Tag: #northcounty

Meet our Board: Laura Garrett

By Taylor Dunne,

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are publishing a series of blogs about the women behind EDC—our fearless leaders, our board members, our executive committee, our guiding lights. Today, we introduce Senior Vice President (SVP) of Human Resources at TaylorMade Golf, Laura Garrett—a Midwesterner turned San Diegan who reminds us to never stop dreaming of what we might be when we grow up.

Tell us who you are and what you do. Why did you choose your career?

I grew up in Ohio and still consider myself a Midwesterner at heart. Having said that, I’ve grown so attached to San Diego—its an awfully special place for far more reasons than the weather. The only thing I still can’t wrap my head around is that my kids won’t ever experience the joy of a snow day.

I currently head up the People and Culture function as SVP of Human Resources at TaylorMade Golf, which has its global headquarters in Carlsbad. As a market leader in the golf equipment and golf ball industry, we have roughly 1,300 employees worldwide.

I can’t really say that I chose my career, but rather that I chose to follow new opportunities as they came along. Despite having been on the planet for more than a half century, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Every now and then, I have a moment where I wonder things like, “Is it too late to go to veterinary school?” or “How can I keep my current job but be an urban planner at the same time?”

It used to bother me that my career path wasn’t linear, but now I’ve come to accept and even embrace it. I’ve been lucky to get to work in so many different capacities, particularly at TaylorMade where I’ve led supply chain, sales and service, manufacturing, and obviously now HR. Through that, I’ve come to the realization that I care more about who I get to work with than what I’m actually doing. Fortunately, I’m crazy about my TaylorMade team and have opportunities to laugh with them often, while also doing really meaningful work together. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now—I just need a parallel life so I can find time to be a vet too. (I’ve been making a case that we need to have a petting zoo in some excess space we have in our TaylorMade warehouse, but sadly my proposal isn’t gaining traction.)

What does your involvement in EDC mean to you?

I’m happiest when I have ways to integrate community involvement into my life—it creates such needed perspective. Being involved in EDC, especially in the inclusive growth work, ensures that I don’t lose sight of the world outside my bubble. And back to my comment about the ‘who’ being as rewarding as the ‘what’? While the work that’s being done at the EDC is certainly consequential to our region, I have to say that the caliber of the team is just first-rate; such high-quality, wonderful humans that I’m lucky to know.

What role do you see women playing across the San Diego region in the next five years?

Anything. Everything. What I can say with confidence is that we’re all better off if women are meaningfully represented in all aspects of our community. 

Share with us your favorite quote.

I realize this is where I should drop some serious wisdom, but I’m not great at serious things. Instead, I’ll lean on a quote I used in my yearbook eons ago since its one that speaks to my career evolution (not to mention my age—apologies in advance to the Gen Y and Z’ers).

“When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange who you are into what you’re gonna be. Sha na na na na na na na na. Sha na na na na.”  —The Brady Six

Follow along with TaylorMade on Twitter: @TaylorMadeGolf

Study release: North County’s manufacturing industry poised for recovery, growth

By EDC Research Bureau,

A marketing initiative of EDC and the five cities along the 78 Corridor, Innovate78 serves to spotlight the businesses and innovators that make our region competitive.

Today, Innovate78 released a new report, The Future of Manufacturing in North County, which finds the industry will continue to prove its resiliency and positive economic impact in the region—even amid trends in automation, globalization and COVID-19 ramifications. According to the study, manufacturing accounts for $18 billion annually (or seven percent) of the area’s economy, and while many of the 813 local manufacturing firms were impacted by coronavirus, 58 percent of survey respondents are looking to increase their space.  

The study analyzes trends in employment, which is concentrated in high-value goods like computer and electronic product manufacturing. This sub-industry specifically accounts for nearly one-third of all manufacturing jobs in North County, with 12,746 employees of the total 40,151 jobs reported in the study. This number is expected to grow nearly six percent in the next five years—continuing to position manufacturing as a key driver of North County’s economy.  

Flux Power, a company represented in the study that manufactures advanced lithium-ion battery for industrial and commercial equipment, increased both their staff and revenue in 2020 amid the pandemic. With more than 100 employees, the Vista-based company is now looking to increase both its production and nonproduction space within the region.  

“The need to be efficient, safe and environmentally-conscious is high, especially now, as businesses plan for post-COVID-19 recovery,” said Chuck Scheiwe, chief financial officer of Flux Power. “Manufacturing products that empower others to improve their day-to-day efficiencies will be critical in our industry and region’s future growth, and we’re proud to be part of it.”  

The study reports that during COVID-19, North County manufacturing companies were undoubtedly impacted by the pandemic, with 43 percent of respondents reporting a loss of revenue in 2020. Looking at net growth, however, there was a reported one percent increase in manufacturing jobs, with 186 manufacturing jobs lost and 956 gained as noted by respondents. Most job losses were in medical manufacturing, while most job gains were in machinery manufacturing.  

One company that reported job gains is Quik-Pak, an Escondido based computer and electronic manufacturing company. In addition to anticipating upscaling facilities in the future, during COVID-19 Quik-Pak hired staff and reported increased revenue.  

“The strength of the manufacturing industry in North County San Diego is one of the reasons we wanted to expand here,” said Rosie Medina, vice president sales and marketing of Quik-Pak. “The talent pool is rich, and there is space to grow. We appreciate that not every region has both of these critical components that are needed for our industry to thrive.”    

Automation, globalization and COVID-19 are obvious pressures affecting North County’s manufacturing industry. However, as Quik-Pak and Flux Power note, the need for innovation and talent remain strong. There are 9,804 manufacturing jobs with a higher-than-average risk of automation—that’s nearly 24 percent of all North County manufacturing jobs. Investment in upskilling and re-training will be needed to help move these workers into other quality jobs over time.  

“From craft beer to surfboards, to life-changing medical devices and technology services, manufacturing has long been a pillar of the region’s economy, with impacts spanning beyond our community,” said Jordan Latchford, research manager of San Diego Regional EDC, the study author and managing entity of Innovate78. “This study confirms the manufacturing industry in North County is poised for a strong recovery, and will remain a significant economic driver for the San Diego region.”  

READ THE FULL REPORT

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAN DIEGO’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

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