Recognized as the premier business event of the year, the San Bernardino County Regional Business Forum and State of the County will be held on March 13, 2018 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. This year the event, titled Driving the Future of Business, will address how we are creating a strong business environment in San Bernardino County, including: the importance to business of retaining and attracting a skilled workforce, ways we are encouraging entrepreneurship in the county, and the economic impact of local control of Ontario Airport, among other business drivers.
The impact of these business drivers is felt by public and private partners, economic development agencies and workforce development boards. For example, it is no longer enough to meet today’s workforce demand. The future of business is changing and so must the workforce skills needed to support it.
“Our county continues to attract young people who appreciate the affordable quality of life the region provides. We are committed to further ensuring that we have the jobs they need as well as helping to keep our workforce and region ready and able to meet the demands of business,” said Robert Lovingood, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. “This event will encourage more opportunity and conversation as it brings together more than 1,000 business and community leaders to share ideas.”
A video featuring commentary by Kevin Klowden, executive director, Milken Institute's Center for Regional Economics and California Center; Jim Clifton, chairman and CEO, Gallup Organization, Barry Biffle, president, Frontier Airlines, Stephen Monteros, vice president, ConvergeOne; Michael Samardzija, Loma Linda University Health; Pat Person, founder, Kids That Code; and Ryan Berk, founder, Parliament Chocolate, among other local business leaders, will provide insight on how business is responding to workforce demands and encouraging job creation and entrepreneurship. In addition to local business leaders, the video will feature commentary on the State of the County from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
The Regional Business Summit and State of the County 2018 will begin at 4:30 p.m. with registration and pre-event networking, followed by the program and post-event networking. The event will also feature a pre-event panel at 3 p.m., Developing San Bernardino County’s Economy to Meet the Future, with NAIOP Inland Empire.