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Signing the economic partnership agreement are, Dr. Luz Gonzalez
(left), dean of the College of Social Sciences, and Steve Geil,
president/CEO of the EDC. Observing is Dr. Antonio Avalos,
director of Fresno State's Center for Economic Research and
Education of Central California. |
The Center for Economic
Research and Education of Central California at California State
University, Fresno and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC)
serving Fresno County are partners in a new alliance designed to add
research opportunities to help local businesses create jobs.
Representatives of the university and EDC signed a memorandum of
understanding during a press conference today.
Steve Geil, president/CEO of the EDC, and Dr. Antonio Avalos, the
center’s research director, were joined at the signing by Dr. Luz
Gonzalez, dean of the College of Social Science, and other university
and EDC officials.
The agreement calls for the center to join the EDC and contribute
$25,000 in-kind annually in products and services designed to assist
with the economic research needs of the EDC.
EDC will refer outside research projects to the center and assist with
the coordination of client meetings; advertise the center in EDC
publications and cross link Web sites
Geil thanked his university partners “for their forward-thinking in the
creation of this partnership.”
“Fresno State has always understood the driving force behind maintaining
and improving quality of life in Fresno County is job creation,” Geil
said. “Business has a strong need for research to make critical
decisions for creation of local, innovative jobs.”
Avalos said the university’s partnership with EDC fulfills part of
center's mission: to make a significant contribution in enhancing
economic development in the region.
“Businesses, professional organizations, policymakers and citizens in
general are likely to make better decisions if they are based on sound
research and data,” said Avalos, who also is the chair of the Department
of Economics at Fresno State. “The partnership will bring together
decision makers with relevant information. The potential created by this
collaborative effort to produce positive change is significant.”
The Center of Economic Research and Education of Central California was
launched in March 20007 as part of the College of Social Science to
provide the San Joaquin Valley with focused economic research and
educational resources on economics.
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