The North San Joaquin Valley – consisting of adjoining counties San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced – exceeded the California state average in job growth this past year, according to the Center for Business and Policy Research at University of the Pacific, but still has plenty of work to do if the agricultural region hopes to be taken seriously by neighboring political and business communities. Jeffrey Michael, executive director of CBPR at UOP, presented the center’s 2017 NSJV Index at the NSJV Conference in Modesto last week, giving insight into areas where the Valley has progressed over the past year, as well as the categories where there is still progress to be made. The conference also featured a panel discussion between CBPR Associate Director Thomas Pogue, Tammy Brecht Dunbar, an experienced Manteca educator and 2016 California Woman of the Year for Assembly District 12, and David Darmstandler, CEO/Co-Founder of Datapath, an IT managed services and network security provider located in Modesto.
Report: Regional action needed to grow Valley economy

