Daily Business Report-April 21, 2017
Tigers from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a north San Diego tourist destination. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo)
New Initiative Launched to Drive
Visitors to North San Diego
North San Diego Business Chamber has launched a new tourism initiative to drive visitors to North San Diego because of the economic importance of tourism on the region.
The chamber said the initiative will support small business visibility and drive traffic into their business while giving visitors many reasons to come North for an experience.
“We’re implementing a proactive marketing strategy to strengthen an important industry in the North San Diego region.” said Debra Rosen, president and CEO of the North San Diego Business Chamber. “This effort will ensure continued visitor traffic to the region while showcasing what North San Diego has to offer, driving new visitors to the area. The economic benefit of thriving tourism is good for business and communities.”
The tourism initiative has been developed and implemented by the tourism members of the Chamber and will include all tourism businesses north of Interstate 8 up to the Riverside County line. The Chamber will work with local organizations and businesses to market this proactive tourism campaign aimed at driving weekend traffic to North San Diego for its wineries, breweries, restaurants, gaming, spa’s, golf, resorts and more.
The new website (www.visitnorthsandiego.com) is designed to provide visitors and residents with information on upcoming events, local attractions, things to do, and places to eat. The site also includes blogs on hidden gems, and places to experience along with directories of all businesses that are tied to the tourism industry.
Innovision Marketing Group has partnered with the Chamber and will be managing the strategic social media campaign and creative driving the weekend visitors. The Chamber has hired a full time marketing specialist that will focus on bringing local visitors up to North San Diego.
According to the San Diego Tourism Authority, in 2016, there were 34.3 million visitors to San Diego, of which more than 17.2 million stayed overnight and more than 17.1 million were day visitors.
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DA Bonnie Dumanis Retiring;
Possible Run for Supervisors Seat
After almost 15 years as San Diego County’s top law enforcement official, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced Thursday that she is stepping down in July to explore a possible run for a seat on the Board of Supervisors.
“I have not decided if I will be a candidate or not,” Dumanis said. “I believe my experience, and the critical role that the board plays in public safety and policy issues, would make me an effective member.
However, I do not want to create any conflict with, or distraction from the important work of the District Attorney’s Office,” Dumanis said. “Therefore, I feel it’s appropriate for me to resign at this time as I explore my potential candidacy.”
Dumanis, 65, has spent more than 40 years in public life, working as a clerk typist, investigative assistant, deputy district attorney, Juvenile Court referee, Municipal Court judge, Superior Court judge and four-time elected district attorney.
“Serving as district attorney has been an absolute privilege and one of the highest honors of my professional life,” Dumanis said. “Working as a DA alongside an incredibly talented group of professionals for nearly 15 years to deliver justice to the people of San Diego has been a richly rewarding experience. Together, we have been leaders in change and a voice of justice for so many.”
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Center for Sustainable Energy Awarded
$15 Million for Vehicle Charging Stations
The California Energy Commission has awarded the San Diego-based Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) a $15 million grant to develop and implement an initiative to install more electric vehicle charging stations statewide by creating financial incentive projects. The decision further approves up to $200 million for the installations in conjunction with matching funds from regional and local governments.
“This really changes the landscape of electric vehicle charging in California,” said Colin Santulli, CSE director of clean transportation. “In addition to developing a variety of incentive projects, we will launch comprehensive marketing and education efforts to help make the public and target audiences aware of the incentives as they become available.”
More than 216,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are currently on the road in California, supported by some 3,600 public charging stations. The state’s goal is to have adequate charging infrastructure to support up to 1 million vehicles by 2020 and 1.5 million vehicles by 2025.
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BIO Selects San Diego Industry Leaders
for 2017 Convention Steering Committee
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) has announced the steering committee for its upcoming BIO 2017 International Convention, which will be held in downtown San Diego from June 19 to 22.
Led by Steven Mento, president, CEO and co-founder of Conatus Pharmaceuticals, the committee unites life sciences leaders from academia, industry, communications and advocacy. Together, they will identify novel ways to highlight biomedical innovation in San Diego and throughout the state, and develop other strategies to ensure a successful convention.
“We believe we have brought together a strong team to provide leadership, guidance and a strategic vision for showcasing the region,” said Joanne Duncan, BIO’s president of the Membership and Business Operations Division. “We look forward to working with these innovative leaders —many of whom are on the cusp of life-saving, breakthrough technologies —to ensure a successful convention that is representative of California.”
Mento said one of the committee’s goals will be to showcase the wide range of biomedical research and development being conducted in San Diego.
Other members of the BIO Steering Committee:
- Sandra Brown, Vice Chancellor for Research and Distinguished Professor, University of California San Diego
- Dan Burgess, Board Chair, Biocom; venture partner, SV Life Sciences
- Carin Canale-Theakston, CEO, Canale Communications
Ahmed Enany, President and CEO, Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio)
- Don Fitzgerald, Vice President and General Manager, Genentech
- Paul Hastings, Chairman and CEO, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals
- Cheston Lawson, Partner, Latham and Watkins
- Charles McWilliams, Vice President, VWR International
- Keith Murphy, Chairman, Organovo
- Michael Narachi, President and CEO, Orexigen Therapeutics
- William Newell, CEO, Sutro Biopharma
Joseph Panetta, President and CEO, Biocom
- Sara Radcliffe, President and CEO, California Life Sciences Association
- Daniel Ryan, Senior Vice President, Alexandria Real Estate
- Ted Schroder, President, CEO and Founder, Zavante Therapeutics
- Harold Van Wart, President and CEO, CymaBay Therapeutics
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Process to Begin to Fill
District Attorney Vacancy
The Board of Supervisors will review the process for appointing a new County District Attorney at its May 2 meeting.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced her retirement after nearly 15 years in the position. Her last day on the job is July 7. Since the position of County District Attorney is an elected post and Dumanis is retiring before her term ends in January 2019, the Board of Supervisors must follow a specific appointment process outlined in county board policy.
At the May 2 meeting, the Board will approve the application packet, set the application period and candidate requirements, and set dates for public hearings to consider all applicants and subsequent finalists. The Board of Supervisors is expected to appoint a new District Attorney prior to Dumanis’ retirement.
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Shea Homes to Open Two New Neighborhoods
at Element and Z at Millenia on April 22
Shea Homes San Diego on Saturday celebrates the grand opening of Element and Z, two contemporary new neighborhoods with seven plans and six new model homes at Millenia in Chula Vista.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., home shoppers will get a first look at affordable urban living at Element and Z, where VA and FHA financing is available for homes priced from the high $300,000s.
At Element, Shea Homes is building 70 detached residences configured in a motor court design. Ranging from 1,775 to 2,248 square feet, Element offers three to five bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half baths, and a two-car side-by-side garage. Z features 106 row homes ranging from 1,288 to 1,475 square feet with two to three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and a two-car side-by-side garage.
Located at 1842 Observation Way in Chula Vista, Element and Z feature six new model homes. For more information, call (619) 398-2961.
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Joyce Tang Wins Sam’s Club American
Small Business Champions Award
SCORE San Diego client Joyce Tang, president of AgilisIT, has been named one of just three winners in California of the 2017 Sam’s Club American Small Business Champions awards.
The Sam’s Club American Small Business Champions are small businesses from around the country rewarded for the sacrifices they have made to make their businesses successful. This spring, all the Champions will participate in a regional Championship Celebration and Symposium to learn how to take their businesses to the next level.
Originally from Hong Kong, Tang and her parents moved to San Francisco when Joyce was 13. She discovered computers while playing games on her uncle’s PC. Like her father, she was a tinkerer who loved to take things apart and fix them.
After graduating from UCLA with a degree in electrical engineering and computer engineering, Tang became a manager running computer networks in the Computational Health Services at UCLA, later working for a consulting company in San Diego doing general network support. She went out on her own in 2006, founding AgilisIT when she saw an opportunity to deliver more tailored IT solutions.
AgilisIT provides IT services to small- to medium-sized business in biotech and others, especially in regulated industries.
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City Council to Hear Proposal for Permanent
Jewish Home for UC San Diego Students
Hillel of San Diego, a religious institution that supports Jewish college students, will present its plans for the Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center to the San Diego Planning Commission on April 27. If approved, the Glickman Hillel Center will provide a new permanent home for UC San Diego Hillel across the street from the campus.
“This beautiful project will help us fulfill our mission of involving Jewish students in their faith in a meaningful and lasting way,” said David Michan, Hillel of San Diego board president.
A group called Taxpayers for Responsible Land Use is voicing opposition to the location of the center, saying it will have a detrimental impact on the single-family residential neighborhood of La Jolla.
“Hillel of San Diego is proposing a 7,084-square-foot student center with a soaring peaked roof that extends 30 feet above finished grade, which would cause a substantial alteration in the character of the area,” according to the opponents.
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Personnel Announcements
Lizzet Lopez, Guadalupe Venegas Named
News Anchors for Telemundo 20 San Diego
Lizzet Lopez and Guadalupe Venegas have been named news anchors for Telemundo 20 San Diego and both will be joined by weather anchor Ana Cristina Sanchez, sports anchor MJ Acosta and a team of multimedia journalists that includes Leticia Estrada, Lisette Martinez, Anlleyn Venegas and Rigo Villalobos.
The news team will make its on-air debut on Monday, July 3. Telemundo 20 San Diego launches on July 1, and will air four half-hour weekday newscasts, Noticiero Telemundo 20 at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. beginning Monday, July 3. Anchored by Lopez and Venegas, the new locally-produced and live newscasts will provide audiences in the San Diego and Baja, California area in Mexico the local news, weather and sports information they need to help them stay ahead.
Lopez is an award-winning journalist and an experienced news anchor who has worked in local broadcasting for nearly a decade. She joins the Telemundo 20 team after working at various television and radio stations in the United States and Mexico, including Univision 45 Houston / KXLN, UniMás KHFT 67 and TV Azteca Zacatecas.
Venegas joins Telemundo 20 after working for Telemundo Network for nearly a decade in various on-air capacities including host, reporter and anchor for Telemundo’s national entertainment, sports and news programs including Al Rojo Vivo. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Spanish Arts from San Diego State University.
