Daily Business Report — Oct. 22, 2009

Bright Green Conference to focus on jobs, climate and building

The Bright Green Future Conference being staged Friday and Saturday will teach local residents, business owners and community leaders about the future of green jobs, climate change and how to live and build sustainably. The conference will be hosted by San Diego Gas & Electric, the Rady School of Management at UCSD, the San Diego chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and San Diego EarthWorks. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days at the UCSD Price Center on the university campus.

The program is open to the public and will focus on information for business and community leaders on Friday and for residents on Saturday. The conference will focus on training for the green jobs of the future, how to save money by becoming energy efficient and sustainable building.

On Friday, state Sen. Christine Kehoe will welcome participants at 9 a.m. followed by presentations and discussion on unlocking the full economic, social and environmental potential from federal stimulus funds. After a choice of session topics including green jobs, climate change and sustainable building, attendees can attend a lecture by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, recipient of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Roger Revelle Prize for his efforts to support and communicate the crucial need to protect the environment on a global scale.

“The planet is facing increasing challenges, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography is honoring Prince Albert for his leading efforts to raise awareness and encourage effective responses to our greatest threats,” said Tony Haymet, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “We share the goals of tackling such growing issues as ocean acidification, and we look to an enlightening and meaningful presentation from the prince.”

On Saturday — the International Day of Climate Action — sessions devoted to climate change will be held. Included will be a presentation on “Great Cities,” which describes the city of the future and the effort it will take to accommodate quality of life. Other afternoon sessions this day will include “Building a Bright Green Food Future”; “Greywater/Rainwater: Using Every Last Drop in Residential/Commercial/Institutional Environments” ; “Green Your Ride in San Diego” and “Planning a Zero Waste Community.”

Conference attendance is $65 for Friday and free on Saturday. For more information, visit www.brightgreenfuture.net.

Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate is launched

The College of Business Administration at SDSU has launched The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate to improve the educational experience for real estate students, foster academic research in the area of real estate and to act as a liaison with real estate professionals, government and industry organization. The center was established with a donation from the McMillin family.

“As a real estate professional, I look forward to the contributions The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate stands to make in terms of real estate research and the education of future industry professionals,” said Mark McMillin, president and CEO of The Corky McMillin Cos.

The center’s director is Michael Lea, who has more than 30 years of experience in the financial and real estate industries. He previously held positions at Countrywide Financal Corp., Freddie Mac and Imperial Corporation of America.

“As the first director of The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to further real estate research and expand the real estate educational program at SDSU,” said Lea. “I look forward to the challenges offered by position and I plan to hit the ground running.” Lea began his role at the center on Oct. 12 and will begin teaching classes during the spring semester of 2010.

Pacific Beach retail building sold for $2.6 million

A 12,502-square-foot parcel and a 5,854-square-foot retail building located at 1606 Grand Ave., in the Pacific Beach area has sold for $2.6 million. The buyer, DTFC Inc., was represented by Alex Mickle of AVM Properties. The seller, Phil and Elizabeth Roulac Revocable Trust, was represented by Tim Mills of Cushman & Wakefield. The buyer plans to hold the property for investment. The retail building on the property is currently leased to US Bank.

Douglas Wilson Cos. expands into Las Vegas

Douglas Wilson Cos. has opened a new office in Las Vegas. CEO Douglas P. Wilson said the office enhances the company’s ability to handle the increasing levels of residential, retail and commercial real estate foreclosures in Nevada and surrounding states. The San Diego-based company specializing in distressed real estate and court-appointed receiverships. It now has six offices around the United States, including Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and San Francisco. Heading up the office are Managing Director Brad Ebright, a certified public accountant and licensed real estate broker, and Property Manager Stephanie Dobbin, who has more than 20 years of real estate experience in the Las Vegas area.

Burnham Institute fills senior vice president post

Paul Laikind, an entrepreneur with experience in business development, will join the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in November as senior vice president for business development and chief business officer. Laikind is the co-founder of three biotech companies — Gensia Pharmaceuticals, Viagene and Metabasis Therapeutics. He most recently served as the president and CEO of Metabasis and remains a member of the board of directors. “We are entering a new era at Burnham,” said Gregory T. Lucier, CEO and chairman of Life Technologies Corp., who serves as the chairman of Burnham’s board of trustees. “The Institute is bringing in the talent we need to strategically evaluate our research assets and position them, through licenses, collaborations or spin-outs, for commercialization.” Laikind has a Ph.D. in biochemistry from UCSD. He is the inventor on several key patents that formed the basis of companies and over the course of his career he has established corporate partnerships with pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Laikind is one of several recent key hires intended to leverage Burnham’s technology infrastructure for drug discovery into expanded corporate partnerships and other collaborations. Last month, Burnham announced the hiring of Michael Jackson as the vice president of drug discovery and Development.

Women in Journalism program set for Nov. 12

The San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) will look at the challenges that women have faced in the industry when it conducts a panel discussion Nov. 12 at USD. The program will be from 6:30 p.m. in the Degheri Alumni Center board room. Admission is free. Panelists will include Carol Lebeau, former KGTV 10News anchor; Maureen Cavanaugh, host of KPBS’s “These Days” program; Gina Lubrano, reporter and former reader’s representative for The San Diego Union-Tribune; and Tracy Greer, North County Times online editor and former sportswriter.

In 1969, SPJ – which was then known as Sigma Delta Chi – voted to admit women to the previously all-male society. The vote took place in San Diego at SPJ’s national convention, and the effort to admit women was spearheaded by San Diego chapter board member Kenneth C. Reilly, a Copley News editorial consultant who chaired SPJ’s national membership committee.

Get Twitter trained at Press Club program Nov. 11

The San Diego Press Club hosts its next nuts-and-bolts workshop on Nov. 11 — “Twitter Training for the rest of us.” The program, which is set for 6-8:30 p.m. at KGTV 10 News, 4600 Air Way, will feature panelists Tim Wheatcroft, general manager of the San Diego office of public relations firm Allison & Partners, and Christine Benton, a director in the technology practice of public relations firm Burston-Marsteller. The event begins with a reception and networking with light hors d’oeuvres and wine at 6 p.m., and the panel discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. The program is free for San Diego Press Club members and those who join at the event, and $10 at the door for nonmembers. Space is limited. RSVP to sdpressclub@cox.net.

Pacific Maritime Industries purchases building for expansion

Pacific Maritime Industries Corp. purchased a 57,600-square-foot building at 1790 Dornoch Court in Otay Mesa for $4.7 million, a move to allow the company to expand its production operations. The transaction is the largest owner/user sale in the South County region year-to-date and represents one of only five sales that have occurred in the Otay Mesa area this year, according to Erik Parker and Darren Mullins of Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, who represented Pacific Maritime Industries in the sale. The company will employ 120 people providing needed manufacturing jobs in the Otay Mesa vicinity.

Prior to purchasing the building, Pacific Maritime Industries occupied two buildings totaling 40,000 square feet in the Chula Vista area. A need for more space and the lack of available functional buildings in Chula Vista forced the buyer to shift focus to the Otay Mesa area. The last large manufacturing company to relocate to the area before Pacific Maritime Industries was Circle Foods in 2008. The company moved into a 159,000-square-foot facility and was also represented by Parker and Mullins. Marc Lipschitz of Voit Commercial represented the seller, Otay Ridge LLC.

Otay Mesa Energy Center goes into service

Calpine Corp. has placed into service the newly constructed Otay Mesa Energy Center (OMEC). The plant, with a capacity of almost 600 megawatts, began commercial operation Oct. 3 and is generating electric power for customers of San Diego Gas & Electric under a 10-year tolling agreement for the full output of the plant, giving SDG&E the ability to dispatch power and ancillary services from the plant. SDG&E also will supply natural gas to fuel the plant. OMEC is the largest air cooled power plant in the state, conserving water by eliminating the need to use ground or potable municipal water to cool recirculated steam.

New Leases

• Christopher Mangano, doing business as TRC Gymnastics, leased 13,397 square feet of industrial flex space at 6474 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego. The eight-year lease is valued at $881,632. Andy Irwin of CB Richard Ellis represented TRC Gymnastics. Bob Mooney of Grubb & Ellis represented the lessor, Jaime Cardenas. Established in 1992 in Solana Beach, the Nancy Ridge facility will be TRC Gymnastics’ second San Diego location.

• Never Limited leased 2,574 square feet of industrial flex space at 6650 Flanders Drive, San Diego. The 62-month lease is valued at $140,236. Andy Irwin and Sam Higgins of CB Richard Ellis represented the lessor, K Johnson Partners LP. Scott Moffat of Colliers International represented Never Limited.

Dave Nuffer awarded Career Achievement Award

David Nuffer, chairman of Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, has been awarded the University of Redlands’ Career Achievement Award in honor of his success during a 50-year career in public relations. The Alumni Awards, hosted by the university’s Alumni Association, recognizes distinguished alumni who have made an impact on their profession, the community and/or the university.

“Dave was one of the pioneers in public relations in the San Diego area, having started our firm 35 years ago,” said Bill Trumpfheller, president of Nuffer, Smith, Tucker. “His knowledge of effective communications and his knack for successfully building relationships throughout the years has positioned Dave as a true leader in the public relations profession and the San Diego business community.”

Nuffer began his career in public relations in 1959, founding the firm now known as Nuffer, Smith, Tucker with business partner, Robert Smith, on April 1, 1974. Nuffer, who has worked on numerous campaigns throughout his career, now serves on several boards, including Benefits Corp., the President’s Community Advisory Council of Point Loma Nazarene University, the President’s External Affairs Advisory Council of Scripps Health, the Strategic Roundtable of the Economic Development Corp. and the board of San Diego Jazz Party. He also participates in San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders’ ad hoc advisory committee of community leaders.

Memorial to Nora Jaeschke at Cuyamaca College

Friends of the late Nora Jaeschke are invited to attend a Celebration of Life service at 4 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. Mrs. Jaeschke, who died on Aug. 26, 2009, at the age of 72, served as president of the Friends of the Water Conservation Garden, a fundraising group, and was recognized as a regional leader in water conservation issues. She served as a member of the San Diego County Water Authority from 1997 to 2005 and was recently honored by the California Landscape Contractors Association, San Diego chapter, for her service on the regional Conservation Action Committee and the San Diego Water Authority Task Force on Water Conservation.

Mrs. Jaeschke was known as a pioneer in the property management industry as the founder in 1971 of N.N. Jaeschke Inc., which today is one of Southern California’s largest property management firms serving residential homeowner associations and commercial developers with more than 225 community associations under contract. She was named 1988 Woman Business Owner of the Year from the National Association of Women Business Owners, and was a member of the Community Association Institute Hall of Fame.

The Water Conservation Garden is located at 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive in El Cajon. For more information, call (619) 660-0614.

Federal Contract Awards

Alignment Express of California, San Diego, won an $88,800 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Va., for a mobile laser.

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