Business View Magazine | October 2019

271 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2019 AZUSA , CAL I FORNI A in 1854, and erecting his mill on a ranch ditch which delivered water to the south portion of his property. In 1874, Dalton imported 15 stands of Italian honey bees, considered the first honey bees imported into the United States. This developed into a large industry in the production of honey throughout the United States. Today, Azusa is a growing city of about 50,000, with the fastest increase in population in the San Gabriel Valley in recent years. In 2018, it was also recognized as the Most Business Friendly City in Los Angeles County with a population under 50,000, by the LA Economic Development Corporation. Azusa is also tourist-friendly – it is the gateway to the San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation area, visited by millions of people every year. According to City Manager, Sergio Gonzalez, Azusa is an eclectic community with a diverse tax base. “We’re fortunate to have not only retail and commercial, but we have a good segment of light industrial and light manufacturing, and large employers like Northrop Grumman, Rain bird, and