Daily Business Report-Feb. 21, 2014

Robert Dennard’s invention is now used in computers, cellphones, tablets and other computer devices.

 Kyoto Symposium Honors an Inventor

Robert Heath Dennard, who invented one of the most significant advances in computer technology —  Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) — will be honored as the Kyoto Prize Laureate in advanced technology at this year’s Kyoto Prize Symposium March 18 at San Diego State University.

Dennard’s invention is now used in computers, cellphones, tablets and other computer devices, allowing them to perform complex operations more quickly and efficiently, and with less cost. His innovation has increased the capacity of digital information storage, leading to dramatic progress in information and telecommunications technology.

“I believe that creative thinking is basically a process of posing significant questions and finding good answers. Much of the creativity is in the question — ‘What if?  Is there a better way to?’ After a really good question sometimes the answer easily follows,” Dennard said.

Sponsored by the Inamori Foundation, the Kyoto Prize Symposium features lectures by esteemed scholars in the laureates’ fields, including basic sciences, advanced technology and the arts and philosophy.

Dennard received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. After receiving his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), Dennard joined IBM’s research division, where his early experience included the study of new digital devices and circuits for logic and memory applications and the development of advanced data communication techniques.

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Over the course of his career, Dennard’s work has resulted in 65 U.S. patents and the publishing of more than 100 technical papers as well as numerous awards. He has been an IBM fellow since 1979, was awarded the National Medal of Technology from President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997.

The Kyoto Prize Symposium will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union in Montezuma Hall.

Gloria: Police Dept. Audit Will Be ‘Thorough’ and ‘Substantial’

A proposed audit of the San Diego Police Department should be wide-ranging and could take 18 months to complete, interim San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said Thursday, KPBS reports. Police Chief William Lansdowne said he wants an audit of his agency in the wake of new allegations of sexual impropriety by two officers.

At his weekly media briefing, Gloria said the proposed audit will go to the City Council for authorization. Council members will want to evaluate the various options and costs before selecting an auditor, he said.

“This audit will be thorough, it will be substantial and it will be transparent,” Gloria said. “This, of course, will come at some cost. No matter the cost, there is no price too high to pay to ensure the public’s trust in our police department.”

The interim mayor, who will be succeeded by Mayor-elect Kevin Faulconer on March 3, reiterated that the SDPD has more than 1,700 “dedicated, hard-working men and women who care deeply about our city,” and only a few bad apples.

 

Pacific Medical Plaza Sells for $32.5 Million

Pacific Medical Plaza, a three-story, 50,656-square-foot medical office building in Sorrento Mesa, has been sold for $32.5 million to Ron Kaufman Companies LLC of San Francisco. Kilroy Realty Corp. of Los Angeles was the seller. The building is fully leased. Major tenants include UC San Diego Health System, Surgical Center of San Diego and Clear Choice Management Services. Jones Lang LaSalle represented the buyer and seller. The property is at 4910 Directors Place.

San Onofre Machinery and Equipment to be Auctioned

Surplus machinery and equipment at the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station will be auctioned next month, majority owner Southern California Edison announced Thursday. Among items to be made available March 26-28 will be lathes, grinders, milling equipment and large-capacity manual and computer numerical control (CNC) machine shops. A CNC is a type of programable automation that uses microcomputers to carry out machining operations.

“The sale of such equipment is a standard practice for decommissioning industrial sites such as San Onofre,” said Doug Bauder, Southern California Edison vice president of operational services. “It’s an efficient way to SCE to reduce inventory and redirect valuable equipment to companies that need it.” No items for sale were associated with radiological plant operations, according to the utility.

The auction will take place at the plant and on a webcast. Items will be available for inspection March 24-25. Photos of the equipment and other details are posted on the website of MRI Auctions (www.mriauctions.com).

— City News Service

Human Resources Conference Set for Feb. 28

Human resources topics are the focus of a Feb. 28 conference — “From Compliance to Opportunity: A Collaborative Event” — presented by the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management in collaboration with San Diego Employers Association, American Society for Training and Development and the National Coast Personnel Association. It will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar.

The keynote speaker will be Richard J. Simmons, partner in the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles. He represents employers in labor matters involving wage and hour laws, wrongful discharge, and employment discrimination. Additional speakers include Timi Gleason, a leadership coach and strategic planner with Executive Goals; Jennifer Jacobus, director of HR services with San Diego Employers Association; Brenda S. Kasper, partner at Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton; and Fred Plevin, managing partner at Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton.

Registration is $95 for SDEA members and $120 for nonmembers. To register, visit www.sdea.com.

Public Relations Society of America to Hold Western District Conference

The Public Relations Society of America’s Western District conference will take place March 20-22 at the Hotel Indigo and Sempra Energy world headquarters building in Downtown San Diego. The conference will include roundtable discussions on health care PR, agency branding, in-house PR challenges and solutions, the changing face of news, cross-border communications and others.

This year’s keynote speakers are Allison + Partners Co-Founder Scott Pansky and New Brand Analytics board member Mark Lomanno. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/1gHEbk0.

Havas Edge Names Chief Financial Officer

CARLSBAD — Direct response agency Havas Edge has appointed Eric Bush as chief financial officer. Bush has more than two decades of work at RSM McGladrey, a unit of American Express TBS Inc. Bush’s responsibilities included oversight and leadership across all aspects of the firm, from acquisitions through budgeting, forecasting, reporting and analysis, general accounting functions, public reporting, industry benchmarking, IT, and complex transactions.

Higgs Fletcher & Mack Firm Honored

San Diego-based Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP was presented with a city proclamation to honor its 75-year anniversary and recognize its service in the community over the last 75 years. “Higgs Fletcher and Mack Day” was officially declared as Feb. 20 by Interim Mayor Todd Gloria on Thursday.

“This is for what all of you do and I am deeply, deeply grateful,” said Gloria in his final remarks to the firm before passing the official proclamation to Managing Partner John Morrell. Morrell accepted on behalf of the firm’s more than 140 employees.

The firm will continue to celebrate its 75-year anniversary with its “7,500 Hour Volunteer Challenge,” in which the firm will donate 7,500 hours of community service along with monetary contributions to select nonprofits throughout the year.