Jesse Torres is principal and founder of ArroyoWest LLC, a minority-owned management consulting firm specializing in economic and workforce development. ArroyoWest clients include major economic development agencies, community colleges, chambers of commerce, corporations, and other organizations, and the project have range from helping to stand up COVID-19 relief programs for small businesses to helping to devise strategy for the implementation of regional workforce initiatives. Jesse is also the co-founder and president of Small Business Front Inc., a community building and media startup focused on small business, and he is the creator and co-host of the entrepreneurship podcast "Hack My Business."
Before starting ArroyoWest and Small Business Front, Jesse served as Small Business Advocate for the State of California and Deputy Director of Small Business and Innovation for Governor Brown’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). During his three-year tenure at GO-Biz, Jesse was successful in securing more than $108 million in state general funds to provide match and capacity building grants for the federal small business technical assistance providers operating in California that were subsequently made permanent in 2022.
Jesse also administered a portfolio of high-profile programs including the state’s Innovation Hub (iHub) Network, the state’s defense supplier diversification and cyber resiliency program, CASCADE, the California Cybersecurity IT Health Advisory Board, and the California Cyber Innovation Challenge. He also led small business recovery efforts for GO-Biz following major disasters including the 2017 Northern California firestorm and Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Prior to joining GO-Biz in 2015, Jesse served as Regional Director for the Los Angeles Small Business Development Center Network, and he is also former Director of Alumni Affairs for the Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University.
Jesse is Board Chair for Union Station Homeless Services, Board Chair for California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity, and is a Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles Small Business Commission. Jesse received his MBA from Pepperdine University and Bachelor of Arts, Psychology from UCLA.
LinkedIn: jessetorresca
Email: jesse.torres@arroyowest.com
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