WOODLAND HILLS : Half of VICA Chief’s Firm May Leave State
The new chairman of the San Fernando Valley’s premier business group expects to move half of his manufacturing firm out of state this year, a situation he hopes will translate into lobbying clout for pro-business legislation.
“I’m not willing to jeopardize my business to stay in California,” said Walter W. Mosher Jr., chairman of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. and president of Precision Dynamics Corp.
“And if I set the example by moving part of my business, it enhances the message we’re trying to get across: that the current environment in California strangles business.”
Mosher, who became head of the powerful association in December, plans to recruit more manufacturers into VICA’s ranks. He hopes the manufacturers will be advocates for workers’ compensation reform and fewer governmental regulations, which he said are driving manufacturers out of California.
Of about 350 corporate members, only 30 are manufacturers, said VICA spokeswoman Laurie Golden.
“Manufacturers can be the best spokespersons--especially the ones who are moving or considering moving,” Mosher said at his Pacoima-based health products business.
He expects that his company will decide within a few weeks to move half of the 350-employee firm to Nevada this year.
Mosher, 59, who holds a doctorate in engineering from UCLA, is scheduled to serve two years as VICA chairman. He succeeds Benjamin Reznik, an attorney specializing in land-use issues.
In addition to recruiting manufacturers, Mosher is concentrating on a VICA task force to study international trade and regulations, because “the Valley is not an isolated place.”
Mosher plans to encourage other business managers to get their employees active in politics. At Precision Dynamics, he said, employees are urged to write letters and invite politicians to speak on business-related topics.
Mosher also serves as a board member of the Health Industry Manufacturers Assn., Holy Cross Medical Center Foundation, North Valley Family Counseling Center, the Southern California Assn. of Governments’ Regional Advisory Council and other organizations.
