Daily Business Report — Jan. 17, 2011

Bill Geppert Retires From Cox Communications

Bill Geppert, senior vice president and general manager of Cox Communications who is credited with leading the company to a five-fold increase in revenues and tripling the number of employees since 1995, has announced his retirement. He will continue in his job through February. During Geppert’s career at Cox, the company launched high-speed Internet, residential telephone service, telecasts of Padres games and other business services. The company today is the largest provider of voice, video and data services in the region.

Geppert will be succeeded by David Bialis, who ran the Cox operation in Oklahoma for nearly 20 years and was most recently senior vice president for operations, overseeing the Cox systems in California, Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana.

Geppert, who ends a 30-year career in the communications industry, established the Cox Kids Foundation, which has donated more than $3.5 million to the community, and launched Channel 4 San Diego, which produces local programing such as “Salute to Teachers,” “San Diego Insider Magazine” and Padres baseball. Geppert said he will remain in San Diego and focus his full attention on giving back to the community.

Pacific Station Completed in Encinitas

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $40 million Pacific Station development in downtown Encinitas will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 on the main plaza of the station, 687 South Coast Highway. With completion of construction, the mixed-use project has started residential sales and is wrapping up leasing and tenant improvements for its commercial elements. “Almost 90 percent of the commercial space is now under contract,” said John DeWald of Cardiff-based John DeWald & Associates, lead development partner in the Pacific Station project. “Pacific Station has drawn tremendous interest from retailers, who recognize the unique synergy of design, location and lifestyle offered by this project.” “Of the 40,000 square feet of  total retail space, only one small space currently remains available.” Whole Foods Market, the anchor tenant, is nearing completion of the permit process and expects to begin construction in early 2011. Other retail tenants include a restaurant and several unique shops. “Solace and Moonlight Lounge, the restaurant tenant, is nearly 50 percent complete with interior improvements and we expect them to be opening in late January,” said DeWald. “One tenant, ICONS, is now open.”

Pacific Station has leased more than half of the 9,000 square feet of available office space and sales of the project’s 47 residential units is under way. With prices from the $300,000s to $700,000s, homes include a mix of two-story town homes, two-story lofts and single-story flats ranging from 600 to 2,300 square feet in size.

Design Work Starts for COBRA – PUMA GOLF

Design work is under way for a 56,185-square-foot office, R&D, manufacturing and warehouse facility for the COBRA – PUMA Golf Co. at 1818 Aston Ave. in Carlsbad. Smith Consulting Architects is doing the design work. PUMA AG purchased Cobra Golf last May, combining the Cobra Golf and PUMA Golf brands to create the new company. The two brands will continue to be developed separately but collaborate on operations, research, design and marketing. The tenant improvement-remodeling project will update the existing Cobra Golf facility to accommodate the new COBRA – PUMA Golf company’s operations. Tenant improvement construction begins this month with completion targeted for August. Bryan Tremble, director of operations for COBRA – PUMA Golf, and Richard Ruzylo, facilities manager, are providing project oversight. Mark Langan, vice president with Smith Consulting Architects, is serving as the project architect, with Erica Roman  as interior designer. MPE Consulting is the electrical engineer and OfficePlanIt is the furniture vendor. Reno Contracting is the general contractor.

Del Mar Public Works Director to Retire

David Scherer, public works director for the city of Del Mar since 2000, will retire in April. The city said Scherer is largely responsible for the city’s successful procurement of the federal and state grants funding the restoration and seismic retrofit of the city’s historical North Torrey Pines Bridge under contract now in the amount of $13.6 million. He has also been instrumental in securing improvements for other infrastructure assets including restoration of the water reservoirs and the replacement of the city’s primary sewer pump station located near the tennis courts currently under construction. Scherer holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Arkansas. He was the city engineer for the city of Little Rock, Ark., prior to joining the city in September 2000.  He will be relocating to Santa Barbara to pursue other interests.

Senior Trial Counsel Named for Tyson & Mendes

Scott M. Kolod has become the new senior trial counsel for Tyson & Mendes. Kolod has more than 28 years of civil trial experience. For the past 14 years he has been the managing partner at Kolod, Wager & Nolan, a 27 attorney litigation firm with offices throughout California. Before that,. Kolod spent 13 years at the international defense firm of Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold. He holds a bachelor’s degreee from Indiana University and received his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

SAFE Granted $33,498 in Aid During 2010

The San Diego Advertising Fund for Emergencies (SAFE), a volunteer, nonprofit organization that provides confidential financial assistance to local advertising and marketing professionals and their families facing a life crisis emergency, has announced that it provided $33,498 in grants in 2010. Since its founding in 2000, SAFE has approved grants exceeding $311,836, including $54,715 in 2009, and $123,549 in 2008. According to Scotty Morache, SAFE board president, grants have been used over the years for medical debts and medicine for individuals dealing with life-threatening diseases. Other grants have helped pay for food, gasoline and rent during employment interruption resulting from critical illness, accident or injury.

Small Business Workshops

SCORE San Diego has scheduled January workshops to help small business owners and those interested in starting a small business. Fees range from $29 to $109. For more information, call (619) 557-7272. To register for a workshop online, visit scoresandiego.org.

Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:

• Jan. 18 – Restaurant 101 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• Jan. 19 – Internet Marketing 301: Increase Sales Through Pay-Per-Click – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• Jan. 20 – Internet Marketing 101: Use the Internet to Successfully Marketing Your Business – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• Jan. 21 – Women’s Networking Breakfast – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; pre-paid registration $30 by Jan. 18, $40 thereafter).

• Jan. 21 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; no charge – please pre-register).

• Jan. 24 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now! – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• Jan. 24 – Insurance: What You Need to Know – 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).

• Jan. 25 – Introduction to Starting Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• Jan. 26 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).

• Jan. 26 – Good Governance for Nonprofits: Effective Board Performance – 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).

• Jan. 27 – Internet Marketing 302: Develop a Winning E-mail Marketing Success Strategy – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• Jan. 27 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• Jan. 28 – Marketing and Contracting with State and Local Governments – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• Jan. 31 – Intellectual Property: Promise and Practicalities – 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).

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