Aim is to boost N. County business
March 4, 2006
SAN MARCOS – Three high-tech businesses will be highlighted Monday at an event sponsored by the San Diego North Economic Development Council.
The high-tech industry will be the first “cluster” of 12 types of businesses that will be introduced to the community each month by the council, a coalition that aims to boost the economy in North County.
The other 11 clusters are health care, tourism/gaming, banking/finance, manufacturing, sports and extreme sports, agriculture, military/defense, education, biotech, transportation and marketing/communications.
The 45-minute presentation will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the council's office, 100 N. Rancho Santa Fe Road, Suite 124. Finger foods and refreshments will be served.
The businesses to be showcased Monday are Chatter Mobile Communications in San Marcos, CoolerEmail in Solana Beach and a company that produces equipment for security firms, said Gary Knight, president and CEO of the council. Company representatives will talk about how they got started in North County.
Presentations by companies in the remaining clusters will be at 1:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the same location. Speakers will explain each cluster's importance in the region.
Knight said he hopes the council's new program will attract new businesses by promoting what's already here.
For example, he said, in the early days of biotechnology, there were one or two businesses in the area, he said. Then vendors that supplied materials to the biotech companies were drawn to open their operations nearby. Trained workers became part of the community, and later similar businesses moved in to take advantage of the work force.
The 12 clusters the council has identified represent the key businesses and services in North County, Knight said. Education is part of the picture because schools and colleges produce the talent needed for businesses and also hire employees.
For more information, call the San Diego North Economic Development Council, (760) 598-9311.