Daily Business Report — May 25, 2011
40 Under 40 Award Deadline
The deadline for submitting nominations for SD METRO’s 40 Under 40 Awards for 2011 is drawing near. You have until May 30 to nominate people you believe are making substantial contributions to their community, their companies, organizations or institutions. You will find a nomination form on the front page of our Website (sandiegometro.com). Fill it out and submit. Editor’s Tip: Describe your nominee in depth. Give plenty of examples of major accomplishments.
Scripps Health Moves on Radiation Therapy Center
Nine months after Scripps Health began construction of a proton therapy center in Mira Mesa, it broke ground Tuesday on a $43.9 million radiation therapy center on Torrey Pines Mesa in La Jolla. The $200 million Scripps Proton Therapy Center is expected to be open for patient care by spring 2013 while the Scripps Radiation Therapy Center is to open in 2012. Scripps officials said the radiation therapy center will feature one of the most advanced technologies of its kind in the world for treating cancer. “Our technology will help provide greater patient comfort by significantly shortening treatment times, and will improve precision by leaving less time for tumor and patient movement during treatment,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health. The 41,000-square-foot radiation therapy center will be built on an eight-acre parcel at 10670 John Jay Hopkins Drive, Grading is under way and construction is expected to start by June. It will include,three new, state-of-the art linear accelerators: one TrueBeam STx linear accelerator – which will be the first of its kind in San Diego – and two Clinac linear accelerators, each manufactured by Varian Medical Systems of Palo Alto. The FDA-approved technology can treat cancers anywhere in the body where radiation treatment is indicated. Officials said it is particularly well suited to treat especially challenging cases in the brain, spine, lung, liver and prostate, which are surrounded by critical structures. The center will have the capacity to treat about 1,200 patients a year, and will draw patients primarily from Scripps’ 22 outpatient centers and five hospitals. Financing will be from income from operations, debt financing and philanthropy.
County to Hold Tax Sale Auction
The county will hold an online tax sale auction May 28 through June 1 in an effort to re-offer properties that did not sell at an earlier live tax sale auction and have been tax defaulted for five or more years. “We will be offering 216 time.shares and 16 unimproved parcels at this year’s online auction,” said Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister. “To motivate bidders, we have slashed the starting bids on some properties by almost 70 percent; some of the properties start at an asking price of only $100.” Interested bidders must register by today at bidforassets.com. A $1,000 deposit is required to be eligible to bid. Tax information, maps, and other due diligence materials are available at sdtreastax.com.
Stratford Inn to Become Hotel Indigo After Upgrade
The 95-room Best Western Stratford Inn on Pacific Coast Highway in Del Mar is undergoing a major redesign and remodel that also will result in a new name for the property — the Hotel Indigo. Design Line Interiors of Del Mar is working on behalf of owner Pacifica Host Hotels on the redesign. Among the new features planned at the Hotel Indigo are an ocean view terrace and 5,000-square-foot, two-story lobby, bistro, bar and restaurant. The project also includes updated pool areas and complete upgrades and renovations to all of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites. Dawn Davidson, president of Design Line Interiors, said the Hotel Indigo will have a resort ambiance and several specific design characteristics unique to Del Mar. “The colorful history of Del Mar and the nearby racetrack will be part of the design,” Davidson said. “There will be murals and mosaic tiles honoring the history of the town and the track. The bar will even serve signature drinks in tribute to some of the track’s most famous horses.” Construction of the ocean view terrace and the restaurant/lounge is planned to start in September and be completed before the year ends. Project architect is Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker. Already completed is a 3,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. Design Line was retained by Pacifica Host Hotels to design the interiors for 10 new homes being built adjacent to the hotel site.
GOP Chair Sues to Disband Redistricting Commission
By Rose Creasman-San Diego News Room
Just days after the local GOP cried foul over a redistricting commissioner’s residency, chairman Tony Krvaric filed suit Monday to disband the entire commission. In addition to requiring impartiality and nonpartisanship, the San Diego City Charter mandates that the seven-member redistricting commission be “appointed by a panel of three retired Superior Court judges.” Krvaric’s lawsuit claims the commission – which was appointed by only two judges after third failed to appear at the hearing – was illegally appointed and has no authority to take action. “I am asking the court to restore the public’s trust in its redistricting commission by starting the process over and properly screening all the applicants to make sure the intent of the charter and will of the voters is respected,” stated Krvaric, who filed suit as a private citizen. The lawsuit would dissolve the commission until the City Council could appoint seven new members, as required by the City Charter in the event that three retired judges did not do so. “Nowhere in the Charter of the Municipal Code is there authorization for the panel to act without the presence of three participants,” reads the lawsuit, which also alleges political bias in three commission members.
Gina Coburn, communications director for the City Attorney’s office, said the appointment process took place with only two judges “due to a time deadline for making appointments under the City Charter.” The two judges formed a quorum out of the required three, Coburn stated Monday afternoon, and all commission appointments were made with both judges in agreement. “As with most bodies and as provided for in rules of procedure, action can be taken without all members present as long as there is a quorum and a majority of the body concurs. The City Charter provides that the City Council may act with a quorum. It does not require more of the panel of judges,” said Coburn.
Krvaric’s lawsuit comes on the heels of the San Diego County Republican Party’s challenge to commissioner Carlos Marquez’s residency. Evidence from a private investigator, hired by the party, indicates that Marquez currently resides in Los Angeles, not at the Hillcrest address listed on his commissioner application. Marquez told 10News he no longer lived at that address, but would not say where he currently resides.,Though the City Charter does not state that commissioners must live in San Diego, it does require that they be registered to vote in the city. And California Elections Code Section 2000 states that “… electors may vote at any election held within the territory within which he or she resides and the election is held.”
The Irving Group Names Simon Terry-Lloyd as Vice President
Simon Terry-Lloyd has been named vice president of The Irving Group, where he will specialize in tenant representation leasing and acquisition services. Terry-Lloyd’s career includes Blokhaus Capital Corp., where as vice president of business and development he played a key role in all aspects of commercial and mixed-use development, finance, construction, acquisition, sales and leasing. As a consultant for Blokhaus Development, performed due diligence and site studies throughout California. He was owner and president of Rancho del Oro Companies, which was acquired by united Road in 2007. Terry-Lloyd began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers International Structuring Division where he worked in both London and Los Angeles. He graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from San Diego State University and studied real estate management at Harvard Business School.
Ad Club Holds Big Birthday Bash at the Zoo
The San Diego Advertising Club will give itself a 100-year birthday party on June 2 at the San Diego Zoo. “AdBash” will be held from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the zoo’s outdoor patio in Balboa Park. The party is open to the public. Tickets are $95 for Ad Club members, $125 for nonmembers. To reserve seats, phone (619) 255-2281 or visit sandiegoadclub.com. The party will celebrate both the Ad Club’s centennial birthday plus its recently announced top 100 most influential, recognizable and iconic San Diego brands of the past 100 years. Guests will be asked to vote for the “Brand San Diego Awards” with entries culled from the 100 brand names that appeared on the Ad Club’s list of the top 100 brands of the past century. Voting on the Brand San Diego Awards will be tallied in 10 different categories, including best historic brand, San Diego’s best spokesperson and biggest global impact. The Ad Club is the local host of the June 1-4 international conference of the American Advertising Federation at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel.
Real Estate Sales
Downtown San Diego — The 60,000-square-foot block of Downtown land bounded by 13th, 14th, Market and G streets has been sold for $9.75 million to Hanover R.S. Limited Partnership. The seller was San Diego PPD. Tim Winslow, Jason Kimmel and Kevin Nolen of Cassidy Turley BRE Commercial represented the buyer and seller in the transaction.
El Cajon — Two industrial buildings in El Cajon have sold for a combined $1.5 million. They are located at 317 and 339 Cypress Lane and were part of a 1031 exchange. 317 Cypress Lane totals 4,000 square feet, sits on 0.92 acres of improved land and sold for $542,922. Cypress Lane LLC sold the property to Cypress Lane Properties LLC. Cypress Lane Properties LLC sold 339 Cypress Lane to Cypress Lane LLC for $945,475. The 3,680-square-foot building sits on 0.84 acres of improved land. Cameron Czubernat, Ken Ruppert and Kerry Schimpf of Cassidy Turley BRE Commercial represented the buyer and seller in both transactions.
SBA Ombudsman to Meet with Small Business Owners
Esther Vassar, the Small Business Administration’s national ombudsman, will meet with area small business owners on June 10 to hear issues and comments about federal regulatory enforcement and compliance actions. Small business owners, representatives of trade associations and community and business leaders are invited to participate, comment about compliance actions and enforcement of regulations by federal agencies, and learn more about the impact of federal regulations on small businesses. Vassar will direct any specific issues addressed at the forum to the appropriate federal agency for a higher-level review of fairness of the enforcement action. In many instances, the national ombudsman’s action has resulted in federal agencies reducing or waiving penalties and/or compliance actions in cases of unfair or excessive regulatory enforcement. The forum will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the San Diego County Public Health Center, 3851 Rosecrans St., San Diego. RSVPs should be made to Juliane Talley in the San Diego district SBA office at (619) 727-4870.
Brice & Associates Celebrates 25 Years and Another Award
San Diego PR agency Brice & Associates, headed by John Brice, celebrated its 25th anniversary this month by earning the Utah Office of Tourism’s “Best Public Relations Campaign in Organizations with Annual Advertising Budgets Under $250,000. The partnership between Brian Head Resort and Brice & Associates “was instrumental in articulating and disseminating our story because Brice & Associates is an organization that not only has the expertise to do the work but has the passion and dedication to ensure the work is done right,” said John Christoffersen, Brian Head’s sales marketing and PR manager. After leaving the La Jolla Light, where Brice was business editor in the early 1980s, he founded Brice & Associates. Clients have included Borrego Springs, AT&T, Rubio’s, Hyatt and La Casa Del Zorro Desert Resort. The agency’s awards include being named “Best in Tourism PR/Southern California” by California Travel & Tourism Commission & The California Travel Association in 2009. Brice’s work for Borrego Springs was judged superior to the PR work of the New York City’s Convention & Visitors Bureau in 1996 in the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International marketing awards. Borrego finished second, over New York and just behind Rio de Janeiro’s Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Scribe Communications Hires Social Media Coordinator
Andie Adams, former radio station manager at Point Loma Nazarene University, has been named the new social media coordinator for Scribe Communications. Besides managing the radio station, Adams reported for the school’s television station and newspaper. She received the Carol LeBeau Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. In spring 2011, Adams graduated from PLNU with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. Adams first became interested in social media while working for an online news source in her hometown of Prescott, Ariz. A year later, she interned for NBC San Diego’s music/web division, SoundDiego.com. She works there now as a part-time writer.
Four New Sycuan Gaming Commissioners Appointed
The Sycuan Tribal Council has appointed four new gaming commissioners, including a new chairwoman, Queenette Pettiford, who has been with the commission for over seven years. The other new commissioners are Bernice Hyde, a tribal elder, who has been with the commission since its formation in 1993; Charlene Worrell-Eckel, who has been with the commission since 2004; and Shu Brown Sr., who was appointed an alternate commissioner. The Sycuan Gaming Commission manages a staff of regulators, compliance officers, auditors, investigators and technical staff. Its primary mission is to protect the assets of the tribal government. The commission is independent from the Sycuan Casino management.
Small Business Workshops
SCORE San Diego continues its series of low-cost workshops. Fees range from $29 to $109, depending on the program. To register online, visit score-sandiego.org. For more information, call (619) 557-7272.
• May 26 – Internet Marketing 302: Develop a Winning Email Marketing Success Strategy – 9 a.m. to noon at National University in National University in Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, San Diego 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• May 31 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; No charge – please pre-register).
• June 1 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• June 3 – Leasing Strategies – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).
• June 7 – Internet Marketing 304 – Cost-Effective Internet Marketing Tools – 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• June 8 – Business Plan 101: How to Develop Your Best Competitive Advantage – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $79, $89 at the door).
• June 9 – Internet Marketing 201 – Build Your Business through Search Engine Optimization – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• June 9 – Financial Statements – What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• June 10 – Hiring and Managing Employees – 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
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. Contact: Manny Cruz (619) 287-1865.