LONG BEACH – Long Beach Works.
That’s the tagline Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson unveiled Wednesday, June 26, at his annual Grow Long Beach economic progress report. The event at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Pacific Visions Theater included announcements that electric aircraft company Ampaire is relocating its headquarters to the city.
The climax came when Richardson announced that Ford Motor Company will develop its next generation of electric vehicles at a new 250,000-square-foot Long Beach campus in or near the Douglas Park light industrial complex. Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer, said at the event that the two-building campus will employ about 450 engineers and designers.
Richardson said that no large incentives were part of either Ampaire’s or Ford’s decision to move to Long Beach. “They’re coming because Long Beach Works,” he said.
Richardson reiterated his positive take on Long Beach at a reception after the event hosted by Sunstone Management, Inc., at the World Trade Center courtyard – Sunstone has an office in the World Trade Center. Sunstone CEO and managing partner John Keisler doubled down on the mayor’s comments, inviting the nearly 100 VIPs to invest in Long Beach.
“We are here to help advance Mayor Richardson’s concepts,” Keisler said. “We have our sights on goods transport tech aerospace initiatives as well as other opportunities.”
He also announced creation of Sunstone Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.
John Molina, the principal at Pacific Six, owners of the Fairmont Breakers Hotel, also spoke. The iconic hotel is currently undergoing restoration and renovation, with an opening scheduled this fall.
And Vivian Shimoyama, board chair of the Long Beach Accelerator, told the group the accelerator is gearing up to help startup companies aligned with Richardson’s Grow Long Beach initiative.
For more information about Sunstone, go to www.sunstoneinvestment.com.
NEWS RELEASE
Jennifer Huang
Sunstone Management
(562) 732-0617