![(Illustration by Sara Bogovich)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/1221_feat_finance_lead.png?1638581295)
Show Me the Money
Automation and ag-tech help fuel Capital Region’s funding boost
As the pandemic shifts the landscape of investing in
the Capital Region, so too are the dynamics between tech startups
and investors.
![Angel Melchor is the founder and CEO of INN>CHRG. (Photo by Terence Duffy)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/1221_blog_sotm_terenceduffy.jpg?1638401529)
Startup of the Month: INN>CHRG
Yolo County-based startup aims to eliminate range anxiety for electric vehicle drivers
INN>CHRG is developing an app that allows any private property (residential, business, etc.) with electricity to potentially become a charging location.
![Kirk DeJesus is the director of the Port of Stockton. (Photo by Wes Davis)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/final-_2.png?1633985470)
How the Port of Stockton Connects the Central Valley to the World
Kirk DeJesus, the new director of the Port of Stockton, is aware that most people, even neighbors in the Bay Area and the Capital Region, don’t know anything about his deepwater port.
![Rick Niello Jr. has been president of the auto company since 1995, with several members of the next generation of Niellos serving roles throughout the organization. (Photos by Hector Amezcua)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/1021_feat_leadership_nielo_hectoramezcua_lead.jpg?1633378663)
Cruising Through Change
Family business close-up
Started by Louis Niello in San Francisco as a shop specializing
in repairs and maintenance of Packard automobiles in 1921, The
Niello Company is celebrating four generations of family
ownership.
![Ken Dwelle, left, Flyers Sustainable Energy president and his sister Chris Haven, Flyers Energy marketing manager, have leadership roles at the Auburn-based company founded by four Dwelle brothers in 1979. (Photos by Hector Amezcua)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/1021_feat_leadership_flyersenergy_hectoramezcua_lead.jpg?1633111745)
Fueling Demand
Family business close-up
Auburn-based Flyers Energy is expanding on its history of
supplying fuel to trucking fleets.
![Gerardo Aceves (left) and Amit Dhugga are the cofounders of Platinum Express. (Photo by Terence Duffy, mural by David Puck, stool design by Trent Dean)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0721_feat_leadership_aceves-dhugya_terenceduffy.jpg?1625186203)
On the Rise: Gerardo Aceves and Amit Dhugga
Meet 12 young leaders who are shaping their industries and the Capital Region
Gerardo Aceves and Amit Dhugga are CEO and president of Platinum Express, a Yuba City-based company with a fleet of 100 trucks.
![Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B, which opened in 2011, is three times larger than the old terminal. The number of passengers using the airport began increasing annually in 2013 before plummeting last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photos courtesy of Sacramento International Airport)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/feat_transportation_courtesy-of-sacramento-international-airport_lead.jpg?1617656862)
Smoother Ride Ahead
Sacramento International Airport has found ways to avoid a financial fiasco despite a huge drop in passengers due to the pandemic
The SMF Master Plan 2020 Update envisions significant continued growth for the airport.
![A passenger boards a Bakersfield-bound train at the Emeryville Amtrak station on Dec. 16, 2020. (Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/121620_amtrak_aw_sized_06.jpg?1608239629)
A Bumpy Ride for California’s Amtrak as Pandemic Surges
Amtrak has lost a staggering $800 million, with California’s three routes losing 65-85% of passengers. Service has been cut back substantially.
![Mark Stevens is the fleet manager for the City of Sacramento, which is replacing its gas vehicles with electric vehicles. (Photo by Eric Johnson)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/1220_feat_fleet-of-the-future_eric-johnson.jpg?1605718019)
Fleet of the Future
The City of Sacramento moves its municipal vehicles toward sustainability
Sacramento is working to turn its fleet into a model of municipal sustainability with electric vehicles, a software-and-hardware suite to monitor efficiency, and more.
![(Photo by Graham Womack)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0820_blog_statuscheck_lead.jpg?1597078906)
Status Check: Sacramento County Airport System
Sacramento County Airport System uses $49.9 million in CARES Act funding to offset traffic decline from COVID-19
The pandemic has upended normal operations for the four airports, but stakeholders see reasons for optimism.