Amazon’s decision to decline the three OC bidders tickets for its Big Dance of 20 HQ2 finalists was unsurprising, still disappointing and … confusing.
Not surprising, as Reggie Gilyard, Boston Consulting vet and former Chapman Business School boss, and others, reminded me: “Amazon’s an international company. Doesn’t need a second HQ in same time zone.”
Only L.A. is on PCT.
Give FivePoint sharpie Emile Haddad props. The developer reminded a crowd at the recent OCHSA’s Innovators Speaker Series that “Mr. Bezos spent $23 million on a home in D.C., owns the paper there, has political ambitions, perhaps.” 3 D.C.-area finalists.
Disappointing because we were reminded daily by national, int’l media that most still can’t find Orange County, even on a map. Read the OC references since Bezos unleashed the bidding war. It’s just as economist, investor and nearly 30-year OC resident Mohamed El-Erian told the Journal two weeks ago:
“We’re torn … we like being a secret because we don’t want to be overwhelmed. On the other hand, we suffer from being a secret.”
Frustrating, because, “We can learn the most from Irvine’s proposal (of 238), excellent on several levels,” went the analysis by an economic development specialist in the SpokanePlanner.
“If you know you can’t compete from an incentives level, compete from an intellectual level.”
For naught. Now the confusing part.
You’re saying there’s a chance … even a day later, some parties held out hope that by Los Angeles, Amazon meant the oft-used MSA that’s LA/OC. Irvine Mayor Don Wagner placed calls to Seattle all day for clarity. Said another interested party, “We were ready for A or B … not this.” Alas, I’ll say chances OC is alive are about the chances it had to land HQ2.
Bright side. Heavy lifting done. In time for Apple Campus 2.
Remember Ingram Micro … Even under U.S. ownership, the tech-distributor was “the largest company nobody knows about,” per CEO Alain Monie—who now runs Ingram for Chinese owners Tianjin Tianhai Inv. Co. Enjoy Chris Casacchia’s visit with Monie, (p. 1) one year after buyout.
Could’ve used ya Alain … Turns out Moroccan-born Monie’s also an OC booster.
“I’ve lived in many places around the world, moved 15 times. This is probably the most agreeable, Monie noted, solid pool, capable employees, universities are fantastic. We’re in a county that is not well known.”
That again. Last dagger—Monie was on the board of a large e-commerce co. in Seattle.
Beyond Work … What do OC’s leading execs do when they’re not at work? We return “Beyond Work” with a Paul Hughes short on ‘The Traveling Arvielos’ (p. 6).
Next week, which OC exces are spending weekends on the Back Bay playing rugby?
