Believing In Your Community with Holly Schroeder

“One of my favorite things about my job is discovering the hidden gems that we have here and meeting new people and talking to businesses and finding out what they do… I love that feeling of discovery that’s why the job is so fun,”
– Holly

The Santa Clarita Valley has long been a place for raising a family. People come from all over so their kids can go to the best schools or because our community boasts wide open spaces, and a family-friendly atmosphere that is known for its safety. Since its inception, this area has prided itself with a strong business community and with the help of organizations like the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation we continue to attract more businesses here each year. At the helm of this non-profit organization, sits a strong woman that is driven, caring, practical, optimistic and whose love for discovering new things and belief in the community are what drives her passion for her career.
A Midwest transplant, Holly Schroeder graduated from Saint Olaf College and received her Master’s in applied information Management from the University of Oregon. “I moved all over the Midwest and pacific northwest for school and work before I landed in the Santa Clarita Valley,” Holly commented. Working in various sectors, Holly would learn her love for discovery would lead her to new opportunities. “I previously worked for the state of Oregon and worked with people from a lot of different trade groups and industry associations. It was very interest-ing working with non-profits, I have found they are the back-bone of a community” Holly con-tinued. In 2005 a combination of family and job opportunities brought Holly to the SCV. “I worked for the Building Industry Association, they represented the home building industry until 2013 where I was offered a position with the Economic Development Corporation,” Holly stated.
As the Chief Executive Officer, Holly Schroeder oversees the day-to-day operation, while fostering a relationship with the public and private sector, the City of Santa Clarita, The County of Los Angeles, education institutions. “All sectors and entities can collaborate on economic development, where everyone works together to reach a common goal,” stated Holly. The EDC is responsible to help companies here to grow and increase the number of high-quality jobs for the community and its residents as well as attracting new talent. “One of my favorite things about my job is discovering the hidden gems that we have here and meeting new people and talking to businesses and finding out what they do… I love that feeling of discovery that’s why the job is so fun,” Holly stated. With each day bringing something different, Holly and her team keep up with the ever-growing community through marketing outreach and staying con-nected with the local economy and politics to better serve the businesses. “We talk to brokers, potential businesses, and talk with businesses that are already here to discuss resources that are available to them. “We also do a lot of marketing outreach to places outside the valley to let people know the opportunities here,” Holly added. As a local non-profit leader, Holly works closely with other non-profits like the Henry Mayo Foundation or the Chamber of Commerce. “Healthcare and nonprofit work are some things that fascinate me so for the past 4 or 5 years I have been on the foundation board and consult on the non-profit counsel for the Chamber of Commerce,” Holly added. For Holly, community is everything and her connection with the Santa Clarita Valley has been made even stronger during the COVID 19 Pandemic.
Businesses are facing many challenges with the pandemic at hand, but the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation has been instrumental in aiding local companies in navigating these challenges. “I worry about the economic consequences and how they affect the non-profit and business community so we have started with informal advising helping businesses understand and comply with public health orders and we are doing everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission of the disease here,” she stated. Through her optimism she and her team keep striving to make our community and world better for residents. “I am generally an optimistic person, I like to think about how we make our community and our world better whether its new companies bringing people together and like to see interactions or opportunities kind of creating that future making my community better for the future,” she continued.

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