biotechnology
cover story
industry psychology (1)
industry psychology (2)
industry psychology (3)
insider
iranian impact
leadership
legal advice
market analysis (1)
market analysis (2)
market analysis (3)

By: Laurie B. Falconer

If someone were to ask you, which city in the United States is the most hi-tech, what would you say? Obvious answers come to mind like San Jose, Seattle, or Chicago. If you answered with any of those city names, you would be incorrect. The answer is Milpitas.

Yes, Milpitas. With the highest per capita rate of hi-tech companies in the United States, Milpitas can boast this special status. Milpitas is home to companies such as Solectron, LSI Logic, Adaptec, Quantum, KLA-Tencor, Cisco, Sun Microsystems, and Applied Materials, to name a few. And with all these hi-tech companies in Milpitas, the city more than doubles in population during each business day.

Milpitas boasts another distinction as well – the city recently opened a new city hall, which is a hi-tech work of art in itself. Henry Manayan, former mayor of the city, gave SiliconIran a tour of the building just before leaving his post – the new campus is indeed special. Mayor Manayan served three consecutive terms and leaves the post having reached many of his goals for the city during his tenure, including opening the brand new city hall.

"When I took office the first term, I promised the citizens of Milpitas I would provide them with a new place, reflective of the hi-tech nature of the community, in which to conduct city business," said Manayan. "It is a great pleasure to fulfill the promise I made to them."

Another distinction of the city of Milpitas is the involvement of Iranian-Americans it makes sense that we find Iranian-American having a major impact on the development of the most hi-tech city in the United States. In fact, many of the engineers working for the city of Milpitas are Iranian-American.

Engineers such as Mehdi Khaila, Babak Kaderi and Keyvan Irannejad have worked with the city for years, providing expertise on projects such as the revitalizing of Main Street, recent additions to the Cisco and Veritas campuses, the Great Mall project, and other developments such as Quantum, Solectron and of course, the new city hall.

The new city hall has a number of hi-tech accoutrements: conference rooms with systems incorporating computer, Internet, presentations, video, television, video-conferencing, mapping, and electronic white boarding; a main entrance hall developed to make the most use of sunlight, energy and acoustics; and a city council meeting room completely wired and pre-set for any number of meeting formats, including presentations, lectures, and general meetings.

According to Khaila, it has been quite rewarding to provide his expertise to the city of Milpitas. "It is good to have an impact on projects affecting so many in the Silicon Valley – we consider it a commitment to provide the best service possible."

Irannejad concurred: "We have an opportunity to provide something worthwhile to the community at the same time that we are using our engineering expertise – and we impact businesses that are critical to the financial success of the entire Silicon Valley. This is very rewarding."

So, Milpitas is well-positioned to be the most hi-tech city in the United States. And with the Iranian-American influence, it is not surprising.

MILPITAS HISTORY
As one of the oldest settlements in Santa Clara Valley, Milpitas existed prior to incorporation as a community with a history. This community named Milpitas, which is Spanish means "little cornfields", has experienced remarkable growth since its 1954 incorporation. 

Following the City's 1954 incorporation and the opening of the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in 1955, Milpitas experienced such rapid population growth, at a rate of 38% each year, that may considered it a "boom town" and one of the fastest growing areas in the County of Santa Clara. The County itself was generally recognized as one of the fastest growing area in the state and the nation. At the time of incorporation, Milpitas covered an area of 2.9 square miles with a population of 825. By 1964, ten years after incorporation, the City covered an area of approximately 8.7 square miles with a population of 16, 000. So exceptional was the City's initial growth that forecaster predicted Milpitas would have a population of 85,000 by 1985. Although forecasters' prediction was not realized, Milpitas continued to grow and develop at significant rate so that by 1992 the City covered an area of 13.6 square miles with a population of 51,576. Now a vital part of the high tech industrial "Silicon Valley" and still a thriving community with a population of 54, 000, Milpitas is "home" to ethnically diverse group of residents and to a broad range of small and large businesses and industries. Business, industry and people are attracted to Milpitas by its location, fine school district, attractive residential neighborhoods, churches of different faiths, access to major freeways, parks and recreation facilities, health facilities, shopping centers, fine restaurants and major hotels with banquet facilities. 

The City of Milpitas is poised to move forward to a new Millennium with new opportunities for growth in its economy and in its diverse community. New ventures in information technology has made this City a prime location to start new businesses to be part of this changing community. Like their predecessors before, looking to settle in a new country, Milpitas will be seen again as a leader setting new standards in an ever-changing and smaller world.