Daily Business Report — Sept. 21, 2009
San Diego region adds 1,400 jobs between July and August
San Diego County’s jobless rate remained steady at 10.4 percent for August — unchanged from July — while the region saw an increase of 1,400 jobs for that same period, according to the California Employment Development Department. A year ago in August, the county unemployment rate was 6.4 percent.
California’s unemployment rate for August was 12.1 percent while the national jobless rate stood at 9.6 percent.
Between July 2009 and August 2009, nonfarm employment increased by 1,400 jobs, to a level of 1,241,600. Farm employment reported no change.
• Leisure and hospitality ranked first in month-over growth for the fifth consecutive month, adding 2,700 jobs. This increase is more than two-fold the 1,200 job increase this industry reported from July to August 2007, and nine-fold compared to 300 jobs in 2008. Offsetting a loss of 200 jobs in the arts, entertainment and recreation, the accommodations and food services sub-sector gained 2,900 jobs, with 93 percent of the increase in the food services and drinking places category
• Two other industry sectors that added jobs were professional and business services and other services. Professional and business services increased its payrolls for the first time this year, adding 600 jobs. The leading subsector was administrative and support and waste services, where temporary employment firms filled 800 positions. The sector titled other services expanded by 600 jobs.
• Construction employment was down 800 jobs, with specialty trade contractors (down 500 jobs) leading in the decrease. Government contracted by 600 jobs. Educational and health services declined by 300 jobs. The loss of 600 positions in health care and social assistance offset a gain of 300 jobs in private educational institutions.
Between August 2008 and August 2009, nonfarm employment declined by 55,600 jobs, a 4.3 percent loss.
• Professional and business services contracted by 12,500 jobs compared to August 2008. All sub-sectors reported a loss, with administrative, support and waste services posting a decrease of 10,300 jobs. Employment services (down 7,300 jobs), which includes temporary help firms, was the category most impacted by the decrease in employment.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities declined by 12,300 jobs, of which 3,000 were in wholesale and 8,300 in retail. Nearly all retail categories contracted, with motor vehicle and parts dealers leading the loss with a cut of 2,200 jobs.
• Government added 1,400 jobs. A gain of 1,600 federal jobs and 800 state jobs offset a loss of 1,000 local government jobs, where cuts at the county and city level led the contraction.
Trial attorney David Casey Jr. to receive achievement award
San Diego trial attorney David Casey Jr., a partner with Casey Gerry, will receive a Lifetime Legal Achievement Award at the Rage for Justice Awards on Sept. 26 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The event is at 6:30 p.m. Casey joins the ranks of fellow honorees actor Dennis Quaid, Joan Claybrook and the late Wally Marks Jr. at the seventh annual event, sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, a California-based, nonprofit consumer education and advocacy organization. The Rage for Justice Awards honor Americans who live by a code of “Courage Not Compromise” in their pursuit of justice.
Casey is being recognized for work in the fight against the tobacco industry, in which he represented former Gov. Gray Davis, and helped recovered $25 billion from the tobacco industry for the state of California, as well as for his work in establishing the 9/11 Victim’s Compensation Fund, the largest pro bono program in the history of American jurisprudence. He also has played a key role in the 20-year fight against Exxon over the Valdez oil spill, a case in which his firm has worked to hold the oil giant accountable for the disaster it incurred.
Quaid will receive the Phillip Burton Public Service Award for his pioneering efforts to improve patient safety after the near death of his infant twins. Attorney and former Public Citizen president Claybrook will be inducted into the Consumer Advocates Hall of Fame and the late Wally Marks Jr., a philanthropist and human rights advocate, will be inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame.
A third generation attorney, Casey Jr. has spent more than 30 years practicing law in San Diego. Specializing in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases, he has received over 50 awards from trial bar associations and obtained successful verdicts and settlements for dozens of high profile cases.
San Diego Convention Center honored
The San Diego Convention Center took top honors at Southern California Meetings + Events magazine’s Best Of Readers’ Choice Awards event held Sept. 10 at The Studios at Paramount in Los Angeles. SDCC was ranked above the Los Angeles and Anaheim Convention Centers by Southern California Meetings + Events Magazine readers, a publication targeted to meetings and event planners and suppliers. “Being recognized as the top convention center in Southern California is a tremendous honor,” said Carol Wallace, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp. “Our staff has a long-standing commitment to not only meeting, but exceeding, our clients’ and their attendees’ expectations when they come to America’s Finest City.”
A tribute to cannery workers
To commemorate the cannery workers’ contribution to San Diego’s once-great tuna industry, the Port of San Diego and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding/Continental Maritime will unveil “The Cannery Workers Tribute at Parque del Sol” a new public artwork by Nature Works Inc. The commemoration will be at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 26 at Cesar Chavez Parkway and Crosby Road, San Diego. For more information, call the Port of San Diego Public Art Department at (619) 686-7246.
Political Boot Camp set for Oct. 17
More than 20 local elected officials, political consultants and campaign managers will provide nuts-and-bolts training on running for office — with a special emphasis on breaking down the barriers that prevent more women from participating in the political process — at a Political Boot Camp set for Saturday, Oct. 17. The event is presented by the Lawyers Club of San Diego and co-sponsors Run Women Run and the San Diego County Bar Association. It will feature panel discussions on fundraising, the mechanics of getting on the ballot, honing a candidate’s message, campaigning and break-out sessions on fundraising and managing political campaigns. The event also will include a luncheon with a keynote speaker and will conclude with a reception sponsored by DLA Piper. The Political Boot Camp will be held at AMN Healthcare, 13400 High Bluff Drive in San Diego.
Confirmed speakers include: Olga Diaz, Escondido City Council member; Bonnie Dumanis, San Diego District Attorney; Laura Fink, political consultant and principal of Fink & Hernandez Consulting, LLC; Kathleen Harmon, campaign manager for Vickie Butcher for Congress 2008; Denise Jenkins, elections analyst, San Diego City Clerk’s Office; Benjamin Katz, founder and president of CompleteCampaigns.com; Shane LaVigne, campaign fundraising chair for Crystal Crawford for State Assembly 2010; Brian Marvel, board president of the San Diego Police Officers Association; Jane Potter, former chief of staff for San Diego City Council members.
Also: Larry Remer, political consultant and principal of The Primacy Group; Lynn Schenk, former U.S. Representative; Deborah Seiler, San Diego County Registrar of Voters; Amita Sharma, KPBS reporter; San Diego Superior Court Judge Rod Shelton; Stacie Spector, associate vice chancellor of University of California, San Diego; Jim Sutton, partner at the Sutton Law Firm; Jennifer Tierney, political consultant and principal of the Gemini Group; Cynthia Vicknair, political consultant and principal of CynKat Communications; John Wainio, political consultant and president of The San Diego Group; Sheryl White, principal of Statecraft, Inc.; and Pamela Lawton Wilson, chair of the political law practice group at Wertz McDade Wallace Moot & Brower.
Lawyers Club’s 2008 Political Boot Camp was recognized with the 2009 Outstanding Member Program Award Honorable Mention from the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations in July. The program costs $50 for Lawyers Club, Run Women Run and SDCBA members who pre-register, and $60 for nonmembers and late registration. Register online at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Federal contracts awarded to San Diego County companies
(Source: Targeted News Service: www.targetednews.com)
• Syska Hennessy Group Construction Inc. of San Diego was awarded a $5,896,578 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and installation of solar photovoltaic power systems under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Place of performace will be at the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake.
• Hawthorne Machinery Co. in San Diego won a $130,200 federal contract from the U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command in Seal Beach for generator sets.
(Source: Targeted News Service: www.targetednews.com)
Public Relations Society presents Mark of Excellence Awards
The San Diego chapter of the Public Relations Society of America presented 60 awards at the annual Edward L. Bernays Mark of Excellence Awards ceremony last week. The awards recognized the industry’s finest public relations tactics, campaigns and professionals, in categories including media relations, community relations, crisis communications and special events. Two local PR practitioners, Lynne Friedmann and Diane Gage Lofgren, who were congratulated for their election to PRSA’s College of Fellows. They will be inducted at the PRSA International Conference to be held in San Diego in November.
Four special awards were presented. The Otto Bos Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Tom Sprague, president of Tom Sprague Public Relations. The Deborah Baker Public Relations Professional of the Year Award was presented to Joice Truban Curry, president and CEO at c3 Communications. The Eva Irving Community Service Award was presented to Indra Gardiner Bowers, president and COO of Bailey Gardiner. The New Professional of the Year Award was awarded to Amber Strandberg, assistant account executive at Porter Novelli.
2009 Silver Bernays Award Winners
Community Relations
Award of Excellence
Reversing Negative Coverage, Reaching San Diego County Residents with Compelling Messages
Gable PR
Award of Merit
Challenging Stereotypes of Homelessness – Driving Calls to a Help Line
Cook & Schmid
Reputation Management
Award of Excellence
SDAR’s Branding Campaign
Bailey Gardiner
Events and Observances (seven or fewer days)
Award of Excellence
All-American Canal Lining Project Dedication Event
San Diego County Water Authority, Imperial Irrigation District & Katz & Associates
Award of Merit
See Spot Surf for Charity
Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Public Service
Award of Excellence
An Education Program for Fire Safety
Cook & Schmid
Public Affairs
Award of Excellence
Voting Made Easy
Cook & Schmid
Award of Merit
Sunrise Powerlink: Superhighway of Renewable Energy
Southwest Strategies & San Diego Gas & Electric
Business to Business
Award of Excellence
Oraverse(r): It’s About Time
Porter Novelli Life Sciences
Award of Merit
Turning the Opportunities of Jatropha into Reality: The Launch of SG Biofuels
Bartell & Associates
Business to Consumer
Award of Excellence
Announcing Punta Brava, Featuring Tiger Woods’ First Oceanfront Gold Course
Fleishman-Hillard
Award of Merit
Good Things Growing
Benedetto Communications, Inc.
Global Communications
Award of Excellence
Media Campaign for Better Access to Improved Cancer Diagnostics
Porter Novelli Life Sciences & Gen-Probe
Award of Merit
Quickoffice iPhone Launch
LEWIS PR & Quickoffice
Crisis Communications
Award of Excellence
SDSU’s Response to the H1N1 Flu Virus
San Diego State University
Issues Management
Award of Excellence
How to Get Out of Beer Prison
BERKMAN
Award of Merit
Senior Community Centers: Securing a Safety Net for Impoverished Seniors
Southwest Strategies
Integrated Communications
Award of Excellence
WD-40 Company Last Straw Campaign
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker and WD-40
Award of Merit
Scripps 2008 Recruitment Campaign
Scripps
2009 Bronze Bernays Award Winners
Media Relations – Consumer Products
Award of Excellence
Launch of Se San Diego
Se San Diego
Award of Merit
Grand Opening of Jai by Wolfgang Puck: Bringing Wolfgang Puck to America’s Finest City
Fleishman-Hillard
Media Relations – Consumer Services
Award of Excellence
Announcing Punta Brava, Featuring Tiger Woods’ First Oceanfront Golf Course:
Introducing an Ultra-High End Development in a Down Economy
Fleishman-Hillard
Award of Merit
Introducing the Media to Endless Eco-Luxury at Hacienda Tres Rios
Fleishman-Hillard
Media Relations – Business to Business
Award of Excellence
New Positioning Drives Sales – Guru Program Creates
Platform for Promoting Outsourced Accounting Agency
Gable PR
Media Relations – Associations/Nonprofit/Government
Award of Excellence
Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego Ongoing Media Relations
LandeInk & MESA Integrated Marketing
Award of Merit (tie)
Luce Forward
BERKMAN
Award of Merit (tie)
Asian Citrus Psyllid Threat
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
Feature Stories
Award of Excellence
The New York Times Visits the Boise Valley: Start-Ups Give Idaho an Identity Beyond Potatoes
Porter Novelli
Award of Merit
LA Times Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival
Bailey Gardiner
Editorials/Op-Ed Piece
Award of Excellence
San Diego’s Clean-Energy Entrepreneurs: Introducing SG Biofuels and Jatropha
Bartell & Associates
Award of Merit
Treating Developmental Disabilities — A Growing Crisis in Society; Opinion Editorial
Bartell & Associates
Podcast/Vodcast/Webcast
Award of Excellence
Scripps Wellness Assessment Video
Scripps HR & Wellness Teams
External Web Site
Award of Excellence
Mermaid Jingle Jam
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & Chicken of the Sea Jingle Jam
Award of Merit
USS Midway Museum Web Site
MJE Marketing Services
Blogs
Award of Excellence
Bailey Gardiner Blog
Bailey Gardiner
Word of Mouth
Award of Excellence
Mermaid Jingle Jam
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & Chicken of the Sea Jingle Jam
Creative Tactics
Award of Excellence
A Piece of the Sky: San Diego International Airport
MJE Marketing Services
Award of Merit
ASUPMATOMA
BERKMAN
Press Conferences
Award of Excellence
Announcing Punta Brava, Featuring Tiger Woods’ First Oceanfront Golf Course:
Introducing an Ultra-High End Development in a Down Economy
Fleishman-Hillard
Award of Merit
Solar Power International 2008
BERKMAN
Press Kits/Media Kits
Award of Excellence
ASAE Press Kit
San Diego Convention Center Corporation
Satellite Media Tours
Award of Excellence
Chicken of the Sea Healthy Selections
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & Chicken of the Sea
Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
Award of Excellence
Airports Fuel Regional Economies
MJE Marketing Services Inc.
Newsletters
Award of Excellence
“San Marcos 360”
City of San Marcos
Award of Merit (tie)
Mindmatters Newsletter
Alzheimer’s Association
Award of Merit (tie)
The Resource
Denise Tanguay & Dave Meyer Design
Brochures
Award of Excellence
First 5 San Diego Head Hand Heart Brochure
MJE Marketing Services
Magazines
Award of Excellence (tie)
Scripps Health Foundation’s Update Magazine
Scripps Health Foundation
Award of Excellence (tie)
Burnham Report
Burnham Institute
Award of Merit
2009 Delegate Guide
San Diego Convention Center Corporation
Special Purpose Publications
Award of Excellence
Diversity Activity Booklet
Port of San Diego
Award of Merit (tie)
20 Year Calendar
San Diego Convention Center Corporation
Award of Merit (tie)
Scripps Health Foundation Stewardship Reports
Scripps Health Foundation
Annual Reports
Award of Excellence
First 5 San Diego 2008 Annual Report
MJE Marketing Services
Award of Merit
San Diego Unified Port District 2008 Annual Report
Port of San Diego
Direct Mail/Direct Response
Award of Excellence
Mermaid Birthday Clubs
Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & Chicken of the Sea
Award of Merit
Sacramento Conservation Mailer
Bob Nelson Associates
Research/Evaluation
Award of Excellence
First 5 San Diego Communications Campaign Study
MJE Marketing Services
Award of Merit
Research to Inform a Fire Safety Campaign
Cook & Schmid
How to contact us
The offices of San Diego Metropolitan magazine and the North Park News are in Cabrillo Plaza, 3990 Old Town Ave., Suite A-201, in Old Town. To reach editorial, call (619) 906-4104. For advertising, dial (619) 906-4105. The fax is (619) 906-4106. Send editorial material via e-mail to manny@sandiegometro.com. For advertising, send to cyndi@sandiegometro.com.
