A 10-part series celebrating the people and milestones in and around Great Park Neighborhoods as the community celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Irvine: A Hub for Jobs, Innovation and Entrepreneurism
January 8th, 2024
Early Entrepreneurial Roots
When Solis Park resident Robert Schafnitz was growing up in Fullerton, his mom taught him a valuable lesson about entrepreneurism at age 9.
Schafnitz didn’t get an allowance like some of his friends. His mom told him he had to work for it – and that’s exactly what he did. It started with a paper route. Then two… and three…seven days a week. On Saturdays, he rode his bike to his mom’s nail and beauty supply store to stock shelves and learn how a business operates. He also learned valuable lessons from his father, who had a very large insurance brokerage for more than 50 years.
His experience in the Navy after high school sharpened his self-discipline and work ethic even further. After leaving the military, he worked in the bicycle, mortgage and real estate industries.
Wanting to carve out a career path of his own instead of working for his dad, he gravitated away from his dad’s brokerage and the insurance industry – until he received a call from Farmers Insurance. With an open mind and knowledge to support it, he decided to pursue a career as an agent. Schafnitz now owns his own agency close to home.
As a member of the Business Connect Club at Great Park Neighborhoods and through networking with neighbors, he has since helped his community -- and many others regionally – find peace of mind with respect to their homes, cars, businesses and lives in general.
“What keeps me going is how I feel when I help someone and they are happy,” Schafnitz said. “I’ve learned over the decades how to be a problem solver and put the customer first in any business venture I chose to be involved in.”
Schafnitz is an example of the talented workforce and entrepreneurial culture that exists in Irvine.
The Rise of an Economic Powerhouse
Once considered a bedroom community of Los Angeles, Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California.
“Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California.”
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, approximately 270,000 people work in Irvine and more than 22,000 companies have a business license in the city. Top global companies in a variety of industries have a presence in Irvine, including Google, Apple, Broadcom, Blizzard Entertainment, Johnson & Johnson, Edwards Lifesciences, Taco Bell, and Rivian.
The city’s largest employer, University of California, Irvine, was founded even before the incorporation of the City of Irvine itself. In total, there are more than 15 colleges, universities, and professional training and trades programs based in the city. All are important employers and feeders of new generations of talent into the local workforce.
Irvine's Innovation Ecosystem
Technology jobs are particularly abundant. The city boasts more than 900 technology firms ranging from medical, biochemical, medical device, energy, fiber communications, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
Cadence Park resident Zeeshan Subzwari, who directs a healthsocal.ai initiative that is led by Octane and is supported by the Samueli Family Foundation, is harnessing data and technology to create a healthier population. He is grateful for the diversity of people and opportunities that exist in Irvine.
“I am a first-generation immigrant and living in Irvine and working in Orange County have certainly helped me achieve the American dream,” Subzwari said.
Irvine's Enduring Allure: A Haven for Residents
One of the more recent and continually evolving additions to Irvine’s reputation as a job center is FivePoint Gateway, a four-building business and healthcare hub near the Great Park and Irvine Transportation Center.
Located at the intersection of Barranca and Alton Parkways, FivePoint Gateway is home to Broadcom, homebuilder Lennar, and others. It also is the county headquarters to City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, which is currently building an accompanying hospital dedicated solely to treating cancer that is planned to open in the coming years.
To further serve the city’s employment base, FivePoint’s joint venture (Heritage Fields El Toro, LLC) recently received approvals for commercial land development along the southeastern edge of Great Park Neighborhoods. The land parcels – adjacent to FivePoint Gateway, Bake Parkway and the 5 freeway – represent what has become a rare find within Irvine: entitled and ready-to-develop commercial and industrial land for businesses looking to expand their operations in a highly-desirable location.
A grocery-anchored retail center off Great Park Boulevard and Bosque was also approved in November 2023. Once completed, the neighborhood-serving center will be a welcomed amenity and another source of new jobs.
The city’s longstanding economic vitality, influx of high-growth industries, and low levels of unemployment are just a few reasons why residents have chosen Irvine – and specifically Great Park Neighborhoods – as their home.
Fun Fact: Irvine is home to offices of nearly half of the top 100 publicly traded U.S. companies.
