Planting seeds of knowledge

There was a lot to learn, and a lot to take in, for several Corning and Centennial high school students who attended the 2010 Tehama County Outlook Seeds of Opportunity symposium on Monday.

"I learned a lot of things that I didn't know about," said Maria Manzo, a Corning High senior who is participating in the school's Careers in Business pathway.

The theme of this year's meeting on business outlooks was "Branding a New Decade."

About 200 people attended the symposium, including persons in city government, business, economic development, job development, students, and people looking to start businesses on the area.

The event, held in Rolling Hills Casino Carlino's Room, started with breakfast, introductions and then moved right in the subject at hand - the future of Tehama County business and how to improve it.

Dr. Robert Eyler, professor and chair of the economics department at Sonoma State University talked about the North State's economic outlook. The next speaker was Audrey Taylor, who spoke on the subject of the county's economic development roadmap.

During a break between speakers, Tehama Economic Development Corporation awarded the "Economic Development Person of the Year" to Tehama County Planning Director George Robson.

Roger Brooks, founder and chief executive officer of Destination Development International, was the closing speaker.

Brooks used facts, comedy, examples, success stories and failures to present his topic of Reinvention of the American Community - Succeeding the this "Brand New World."

He emphasized the necessity for towns to sell themselves by marketing a unique product to world.

"People thought Walt Disney was crazy when he wanted to develop Disneyland," Brooks said. "But he obviously wasn't."

According to Brooks the number one killer of a community's development success is politics.

"It (community business growth) has to be a grassroots effort with the business community being the driving force with a champion willing to organize the action and energy," he said. "When city politics comes into the picture problems follow."

By the end of the meeting, Corning High School student Liliana Garcia said she found the subjects and speakers to be interesting, but found there to be a lot of facts to remember.

contact Julie R. Johnson at 824-5464 or jjohnson@tcnpress.com.