Daily Business Report: February 1, 2024
Saving salmon: Newsom unveils blueprint
for ending decades-long decline
By Rachel Becker | CalMatters
With salmon populations throughout California declining for decades and facing the threat of extinction, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday unveiled a state strategy aimed at protecting and restoring the iconic species “amidst hotter and drier weather exacerbated by climate change.”
The blueprint calls for tearing down dams and improving passages for migrating salmon, restoring flows in key waterways, modernizing hatcheries to raise fish and taking other steps to help Chinook, coho, steelhead and other migrating fish.
“We’re doubling down to make sure this species not only adapts in the face of extreme weather but remains a fixture of California’s natural beauty and ecosystems for generations to come,” Newsom said.
Top Photo: Juvenile chinook salmon collected for lab testing on the Klamath River near Weitchpec on July 20, 2023. (Photo by Semantha Norris, CalMatters)
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SDCCD chancellor Gregory Smith begins new
role with clear focus on equity and opportunity
After serving as acting chancellor since March, Gregory Smith’s role as permanent chancellor of the San Diego Community College District begins today. Smith is the seventh chancellor to lead the district in its 50-year history.
Chancellor Smith’s career path has been guided by an unshakeable belief in equity. He credits his sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Brown, a Black woman who encouraged him to see the world through multiple perspectives, with sparking his interest in equity. “I just want you to understand that not everyone experiences the world the way you do,” Smith recalls her telling him near the end of the school year. It is this foundational principle that Smith will use as a guide as he leads 5,000 employees and the nearly 80,000 students they serve at the SDCCD.
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San Diego City Council approves citywide Project Labor Agreement
The San Diego City Council unanimouslyapproved a citywide Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which will govern capital improvement projects and other projects beginning July 1, 2024 and will last until June 30, 2031. The new Project Labor Agreement will govern applicable city construction projects by requiring that “a significant portion of journeypersons and apprentices have graduated from an approved apprenticeship program,” that “all non-union contractors pay benefit contributions for all core employees and any other persons employed other than through the referral process,” “establishes employment goals focused on Local Workers and Targeted Workers,” and more.
San Diego College of Continuing Education
hires Dr. Tami Foy as CEO/executive director
The San Diego College of Continuing Education Foundation, the critical fundraising arm for one of the largest tuition-free adult education institutions in California, has hired Dr. Tami Foy as its new CEO/executive director.
Dr. Foy has served an untold number of students during her more than two decades as an administrator at Southern California colleges and universities and comes to the Foundation after three years with the County of San Diego, of which the past year has been in the Office of Economic Development and Government Affairs. Dr. Foy is also a long-time resident of Southeast San Diego so this community is near and dear to her heart.
Bill to streamline redevelopment of Hillcrest DMV
property passes Assembly, heads to state Senate
A bill introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward to direct the Department of Motor Vehicles to redevelop its property in Hillcrest with additional affordable housing has passed in the Assembly with bipartisan support. AB 1635 requires state agencies to work with a local public housing agency to advance a plan with at least 20 percent of the units as affordable housing before July 2026.
AB 1635 will facilitate and streamline redevelopment of this location into affordable housing, a replacement DMV field office, and community benefit mixed-used project that will complement the City of San Diego’s Community Plan for the area with additional input from local groups. The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
Groundbreaking for 270-unit affordable rental homes
As crews on excavators and other heavy machinery worked to clear concrete and prepare the East Village site for construction, a groundbreaking ceremony across the street celebrated an affordable housing development in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission that will provide 270 affordable rental apartments for San Diegans with lower income. Developed by Chelsea Investment Corporation in East Village, Harrington Heights will remain affordable for 55 years for households with income up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), approximately $62,000 for a three-person household.
Realtors group hosts Black History Month event
The Greater San Diego Association of Realtors is hosting a Black History Month Celebration Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 8, for a discussion on fair housing and diversity, equity, and inclusion in home ownership.Taking place at the University Club Atop Symphony Towers, the event will feature a keynote speech from Kenneth B. Morris Jr. (great-great-great grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great grandson of Booker T. Washington) on American history and human rights. Event hours are from 8 to 10:15 a.m.
Lancer Skincare introduces Christina Ricci as brand ambassador
Lancer Skincare, the Beverly Hills-based brand by celebrity dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer, enlists award-winning actress Christina Ricci as the brand’s newest global ambassador.
Christina joins the team at a pivotal moment amidst the brand’s 10-year anniversary, culminating in a strong catalog of innovative, first-to-market product launches in 2024.
Lancer received his medical degree from the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Nuvve Holding Corp. announces pricing
of $9.6 million underwritten public offering
Nuvve Holding Corp., a green energy technology company that provides a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology platform that enables electric vehicle (EV) batteries to store and resell unused energy back to the local electric grid and provides other grid services, announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering for gross proceeds of approximately $9.6 million prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.
Rutledge Claims Management promotes Aubrey Gilmore to president
Rutledge Claims Management Inc., a leading provider of hazard insurance claims management for the mortgage industry, announced Aubrey Gilmore has been promoted from chief operations officer to president.
In her new role, Gilmore will oversee RCM’s core services and drive strategic decisions, ensuring client satisfaction and the company’s reputation for excellence in the hazard insurance claims sector.
RCM founder and former president, Tom Rutledge, has moved to the newly created position of chief financial officer.
Nuvve celebrates 500th electric school bus EVSE
Nuvve Holding Corp., a technology leader that created a vehicle-to-grid platform, celebrated the 500th electric bus EVSE to be deployed, which will be managed through its proprietary GIVe bidirectional, smart-charging software platform. The new order is from Orange Unified School District and is for 13 Nuvve Level 2 “Power Port” chargers and three 60kW chargers.
Future Origins launched for the cosmetics and personal care industry
Future Origins, a U.S.-based joint venture that is commercializing sustainable alternatives to critical ingredients in the formulations of everyday cosmetics, personal care and cleaning products, was formally launched at the American Cleaning Institute’s Innovation Showcase. Future Origins was founded by industrial biotechnology leader Geno, Unilever, Kao, and L’Oreal to commercialize and manufacture high-volume sustainable ingredients for widely used surfactants such as laundry detergent and face wash.
Ivy Fertility Clinic hires Dr. Gary Levy and Dr. Khurram Rehman
Ivy Fertility, a collaborative network of globally renowned fertility clinics, welcomes Gary Levy, M.D. and Khurram Rehman, M.D .to its collaborative team of physicians at Nevada Fertility Center.Levy and Rehman are both double board certified reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists. Levy will begin seeing new patients on February 5th, and Rehman will start later in the month.
Acadia announces additions to executive team
Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced two new appointments to its executive team. Jennifer J. Rhodes is joining the company as executive vice president, chief legal officer and secretary, and Kimberly J. Manhard as senior vice president, global strategic planning and execution, both effective immediately. Following a transition period, Austin D. Kim, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary will be leaving Acadia to pursue other opportunities.
Innovive announces major environmental milestones
Innovive is proud to announce major environmental milestones achieved by the Closed-Loop Recycling program operated by its sister company, Innocycle. From January 2022 through December 2023, the program has made significant contributions to environmental sustainability, including recycling 2.3 million pounds of plastic, diverting 5.7 million pounds of bedding, and reducing 1,720.95 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.
