  disruptive forces in aerospace, and how ITT is helping contribute to the future of space exploration. 

Billy Russell, Vice President and CTO for Alliance Integrated Technology, joins the program to discuss the work that his company does providing high performance storage and computing for the media and entertainment space, as well as other markets. Discover how Alliance Integrated Technology supports film and tv production, and the innovative ways that they met the unique challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tony Shepard, CFO of AMS Fulfillment and Craig McCrary, President and COO of NeoTech Products return to the program to discuss what it means to be a B Corporation (B Corp). Tony and Craig discuss why they decided to have their companies be certified B Corporations, reveal the core principles of a B Corp, and discuss the impact of those principles on the culture of their organizations.

Jeremy Stepan, Founder and Owner of Resurgence IT, joins the program to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to rapid adoption of new technologies for businesses and provides an overview of the services that Resurgence IT provides. Discover the IT needs that were created by a shift to remote work, what you need to consider when it comes to cybersecurity, and how to balance security needs with accessibility and ease of access. 

Michelle Ross, CEO of Vision Media, joins the program to discuss how she came to her current position, and the digital and physical distribution solutions that her company provides. Discover the evolving nature of content creation and consumption and the differing perspectives on the pros and cons of physical DVD's versus digital streaming. 

John Prabhu, one of the co-owners of LA North Studios, joins the program to discuss the evolution of his career and LA North Studios, as well as the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on his business. Discover trends in production space and the impact of new streaming services on the film and television industry. 

Dr. Michael Perry, CEO of AVITA Medical, joins the program to discuss the work that his company does to harness the skin's regenerative capacity to create spray-on skin comprised of the patient's own skin cells. Discover the patients and conditions most likely to need this kind of therapy, and why AVITA Medical decided to move the company from Australia to the Santa Clarita Valley. 

Dan Jones, President of UV Resources, joins the program to provide an overview of his company, and the various applications of UV light to improve indoor air quality. Discover the crucial role that ultraviolet light can play in helping to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the technology can be implemented in a safe and efficient manner. 

Jeff Forrest, Vice President, Economic and Workforce Development at College of the Canyons, joins the program to discuss how his organization is helping to prepare the workforce of today and the future. Discover the various affordable options for quality education and training available through College of the Canyons. 

Richard Hayes, President of UltraViolet Devices, Inc. or UVDI, joins the program to discuss the various applications of ultraviolet technology, including disinfecting drinking water and air disinfection. Discover the important role that ultraviolet technology can play in mitigating COVID-19.

 Joe Klinger, Vice President for Applied Companies, joins the program to discuss some of the solutions that they are designing for the military, the application of their technologies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as addressing indoor air quality.  

In this Santa Clarita Business Brief, you'll hear from Mayor Cameron Smyth as he discusses some of the exciting developments in Santa Clarita. He also reveals why Santa Clarita has been able to thrive  during the disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic and why it is important for a city to be business-friendly. 

Preston Geeting, co-founder and director of Packform, joins the program to discuss how his company creates an environment for manufacturers to sell their products to a large network of customers and give customers global access to manufacturers of all types of packaging – custom and commodity – without the need for high overhead distributors that control the market today. Preston reveals the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on his business, and the applications of Packform's technology for other industries. 

Dr. Mark Schniepp, Director of the California Economic Forecast, joins the program to discuss the current state of the regional and statewide economy, and the impact that COVID-19 has had on various industries. 

In this Santa Clarita Business Brief, you'll learn about Vista Canyon, Southern California’s most innovative new live, work, walk and ride community.

In this Santa Clarita Business Brief, you'll learn about The Center at Needham Ranch, including the highlights and benefits, and economic drivers of development.

In this Santa Clarita Business Brief, you'll hear about the IAC Commerce Center, and how they support e-commerce businesses.

Brian Williams, CEO of Shimtech Industries, joins the program to discuss Lamsco West, Inc., one of Shimtech's business units and the largest single manufacturer of shims and laminated shim stock in the world. You'll learn about the importance of shims in the airplane manufacturing process, and what Shimtech looks for when acquiring a new company. Discover the state-of-the-art composites that are being used to replace metal parts and some of the challenges and opportunities involved. 

Voldi Way, Founder of WayForward Technologies, joins the program to discuss the evolution of the video game industry, and the history of his company. Voldi also discusses the challenges and opportunities that come with scaling a business, and how WayForward manages large teams. He also reveals how they recruit in a tight labor market, and how they create a positive work culture. 

Stratasys Direct CEO Kent Firestone joins the program to discuss the unique history of 3D printing in Santa Clarita,  and the rise of 3D printing for production. Discover the benefits of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing, and how Stratasys develops unique solutions for customers. 

John Petrovich, CEO of the Alfred Mann Foundation, and Robert Greenberg, Executive Chairman of the Alfred Mann Foundation, join the program to discuss the history and purpose of their organization. Discover how the foundation has helped bring new technology to market for some of the most challenging medical problems, and how they partner with outside companies to maximize their efforts.     

This episode features an interview with Tim Burkhart and Neal Thurman from Six Flags Theme Parks, as they discuss some of the highlights and history of the theme park. They reveal a new coaster and new section of the park that is coming soon, and some of the global projects currently in development. 

In this episode, you'll hear from an owner of several McDonald's stores in Santa Clarita, as he discusses the evolution of the franchise. Discover industry trends and innovations, and how McDonald's is using technology to better serve their customers. 

This episode features an interview with Jennifer Gerard, President and CEO of Gerard Cosmetics, as she discusses the evolution of her company and why she decided to start her own business. Discover the range of products that the company offers, and how Jennifer uses social media influencers to get the word out about the brand. Jennifer shares her thoughts about the current state of social media, and reveals future collaborations. 

 This episode features an interview with Adel Villalobos, President of Lief Labs, as he discusses how being based in Santa Clarita has helped his company to grow. He gives an overview of the dietary supplement market and how it has evolved, and shares takeaways for how to run a successful organization. Discover the importance of culture, values and vision for any business.  

Trina Davidian, President and CEO of King Henry's Inc, joins the program to discuss the history behind the company, and the products they produce, including premium candy, nuts, trail mixes, and assorted sweets. She reveals how the packaging has evolved over time, and some of the specialty items they produce. She also discusses how automation has changed the production process and why she sought a designation as a woman-owned business. 

Robert Gleason, Executive Director, Product Engineering & PMO for ITT, Inc, joins the program to discuss the work that the company does for both the civilian and military aerospace industries. He reveals some of the recent trends, challenges, and  disruptive forces in aerospace, and how ITT is helping contribute to the future of space exploration. 

Keith Grossman and Javan Diaz, owners of Simplify Optics, discuss the process of making high quality lenses and how they have carved out a unique niche in their industry. They reveal their philosophy of keeping things simple even in a complex manufacturing process, and what they look for when hiring new employees. They also share their vision for the company moving forward.