Daily Business Report — Sept. 3, 2010

40 Under 40 Invitation

Forty of the San Diego region’s best and brightest minds will be toasted on Sept. 9 at the 11th annual 40 Under 40 Awards program luncheon sponsored by San Diego Metropolitan Magazine. It will be held at noon in Ballroom 6 A&B at the San Diego Convention Center. Tickets are $75. Tables are $750. For tickets, contact Cyndi Meeves at (619) 906-4105. Read about the accomplishments of the winners in our September issue.

Weeks Retires from East County Economic Development Council

Deanna Weeks, one of the longest tenured economic development executive in California, has retired as president and CEO of the East County Economic Development Council after 25 years in the post. Jo Marie Diamond, who has served as vice president since 2001, will serve as interim president and CEO. ECEDC was founded in 1984 and was the first regional economic development council to be established in San Diego County. The organization is an alliance of representatives from business, government and education in the East County regions of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee, Alpine, Lakeside and Spring Valley.

During the economic recession of the early 1990s, Weeks spearheaded the ECEDC’s receipt of a first-of-its-kind in the nation grant from the Department of Defense to study the needs of small defense-related firms in the East County. From that project evolved the Internet connectivity tool for businesses called the Connectory Network.

“Deanna Weeks has been just an outstanding leader in representing and advancing East County’s economic development and the businesses that make it hum,” said Barry Jantz, ECEDC chairman. “She has been innovative, persistent and effective, a visionary leader who has made it possible for local companies to connect with buyers and suppliers all over the world. Because of her leadership, ECEDC is well positioned for the future.”

During her tenure, said Jantz, Weeks helped strengthen career and technical education in East County high schools and community colleges with an economic development connection. Since 2004, the East County Economic Development Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the ECEDC, has contributed more than $400,000 to benefit East County shop classes and students at high schools and community colleges. She also is credited with gathering support for math/science field days at Cuyamaca College; introducing local philanthropic foundations to specific workforce-preparation programs at Grossmont College and co-founding the East County K-16 Collaborative, a joint effort of community, education and business that focused on understanding, communicating and improving student transition and success with the use of K-16 data.

Prior to joining ECEDC, Weeks worked at the Center on Aging at San Diego State University where she developed curriculum for police and sheriff training.

Downtown Site Purchased for Affordable Housing

Centre City Development Corp. and Wakeland Housing and Development Corp. plan to develop an affordable housing project on a 22,500-square-foot site at 1446 Fifth Ave. in Downtown San Diego. CCDC was assigned the purchase agreement for the parcel by Wakeland Housing. D&A Semi Annual Mortgage Fund III, LP previously foreclosed on the excavated site in March 2009. As part of the close, D&A backfilled the excavated site, which was originally planned to be a 75-unit condo project that stopped construction in 2006. Victor Krebs and Rob Morgan of Colliers International represented the buyer and the seller.

Legislative Summit Focuses on Water

San Diego Coastkeeper will hold its first bipartisan Legislative Summit Breakfast on Sept. 30 at 7:30 a.m. at the UCSD Faculty Club’s Atkinson Pavilion. The breakfast will be co-hosted by state Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego). The event will bring the state’s legislative delegation, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and members of the City Council together with leaders in business and the environmental sector for an overview of the state of water in San Diego. Tickets for the event are $30 for San Diego Coastkeeper members and $50 for nonmembers. They can be purchased online at sdcoastkeeper.org.

Verenium Sells San Diego R&D Facilities to BP

Verenium Corp. has closed the sale of its cellulosic biofuels business, including its research and development facilities in San Diego, to BP, for $98.3 million. BP retained select personnel needed to continue the cellulosic biofuels development program. It also became the sole owner of Vercipia Biofuels and Galaxy Biofuels, the 50-50 joint ventures created by the Verenium and BP.

Bekins Renews Lease for $2.4 Million

Bekins Moving Solutions Inc. has signed a 73-month, $2.4 million lease renewal for 71,865 square feet of warehouse and distribution space at 2025 Gillespie Way in El Cajon. Bekins was represented by Mickey Morera of Cushman & Wakefield. The lessor, Governor Park Investors LLC, represented itself.

Hotel Indigo Holds Inaugural Charity Golf Tourney

Hotel Indigo’s inaugural “Fore a Cause” charity golf tournament will be held Sept. 14 at Maderas Golf Club in Poway to benefit the local StandUp for Kids nonprofit organization. Registration opens at 11a.m. and golfers will tee up at 1 p.m. The cost is $175 for individuals and $600 for a group of four players. Registration includes green fees, use of the practice facility, rules sheet, boxed lunch, drink coupons, giveaway bag, team photo and a dinner reception afterwards. For more information and to register, visit: hotelsandiegodowntown.com/html/charity-golf-tournament.asp.

SCORE San Diego Small Business Workshops

• Sept. 8 – QuickBooks Advanced – 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)

• Sept. 9 – How to Start a Non-Profit – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Rd #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door)

• Sept. 10 – Professional Selling – 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)

• Sept. 11 – 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)

• Sept. 14 – 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)

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.