Film Commissioner Retires After 23 Years

(Fresno)— Ray Arthur, Fresno Film Commissioner (FFC), is retiring on December 31st after a 23 year career promoting Cities and Counties to the film industry, the last eight years in Fresno. His Hollywood career started when his radio broadcasting career ended in 1992, “I was managing two radio stations in Ridgecrest, CA, that were sold to an owner-operator, thus, no need for a manager. The City was a creating a Visitors Bureau and offered me the position and I stayed for 15 years.”

Arthur was the Executive Director of the Ridgecrest Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Film Commissioner of the Ridgecrest Regional Film Commission. During his tenure the Film Comm generated an estimated $52 million in local revenue. While the geographic area of Fresno is about one percent of the huge desert surrounding Ridgecrest, Arthur hit the ground running and in the past eight years the FFC attracted and/or facilitated over 200 productions which generated an estimated $4.5 million in local disposable income plus an additional $13 million is induced, or rollover, revenue.

At the close of 2009, the FFC fell victim to the “great recession” and its City funding was eliminated. Arthur moved quickly, with the help of Fresno Mayor Swearengin to, transition the FFC to Creative Fresno, a local nonprofit corporation, and he has continued to run the Commission on a volunteer basis for the last five years under a Memorandum of Understanding with the City. With changing times, however, comes changing priorities, “I have had two successful and fulfilling careers, 23 years as a Film Commissioner and 21 years in Radio Broadcasting. As 2015 begins I have a higher priority … grandchildren.”

Arthur continues his fulltime position with the City of Fresno’s Department of Public Utilities and remains active in the community through Creative Fresno, the City’s Public Television Joint Powers Authority, and the Fresno Filmmakers Alliance.