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m Kern County ProFile Kern County
County ProFile
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g Kern County Administrative Office: 1115 Truxtun Ave, 5th Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301, (661) 868-3161
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a Elected supervisors ToP 2021
p Supervisor, First District: milesTones
Phillip Peters
h Supervisor, Second
i District: No. 1 In 1946, 13

c Zack Scrivner members of the National
Supervisor, Third District:
s Jeff Flores, Chairman Advisory Committee of
Aeronautics (NACA) were
Supervisor, Fourth sent to Muroc Army
District: Airfield in the Mojave
David Couch Desert, determined to
Supervisor, Fifth District: achieve supersonic
Leticia Perez KERN EDC & EAST KERN ECONOMIC ALLIANCE flight. In 2021, NASA’s
Armstrong Flight Research
Clerk of the Board of Center in Edwards marked
Supervisors: The Kern Economic Development Corporation (Kern EDC) is that occasion as the
Kathleen Krause a public-private partnership formed in 1988 with the mission beginning of a celebration
(661) 868-3585 of cultivating and promoting Kern County’s boundless of 75 years of
clerkofboard@kerncounty.com opportunities for business. Kern EDC focuses it collaborative innovation, milestones
efforts on the recruitment of new business opportunities and discoveries in East
Chief Administrative and assisting in the retention and expansion of existing
Officer: businesses. Kern which resulted in
Ryan J. Alsop a multi-billion-dollar
Kern EDC works with businesses to identify targeted economic impact.
incentives and financing tools to stimulate job growth and
capital investments. No. 2 Rio-Tinto Borates
& Lithium commenced
The innovative Advance Kern (www.advancekern.com) production of battery-
program helps companies succeed and compete in the global grade lithium from
economy. Advance Kern provides maximum flexibility in waste rock at its Boron
pursuing opportunities with performance-based incentives mine site as it prepared to
and quantitative thresholds tested for accountability and mark 150 years of U.S.
the plan eliminates all caps and special terms on potential Borax, operating in the
sales tax, use tax, and property tax rebates. In addition, the Mojave Desert since 1852
Business/Community program adds transient occupancy tax rebates. The County and at Boron for nearly
Quote has also expanded the list of targeted industry clusters for 100 years at East Kern site,
“The eastern portion of these incentives, to include carbon dioxide (CO2) storage and largest open pit mine in the
Kern County in my district is biomass conversion. state of California.
home to some of the most In 2022, Kern EDC launched the Manufacturing Alliance of No. 3 In June 2021, Virgin
innovative and specialized Kern (MAK), an industry collaborative that advocates on behalf Orbit launched seven
technologies in the world. of the region’s 400+ manufacturers. The coalition serves a satellites into orbit,
Kern County’s aerospace critical role by providing comprehensive siting, permitting, marking its first commercial
programs stand at the workforce development, and financing assistance to firms mission. The modified
forefront of an industry considering relocating to or expanding operations in Kern Boeing 747 carrier plane,
gaining international County. called Cosmic Girl, took
recognition for space In addition to county-wide economic development efforts led off from the Mojave Air &
tourism and the first-ever by the Kern Economic Development Corporation, a focus on Space Port at Rutan Field.
privately funded space East Kern is maintained with the East Kern Economic Alliance.
flight as well as our defense Established in 2009 by the Kern Economic Development
and advanced weapons Foundation, the East Kern Economic Alliance represents
development supported by community and business leaders from East Kern who work
two military installations. to foster economic development collaborations within the
Right now there are over region.
20,000 aerospace jobs in
Kern County. These high- The Kern Economic Development Foundation (KEDF) links
wage, full-time jobs have business, education, and the community on projects relating
staying power thanks to to STEM education and local workforce and professional
vast open land, smart development. KEDF’s initiatives include programs designed
limits on development to encourage students and adults alike to pursue STEM
encroachment, proximity education and careers. Current programs and events, include
to Los Angeles and higher the recently-launched Kern Intern Connections (KIC) program,
education levels per capita the Women in STEM initiative, and the Kern County Career
than in most other regions Expo & STEMposium. KernEDC.com
of the country.“
— Supervisor Zack Scrivnerv

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