Daily Business Report — Jan. 27, 2010

SAIC Completes Acquisition of Technology Company

Science Applications International Corp. has completed the acquisition of Science, Engineering and Technology Associates Corp. (SET), a privately-owned technology corporation headquartered in Arlington, Va. SET was founded in 2002 by a group of scientists formerly with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The company creates and commercializes information technologies — from video and radar systems that detect human behaviors, to knowledge discovery systems that find patterns in vast quantities of seemingly unrelated data — to help engineers and analysts accomplish complex tasks. The company serves a diverse base of defense, homeland security, and intelligence community customers. In addition to its headquarters, SET has locations in Dayton, Ohio, Denver, Colo., and Greenbelt, Md. The acquisition is expected to enhance SAIC’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities, including forward processing of sensor data, advanced PED (processing, exploitation, and dissemination) tools and technology, and real time information integration. It also will add multi-sensor exploitation tools for advanced detection, tracking and target identification to SAIC’s portfolio.

Philanthropist Pledges $50 Million to the Burnham Institute

Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has pledged $50 million to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research to expand and accelerate its  medical research. In honor of the gift, the institute has been renamed the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. The gift will be made in $10 million increments for five years. It was the second gift Sanford has made to the institute. He gave $20 million in 2007 to create the Sanford Children’s Health Resource Center at Burnham. “These additional resources will help our scientists address many of the world’s most devastating diseases faster, and that will benefit patients,” said John C. Reed, president and CEO. “Denny Sanford’s continuing generosity will help us make a greater impact on human health.

In less than two and a half years, Sanford has invested $100 million in San Diego life science organizations. Sanford has given Burnham, both individually and through Sanford Health, $70 million. In 2008, Sanford donated $30 million to the San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, now known as the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, to construct its state-of-the-art stem cell research facility.

Employee Ownership is the Topic

On Thursday evening, Feb. 4, the Beyster Institute at UCSD’s Rady School of Management will welcome Corey Rosen as the featured presenter at the 2010 Employee Ownership Executive Briefing as part of the school’s executive speaker series. Rosen, the executive director and founder of the National Center for Employee Ownership, will review current research and opinions on whether broad-based employee ownership works for employees, companies and society. The program is from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. and is free, but registration is required. To register, visit rady.ucsd.edu/beyster/events. “There is a lot of talk – and anger – these days about how much equity is given to high-level employees, some of whom helped get us into the current economic mess,” says Rosen. “This is one form of employee ownership, but there is also a different vision in which ownership is spread widely throughout the company. Is this a modern-day version of socialism, or a highly effective new capitalism?”

Scott Levine to head Consumer Attorneys of San Diego

Scott Levine will be sworn in as the 2010 president of Consumer Attorneys of San Diego on Feb. 6 at the organization’s annual Awards and Installation Dinner. Levine is a partner in the law firm of Silldorf & Levine. He represents homeowners in construction defect actions and also practices business litigation, employment and franchise law. He received his undergraduate degree from UC Santa Barbara, and his law degree from California Western School of Law. In 2002, Levine co-negotiated California’s new construction defect law (SB 800). He has been the Tort Law column editor and the Legislative Law column editor for CASD’s “Trial Bar News” and was awarded the 2002 Legislative Champion Award by Consumer Attorneys of Orange County and the 2003 David S. Casey Jr. Consumer Advocate Award by CASD.

Colliers International Adds Executive

Colliers International has named Nick Foussianes as executive managing director in Southern California for the Client Solution Design division of Corporate Solutions, the firm’s global corporate services operation. His hiring continues Colliers International’s global expansion, the company said. Colliers International and FirstService Real Estate Advisors recently announced plans to combine their operations and global real estate platforms, creating the “new” Colliers International. Foussianes will be based in San Diego. He will coordinate with Scott Nelson, president of the Client Solution Design division of Corporate Solutions in the U.S. Foussianes most recently served as managing director of Mission Equities, a Southern California real estate firm.

Scottrade to Open La Mesa Office

Online investing firm Scottrade will open a new branch office in La Mesa on Feb. 8 that will be managed by Dennis Hunt. The location is 8726 Lake Murray Blvd.  “The Lake Murray Branch Office will offer Scottrade customers in the area a convenient location to learn more about investing and Scottrade’s products and services,” said Hunt. The firm offers investment products and market research tools to help investors make their own investing decisions. Though Scottrade does not provide advice, stock brokers are available at branch offices to answer account-related questions, provide customer service and give tutorials on Scottrade’s online trading services. The branch office will be open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be reached at (619) 462-1111. After-hours support is available 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Digital Media Course Offered at SDSU

SDSU’s College of Extended Studies will again offer its Professional Certificate in Digital Media beginning Feb. 4. The curriculum is designed to help working professionals in journalism, public relations, marketing, and other related fields develop the practical tools they need to produce high-quality multimedia and online content. “The classes are all hands-on. Students are going to get their hands dirty in a virtual way,” says Nicole Vargas, reporter/multimedia producer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, who will teach two classes in the spring. “They will learn skills they can use right away.” Participants will learn state-of-the-art skills and become familiar with the basic and more sophisticated equipment, tools and software needed to create multimedia content designed to reach an expanded audience. They also will learn techniques for shooting and editing still photography, as well as video planning, production, and editing. Each course costs $249, with an additional lab fee required for the Video II course. All Digital Media courses are held evenings and Saturdays, and the program can be completed in three months. For more information, call (619) 594-0787.

More Grossmont College Students Applying for Financial Aid

The number of Grossmont College students applying to receive financial aid is increasing, along with the amount of dollars disbursed in tuition assistance, according to a report by Michael Copenhaver, director of financial aid at the college. He said the number of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is 31 percent higher for a12-month time period from January to December 2009, compared to the same 12-month period in 2008. The FAFSA, the federal government’s instrument for calculating need-based aid, is used by colleges and universities to determine financial aid eligibility for federal and state aid programs. Although it’s only halfway through the 2009-2010 academic year, Copenhaver said the college already has processed 14,868 FAFSA applications as of Dec. 31, 2009; that number exceeds the total of 13,158 in FAFSA applications processed during the entire 2008-2009 academic year.

Copenhaver said his office disbursed about $7,683,053 in financial aid in the fall 2009 semester, which ran from August to December 2009. He said the college is on track to disburse a total of $15.5 million by the end of the summer 2010 semester. In comparison, Grossmont students received $14.8 million in financial aid during the 2008-2009 academic year, and $13.1 million during 2007-2008.

Parish to Top Off Center and Unveil Refurbished Statue

St. Rose of Lima Parish in Chula Vista on Sunday will mark the topping off of construction of its new Education Center building and celebrate the unveiling of its refurbished namesake statue. The event is at 3:30 p.m. “Our parish has been at this location since 1921 and the St. Rose of Lima statue has been a part of the parish since our school was built in 1948,” said Deacon Gregory Smyth, pastoral associate and building project manager at the parish. “This celebration of her makeover combined with our construction milestone provides an opportunity for the parish to reflect on its history and to recommit to its long-range goals for the future.” Designed by Domusstudio Architecture and with construction services from Erickson-Hall Construction Co., the nearly 24,000-square-foot St. Rose of Lima Education Center is expected to be completed this summer. The star of the event will be the statute of St. Rose of Lima. The statue weighs 500 pounds and was restored for the first time since she was placed on the parish’s original school building in 1948. The older building is now slated for demolition so a new home had to be found for the statue. Advance Auto Body & Paint donated its time to repaint the statue.

Business Datebook

Jan. 29

CONFERENCE: The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate’s 14th annual Real Estate Conference will feature real estate icon Sam Zell. Panels will discuss “The Shape of Things to Come: Capital Markets” and “The Shape of Things to Come: REITS, Retail, Development and Loan Workouts.” 7:30 a.m. to noon, Hilton San Diego Bayfront. To register, visit sandiego.edu/bmcevent. For more information, call Diane Gustafson at (619) 260-2379.

Feb. 3

ANNUAL DINNER: The 139th annual dinner of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, 5-8 p.m., Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, Grand Exhibit Hall. $150 individual registration. Highlights include induction of the 2010 chairman of the board, Tom Wornham of Wells Fargo, and the board of directors, and presentations of the Spirit of San Diego, Courageous Leadership and Regional Unity awards. For more information, call Katie at (619) 544-1370.

Feb. 4

FORUM: San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will discuss past, present and future city government reforms that will shape the region in NAIOP San Diego’s fourth annual Breakfast with the Mayor program. (Rescheduled from Jan. 19). Marriott San Diego/Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego. Registration at 7:30 a.m., program runs from 8 to 9:15 a.m. $40 for members, $60 for nonmembers. Attendees may pay online at naiopsd.org. NAOP San Diego is a chapter of the Real Estate Development Association. For more information, call Karen Burgess at (858) 509-4110.

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING: Corey Rosen, executive director and founder of the National Center for Employee Ownership, is the featured presenter at a program sponsored by the Beyster Institute at UCSD’s Rady School of Management. 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. Free. Registration required; visit rady.ucsd.edu/beyster/events.

Feb. 5

MEET THE LEADERS: Vista Chamber of Commerce host reception and dinner featuring talks by Congressman Darrell Issa, Assemblyman Martin Garrick and county Supervisor Bill Horn. 6:30 to 9:15 p.m., Shadowridge Country Club, 1980 Gateway Drive, Vista. Tickets are $125 per person. Contact the Vista Chamber of Commerce at (760) 726-1122.

Feb. 10

PANEL: The San Diego Press Club presents a panel talk on “WriterPalooza: 50 Tips in 50 Minutesw to Boost Your Writing Business,” aimed at professional and aspiring writers and editors. 6 p.m. at KGTV/10, 4600 Air Way, San Diego. Panelists: Dennis Morgigno, Channel 4 San Diego; Kimberly Edwards, formerly of KGTV/10; Lee Swanson, former broadcaster; and Jan Rieger, McLane Rieger Communications. Free for Press Club members, $10 for nonmembers. RSVP to: sdpressclub@cox.net.

SHOWCASE: CleanTECH San Diego and the US Renewables Group present the CleanTECH Showcase, which explores opportunities in the wind-power industry. Keynote presentation by Jim McDermott, managing partner, US Renewables. Registration 4 p.m., keynote 6 p.m., panel 6:40 p.m. La Jolla Marriott. $10 for students, $30 for CleanTECH members, $45 for others. RSVP at: http://ctsd.eventbrite.com.

Feb. 16

CELEBRATION: The Asian Business Association of San Diego holds its 16th annual Lunar New Year Celebration featuring Lucky Lion Dancers, a casino night with prizes and Chinese cuisine. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., dinner from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., no-host bar, Fat City Steakhouse/China Camp Restaurant, 2137 Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego. Cost: before Feb. 16, $30 to ABA members, $35 for nonmembers; at the door, $40 members and nonmembers. Register online at abasd.org. For more information, call (858) 277-2822.

Feb. 18

ROUNDTABLE: Hal Varian, chief economist at Google, will speak on “Predicting the Present with Google Trends” at the Economics Roundtable, 7:30 a.m., UCSD Faculty Club. Admission is $50 per person, includes continental breakfast and parking. For more information and registration, call (858) 822-0510.

Feb. 24

DIGITAL FORUM: A forum on social media marketing will feature social media strategist and coach Jason Baer, who will lead a panel discussion on the topic. Sponsored by LEAD San Diego and Bailey Gardiner. 7:30 a.m., continential breakfast and networking; 8 a.m., presentation by Baer; 8:45 a.m., panel discussion. USD’s Joan B. Kroc Theatre, San Diego. $20 general admission, $15 for LEAD San Diego members. For more information, call (619) 280-5323.

Feb. 27

WORKSHOP: The San Diego chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers sponsors a “Day with Designers,” a public workshop to provide information on practical interior design basics and how to select an interior designer, among other tips. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Art Institute, 7650 Mission Valley Road, San Diego. Advanced tickets available for $35 by visiting ASIDSanDiego.org. Tickets at the door are $45. For more information, call (858) 646-9896.

The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of San Diego Metropolitan magazine and the North Park News. (619) 906-4104.