Issue link: http://read.insidecustommedia.com/i/758487
l Q&A NORTH COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL x WINTER 2016 x sdnedc.org along with local cities will need to work together to provide ef- fective solutions to our trans- portation issues. Mass transit is growing but still a very small piece of the transportation puz- zle in North County. Regulation is burdening businesses and public and private groups need to work together toward com- mon sense regulations. Access to credit is vital to keeping busi- nesses growing and banks can play a big part in that access. • • • What growth opportunities do you see in North San Diego County? North County's econ- omy continues to demonstrate strong growth with the unem- ployment rate below 5 percent. The number of jobs in North County has grown along with the quality of jobs. North County's key industry clusters remain a critical part of the re- gional economic ecosystem, as clusters such as Clean Technol- ogy, Building & Design and Healthcare have seen robust job growth from 2010 to 2015, while providing annual average wages of approximately $60,000 or more. The region continues to expe- rience increased demand for of- fice space for the third year in a row, as average rent per square foot and total office inventory continue to climb. These indica- tors point to a strengthening re- gional economy that is contin- uing to transition from a popula- tion-serving bedroom commu- nity economy to a more dynamic export-oriented industry base that will continue to focus on developing new products and services while producing and finding the talent to support that mission. • • • Why should a company con- sider moving its operations to North San Diego County? As an economic region, North County has approximately 1.2 million residents and 470,000 jobs. The region has a larger population than eight states in the country along with more em- ployment than five states. North County hosts several innovative, export-oriented industry clus- ters, including Biotechnology & Biomedical devices, Clean Tech- nology, Sports & Active Lifestyle, and Information & Communication Technologies – all while being a net exporter of talent, providing high-skilled workers to employers in neigh- boring communities. • • • What types of companies in North County has Wells Fargo assisted financially that have gone on to success? Wells Fargo assists approximately one out of ten businesses in North County, they include small startup businesses to large ma- ture businesses. Assisting busi- nesses financially is about building lifelong relationships one customer at a time. • • • What do you like to do when you're not working? I enjoy spending time with my family. I have enjoyed watching my children in their sports en- deavors over the years. I have a son who is pitching at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, a daughter who plays soccer at University of California Irvine and a son who mountain bikes. I enjoy running and playing golf with friends. Wells Fargo's Brian Lee presented Workshops for Warriors with $50,000 donation last year as part of the banks many outreach ef- forts. "Wells Fargo can only be as successful as the communities we do business in," Lee said. "These veterans are living proof that when you get proper training, you can get out there and get good jobs after serving in the military. At Wells Fargo we say Small is Huge and all efforts count to make a difference. We are proud to support Workshops for War- riors and their efforts to help vet- erans gain a better quality of life." >> CLICK HERE to learn more about Wells Fargo's community outreach efforts. >>