Daily Business Report-April 3, 2019
Bridgepoint Education’s headquarters are at 8620 Spectrum Center Blvd. in San Diego. (Photo: Bridgepoint Education)
Bridgepoint Education changing name
to Zovio and moving HQ to Chandler, Ariz.
Bridgepoint Education Inc., the subject of a 2017 lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for alleged improprieties at its Ashford University chain, announced Tuesday that it is changing its name to Zovio Inc. and moving its headquarters from San Diego to Chandler, Ariz.
“We decided to move our headquarters to Arizona and the greater Phoenix area because it enables us to tap into local talent, enjoy a favorable business environment, and provide a more reasonable cost of living for our transferring employees with opportunities for transferring spouses to find employment,” said CEO Andrew Clark in a press release.
Becerra’s lawsuit against Bridgepoint Education and Ashford University accuse them of engaging in unlawful marketing, sales and debt collection practices.
Anna Davison, vice president for investor relations at Bridgepoint, said the company will vigorously defend itself against the allegations brought by the attorney general.
Clark said the company is changing its name to Zovio to further advance its strategy and transformation to an education technology services company.
“Today, America has 7 million jobs currently vacant because of a shortage of qualified workers – a skills gap that threatens our country’s competitiveness in a global economy,” said Clark. “Zovio will work alongside education institutions, employers, and learners to provide technology and services differentiated by meaningful insights gained through powerful data and analytics, which will enable our partners to address the skills-to-employment challenge.”
The Zovio name was inspired by the Greek word “sophos,” meaning skillful and intelligent, and the Latin prefix “vi” for visionary. It speaks to the company’s ability to provide colleges and universities, corporations, and learners with the right insights to improve outcomes.
More than 800 roles will begin moving into the new Chandler location beginning in early summer, with plans to complete the transition throughout the next 18 to 24 months. About 200 employees currently working in a transitional operations center in Tempe, Ariz., will be the first to move to the new location. The business will continue to have operations in Clinton, Iowa, Denver, Colorado and San Diego.
Read Voice of San Diego article March 23, 2011
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Summary of April Events
at San Diego Convention Center
April 3-4: National Indian Gaming Association Conference; 7,000 attendees
April 6-7: California Bridal & Wedding Expo; 5,000 attendees
April 10-13: American Organization of Nurse Executives 2019 annual meeting; 3,500 attendees.
April 13-17: 2019 American Association of Neurological Surgeons annual Scientific Meeting; 6,000 attendees.
April 24-27: 35th annual American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Scientific Session; 4,515 attendees.
Geriatric Emergency Department examination room.
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BIOS Lighting installs unique LED lighting
to UC San Diego Health’s Geriatric Emergency Dept.
Carlsbad-based circadian lighting startup BIOS Lighting, founded by former NASA engineers, has just completed a unique LED lighting project in the Gary and Mary West Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla.
The BIOS lights will aid patients and staff in the Geriatric Emergency Department (GED) in two crucial ways: by adding a heightened amount of circadian signal to provide alertness during the daytime hours; and by providing a unique wavelength of light dedicated to visual assessment of patients.
BIOS has integrated its groundbreaking research and development with science developed at NASA for the International Space Station to deliver unparalleled results that improve the health and well-being of people, plants and animals.
“Circadian entrainment is important to the GED staff for health and productivity, especially for those working longer or overnight shifts,” said Robert Soler, vice president of research at BIOS. “For short-stay, elderly patients, an important aspect of our lighting system is its unique wavelengths that enhance visibility of medical ailments, such as sepsis—a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to infection.”
In 2018, the Gary and Mary West Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health was the first California GED—and one of just eight in the United States—to be accredited by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Earlier this year, BIOS was recognized as an innovator in the field when it was selected as the winner in the “Lighting for Health and Well-Being” category for the 2019 LEDs Magazine Sapphire Awards. “At BIOS, we are passionately committed to developing lighting solutions that improve our overall mental and physical well-being,” said Soler. “For seniors, it’s important to implement circadian lighting that doesn’t compromise comfort and familiarity and is designed to align with biological functions that are core to keeping humans healthy.”
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Capstone Advisors acquires shopping center
Carlsbad-based Capstone Advisors has acquired Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center, a shopping center, shadow anchored by Target and Hobby Lobby in the Ahwatukee submarket of Phoenix, Ariz. The 41,425 square-foot property is located at 4722 East Ray Road, on the northwest corner of East Ray Road and South 48th Street, the main retail thoroughfare in Ahwatukee.
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Six community college students named
to All-California Academic Team
Six students at San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges have been named to the Phi Theta Kappa All-California Academic Team based on their grades, leadership, and service to the community. They were honored March 25 at the 2019 PTK Awards Luncheon in Sacramento that is sponsored by the Community College League of California.
Among the award winners in the San Diego Community College District:
Ronny Vásquez is an international student from Venezuela who is currently in his last semester at San Diego City College and pursuing a degree in chemical engineering.
Bianca Leon. Bianca is a mother, wife, and student at San Diego City College who is pursuing a degree in administration of justice and plans to transfer to San Diego State University.
Sofia Castellani-Staedler is a first-generation Italian-American college student from Los Angeles, currently serves as Mesa’s Associated Student Body president and as a student trustee for the San Diego Community College District.
Hong Nhung Nguyen is majoring in accounting and computer science and aspires to become a data analyst using her skills to help children in impoverished countries have improved access to education. She has been on the Dean’s List every year at Mesa College.
Hanna Ostapchuk. At the age of 20, Hanna Ostapchuk arrived in the United States with limited English and $700 in her pocket. Within a year, she went on to manage a coffee shop. After enrolling at San Diego Miramar College, Hanna completed 18 units in her first semester. Her next step is to transfer to a four-year university to become a well-educated business professional.
Siren Echo Orona was homeschooled until her junior year of high school, which made it difficult to adjust to the pace of a public education. Regardless, she is excelling at Miramar College, where she is majoring in cognitive behavioral neuroscience and aspires to one day engage in research regarding learning and behavior.
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Personnel Announcements
Farah Mahzari joins San Diego Land Lawyers
San Diego Land Lawyers, a boutique law firm specializing in land use and development entitlements, has hired Farah Mahzari as its new director of government affairs.
Mahzari recently retired from the city of San Diego, where she worked for over 30 years in a variety of engineering and development roles, including senior development project manager and associate traffic engineer.
Mahzari’s experience includes permitting and processing discretionary and administrative permits, subdivisions, and property development entitlements. She has a long history working with property developers performing due diligence and site assessments. A skilled negotiator and problem-solver, Mahzari also has experience navigating and resolving code compliance and zoning violation issues.
“The development process in San Diego can be a maze filled with frustrating dead-ends,” Mahzari said. “Understanding the relationship between land use and transportation is extremely important when planning projects. I’m excited to help clients identify potential roadblocks, anticipate City officials’ concerns, and meet with key staff to ensure a smooth and efficient application process.”
Prior to working at the city of San Diego, Mahzari worked at the county of San Diego, the city of El Cajon, and a private engineering consulting firm.
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Jason Paguio named new president
and CEO of Asian Business Association
The Asian Business Association (ABA) named Jason Paguio as the organization’s new president and CEO.
In his new position, Paguio will focus on creating more opportunities and greater access to capital, increasing civic engagement, strong advocacy for business and diversity, expanding partnerships and cultivating the next generation of leaders through a mentorship program for aspiring entrepreneurs and executives.
Paguio brings more than 12 years of experience as a small business owner and business advocate as a public policy adviser in local government. As a community leader, he co-founded multiple nonprofit organizations and has served on various boards, commissions and committees with local philanthropic, civic and business institutions including the NTC Foundation, Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Coronado Transportation Commission.
“A strong, growing and diverse business community is integral to maintaining — and improving — the quality of life for all residents,” said Paguio. “We believe that a rising economic tide lifts all boats, and that if local businesses both small and large succeed, we can create more local jobs, more revenue, and a more stable economy for our region.”