Cal State San Bernardino President Tomás Morales has been named a co-chair of the Economic Recovery Research Team, which is part of the recently created Inland Empire Business and Employment Recovery Task Force that was formed to help the inland region deal with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morales will serve with fellow co-chair University of California, Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox in leading the research team. In concert with a team of economists, researchers and academics, the research team will focus on ensuring that policy makers at the local, state and federal level have the research, facts and data to make impactful policy decisions and that the Inland Empire Region can make the best case for funding in what will be a very competitive fiscal arena.

The task force, which was created by the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, also consists of an Economic Recovery Team and a Workforce Recovery Team.

The Economic Recovery Team will focus on regional best practices for triaging the inland region’s small business community, creating sector-based solutions to support larger employer’s ability to survive the economic downturn and creating meaningful collaborations amongst the municipalities in order for them to continue to offer services in the midst of drastic budget cuts.

The Workforce Recovery Team will work to develop region-wide strategies to continue to expand, retain, and employ the educated and/or displaced workforce in the Inland Empire. This group will also focus on increased employer engagement, the need for work experience, along with special attention to safety net education, as well as career services.

Members of the task force will include leaders from the business, government, education and labor sectors.

“We do not have a precedent to guide our regional recovery amidst severe health and economic crisis. More than ever before, we need to be working together to help move the Inland Empire through recovery and into a prosperous future,” said Paul Granillo, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership.