Daily Business Report-Jan. 24, 2020
Astronaut Jessica Meir
NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir to take part
in live Q&A from International Space Station
with two San Diego Unified Schools
The public is incouraged to tune in online
NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir will participate in a live stream from the International Space Station on Monday in a live Q&A with two local middle schools. The live stream will take place at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, where Meir received her PhD in marine biology.
Nearly 150 students from Fulton Middle School and Memorial Preparatory for Scholars and Athletes — two schools supported by Birch Aquarium at Scripps’ Price Philanthropies Ocean Science Education Fund — will participate in the conversation and learn how Meir used her love of science to reach the stars, from STEM to Stars (#STEMtoStars).
Meir, who launched to the International Space Station on Sept. 25, 2019, made history when she participated in the first all-female space walks in October and earlier this month. Meir received her PhD at Scripps in 2009, where she studied the diving physiology of penguins in Antarctica.
Prior to the live stream, the visiting schools will hear from current graduate students at Scripps in a pre-event science panel, to learn more about what they research and their path in science. This will include PhD students Kiefer Forsch, Ivan Moreno, Anai Novoa, and Tashiana Osborne.
Following the student panel, the event will be emceed by UC San Diego Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of physics at the Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences (CASS) Brian Keating and Scripps Oceanography Director Margaret Leinen.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography will also be live streaming the event on the institution’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
Click here for the Facebook live stream
Click here for the YouTube live stream
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Patio on Lamont, Saska’s, and Swell
Coffee Co. properties for sale
Colliers International San Diego Region recently announced the listing of four restaurants and two parking lots in San Diego for sale, subject to court approval, a possible auction process and landlord approval in one instance.
The portfolio includes the two operating full-service restaurants — Patio on Lamont in Pacific Beach, and Saska’s in Mission Beach, one recently closed full-service restaurant — Himmelberg’s in East Village, as well as a recently closed coffee shop and sandwich in Mission Beach, Swell Coffee Co.
Also included in the portfolio are two operating parking lots in Mission Beach – one owned and one leased.
Buyers may elect to bid on any individual or multiple properties. Interested parties can contact Bill Shrader and Joe Brady of Colliers International’s Urban Property Team for any inquiries regarding the portfolio.
“This portfolio represents a unique investment opportunity to acquire up to six properties in the heart of two of San Diego’s most bustling neighborhoods: East Village and Pacific Beach,” said Shrader. “The four buildings feature fully fixtured restaurant operations with high-level upgrades that are all positioned for future success.”
The restaurant properties:
• The Patio on Lamont: At 4445 Lamont St., this location is currently operating and has been a dining destination for more than three decades. The 6,525 square-foot parcel includes a beach area, Type 47 liquor license and the opportunity to add multi-family units.
• Saska’s: Located at 3768 Mission Blvd., this 2,740 square-foot building has been a local eatery for more than 60 years. The property was renovated in 2017 and is currently operating. This location includes a Type 47 liquor license.
• Former Swell Coffee Co.: Located at 3833 Mission Blvd., this 1,257 square-foot property was the former destination for coffee and light food. The property enjoyed a strong sales history but is currently closed.
• Former Himmelberg’s: Situated near Petco Park in San Diego’s East Village neighborhood, the 3,750 square-foot building was renovated in 2016 and is currently closed but was previously a sports bar with a strong following from locals and tourists. This location also includes a Type 47 liquor license.
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UC San Diego Engineering Professor Graeve
inducted into Mexican Academy of Sciences
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Olivia Graeve of UC San Diego has been inducted into the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias (Mexican Academy of Sciences or AMC).
The AMC, established in 1959, is a nonprofit nongovernmental association of distinguished members of the Mexican scientific community. Its main objectives are to promote scientific development in Mexico, foster communication and collaboration with scholars in other countries, and provide unbiased scientific council.
Graeve, a Tijuana native and UC San Diego alumna, is one of only three corresponding members inducted in 2019. Corresponding members are researchers who reside outside of Mexico but have made significant contributions to the development of science in Mexico. Graeve is internationally recognized for her research on the development and manufacturing of nanomaterials for use in extreme conditions. Her Xtreme Materials Laboratory at UC San Diego discovers and characterizes materials for use in environments such as space, nuclear reactors, and biomedical devices.
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USD Nonprofit Institute announces
Kaleidoscope Awards for good governance
Each year the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego recognizes organizations that demonstrate what strong nonprofit governance looks like. This year’s Kaleidoscope Award winners are the boards of the San Diego chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
The San Diego chapter of the worldwide Association of Fundraising Professionals upholds the mission of the international association and advances philanthropy in the San Diego region by enabling members, prospective members and representatives of other organizations to practice effective and ethical fundraising. AFP strives to stimulate a world of generosity and positive social change through best practices in philanthropy.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership’s mission is to empower job seekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in San Diego County. They believe every business in our region should have access to a skilled workforce and every job seeker should have access to meaningful employment.
The Kaleidoscope Awards were announced at the Nonprofit Institute’s 16th annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium on Thursday in the USD Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The event brings more than 400 nonprofit board professionals together to address current trends and best practices to efficiently and creatively address the critical needs in the San Diego region. For more information go to sandiego.edu/soles/nonprofit/events/governance-symposium.
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President Carla Farley and leadership team
installed for Greater San Diego Assn. of Realtors
Carla Farley has begun her term as the 2020 president of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR). Farley and the 2020 Leadership Team are being installed at a luncheon on Jan. 24 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.
A San Diego native, Farley is the broker/owner and president of Corban Realty, a full-service sales and property management brokerage. She has served San Diego for more than 26 years and advocates legislatively for homeowners everywhere.
Farley is a Realtor Key Contact for Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber, regional representative of housing Oopportunities with the California Association of Realtors and was SDAR’s 2015 Volunteer of the Year. For SDAR, she has led the Government Affairs and Housing Opportunities committees, and is a director for C.A.R. and National Association of Realtors.
Farley is joined on the Executive Committee by Chris Anderson, president-elect; Mark Powell, vice president; Glenn Bennett, treasurer; and past presidents Kevin Burke and Steve Fraioli.
Rounding out the 2020 SDAR Board of Directors are: Karen DeGasperis, Barbara DuDeck, Celeste Dunn, Ginni Field, Gerri-Lynn Fives, Cecelia Fowler-Ramsey, Michael Goh, Bob Kevane, Spencer Lugash, Mary Mitchell, Lesha Montoya, Jessica Mushovic, Shawan Owusu, Frank Powell, Judy Preston, Jen Schmidt, Jeremy Sine, Fiona Theseira, Ann Throckmorton, Robert Weichelt, and Brian Westre.
SDAR’s Board of Directors are elected to two-year terms by the full membership, and the Executive Committee is appointed by members of the board.
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Navy to designate expeditionary sea
bases as battle-ready USS ships
ExecutiveGov
The U.S. Navy has decided to commission all expeditionary sea base vessels as USS warships for the capacity to pursue a wider range of missions, USNI News reported Tuesday.
The USS designation will allow the ships to engage in offensive battle, in addition to their original function as transport vessels.
“This re-designation provides combatant commanders greater operational flexibility to employ this platform in accordance with the laws of armed conflict,” Lt. Tim Pietrack, a Navy spokesperson, told USNI News.
The ships will not carry the USNS designation under Military Sealift Command as a result of the decision.
The Navy commissioned ESB-3 Lewis B. Puller as a USS ship in 2017 and will continue to do so with other vessels of the class, starting with ESB-4 Hershel “Woody” Williams in weeks to come, said Rear Adm. Bill Galinis, the Navy’s program executive officer for ships.
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Scripps Research spin-off advances lead
clinical program for major depressive disorder
The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company BlackThorn Therapeutics Inc., a spin-off from Scripps Research, has begun patient enrollment for a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the impact of its lead drug candidate in individuals with major depressive disorder. This follows last year’s successful Phase 1 trial, which demonstrated favorable safety and tolerability in human subjects.
The compound, termed BTRX-335140, which was discovered in collaboration with Scripps Research faculty members Hugh Rosen, M.D., PhD and Edward Roberts, PhD, selectively blocks kappa opioid receptors. The brain’s kappa opioid system mediates many of the negative emotions that occur under conditions of stress. BTRX-335140 is intended to reduce these stress responses, thereby easing symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety and cognitive impairment.
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Aspen Neuroscience announces Board
of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board
Aspen Neuroscience Inc., a private San Diego biotechnology company developing the first autologous induced pluripotent stem cell-based therapy to treat Parkinson disease, has announced the members of its board of directors and scientific advisory board. These boards bring together many of the world’s most distinguished industry and academic minds to deliver Aspen’s personalized cell therapy to persons suffering with Parkinson disease.
Aspen Neurosciende Board of Directors:
Kim P. Kamdar, Ph.D.: board chair and partner at Domain Associates
David L. Barker, Ph.D.: former chief scientific officer at Illumina Inc.
Howard J. Federoff, M.D., Ph.D.: chief executive officer at Aspen Neuroscience Inc.
Erich Mohr, Ph.D.: chairman and CEO at MedGenesis Therapeutix Inc.
Stephen Squinto, Ph.D.: executive partner at OrbiMed
Aspen Neuroscience Scientific Advisory Board:
Roger Barker, MBBS, MRCP, Ph.D.: professor of clinical neuroscience at the University of Cambridge.
Kapil Bharti, Ph.D.: – senior investigator at the National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health.
David Eidelberg, M.D. – Susan and Leonard Feinstein Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience and director of the Center for Neurosciences at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
Jane S. Lebkowski, Ph.D.: president of Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC.
Jeremy Sugarman, M.D.: Harvey M. Meyerhoff professor of bioethics and medicine at Johns Hopkins University.
Last month, Aspen announced it has raised $6.5 million in seed funding and unveiled its plans to use neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to combat the debilitating motor symptoms of Parkinson disease. These iPSCs will be created from each patient’s own cells and then differentiated into dopamine-producing neurons, replacing the critical cells lost in Parkinson disease. Because the therapy is created from each patient’s own tissue, no immunosuppression will be necessary.
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Jimmy Silverwood promoted to executive
vice president of Affirmed Housing
After leading Affirmed Housing during two record-breaking years, project manager Jimmy Silverwood, has been promoted to executive vice president. As the head of Affirmed’s Acquisitions & Development team since 2018, Silverwood and his team initiated unprecedented growth for the firm, with eight construction loan closings totaling over $350 million, and 12 land acquisitions totaling $36.5 million.
Silverwood has been involved in the real estate industry since 2010. After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Boulder, Silverwood began his career in the construction industry as a project engineer and estimator. In 2013, Silverwood joined Affirmed Housing as a project manager. In 2018, he became vice president of acquisitions and development.
In his new role as executive vice president, he supervises a staff of nine, and is involved in various phases of the development process, including underwriting, due diligence, planning and entitlements, community outreach, social services planning, relocation, consultant and GC selection, architectural design, budgets, contracts, and closings.
