EDC-VC Announces New Board Leadership

CAMARILLO, Calif. - Jan. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County (http://www.edc-vc.com/) has elected new board leadership for 2014. Sim Tang-Paradis, vice president at City National Bank’s Oxnard banking office, has been named board chair. Port Hueneme City Councilmember Sylvia  Muñoz Schnopp was elected vice chair and Supervisor Kathy Long, who was last year’s chair, will take on the role of secretary/treasurer. They were installed at EDC-VC’s 17th Annual Meeting on Jan. 16.

As a public-private partnership, EDC-VC connects the two sectors to promote communication and a shared agenda for a prosperous Ventura County. The organization annually alternates its board leadership between a public-sector representative and private-sector one.

“During her tenure on the board, Sim has prioritized securing increased access to capital for our county’s businesses. As board chair, she will continue to advocate for helping businesses grow through EDC-VC’s loan programs and our partnerships with commercial lenders,” said Bruce Stenslie EDC-VC’s president and CEO. “Together, Sim, Sylvia and Kathy are a strong team who are dedicated to advancing our region’s economic standing.”

Tang-Paradis joined EDC-VC’s board in 2009, and served as vice chair in 2013. At City National Bank, she oversees delivery of the bank’s financial products and services, including commercial, consumer and real estate loans; cash management; international banking and foreign exchange. In addition, Tang-Paradis is the Small Business Administration (SBA) liaison for the 13 branches of City National Bank from Universal City to Ventura. Tang-Paradis sits on the boards of several nonprofit entities and is a board member of the Asian Business Association.

Schnopp is in her second four-year term as Port Hueneme city councilmember after serving as the city’s mayor and mayor pro tem. She has been on EDC-VC’s board since 2009 and served as secretary/treasurer from 2011 to 2013. She is also on the board of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority and the Ventura County Council of Governments. She owns Schnopp Consulting Group, which offers general and segmented business consulting, marketing, and public and external affairs strategies.

Long is on her fifth term as supervisor for Ventura County, overseeing the Third District. She is a founding member of EDC-VC board of directors, serving since 1996, and subsequently became the board’s chair in 2001 and again in 2013. Long also serves as chair of the County of Ventura Medical Oversight subcommittee, co-chair of the Regional Defense Partnership for the 21^st Century (RDP-21), and is a charter board member of the Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau.

EDC-VC is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as a business-to-government liaison to assist businesses in Ventura County by offering programs that enhance the economic vitality of the region. For more information about the Small Business Development Center and loan, manufacturing outreach and international trade programs, contact Bruce Stenslie at 805-384-1800 ext. 24, or bruce.stenslie@edc-vc.com. Or visit www.edc-vc.com.