Daily Business Report — Feb. 11, 2011

CONNECT to Honor Titan Corp. Founder Gene Ray

Gene Ray, the founder of The Titan Corp. and currently managing director of GMT Ventures, will receive the CONNECT organization’s highest award — induction into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame — at a March 31 luncheon at Estancia La Jolla, 9700 N. Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla. Ray is a former executive vice president, general manager and a member of the board of directors of SAIC and has held senior positions in the Air Force. “Not only has Gene significantly contributed to San Diego’s technology entrepreneurship, but his companies have made pivotal contributions to our nation’s overall security,” according to a CONNECT citation. Ray will be the ninth inductee in the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Others are Irwin Jacobs, Walter Zable, Ivor Royston, William Rastetter, J. Robert Beyster, Neal and Lenden Blue and Peter Preuss. The luncheon is $150 for CONNECT members and $175 for nonmembers. For more information, call Taylor Peterson at (858) 964-1341.

McCarthy Building Cos. Training Program Cited

McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. has been honored with a 2011 Training Magazine Top 125 Award for excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs. Ron Hall is executive vice president of McCarthy’s San Diego operation. “While many companies are cutting back on training in the current economic climate, McCarthy continues to expand its focus on employee development,” said McCarthy Chairman and CEO Mike Bolen. “This commitment ensures that our employees remain at the forefront of the construction industry.” McCarthy’s training program has been in place for decades, but the company revamped it in 2008 under the name McCarthy Build U. The firm is one of the largest employee-owned companies in the U.S.

Ladies Who Launch Hosts Finance Coach

Author and professional finance coach David Campbell Lester will be the guest speaker at the Feb. 16 meeting of Ladies Who Launch to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the W Hotel San Diego, 421 West B St., in Downtown.

Ladies Who Launch is a national network whose mission is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all women. Lester is the author of “I Heart Money.” He writes for his blog, iheartmoney.com, that breaks with traditional attitudes towards finance and describes his own philosophy towards money and life that he has gained through his personal and professional experiences. The meeting is free for Ladies Who Launch members and $35 to nonmembers. Register online at: ladieswholaunch.com/sandiego/event/2548.

Northrup Grumman Receives $3.3 Million Contract

Northrup Grumman Corp. has been awarded a $3.3 million contract from the Navy to participate in the Unmanned Aircraft System Architecture Working Group sponsored by the Secretary of Defense’s Unmanned Warfare Office. The working group is an open technical standards committee consisting of industry and government representatives from each unmanned aircraft system program, several emerging unmanned aircraft system programs and small businesses.

Ross Epstein Joins TechLaw LLP as Partner

Ross A. Epstein has joined the intellectual property law firm TechLaw LLP as a partner. Epstein was the founder, president and in-house counsel of BCH Communications in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Prior to joining TechLaw LLP, Epstein was an equity partner of the Nath Law Group, a mid-size boutique intellectual property law firm based in the Washington, D.C., area. Epstein founded the firm’s San Diego office in 2001 and grew it from a single person to an office of 10 people. Epstein holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Boston University School of Law.

Correction:

A photo in the Family-Owned Business story in the February issue of SD METRO (shown at left) was captioned incorrectly. The photo caption should read: Mark McMillin (left) is chairman of The Corky McMillin Cos. and brother Scott is president and chief executive officer.

Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:

• 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.