Daily Business Report-May 6, 2015
Conrad Prebys at the construction site of the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. It opened this year.
Conrad Prebys Earns Honorary
Doctorate from San Diego State
San Diego State University announced Tuesday that Conrad T. Prebys, who helped build San Diego from the ground up — literally and figuratively –through his real estate development ventures and philanthropic support, will be its sole 2015 honorary doctorate recipient.
He will receive the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from SDSU’s College of Business Administration during a private ceremony to be held on June 3.
Aztec for life
Prebys’ ties to San Diego State University span decades. He has employed dozens of SDSU graduates and rented homes to hundreds of SDSU students. These relationships led to a deeper connection when, in 2014, he made a transformational $20 million gift to create more than 150 scholarships, the largest gift in university history and the first Prebys has given to support individual students.
“Conrad Prebys has been an extraordinary supporter of San Diego State and a host of cultural, bio-medical and educational institutions in our region,” said SDSU President Elliot Hirshman. “His extraordinary generosity and his profound commitment to our students, faculty and staff have inspired our entire campus. We are grateful for his vision and his support.”
A second gift of $2.5 million to create the Conrad Prebys Chair in Biomedical Research is the most significant endowment ever received by SDSU to support a faculty researcher.
To thank Prebys for his generosity, SDSU named the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union in his honor. Each day, thousands of students, faculty, staff and community members who walk through its halls and courtyard are reminded of his support.
From humble beginnings, Prebys rose to a leadership position in San Diego while constructing and renting homes, apartments and storage spaces. He considers himself “the luckiest man alive.”
Prebys’ generosity is as legendary as his business acumen. The Chronicle of Philanthropy numbers him among the country’s leading donors and Business Insider named him one of the “25 Most Generous People in America.”
Conan OBrien to Broadcast Comic-Con
From the Spreckels Theatre in July
Television host Conan O’Brien confirmed plans to broadcast his late-night show from Downtown San Diego during Comic-Con International in July, the TBS network announced Tuesday.
O’Brien will broadcast from the Spreckels Theatre between July 8-11. The plans were first floated a little over a year ago.
According to TBS, it will be the first time a late-night show has been broadcast from San Diego during Comic-Con, the annual celebration of the popular arts. The event attracts scores of television and film performers, producers and studio heads who want to connect with fans.
O’Brien attended the 2011 Comic-Con to serve on a panel for the “Green Lantern” animated series.
His show normally runs Monday-Thursday, so special Friday and Saturday night editions will be produced during Comic-Con.
— City News Service
$4.5 Billion Budget Proposal
Delivered to Board of Supervisors
County Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer has delivered a $5.4 billion proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors for the 2015-16 fiscal year that begins on July 1.
The proposed budget shows an increase of $312 million, or 6 percent, from the current budget. State and federal revenues increased by $122 million and the local housing market is expected to bring a $57 million boost in property taxes.
Robbins-Meyer said the increased dollars means the county can maintain core services and programs, and add new ones.
Public safety and health services together account for the bulk of the budget and much of the spending changes this year.
More than $50 million would upgrade the regional communications system used by first responders across the region to communicate during disasters.
Final funding of $54.9 million is slated for the Sheriff’s new crime lab, a 150,000-square-foot facility to house the Crime Lab, Property and Evidence Unit, and Central Investigations Division offices, scheduled to open in 2018 at the County Operations Center in Kearny Mesa. T
The budget plan includes increases in fire protection. They would pay for new and upgraded fire stations and equipment, and more than $1 million would improve paramedic services in the backcountry.
Budget talks will begin June 1.
Click here for a more complete breakdown of the proposed budget.
State Board Approves 25 Percent
Urban Water Use Cutbacks
With no end in sight to California’s record drought, the state Water Resources Control Board late Tuesday approved emergency drought regulations to cut water use in urban areas by 25 percent.
The measures call for cities and water agencies to reduce water use by amounts ranging from 8 percent to 36 percent, depending on how efficiently they use water.
The city of San Diego is slated for a 16 percent cut, while heavy water users like Rancho Santa Fe will face the full 36 percent reduction.
After hearing public testimony in Sacramento, the five members of the state board voted unanimously to approve the plan. The rules were drawn up to meet Gov. Jerry Brown’s executive order for a 25 percent cut in urban water use statewide.
The reductions are expected to go into effect May 15.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom to Speak At
North San Diego Business Chamber Event
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom will speak on a myriad of topics — water, energy, innovation, our economic future — during an appearance Friday at the Leaders of Change program sponsored by the North San Diego Business Chamber.
Shortly after being elected lieutenant governor in 2010, Newsom gathered the ideas of key stakeholders around the state to develop an economic growth and job creation strategy. This comprehensive economic blueprint, a top priority of his administration, ensures that California remains one of the top 10 economies in the world.
Newsom continues his environmental work as a member of the State Lands Commission, protecting California’s most precious natural resources while balancing use of lands, waterways and ports.
Check in for Friday’s program is at 10 a.m. The presentation is at 10:30 p.m. The location is Sony Electronics, 16535 Via Esprillo, San Diego.
Business Chamber members pay $25; nonmembers $45. Click here to register.
(858) 487-1767. www.sdbusinesschamber.com
EvoNexus Welcomes 26 New
Companies to its Incubators
EvoNexus, a nonprofit incubator for technology startups, announced Tuesday that a record 26 new companies were admitted to its locations in Irvine, University City and Downtown San Diego.
The new startups were chosen from 212 applications. Nine of the companies will be located at University Research Park in Irvine and 17 in University City and Downtown San Diego.
Among the new companies in San Diego are ScryTec, which provides fraud management through behavioral analytics, and Aira Tech, which helps those with low vision gain independence.
The companies are moving in this week. A complete list is available here.
— Times of San Diego
NASSCO Lays Keel for First
Ship in Fleet of Three Tankers
General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel laying ceremony at its shipyard Tuesday for the first vessel in a three-ship fleet of fuel-efficient tankers for a Florida-based shipping company.
Eric Fabrikant, chief operating officer of shipping company SEACOR Holdings, authenticated the keel by welding his initials onto a steel plate during the ceremony.
NASSCO is building three 50,000-deadweight-ton ships with 330,000-barrel cargo capacity. The 610-foot-long tankers are a new “ECO” design, offering improved fuel efficiency and the latest environmental protection features.
“We are proud to achieve another milestone for the first of three ships for SEACOR. These Jones Act ECO-class tankers feature state-of-the-art design technologies and achieve world-leading fuel efficiencies,” said Parker Larson, director of commercial programs for General Dynamics NASSCO.
The ships were designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering of Busan, South Korea. The construction and operation of the new vessels comes under the Jones Act, which requires that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards.
NASSCO has a growing order book for vessels to transport oil, natural gas and other products between U.S. ports and has shifts working around the clock.
— Times of San Diego
Organovo in Partnership With Cosmetics
Giant to Develop 3-D Printed Skin Tissue
San Diego-based Organovo Holdings Inc. announced a partnership with L’Oreal USA, a major beauty company, to develop 3-D printed skin tissue for product evaluation and other areas of advanced research. The partnership marks the first-ever application of Organovo’s groundbreaking technology within the beauty industry, the company said.
Organovo’s 3D bioprinting enables the reproducible, automated creation of living human tissues that mimic the form and function of native tissues in the body.
“We developed our technology incubator to uncover disruptive innovations across industries that have the potential to transform the beauty business,” said Guive Balooch, global vice president of L’Oreal’s Technology Incubator. “Organovo has broken new ground with 3-D bioprinting, an area that complements L’Oreal’s pioneering work in the research and application of reconstructed skin for the past 30 years. Our partnership will not only bring about new advanced in vitro methods for evaluating product safety and performance, but the potential for where this new field of technology and research can take us is boundless.”
Tri-City Medical Center Honored For
Leadership in Mazor Robotic Surgery
Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside was recognized this week for becoming one of the nation’s leading hospitals in robotic surgery. Using the Mazor Renaissance guidance system, the medical center has become the first hospital in the nation to perform more than 500 Mazor Robotic surgeries since March 2012.
Last month, Mazor Robotics honored Tri-City Medical Center with an award for this achievement.
Mazor Robotics’ Renaissance is a specially-designed surgical guidance system that allows surgeons to perform safer and more accurate spine surgeries. For patients, this means better clinical outcomes with less pain, fewer complications, and shorter recovery time. Renaissance is in daily use in leading hospitals with thousands of successful cases worldwide.
“Superior surgical outcomes, and physician and patient demand for the technology have led to a 30 percent increase in the number of patients receiving spine care at Tri-City Medical Center,” said Tri-City Medical Center CEO Tim Moran. “Tri-City Medical Center remains on the cutting edge in embracing technology that advances the quality of care we provide to patients with back pain.”
UCSD Health System Deal Aims to
Enhance Health Care in Imperial Valley
UC San Diego Health System and the city of El Centro entered into a long-term management services agreement on behalf of El Centro Regional Medical Center, the city-owned hospital, with the goal of enhancing the delivery of high-quality health care to patients in the Imperial Valley.
“The Hospital Affiliation Task Force has dedicated significant resources to search for a strategic partner that would enhance the availability and quality of health care services for the entire Imperial Valley, and we have found that partner in UC San Diego Health System,” said Mayor Efrain Silva.
“In addition to providing important operational and clinical support, our relationship with UC San Diego Health System will help local patients gain greater access to a comprehensive continuum of care in El Centro and San Diego, including an array of specialized medical and surgical services. Additionally, our employees will have direct access to best practices and expertise of the region’s top-ranked health system,” said Tomas Virgen, interim CEO of the El Centro center.
Personnel Announcements
FIT Bodywrap Names Sales Manager
FIT Bodywrap, a San Diego-based company, has named Denisse A. Ypina-Favela sales manager to grow the company’s national sales network and manage sales strategy.
Ypina-Favela comes with broad sales experience in the beauty and technology industries. She joins the company to continue FIT Bodywrap’s path in expansion and market penetration across multiple channels. Her responsibilities include analyzing and improving current sales processes, executing sales strategies and identifying marketing opportunities.
Ypina-Favela earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
Allen Matkins Names New Partners
Attorneys Ted G. Fates and Heather S. Riley have been elected partners of the Allen Matkins real estate and business law firm in San Diego. Fates is an insolvency and receivership attorney and Riley is a land use attorney.
Erik Johnson Joins Procopio Firm
Erik T. Johnson has joined the Procopio law firm as an associate on the labor and employment team. Johnson focuses his practice on representing employers in federal and state court litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, unfair competition and wage and hour claims.
He also counsels employers on a broad spectrum of day-to-day employment matters, including employee discipline, terminations, leaves of absence and wage and hour issues.
Ex-Helicopter Pilot for George W. Bush
Hired by U-T San Diego to Help Circulation
A former “Marine One” helicopter pilot for President George W. Bush has been hired by U-T San Diego for a more prosaic mission: help elevate the newspaper’s circulation.
The paper announced that Bryan M.Smylie, a 20-year Marine Corps veteran, will be the media company’s first director of military liaison. He’ll report to Harry Woldt, vice president for circulation, distribution and operations, U-T spokeswoman Stephanie Brown told Times of San Diego.
Smylie is far from the first military officer with a high U-T title.
Famed Marine Lt. Gen. Victor H. “Brute” Krulak was a top newsroom executive in The San Diego Union under the ownership of James Copley in the 1960s and 1970s. He died in 2008 at age 95 in San Diego.
— Times of San Diego
Blankinship & Foster Adds to Executive Team
Blankinship & Foster adviser Teresa Kakadelas has joined the firm’s executive team to help set the strategic direction of the firm going forward.
Kakadelas will be a key part of the firm’s leadership, lending not only her expertise as a financial adviser, but also a female perspective about women’s unique financial needs.
Kakadelas has been an adviser with Blankinship & Foster since 2005. She leads the firm’s Financial Planning Team, continually identifying and helping solve financial planning issues for clients. Teresa started the firm’s “Wise Women” luncheons, designed to provide female clients with financial education. She finds professional satisfaction in helping clients clarify and simplify their financial lives and plan for the future.
Amie Hayes Joins SOHO as Historic Resources Specialist
Save Our Heritage Organisation, (SOHO), the nonprofit countywide historic preservation organization for the San Diego region, has hired Amie Hayes as historic resources specialist.
Hayes worked part-time for SOHO about 10 years ago. She went on to graduate from Boston University with a a master’s degree in preservation studies. She received a Historic Preservation Real Estate Finance Professional certificate from the National Development Council.
Hayes interned at the Historic Preservation Division of the Planning Department for the city of Somerville, Mass. and became a full-time planner there. Her working knowledge of the complexities within the historic, demolition, and zoning ordinances enabled her to develop and improve the city’s preservation and urban planning tools.
UCSD Grad Named Blue Angels Commander
A UC San Diego graduate has been appointed the 2016-17 commander of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team, the Navy announced Tuesday.
Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi was selected by a panel of 10 admirals and former commanding officers.
“We prioritized selecting an officer who is an outstanding example of the pride and professionalism of the Navy and Marine Corps,” said Rear Adm. Roy Kelley, the chief of naval training. “Commander Bernacchi has a proven record of excellence and will be both a strong flight leader and commanding officer for the 2016 team.”
Bernacchi, a native of Los Altos in Northern California, earned his bachelor’s degree at UCSD in 1996. He received his commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Program.
Bernacchi, who has flown the Blue Angels’ aircraft — the F/A-18 Hornet – – in Afghanistan and Iraq, had been serving as the federal executive fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“It is an absolute honor to have been selected for this prestigious position,” Bernacchi said. “There is a legacy of tradition and excellence within the Blue Angels squadron, and I look forward to maintaining the high standard of excellence set before me by (predecessor) Captain (Tom) Frosch.”
Bernacchi is scheduled to assume command in November.
— City News Service
