Winnie Comstock-Carlson is the president and publisher of Comstock’s magazine. She launched the publication in 1989 and is still going strong.
By this person

Voltage for a New Electric Economy
The shift to electric transportation is coming. Comstock’s president and publisher considers the benefits and challenges the transition may present the Capital Region.

Resilience Is the Secret to Long-Term Success
Comstock’s president and publisher talks about bouncing back from adversity, recovering from a setback and staying on course to reach a goal.

Getting It Done — With a Special Nod to Moms
To introduce the 2022 Women in Leadership issue, Comstock’s president and publisher reflects on her own ambitions as a young woman in business, and looks ahead to women’s growing impact on the Capital Region’s business landscape.

Challenges Will Always Be With Us. So Should Solutions
Comstock’s president and publisher encourages readers to meet challenges similar to the way our region’s farmers have — with optimism, strategic thinking and support from others.

Looking for Potential in 2022
Setbacks aren’t the exception, they’re the rule. Comstock’s president and publisher reflects on the challenges faced not only during the pandemic, but throughout a lifetime, and considers how they’ve strengthened her outlook.

More Hotels Are Needed to Complete the Revitalization of Downtown Sacramento
Comstock’s president and publisher advocates for developing hotels in downtown Sacramento to aid the city’s economic recovery.

Family-Owned Businesses Are an Important Part of Our Community
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the many shapes and sizes of family businesses in the Capital Region.

Constant Change Calls for Constant Planning
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the many plans that businesses have cycled through over the past year and a half.

Young Professionals Bring New Ideas for a Changing Economy
To open the annual Young Professionals issue, Comstock’s president and publisher considers Capital Region innovation.

Rediscovering the Meaning of ‘Onward’
Comstock’s president and publisher considers California’s forthcoming reopening.

The COVID-19 Fog Is Beginning to Lift for Business
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the effects of COVID-19 vaccinations on the business environment of the Capital Region.

We’ve Certainly Come a Long Way
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the ways women have been leaders throughout history.

Is the Business Exodus to Texas Real?
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the apparent exodus from California to states such as Texas.

Education Can Fuel Economic Growth
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the role colleges, universities and other educational programs can play in the economic recovery.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Made the Education Process More Challenging
Comstock’s president and publisher considers the difficulty of starting a new school year in the midst of the pandemic.

Getting a Leg Up in the New Economy
Comstock’s founder and publisher shares her thoughts on new innovations that may ease the post-pandemic economic recovery.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Calls for Patience, Not Panic
Comstock’s founder and publisher reflects on the coronavirus pandemic and the people who are working to lessen the blow in the Capital Region.

Investing in Inmate Education Can Reduce Repeat Crime
One in four Californians is unable to perform basic reading skills, but illiteracy is even higher among the prison population. State prison systems across the country are investing in education programs to give inmates a better chance at rehabilitation.

PG&E’s Shut-Offs Add to the Challenges of Rural Living
There are many benefits to living in rural areas. But doing so comes with its own challenges. PG&E’s answer to the challenges of wildfires: Shut off power — a move that has hit rural areas the hardest.

Shopping Is Still Important to Sacramento’s Economy
Comstock’s publisher Winnie Comstock-Carlson on downtown Sacramento’s attempts to reinvent itself and how retail shopping was — and still is — one key element in its rejuvenation.

A Split-Roll Property Tax Measure Is Bad for Business
Next year, voters will be asked to amend Prop. 13 through a ballot measure that will upset more than 40 years of that steadiness and a “no surprises” business environment. It’s a tax hit businesses can’t afford, especially in an economy with flat consumer spending and trade tariffs.

Former Base is Booming: How it All Began
Late in October 1997, Comstock’s hosted a roundtable discussion on the future of McClellan Air Force Base, which was slated to be closed July 13, 2001. At that time, the entire business community was struggling with what to do about the upcoming base closure and its anticipated negative economic impact. There were many conversations, of course, but few ideas.

The Comstock Name Has a Long and Storied History
The July issue of our magazine has a very recognizable name across its masthead. Launching and publishing a magazine is not an easy quest, so I smile as I think that 30 years have passed. This month’s issue is the 360th edition of Comstock’s.

Convention Center is Key to the Next-Gen Economy
In January, portions of the Sacramento Convention Center came tumbling down, the first phase of a remodel and expansion after two years of planning for a larger and more efficient facility. The Panattoni Building at 15th and K streets that houses the administration offices surrendered to the wrecking ball to make room for what will be a new entrance to a bigger and better convention center.

All Aboard for a MegaRegional Economy
Ever since the Golden Spike was driven into the ground, 150 years ago this month, trains have played a critical role in Sacramento’s growth and identity.

In Need of a Place to Belong
“There’s no place like home” is a familiar phrase, evoking images of a warm hearth and family. For most of us, home is a place of refuge, where we feel safe and can rest and recharge from a long day. It’s something I’ve thought on extensively while producing this month’s issue on housing.

Mental Health Awareness
More open discussions on mental health are welcome.

Let’s Get Moving!
Growing up, we take our bodies for granted. Many of us expect that we’ll always be able to move with ease, or challenge our bodies with minimal punishment. But as age sets in or circumstances change, our bodies are quick to remind us — things won’t always work like they used to.

Each Entrepreneur Has a Story
Lessons learned on the road of entrepreneurship.

Apprenticeship Programs Need More Students
Apprentices offer a much-needed path to quality, high-paying careers.

Be Your Own Champion
In leadership, critique itself matters less than what you do with it.

The Arena Is a Gold Spike for Downtown
A new page on a new calendar is always a time of optimism. The pages are blank and I wonder what I will have written on them by the time the year has run its course. But right now, I’d like to slow down and appreciate the year we just enjoyed.

We Must Encourage Discussions on Mental Health
We are all affected by untreated mental illness, whether we are taxpayers, business owners or a person struggling to help a family member cope.

The Capital Region’s Small Wineries Offer Something Napa Cannot
“Farm to Fork” is not just an advertising slogan: It reflects a
big part of the region’s identity, and that reputation is
growing. Wine has become one of California’s most recognizable
crops and production has grown tremendously over the last two
decades. California is home to 4,700 wineries and produces more
wine than any other U.S. state.

A Space for Serenity
The first land to create the parkway was purchased in 1949. In 1961, Sacramento County adopted the Master Plan for the parkway as we know it now. Building out that plan took decades as it covers 4,800 acres with a modern bike trail, nine major parks, picnic areas and a nature center.

Infrastructure Issues Demand Attention
Infrastructure — roads, bridges and dams — is the backbone of any economy. Business can’t function without it. The Association of Civil Engineers estimates that nationally, defective or failing infrastructure will cost the average family $3,400 a year over the next decade.

Driving the Economy By Taking Our Hands Off the Wheel
If you are like me, you hate being stuck in traffic. But most of us don’t have a hired driver and public transportation isn’t always convenient.
Carmakers are working on what they think is a better idea — let the car do the driving. Autonomous vehicles sound very Jetson-like. But as futuristic as it sounds, many vehicles already on our streets rely on computers.

Tis the Season To Renovate
Clearly, Sacramento is home to a lot of artistic talent and our holiday traditions are brighter because of it. And we’ve been fortunate to have venues to host these performances. These aged facilities have served Sacramento well for a long time — perhaps too long.

Reflections From a First-Timer
Getting to the Golden 1 Center on opening night
I was getting more hesitant as the hours passed. Would I run into unsavory people? How crowded are we talking? And, being inherently conservative, I wondered about the cost.
I’m talking about my decision to take light rail for the first time … and doing so alone.

Untying The Traffic Knot
The effort to keep the Sacramento Kings in town showed what a community can do when everyone rallies around a cause. Now that the Golden 1 Center is opening and fans are coming downtown to enjoy the Kings, it’s bringing many people together again — perhaps too closely.

Effective Philanthropy Means Getting Ahead of the Crowd
Across the country, generous donors contribute about $335 billion a year to support more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations, both large and small, according to recent surveys from Giving USA and the National Center for Charitable Statistics.

More Is Not Always Better
With jobs on the rise in Sacramento, we must consider what type of jobs will best benefit our region
The best economic news in Sacramento lately is that jobs are back. A recent survey by the state’s Employment Development Department shows that the six-county Sacramento metro region has rebounded, gaining back jobs it lost during the recession — 25,000 in just the last year. But, while this is fantastic news, it’s not enough.

While Looking Forward, Keep an Eye on the Past
The Crystal Ice and Cold Storage building has been a part of midtown since a railroad spur line ran down the middle of R Street, servicing warehouses and distributors along the street that, at the time, was the center of Sacramento’s light industrial core. The plant sat unused since the mid-90s. Square and windowless, it was no architectural marvel. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Developer Mike Heller saw the inner personality of that bunker of a building.

Rethinking How We Support Our Local Charities
For many companies, the post-holiday season often marks a return to business. But it’s not the time to forget about the nonprofit organizations that are so important to our community. They need our attention beyond the holidays and throughout the year.

Mentoring Through the Glass Ceiling
It’s an unwritten but long-standing axiom in business: You can’t get to the top alone. You need a mentor in your corner who is older and wiser. As a young, aspiring publisher almost 27 years ago, I certainly had help from all around. The business owners with whom I spoke supported me with their wisdom, as they continue to do today. I’ve received guidance, know its value and am extremely grateful.

The Capital Region Needs More Skilled Laborers
Make no mistake: The Capital Region boasts some of the nation’s finest colleges and universities. Many a regional leader is a proud alum of UC Davis or Sacramento State. Yet in 2015, it might behoove us to ask some scary questions: Does a 4-year college degree guarantee a good job? If so, can that good job be reconciled with the staggering debt that currently accompanies a college diploma.

From the Publisher: Ballet is Back
Snap Shots offers an intimate look at the art of dance
Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of being one of about 30 “thought leaders” invited to a private performance by the Sacramento Ballet as they proved that, indeed, ballet is back.

Is it Time for a Technological Shift?
Letter from the publisher
It remains to be seen if GSAC, the Metro Chamber or the market itself will fill the void that SARTA’s shut-down has opened. While GSAC and its enigmatic new leader Barry Broome may bring more established firms (and more jobs) to the region, Sacramento isn’t big enough or rich enough to ignore the potential of smart, hungry tech innovators.

In Support of Measure L
Why a strong mayor will make for a stronger Sacramento
I’ve watched, listened and learned as the debate over Sacramento’s “strong mayor” initiative has progressed over the past several years. Like many people, I was surprised and a little disappointed when Kevin Johnson started advocating for the strong mayor form of government within months of election to his first term.
But this time it’s different.

It just takes a little time
Winnie's arena thoughts circa 2002
Yes, the city, together with Union Pacific Railroad and Maloof Sports & Entertainment, commissioned a study to see if such a stadium would be feasible and whether it would be the economic kick-start Mayor Heather Fargo envisions for 240 acres of undeveloped property in the Richard Boulevard Redevelopment Project.