Daily Business Report-Jan. 18, 2021
Taylor Guitars employees, now owners, at the El Cajon factory prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taylor Guitars transfers ownership to employees
El Cajon-based Taylor Guitars, a global builder of premium acoustic guitars, has transferred ownership of the company to its nearly 1,200 employees through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
“We have delighted in giving people the joy of music and hope to do so for generations to come,” said Bob Taylor, co-founder and president of Taylor Guitars. “Becoming 100 percent (employee owned) allows us to ensure our independence for the long-term future and continue to realize our vision for the company as an innovative guitar manufacturer.”
Kurt Listug, co-founder and chief executive officer, added, “While Bob and I are not retiring, we have been preparing for our eventual exit. Master guitar designer Andy Powers is not only the wellspring of our guitar designs for the future, but he also joined our leadership team several years ago, and strengthening our leadership team has been essential to our succession planning.”
Listug views the transition in ownership as the next step to ensure a sustainable future for the company, while also providing a valuable financial benefit to people who have contributed to its success. “We believe we’ve created a special company, where passionate people can engage in problem-solving innovation, collaboration and respect,” he said.
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Water Authority prevails in rate litigation
against Metropolitan Water District
The San Francisco Superior Court has ruled the San Diego County Water Authority is the prevailing party in the agency’s first two lawsuits to be heard challenging rates and charges set by the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The order entitles the Water Authority to recover its attorneys’ fees and costs in those cases, in addition to a $44 million damage and interest award made earlier.
“San Diego prevailed, and the judgment not only benefits its own ratepayers but all of the nearly 19 million people in Metropolitan’s service area because enforcing cost-of-service principles serves the interests of all ratepayers,” said Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo in her Jan. 13 order, which can be appealed. The exact amount of recoverable fees will be decided later.
General Atomics integrates Legion Pod
onto Avenger Remotely Piloted Aircraft
In a recent flight test, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) integrated a Lockheed Martin Legion Pod onto an Avenger Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) demonstrating enhanced autonomous sensing capabilities for an unmanned aircraft. Taking less than three months for the Legion Pod integration to move from concept to flight, the 90-minute captive-carry flight test verified mechanical interfaces and aerodynamics safety of flight for the aircraft.
“Our flight demonstration revealed the quick reaction capabilities of the Avenger RPA,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Strategic Development J.R. Reid. “From software and hardware architecture implementation to sensor integration, the Avenger is a great platform for delivering critical capabilities.”
Broadcaster Keith Bryant named president
of San Diego Association of Black Journalists
The San Diego Association of Black Journalists (SDABJ) named Keith Bryant, as its new board president to serve for the 2021-2023 term.
Bryant is currently a news producer at KNSD / NBC 7 San Diego, and has nearly five years of broadcast news experience from Southern California.
Also a meteorologist, Bryant has also worked as a news and weather producer at WVIT-TV / NBC Connecticut in West Hartford and a news producer at KERO-TV in Bakersfield, Calif.
He graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and from Mississippi State University with a second bachelor’s degree in Operational Meteorology.
“I’m deeply honored and humbled to become the next president of San Diego Association of Black Journalists,” said Bryant.
“Since moving to San Diego last year, this chapter has welcomed me in with open arms and shown me what it means to advocate for black journalists. I’m committed to this organization’s mission of strengthening ties among Black journalists, mentoring young journalists, and expanding job opportunities and recruiting activities for our community.”
Port ofSan Diego welcomes new and familiar
faces on the Board of Port Commissioners
Jennifer LeSar, founding CEO of LeSar Development Consultants, is the newest commissioner on the Board of Port Commissioners. Returning to the board is Rafael Castellanos, chair of the Port’s Environmental Advisory Committee.
LeSar moved to San Diego in 1993 and has a history serving the City of San Diego through her terms as the chair and treasurer of the Civic San Diego Board, and multiple leadership roles on the governing boards of The San Diego Foundation, the San Diego LGBT Community Center, and the Monarch School Project. She is founder of the Global Policy Leadership Academy, and has over three decades in community development, real estate development, and investment banking
Castellanos serves as secretary of the board for 2021. Hew has guided the Port through the adoption of its Climate Action Plan, negotiations for sea level rise adaption, the creation of the Port’s Blue Economy Incubator, and many other projects during his tenure. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree and earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School as a Cornerstone Scholar
Kidder Mathews creates Client Services
program, appoints Paul Klink as president
Commercial real estate firm Kidder Mathews has promoted Paul Klink to president of its new Client Services endeavor, which will focus on expanding Kidder Mathews’ client relationships across all service lines.
He will be based in the firm’s San Diego and Orange County offices but will serve the entire West Coast.
Klink, who has 35 years of experience in commercial real estate, also will focus on recruiting strategic brokerage talent.
Prior to joining the firm last summer, Klink was EVP of industrial services, North America for Newmark Knight Frank, where he focused on expanding NKF’s industrial capabilities and recruiting top talent.
Before that, he was executive managing director, investment services at Cushman & Wakefield, where he was responsible for the firm’s institutional investor clients, serving as a single point of contact for the company’s real estate services including property management, leasing, capital markets, and valuation advisory.
San Diego Diplomacy Council hosts virtual
program on wildlife trafficking for youth
The San Diego Diplomacy Council will hold its Global Leadership Youth Program course: “Of Poaching, Profits and Tiger Kings: International Wildlife Trafficking,” on Jan. 19, 21, 26 and 28. Open to high school students ages 14-18 everywhere and held after regular school hours, the course allows students to virtually navigate solutions to this wildlife crisis through a diplomacy simulation, interactive negotiations and leading wildlife expert speakers.
This course takes place on Zoom from 4-6 p.m. on the above dates and costs $130. Guest speakers featured in the program will include Bobbi Brink, founder and director of Lions Tigers & Bears, a big cat and exotic animal rescue organization; Mike Veale, founder and president of the Global Conservation Force, an organization dedicated to fighting poaching and extinction; and Mau Hamada, founder of the Alexandria Turtle and Wildlife Rescue Team.
Upon completion, students will earn a Certificate of Excellence in Global Leadership.
BOMA San Diego awards 3 local leaders
with 2021 ‘Public Official of the Year’ Award
The San Diego Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA) awarded its 2021 Public Official of the Year Award to a trio of city leaders: City Council President Jennifer Campbell (District 2), Councilmember Chris Cate (District 6), and City Planning Director Mike Hansen.
Campbell and Cate were each recognized for their bi-partisan vision and effort in writing, promoting and successfully passing Measure Eto lift the height limitation in the Midway community. Hansen received the award in recognition of his leadership of the Planning Department and his team’s efforts to promote and develop community plan updates.
