Words from Our Partners

“CVEP’s dynamic leadership has ignited our region’s economic engine and created a hub to support innovation and entrepreneurs. By forging a strong coalition of local partners, CVEP is actively working to meet today’s challenges while laying out critical economic infrastructure such as access to higher education and broadband expansion to sustain the Coachella Valley’s future workforce and development needs. We are proud to support their strategic vision and strengthen opportunities for our community to prosper.”
• Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and Assemblymember Chad Mayes, representatives of the Coachella Valley in the California State Assembly 

“CVEP has been a fierce voice and leading advocate for helping and protecting business throughout the pandemic. The Coachella Valley is fortunate to have the leadership of CVEP at the Countywide level promoting for the needs of the Valley as part the County’s Economic Recovery Framework.”
• Lou Monville, Chair, Riverside County Economic Recovery Task Force

“We are grateful to CVEP for the important work they do to help increase innovation of regional business development initiatives here in the Coachella Valley. The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus is proud to have partnered with CVEP for many years on various initiatives. CVEP’s leadership has helped facilitate the establishment of new programs at PDC, including entrepreneurship and cybersecurity, which will both be housed in the new Palm Desert iHub this fall. They have also worked with the city of Palm Desert to increase bandwidth for both PDC students and startup businesses at the Palm Desert iHub, located across the street from our campus.”
• Jake Zhu, Ph.D, Dean, CSUSB Palm Desert Campus

“The Palm Springs iHub/iHub Accelerator Campus has made it possible for our business to thrive. The facility is uniquely equipped for our electronics manufacturing business. In addition, we receive coaching and advice that help us avoid…missteps. The community that is developing here is a great venue to exchange ideas.”
• Bill Schlanger, President, EV Enterprises (iHub company)

“CVEP is the quintessential economic development organization in the Coachella Valley. CVEP is the only regionally focused organization working on behalf of the entire Coachella Valley. CEO Joe Wallace and the CVEP team have done so much to champion, convene and facilitate meaningful dialog on critical issues facing the Coachella Valley. CVEP is not afraid to speak the truth and say what needs to be said to get the attention of the business community and policy makers. Notable achievements include moving the dial on broadband, creating a taskforce to attract a full four year university, and demonstrating the need for the diversification of the Coachella Valley economy from its dependence on the tourism and hospitality industry. CVEP is a stalwart “community partner” focused on spotlighting the assets and attributes of the Coachella Valley, with the intent to attract companies and entrepreneurs. CVEP also hosts the annual Economic Summit that provides the business community with crucial economic data to plan for the future. CVEP has a strong community partner in the City of Indio and we will continue to support their efforts on our behalf. Thank you and your Team for all that you do!”
• Carl S. Morgan, Director of Economic Development, City of Indio

“CVEP was formed 26 years ago to address the mutual economic issues of the 9 cities of the Valley. CVEP was to create the third leg of our economic stool in the valley, with agriculture and hospitality being the other two legs. We formed CVEP to assist our local businesses to help them grow and to attract new business to continue to grow the overall economy. In those 26 years, business has become dependent on the advice, contacts and financing arranged by CVEP. The successful iHub programs, leadership in any number of projects, such as changing our CSUSB branch campus to a standalone university and establishing a center for the study of cyber security and hospitality. CVEP is currently leading the effort to improve our internet opportunities. CVEP has become a very important part of the economic fabric of all our communities.”
• Richard R. Oliphant, Founding Member, CVEP

“As we note in our recent report, The State of Innovation in the Inland Empire, CVEP is an essential driver and facilitator of innovation in the region. CVEP has been managing the Palm Springs iHub since its founding in 2011. During that time CVEP has been the key anchor and driver of the Innovation Ecosystem in the Coachella Valley and is now assisting UCR, Cal State San Bernardino and Inland Empire leaders more generally to further entrepreneurship in the region. The founding and operation of the Palm Springs iHub has been recognized as a model to replicate to energize innovation and entrepreneurship in a region that needs to diversify its economy. We look forward to strengthening our collective work, and fully support efforts to strengthen CVEP’s role in building out an ecosystem that diversifies and grows our regional economies.”
• Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor and director, Center for Social Innovation, UC Riverside

“At the height of the pandemic, in our time of most need, CVEP distributed massive amounts of free PPE to businesses in downtown Palm Springs. I know because I was one of the businesses that both benefitted from this and served as a place where other business owners could secure PPE as well. This helped us immensely with cash flow when masks, sanitizer and face shields were a mandatory necessity to stay open. I know CVEP went outside of their mission to make this happen and I support the continuation of their efforts to diversify our economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.”
• Joy Brown Meredith, Owner, Crystal Fantasy, and President, Main Street Palm Springs Association

“As the entire SCAG region works to find solutions to the broadband deficit that impacts our disadvantaged communities, it is encouraging to see CVEP’s visionary and creative efforts and incremental successes to bring broadband infrastructure, wired and wireless, ultimately connecting the entire Coachella Valley connecting to a higher quality of life.”
• Kome Ajise, Executive Director, Southern California Association of Governments

“Our economy is more interconnected than ever, and our approach to economic development has to acknowledge that reality. Organizations like CVEP that work collaboratively to create jobs and move our region towards sustainable prosperity, are vital to our long term growth. Whether it’s tourism, business attraction, or supporting local entrepreneurs, our valley benefits greatly from cooperative efforts.”
• Josh Bonner, Founding/Former CEO of the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce

“CVEP has been critical to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Coachella Valley region. We view them as the go-to organization for collaboration and development of the educational infrastructure and support for innovation. A great example is their leadership with the Innovation Hub (iHub), and we are proud to partner with them on helping drive the region forward. Their regional focus and services to the entire Coachella Valley is exactly what was needed during the time of the pandemic.”
• Michael Stull, Director and Professor, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship, CSUSB

“CVEP is a critical member of our regional economic development team. In the past year alone, their support of our Valley businesses with information on the various federal, state and regional COVID-19 relief resources was a huge contribution to our community’s recovery. And beyond that, their work over the past few years in partnering with us on the Palm Desert iHub is a game-changer for our community. From drawing tech businesses to partnering with CSUSB-PDC to land the first ever CSU Cybersecurity Program in Palm Desert – the iHub, along with CVEP’s partnership, is a keystone of our economic diversification strategy. CVEP has been our go-to partner in providing regional data and big-picture knowledge to advance all of our economic development goals. CVEP is a vital community partner both here in Palm Desert and the broader Coachella Valley.”
• Martin Alvarez, Economic Development Director, City of Palm Desert

Cal OES delivered 2,880,000 face masks, 192,000 16.9 oz bottles of hand sanitizers, and 80,800 face shields to CVEP, which CVEP then partnered with all nine cities to distribute to Coachella Valley small businesses. “Together with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development – Office of the Small Business Advocate, Cal OES is happy to support small businesses with a supply of much needed PPE, keeping these essential workers healthy. CVEP was one of only three organizations statewide that reached out directly to OES for the PPE.”
• Abby Browning, Chief, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services – Office of Private Sector and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Coordination

 “I have been in business for almost 40 years and just when I thought I had seen every high and low that comes with small business along came the pandemic. The lock down knocked this entrepreneur off her feet! I needed aid and where I thought my company could find support; I turned up empty. I unexpectedly found the most incredible boost from The CVEP Team. If it wasn’t for their encouragement and concern in the last seven months, I don’t know if the doors of my business would still be open. Every team member I have encounter cares about their job and the team leads run such a smooth operation. I am appreciative that the Valley has an infrastructure like CVEP and humbled that I get to be a tenant on one of their campuses.”
• Yvonne E. White, Designer & Manufacturer

“I just wanted to thank you and CVEP for the support to Blue Coyote Grill with the all the mask and sanitizer provided during the toughest times of the pandemic. It really helped us keep our staff and customer safe through the pandemic. It saved us a lot of money and we were able to bring more customers in to enjoy of our beautiful restaurant. God bless you and CVEP for the support.”
• Cesar Moreno, General Manager, Blue Coyote Bar & Grill

“Thank you CVEP… to the millionth power! The CVEP team has my sincerest appreciation for the many things CVEP does day-in and day-out to promote the economy and support businesses in the Coachella Valley. During these unusual times, your decision to partner with the Rancho Mirage Chamber and provide PPE products? Well, it’s a game changer. Kudos to you and your team! And a BIG thank you! ”
• Lynn Fraschetti, Director of Sponsorship & Advertising, Fresh Eddie Productions LLC (Palm Springs Pinot Noir Festival and Rancho Mirage Wine & Food Festival)

“We can’t tell you how much we appreciate the masks and sanitizer. We’re a new business here in the valley and this gift is really great to have to give to our customers if they need it…Our most sincere thanks!”
• Thomas & Jeff, Eminent Design

“The guidance and resources that were provided from CVEP leading up to the two Fast Pitch competitions were so valuable to our presentation and we can’t thank them enough for their continuing support.”
• Bear Simerson, Co-founder, 3C.Health (iHub company), and 1^st Place Winner, Riverside County Fast Pitch Finale 2021