Real estate services giant JLL’s 2017 Tech Report on STEM grads shows average U.S. pay for math and science jobs 80% above all gigs. In OC: $94,780 vs. $55,890. The rub: OC science and math grads composed just 24.5% of degrees here in ’16—shade above 22% U.S. average. And 24.5% doesn’t crack the top 25 U.S. markets. Silicon Valley is No. 1, 45% of grads in Santa Clara, San Jose hold sheepskin made of STEM. St. George, Utah is No. 25 at 25%—just ahead of OC.
JLL researcher Julia Georgules sums up the imperative for geeking up our grads: “[For companies], choosing the right location is critical, and looking at nearby talent pipelines is key.”
The “Leadership in Heels” speaker series wraps Thursday, 7 a.m. at Center Club—created by 25-year, finance exec Scharrell Jackson. “I saw a need for truth on what it’s like to be a leader, she says. “Leading is hard today.”
Leadership in Heels is a bit of a misnomer, says the founder. Men joined her panels this year because “we need to recognize how great we are together.” The mother of three focuses on 4 to 5 key leadership elements at her summits: “training, compassion, providing tools and penetrating the heart.” For Jackson, add high energy. I spoke with her fresh off the plane from San Francisco. Her full-time gig is partner, COO-CFO of acquisitive Newport Beach accounting firm Squar Milner (see page 1).
Shea Day: 2000 I made a vid for San Juan Cap, special place: lots of shots of horses—ones I recall best stabled at J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center … made it back on a recent Saturday morning—invited by volunteers John and Nancy Caldwell, and heartened to see an even bigger and better Shea—always world-renowned for training of hippotherapists. Shea today: $4M budget, countless volunteers, including Richard Markell, DVM, the vet for US Olympics. Shea serves customers with 86 disabilities—autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome. A wondrous thing—magic of horse and rider and pelvis rotation … this month the world’s fastest horses ran for millions in Del Mar. Some of the slowest ones, on second careers, cantered for more in SJC. “When you die and come back as a horse, John advised me, come here.”
Celebrate Fifi … Monday, Dec. 4, Anaheim Hilton, 3 p.m. All welcome. In lieu of flowers, the Chaos ask for donations to American Cancer Society or Casa Hogar Scion Orphanage in Tijuana. Fifi Chao was 81 and one of a kind.
