At the time, these 250 businesses had either expanded in the recent past or planned to expand in the near future. In the first three months of 1999, survey officials contacted these businesses again to get a sense of what their executives think about Fresno County as a place to do business. Two-thirds of gross sales were made in Fresno County. Forty-two percent of the companies planned to expand in the next two years. The average proposed expansion was 6,000 square feet, with several businesses planning expansions of more than 70,000 square feet.
Most employee training is provided in-house.
The vast majority of companies indicated general satisfaction with energy costs. Fourteen percent of new hires moved into positions created by growth or expansion. Businesses continue to be concerned about the availability of skilled and managerial workers. The one issue that continues to plague Fresno County's business image is air service. Fresno County's continued economic growth depends not only on an educated work force but also on cooperation between the private and public sectors, said EDC Executive Director Richard Machado.