Daily Business Report — April 6, 2010
40 Under 40 Nominations
Nominations are now open for San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s 11th annual 40 Under 40 awards. The nomination period ends May 31. The honorees will be feted at our annual luncheon on Sept. 9 at the San Diego Convention Center and profiled in the September issue of the magazine. Visit http://sandiegometro.com/40under40/ for a nomination form.
Demolition Plans for South Bay Power Plant Scrutinized
The Board of Port Commissioners today will review plans for the demolition and cleanup of the South Bay Power Plant property on Chula Vista’s bayfront, a project that will free up waterfront land for future development. Before the work can begin, permits must be issued and the “reliability must run” designation set by the California Independent System Operator from the plant’s two remaining operating units must be removed.
The plant had four operating units until December 2009, when the ISO removed the reliability must run status from them. The agency will decide in October whether the two remaining units should continue operating in 2011.
The power plant’s two remaining units, which are operated by Dynegy Inc., have a combined generating capacity of 294 megawatts and the ISO considers them important for maintaining local power reliability while other power sources are brought into service, according to the San Diego Port District. Dynegy will oversee the demolition and remediation project.
“The Port of San Diego is looking forward to the start of this project,” said Robert “Dukie” Valderrama, chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “We will work closely with Dynegy to ensure that the environmental review is conducted thoroughly, yet in a timely manner.”
The Port District is expected to select a consultant in June to prepare an environmental impact report on the demolition project. The environmental review process is to take about 18 months. The demolition and cleanup of the area will be completed in less than three years, according to the Port District.
The Port acquired the plant in 1999 from San Diego Gas & Electric Co. with the intent of decommissioning and demolishing it. The plant has been operated by SDG&E, Duke Energy, LS Power and Dynegy Inc.
UCSD and Saudia Arabia Sign Technology Collaboration Pact
UCSD and Saudi Arabia’s national science institutions have signed a three-year agreement to collaborate on the development of information technology systems and advanced communications.
The Saudi institutions that are parties to the agreement are the Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), the main telecommunications carrier in Saudi Arabia and the region, and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). The UCSD Division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) is the university’s signatory, represented by its director, Ramesh Rao. The signing ceremony was held in Riyadh
“This is a win-win situation for Calit2 and our Saudi partners,” said Rao. “At a time when campus and state budgets are strained in California, this agreement will help support the work of faculty and students who will primarily be working in our research labs in San Diego. At the same time, KACST has a large work force of researchers who will be able to collaborate in person or remotely via videoconferencing with their world-class California counterparts. With Saudi Telecom, we also have an important ally as we prototype and test new wireless solutions for Saudi Arabia, especially in the health sector.”
KACST is currently working to move beyond research and development to provide and deliver tangible results for the benefits of the public and private sectors in the kingdom, said Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al Saud, vice president for research institutes for KACST. He added that the agreement will implement more than 10 projects to provide tangible products to serve vital sectors, such as health, traffic, pilgrimage and tourism. The projects, he said, will have economic returns and contribute to building a knowledge-based society in Saudi Arabia.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a tripartite research partnership with UC San Diego and Saudi Telecom,” said Prince Turki after the ceremony. “I have visited the campus in California on multiple occasions, and it became abundantly clear that Calit2 has deep experience with prototyping technologies of direct benefit to society — an important goal for KACST. Our researchers and industry specialists will get the opportunity to collaborate with some of the best engineers in the world as they look for solutions that can work in the global context.”
The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, KACST’s president, and former UC President Robert Dynes.
Office Condo Purchased for $322,040
DM&A Inc., has purchased the 2,169-square-foot office condo at 871 Bowsprit Road in Chula Vista for $322,040. The buyer, was represented by Jennifer Elia of NAI San Diego. The seller, IB Property Holdings LLC, was represented by John Stenberg of Intero Asset Services.
San Diego Regional Tribal Summit Set for Friday
Transportation will be the focus of attention on Friday when the SANDAG board of directors and the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association conduct the 2010 San Diego Regional Tribal Summit. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Harrah’s Rincon and will be hosted by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. The SANDAG board, which is comprised of elected officials from all 18 cities and the county government, will sit down with the Chairmen’s Association, comprised of elected leaders of the 17 federally recognized tribal governments in the region and two from outside the county. The meeting is open to the public.
“This meeting will focus on developing tribal transportation priorities and strategies for implementing them,” SANDAG Chair and Escondido Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler said. “But an even larger goal will be to continue to build stronger relationships and more successful collaborations between the region’s tribes and the municipal governments of San Diego County.”
This will be the third summit between the two associations. The first took place in 2002 and the second in 2006. Previous summits led to the addition of tribal representatives as advisory members on the SANDAG board and its policy committees, as well as to the inclusion of tribal issues in regional plans prepared by SANDAG.
Appointments
Paul McCormick has been appointed vice president and general manager of La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad. McCormick has more than 23 years of resort, club and golf experience. His previous work was as vice president and managing director of Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, a post he held for three years. McCormick also was vice president and general manager of La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West. Before working at La Quinta, McCormick was special projects director at La Costa Resort. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Las Vegas.
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Norman McKee has been appointed chief financial officer of Local Media of America, a San Diego-based radio broadcasting company and an affiliate of Thoma Bravo LLC, a private equity firm. He will oversee LMA’s financial operations and will report to LMA CEO John Lynch. McKee served for more than 10 years as the CFO of Saga Communications Inc. Most recently, he was CFO of Live Sports Radio LLC, an in-stadium broadcasting business. McKee is a CPA and began his career with Price Waterhouse. He has a bachelor’ degree from Western Michigan University.
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Paul Vanden Brook has joined the U.S. Bancorp Investments Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Insurance Services LLC team in San Diego as a financial adviser. Vanden Brook previously was a financial adviser with Chase Investments Services Corp. He is a graduate of Ferris State College in Michigan.
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Dr. Joseph Smith has been named chief medical and science officer for West Wireless Health Institute and will be responsible for leading the institute’s medical research and clinical-focused activities. Smith joins the institute after serving as vice president, emerging technologies for Johnson and Johnson. He holds a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Ph.D. from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. West Wireless Health was founded in March 2009 with a $45 million gift from the Gary and Mary West Foundation. Its mission is to cut the cost of health care through the use of wireless technologies.
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Kathleen Repine has been named as an executive assistant at Cavignac & Associates, the San Diego-based risk management firm. Repine is responsible for providing administrative support to all departments of the agency. Prior to joining the company, she worked for two years as a research assistant to the data analyst at William O’Neil & Co. Inc., a national investment information company supporting the institutional investment community. A native of San Diego, Repine holds a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College.
Northrop Grumman Exec Leads San Diego Fleet Week Foundation
John Pettit, corporate lead executive at Northtrop Grumman San Diego, is the new president of the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation, producer of Fleet Week San Diego and its marquee event, the Coronado Speed Festival. Other board members are Henry Johnson, director of business operations at the Naval Information Systems Center, vice president/president-elect; Dave Jennings, program manager at Lockheed Martin Corp., treasurer; and Jeff Robin, attorney at law, secretary. New board members are Mike Allen, Harold Elkan, Dr. Mitch Heroman and John Moffett.
Edward R. Moss will serve as chair of Fleet Week San Diego 2010. Moss spent 33 years in the media business, serving as president and publisher of newspaper companies in California, Michigan, Ohio, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the board of the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
SCORE San Diego’s Small Business Workshops This Week
• Tuesday, April 6 – Marketing for Nonprofits – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Road, #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
• Wednesday, April 7 – Business Plan 101: How to Develop Your Best Competitive Advantage – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $79, $89 at the door).
• Thursday, April 8 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• Internet Marketing 301: Increase Sales Through Pay-Per-Click – Carlsbad – 9 a.m. to noon at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door)
• Friday, April 9 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
Business Datebook
April 9
SEMINAR: National Association of Women Business Owners San Diego continues its monthly seminar series. Angie Swartz of Square Martini Media will present “Using LinkedIn as a Marketing Tool.” Noon to 1 p.m., Brandman University, 7460 Mission Valley Road, San Diego. NAWBO San Diego members free, nonmembers $25. Box lunches provided. Online reservations at nawbo-sd.org.
CONGRESSIONAL LUNCHEON: San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce to host its annual Congressional Luncheon, presented by BAE Systems, at the Holiday Inn on the Bay, 1355 N. Harbor Drive, in Downtown San Diego. Registration at 11 a.m., luncheon and program noon to 1 p.m. Confirmed representatives include Congresswoman Susan Davis and Congressmen Bob Filner, Duncan D. Hunter and Darrell Issa. Moderator, Dennis Morgigno of Channel 4 San Diego.
April 13
PANEL PROGRAM: The cost and legal ramifications of the proposed California High Speed Rail system will be discussed at a program sponsored by the Urban Land Institute San Diego/Tijuana. 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the University Club, 750 B St., in Downtown San Diego. Panelists: John Chalker, member of the California Transit Commission; Steve DeBaum, partner with Best Best & Krieger; and Job Nelson, director of intergovernmental relations for the San Diego Mayor’s Office. Moderator: Jose Martinez, regional program manager for the California High Speed Rail Authority. $40 for ULI members, $50 for nonmembers. To register, call (800) 321-5011 or visit ulisd.org.
April 14
CONFERENCE: San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts tri-national conference to discuss competitiveness, innovation and clean energy. Principals include U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Canada Minister of Industry Tony Clement and Mexico Secretary of Economy Gerardo Ruiz Mateos. Invited participants: Gov. Schwarzanegger and Baja California Gov. Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millan. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Tijuana Mayor Jorge Ramos will participate. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., main theater, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, 5998 Alcala Park, on the campus of University of san Diego. Conference and luncheon cost, $35 ($20 for students). To reserve, call (619) 296-0605, Ext. 234, or visit sdchamber-members.org/MBC2.htm.
April 17
FREE WORKSHOP: Entrepreneurial Excellence Workshop sponsored by the Universiy of Phoenix Kearny Mesa Learning Center, 3870/3890 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego. 9 a.m. to noon. Topics include outllook for small business in San Diego, business opportunities, legal issues for small businesses, search engine marketing, among others. Sports psychologist Casey Cooper to talk on “Home Run Leadership Styles.” To sign up, contact Gray Miller at (858) 650-4612.
April 20
PRESENTATION: Juval Aviv, president and CEO of Interfor Inc., will discuss some of the major financial fraud cases he has investigated during 30 years in the corporate investigations field, including personal anecdotes. Sponsor: Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) San Diego. 7 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. program, Doubletree Hotel Hazard Center, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, SanDiego. Free for ACG members, $50 for nonmembers. Make reservations at acteva.com.
April 21
LUNCHEON: Joon Han, founder and strategy specialist with Better San Diego, to speak on “Getting Ahead by Giving Back” at the luncheon meeting of the National Association of Women Business Owners San Diego. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sheraton La Jolla, 3299 Holiday Court, La Jolla. Early bird pricing for members and guests available through April 15. For more information and online registration, visit nawbo-sd.org.
May 18
BREAKFAST MEETING: San Diego Association for Corporate Growth presents a program on “Deal Making for the Family-Owned Business — Transition or Sale? A Live Family Case Study.” Presentations by a successful San Diego family and experts on how to transition. 7 a.m. registration. Breakfast and program, 7:40 to 9 a.m., Doubletree Hotel Hazard Center, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego. Free to ACG members, $5- for others. Reserve at acteva.com/go/acgsd.
The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.
