Comstock's magazine 0919 - September 2019 | Page 83

special supplement
Pearson says the community of Fol-
som cannot be understated as a factor in
why companies choose the area. “For any
company to be successful, it has to create
an environment in which its employees feel
that they can build their own lives around.
Folsom is that place,” he says. “The envi-
ronment and the community of Folsom, the
surrounding recreational opportunities, the
strength of its schools, the affordability of
its housing market are all components that
attract companies to locate here.”
People from all over the country have
been moving to Folsom for career oppor-
tunities, and these highly skilled, highly
educated workers are integrating into the
established community.
Such was the case for Juan Mondul
when Intel approached him in 2002 while
he was finishing his master’s degree in busi-
ness at Purdue University in his home state
of Indiana. Mondul, a father, says he quickly
fell in love with the area because of what it
provided for his family and has stayed in the
area, even after leaving Intel in 2016.
“The state of California has made
it difficult to provide those kinds of
incentives (for corporations) anymore.
So now it’s about cost of living.”
Joe Gagliardi, president and CEO, Greater Folsom Partnership
“Folsom is a great place to raise a fami-
ly. It’s safe, quiet, the schools are excellent,”
Mondul says, adding that its neighborhood
charm is what made it more practical than
other tech hubs. “(Folsom is) nowhere near
the critical mass you see with tech compa-
nies in the Bay Area. It’s a lot easier to try
and raise a family in a place like Folsom —
and a lot less stressful.” n
Luis Gael Jimenez is an award-winning writ-
er and photojournalist living in Sacramento.
On Instagram @itakewalksalot and Twitter
@luisgaeljimenez.
BRIDGING EDUCATION
& INNOVATION
10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630
[phone]
www.flc.losrios.edu
GREAT SHOWS. UP CLOSE.
IN FOLSOM.
10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630
Ticket Office [phone]
www.harriscenter.net
September 2019 | comstocksmag.com
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