Daily Business Report-May 8, 2017
A ‘virtual walk-up ticket office’ which combines a self-service ticket machine with a video link to a call center is being tested at Essen Hauptbahnhof in Germany by city transport operator EVAG and Cubic Transportation Systems.
Cubic Business Unit to Debut its Virtual
Ticket Agent to Airport Executives
Cubic Transportation Systems announced that NextBus, Cubic’s Real-Time Passenger Information business, will present its Cubic Virtual Ticket Agent to its first U.S. airport industry audience at the 89th annual American Association of Airport Executives this week.
The event will be held at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in Long Beach.
The Cubic Virtual Ticket Agent is an innovative hybrid of a virtual walk-up ticket office, video-linked call center and ticket vending machine, which helps public transit agencies to decrease or eliminate the need for customer service representatives at the least busy stations on a rail line.
The technology makes important customer information available in remote locations where there is limited space for a full-ticket office. It can also help ease congestion at locations during peak hours thanks to its efficiency and speed of response, according to Cubic. Customer service operators can remotely answer customer questions, offer advice about best fares and reassure passengers about their onward travel. It is also a practical solution for airports with links to public transportation plus a number of other applications for airports and airlines.
A trial at the U.K.’s Stansted Airport, in partnership with train operating company Abellio Greater Anglia, has received positive endorsements since its October 2015 debut. Travelers cite the ease of use and how much they enjoyed the experience of talking to, and seeing via video link, a remote agent. The Virtual Ticket Agent has received three industry awards in the U.K. since the start of the Stansted Airport trial.
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Two San Diego County Women-Owned
Firms Make Fastest-Growing List
TSAC Engineering in San Diego and PIA Agency in Carlsbad were named among the 50 fastest-growing women-owned companies in the nation by the Women President’s Organization in partnership with American Express.
The 50 ranked companies generated a combined $7.2 billion in 2016 revenues and collectively employed 46,000 people.
Karen McPartland is president and CEO of TSAC Engineering, which was No. 35 on the list. Cheryl Pia is CEO and co-founder of PIA Agency, No. 49 on the list.
Prior to founding TSAC McPartland was an independent contractor working with many large civil engineering firms, such as Kennedy/Jenks, PBS&J, Rick Engineering Company, NV5, and Infrastructure Engineering Company on major public works projects in San Diego County. Karen has over 30 years of experience in civil engineering design and project management for both public works projects and private development.
PIA Agency is a creative agency based in Carlsbad with offices in San Francisco and New York. “We craft moving, human stories that connect people and ideas,” according to the website.
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BLT Enterprises Purchases Kearny
Mesa Industrial Building for $8.9 Million
BLT Enterprises has acquired a 71,862-square-foot, two-story flex industrial building in Kearny Mesa for $8.9 million.
Constructed in 1981, the property was originally a 52,000 square-foot R&D/flex building. In the late 1980s, it was expanded into a two-story office building, adding an additional 20,000 square feet to the property.
The company plans to remove the additional 20,000 square feet of added mezzanine and return the property to its original 52,000 square-foot size, said Bernard Huberman, founder and President of BLT Enterprises.
In addition to removing the mezzanine, BLT Enterprises also plans to integrate a series of improvements that will modernize the property. This includes redone exteriors, new mechanical systems, and employee amenities.
The property is located at 5454 Ruffin Road
Magnum Properties and SD Realty Partners represented BLT Enterprises in the transaction. Commercial Properties Group and Voit Real Estate Services represented the seller, Apprentice and Journeymen Training Trust Fund of Southern California Plumbing and Piping Industry.
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Athena Presents 19th Annual
Pinnacle Awards to Honorees
Seven organizations and individuals received top honors at Athena’s 19th annual Pinnacle Awards for excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The event last week raised more than $50,000 for Athena’s scholarship fund.
The honorees:
Individual in Life Science
Sabrina Johnson
CEO & Founder, Daré Bioscience/CFO, California Institute for Biomedical Research.
Individual in Education
Pamela Cosman, Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, UC San Diego.
Individual in Technology
Nina Smith, Executive VP/General Manager, Casualty Solutions, Mitchell International.
Individual in Service
Nancy Hong, Ph.D., Managing Director, RiverVest Venture Partners.
Company/Organization
Mitchell International
Life Science Start-up
AristaMD
Technology Start-up
Coin Up
Pinnacle Scholarships were also awarded to five graduating high school seniors to promote the future of young women in STEM:
Kiara Bacasen, Otay Ranch High School
Liana Merk, Canyon Crest Academy
Mielynn Shi, Westview High School
Tammy Truong, Vista High School
Jessica Xu, Marantha Christian School
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Sales Opened at Agave in Carlsbad
Cornerstone Communities and Presidio Residential Capital announced that sales are open at Agave, a new Carlsbad community offering 88 two-story townhomes within The Preserve, a 156-acre master planned community with 635 units next to the Buena Vista Creek Ecological Reserve.
Located at 3128 Ceja Place, the two-story townhomes offer up to 1,681 square feet of living space in three flexible floor plans with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, attached two-car garages and private fenced yards. Amenities include a fitness center with free weights and state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment, a beach-entry pool, spa, playground, barbecue area, outdoor fireplace, multiple seating areas and a ping pong table.
Presidio and Cornerstone are developing four neighborhoods within The Preserve. Besides Agave, the projects include Cyprus with 56 two- and three- story single-family detached homes, Acacia with 48 two-story paired homes and Blue Sage with 102 two-story tri-plex homes.
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Personnel Announcements
Vince Reynolds Joins Kidder Mathews
Vince Reynolds has joined Kidder Mathews’ San Diego office as a senior vice president. He is a 27-year veteran broker specializing exclusively in manufactured housing and RV parks.
Vince is widely recognized as one of the leading experts in manufactured housing and RV park investment sales in the U.S., and is frequently a speaker at national conventions and trade shows.
Prior to joining Kidder Mathews, Reynolds was a top producer with CBRE, and a member of CBRE’s Manufactured Housing Group. Before that, he was cofounder of MHRV Advisors, an independent park investment brokerage firm specializing in the sale of mobile home parks and RV parks.
