Daily Business Report-June 27, 2017
Rendering of the Center for Business & Technology
Mesa College to Break Ground on
Center for Business & Technology Building
San Diego Mesa College will host a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Center for Business & Technology — one of Mesa’s final classroom building projects under Propositions S and N — on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at 7250 Mesa College Drive.
The $32.2 million, 60,000-square-foot, two-story building will include classrooms and laboratories for courses in the School of Business and Technology. It will serve as home for Mesa’s business, computer, and fashion design programs. The facility will include technology-rich classrooms, a case study-type classroom, computer laboratory classrooms, a fashion design laboratory, and faculty and staff space. The entry to the building will include a large video display wall. The project will also include hardscape and landscape improvements.
Balfour Beatty Construction and Gensler are the design team for the project. The project manager is Brian Browning of Gafcon Inc. The landscape architect is McCullough Landscape.
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San Diego Home Prices Continue to Rise
Amid Talk of Possible Bubble
Home prices continue their steady rise in San Diego, but at less than the blistering pace of some metropolitan areas in the Pacific Northwest, amid talk of possible bubble conditions.
The widely followed Case-Shiller Index released Tuesday showed prices in San Diego rose 0.9 percent in April, down slightly from the 1.0 percent increase in March, and were up 6.6 percent over the past year.
San Diego’s increase matched the national average in April, and remain ahead of the 5.5 percent national average for the past year.
But Seattle and Portland reported much higher increases. Seattle led the nation with a 12.9 percent year-over-year price increase in April, followed by Portland with 9.3 percent.
David M. Blitzer, managing director at S&P Dow Jones Indices, which produces the Case-Shiller index, acknowledged concerns that a price bubble may be developing.
“As home prices continue rising faster than inflation, two questions are being asked: why? And, could this be a bubble?” he said. “Since demand is exceeding supply and financing is available, there is nothing right now to keep prices from going up…For the moment, conditions appear favorable for avoiding a crash.”
Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell said the price increases are being driven by Millennials beginning to buy homes amid short supply.
“High demand from home buyers and a limited supply of homes for sale are the main ingredients in the recipe for rising home prices. Millennials are aging into home ownership, the labor market is booming and wages are growing — these three factors are driving demand,” she said.
“However, the factors keeping inventory low are more complicated. Home builders aren’t matching historic building levels, and it’s unclear whether rising costs, burdensome regulations, a shortage of land to build on, a lack of construction financing or some combination of all these factors is to blame,” Gudell added.
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CSUSM Receives $225,000
Gift From Burnham Foundation
Philanthropists Malin and Roberta Burnham have made a $225,000 gift through the Burnham Foundation to California State University San Marcos to establish the Burnham Leadership Experience in the University’s College of Business Administration. Their most recent gift will fund three teams of CSUSM students every semester in perpetuity.
The Burnham Leadership Experience will operate under the umbrella of CSUSM’s Senior Experience Program.
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Douglas Wilson Companies to Build
Its First Senior Housing Complex
Douglas Wilson Companies begins construction today on its first senior housing project — a $30 million, 111-unit assisted living complex in Chula Vista’s Otay Ranch. A groundbreaking ceremony was set for 10:30 a.m.
The complex is to open in the fall of 208.
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USD Chemistry Chair Honored
by American Chemical Society
Tammy Dwyer, a faculty member in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of San Diego since 1994 and current department chair, has been named to the 2017 class of American Chemical Society Fellows, essentially a lifetime achievement-type honor given to scientists who’ve demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in chemistry and have made important contributions to ACS, the world’s largest scientific society.
Bell’s nomination letter highlighted Dwyer’s “demonstrated excellence and leadership as a scientist, educator and manager, and for her service to the ACS community. Through the lens of her 25-year-career, the impact of Tammy’s leadership is reflected in the successes of her students, department and the development of programs for and engagement within her community.”
Dwyer will be one of 65 honored at a ceremony and reception on Aug. 21, which is during the ACS’ 254th National Meeting and Exposition in Washington D.C.
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Personnel Announcements
New Executive Team for Higgs Fletcher & Mack
Steve Cologne, managing partner of Higgs Fletcher & Mack, announced his new executive team. “The team is exceptional and will enable us to optimize firm resources most effectively and efficiently,” said Cologne.
The executive team:
Sherrie-Lyn Thompson, director of business development
Thompson works with the managing partner, the attorneys and executive team members on reaching into new markets, further expanding its current markets, expanding operations and solving organizational problems. She came to Higgs this month after serving as the executive vice president and chief operating officer at LEAD San Diego, one of the oldest and most prestigious community leadership nonprofit organizations.
Karen Lemmon, director of operations
Lemmon’s areas of responsibility include facilities management, vendor relations, intern program, library services, disaster preparedness and other projects/processes not falling under the purview of the other executive team members. She is a graduate of San Diego State University, University of San Diego and Thomas Jefferson School of Law with more than a decade of experience in law firm management.
Tina Brunhart, director of human resources
Brunhart is bolstering Higgs’ commitment to placing clients first through her leadership, attracting and developing the best talent and enhancing a culture of engagement, agility and innovation. Previously, she served as the HR director for Inseego Corp., director of the HR Shared Services Center within URS Corporation, and as an HR benefits manager with DLA Piper Rudnick and Arent Fox Law Firms. Brunhart also served in the U.S. Air Force.
Ray Moore, director of information technology
Moore has worked in information technology in the legal industry for 20 years, and through those years he has successfully navigated law firms through challenges of all different sizes and scopes, from electronic records transitions to cloud migrations to virtual desktop implementations. He is an active member of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), currently serving as the organization’s Member Liaison for San Diego.
Sierra Osquist, director of accounting and financial reporting
Osquist has been connected with Higgs Fletcher & Mack since 2008. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the accounting department, manages the firm’s budget, spearheads the strategic budget and forecasting duties, directs Higgs’ collections processes, prepares and produces month-to-date and year-to-date financial statements, and analyzes attorney production and profitability. Osquist managed the implementation of several innovative applications.
Lisa Berry, executive legal secretary
Berry has been a legal secretary in San Diego for over 30 years. She has been employed by Higgs since 1999 and previously worked 11 years with the law firm of McInnis, Fitzgerald, Rees & Sharkey. Berry has been a member of the San Diego Legal Secretaries Association since 1993. In 1997, through self-study, she earned the designation as a California Certified Legal Secretary, the only legal secretary at Higgs with this designation
Jan Marshall Joins Junior Achievement Board
Jan Marshall, chief information officer for Cubic Corporation, has been appointed to the board of directors of Junior Achievement San Diego.
Marshall joins an existing board of 45 members who represent senior executives from various organizations in San Diego County. Serving for a term of three years, Marshall will become a Junior Achievement ambassador within the community by assisting the organization with its funding efforts, promote Junior Achievement activities and encourage volunteering.
Marshall joined Cubic in 2014 as the company’s very first CIO. She is responsible for delivering a broad range of IT initiatives to support more than 8,000 Cubic employees in 130 locations worldwide
Prior to joining Cubic, Marshall founded jlm Coaching and Consulting, an executive coaching and consultancy firm focused on transformational leadership and guidance of IT organizations. She also served as the CIO for Southwest Airlines from 2006 to 2012.
