Economic Development Through Entrepreneurship
Craig Scharton
Chief Executive Officer
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it became CEO of the Central Valley Business Incubator in July 2006. As CEO, Scharton has directed the development of CVBI’s two new facilities housing staff and on-site members – the Claude Laval WET Incubator and the mixed-use Launching Pad. He is directly involved in managing the fiscal health of CVBI, consults with members in one-on-one training and assists staff in the planning and implementation of Entrepreneurial Training Process classes.
Before joining CVBI, he has served as an elected official, private entrepreneur and non-profit executive director. Scharton has dedicated his life’s work to downtown and neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, economic development, cultural arts and the environment.
Scharton’s prior work experience includes serving as the senior director of economic development for One by One Leadership. While there, he assisted in the creation of two urban revitalization districts for Fresno. Scharton has also served as the executive director for Main Street Hanford and the Pleasanton Downtown Association, both organizations with the goal of developing and promoting the downtown community.
An entrepreneur himself, he owned Scharton Urban Development Strategies for nearly four years, serving as a local consultant and assembling investors to purchase buildings.
From 1991 to ‘97, Scharton served as a Fresno City Council Member for District One. Throughout his time as an elected official, Scharton helped to initiate the adoption of the Tower District Specific Plan, which is Fresno’s first neighborhood conservation plan -- it is still in use today. As the Mayor Pro Tempore from 1990 to ‘91, Scharton gave the Key to the City to both Carlos Santana and Mickey Mouse. During his public service he also was involved in the initiation and adoption of the 50% Shade Tree Ordinance for parking lots, the successful City/County Taxsharing Agreement and establishing the successful general fund for Cultural Arts Funding.
Born and raised in Fresno, Scharton has served as a member of many professional and community organizations, including the Mayor’s Creative Economy Council, United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, California Main Street Alliance, National Trust for Historic Preservation, California Downtown Association and California Assembly of Local Arts Agencies.
Scharton is married to Betty Ann and they have a son, Cole. The Schartons enjoy traveling, camping, fly-fishing, hiking and skiing. An experienced cook, Scharton worked two days a week in the kitchen of Fresno’s ECHO Restaurant in 1995 – his signature dishes are his Caesar salad, handmade pizzas and stuffed hamburgers.
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