Daily Business Report — Feb. 3, 2011
Vargas to Author Statewide Superstore Law
A day after the San Diego City Council voted to repeal the controversial superstore ordinance — a measure requiring big retailers to perform economic impact studies before getting permission to build new stores — Democratic state Sen. Juan Vargas announced he will introduce legislation that would essentially do the same thing statewide.
Vargas said in a press release that his proposed legislation, the “Small and Neighborhood Business Protection Act,” would require developers of superstores to submit a report studying the economic impact a proposed superstore would have on the surrounding community’s small and neighborhood businesses, jobs, property values, public services, tax revenues, traffic and Main Street business districts.
According to Vargas, the bill will ensure the public has comprehensive information about the impact of superstores that measure more than 90,000 square feet in size and dedicate more than 10 percent of their floor space to grocery sales, before one can be built in a local jurisdiction. The bill will require the applicant of the superstore to pay for the study, “resulting in no additional financial expense to the local government that will review the study.”
“Small and neighborhood businesses are the backbone of every local economy,” said Vargas. “The public deserves the right to know what will happen to these businesses before a superstore developer comes into a community and potentially puts these businesses and the entire local economy at risk. While not banning superstores outright, this bill will create the transparency that local communities need to make sure corporations that want to build and operate these giant big-box businesses don’t harm existing businesses, jobs, public services and neighborhoods.”
The Cirty Council voted to repeal the superstore ordinance after Walmart gathered the necessary signatures to place the measure on the ballot in an election costing $3.4 million that the city would have had to pay for. “It is a travesty that an out-of-state, billion-dollar corporation could march into our community, spend a fortune on a misleading campaign that attacked city leaders for standing up for local businesses, and repeal a policy that would have brought much-needed transparency to local government,” Vargas said. “We should be demanding more from corporations that want to do business in our community, not allowing them to put our communities’ local economies at risk with no questions asked. If the San Diego City Council won’t stand up to Wal-Mart, the state of California should.”
EnXco Corporate Headquarters Completed
Construction has been completed on new corporate offices of enXco, a renewable energy company that designs, constructs and operates wind and solar projects in North America. The 51,200-square-foot offices, located at 15445 Innovation Drive in San Diego, were completed by Johnson & Jennings General Contracting. The facilities include two floors of offices, conference space, casual meeting areas, a server and lunchroom and a fitness center with showers. The building also has a working rooftop solar array designed by enXco. The offices were designed and constructed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for commercial interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Randy Clark, facilities manager for enXco, was project manager. Joe O’Hollearn, Maruka Tarabay and Monica Peralta of IR2 provided design services.
Johnson & Jennings’ project team included Carl Haines as senior project manager, Robert Gutierrez as project superintendent and Erin Downing as project engineer. Project subcontractors included Casper Company, Equity Cabinets, American Insulation, McBride Door & Hardware, Caldwell Glass, Interior Specialties, East County Tile, Grani, Howard’s Rug Company, Quality Painting, Western Fire Protection, Custom Interiors by Yigael, KMP Plumbing, Mechanical Systems Contractors and Rowan Electric.
Economics Roundtable Set for Feb. 17
Victor Nichols, chief executive officer of Experian North America, will give a talk on “Viewing the Recession Through the Lens of Consumer Data” at the Feb. 17 Economics Roundtable at the UCSD Faculty Club. The 7:30 a.m. event is $50, which includes continental breakfast and parking. Nichols, a 1978 graduate of UCSD, became CEO of Experian North America in January. Prior to his appointment, he was leader of Experian’s marketing services practice globally. He joined Experian in early 2007 with 27 years of experience in the fields of finance and technology. Nichols was previously chief information officer for Wells Fargo & Co. and also served as CEO of VICOR. He holds a master’s degree from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from UCSD. To register for the event, visit economics.ucsd.edu/roundtable.
Richard C. Atkinson to be Honored
The San Diego chapter of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) will hold its 26th annual Scientist of the Year Dinner on March 18 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel. The recipient of this year’s Scientist of the Year Award is Richard C. Atkinson, president emeritus of the University of California system and professor emeritus of cognitive science and psychology at UCSD. ARCS is dedicated to advancing science and technology by providing financial awards to outstanding U.S. scholars studying to complete degrees in science, engineering, and medical research. CONNECT CEO Duane Roth and Innovation Programs Director Taylor Peterson are members of the Community Advisory Council of ARCS.
Fairbanks Country Villas Sold
A partnership between Mountain Real Estate Capital (MREC) and Davidson Communities has acquired the Fairbanks Country Villas development in San Diego, a 92.7-acre parcel containing 85 single-family residential lots. The purchase price was not disclosed. “Fairbanks Country Villas represents a great investment opportunity and allows MREC to continue to grow its platform in San Diego with Davidson Communities,” said MREC Chief Executive Officer Peter Fioretti. “We have been pursuing this acquisition for several months and are very excited to add this as our second project with the Davidson team.” Last August, the partnership acquired The Sentinels at Del Sur. A Davidson spokesman said the company will update existing architectural plans at Fairbanks Country Villas to emphasize the unique character of the surrounding community and expects to open models late this year.
Cubic System Gets $40 Million British Army Contract
Cubic Defense Applications has been awarded a $40 million contract for the expansion and modernization of the instrumentation for the British Army’s Salisbury Plain ground combat training range. The contract was awarded to Cubic as part of an urgent operational requirement to enhance troop readiness and predeployment training to support ongoing operations in Afghanistan. The award includes Cubic’s latest MILES Individual Weapon System gear as well as range communications and after-action review upgrades and enhancements. “The British Army is one of our largest long-term and most important customers,” said Bradley H. Feldmann, president of Cubic Defense Applications, the defense systems segment of Cubic Corp.
Mia Francesca Restaurant Leases Del Mar Space
Mia Francesca Restaurant and Davanti Enoteca Wine Bar have signed a lease for 5,020 square feet of restaurant space at 12955 El Camino Real in Del Mar. The restaurant and wine bar will be located in the newly renovated Del Mar Highlands Town Center that encompasses new architectural features, upgraded state of the art theater and a variety of new retail shops and restaurants. The 10 year lease was valued at $2,879,736. Michael Spilky of Location Matters Restaurant & Retail Brokerage represented the lessees in the transaction and the lessor was represented by Phil Lyons of Cassidy/Turley BRE Commercial. Location Matters Development Services was awarded the contract for the complete restaurant planning, design and construction of the new location.
CareFusion Appoints New Chairman and CEO
Medical technology company CareFusion has appointed Kieran T. Gallahue as chairman and chief executive officer, succeeding David L. Schlotterbeck, who retires this month. Gallahue, 47, was most recently president and CEO of ResMed, a leader in medical equipment for treating, diagnosing and managing sleep-related respiratory disorders. During his tenure, the company grew revenue approximately 500 percent to $1.2 billion, while expanding operating margins and increasing net income more than 20 percent annually. The company commercialized products in more than 70 countries. Gallahue has nearly 20 years of corporate management experience in the health care industry, including the medical technologies field. Since 2007, he has also served on the board of Volcano Corp., a developer of products for interventional cardiology. Gallahue holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School.
City Boxing Fitness Club to Pay Restitution
The owners of the City Boxing fitness club in Downtown San Diego have been ordered by a court to pay restitution to three Navy men who claimed the club falsely promised to suspend their memberships if they were deployed. When they were deployed, the health club refused to stop billing them each month or refund the unused portion of their dues, according to theSan Diego City Attorney’s Office, which filed a civil complaint against the club owners, resulting in the order by the San Diego Superior Court. The court also ordered the defendants to pay penalties and court costs. As part of the settlement of the case, the owners of City Boxing paid restitution totaling $2,089 to the complainants. The owners also paid penalties and costs totaling $7,911 for a total settlement amount of $10,000. In addition, the court ordered the owners of the club not to commit future similar violations.
Small Business Workshops
Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:
• Feb. 8 – Internet Marketing 304: Cost-Effective Internet Marketing Tools – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• Feb. 8 – 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).
• Feb. 9 – QuickBooks Basic – 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).
• Feb. 9 – Business Plan 101: How to Develop Your Best Competitive Advantage – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92009; pre-paid registration $79, $89 at the door).
• Feb. 10 – 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).
• Feb. 11 – Legal Issues for Small Business: Organizational Structure – 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).
• Feb. 12 – Introduction to Starting Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• Feb. 14 – Customer Service: The Key to Business Success – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
• Feb. 15 – 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).
• Feb. 15 – 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).
• Feb. 16 – Internet Marketing 303: Social Media for Small Businesses – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• Feb. 18 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92009; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• Feb. 23 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92009; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).
• Feb. 25 – QuickBooks Advanced – 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).
• Feb. 25 – 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).
• Feb. 28 – Restaurant 201 – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
North County:
The Business & Entrepreneur Center and the Small Business Development Center at MiraCosta College will offer free upcoming workshops to help businesses succeed. The workshops will be held at Vista City Hall, 200 Civic Center Drive, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the following dates:
March 1: Increase Sales Using Social Media: Learn how to incorporate social networking into a business.
April 5: Financing Options for Businesses: Direct lenders and the SBA will discuss financing options for a business.
May 3: Ways to Market A Business: Learn to identify the “right” customer for a business and easy ways to market your business to them.
June 7: Marketing A Business Using Google Tools: Learn how to use Google tools such as ad words, ad sense, Google trends and more.
Bring a lunch to the workshops. Drinks will be provided.
The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of SD METRO, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.
