Daily Business Report: Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022
Showdown brewing over San Diego City
College’s potential new bachelor’s degree
By Jakob McWhinney and Philip Salata
Thanks to a 2021 law, San Diego City College may soon get its first bachelor’s degree in the school’s 100-year history – in cyber defense and analysis. But the law’s stipulation that community colleges can’t develop degrees that duplicate ones already offered by California’s public four-year universities has led to conflict between the community college and CSU systems.
The CSU’s submitted an objection to multiple degrees proposed by community colleges, including City College’s. But despite determining that the degree is not in fact duplicative of CSU degrees after a review of the course material, community college officials say the CSU’s never officially withdrew their objection. This has set up a tense political situation that may see the community colleges establish these degrees over the objections of the CSU’s.
News competition bill gets a lifeline
By Sara Fischer, Ashley Gold
Lawmakers have added a measure to Congress’ must-pass defense funding bill that would force Big Tech firms like Google and Meta to pay hundreds of local news outlets for their content, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Barring last-minute Capitol Hill maneuvering, the news-funding measure is now on track to pass after failing for years to gather enough support to become law.
• The legislation, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), aims to create a lifeline for struggling local news companies.
• But opponents say the bill is a handout for traditional media companies and could force Big Tech firms to pay outlets that routinely publish misinformation.
San Diego Regional Cyber Lab launched
to help local agencies protect against cyberattacks
With cybersecurity concerns on the rise following several major ransomware attacks nationally, the City of San Diego has launched the San Diego Regional Cyber Lab to help local agencies prevent and protect against cyberattacks.
The Cyber Lab will provide the greater San Diego region with coordinated cybersecurity awareness through collaborative access to tools, intelligence, and a trained and capable workforce. The goal is to enhance cybersecurity resilience through the timely sharing of information and analysis, and specialized training with safe environments to simulate and defend against cyberattacks.
The city received two grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security totaling about $928,000 to develop and launch the San Diego Regional Cyber Lab.
Supreme Court redistricting case could allow
Democrats to gerrymander California
Republicans are now promoting an obscure legal theory before the U.S. Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper, a case over redistricting in North Carolina that could give California Democrats the power to gerrymander. If Republicans are successful, California’s current commission-drawn districts would be invalidated, with the Legislature in charge of redrawing the state’s 52 congressional seats.
Click here to read the CalMatters guest commentary from Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data, and owner of Redistricting Partners, a firm that does municipal redistricting and consulting nationally.
Danielle Haulsee joins Hubbs-SeaWorld
Research Institute as chief science officer
Danielle E. Haulsee, most recently a research scientist at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station, has been named chief science officer for Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) and assumes her new role on Tuesday.
Haulsee will establish scientific priorities, coordinate support for HSWRI scientists, serve as a liaison to the community and develop communications to help attract further financial support for the nonprofit Institute.
She will oversee all scientific work at HSWRI’s laboratories in San Diego and Carlsbad, and Brevard County in Florida. Her work will include developing and implementing five-year research plans on a rolling basis.
Haulsee earned her B.S. in environmental studies at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and her Ph.D. in oceanography from the University of Delaware, where she also completed her initial postdoctoral work.
She also did postdoctoral work at Hopkins Marine Station before becoming a Research Scientist there.
Joe Mazzenga joins Agorus
as vice president of manufacturing
Joe Mazzenga, a35-year construction industry veteran, has joined Agorus, a construction technology company in San Diego, as vice president of manufacturing. Mazzenga will lead the development of the company’s construction solutions from conception through installation.
“Joe has been at the forefront of the construction and manufacturing industries, creating innovative systems and processes that ensure success,” said Garrett Moore, co-founder and CEO of Agorus.
“He is known nationally as an entrepreneur in off-site construction by linking software, equipment, and systems with lean manufacturing processes to improve the way construction gets done today.”
Mazzenga exhibited his entrepreneurial talent and drive to build better early in life. Shortly after high school, he became a journeyman carpenter and started a small construction business with a partner.
Within 10 years, Mazzenga grew it into a successful framing contractor firm, employing over 1,500 individuals in multiple manufacturing facilities.
San Diego County workers join Teamsters
Over 500 workers employed by San Diego County have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 911. The workers are employed in the construction, maintenance, operations and repair, and crafts departments. The workers, who serve more than 3.2 million residents throughout the county, are seeking higher pay, better health care, improved safety, job security, and respect. Teamsters Local 911 represents thousands of public sector workers throughout Southern California.
Madeleine Homan Blanchard wins
2022 CEO Today magazine award
Madeleine Homan Blanchard was named Most Inspiring Leadership Development Coach by CEO Today magazine. Blanchard is the chief coaching architect at The Ken Blanchard Companies, a leader in management training, consulting, and coaching. A pioneer in the coaching profession, Blanchard was a senior trainer and founding advisory board member of Coach University and a founding board member of The International Coach Federation.
Mark Nibbe joins Molecular Assemblies
as vice president of operations
Molecular Assemblies Inc., a pioneer in the field of enzymatic DNA synthesis, announced the appointment of Mark Nibbe as vice president, operations. Nibbe is an engineering leader with nearly 25 years in biotech and life sciences, developing consumable products and manufacturing processes and tools, building scalable team structures, and establishing technology management strategies to realize the extensive opportunities of new genetic-based technologies. He has held a variety of roles in product development and operations and was most recently senior director, new product introduction at Illumina.
Sempra Infrastructure reaches LNG deal with ENGIE
Sempra Infrastructure, a subsidiary of Sempra, has entered into a long-term sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with ENGIE S.A. for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Phase 1 of its proposed Port Arthur LNG project under development in Jefferson County, Texas. ENGIE has agreed to purchase approximately 0.875 million tons per annum of LNG for 15 years, delivered on a free-on-board basis, and sourced from natural gas producers whose gas has been certified by an independent third party.
TuSimple and Navistar terminate co-development agreement
San Diego-based TuSimple and Navistar, an Illinois firm, announced an end to their co-development under the 2020 Joint Development Agreement. The decision to end the development agreement does not preclude the companies from working together in the future. “I decided to return as TuSimple’s CEO to address the challenges ahead and to set us on a path to long term stability. We have proven our technology works, and I’m committed to addressing the concerns of stakeholders. I firmly believe in this company and its ability to improve the safety and efficiency of the trucking industry through world-class autonomous driving technology,” said TuSimple CEO Cheng Lu.
DC Capital launches Akela Engineering and Consulting
DC Capital Management LP, a private equity firm in Virginia that invests in middle-market companies in the government and engineering sectors, announced the launch of Akela Engineering and Consulting in San Diego. Akela is a full-service mechanical, electrical and plumbing firm providing engineering and consulting services to the construction industry in California. Industry veteran Dennis Berlien has joined Akela as chief executive pfficer.
Matt Grimes joins ATX Networks
as senior VP of global operations
ATX Networks, a global leader in broadband access and media distribution solutions, announced the appointment of Matt Grimes as senior vice president of global operations. Grimes will lead an experienced team of operations professionals to scale and optimize ATX operations, focusing on removing risk from logistics and supply chains to accelerate the company’s mission of expanding access to reliable and affordable broadband connectivity and media delivery. Before joining ATX, Grimes held progressively senior roles in supply chain and operations at NAV CANADA, GENBAND and Nortel.
Bluestar Genomics initiates clinical trial
for early detection of pancreatic cancer
Bluestar Genomics Inc., an early cancer detection company with locations in San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area, announced the initiation of the New Onset Diabetes Management for Earlier Detection (NODMED) trial, one of the largest clinical studies in pancreatic cancer to date. The trial will use Bluestar Genomics’ proprietary epigenomic methods for detection of the disease. With research showing that patients recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are almost eight times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, Bluestar Genomics aims to directly address the unmet need for early disease detection by further validating the utility and accuracy of its pancreatic cancer detection test in high-risk patients.
Kristie Nova to lead Bespoke Partners CEO search practice
San Diego-based Bespoke Partners, a leading provider of retained executive search and leadership advisory services for private equity-backed software companies, announced that founding partner Kristie Nova will lead the firm’s dedicated practice placing high-impact chief executive officers in private equity portfolio companies. “I’m thrilled to return to my roots and lead our search practice to bring exceptional CEOs to our clients,” Nova said. “The CEO plays the most critical role in driving portfolio company growth and achieving value creation objectives.” Nova founded Bespoke Partners in 2011.
