Daily Business Report: Thursday, March 30, 2023
Global communications giant LLYC acquires
San Diego’s BAM public relations and marketing agency
LLYC, a global communications, digital marketing, and public affairs firm based in Madrid, Spain, announced the acquisition of BAM, a public relations and marketing agency based in San Diego. The acquisition accelerates LLYC’s aggressive growth strategy and doubles its size in the U.S. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
This operation makes LLYC U.S. the firm’s third largest operation with a consolidated total revenues of 15.7 million euros, followed by Spain and Mexico. It will also create a staff of more than 65 professionals, in both the East and West Coast, as well as a portfolio of solutions and services that offer strategy and creativity based on exponential technologies for SMEs and large corporations.
“Joining LLYC is a natural next step in the evolution of BAM and a hugely exciting opportunity for our team, said Rebecca Bamberger, CEO of BAM. “LLYC’s global reach, digital capabilities, and depth of expertise will provide BAM clients, and by extension, the venture capital ecosystem, with even more resources.”
BAM’s headquarters are based in San Diego, but operates in 14 states from coast to coast in the United States, in addition to LLYC’s established operations in Miami, Washington, D.C. and New York. BAM runs integrated communications programs for venture backed technology companies. The agency also offers human resources, DEI, and talent consulting as part of its Human Comms offering to support venture backed startups in building strong and inclusive cultures.
Nathan Fletcher resigns from
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Nathan Fletcher — the Democratic San Diego County supervisor who was considered a shoo-in for the California Senate as late as Sunday, before he was named in a civil sexual harassment and assault lawsuit — said late Wednesday that he would resign from the county Board of Supervisors.
The announcement came hours after he acknowledged inappropriate behavior with Grecia Figueroa, a former Metropolitan Transit System public relations officer who accused Fletcher of kissing and groping her in a lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court.
Fletcher, who said late Sunday he was entering treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse, denied the assault and harassment allegations but resigned Tuesday from the MTS board, which oversees the San Diego trolley and bus system and which he had chaired.
NASSCO starts construction on future
USNS Sojourner Truth oiler
General Dynamics NASSCO has started construction on the future USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210), the sixth ship for the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program. Gwen Phillips, a Production Support Specialist II with 34 years as part of the NASSCO team, served as the honoree for the ceremony and initiated the first cut of steel that will be used to construct the vessel.
U.S. Army selects Northrop Grumman for
unmanned aircraft system prototype
Northrop Grumman Corporation, teamed with Shield AI, has been chosen by the U.S. Army to participate in the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System competition, Increment 2, to replace the long-serving RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aerial system.
Under a seven-week base period contract, the Northrop Grumman-led team will define the modular open-system architecture of an enhanced V-BAT aircraft, including the integration of advanced surveillance and electronic warfare (EW) payloads
Northrop Grumman is teamed with Shield AI, designer and manufacturer of the V-BAT platform, to provide best-in-class solutions for an expeditionary vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS, capable of persistent aerial reconnaissance for U.S. Army Brigade Combat Teams, Special Forces and Ranger battalions
Yoda acorn worm makes Top 10 New Marine Species list
By Brittany Hook
The Yoda acorn worm, named after the iconic Jedi Master, has made the Top 10 New Marine Species list by the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
The list acknowledges incredible new species discovered or described in 2022, with an announcement on March 19, 2023, to coincide with Taxonomist Appreciation Day—a day that shines a light on the important work done by taxonomists in charge of classifying, naming, and describing existing biological organisms.
A team of marine scientists and taxonomists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography officially described the new acorn worm species, Yoda demiankoopi, in a paper published July 5, 2022, in the journal Invertebrate Biology. The creature also made the cover of the journal’s September 2022 issue.
The deep-sea dweller was named in honor of Demian Koop, a developmental biologist and former postdoctoral scholar at Scripps who passed away unexpectedly in 2021. While at Scripps, Koop worked in the lab of marine biologists Nicholas and Linda Holland, now both emeritus professors.
San Diego students win prizes in
C-Span video documentary competition
Students at Correia Middle School in San Diego are winners in C-SPAN’s national 2023 StudentCam competition. The following students have won prizes:
Sophie de la Houssaye and Whitney Kuzmich will receive $750 as third prize winners for the documentary, “Human Trafficking: Teach Our Youth or Leave Them in the Dark?”
Lilah Harris and Victoria Stout will receive $250 as honorable mention prize winners for the documentary, “No Place Like Home,” about affordable housing.
Katherine Fleming and Anna Wang will receive $250 as honorable mention prize winners for the documentary, “160 Miles to Home,” about the Endangered Species Act.
C-SPAN, in cooperation with its cable television partners, asked middle and high school students to engage in a national conversation on the challenges our country is facing with the theme: “If you were a newly elected member of Congress, which issue would be your first priority and why?”
Kim Stratman promoted to corporate
general manager at St. Paul’s Senior Services
St. Paul’s Senior Services (SPSS) announces the promotion of Kim Stratman as corporate project manager.
In the new position, Stratman will lead a team on special projects and initiatives for the organization.
Stratman has been with St. Paul’s for the last 12 years, previously serving as general manager of St. Paul’s Plaza, an aging in place community consisting of independent living, assisted living and memory care.
She has been responsible for providing comprehensive leadership, including goal setting, operational management, and long-term growth. During her time at PACE, Stratman helped house over 200 homeless seniors and facilitated the opening of two housing projects.
In May of 2020, she became the general manager of St. Paul’s Plaza.
Scripps Health receives $2.7 million
grant for rotator cuff, stem cell research
SAN DIEGO — Scripps Health will receive a $2.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to research pluripotent stem cells for the treatment of rotator cuff injuries. The failure rate for conventional surgical repair of this common injury is currently 40 percent, so this grant will help them explore using biologically engineered tendons to treat it, according to Darryl D’Lima, M.D., director of orthopedic research for SCORE at Scripps Health.
City of Vista launches Size-Up Vista
VISTA — The City of Vista is launching SizeUp-Vista, making powerful market research and business intelligence available at no cost to local businesses to help them succeed. Local businesses can now access industry-specific and hyperlocal information to help them grow and make smarter decisions using Big Data analysis. The research is individually customized for each company. Learn more
Global Roots Project to be installed in Escondido
ESCONDIDO — The Escondido Arts Association and the Escondido Downtown Business Association announced the installation of a Global Roots Project, as mural of work by 1,500 participants in the U.S. The mural is located at Maple Street Plaza in downtown Escondido. As part of ESCO Alley Art, the mural focuses on highlighting Escondido’s lively business and arts community. Global Roots
Ray Adams and Clark Rorbach join
Kidder Mathews’ San Diego office
SAN DIEGO — Ray Adams and Clark Rorbach have joined Kidder Mathews’ San Diego office as senior vice president and vice president, respectively. The team brings over 40 years of experience in commercial real estate, specializing in multifamily investment properties. Adams and Rorbach have closed over 450 multifamily transactions and completed over 300 1031 tax deferred exchanges. Prior to Kidder Mathews, both brokers were with Cushman & Wakefield. Adams was with the firm for 28 years, and Rorbach for 11.
Cymbiotika launches organic, ceremonial grade Matcha
SAN DIEGO — Cymbiotika, a leading supplement brand known for creating clean, science-backed supplements, announced its newest product, Matcha. Used ceremonially in Japan, matcha is the standard of green tea leaves. It’s made from finely ground green tea leaves and is the most nutritious matcha available. Unlike coffee, matcha is rich in antioxidants and possesses many great health benefits, like sustained energy and focus without the crash.
Cymbiotika’s matcha is 100 percent organic and ceremonial grade.
MedCrypt joins Microsoft Azure for Startups
SAN DIEGO — MedCrypt Inc., the proactive cybersecurity solution provider for medical device manufacturers, announced it was selected to participate in Microsoft Azure for Startups, a global program dedicated to accelerating the trajectory of startups through access to a network of technology, mentorship, and business support. As part of its participation, MedCrypt has also announced the launch of its product, Guardian, an embedded library that makes it easy to build cryptography, validate integrity, and keep data private, on the Azure Marketplace.
QuidOrtho forms the International
QuidelOrtho Women’s Leadership Network
SAN DIEGO — QuidelOrtho Corporation, a global provider of innovative in vitro diagnostic technologies designed for point-of-care settings, clinical labs and transfusion medicine, celebrates Women’s History Month by announcing that the QuidelOrtho Women’s Leadership Network (QWLN) has been formed, creating an enhanced network with 14 global leaders supporting 16 chapters around the world. In 2022, Quidel Corporation and Ortho Clinical Diagnostics united as QuidelOrtho. Leaders from both companies’ women’s leadership networks came together to form QWLN, a global women-led organization amplifying the mentoring, empowerment, achievement and visibility of women.
Payment platform Regpack
announces partnership with Stripe
SAN DIEGO — Regpack, a software leader that enables quick and simple automation of billing and other business processes, announced a partnership with Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. With Stripe, Regpack will enable its customers to expand services and receive payments in Euros, Yen and the Australian Dollar among other currencies in a more streamlined and seamless way. In an unpredictable economy, an automated billing platform that processes multiple types of payments and currencies helps business owners maintain and grow revenue.
MCTS customers use new fare payment system
powered by San Diego’s Cubic Corporation
SAN DIEGO — Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) now offers customers enhanced flexibility and convenience through WisGo, its new fare payment system powered by Cubic Transportation Systems’ Umo Mobility platform. With fare capping enabled, riders now pay as they go, saving money the more they ride, without the need to pay upfront for a daily, weekly, or monthly pass. With WisGo, the communities served by MCTS will benefit from an improved transportation experience that is made to fit the needs of all transit riders regardless of their payment method.