Policy and a Pint: California's Chief Business and Economic Advisor Lenny Mendonca

** This podcast was recorded on November 18, 2019**

Our final “Policy and a Pint” of 2019 is with a former farm boy from the Central Valley who is now Gavin Newsom’s go-to guy for advice on California ‘s economy and business affairs, and also chair of the state’s High Speed Rail project.

Lenny Mendonca grew up milking cows on his family’s farm in Turlock, but he was the first one in his family to go to college -- Harvard University -- where he became student body president.

A Stanford MBA, a partnership at management consulting mega-firm McKinsey, and advising roles at California startups and nonprofits gave him such an impressive resume that Governor Newsom tapped Mendonca to be his Chief Economic and Business Advisor, the director of the state’s Office of Business and Economic Development (also known as GO-Biz), and, last but not least, the chair of California’s High Speed Rail Commission.

Those are a lot of responsibilities, but Mendonca is taking them on — his mission now is to make Inland California the most desirable place to live in the state. He wants to raise the region’s stature in the eyes of companies on the coast, and solve some of its biggest problems around housing, jobs, transit and wealth inequality.

Join us for this conversation down in the basement of Ruhstaller’s taproom in Downtown Sacramento as we talk with Mendonca about his Central Valley roots and vision, and how he plans to bring the jobs, the housing and the high-speed transit to California’s “flyover country."

PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY
* 0 to 6:45 min: Intro to California Groundbreakers, and a brief backgrounder of Mendonca
* 6:45 min - Mendonca, also owner of Half Moon Bay Brewing, shares his favorite beer on tap there, and a must-visit place he recommends in Inland California (also involves yeast)
* 10:15 - How growing up on a dairy farm, running for student body president, and adjusting from Turlock to Harvard University prepped him for the future
* 18:05 - How Mendonca envisions the private and public sectors working better together
* 23 min - The big news coming out of this year's economic summit run by California Forward, which Mendonca helped create
* 26:40 min - How he met Gavin Newsom, who made him a job offer he couldn't refuse
* 29 min - The disconnect between Silicon Valley and Central Valley: How Mendonca wants to better connect coastal California and inland California
* 35:35 min - How concerned should California be about so many of its companies and middle-class workforce leaving for other states?
* 41 min: The future of California's agricultural industry; and what local governments can do to prevent brain drain and draw new businesses
* 47:40 min - Boosting education, reducing inequality there, and connecting it more closely to business
* 53:30 min - The importance of digital innovation in state government, and "civic tech" as a hot business sector
* 58:50 min - What can Property Business Improvement Districts do to improve the urban core, and can they partner up with Go-Biz?
* 1 hr, 6:40 min - Investing in Inland California's rural communities
* 1 hr, 9:40 min - The future of high-speed rail in Inland California
* 1 hr, 14:50 - Hidden business gems in Inland California that need investment help
* 1 hr, 17:40 min - How to encourage businesses to decentralize and do more teleworking
* 1 hr, 19:45 min - Is there a problem with state legislators who lack business experience but are passing bills that directly affect businesses?
* 1 hr, 22:35 min - What is California doing to boost business in the nature/wildlife/outdoors tourism industry?
* 1 hr, 25:40 min - How Mendonca manages his multiple jobs sanely; and his direct pitch to our podcast producer Kaleb to consider staying in California