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Riverside hires new economic development chief, city planner
Riverside County Jan 30, 2023
Jorge Barrera and Maribeth Tinio are the newest additions to Riverside's government staff. | Photo courtesy of the city of Riverside
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Riverside has a new economic development manager and city planner, officials announced last week.
Jorge T. Barrera will lead the city’s economic development division, and Maribeth Tinio will assume the role of city planner.
“Jorge Barrera has the skills and the background to advance our economic development program to the next level,” Jennifer Lilley, director of community and economic development, said in a statement. “His experience around the state, paired with his knowledge of our local economy, make him uniquely qualified for this position.”
Barrera has worked at public agencies throughout Southern California, the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. His public sector career started over 20 years ago as a development specialist for the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, and he has spent the last 12 years in Northern California specializing in business retention, expansion and attraction for companies ranging from local businesses to international brands in the food and beverage industry such as Anheuser-Busch and Jelly Belly.
Barrera currently leads the economic development division in Modesto, “helping to introduce equitable economic development and bio-industrial manufacturing as a new industry to target for future job growth,” according to the Riverside announcement. “His strengthening of community and regional partnerships have led to a successful small business webinar series offering business resources to hundreds of small businesses.”
Recently Barrera negotiated a $1 million lease with Tesla for surplus airport parking, creating a win-win solution by getting more value from a municipal asset and solving a workforce issue, officials said.
“I am excited to join the economic development team at the City of Riverside,” Barrera said in a statement. “I look forward to embracing the local business community and putting my skills to work to make a strong local economy even stronger.”
Barrera has an extensive background in municipal economics. In Fairfield, he was responsible for preparing and implementing an economic development plan focusing on revitalizing the city’s downtown and attracting businesses to Fairfield’s numerous professional and industrial parks.
Barrera also served as a director for a commercial real estate firm where he provided advisory services on real estate and development to cities throughout California and the city of Stockton, where he managed the real estate program and fostered several economic development projects.
Barrera has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Certificate in Public Administration from California Baptist University. He earned a law degree from the Laurence Drivon School of Law at Humphreys College in Stockton, serves as a member at large on the El Dorado County Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee and is a member of the California Association for Local Economic Development.
Tinio’s experience spans more than 19 years in advanced and current planning, economic development and environmental analysis and compliance, Riverside officials said. She has spent the past year as the interim community and economic development director and planning manager for the city of Stanton. Prior to that, she was senior planner for the cities of Fullerton and Brea for a total of seven years.
“Maribeth brings the highest level of creative problem solving, collaboration and customer care to everything she does, in addition to her wealth of experience and professionalism,” Lilley said in a statement. “We are so fortunate to have her joining the Riverside team.”
Projects Tinio has led include the Stanton Town Center Specific Plan, Brea Envisions Community Strategic Plan, Brea Core Active Transportation Plan, Stanton’s 6th Cycle and Brea’s 5th Cycle Housing Element updates, the Village at La Floresta, the Brea Mall Expansion, Brea Downtown 2.0 — Entertainment District, Mercury Residential Affordable Housing, Downtown Fullerton Active Transportation Plan, Fullerton Rail District Specific Plan and Life on Beach Strategic Effort.
Tinio also has a lot of “experience and success in economic development creating strategic plans and implementation strategies to retain and attract businesses and support the local economy,” according to Riverside’s announcement. “She understands the importance of ensuring a robust workforce, attracting local investment and reinvestment, building regional partnerships and bringing innovation and vision to this effort.”
She was instrumental in furthering the Business Connect efforts in Stanton and Brea Business Connect events and has been active in streamlining land use processes and policies to ensure predictable outcomes, officials said.
“It is unique to have someone who has experience in both Land Use and Economic Development,” Lilley said. “We are so fortunate to have found such a talented professional in Maribeth.”
Tinio received her Bachelor of Science in Business from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Riverside officials described her as “a seasoned professional who inspires and cultivates the planners with whom she works. She builds relationships in the community, amongst the Commissions and Committees that she serves, and with her peers to improve systems, understand challenges and support the organization.”
