Daily Business Report-May 31, 2013

Filmmaker James Cameron

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Honors Filmmaker James Cameron

Ocean frontier explorer and world-renowned filmmaker James Cameron has been named by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego as the recipient of the 2013 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest. Cameron will deliver a presentation on his record-setting Deepsea Challenge expedition today on the UC San Diego campus. Cameron, who last year became the first person to complete a solo dive to the world’s deepest point, has donated an extreme-depth unmanned undersea exploration system known as a “lander” to Scripps for the institution’s future deep-sea exploration endeavors.

The Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest, awarded annually by Scripps, is named for William A. Nierenberg (1919-2000), a renowned national science leader who served Scripps Oceanography as director from 1965 to 1986. In addition to the lander gift to Scripps, Cameron will donate the $25,000 Nierenberg Prize money to Scripps to kickstart operations of a new “Lander Lab” based at Scripps to oversee the lander system’s operations and research applications.

Filner Withholding Tourism Money, Agency to Shut Down Monday

A new squabble over tourism funding erupted Thursday when Mayor Bob Filner blasted the agency that promotes San Diego to prospective tourists for failing to honor a commitment to fund organizers of an upcoming celebration of Balboa Park’s centennial. In remarks to City News Service, Filner said he wants to withhold most of the

money due to the San Diego Tourism Marketing District until the TMD funds Balboa Park Centennial Committee, which has incorporated as Balboa Park Celebration Inc. However, a spokesman for the committee said the group has received “excellent” feedback on its application for funds from the tourism district, and plans to make a formal presentation to its board of directors.

Meanwhile, another organization funded by the district, the San Diego Tourism Authority — formerly known as ConVis — was preparing to shut down for lack of money.

The mayor told City News Service that the tourism district board “told the centennial committee that they’re going to be last on the list” of applicants for money and that there may not be much money left. “I want that money to come off the top,” he said.

The mayor’s office later issued a statement from Filner: “I have had enough of the whining and complaining from the wealthiest hotels in America. It was only days ago that they submitted at bill! We will issue their money when they hold up their end of the bargain, for example, approving payments to the Balboa Park Centennial. This idle and baseless threat is beneath them and I urge them to grow up and do business the right way. The city of San Diego will not be held hostage by such antics.”

Higgs Fletcher Attorney Elected Board Chair of Civic San Diego

Cynthia Morgan, a partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack, has been elected board chair of Civic San Diego, the agency replacing Centre City Development Corp. and Southeast Economic Development Corp. In addition to overall board management, Morgan will make committee appointments and assemble working groups that will take on issues addressing neighborhood-specific concerns. Civic San Diego is a city-owned nonprofit that is the entrepreneurial development partner for targeted urban neighborhoods. Its mission is to manage public improvement and public-private partnership projects of the city’s former Redevelopment Agency.

Airport Authority to Host Business Diversity Conference June 8-11

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority will host the 2013 Airport Business Diversity Conference June 8-11 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. The conference is the aviation industry’s networking event for minority and women-owned companies doing business or seeking business in the nation’s airports. Keynote luncheon speaker will be Judy A. Smith, the real-life inspiration behind ABC’s political television series “Scandal.” Smith is the author of “Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets.” Also speaking will be Gaddi Vasquez, senior vice president of public affairs for Southern California Edison.

UC San Diego’s Keeling Apartments Honored

as one of the Top 10 Green Buildings of 2013

The Charles David Keeling Apartments at Revelle College on the UC San Diego campus has been named one of the Top 10 Green Buildings for 2013 by the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment.

“Named for the scientist whose research first alerted the world to the possibility of the human impact on global atmospheric carbon, the apartments employ a suite of tactics to address Southern California’s pressing environmental challenges of stormwater management, water scarcity, and carbon emissions,” the committee said.

The committee said the goal of the $46 million, three-building project, which was completed in 2011, was to provide each student with a distinctive, human-scaled home within a large research institution, “where they can more fully engage the academic community.”

The buildings and landscape promote the active use of exterior spaces, encouraging interaction among students with outdoor circulation that leads to chance encounters, convenient spaces for individual and group activity, and spaces conducive to congregating.

The apartments, the committee said, adopt elements from the classic campus buildings — exterior walkways, repetitive sun control elements, and a warm color palette, but are firmly rooted in a 21st century aesthetic that unites form and performance.

The architect was Kieran Timberlake.

Hughes Marino Names Marketing Director

Ashley Lewis has joined commercial real estate company Hughes Marino as marketing director. Lewis previously ran her own graphic design business that specialized in brand identity, web design and illustration. She was an officer in the Navy before that, serving on San Diego-based ships the USS Jarrett and USS Nimitz. After leaving active duty she continued to work for the Navy as a contractor providing systems engineering support to the PEO C4I Submarine Integration Program Office. She earned a master’s degree at Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah.

Banco Santander International to Move into the U.S. Grant Hotel

Banco Santander International, a private banking organization, will move into retail space in the U.S. Grant Hotel in Downtown San Diego in 2014, vacating its current space in the Symphony Towers building. The firm signed a six-year, $2.05 million lease for 4,218 square feet in the hotel. The move was reported by Cassidy Turley San Diego, which represented the hotel.

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Mama’s Kitchen to Host Capital Campaign Celebration on June 20

Mama’s Kitchen, the meal delivery service for men, women and children affected by AIDS or cancer, will host a capital campaign celebration on June 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at its headquarters at 3990 Home Ave. in the Fairmount Park neighborhood of San Diego. Admission is free and open to the public. The event includes tours, entertainment and refreshments. The objective of the event is to show the community the progress the organization has made since it’s move into the 11,000-square-foot building in August 2011, as well as to encourage the public to help complete the first phase of the capital campaign. As of May 14, Mama’s Kitchen has achieved 58 percent of its goal, raising $1.5 million of $2.6 million to pay for the purchase and renovation of the building, which has given the organization a permanent location and increased the organization’s capacity to serve more people and provide more in-house prepared foods. Once the first phase is complete, funds will be raised to replenish the organization’s reserves and set up an endowment fund.

In 2012, the organization delivered its 6 millionth meal. For the last two years, the average number of HIV/AIDS clients receiving hot meal delivery increased by 10 percent. The average number of cancer clients receiving hot meal service increased by 26 percent.

Diabetes Association Selects Fathers of the Year

Three local business executives have been selected to receive 2013 Father of the Year awards by the American Diabetes Association’s San Diego office. They are Donald Ankeny, president/CEO of Westcore Properties; James Fitzpatrick, owner, CEO and publisher of San Diego Magazine; and Todd Leigh, attorney with Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch. Ankeny, Fitzpatrick and Leigh will be honored at a dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. on June 6 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla Hotel, 3777 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego. Ticket prices begin at $300 per person.

Correction:

A May 30 item mistakenly referred to a 10-unit apartment project at 3211 32nd St. as being in South Park. It is actually in North Park. The complex was recently sold for $1.05 million.

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—  Federal Contracts —  

Dion International Trucks

Dion International Trucks LLC, San Diego, won a $295,583.76 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio, for steering tie rods.

Eddy Pump Corp.

Eddy Pump Corp., El Cajon, won a $49,204 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio, for shaft seal assemblies.

Millennium Laboratories

Millennium Laboratories Inc., San Diego, won a $2 million federal contract from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Acquisition Center, Hines, Ill., for medical equipment and supplies.