Ryan McEachron, City of Victorville

When the economic bubble burst, some of the hardest hit areas of California were found in the communities farthest from our biggest cities. The rural areas of the Inland Empire and San Bernardino County experienced dramatic population and economic growth between 2000 and 2010, but that meant that economic development had to keep pace. In Victorville, new jobs had to compete with a population growth that neared 82%. In 2000, the City had a population of 64,000. By the end of the decade, the population had reached more than 115,000. Those new residents worked in new jobs – the ones that typically disappeared first and fastest once the recession hit.

Ryan McEachron was elected onto the Victorville City Council as the bubble was bursting. Unemployment would double before he was selected as Mayor at the end of 2010. Since then, the city has begun to turn the corner, reduced its unemployment, improved the lives of residents, and rebuild the spirit of the once booming city.

“In spite of tough economic times, we have been focused on creating jobs and moving forward with public infrastructure projects,” said McEachron in an interview with PublicCEO. “It was a good thing to move forward. We had success at creating jobs locally.”

This award isn’t the first recognition that McEachron has received as a result of his time as Mayor.  One of his unique defining approaches as mayor has been viewing his community as more than just the City of Victorville. The online news outlet, The High Desert Daily, named him a 2011 Game Changer, in part for his regional approach to economic development.

That accolade is understandable, as is his regional view of economic growth. Before being elected to the City Council, McEachron volunteered on the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board. Such experience, coupled with lessons he learned on the Victorville Planning Commission, as Chairman of the Victorville Chamber of Commerce, and while managing his family business with 20 employees gave him the understanding of the economic development needs of the Victor Valley community.

“What I see what Ryan has done, in my opinion, he’s brought a different sense of unity to the Victorville City Council and more of a regional perspective on working with communities on regional solutions,” said Mayor Scott Nassif of neighboring Apple Valley in an interview with the High Desert Daily. “He knows what’s good for Victorville is good for the Victor Valley, and what’s good for the Victor Valley is good for Victorville, that’s the kind of attitude he uses when working with the other communities. More of a sense of unity as far as working on common solutions and long term visioning.”

Some of the re-growth in the Victorville economy has been at the Southern California Logistics Airport. There, the converted former military base serves as a major transportation hub for cargo going into Southern California. In the last year, the airport has experienced an economic resurgence as one of the companies based there repainted hundreds of United and Continental airplanes as a result of their recent merger. The airport is the largest employer in the city.

Another company, the parent of Arm and Hammer, has leased a 500,000 square foot facility to manufacture detergent and kitty litter.

“We’ll have a net growth of 500 jobs on the larger scale. That doesn’t include small businesses,” said McEachron. “Regardless of economic times and tough conditions, we continue working towards job creation.”

McEachron has also taken on the city’s traffic congestion. By working with the San Bernardino Associated Governments, McEacrhon was able to help expedite a new interchange, which will ease the flow of traffic into and out of Victorville, another improvement that will benefit the entire Victor Valley.

For his successes in Victorville, and his assumption of responsibility for his entire Victor Valley community, PublicCEO is proud to name Ryan McEachron as the 2011 City Public Official of the Year.