(Pictured: Mr. Douglas A. Bailey, Mayor; Dr. Wallace Walrod, Keynote Speaker of BRACE Program)
The City of Cypress Business Retention Attraction Creation & Expansion (BRACE) Program quarterly event was held on Thursday, August 30, 2012, at the Cypress Community Center.
The BRACE Program in partnership with the Orange County Business Service Center invited keynote speaker Dr. Wallace Walrod, Chief Economic Advisor of the Orange County Business Council who shared with the group the economic outlook of Orange County.
According to Dr. Walrod, the Orange County economy is performing better than the statewide economy. He noted that the statewide unemployment rate remains at a stubborn 10.9%, the Orange County rate has dropped to a respectable 7.9%, and indicators suggests that the Orange County unemployment gap is narrowing. The Orange County economy is in a steady recovery, with Business Expectation Index at 72.8 as of July 2012, indicating businesses are improving. Home prices have also improved over all in the County.
Dr. Walrod has been in charge of research at the Orange County Business Council for the last 15 years. He has led strategic projects with organizations such as Toshiba America Information Systems, Hitachi Chemical, Merrill Lynch, and Bank of America. He is also the Founding President of the Center for a New California, which plays a key role in shaping the State’s economic future. His work includes designing innovative programs, strategy, and policy solutions for private industry, government, and private foundations, including the Orange County Community Indicators, and Orange County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), and Sustainable Communities Strategy. Additionally, he is the lead economic advisor to the Southern California Association of Governments economic strategy initiative and directs research for Fueling California, a coalition of major California fuel consumers.
For additional information regarding the BRACE program and other City services for the business community, or for information on how to relocate your business to the City of Cypress, please contact Redevelopment Project Manager, Steve Clarke at (714) 229-6728.
Andrew J. Tse
Administrative Services Manager
City of Cypress
5275 Orange Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630
