With losses come opportunities

Amid the turmoil and job losses of the economic downturn, some have found opportunities.

While Spherion closed its call center in Yuma, the ACT call center in San Luis, Ariz., is hoping to hire an additional hundred people, said Patrick Goetz, who administers a program for Yuma Private Industry Council called Rapid Response.

And Allstate was recently looking for people for its new training class, he said. "They've totally exceeded their original hiring plans. They're doing well."

With the announcement that El Centro's Direct Auto was losing its Chrysler franchise, a Yuma automotive repair shop was interested in hiring its affected mechanics, Goetz said.

At the same time, the manager of a closed retailer was hired by an auto rental business.

Even though there has been a significant loss of manufacturing jobs, a new company is in the process of hiring, Goetz noted.

OpTech - Operational Technologies Corp. - announced last month that it will be opening a twin plant operation in Yuma and San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., bringing an initial 200 jobs to the two cities. The company tests and refurbishes equipment for a client that provides television and phone service over an Internet line.

Many local contractors have parked their trucks. At the same time, home improvement stores have seen a brisk business as homeowners choose to do their own work.


"Definitely we've seen an increase in business," said Bill Dover, manager for Lowe's. He said that people are doing more fixing up of the interiors of their homes and sprucing up their outdoor space.

Despite the economic downturn, Jill Resendiz, owner of Ambiance Salon and Spa, said her business is thriving. Two years ago, she set up a small shop with plans to eventually build a new salon at Tuscany Plaza.

"It was just me," she said.

Today, she has a staff of 12 besides herself and she is moving forward with plans for her new salon, which she hopes to have open by fall.

"I've been so fortunate and blessed," said Resendiz, attributing her success in part to her focus on treating her customers as she would like to be treated.

She suspects some of her success is due to the fact that getting their hair or nails done is a "quick and cheap" way for people to feel a little better despite the gloom of the economy.

On a larger scale, "there is a lot of hiring on the government side," Goetz said. That includes the Border Patrol, Trax (the contractor at Yuma Proving Ground that replaced ECIII), Homeland Security and Homeland Security Solutions Inc., which needs an additional 20 to 30 people to serve as police officers at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, he said.

Goetz said he expects such agencies to participate in a career and job fair YPIC is planning for mid-August at the Yuma Civic Center. "The only ones there will be those who are hiring. I expect government, call centers and law enforcement to be there and we usually have the military."

With job losses, some people's thoughts turn to starting their own business, said Randy Nelson, who as director of the Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center provides free counseling to those looking to start or grow their business.

"Historically, during an economic downturn is the best time to start up a business," he said.

Nelson said his office has been busy. The proposed businesses "have been all over the board," from physicians who are setting up a practice in Yuma and business professionals such as accountants to a couple of entertainment-related restaurants that recently opened.

One trend he's seeing, Nelson said, is a greater interest in international opportunities. "There's more exporting, even with the stronger dollar."

---
Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.