Daily Business Report — April 20, 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.Visithttp://sandiegometro.com/40under40/ for a nomination form.

Major Street Repaving Project Announced

Mayor Jerry Sanders on Monday announced the start of a major street repaving program — largest in city history — involving 134 miles of city streets. “More than 1,000 city blocks will benefit from this work,” said Sanders. “With this project, we’re doing as many miles of asphalt overlay as we have in the previous eight fiscal years combined. Some of these streets are in such poor condition they’ve become downright notorious. A Mira Mesa resident recently suggested that the only vehicle sturdy enough to handle Mira Mesa Boulevard would be a tank. The list goes on and on of other streets in dire need of repaving — Nobel Drive, Morena Boulevard, Carmel Mountain Road.”

A list of the streets to be repaved is available on the city’s Website: sandiego.gov.

Green Building Council Selects New Executive Director

The San Diego chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council has selected Doug Kot as its new executive director. Kot previously was a senior consultant for KEMA Services Inc. for sustainable planning and green building. Kot also developed a service model for Green Roundtable, the Boston affiliate of the U.S. Green Building Council. “As executive director, he will be instrumental in influencing the region to adopt green building design and operations that are healthy, high-performance places to live and work, and that improve our quality of life while being resource efficient,” said Zachary Pannier, president of the local chapter. One of Kot’s duties will be to begin initial groundwork for the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Diego.

Kot has acquired many recognitions and certifications, including a certified planner member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, an architect member of the American Institute of Architects, and a LEED accredited professional of the USGBC. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in architecture at Pennsylvania State University and completed international studies in Rome, Italy and Cergy-Pontoise, France. In addition, he earned two master’s degrees from UC Berkeley.

Grants Competition to Aid Health Care for the Poor

Alliance Healthcare Foundation will hold a special grants competition this summer aimed at providing more access to health care for the underserved. Called The Innovation Initiative, the program will grant up to $1 million over as many as three years to a single entrepreneurial idea to improve the health care delivery system for the poor and working poor. The competition is open to applicants from all over the world, athough proposals must benefit communities in the greater San Diego region. For the Innovation Initiative grant, an applicant must meet several criteria. Proposals must demonstrate outstanding and new levels of collaboration with diverse partners. They must exhibit an innovative orientation to problem solving and must propose a program that has not been done before. The proposals should address an entrenched problem of health and delivery for the underserved. AHF also solicits proposals for programs with associated costs greater than $1 million with other sources of funding.

On May 3, AHF will host the Innovation in Healthcare San Diego Conference at the San Diego Mission Valley Marriott. Adam Bosworth, former vice president of engineering for Google Inc. and architect of Google Health, will lecture on the applications of technology and health.

Letters of Intent for funding consideration in the Innovation Initiative are due at alliancehf.org by June 28. Those who are requested to submit full proposals will be notified in July. The winning applicant will be notified in late October 2010.

SDSU Renames School to Honor Robert Payne

San Diego State’s Hospitality and Tourism Management school is being renamed the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management as a tribute to Robert Payne of the L. Robert Payne and Patricia L. Payne Foundation. Robert Payne is making a new $2.4 million gift to the school. He made a previous $1.1 million contribution that originally launched the program in 1999. Payne also was a major contributor to SDSU’sParma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, which opened in October 2009.

Reality Show Winners to Guest Speak in San Diego

Cheyne Whitney and Meghan Rickey, winners of the “Amazing Race” reality TV show, will be featured speakers at the April 22 membership drive kickoff of the San Diego chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association. It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Mission Valley Resort, 875 Hotel Circle South in Mission Valley. For $35, attendees will be treated to hors d’oeuvres and a no host bar, door prizes, drawings for golf items, and the product samples from sponsors, among them Golf Mart, Sycuan Casinos, Silpada Jewelry, Pilates by Claire, The Sauce Goddess and Annika Perfumes. For more information, visit ewga-sd.org.

Landscapers Hold April 29 Mixer

The San Diego chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association will hold an afternoon mixer on April 29 to share solutions to landscaping and business challenges. It will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Elephant Bar, 17051 West Bernardo Drive, in Rancho Bernardo. Admission is free. For more event information, call Diane Downey at (760) 804-1661.

Ahern Insurance Brokerages Hires Account Executive

Randy Gust, a 10-year veteran of the real estate industry, has been hired as an account executive for Ahern Insurance Brokerage and will be based in the firm’s San Diego office. Gust’s duties will include account management and new business development for lawyers professional liability insurance. Gust previously served as a real estate manager with CB Richard Ellis. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Colorado State University.

Rady School Partners With Nanyang Business School

The Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the Rady School of Management at UCSD have signed an agreement to launch a joint executive development program — the Leadership and Innovation in Science and Technology (LIST) — through a series of courses held in the U.S. and Singapore. The accelerated one-month residential program prepares high-potential science and technology professionals for translating research ideas into commercially viable growth ventures. The program is directed by Professor Vish V. Krishnan of the Rady School of Management and Professor S. Viswanathan of Nanyang Business School.

Kyocera International Promotes William Edwards

Kyocera International Inc. has promoted William J. Edwards from vice president and treasurer to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Edwards joined Kyocera in 1984. His 26-year career with the company has included responsibilities in the financial, accounting and administrative management of Kyocera’s North American operations. He will continue to report to Kyocera International Inc. President John S. Rigby.

Kyoto Scholarship Winners Announced

The Kyoto Symposium Organization and The San Diego Foundation, in collaboration with Japan’s Inamori Foundation, announced the six recipients of the 2010-2011 Kyoto Scholarships, valued at $10,000 each. Named in honor of the Kyoto Prize, Japan’s highest private award for lifetime achievement, the scholarships recognize outstanding high school seniors from San Diego County and the greater Tijuana region.

Receiving scholarships in the “Advanced Technology” category are Anna Kornfeld-Simpson, a senior at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego; and Daniel Alejandro Valera Gómez, a senior at CETYS Universidad Campus Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2009 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr.Isamu Akasaki, a semiconductor scientist who serves as a university professor at Nagoya University and a professor at Meijo University in Japan.

Receiving scholarships in the “Basic Sciences” category are Kelly Zhao, a senior at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego; and Pamela DuránHeredia, a senior at UIA Tijuana. Both wrote about 2009 Kyoto Prize laureates Drs. Peter and Rosemary Grant, professors emeriti at Princeton University and the first husband-and-wife team to receive the Kyoto Prize.

Receiving the scholarships in the “Arts and Philosophy” category are Kati Dulaney, a senior at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego; andBenjamín Castro Martínez, a senior at CETYS Universidad Campus Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2009 Kyoto Prize laureate Maestro Pierre Boulez, an internationally acclaimed composer, conductor, and honorary director of the Paris-based Institute for Research and Coordination Acoustic/Music.

Business Datebook

April 21

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP: San Diego Press Club hosts a panel of photojournalists to discuss new digital tools and share tips on taking compelling photos and videos. Panelists: Nancee Lewis, photojournalist; Sam Hodgson, former reporter-photographer for voiceofsandiego.org; and Joe Little, 10News Team reporter for ABC affiliate KGTV. 6 to 8 p.m., Essy’s Studio (adjacent to the Sports Arena). Free for Press Club members, $10 for nonmembers. For reservations, call (858) 274-6160 or e-mail to: reservation-sdpc@cox.net.

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.

April 28

WORKSHOP: Grossmont College Career Center will present “Job Interview Fitness,” a free workshop from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Career Center, Room 627, on campus. Topics: job interview tips, ethics and etiquette. Speakers:  Nancy Davis, Grossmont College student development services supervisor, and Carole Martin of The Interview Coach. For more information or to reserve a seat, phone (619) 644-7614.

April 29

PROGRAM: The World Trade Center presents “Standards, Connections, Pathways and Problem Solving — the DNA of Lean,” featuring Samuel Obara of Honsha demonstrating why so many companies fail when trying to implement lean strategies. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., World Trade Center conference room, Downtown. $35 for members, $45 for nonmembers. Walk-ins, $55. For information, call (619) 615-0868, Ext. 111. To register, visit wtcsd.org.

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.