A sea change in the way airlines are thinking about premium travel has propelled explosive growth at C&D Zodiac, a Santa Maria manufacturer that could see employment approach the 1,000-person mark if the rebound in the aviation business remains on track.
After posting mostly solid first-quarter earnings, banks in the region are scouting for resumes again. Three of the largest firms in the region are looking to fill more than 300 open positions among them.
Pacific Capital Bancorp, the parent of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust that was recapitalized and taken over by Texas banking heavyweights Gerald Ford and Carl Webb earlier this year, is bringing aboard a new group of executives that helped Webb and Ford build out their last big venture.