Daily Business Report — March 8, 2011

Makeover in Mission Valley

To borrow a tag coined for The New York Times, there’s new life in the old gray lady of Mission Valley — The San Diego Union-Tribune —and the two charged with throwing dynamite at 83 years of Copley ownership are Ed Moss, the publisher, and editor Jeff Light. The daily newspaper business is at the height of its challenges, what with falling circulation numbers, news now available 24/7 across more platforms than could have even been imagined 10 or even five years ago and advertisers with a plethora of options. Read how Moss and Light are meeting those challenges and largely suceeding in the March issue of SD METRO and online at sandiegometro.com.

SAIC Sponsors Regional Robotics Competition

Science Applications International Corp. is sponsoring the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) regional robotics competition March 10-12 at the Valley View Casino Center, formerly the San Diego Sports Arena. SAIC’s sponsorship of the event is to help inspire and educate kindergarten through the 12th grade students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The robotics competitions engage students in mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills and encourage innovation. Since it was started in 1989, the FIRST robotics competition (FRC) has grown from 28 teams involved to about 2,300 worldwide teams projected for 2011. Teams come from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the U.K., and every state in the U.S. The FRC stages short games played by robots. The robots are designed and built in six weeks by a team of high-school aged students and a handful of engineer-mentors. The students program and remotely control the robots in competition rounds on the field. “Continuing our sponsorship of FIRST further demonstrates our commitment to helping inspire young people, their schools, and communities to appreciate and celebrate science and technology,” said Walt Havenstein, SAIC chief executive officer and FIRST chairman. “We are excited to see these teams apply the knowledge they’ve learned, using critical-reasoning and problem-solving skills. These skills will empower them to be the leaders and innovators of the future.” SAIC recently continued its strategic relationship with FIRST by pledging an additional $300,000 to help inspire the next generation of leaders.

Jones Lang LaSalle Opens Tijuana Office

Jones Lang LaSalle has extended its commercial real estate operation to Mexico by opening a new office in Tijuana. It will be part of the company’s Northern Mexico operations and will serve the Northwest markets of the country. “Jones Lang LaSalle is growing rapidly in Mexico, and it is important for us to have a presence in Tijuana given its stature as a major industrial hub,” said Javier Llaca, executive vice president of Jones Lang LaSalle in Mexico. “We expect the Tijuana office to have an intensive cross-border interaction with the firm’s existing practice in San Diego and Southern California areas to better service our clients.”

The firm has hired industry veteran Vince Roché to lead the Tijuana operation as part of the Corporate Industrial Solutions team. Roché, who has 12 years of commercial real estate experience, formerly was with CB Richard Ellis. He graduated from San Diego State, and is a member of the Economic and Industrial Development of Tijuana Association and the Western Maquiladora Trade Association.

Diamond 24 Apartments Sold

The Diamond 24 Apartments in Pacific Beach have been sold for $3.3 million. The apartments, located at 1742 and 1754 Diamond St., consist of adjacent eight-unit and 16-unit courtyard buildings. The sellers were Eric V. Moore, Martha M. Moffett, Roger W. Moore and Sara M. Moore, successor trustees under the Vincent/Sara Irrevocable Trust Agreement. Robert Vallera of Grubb & Ellis represented the trust. Diane Miramontes, Darcy Miramontes and Kip Malo of Cassidy Turley BRE Commercial represented the buyer, who was not identified. The complex includes 23 one-bedroom, one-bath units and a single two-bedroom, one-bath unit.

ARK Management Appoints Vicki MacHale

Vicki MacHale has been appointed executive director of the Homeowners Association Division of ARK Management, a commercial property and homeowners association management company. MacHale has more than 16 years of experience in the common interest development industry. She is serving her third elected term on the California Association of Community Managers board of directors. Prior to joining ARK Management, MacHale was senior vice president of operations for The Prescott Cos., where she was responsible for the corporate operations of seven division offices. their communities.

KPBS Wins Journalism Award

The USC Annenberg School of Journalism has named KPBS a recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism for the station’s Envision San Diego coverage of the county Board of Supervisors. The awards committee noted that the county Board of Supervisors piece was “an excellent explanation of how government works and doesn’t work.”   KPBS was praised for asking the “tough questions” to officials who “aren’t used to answering tough questions.” KPBS is the only station to be honored in the public station category. PBS Newshour was also named as a recipient in the National Network Program category. KPBS is a public service of San Diego State University. The award will be presented at a ceremony in Los Angeles in April.

Former Councilwoman Donna Fry to be Honored

Former San Diego Councilwoman Donna Fry will receive SPJ San Diego’s second annual Sunshine Award on March 16 in recognition of her efforts in supporting transparency in government. During her tenure on the City Council from 2001 to 2009, she was dedicated to open government, boycotting closed council sessions until the council rewrote its policy on such sessions, forcing the lifting of limits on public comment at meetings, and helping pass a ballot measure that improved access to city records. SPJ will present the award during a Sunshine Week reception and program at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the award presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

Urban Planner to Lecture at NewSchool of Architecture & Design

Landscape architect and urban planner Vicki Estrada will will give a talk on “If We Started Over, What We Do Differently?” at a March 19 program at 9:30 a.m. at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, 1249 F St. in Downtown San Diego. Estrada’s projects can be seen throughout the county, including San Diego Zoo expansion, Bayfront Trolley Station, Santee Town Center Transit Station, Otay Mesa, Interstate 5 widening project from the 5/805 merge to Oceanside, and many more. The longest running is the Master Plan for Balboa Park that was started in 1979 and is still in progress.

 Suggested donation for lecture is $5. Students are free. No reservations needed. For more information, visit friendsofsdarch.com.

Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:

• March 9 – Internet Marketing 301: Increase Sales through Pay-Per-Click – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• March 10 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• March 11 – 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).

• March 12 – 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).

• March 12 – Internet Marketing 101: Use the Internet to Successfully Market Your Business – 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).

• March 14 – 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 preregister).

• March 15 – 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).

• March 17 – California Sales and Use Tax Basics – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• March 18 – Women’s Networking Breakfast & Exhibits – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; Attendees: $30 by March 15, $40 thereafter; Exhibitors: $80 by March 15, $90 thereafter).

• March 19 – 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).

• March 19 – 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).

• March 22 – Marketing & Contracting with Federal Government – 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).

• March 24 – 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).

• March 25 – 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).

• March 30 – 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 preregister).

• March 30 – How to Start a Nonprofit – 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).

For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.

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:

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.