Your Daily Business Report: Friday, Sept. 23, 2022

SD Metro Magazine September 23, 2022September 23, 2022 0 Comments

UC San Diego physician, alumni partner to

provide prosthetic limbs for Ukrainian amputees

University and LIMBER Prosthetics aim to provide 100 3D-printed prostheses throughout the world

By Ioana Patringenaru | CalMatters

A young man gets fitted with a prosthetic lower leg and begins to walk without crutches within a few minutes. An older man first walks on crutches, then without, shortly after being fitted with his prosthesis. A younger double amputee was able to walk on crutches within minutes as well.

These are three scenes from a video showcasing success stories from a pilot program organized in Ukraine by LIMBER Prosthetics and Orthotics, a company co-founded by two alumni of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

The pilot project in Ukraine was a first step in a much more ambitious endeavor: providing 100 custom, 3D-printed prostheses to people around the world, including victims of the war in Ukraine. LIMBER is working hand-in-hand with UC San Diego to raise funds for this proof-of-concept project, known as Mission 100.

Joshua Pelz and Luca De Vivo partnered with certified prosthetist Herb Barrack to co-found LIMBER. For the pilot project in Ukraine, they partnered with Dr. Manoj Monga, chair of the Department of Urology at UC San Diego Health.

The funds raised for Mission 100 will go towards building 10 more custom 3D printers, buying materials for the prosthetic limbs and hiring additional staff to help build the prostheses.

San Diego County Farm Bureau names

Neil Nagata as 2021 Farmer of the Year

The San Diego County Farm Bureau (SDCFB) has named Neil Nagata, a third generation Oceanside farmer who is a leading agriculture advocate for both growers and farm workers, the 2021 Farmer of the Year.

The guest of honor will be celebrated in October at the bureau’s annual Farmer of the Year event with his family, friends, and the agriculture community.

Nagata is president of Nagata Bros Farms, with over 30 years’ experience in fresh fruit, vegetable, and strawberry substrate/hydroponic production and research. He also grows blueberries, blackberries, and cherimoya. In addition to his growing experience, Nagata is an expert in many aspects of agriculture and biological science, including field and commercial research and production.

He served as the president of the San Diego County Farm Bureau from 2017-2019, and has been a board member since 2008, working with regulators and legislators to support fruit and vegetable production in the United States and Internationally.

Nagata has played a vital role in farm worker advocacy. He joined the Strawberry Commission in 1991 and since then has served as a board member and past chairman of their organization. Nagata is the founding president of the no-profit California Strawberry Growers Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships for children of California strawberry farm workers. During the past 26 years, over $2 million has been raised and gifted to farm worker’s children.

Plan to save the Del Mar train tracks moves forward

A plan to move the train tracks that run along Del Mar’s bluffs into an underground tunnel is moving forward thanks to a $300 million grant. That’s a starting point for a $3 billion project that’s a major piece of the region’s $160 billion long-term plan for the region, managed by the San Diego Association of Governments. The new tunnel would run 80 feet underground, and nearly a mile inland from their current, precarious location, but would take until at least 2035 to be completed.

The plan also includes double tracing the route between the San Dieguito Lagoon and Sorrento Valley, a process that will add a second set of rails for trains to pass each other, which would allow more frequent service on the busy corridor.

The bluffs have been slowly eroding for years, causing multiple bluff collapses, and becoming a growing threat to both beachgoers and crucial regional infrastructure.

$7.5 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant

to help increase homeownership for minorities

An expanded effort to help more people of color in the San Diego region become homeowners has been launched with the support of a $7.5 million grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. The grant was awarded to the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), part of the San Diego Homeownership Equity Collaborative.

Homeownership rates for many households of color are significantly lower than other racial groups. For example, an SDHC-commissioned Urban Institute study of City of San Diego households confirmed homeownership rates of 29.1 percent among Black households and 35.2 percent among Latino households, compared with 54.8 percent among White households.

The San Diego City-County Reinvestment Task Force (RTF) will lead the implementation of the San Diego Homeownership Equity Collaborative’s strategies throughout the San Diego region.

San Diego Community College District

adopts $992 million budget for 2022-2023

The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) Board of Trustees has adopted a

$992 million budget for 2022-2023. The balanced budget includes $557 million in General Fund spending and $435 million in various other funds. General Fund includes $351 million in unrestricted operating funds and $206 million in restricted funds. This includes $32.2 million in COVID-19-related federal stimulus funds to provide direct financial aid to students impacted by the pandemic and funding to ensure continuity of instructional operations.

The district anticipates receiving $2.8 million from the state to help support the district’s tuition-free San Diego Promise, which benefits thousands of students at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges. The district recently announced that participation in its Promise program has rebounded with a record 2,400 new students enrolled for the 2022-23 academic year.

Another highlight of the adopted budget is $24 million in one-time funds for scheduled maintenance and instructional equipment and materials.

County launches information site for labor, wage, theft data

Employees and employers across the region can now learn more about workers’ rights, labor law compliance, and see which local businesses have wage theft judgments against them.

The County’s new Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement created a website that answers labor law questions on the minimum wage, meal and rest breaks, sick leave, overtime, COVID-19 vaccination requirements, workers’ compensation requirements and more.

The site also features an embedded dashboard on the status of wage claims judgments issued by the California Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement. Users can search for local employers who violated the California Labor Code, the employer’s type of industry, judgment date, and judgment amount. This site will be updated monthly.

In the near future, employers can sign up to attend free educational labor compliance trainings for businesses that will be hosted throughout the County and available virtually.

Waterkeeper Alliance veteran named

executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper

Phillip Musegaas, a 17-year veteran of the Waterkeeper Alliance, has been named executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper, effective Oct. 10. He will succeed Matt O’Malley, who has served in the post for nine years, and is the agency’s managing attorney.

Musegaas comes to Coastkeeper from his position as vice president of programs and litigation at Potomac Riverkeeper Network and formerly served as legal director at Hudson Riverkeeper. His legal and advocacy leadership oversaw the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant, forced ExxonMobil to clean up a 17-million-gallon oil spill in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, established a $20 million environmental benefit fund for Greenpoint residents, and launched an environmental justice fellowship at Howard University Law School, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C.

USD announces 9^th ranking on list of Best

Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Degrees

The University of San Diego announced its #9 ranking on Fortune Education’s list of Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Degrees in 2022. The supply of qualified cybersecurity professionals falls short of the ever-growing demand. The University of San Diego brings a two-fold, mission-focused approach to the cybersecurity challenge:

• Preparing current and future generations of cybersecurity professionals with its innovative, online master;s degree programs

• Conducting ongoing research while functioning as a thought leader in this important field

“Across sectors, ransomware attacks and threats are up 8 percent in 2022 over the previous year, making the cybersecurity industry one of the fastest-growing and most critical industries in the world,” saidMichelle Moore, director of the Graduate Cyber Security Operations & Leadership and Professor of Practice with the University of San Diego.

A total of 20 programs made the list.

OSHA reveals top 10 safety violations for fiscal 2022

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2022. The list was presented in San Diego during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the world’s largest annual gathering of safety professionals.

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements: 5,260 violations

2. Hazard Communication: 2,424

3. Respiratory Protection: 2,185

4. Ladders: 2,143

5. Scaffolding: 2,058

6. Lockout/Tagout: 1,977

7. Powered Industrial Trucks: 1,749

8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,556

9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: 1,401

10. Machine Guarding: 1,370

Guild Mortgage partners with National Association

of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals

San Diego-based Guild is partnering with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals to strategically grow and expand its impact on diverse communities across the U.S.

“Guild loan officers work hard to serve diverse clients with an understanding that homeownership is the single largest driver of generational wealth and a major factor contributing to healthy, stable communities,” said Guild Vice President of Marketplace Diversity Strategy Victor Garcia DeLuca. “Our partnership with NAHREP is vital to growing our impact in the Hispanic community and by joining the efforts NAHREP is driving, Guild can amplify its work to reach and support Hispanic homebuyers with the information, education and loan programs they need to realize their homeownership dreams.”

Nations Lending opens San Diego branch

Nations Lending, a leading full-service national mortgage lender, has announced the opening of its newest branch in Point Loma, a hot spot in the San Diego area. The company has hired 26-year industry veteran Lani Furrows, and Andy Wagner, as branch managers. Furrows and Wagner will report to Regional Manager Mike Towery and oversee growing the branch’s loan volume production.

Furrows joins Nations after serving more than eight years as a branch manager at Caliber Home Loans. She has closed over 6,800 loans over the course of her experienced career.Wagner also comes from Caliber after more than eight years. He formerly served as the CFO of an automotive company. His background in accounting and tax preparation has allowed him to specialize in complex loan scenarios such as self-employed borrowing. In 2021, Furrows and Wagner led their respective branch at Caliber to more than $400 million in loan volume production.

Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation gets grant

to add 83 acres to Mission Trails Regional Park

The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation has received a $2 million grant from the San Diego River Conservancy to acquire 83 additional acres to Mission Trails Regional Park.

The private land that will be purchased is within the park’s boundaries and is located in the East Elliott Community Planning Area, north of Interstate 52. This action will also support the park’s 2019 Master Plan Update and the City of San Diego’s Multiple Species Conservation Program, a regional effort to preserve land essential to local plants and animals.

The San Diego River Conservancy is an independent, non-regulatory state agency established to preserve, restore, and enhance the San Diego River Area.

San Diego American Indian Health Center

achieves AAAHC accreditation

San Diego American Indian Health Center (SDAIHC) has been accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation distinguishes this health center from many other outpatient facilities through itsadherence to rigorous standards of care and safety. Status as an accredited organization means SDAIHC has met nationallyrecognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by AAAHC. More than 6,600 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are currently accredited by AAAHC.

1095 Strong is a transformational movement and call-to action spearheaded by the AAAHC to equip ambulatory leaders with the best of what they need to operationalize quality practices. The three-year, or 1,095-day, period betweenaccreditations is a critical time when ambulatory health organizations, with help from proven experts, can develop the kindof everyday habits that enable leaders in the industry to provide the utmost in quality care to their patients.