Daily Business Report-Feb. 21, 2019
Aerial view of the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. (Photos courtesy of the Port of San Diego)
Port of San Diego awards contract
for cargo terminal microgrid project
The Port of San Diego announced that it will soon begin infrastructure improvements to support future installation of a renewable, solar-powered microgrid at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, one of its two main marine cargo terminals.
The Board of Port Commissioners on Feb. 12 awarded a nearly $1.6 million contract to Chambers Inc. to replace the roof of warehouse B at the terminal. The work includes removal of the existing multiple-ply, built-up roof system and installation of a new, lighter and more durable single-ply Thermoplastic Polyolefin membrane roof system.
Demolition on the warehouse roof is expected to begin in late March and the roof replacement is anticipated to be completed by December 2019.
The Microgrid Project will help to satisfy a key mitigation measure – requiring the use of renewable energy – identified in the Environmental Impact Report for the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal Redevelopment Plan.
The microgrid will also help the Port meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals as established in its Climate Action Plan; improve air quality by advancing electrification powered by clean, solar energy; save the Port an estimated $168,000, or 60 percent, per year over current utility rates; and enable the operation of critical terminal infrastructure for approximately 12 hours without being connected to the larger electrical grid.
The microgrid project is being funded through a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC), which includes $4,985,272 from the CEC, $4,427,973 in matching funds from the Port, and an additional $201,963 in matching funds from the University of California San Diego, a partner with the Port on the microgrid project. The total cost of the project is anticipated to be approximately $9,600,000.
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General Atomics demonstrates drone mission
using laptop instead of ground control station
Last December, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. demonstrated a complete MQ-9B drone mission without the use of a ground control station.
It used a laptop.
Specifically, preflight checks were conducted through engine start using only the Expeditionary Command & Control portable laptop, and subsequently, the aircraft was successfully handed over to a remote ground control station via SATCOM. The MQ-9B – a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) developed by General Atomics – was then taxied to the runway and the crew commanded its automatic takeoff using only the SATCOM datalink. The MQ-9B flew a short flight and automatically landed using SATCOM datalink and then taxied back to the chock location via SATCOM taxi. Control of the aircraft was then transferred back to the portable laptop, which efficiently completed post-flight procedures through aircraft shutdown.
“Using a portable laptop computer in conjunction with SATCOM taxi and Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability is a game-changer for our customers,” said David R. Alexander, president of aircraft systems for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. “Instead of having a forward ground control system relying on Line of Sight communication, this advanced capability greatly reduces manpower and ensures that the remote pilots can be far away from any potential conflict.”
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Water Authority General Manager
Maureen Stapleton to retire after 23 years
Maureen A. Stapleton, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, informed the agency’s board of directors Wednesday of her decision to retire from the agency. Sandy Kerl, the agency’s deputy general manager, will serve as acting general manager while the Water Authority Board of Directors conducts a search for its next general manager. Kerl was appointed deputy general manager in November 2009, after a lengthy career with the city of La Mesa, where she served as city manager from 2003 to 2009.
During Stapleton’s tenure leading the region’s water wholesale agency, she led a successful, multi-decade strategy to diversify and improve the reliability of San Diego County’s water supply, which now supports a $220 billion economy and the quality of life of 3.3 million people. The Stapleton era also saw the greatest investment in large-scale regional water infrastructure in San Diego County history.
The highlight of Stapleton’s career at the Water Authority was the 2003 Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement, and its implementation over the 16 years since that historic accord was signed in October 2003.
The cornerstone of the QSA is the San Diego County Water Authority-Imperial Irrigation District water conservation-and-transfer agreement, under which the Water Authority will receive 200,000 acre-feet of water annually from IID to the Water Authority for up to 75 years. It is the largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer in U.S. history.
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Workforce Partnership awarded $1.2 million
to offer student loan alternative
The San Diego Workforce Partnership was named winner of a philanthropic funding contest by national nonprofit Strada Education Network, receiving $1.2 million to increase access and diversity in tech through income share agreements (ISAs), a student loan alternative by which a student agrees to pay a small proportion of their income for a set period of time.
The Workforce Partnership will use its grant to stand up the Workforce ISA Fund, which will offer individuals from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in tech an opportunity to enter one of UC San Diego Extension’s distinguished certificate programs in areas such as front-end web development, Java programming, business intelligence or digital marketing. The workforce development board and public education institution will be among the first in the country to offer ISAs.
“With this investment, we are able to provide a new way for people to access opportunity and for businesses to find talent,” said Andy Hall, Workforce Partnership COO.
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Disaster Preparedness Academy helps
local businesses prepare for the worst
Earthquakes, flooding, wildfires, active shooters, transportation accidents and more – these are just a few types of emergencies that businesses must be prepared to face. Yet, nearly 40 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors after a major disaster.
On March 8, the American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties, in partnership with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, will host the fifth annual Disaster Preparedness Academy (DPA) to help local businesses increase their resiliency following disasters of all kinds.
Topics presented will include:
• Hands-Only CPR and the American Red Cross Ready Rating program
• The Economic Impact of Disaster; presenter Dr. Lynn Reaser, professor at Point Loma Nazarene University
• Cyber Security and Information Technology; panel discussion with representatives from the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence
• Active Threat Response; presenter John Heine, Special Operations Sergeant (retired)
• Small Business Preparedness & Recovery; presenter Susheel Kumar, public information officer for U.S. Small Business Administration
• Building a Culture of Preparedness; presenter Ed Langmaid, managing consultant at Aspen Risk Management Group
The event is sponsored by the American Red Cross Business Leadership Council members and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SDG&E Energy Innovation Center. Individual registration is $40 for SD Chamber members and $50 for nonmembers. Visit sdchamber.org for more information or to register. For questions about registration, contact Lisa Kelley at eventinfo@sdchamber.org or 619-544-1343.
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Program gives UC San Diego Health
new resources to combat opioid epidemic
To combat the opioid epidemic, UC San Diego Health is among 31 health facilities selected from across the state to participate in the California Bridge Program, an accelerated, 18-month training program for health care providers to enhance access to around-the-clock treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
The program, facilitated by the Public Health Institute’s ED-Bridge program, provides chosen sites with funding, training and technical assistance to improve and increase access to treatment of acute symptoms, initiation of long-term mediation and referrals to outpatient clinics.
There are three types of sites in the California Bridge program: Star Sites, centers of excellence for initiating treatment of substance use disorders from anywhere in the hospital; Rural Bridge Sites, where treatment will begin primarily in the emergency department with the support of substance use navigators; and Bridge Clinics, “low-threshold’ follow-up clinics that patients can visit after starting treatment in a hospital setting. UC San Diego Health was selected as a Star Site, one of 16 in the state.
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Cape and Chula Vista Police Department
tout benefits of drone first response program
By AUVSI
Cape and the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) have announced the early results from their Drone as a First Response (DFR) program, which is part of the San Diego UAS Integration Pilot Program.
Since the launch of the program in Oct. 2018, UAS equipped with the Cape Aerial Telepresence platform have conducted more than 282 flights, contributing to 20 arrests in the process.
“The Chula Vista Police Department is at the forefront of utilizing drones to enhance the science of policing,” says Chris Rittler, CEO of Cape.“As more agencies begin to adopt drone technology, Chula Vista will undoubtedly be the agency that others from across the country look to and replicate for emergency response and support.”
The CVPD, in partnership with Cape, is the first agency in the U.S. to pioneer the Drone as a First Responder model, as it is utilizes UAS as part of its daily emergency response operations.
Thus far, the UAS have proven to be beneficial when it comes to increasing situational awareness, increasing the safety of officers and surrounding community, and better informing decisions and managing resources through real-time aerial data.
“Since launching the DFR program, the program is already having a significant impact on operations and resource management. Real-time aerial visibility is critical when informing decisions, and in an emergency situation, is vital to the safety of our officers and citizens,” said Roxana Kennedy, Chula Vista police chief.
“These early results are already proving the impact of the Drone as a First Responder model, and it’s an honor to be a part of shaping the future of drone integration in the United States.”
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Fairmont Grand Del Mar takes
top honors from award authorities
Fairmont Grand Del Mar has once again received high regards from the world’s award authorities. The San Diego resort received a trio of Five-Star awards from Forbes Travel Guide for Lodging, The Spa and Addison, the resort’s signature restaurant; two AAA Five Diamonds for the hotel and Addison; voted the No. 1 luxury hotel in California and San Diego by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice; and ranked the best hotel in San Diego and 14th best hotel overall in the United States by the U.S. News & World Report.
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Convention Center food and beverage
GM earns tourism industry award
Gabriel “Bobby” Ramirez, San Diego Convention Center food and beverage general manager, has been named the “Patti Roscoe Award–Allied Person of the Year” by the San Diego Hotel-Motel Association. The honor is given to a person affiliated with the tourism industry that does not work in a lodging establishment. The award was handed out during the 40th annual Gold Key Awards ceremony on Tuesday at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Ramirez was recognized for his contributions to the industry, community involvement as well as his high-quality service. As the GM of all things food and beverage, his responsibilities include overseeing the procurement, production, preparation, service and sale of food and refreshments at the San Diego Convention Center.
“He is a credit to our tourism industry by setting the bar when it comes to quality of food, customer service, community involvement and sustainability,” said San Diego Convention Center President and CEO Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe.
Ramirez was a bar owner in El Paso, Texas before joining the San Diego Convention Center in 2003. He started at an entry-level position as beverage supervisor and worked his way up to general manager.
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Personnel Announcements
Toni Marengo named medical director
at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest
Toni Marengo, M.D., has joined Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest as medical director. Marengo is a highly accomplished physician with years of experience as a board certified OB/GYN and a passion for teaching the next generation of physicians about the latest in reproductive health care.
Marengo is a U.S. Navy veteran. She spent three years on active duty at The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, also known as 29 Palms in Riverside County, as a staff OB/GYN. More recently she spent eight years as a civilian at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. There, she served as associate residency program director and director of family planning. In these positions she worked diligently to provide excellent and innovative reproductive health care for our active duty military members and their families, as well as to ensure effective training of Navy residents.
Marengo received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University, her medical degree from Northwestern University and completed her residency at the University of Colorado. In addition, she serves the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and as the San Diego section chair for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
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Sharon Huerta joins Sullivan Hill as shareholder
Sharon A. Huerta has joined the law firm of Sullivan Hill as a shareholder in the San Diego office. She will be a member of Sullivan Hill’s construction and insurance practice group.
Huerta’s primary area of expertise is in insurance coverage litigation and evaluation, bad faith, and developer representation. In addition, Huerta has significant experience in appellate writing and was primarily responsible for drafting briefs in numerous successful published and unpublished opinions.
Prior to joining Sullivan Hill, Huerta practiced in San Diego for over 20 years as a litigator.
Sullivan Hill has provided efficient, aggressive and responsive legal representation for more than 50 years. The firm provides full service representation to clients in a variety of industries with an emphasis in insolvency, construction disputes, insurance coverage, real estate, business disputes, civil litigation, and transactional work. The firm has offices in San Diego and Las Vegas. More information can be found at www.sullivanhill.com.
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A different way of thinking for nonprofits’
success — a charity that gives back to other charities
Can business tactics work in a non-profit world? Not only does Gary Rectenwald, executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation of San Diego, say yes, but he has and continues to prove it with his foundation. Rectenwald raised more than $50 million in new funds for his new charity in the first two years under his leadership in 2016 and 2017.
The Catholic Community Foundation of San Diego is a charity that gives back to other charities and not necessarily faith-based ones. Currently it supports over 150 charities, both local and national, with 99 percent of the funds going directly to the charities as long as they support the same values.
Rectenwald runs things so successfully by bringing his skills as a business executive to fundraising. After a 30-year career as an information technology executive with IBM, AT&T, and Computerland he decided to make a change and brought his knowledge and expertise to giving back to his community.
Rectenwald has turned the basic tried-and-true fundraising tactics around that most nonprofits use and looked at things differently. He and his organization focus on the needs of the donor rather than the recipient, in the same way a for-profit business targets its customers by meeting their needs.
“As a Foundation, we wanted to focus on not just what we are doing now but looking to the future,” says Rectenwald. “We realized that people are thinking differently these days — on making an impact — and that is the reason we focus on the need to give, rather than giving to a need. People want to get behind something bigger than themselves to make a difference. We aren’t just an organization behind a computer. We go out into the community encouraging people to support a cause meaningful to them. If they don’t have one, we can help them identify one and make a connection for them so their efforts become personal.”
That community networking is one of the most successful tools of the foundation as it allows them to interactive with different sectors (business, education, neighborhood groups and even other nonprofits) so they can learn about the needs and resources to figure out the most efficient and effective partnership.
To donate or learn more about the Catholic Communities Foundation of San Diego, visit https://ccfsd.org/ or call 858-490-8365
