Daily Business Report — June 10, 2010

School Board to Identify 3 Superintendent Candidates

The final three candidates for superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District will be announced by the Board of Education on June 15 and they will be invited to take part in a televised interview and presentation to the community on June 17 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Education Center at 4100 Normal St.

On June 17, each final candidate will have 45 minutes to answer questions submitted in advance by the public and to present their qualifications. The presentations are open to the public and will be webcast as well as telecast live on Cable Channel 16.

The Board of Education plans to do final interviews with the candidates and make a selection at the end of June or in early July.

Point Loma Seafoods To Get Major Renovation

The family-owned Point Loma Seafoods, one of San Diego’s most popular restaurants and fish markets, will undergo a $2.7 million renovation at the end of the year. The Board of Port Commissioners gave concept approval to the renovation on Wednesday. The plans call for demolition of the existing building and replacing it with one designed in the Monterey, California Cannery Row style. Other plans incorporate a new outdoor dining area with a fire pit and seating wall, new contemporary interior space and kitchen and a second story viewing terrace. The new building will feature a stucco exterior with river-rock and heavy timber accents. A lighthouse tower with a public art component will be added. The project will incorporate sustainable features and low-irrigation water systems.

Point Loma Seafoods is located in the America’s Cup Harbor area near Shelter Island. The restaurant project will be designed to complement the new sportfishing redevelopments in America’s Cup Harbor. The restaurant plans to operate out of a temporary satellite location nearby during the renovation. Completion is expected to take less than a year.

Sunwest Bank Names Head of Encinitas Office

Brian J. Smith has been named relationship manager and senior vice president of the Encinitas office of Sunwest Bank. Smith previously was commercial loan officer, relationship manager and senior vice president of Security Business Bank in Carlsbad. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, including stints at Southwest Community Bank, Peninsula Bank and Bank of America, all in San Diego. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University.

Sunwest Bank acquired three banks in the West in 2009, expanding the bank’s presence in Orange County with the acquisition of Pacific Coast National Bank of San Clemente and MetroPacific Bank of Irvine. Sunwest also acquired First State Bank of Flagstaff, Ariz.

ARK Management Adds to its Portfolio

ARK Management, a commercial property management company, has added more than 100,000 square feet to its third-party management portfolio in May, the company reported.  The firm has added two additional third-party management contracts, which include Siempre Viva III in San Diego and Sycamore Pointe Business Park in Vista. Siempre Viva III is a 55,380-square-foot industrial property comprised of four units ranging in size from 13,845 square feet to 55,380 square feet. PacVentures, a commercial real estate investment and development company based in San Diego, selected ARK Management to handle the management of the property and will eventually manage the association after the units are sold. The property is located in Otay Mesa. Sycamore Pointe Business Park is a two-building industrial park totaling 61,386 square feet. The property includes 15 units ranging in size from 2,482 square feet to 4,983 square feet. ARK Management was selected by the owner to manage the property, construction and tenant improvements. The property is located in the Vista Business Park in Vista.

Law Firm Signs $2.15 Million Lease in Sorrento Mesa

The law firm of Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker has signed a 92-month, $2.15 million lease for 10,681 square feet of office space at 9920 Pacific Heights Blvd., Suite 300, in Sorrento Mesa 92121. The law firm will relocate from its current office at 10145 Pacific Heights Blvd. in July. The lessor, RREEF America REIT III, Corp. DD, was represented by Brunson Howard of Cushman & Wakefield. The lessee was represented by Russ Sande of CresaPartners.

Veralliance Begins $22.7 Million Renovation

Veralliance Properties has begim a $22.7 million renovation of Soledad, a 53,326-square-foot office and R&D project previously known as Westridge Business Park. Veralliance purchased the property in 2006. Fifty percent of the two-building project will be taken up by Cibus Global, a privately held San Diego biotechnology company that specializes in producing environmentally friendly crop traits for the agricultural industry. Cibus will relocate from its current address at 4025 Sorrento Valley Blvd. when the renovation is completed in July. The company will occupy 22,000 square feet in the project, 15,000 square feet of which is designated for lab uses.  Soledad is located at 6455 and 6465 Nancy Ridge Drive in San Diego 92121.

University of Phoenix to Lease Open Classroom Space to Others

The University of Phoenix San Diego Learning Centers in Kearny Mesa, San Marcos and Downtown are leasing open classroom space to nonprofit and for-profit professional and charity organizations Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., when the classrooms are not in use. University officials said most of the university’s space is used on weekday evenings, so the additional space is being offered to help organizations that need one-day or event room rentals. One room is $250, while a double room is $450. Additional resources are available for a nominal fee, such as use of a projector ($95), early entry ($30), cleaning ($75) and Internet access ($50). The learning centers are: Kearny Mesa, 3890 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego 92123; Downtown, 225 Broadway, San Diego 92101; and San Marcos, 277 Rancheros Drive, San Marcos 92069. For more information, contact Manny Trillo at manny.trillo@phoenix.edu.

Executive Director Named for St. Paul’s PACE

Carol J. Hubbard has been named executive director of St. Paul’s PACE, a nonprofit organization providing services for the elderly. She replaces Allan Allgood. For the past two years, Hubbard has been the center director at the organization. Before joining the organization, she was administrator/executive director at OPTIONS Occupational Therapy and Consulting. Hubbard taught for 12 years at Grossmont College. As an adjunct faculty member of the college’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, she was responsible for developing and teaching interpersonal relations and documentation courses. Previous experience includes serving as founder, vice president and CFO of On The Edge Watersports, a luxury ski boat dealership.

Mike Barone of Intercare Insurance Receives Best-in-Nation Ranking

Mike Barone, president and CEO of Intercare Insurance, has earned best-in-the-nation ranking from Risk & Insurance Magazine for “nimbleness in a quickly changing market and innovative solutions to contain benefit costss for his clients.” For the second time since 2008, Barone won Benefits Power Broker in the Disability category.  Barone was also named Responsibility Leader in the Disability category, an award the publication bestows on a broker evidencing extraordinary commitment to the human wellbeing. Barone was recognized for dedication to improving his clients’ overall health and using the improved health statistics to negotiate better disability rates. Of the 20 Power Brokers winners named this year, San Diego-based Intercare claimed two of the awards, including Barone’s. John Kahle, Intercare’s chief wellness officer, prevailed in the Healthcare Benefits Power Broker category. He was lauded for his tenacity in working with national carriers to establish fair and affordable medical benefits for a client’s dependents and his ground-breaking effort to help a 400-employee company self-insure after the firm was told it was “too small.”

SCORE San Diego Small Business Workshops

• June 11 – Hiring and Managing Employees – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 12 – QuickBooks Basic – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• June 14 – Managing Grants and Contracts 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).

• June 15 – Internet Marketing 302: Develop a Winning E-mail Marketing Success Strategy – 9 a.m. to noon at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 16 – How to Start and Manage Your Own Business – Carlsbad – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• June 18 – Tax Considerations for Small Business – 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).

• June 19 – How to Start and Manage Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• June 22 – Legal Issues for Small Business: Contracts and Leases – Carlsbad – 9 a.m. to noon at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 23 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).

• June 23 – Financing Your Business – Carlsbad – 9:30 a.m. to noon at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door)

• June 23 – Good Governance 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).

• June 24 – Small Business Marketing – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• June 25 – Insurance: What You Need to Know to Protect You and Your Business – Carlsbad – 9 a.m. to noon at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 26 – Internet Marketing 304: Cost-Effective Internet Marketing Tools – 9 a.m. to noon at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 29 – Internet Marketing 303: Social Media for Small Businesses – 9 a.m. to noon at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• June 30 – QuickBooks Basic – Carlsbad – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

For more information on the workshops, call (619) 557-7272.

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.