Category Archives: Economy

Inaugural ‘Riverside Startup Weekend’ Hailed as a Great Success

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Riverside’s first ‘Startup Weekend’ proved that the community is indeed a ‘Catalyst for Innovation‘, bringing together nearly 100 participants, advisors and judges to develop 10 new businesses in less than three days.

The winning Fetchit team poses with the judges at Startup Weekend. From left, UCR students Daniel Langridge and Chris Manghane, incoming UCR students Darrell and Daniel Peeden, Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey, Inland Empire Tech Coast Angels President Molly Schmid, and Rajan Kasetty, CEO of Terrafore, Inc. (photo by Conley Read; source: UCR Today)

Startup Weekend is a global program that brings 54-hour events to select cities where “developers, coders, designers marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and create startups.”  Typically half of the event attendees have technical backgrounds while the other half have business backgrounds.

Riverside Startup Weekend organizers Benjamin Mueller, Conley Read and Mike Kennedy put the 54-hour event together with the help of several sponsors and supporters, including the City of Riverside, Cal Baptist University and local startup companies Signature.io and StopTheHacker, as well as many volunteers who donated their time to support the participants. The event was held at the Culver Center at the University of California in Riverside’s ARTSblock, further inspiring creativity amongst the participants.

“The whole weekend is spent on defining a problem, creating a set of solutions (assumptions), validating those assumptions with people through online surveys, or face-to-face discussions, pivoting and iterating on the idea, developing a business model that has a monetary return on investment, as well as discussions on how to properly scale and attract/build your user base,” explained Alan Roy, a user interface designer at C&C who served as an adviser during the weekend. “In the end, these individuals from backgrounds in development, design, marketing, business, and law come together to create an ‘minimum viable product’ to present to the judges on Sunday.” (source: UCR Today)

To read the full recap as published by UCR Today, including highlights of the winning teams and projects, click here.

Riverside Named One of Nation’s Happiest Cities for Young Professionals

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On April 24, 2013 Forbes published ‘The 10 Happiest Cities for Young Professionals” based on research conducted by online career site, CareerBliss.com. Proving once again that Riverside is indeed a ‘Location of Choice‘, the city earned an impressive 6th* place ranking, putting it in the company of San Jose, San Diego, Chicago and Washington D.C.

“The new generation of young professionals not only finds happiness at work important–they demand it,” says CareerBliss chief executive Heidi Golledge. “If a company wants to find and retain the best talent, they need to work on building a culture of happiness within their organization.”

(photo credit: Forbes.com)

To Riversiders, the ranking is probably not much of a surprise. Organizations such as The Pick Group have been working diligently over the past several years to grow and engage young professionals as leaders in the community. Through Seizing Our Destiny, an Education Roundtable was formed that brings leaders of Riverside’s primary and secondary schools and its four colleges and universities together specifically to create new approaches to ensuring that Riverside has extensive opportunities for lifelong learning. Riverside area chambers of commerce, nonprofits, youth organizations, businesses, government, faith-based and neighborhood groups have all made nurturing and supporting our young talent, and making Riverside a place they want to live, a top priority.

Read more here.

(*Note: The Forbes’ article content states Riverside’s rank as No. 7; however, the pictoral slide show of the Top 10 has Riverside tied for No. 6 with Philadelphia at a score of 3.84.)

State of the City 2013: “Imagine What We Can Accomplish By Working Together”

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On January 24, 2013, Riverside’s 17th mayor, William “Rusty” Bailey, delivered his first State of the City address to an audience of residents, business owners, fellow educators, current and past elected officials, several of his students, and his family. 

“Through my conversations of the state of our city, I discovered this: the state of our city is responsive and responsible, dynamic and sustainable, inclusive and intelligent. These are the words that I believe best describe and exemplify OUR city.”

Mayor William "Rusty" BaileyThat statement set the tone for the new mayor’s articulations of his commitments and vision for Riverside, and he referenced three themes that he not only integrated into his address and (per Bailey) will continue to refer to throughout his time in office: Gratitude, Leadership Philosophy, and Challenge.

“My philosophy on leadership is simple: lead by example and take care of your troops,” explained Bailey. “Integrity, vision, courage and passion are all characteristics that motivate me daily, and it is my mission that these characteristics will define Riverside’s leadership and for which Riverside will be known throughout the region, the state, our country and the world. If we all share the philosophy of a servant leader, imagine what we can accomplish working together in public and private enterprise.”

As his inaugural address, naturally this is the instance in which the mayor’s expectations of city employees are set.  However, the 6th generation resident added a slightly different and more personal touch for the audience to contemplate.  What would their role be? What are they doing to make their lives and Riverside a better place? What can they do?  Bailey acknowledged that Riverside needed the engagement, support and leadership of our community to make these things happen.

“Better together;” doing things “The Riverside Way”.

“We have our own style here, our swagger…but I call it, The Riverside Way,” to which Mayor Bailey described as

  • Collaborative…we are ‘better together’
  • Welcoming…we make new people feel at ease and at home; old Riverside accepts new Riverside like no other
  • Relational…meaningful conversations build meaningful relationships

“My challenge to you is to believe in the Riverside Way, and to commit yourself and to make yourself available to the Riverside Way in 2013. Available to serve your family, available to serve your neighborhoods, and available to serve YOUR city,” challenged Bailey. “To do this, we build upon the four pillars of our strategic plan, Seizing Our Destiny: Intelligent Growth, Catalyst for Innovation, Location of Choice and Unified City.” (Click here to read Riverside’s definitions for each.)

Bailey’s commitments for 2013 included:

Intelligent Growth

  • Leveraging our relationships with Sister Cities to create economic opportunities for Riverside
  • Making weekly school and business visits
  • Keeping the UCR School of Medicine Creation a top priority
  • Continuation of the Education Roundtable to continue the work of Completion Counts and create new approaches to ensure we are enabling our students to be the best and brightest
  • Organizing a Business Roundtable to create policy and programs that help Riverside businesses create jobs for our community

Catalyst for Innovation

  • Increasing green and sustainable programs and businesses in Riverside
  • Creating an Innovation Center on Main Street Riverside that supports new entrepreneurs and start-up businesses
  • Supporting the creation of the Riverside Entrepreneurial Academy with the four universities and colleges in Riverside to grow our own entrepreneurs

Location of Choice

  • Telling Our Story: “ensuring the Riverside we know and love becomes the Riverside that everyone knows and loves; we are a new side of classic California”
  • Developing a 21st century transportation network, including a streetcar plan to help college students have easier access to our retail centers and entertainment hubs

Unified City

  • Continuing Mayor’s Night Out and Walk with Mayor events
  • Spending time with each of the City Councilmembers in their Wards and with city staff in all departments
  • Continue building bridges and cultivating relationships to deepen our historic roots and promoting the Riverside Way
  • Promoting a healthier lifestyle for all Riversiders
  • Encouraging Riversiders to commit to helping others and the community

Mayor Bailey concluded his inaugural State of the City address with this challenge:

“What is your destiny in Riverside? This is YOUR city. This is YOUR moment. Whatever your destiny is, let’s achieve it together.  After all, THAT is the Riverside Way.”

To watch the full 2013 State of the City address, click here.

Students at UC Riverside Play Integral Role in Student Recreation Center Expansion Project

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(Includes excerpts from a December 19, 2012 article written by Ross French and published on UCR Today)

In December, UCR Today announced the start of construction on a $37.2 million expansion of its Student Recreation Center (SRC).  The project has been extensively student-driven, with both undergraduate and graduate students playing key roles in the research, development and execution of the expansion. Even the funding will come from a $149 per quarter fee that students approved in a referendum in 2010.

An artist’s rendering of the cardio area at the Student Recreation Center expansion. Source: UCR Today

An artist’s rendering of the cardio area at the Student Recreation Center expansion. Source: UCR Today

“From the beginning this has been a student driven project, and that’s why I think it has been a success,” said Jenni Deveau, a psychology graduate student and member of the Recreation Facilities Governing Board. “Students gave input on their experience at the current Rec Center and what they wanted for the future, they were given the choice through an election whether they wanted to implement these changes knowing the financial impact, and there has been student representation and input on all aspects of the design and construction of the new building.”

“The students have been in charge of the program and the purse strings all along,” UCR Campus Architect Don Caskey said. “They were an integral part of the project management committee. They were there every step of the way, through the detailed project program, the student referendum, the space programming and architectural design, and even when we were reviewing the bids that came in.”

To meet University of California green-building requirements, the new Recreation Center has been designed to meet LEED Silver Certification. Its features include lower operating costs, reduced waste sent to landfills, and energy and water conservation.

Of the new amenities being added, for many students the best part of the new facility will be the extensive aquatics complex, which will feature a lap pool, recreation pool and a vortex pool, which is a round pool that features a slight current that can be walked against as an aerobic workout.

Involving the student population in the planning, design and project management of a large-scale LEED construction project demonstrates the caliber of educational opportunities in Riverside, proving once again this community is a trendsetter in inventive and multi-disciplinary approaches in learning.

To read the full article as published on UCR Today, click here.

Riverside Celebrates the Official Unveiling of the UC Riverside School of Medicine Education Building

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Source: Kris Lovekin, UCR Today

Community supporters, elected officials and administrators gathered Thursday, Dec. 13 to celebrate the second building affiliated with the UCR School of Medicine.

Visitors toured the School of Medicine Education Building that has been renovated and transformed with a medical simulation laboratory, a 100-seat lecture hall, 10 patient examination rooms and small group discussion rooms. It includes a wall in the entryway that has been dedicated to Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Salma Haider for their ongoing support for the School of Medicine.

UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White talks with community members, including Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and LaSierra University President Randal Wisby, about the classroom facilities of the School of Medicine. Photo by Peter Phun; source UCR Today.

UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White talks with community members, including Seizing Our Destiny Education Roundtable members Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and La Sierra University President Randal Wisby, about the classroom facilities of the School of Medicine. Photo by Peter Phun; source UCR Today.

“This facility is not merely a building, or a node in the network of campus research, it is the builder of dreams, a vehicle to serve the urgent needs of our community,” said Chancellor Timothy P. White in what is one of his last official appearances at UC Riverside before he goes to lead the California State University system. “From this building will emerge dozens of physicians trained on the ground in this area – many of them local residents, who understand the experiences and the cultures of their patients.”

Founding School of Medicine Dean, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Seizing Our Destiny Champion G. Richard Olds described the simulation lab, where students, much like airline pilots, will learn and practice their skills on patient simulators created to mimic medical conditions and scenarios they are likely to encounter in the practice of medicine.

“Yes, this building has lecture halls, but our lecture halls will be used to a lesser degree than traditional medical schools,” Olds said. “Instead, we devoted a larger amount of square feet to small rooms, we call them Problem-Based Learning rooms, where students will actively solve problems, gaining and applying medical knowledge as they will need to when they become practicing physicians.”

It is because of this inventive, multi-disciplinary approach that the UC Riverside School of Medicine is a  ”Catalyst for Innovation“, serving as both a training ground for skilled medical professionals and as an economic engine for Riverside.

To read the full article published on UCR Today, click here.

Riverside Says “Thank You” to Longtime Leader & Visionary

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Ronald O. Loveridge has been Riverside’s mayor since 1994 and served on the City Council from 1979-1994.  As the community welcomes its new mayor, William “Rusty” Bailey, into office, it is with fondness, respect and gratitude that we say good-bye to the Honorable Ron Loveridge.

Mayor Ron Loveridge

Over the past several weeks, much has been written about the political science professor’s time leading Riverside and the many, many accomplishments for which he deserves accolades and praise, but one effort stands out that has enabled Riverside to forge ahead out of a economic recession with a momentum of positive, lasting change that impacts all Riversiders.

In early 2009, the Public Policy Institute of California presented findings to a 2008 study that projected Riverside’s (and all of Inland Southern California’s) demographic and economic composition 15 years out; the findings were far from ideal. Rather than accepting the data as Riverside’s inherent future, Mayor Loveridge called upon then Dean of the UC Riverside A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, David Stewart, to guide civic and community leaders through the development of an aspirational 20-year strategic vision that mobilizes the skills and resources of a broad cross-section of Riversiders toward one common goal – a better community for us all.

After six months of intensive engagement by a steering community, fueled with input and feedback through community focus groups and an on-line survey, a plan entitled “Seizing Our Destiny: The Agenda for Riverside’s Innovative Future” was presented to and adopted by the City Council on December 15, 2009.  Mayor Loveridge presented this plan during his State of the City address in January 2010 and expressed the following in a letter included in the original publication:

“I believe this vision is so powerful because it is larger than any one individual or institution. It is therefore capable of transcending traditional political alliances, enduring through changes in elected officials, and unifying people of all walks of life through engagement in our community. It is an Agenda that at its roots depends on partnerships across economic sectors, across industries and concerns, and across personal interests in the pursuit of something greater for our City.

I also believe this Agenda is compelling because it rests on the understanding that Riverside is poised for greatness. For many years, we have reinvigorated our institutions, renewed our infrastructure and recaptured the excitement of our people. Now we are ready to take the next steps toward our shared future.”

Much has been accomplished in the nearly three years since Seizing Our Destiny was adopted as Riverside’s strategic vision. And, thanks to the leadership of Mayor Loveridge and his natural tendency for setting the bar high and believing in the potential of this community, the Seizing Our Destiny movement continues to build on the city’s existing strengths to improve quality of life, attract diverse and dynamic people, encourage innovation and work together for the common good.

Thank you Ron.

Other related articles:

Riverside Magazine: Exit Interview with Mayor Loveridge (pg. 20)

Press-Enterprise: City bids Mayor Ron Loveridge emotional farewell

City of Riverside: Riverside Mayor recognized for clean air contributions

Riverside Receives Prestigious Economic Development Leadership Award at Southern California Corporate Real Estate Gala

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On November 8, 2012, the Riverside was honored for their forward-looking economic development practices at the CoreNet Global Southern California REMMYS.

The Leadership in Economic Development award was judged based on criteria that demonstrated creativity and the successful implementation of major win-win projects in a community and/or region in Southern California, emphasizing innovation.  Riverside earned the recognition for its Completion Counts learning partnership program. The business-education-government partnership is working aggressively to increase the college-going rate in the community in an effort to build its knowledge-based workforce and future talent capital in the region.

“Riverside has made a commitment to doing whatever it can to help our businesses create jobs for the community and region;” explained Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge, “we are constantly developing cutting-edge and best-practice programs for real estate, business and our residents that increase the quality of life in our city, as well as provide a stable, fertile ground for our companies.”

The award demonstrates the community’s commitment to ensuring Intelligent Growth through a dedication to lifelong learning and increased quality of life.

Give BIG Riverside is Chance for Community to Help Itself

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On Nov. 13, 2012, Riverside will join a growing nationwide trend of holding 24 hour online giving challenges. Called Give BIG Riverside, the challenge will be to raise $500,000 for 100 nonprofits located in, or serving, the City of Riverside. From 12:01 am to 11:59 pm, www.GiveBIGRiverside.org will be accepting donations of all sizes to support worthy causes across the community.

Communities all over the U.S. have raised millions of dollars through these challenges. Some examples: Park City, UT raised $300,000 (with a population of only 7,558; Riverside’s population is 300,000); the State of Minnesota raised $14 million; and San Diego – the only other Southern California community to hold a giving day – raised $3 million.

As part of Riverside’s campaign to “Seize Our Destiny” and achieve economic self-sufficiency, Give BIG Riverside will raise much-needed funds for local organizations dealing with the impacts of the Great Recession. Coupled with the fact that California is 50 out of 50 states for giving, our region receives only $51 per capita in foundation funding while the State average is $119, placing the Inland Region near the bottom in the state in philanthropic rankings. Notwithstanding, Riversiders’ resiliency and determination for a vibrant economic future have once again inspired local volunteers to take matters into the community’s hands.

As important as it is, Give BIG Riverside is also a lot of fun. The organizations participating are planning special online and real-world events to spur their supporters to give. Organizations compete for extra funding by securing the most new donors in the 24-hour period. Each hour, one lucky donor will get a “Golden Ticket”, which means their gift is instantly increased by $250 – made possible by generous sponsors.

When Riverside’s sister city of Sendai, Japan was devastated by the tsunami in 2011, this community stepped up to quickly donate nearly $600,000. This generosity is to be applauded. Give BIG Riverside is asking Riversiders to understand that this community has suffered its own kind of tsunami – not as dramatic but just as devastating.

Give BIG Riverside will show that every Riversider counts in making the community a more healthy and attractive place to live. If every person in Riverside gave just $10 on Nov. 13, we would raise $3 million that would stay right here in our community.

Riverside Couple Honored for Contributions to Medicine, Education & the Community

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Each Friday, the Chancellor of UC Riverside sends out a letter to UCR students, faculty, alumni and the Riverside community.  Several of the stories featured by Chancellor White have been shared with Seizing Our Destiny fans and followers as the topics often support, celebrate or educate the greater community on wonderful things that are happening in Riverside.

Dr. Thomas & Mrs. Salma Haider
(photo posted by UCR newsroom)

In his November 2, 2012 letter, Chancellor White gave tribute to two Riversiders that have forever changed our city for the better,  Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Salma Haider.

Chancellor White describes the couple as “generous visionaries” that fifteen years ago “took note of our now 37-year-old biomedical science program, trying to position itself as the foundation of a full medical school.”  White and several of his colleagues continued to describe a couple filled with passion, commitment and heart that pushed the School of Medicine to where it is today.

But it was the spirit of the Haiders’ mission and greater purpose that have had such a profound impact on the community.  In White’s words:

At the dedication of the Haider Wall, however, the true wonder and legacy of the Haiders’ support crystalized when two current students from the program, Judith Gbadebo and Vincent La, spoke. Eloquent, articulate, and poised, they talked about how the Haider program allowed them to realize their dreams of serving communities that suffer from health inequities. Our students indicated that when they practice medicine in the future they will seek to help the medically underserved.  They also will give a hand-up to those who follow them.

The Seizing Our Destiny vision describes Riverside as a place to nurture Intelligent Growth, be a Catalyst for Innovation, be a Location of Choice, and evolve as a Unified City. The Haiders are just one example of community members who have turned aspirations like these into Riverside’s chosen future.

To read Chancellor White’s complete letter from November 2, click here.

Riverside Community College District Renaissance Block Adds More Arts & Culture to Downtown Riverside

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(includes excerpts from the article written by Dayna Straehley and published in the Press-Enterprise on 10/26/12)

The new Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties;  
photo by PE staff writer Dayna Straehley

RCC’s Culinary Arts Academy, the future Coil School for the Arts and a gallery showcasing local civil rights leaders are featured in a planned Renaissance Block.

The projects, which include a rooftop pavilion where culinary students can cater special events and a midsize performing arts venue, will attract people downtown, said Virginia Blumenthal, a college district trustee who has led committees planning the projects. “I’m very excited about it,” she said.

So far, only the Center for Social Justice and Civil Liberties occupies the block. Funded by Riverside redevelopment pass-through money, the roughly 12,000-square-foot center is housed in a renovated Spanish baroque style bank building and will include displays and videos about Riverside civil rights pioneers and preserved art pieces showcased there. It is open by appointment and times can be scheduled by calling 951-222-8854 or emailing to socialjustice@rccd.edu.

The remaining phases are in the planning stages, with construction scheduled to begin in 2014 after a delay for required state approval of the plans. Completion is anticipated for May 30, 2016, which Riverside City College President Cynthia Azari said would coincide with RCC’s centennial celebration.

The school of the arts has been in the planning stages about 20 years, Riverside Unified School District board member Chuck Beaty said. Beaty served on a planning committee when he was on the City Council. The project has evolved, he said.

A combination of funding Henry W. Coil Jr., of Riverside, dedicated $5 million for programming for the arts school in memory of his parents, Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna Coil.

In addition to a performance space that seats approximately 450, the 34,700-square-foot arts school will also include classrooms, practice rooms, a choral room, band room, orchestra room, a piano lab, and a state-of-the-art recording studio.

The Culinary Arts Academy will include a demonstration kitchen and street-level dining room, which Blumenthal said gives students practical experience preparing and serving breakfasts and lunches.

By bringing people downtown, the projects will benefit all of Riverside, Blumenthal said.

RCC’s commitment to integrating fine arts, culture and history into the Downtown helps solidify Riverside’s place as a center for creativity and lifelong learning while creating interesting, inviting places and venues for students, residents and visitors.

To read the full Press-Enterprise article that includes additional details on the project, funding and timing, click here.

Additional links:

RCCD Community Excellence projects

RCCD Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties

RCC Culinary Academy