Fresno BBB’s multi-state mega merger promises incubator, coworking spaces

The Better Business Bureau’s office in Fresno already oversees an 11-county, 66,000-square-mile territory in Central California and the Inland Empire (CCIE). Its resources are growing even wider with the announcement Wednesday of a merger with the BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest.

The combined organization is called the BBB Pacific Southwest, Central & Inland California, and covers a territory with nearly 20 million residents and 23,700 BBB-accredited businesses. The territory now includes Southern California and Arizona.

The two groups plan to combine their unique resources and programming to support consumers with information about companies and foster innovation, ethical practices and business success, according to a news release.

Services such as military, consumer and accredited business support will be expanded throughout Southern California and Greater Arizona. Business forward programming including the BBB Blueprint incubator, BBB + Empower by GoDaddy Main St. Accelerator , ignite sparked by BBB coworking spaces, access to capital with KIVA loans , educational summits , BBB4Good social-responsibility trustmark, and more will broaden across central California, according to the release.

Following the campus-based model created by BBB PSW, the combined organization is hopeful the community embraces BBB as a go-to destination for business education, events and even workspaces. These hubs, currently operating in Lake Havasu City, Phoenix, Prescott and Yuma in Arizona, will grow to include Bakersfield and Fresno, adding to Newport Beach and San Diego locations.

The merger comes at the heels of BBB CCIE President/CEO, Blair Looney’s, retirement after 13 years . Under Blair’s exceptional leadership, BBB of Central California & Inland Empire achieved significant regional success, leaving a profound and enduring impact on both the organization and the community at large, according to the release.

“Our companies have grown from similar foundations and are culturally compatible,” Looney said. “We are incredibly excited to bring our two BBB teams together.”

“BBB PSW is highly respected for being innovative and progressive by not only excelling at traditional BBB services but also offering forward-thinking programming to help businesses ethically launch and thrive. We’re excited to bring these new resources to enhance the Central California business community,” Looney continues.

Matthew Fehling, the current BBB PSW President/CEO, has dedicated 28 years of his career to ensuring BBB remains a relevant and trusted source and will advance to serve the combined BBB Pacific Southwest, Central & Inland California as such, according to the release.

“This decision follows a proven model of success, evidenced by over 30 successful BBB mergers in the past two decades,” Fehling said. “We are excited to welcome the talented BBB CCIE team and look forward to what this represents as an exciting next chapter of strategic growth for our company.”

“The diligence and dedication of our combined 46 BBB board members and 155 staff were instrumental in bringing the vision forward, ensuring its relevance for BBB Accredited Businesses and infusing innovation into the 110-year-old brand. With BBB CCIE’s impressive track record in consumer education, mediation resources, military support, and accredited business benefits, upheld by an exceptional team, we are poised to bring tremendous value to the combined service area,” Fehling added.

In 2023, people turned to BBB more than 218 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 5.3 million U.S. businesses, and 80,000 times for BBB charity reports on about 12,000 charities, for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico.