Google+ LinkedIn YouTube

Column: Glendora Nabs ‘Business Friendly’ Award

By Cynthia Kurtz, SGVEP President and CEO

Cynthia Kurtz - SGVEP President and CEO.

Cynthia Kurtz – SGVEP President and CEO.

Congratulations are due to the City of Glendora. Glendora was named the “Most Business Friendly Small City in Los Angeles County” in 2014 by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). Mayor Judy Nelson and City Manager Chris Jeffers accepted the award at the 2014 Eddy Awards Dinner on November 13 — exactly 103 years to the day from the City’s incorporation.

There are many reasons the “Pride of the Foothills” deserves this prestigious award.

Glendora is home to just over 51,000 residents nestled against the San Gabriel Mountains with easy access via the Foothill (210) and Orange (57) freeways to destinations in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange Counties.

“Enhancing Economic Development with Community Involvement” is the first goal of the City’s recently adopted Strategic Plan and they wasted little time in pushing the metal to the pedal. Glendora offers small business loans for new and existing business owners. They are proud of their low costs of doing business including no utility taxes. Glendora has streamlined plan check services, beautification awards for commercial properties, and easy access to city hall representatives to solve problems.

CEOs and employees alike can find housing in the wide variety of tree lined neighborhoods and enjoy the unique quality of life in this beautiful city with great city services, a low crime rate, lush parks, good schools, and many places to shop and eat in the Downtown Village.

Glendora is home to Citrus Community College -founded just four years after the City was incorporated. Some 11,000 students attend school here each year receiving Associate degrees and certificates in a variety of arts and STEM disciplines.

Glendora is also home to the famous Donut Man, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to satisfy those sweet cravings anytime. Not to mention making the best strawberry donuts in the world!

Glendora isn’t alone in being a business friendly San Gabriel Valley city. Alhambra, Monrovia,

Duarte and West Covina have also won in recent years. Being home to so many business friendly cities was one of the top reasons that area businesses gave when asked why they chose the SGV.

Let’s also give a shout-out to our neighbor, the City of Glendale, which received the Business Friendly Award for cities with populations over 60,000. Councilmember Laura Friedman accepted the award and let everyone know that the only city with both Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom was thrilled to be selected!

Clearly Glendale deserved to win but perhaps having City Manager Scott Ochoa, who first served in the San Gabriel Valley, also helped win that award… I’m just saying!

We are fortunate to have cities which understand that all great cities have one thing in common –smart policies that support strong economic engines.

Featured image from the City of Glendora.

Source Valleyconnect.com