Daily Business Report-May 18, 2018
A new QDOBA Mexican Eats restaurant. (Courtesy of the company)
QDOBA Mexican Eats Announces
Plans for Hiring 100+ Positions
QDOBA Mexican Eats, which has more than 740 restaurants, announced plans to strengthen its roots in Southern California by hiring about 100+ full-time positions to its corporate team.
“Nearly two years ago, we traded mountains for beach when we moved our corporate headquarters from Denver to San Diego and have enjoyed making sunny Southern California our home,” said Keith Guilbault, QDOBA chief executive officer. “With approximately 100 position openings, we couldn’t be more excited to bring jobs to the area and have a positive economic impact, right here in our own backyard.”
Since its recent purchase by Apollo Global Management Group, QDOBA is working to build out internal teams that it had previously shared with its former parent company, Jack in the Box Inc. Open positions include roles ranging from specialists to executive management in a variety of departments, such as: Finance & Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing, Supply Chain and Restaurant Development.
Company perks include a casual, collaborative work environment, along with competitive compensation and benefits package, said Guilbault. Hiring for QDOBA corporate positions is already underway and remaining positions will be posted and filled over the next six months.
Interested candidates can learn more about open QDOBA positions at careers.qdoba.com or on the company’s LinkedIn page.
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San Diego State to Keep Aztec Name
and Warrior, but ‘Monty’ and ‘Zuma’ are Out
SDSU President Sally Roush announced Thursday that the university will retain the Aztec name and Aztec Warrior after carefully considering the 2018 Aztec Identity Task Force’s recommendations and the viewpoints of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members, and also comments shared with her directly.
An immediate change will dismiss the use of the nicknames “Monty” and “Zuma,” noting that the use of such nicknames in any context is inappropriate. SDSU will rename its annual awards for outstanding faculty, staff and alumni in coordination with the appropriate university committees, to eliminate the use of the nicknames.
Roush said SDSU will also strengthen ties with local indigenous groups while embracing and teaching positive elements about what is known about the Aztec Empire and its people. SDSU will also make changes to honor the Aztec culture and will henceforth refer to the Aztec Warrior as “spirit leader, not mascot,” she said.
Surveys were sent to more than 200,000 constituents with nearly 13,000 responding, in which the majority were supportive of maintaining the Aztec identity.
Roush also called for the creation of a governing body to be chaired by the SDSU president and charged with actively addressing issues related to SDSU’s Aztec identity and the ethical and fiduciary responsibility of carrying the Aztec name. The group will be staffed and supported through ongoing and one-time university funding.
Roush said the status of the Aztec Warrior was “the most challenging and difficult decision” to make.
After Roush made the announcement, President-Designate Adela de la Torre expressed appreciation for the “deep reflection” that led up to the decisions, saying she is fully committed to the plans Roush set forth.
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California’s First Accredited Geriatric
Emergency Department is in La Jolla
The Gary and Mary West Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla has been accredited as a geriatric emergency department by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The accreditation is the first of its kind and is part of an effort to improve the quality and standards of emergency care provided to the nation’s older patients.
“This recognition is an acknowledgement of the superior, tailored care we provide to any senior who arrives in our emergency department,” said Vaishal Tolia, medical director of the Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health and director of the Gary and Mary West Senior Emergency Care Unit at Jacobs Medical Center. “Our comprehensive, team-based approach is what makes us so successful in caring for older adults.”
The ACEP accreditation requires hospital emergency departments to have both physicians and nurses on staff with specialized geriatric training, meet specific environmental criteria, such as ensuring easy patient access to water and mobility aids, and implement a geriatric quality improvement program.
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Northrop Grumman Receives $45 Million
Contract for Triton Drone Maintenance
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, has been awarded a $45 million contract for materials components, material, parts and associated efforts required to maintain the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system planned production schedule. Work will be performed in San Diego, Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Bridgeport, W.Va., Red Oak, Texas, Vandalia, Ohio and various locations in the continental U.S. and locations outside the continental U.S. Completion is expected in January 2019.
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Park 12 Luxury Apartment/Retail Project
Downtown to Begin Move-Ins in July
Park 12, the three-building luxury apartment and retail community on Park Boulevard overlooking San Diego Bay, is nearing completion and now accepting lease applications, with move-ins to begin in July 2018. Completion on the iconic mixed-use project – previously known as Ballpark Village – is slated for Fall 2018.
Located immediately across the street from Petco Park, on a 3.5-acre triangular site at 100 Park Plaza, Park 12 is comprised of one high-rise and two mid-rise buildings – all owned and operated by Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC. When complete, the complex will include 438 luxury apartments in a 37-story tower and 280 units in two mid-rise six and seven-story buildings – for a total of 718 rental homes. Residences will include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans – as well as penthouse suites – with square footage spanning from 518 to 2,824 square feet, with direct access to Petco Park for San Diego Padres baseball games and other special events.
The project includes 45,000 square feet of ground level retail space.
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Architect Michael C. Johnson Appointed
to Two High-Profile Organizations
Architect Michael C. Johnson, a founder and design principal of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE, has been selected for appointments to two high-profile organizations: the American Institute of Architects Documents Committee and UC San Diego’s inaugural Real Estate and Development Advisory Board for its new degree program in that field.
Based on his deep portfolio of projects across multiple market sectors, Johnson has been selected earlier this year to join the AIA Documents Committee, a national group that establishes standards across the profession.
A longstanding and prominent member of the AIA, Johnson has served on the group’s boards and as treasurer for its professional groups including the AIA California Council and for his local chapter.
In consideration of his extensive experience in architectural practice in New Jersey, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Virginia, Colorado and California, Johnson has been appointed to the AIA Documents Committee. With Carrier Johnson + CULTURE, Johnson leads a number of high-profile building projects including Park + Market, the 562,000-square-foot, mixed-used development in San Diego’s East Village created to house businesses, offices, and classrooms for a range of users including UC San Diego.
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Water Authority’s Proposed
Rate Hikes Smallest in Years
Water rate increases proposed by the San Diego County Water Authority staff for 2019 are among the smallest in the past 15 years due to financial benefits secured through litigation against the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Water Authority’s planned use of its Rate Stabilization Fund, the agency reported Thursday.
Rates charged to the Water Authority’s 24 member agencies would increase by 0.9 percent for treated water and 2.9 percent for untreated water in calendar year 2019, according to a proposal to be presented to the Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday, May 24. The board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed rates and consider their adoption during its regular meeting on June 28. The new rates will take effect on Jan. 1.
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Personnel Announcements
Doug Jackson Named New CEO of Cali Bamboo
Cali Bamboo, a leader in both flooring and decking, has named company president and industry veteran Doug Jackson as its new chief executive officer. As CEO, Jackson will continue to leverage Cali’s unique platform, authentic brand experience, and highly specialized team to drive accelerated growth.
Since joining Cali Bamboo as chief revenue officer in September 2017 and being promoted to president last November, Jackson has proven instrumental in building out the company’s leadership team and thoughtfully retargeting the unique omnichannel platform on areas of revenue growth. Under his direction Cali has recalibrated and expanded its dealer program, accelerated new product introductions, and increased its presence at key industry trade shows.
As a former Shaw Industries divisional vice president of sales and marketing, Jackson brings over 20 years of experience and is known for facilitating strategic, long term business relationships with customers in the dealer, national account, and trade channels.
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Buddy Bohrer and Mariana Crawford
Join Chelsea Investment Corp.
Chelsea Investment Corp. has hired Buddy Bohrer as director of acquistions, and Mariana Crawford as senior project finance manager.
Bohrer will focus on new deals strategy and project transition.With a strong background in transactional negotiations, predevelopment and project management, leasing, and asset management, Bohrer’s resume includes executive positions at Wakeland Housing, H.G. Fenton Co., Standard Pacific, Pardee Construction, Grubb & Ellis and Scher-Voit.
Bohrer currently serves as president of HomeAid America’s San Diego chapter and as a member of the University of San Diego Real Estate Advisory Committee. Other professional affiliations include leadership positions in the Building Industry Association and the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks.
Crawford will support Chelsea’s development and asset management teams by creating and updating strategic models and proformas. Crawford has an extensive background in affordable housing and market rate multifamily financing and underwriting, as well as tax credit program management. Most recently she served as senior financial analyst at Red Capital Group, where she evaluated in excess of $250 million in lending opportunities.
A former resident of the Pacific Northwest, Crawford served as an FHA senior underwriter for the office of U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Seattle, and held the position of Tax Credit Programs Manager for Oregon Housing and Community Services in Salem, Oregon.
