Daily Business Report — Feb. 4, 2010
Port Commissioners Approve Land Swap for Chula Vista Bayfront Development
The Board of Port Commissioners has approved a land exchange with Pacifica Holdings as the first step in the redevelopment of the Chula Vista bayfront that it said would include a balance of jobs, environmental buffers, housing and recreation. The exchange will swap 97 acres owned by Pacifica Holdings — located near an environmentally sensitive area — with 35 acres closer to the harbor of Chula Vista. Port officials said the swap will keep development away from the National Wildlife Refuge and the Chula Vista Nature Center and move it to the more active harbor area.
The board also approved a second amendment to the relocation agreement between the city of Chula Vista, the San Diego Unified Port District and Rohr Inc., operating as Goodrich Aerostructures, which facilitates the possible location of residential development near Goodrich’s existing manufacturing operations.
The second amendment will create a 1,200-foot setback between proposed residential developments and existing manufacturing operations and ensures that proposed future residential development and existing manufacturing operations on the bayfront will co-exist as “good neighbors.”
The land swap must still be approved by the State Lands Commission. The city of Chula Vista and its redevelopment agency also must approve the final environmental impact report. Approval by the California Coastal Commission also is necessary.
The approvals would open the door for redevelopment of the 550-acre site under the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan. A joint planning effort of the Port, the city of Chula Vista and Pacifica, the project has been in the works for years. It includes a possible resort hotel and convention center, residential development, parkland, open space, office/commercial, recreation, retail and cultural areas. The project will also improve roadways and infrastructure.
Port Leaders Congregate in San Diego
Port officials from across the United States converge today at the San Diego Convention Center for the two-day Department of Transportation’s National Port Summit. The event will feature remarks by Acting Maritime Administrator David T. Matsuda and a town hall-style meeting led by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. Charles Wurster, president and CEO of the Port of San Diego, is to welcome officials at a morning session today, where three panels presentations will take place. On Friday, LaHood will discuss challenges and opportunities in marine transportation.
G2 Software Systems Receives $16.55 Million Contract
G2 Software Systems Inc. has been awarded a $16.55 million contract by SPAWAR Center Pacific in Point Loma to provide command and control technologies and other services. “G2 Software Systems has forged a longstanding, successful relationship with the defense industry that spans more than 20 years,” said Georgia Griffiths, president of the company. The period of performance of the contract is from Jan. 20 through Jan. 19, 2015, with all work being performed in the San Diego area. G2 Software Systems is a woman-owned company that provides software application development and systems engineering solutions to clients.
Sales of Businesses on the Rise
The number of people buying businesses in San Diego County climbed last month by 33 percent compared to the figure for the same month last year, according to information supplied by BizBen.com — businesses for sale in California. The January stats show 68 small and mid market businesses changed hands in the county, compared to the total of 51 sold in January 2009. Most active were the city of San Diego, which accounted for 37 deals, El Cajon with nine closed escrows and Spring Valley, recording four sales.
“After a year of slow activity because so many people were uncertain about the future of the economy, it appears that more and more buyers and sellers are eager to get engaged in small business transactions,” said Peter Siegel, founder and CEO of BizBen.com. He added that “limited access to funds has been a major impediment to sales, but California entrepreneurs are starting to find other ways to succeed in selling and buying businesses.” Siegel said increased seller financing, selling portions of a business and having the buyer assume seller debts are some of the strategies used to help fund transactions, when little or no assistance is coming from lending institutions.
The county’s performance paralleled California small business sales for the month, which increased 24 percent from the same 2009 period. Sales statistics for San Diego County, by city, are Carlsbad: 3, Chula Vista: 1, Del Mar: 1, El Cajon: 9, Encinitas: 1, Escondido: 1, La Jolla: 3, La Mesa: 1, Lakeside: 1, Oceanside: 1, San Diego: 37, San Marcos: 3, San Ysidro: 1, Spring Valley: 4, Vista: 1.
Workshop on Home Energy Management
A free workshop on home energy management will be held Feb. 9 by EcoDog Inc. in conjunction with the California Center for Sustainable Energy. The workshop will be held at the California Center for Sustainable Energy offices in Kearny Mesa from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is free, but seating is limited so attendees must pre-register online at http://bit.ly/SDHomeEnergy or by calling CCSE at (858) 244-1177. The offices are located at 8690 Balboa Ave., Suite 100, San Diego. The presentation will cover:
• How the Smart Grid and smart meters impact residential consumers and electricity rates.
• Why early users are filing lawsuits and why energy monitoring becomes more critical.
• Features and benefits of a variety of home energy management solutions designed to address the needs of different users from apartment dwellers to owners of larger homes and those with alternative energy connections such as solar or wind
• How access to real-time energy consumption data can save 10 to 25 percent and more on electric bills, even without smart meters
• Added benefits of energy monitoring for alternative energy users to maximize savings and return on investment.
Breakfast With the Mayor
The Urban Land Institute will sponsor a “Breakfast With the Mayor” with San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders on Feb. 9 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the University Club, 750 B St., Suite 3400, in Downtown San Diego. During this event, the mayor will ask question of the attendees. Admission is $40 for ULI members, $50 for nonmembers and $25 for students. To register, call (800) 321-5011or visit ulisd.org.
Brookfield Homes Touts Recycling Efforts
Brookfield Homes says that more than 75 percent of the waste generated by the construction of a new home neighborhood in Scripps Ranch has been recycled. Serenity at The Estates at StoneBridge was the first neighborhood by Brookfield Homes to initiate a construction waste recycling program. The company also is recycling construction waste at new home neighborhoods in Chula Vista and Carlsbad. “Brookfield Homes considers recycling a responsibility we should embrace as completely as possible,” said Lora Heramb, vice president of sales and marketing for the Del Mar-based builder. “It makes sense from an environmental perspective and cost-wise it is manageable.” All excess lumber, cement products like roof tiles and stucco, and other waste generated by construction of the new homes near Poway are sorted on the job site and diverted from the landfill to recycling centers.
San Diego Medical Services Announces Promotions
San Diego Medical Services announced the promotion of three key members of its managerial staff — Melanie Barnes, Janet Nelson and Mark Norman. Barnes was promoted to operations manager for Basic Life Support and Critical Care Transport. Barnes has been the Critical Care Transport program manager for nearly six years and has 15 years of nursing experience and an additional 10 years of pre-hospital work. Nelson was promoted to client services supervisor, overseeing the non-emergency client contracts with Kaiser Permanente, Sharp Healthcare and Palomar/Pomerado. Nelson has been working in the ambulance industry since 1994. Norman was promoted to operations manager for advanced life support. He has nearly 30 years of experience in emergency medical services.
Procopio Partners Extend Managing Partner’s Term
Partners at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch have voted to extend the term of managing partner Thomas W. Turner Jr. through calendar year 2012. First elected as managing partner in 2001, Turner serves as the firm’s chief executive and chair of the firm’s management committee. While Turner has been managing partner, the firm has doubled its attorneys and revenues have grown more than 130 percent, the firm said. Turner also led the efforts and negotiations behind the firm’s upcoming May move to its new, 100,000-plus-square-foot space, located atop 525 B Street in Downtown San Diego. Formerly the leader of the firm’s real estate team, Turner maintains his commercial real estate transactional practice. Outside of his law practice, Turner is a member of The Urban Land Institute and the Lawyers Club and has served as president of the San Diego League, Home Start and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. He is the recipient of the Wiley Manuel Award for Excellence in pro bono legal services.
Steve Harrington Joins California Community Bank
Banking industry veteran Steve Harrington has joined California Community Bank as senior vice president, business banking, at its Vista office. Harrington has over 20 years of banking experience in the San Diego and North County markets. He started his career with Wells Fargo Bank and in 1994 joined First Pacific National Bank as a commercial loan officer. After the bank’s sale, he served as a business loan officer with Fallbrook National Bank and San Diego National Bank. Most recently he was the regional manager for 1st Pacific Bank of California in Oceanside. Harrington attended UCSD. He serves on the board of the Vista Chamber of Commerce. California Community Bank is headquartered at 1320 West Valley Parkway in Escondido and operates four branches — Encinitas, Escondido, San Diego and Vista.
Norma Johnson Named Administrator of the Year
Norma Johnson, vice president of children, youth and family services for the Neighborhood House Association, has been selected by the California HeadStart Association as its 2010 Administrator of the Year. In her role at NHA, Johnson is ultimately responsible for the daily care and development of the more than
8,000 children who attend NHA’s Head Start program. The NHA Head Start program is the largest direct service program in the state and the fifth largest in the nation. Johnson joined the Neighborhood House Association in 2006. She has 23 years of experience directing Head Start programs and helped implement a comprehensive child development program at Neighborhood House Association.
Cubic Corp. Subsidiary Produces Super Bowl Cards
eAccess LLC, a subsidiary of Cubic Corp., has produced several thousand Super Bowl Commemorative EASY Cards for Miami-Dade Transit. The NFL-sanctioned commemorative cards went on sale Feb. 1 and are being sold while supplies last from now until game day on Sunday. The cards sport the official NFL and Super Bowl XLIV logos and are sold for $5. Another Cubic subsidiary, Cubic Transportation Systems, developed and delivered Miami-Dade Transit’s smart-card based fare collection system. The fare collection system entered service in October 2009, and is now operational across 22 Metrorail stations and in more than 800 buses.
Business Datebook
Feb. 4
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.
