If you have been wondering when some new companies are going to move into Kitsap County and give the local economy a boost, there’s a good chance the saviors are already here.

Employment data shows that more than 2,000 persons are employed here today than there were just a year ago. That’s a good sign that the Kitsap County economy may be less vulnerable to the nationwide economic downturn than other areas of the state and region.

That’s also why so much of our attention at the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance is focused on local companies. We want to do everything we can to keep them in business and assist their growth. There are more than 14,000 of them, and collectively they will add more employment opportunities each year than new companies could create on their own — by far.

As of May, many businesses in Kitsap County continued to do well. Most sectors added jobs, particularly in services which gained more than 800; in retail trade, which added about 240; and transportation, trade and utilities businesses, which boosted employment by more than 550. The only sectors showing declines were in government, and in professional and business services.

During the just-ended second quarter of this year volunteer businesspersons from throughout the county joined with our staff to call on 22 companies. We visit that many or more every quarter. Most are high technology, defense, manufacturing and business services. We find that about half of them have opportunities or issues, and some assistance would be helpful.

To respond, we work with a cadre of other groups who specialize in various aspects of business operations. There are too many to list here, but you can find out who they are and what they do by going to our website www.kitsapeda.org and click “quick links.”

Collaboration among these organizations is efficient and essential. Often, the business needs require multiple disciplines or resources. For example, it’s common for an expanding manufacturer to need employee training, financing and permit assistance. We call in experts for each.

Every company and their needs are a little different. Just last quarter we helped with financing, permitting, lease negotiation, customer growth, sewer line extension, workforce training, government contracting, facility search, demographic research, tax incentive advice, and venture capital contacts, to name just a few.

It’s all the work in front of the new job being created, or an existing job that is retained. On this point, let’s be clear: KEDA doesn’t create and retain jobs. Companies create and retain jobs; our role is to find them resources, break down barriers, and improve the business climate so they can.

So why do we care about recruiting new businesses if those already here are creating most of the new jobs? Recruitment is a jump-start strategy; new companies help diversify and expand sectors of our economy we would like to grow. Once they’re here, they begin contributing to the annual job growth of local companies. They also replace those that have discontinued business.

There is good news on that front as well. During May, 258 new businesses were licensed in Kitsap County, compared to 216 businesses during the same month a year ago. Most of the licenses were issued in the county; Port Orchard led the way among the incorporated cities with 34 licenses issued.

The economy and the forces that drive it are complex. That’s very apparent in the current economy. We’re in a period where some sectors are doing quite well — as if they are unaffected by a nationwide economic downturn — while others are directly impacted.

The resulting mix of opportunities and challenges among our employers leaves only two choices for the rest of us: do nothing and accept what occurs, or take action when we can and attempt to influence our future. Easy choice.