Daily Business Report-Feb. 24, 2014
The Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle made by Northrop Grumman in San Diego could be favored over the U-2 spy plane under a Pentagon plan.
Military Downsizing Plan Could Help, Hurt San Diego
Several media organizations — including the New York Times and NavyTimes — reported Sunday night that the Pentagon will move to greatly downsize the U.S. military in a budget scheduled to be released on Monday, the U-T San Diego reports. The proposed changes include reducing the Army to pre-World War II levels, and delaying the modernization of 11 Navy cruisers. The news reports also say that the Pentagon would phase out the U-2 spy plane in favor of the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles that Northrop Grumman develops in San Diego.
The proposal could prove to be a mixed bag for San Diego. While Northrop benefits, BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair could suffer. The company modernizes both cruisers and destroyers. San Diego’s two other big shipyards — General Dynamics-NASSCO and Continental Maritime — also could suffer. They regularly collaborate on modernization projects with BAE. Continental is already in trouble; it recently announced that it plans to lay off up to 152 workers due to a decline in repair contracts.
San Diego is home to seven cruisers: Bunker Hill, Cape St. George, Chancellorsville, Cowpens, Lake Champlain, Mobile Bay, and the Princeton. The latter two ships are currently undergoing work at BAE.
Cruisers have long served as major weapons platforms. But their role, in part, has been matched or replaced by newer Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Navy hasn’t commissioned a new Ticonderoga-class cruiser since 1994.
San Diego Sierra Club Chapter Suspended
San Diego’s Sierra Club chapter was suspended by the National Sierra Club board on Friday for persistent infighting among the local chapter’s leaders.
The vote was overwhelmingly for the four-year suspension. An official in the the organization’s national office said 13 of the 15 National Board members voted to suspend the local chapter because of ongoing conflicts and division among the local chapter leaders.
The local chapter represents about 12,000 Sierra Club members in San Diego.
National Club officials sent chapter members a letter last month describing, in general terms, the issues that faced the local club. The San Diego organization is the fifth oldest Sierra Club chapter in the nation. The chapter was established in 1942. The suspension allows the national board to dismiss the local chapter’s volunteer board. Replacements get appointed. And the local chapter gets back the right to elect its own leaders after the suspension ends.
Suspensions are rare, but two other chapters have received that punishment in recent years. One in Central California and one in Florida. — KPBS report
AT&T Announces Job Openings in San Diego
AT&T announced Friday that it will be hiring workers for several locations in San Diego as a result of its expansion. The position will be primarily focused on retail. “AT&T continues to expand its customer base in San Diego and invest in our network to ensure we are providing the high level of service customers have come to expect,” said Ignacio De La Torre, regional vice president. “As part our commitment to this level of customer service and to support our growth in San Diego we are pleased to have the opportunity to welcome more than 70 San Diego residents to the AT&T family.”
The company currently employs more than 35,000 people in California.
SDG&E Center Receives ‘Double Platinum’ Status
San Diego Gas & Electric’s Energy Innovation Center in Clairemont has received “double-platinum” LEED certification status from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance (EBOM) is in addition to the facility’s LEED Platinum status earned in 2012 for new construction. The U.S. Green Building Council reports that the Energy Innovation Center is the first facility in the region to have achieved double-platinum status for certification of both new construction and EBOM.
The Energy Innovation Center is a 27,000-foot demonstration facility where SDG&E’s residential and business customers can learn about energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainability and alternative fuel technologies. Training classes on green building practices are available for businesses, trade professionals, architects, designers, restaurant owners and chefs, with new classes in 2014 for residential customers. The center trained or provided tours to more than 30,000 visitors in 2013.
Fox Sports Adds Sideline Reporter
FOX Sports San Diego has named Kris Budden as sideline reporter and “Padres Live” host during the upcoming Padres season. Budden most recently covered sideline reporting for the NFL on Fox and SEC broadcasts throughout the 2013 season. Before that, she covered the University of Tennessee Vols for six seasons after graduating from the University of Missouri with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Budden will be joining FOX Sports San Diego’s team of on-air talent, including Padres play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg, former Padres pitcher and color commentator Mark Grant, and “Padres Live” hosts,Mike Pomeranz and former Padres pinch hitter Mark Sweeney.
SR Commercial Acquires Escondido and Murrieta Properties
San Diego-based SR Commercial, a privately held real estate investment company, has acquired properties in Escondido and Murrieta to bring its current Southern California property holdings to 813,839 square feet.
The company acquired a 40,154-square-foot industrial property at 2120 and 2122 W. Mission Road in the city of Escondido for $3.1 million. The Nordahl Center, which SR Commercial plans to rename Gateway Mission, is a retail/industrial park situated on 2.11 acres and consisting of a 36,877-square-foot multi-tenant building and a 3,277-square-foot single-tenant building.
The company’s Murrieta acquisition is a 39,140-square-foot, Class A, two-story professional office building at 38670 Sky Canyon Drive. The property was purchased for $2.9 million.
N.N. Jaeschke Inc. Adds to Staff
N.N. Jaeschke Inc. has announced the addition of two new community division directors, a new business development director and five new community managers to its staff.
Heather Wiltshire, Shari Simpson and Kim Holmes are the new division directors. Wiltshire will serve as a community division director and has worked in the community association industry since 2005. Simpson began her career in the community association industry in 2004. Holmes previously worked for the largest real estate association in California.
NNJ also named Hugo Muñoz, Alana Riggs, Erin Jones, Heidi Fitzgerald and Josette Short as community association managers. Muñoz entered the community association management industry in 2006. Riggs started her career in community association management in 2008. Fitzgerald’s experience includes management of a 10-story condominium high rise and a 180-unit residential and commercial property. Jones began her career in community management in 2009 as an administrative assistant and became a portfolio community association manager in 2011. Short’s prior experience includes community sales management of a single-family home master-planned gated community.
