A Wary View on Local Growth

Although the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have left Ventura County with an uncertain economic future, business leaders remained cautiously optimistic Friday that things will get back to normal.

“It’ll take awhile before things kick back in,” Charles Maxie, dean of Cal Lutheran University’s School of Business, told the more than 200 people who attended the 2001 Business Outlook Conference at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

“We won’t have some growth that we would have had, but we will have growth.”

The event, sponsored by the Ventura County Economic Development Assn., gave businesspeople the chance to discuss the local economic effects of the attacks, as well as recurring issues such as housing costs, transportation and energy.

Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks pointed out that business and law enforcement typically have the same worries.

Two years ago, he said, it was Y2K. Now it’s security.

“We share common topics,” he said, adding that crime, or the lack of it, has a big effect on business as a whole.

The effects of the war on terrorism probably will trickle down to all industries, speakers said, but some will be more directly affected than others.

Those watching the county’s tourism industry, for instance, expect more travel within California but do not know whether the beaches still will draw visitors from other states or countries.

“There are people who will not want to fly but will still want to go places,” Maxie said after the conference.

People have a desire to return to normal, and vacations are a part of that, said George Engdahl, vice president of Cal Lutheran.

“They need recreation,” Engdahl said. “They need that as a part of their life.”

Desire to Get Back to Work

Other employers said they had made allowances for workers who might be called into service. The audience applauded when Mike Schneider, chief operating officer of Affinity Group, said his company would provide assistance to anyone who might have to serve in the military.

“We don’t want any of our employees going underwater financially because they’re helping to fight this war on terrorism,” Schneider said.

Most business people expressed a desire to follow the president’s directives to get back to work, though with a heightened sense of vigilance.

“Let’s go back to business as usual, but be aware,” Michael A. Carney, director of external affairs for Pacific Bell, said after the presentation. “Nothing’s going to be the way it was. It’s in all our minds now.”

Steve Barnard, president and CEO of Mission Produce in Oxnard, said even with the recent downturn, the county still enjoys a high standard of living.

“Today the challenges are greater, but so are the opportunities,” he said. Citing sticker shock over housing prices and high wages elsewhere, he added that “it’s a challenge to keep good, quality, talented labor in the business.”

Fear of Unknown Is Cited

But fear of the unknown certainly plays into people’s decisions to spend money, Darlene Ruz of the development association said after the conference.

“I’m a little reserved,” Ruz said. “I was thinking of buying a house. Now I’m kind of holding back on doing that.”

Yet a sense of community prevails, she said.

‘The overall sentiment is, ‘We’ll get through this.’ ”