Stories for October 2010
Friday, October 29
Construction Firm’s Green Building Basks in Honors
DPR Construction’s San Diego regional headquarters was recently recognized as Southern California’s best green building of 2010 by the magazine California Construction.
Neighborhood House, Health Center Team Up
Two San Diego community organizations are joining forces to enhance health care assistance to 8,000 San Diego County preschool children.
Bank’s Quarterly Earnings Statements Are a Study in Contrasts
California Community Bank, based in Escondido and with $227 million in assets, reported on Oct. 27 that it had third-quarter net income of $528,000 compared to net income of $21,000 in the same quarter of 2009.
Thursday, October 28
Sponsors Named for Naval Aviation’s Centennial Celebration
Boeing, the aircraft maker that maintains a corporate presence in San Diego, has agreed to be presenting sponsor of the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation events during 2011.
USD Index Falls Slightly
An index measuring San Diego’s economy fell for the first time in 18 months in September, but the drop was only a tenth of 1 percent from the prior month and insufficient to signal an overall decline, according to an Oct. 28 report from the USD Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate.
Former City Officials Settle With SEC
Four of five top San Diego city managers, including former City Manager Michael Uberuaga, agreed to pay civil penalties to settle a lawsuit against them filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2008.
Wednesday, October 27
Revenue Up, Net Income Down at Realty Income
Escondido-based Realty Income Corp., a real estate investment firm focused on retail and related commercial properties, posted revenue of $87.2 million and net income of $25.6 million for its third quarter.
Foundation Splits $1.2M Between Nonprofits
The Alliance Healthcare Foundation has awarded more than $1.2 million to two San Diego nonprofit organizations in its 2010 Innovation Initiative grant competition.
Tuesday, October 26
Net Income Grows for Bad-Debt Collector
Encore Capital Group Inc., the San Diego collector of bad credit card debt, reported on Oct. 26 that it had third quarter net income of $12.3 million.
San Diego Software Maker Lends Hand on Gulf Cleanup
The U.S. Department of the Interior is using visual processor software from San Diego-based SmartDraw.com in preparing its response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Pharmaceutical Firm Gets $23M in Venture Funding
San Diego-based aTyr Pharma Inc. announced Oct. 26 that it received $23 million in Series C financing led by Domain Associates, which has offices in San Diego and Princeton, N.J.
Monday, October 25
TechAmerica Honors 11 Local Firms
Eleven San Diego high-tech firms were recognized for their innovation and creativity at the 17th Annual High Tech Awards event held Oct. 22 by TechAmerica San Diego, the industry trade group formerly called AeA.
Successful Bank CEOs Know Strengths,Weaknesses of Market
BANKING: Avoiding Risky Loans Pays Off During Mortgage Crisis
One thing the CEOs of high-performing banks have in common is an aversion to the type of risky loans that were common during the economic boom that preceded the recent mortgage market meltdown.
Fast-Growth Survey Recognizes Genoptix
Carlsbad-based Genoptix Inc., a biotech company which provides diagnostic services to hematologists and oncologists, ranked No. 41 on the Technology Fast 500, Deloitte’s ranking of fast-growing companies in North America.
Business Journal Wins Editorial, Design Awards
San Diego Business Journal staff won a combined 10 awards at the San Diego Press Club’s 37th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards held Oct. 19 at the San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park.
Resilient Banks Make Strategic Plans for Acquiring New Customers
MARKETING: Promotions Touting Business Strength Counter Industry Criticisms
Although times are tough, banks need new customers to help them meet their goals of earning more than they are paying out in interest.
Sales Tax Increase Small Price to Pay for Success
Those of us who have the privilege of doing business in San Diego know that we have a unique business community that looks beyond each member’s own narrow interests to ensure a positive climate for all business.
San Diego’s Big Role in High-Tech Health Care
From Bangalore, India, to Boston to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, men and women at home and work are having their vital signs monitored by a unique consortium in San Diego. That is the future that is being discussed today.
A Lifetime of Community Leadership Praised and Honored
The United Way of San Diego County presented its first James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award at its Open House and Legacy Recognition event Oct. 6. Jim Mulvaney, who died just days after his four sons accepted the award in his honor, was founder and senior partner of Mulvaney, Kahan & Barry, and was the inaugural recipient of the award.
Real Estate Roundup
Projects, developments and other activity in cities in and around San Diego County
Business Prospectors Tap Resources at Monthly Financial Forum
In an environment of upheaval and change in the financial services industry, consultant Ray Adler has created a forum for information exchange that is gaining some traction.
Executive Profile: John P. Massab
John P. Massab is the executive vice president and chief credit officer for Torrey Pines Bank.
Careful Lending Habits Help Banks Rise to Top of Their Class
FINANCE: Five Financial Institutions Show Positive Return on Assets for 3 Years
Given the fact that community banks’ primary business is lending money based on real estate values, it’s a wonder that any showed an average profit during the last three years, as they slogged through one of the worst economic times the nation has ever faced.
EPA Grant Will Help Jacobs Center Clean Up Mixed-Use Project Area
The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, which is developing the mixed-use The Village at Market Creek in southeast San Diego, has been awarded a “brownfields” rehabilitation grant of up to $175,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Regional Report
News and notes from communities around San Diego County
Commercial Real Estate Sees Capital Cautiously Coming Back to Market
REAL ESTATE: Investors Searching for Good Deals In Some Metropolitan Areas
The flow of real estate investment capital is improving compared to a year ago, though caution remains abundant.
TearLab’s Goal Is to Make Sure There Isn’t a Dry Eye in the House
BIOTECH: Company Sees Diagnostic Tool As a Big Breakthrough
When James Owen first cast eyes on San Diego-based TearLab Corp.’s lab-on-a-chip approach to testing for eye disorders, he knew one major category of patients would be seeing improved results in their vision.
City Prevails in Decommissioning Of Power Plant
ENERGY: Chula Vista Bay-Front Structure on Track for Demolition
After about 11 years, Chula Vistans can look forward to finally dismantling the South Bay Power Plant, a structure that many residents considered an eyesore and an impediment to redeveloping the city’s bay front.
Community Health Centers Get Infusion of Federal Funds
HEALTH CARE: Money to Be Used for Construction, Staffing and Technology
Ten community health centers in San Diego County have received a total of nearly $51 million in grants during the past two years to address construction and renovation needs and expand access to health care.
Systems Engineers Serve as a Unifying Force
TECHNOLOGY: Role In Integrating Systems Highlighted at Conference
In 1999, a NASA spacecraft meant to go into orbit around Mars swooped in at 190,000 feet — much too close to the planet’s surface — and was never heard from again.
Small Stores A Big Change For Wal-Mart
If you can’t super-size ’em, then make ’em undersized. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is planning to launch hundreds of smaller, food-oriented neighborhood stores, including an undetermined number of outlets here in San Diego, according to published reports surfacing recently.
Program Works on Huntington’s Treatment
BIOTECH: Vertex’s S.D. Office Strives to Correct Action of Faulty Proteins in Brain Cells
As the nation’s top Huntington’s disease researchers gathered recently at UC San Diego to highlight the need for additional research, a smaller spotlight shifted to the local office of a global biotech company that’s actively working toward a treatment.
Overland Storage Acquires Firm to Enhance Products
TECHNOLOGY: Deal Puts Local Company Into Segment Called Cloud Computing
Overland Storage, a Kearny Mesa-based maker of data storage and data protection systems, said it acquired MaxiScale Inc. to enhance the scaling feature of an existing product line, but whether the move enhances the struggling company’s bottom line is still uncertain.
Property Market Merits Watching in 2011
REAL ESTATE: City Ranks 10th In the Nation for Investments in Commercial, Multifamily Arena
Despite lingering economic problems affecting all types of properties, the San Diego market places 10th in a prominent annual report ranking the nation’s top markets to watch in 2011 for commercial and multifamily real estate investment.
Building on Information
CONSTRUCTION: 3-D Modeling Technology Helps $1B Lindbergh Field Expansion Project Get Off the Ground
By the time the public sees the results of a $1 billion expansion project at San Diego International Airport, around mid-2013, the contractors will have already seen the finished product many times over, starting well before placement of the first construction beam.
Friday, October 22
Local Employment Picture Unchanged From September
San Diego County’s unemployment rate remained at an unchanged 10.6 percent in September from August’s revised 10.6 percent rate, according to an Oct. 22 report from the state’s Employment Development Department.
Net Income Grows at Cymer
Cymer Inc., the San Diego maker of laser equipment used to manufacture semiconductors, reported on Oct. 21 that it had third quarter net income of $20.8 million, compared to net income of $10.8 million for the like period of 2009.
Researchers Split $4.82M in Stem Cell Grants
Two scientists at the UC San Diego School of Medicine have received grants totaling nearly $5 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for stem cell research.
Saturday Workshop Focuses on North Embarcadero
A public workshop to discuss and review the latest plans for development of downtown San Diego’s North Embarcadero waterfront is planned for Oct. 23.
Sales Activity Data Shows Extent of Consumer Caution
The recession caused consumers in San Diego to make drastic cuts in spending — so much it resembled decreases not seen since the Great Depression, according to a report released Oct. 21.
Thursday, October 21
Firm Puts Tech to the Test at Hospitals
Two San Diego institutions are teaming up as development partners to advance patient safety technologies.
Wednesday, October 20
Silvergate Bank Doubles Net Income
Silvergate Bank, based in San Diego and with four offices, reported third quarter net income of $822,000, more than double the $409,000 in net income for the like quarter of 2009.
County Investment Portfolio Receives Good Reviews
County Treasurer and Tax Collector Dan McAllister can puff out his chest a bit following a recent announcement that the short-term investment pool his department manages on behalf of some 100 local government agencies received the highest ratings both on credit quality and volatility from Standard & Poor’s.
Business Assistance Center Gets Boost
The Small Business Development Center in National City, one of 35 such centers in California aimed at helping small businesses, received a federal grant of $89,000 to pay for more technology assistance to its clients including video conferencing counseling sessions.
Tuesday, October 19
CareFusion Offers Details of Infusion Pump Recall
CareFusion Corp., a San Diego-based medical device company, reported Oct. 15 that the Food and Drug Administration categorized its August recall of 17,000 Alaris medical devices as a Class 1 recall, or the most serious type.
Airport Authority Touts Low Bond Interest Rate
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority said the 4.38 percent interest rate the agency got on its $572.6 million in bonds it issued Sept. 22 for its airport expansion program will produce savings of about $40 million over the 30-year life of the debt.
Monday, October 18
Coastal Panel OKs Coronado Hotel Addition
The California Coastal Commission on Oct. 15 gave conditional approval to renovation plans at Hotel del Coronado.
New CEO Takes Reins at Suneva Medical
Suneva Medical Inc., a San Diego-based aesthetic medical device company, has hired Nicholas L. Teti as its new president and chief executive officer.
Third Quarter Treats Banks Well
Two local banks reported third quarter profits on Oct. 18. San Diego Trust Bank reported net income of $218,000 for the quarter, up 30 percent from the prior year’s third quarter.
Executive Profile
Micha Mikailian
Micha Mikailian is founder and CEO of eBoost Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy and strategy partner of some of San Diego’s most entrepreneurial companies.
State Move May End Development Spending Cap
FINANCE: Pending Law Could Make Stadium, Other Large Projects More Feasible
City officials say the state’s move to eliminate a spending cap on downtown redevelopment will go a long way toward removing uncertainty about crucial long-term projects.
Startup Develops Software to Help Revolutionize Home Energy Use
TECHNOLOGY: Smart Grid Firm Uses Seed Funding To Customize Product
Rick Kornfeld has seen the future, and it is smart. He knows it may seem hard to consider anything bigger than the Internet, but that’s how he describes the potential of the smart grid on the software industry — especially as the firm he’s running looks to gain a commercial foothold in the new energy frontier.
Asian Firm’s Buyout Offer Seen as Windfall for Local Manufacturer
WORK FORCE: Electronics Maker Plans to Grow Its $5B In Annual Product Shipments
The exodus of local manufacturing jobs to Asia and other low-cost markets took a surprising turn recently when a Taiwanese manufacturer agreed to purchase a San Diego-based contract manufacturing company.
Local Construction Scene Is Hoping to Build on a Bit of Good News
CONSTRUCTION: Some Projects Are Moving Forward, But Market Remains Very Shaky
Shoots of light are penetrating the gloom in San Diego County construction, with scattered projects going forward as financing becomes available, particularly on the residential side.
Wireless System Gives Caregivers a High-Tech Helping Hand
TECHNOLOGY: Device Can Deliver Information, Provide Medical Monitoring
After seeing the toll that caring for an elderly family member took on his parents, high-tech entrepreneur Kian Saneii figured wireless technology could alleviate some of the caregiving load.
Sharing a Giving Attitude With the Community
Malin Burnham remembers the first time he made a philanthropic gift. It was a check for $1,000, and it’s one of his favorite memories of giving. He’d always wanted to contribute, but, until that point he had a hard time picking up his pen to sign the check.
Prop. D Designed to Feed City’s Pension Gorilla
What goes up must come down applies to all things physical, but not in the world of government finance, where taxes and spending have been immune to the law of gravity for as long as anyone can remember.
Gift to Help USD’s Alumni Stay on Lifelong Path of Learning
Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam and his wife, Susan, have donated $100,000 to the University of San Diego to support the School of Business Administration’s Alumni Lifelong Learning program, which provides alumni with the opportunity to network and interact with USD faculty at events around the country.
Real Estate Roundup
Projects, developments and other activity in cities in and around San Diego County
Sapphire Tower was recognized among the best of San Diego’s building industry at the recent Icon Awards, a Building Industry Association celebration.
Executive Profile
Craig W. Clark
Craig W. Clark is president of La Jolla-based C.W. Clark Inc. One of the region’s most experienced commercial real estate developers, the company has the reputation of being a hands-on developer with the capability to handle all aspects of commercial real estate, from concept to development, leasing, management and sale.
Debt Problems Are Still Having Big Effect on Local Hotel Properties
HOSPITALITY: Buyers Show An Interest in Foreclosures as Hospitality Climate Improves
Local hotels are faring much better than they did a year ago in terms of occupancy and revenue, but lingering debt problems plague several San Diego County hospitality property owners.
Shopping Malls Reinvent Themselves in the Changing Marketplace
REAL ESTATE: Incorporating Residential Space With Retail Is Part of Repurposing Strategies
The recession that followed the economic boom of the mid-2000s has forced the managers of San Diego County’s shopping centers to become more creative in their efforts to draw in consumers.
Shopping Center Development Is on Hold as Retail Waits for Better Days
REAL ESTATE: Local Sector Was in Position To Weather Downturn
Commercial real estate analysts say the pace of shopping center development in San Diego County will remain slow until the economy recovers and rising employment fuels more retail purchases.
New Look for Malls Accentuate Social Vibes
RETAIL: Multimillion-Dollar Makeovers Enhance the Stop, Shop and Dine Experience
August numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department showed that nationwide spending on retail construction, including renovations, was down 24.3 percent from a year ago.
Institute Leader Mixes Business, Scientific Savvy
NONPROFIT: President Conducts Cancer Research, Pursues Commercialization
Hardly having a spare moment to tally up the time she’s spent on the job as the new president of the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., seemed surprised when she was reminded that it had been six months since her appointment was announced.
Discussions to Move Forward on Development of Homeless Center
Local affordable housing advocates had reason to cheer some recent real estate-related news developments.
SBA Hopes to Prime Jobs Pump With Increase in Loan Limits
Last month’s approval of federal legislation extending 90 percent guarantees on Small Business Administration loans also boosted the maximum loan sizes of those same loans.
Regional Report
News and notes from communities around San Diego County
Final Science Building Grossmont Union High School District, with administrative offices in El Cajon, recently completed construction on the last of eight new science buildings in the district.
News in Brief
Breaking news from www.sdbj.com
Northern California-based Sonic Solutions said Oct. 8 that it completed its acquisition of DivX LLC, the San Diego-based maker of video compression software.
Under the Radar
DEFENSE: Northrop Grumman’s San Diego Employees Work on Things That Can’t Be Seen
Northrop Grumman’s local employees produce a variety of things for the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies. Yet a good deal of the work is intangible. It’s not something a person can touch, let alone see.
S.D. Firms Discuss Future of Wireless Health in D.C.
HEALTH CARE: $100M VA Innovation Initiative Among Topics at Conference
With the digital dialogue between patient and provider promising brave new worlds and opportunities in health care and commerce, face-to-face meetings drew representatives from several San Diego startup medical device companies and a medical research organization advocating for wireless health initiatives to the nation’s capital last week.
Demand for Media Feeds Entropic’s Sales, Jobs Growth
TECHNOLOGY: Shares for Semiconductor Design Company Stage a Comeback
Patrick Henry, CEO of Entropic Communications, admits the chips his company makes aren’t in high demand just yet, but based on estimated adoption rates, his firm’s future looks mighty bright.
Valley View Casino Buys Naming Rights to Sports Arena
EVENTS: Five-Year Deal Worth $1.5 Million; City Council Extends Lease on Venue
The San Diego Sports Arena is again changing its name, giving exposure to one of San Diego County’s backcountry casinos. Valley View Casino purchased naming rights to the sports arena in a five-year deal worth at least $1.5 million.
Local Company’s Fast Pitch Wins It Recognition
San Diego-based Strategic Enzyme Applications is named one of three winners, taking the best content award, in the 2010 San Diego Quick Pitch contest sponsored by the local chapter of the Tech Coast Angels, a not-for-profit group that funds and supports a variety of startups, and held on Qualcomm’s Sorrento Valley campus.
Concerns Underlie Possible Sale of Fairgrounds
GOVERNMENT: Del Mar Could Decide Who Is Going to Run Facility
The City of Del Mar has been granted preliminary approval by state officials to purchase the Del Mar Fairgrounds, including its famed horse racetrack. But the plan is garnering opposition, and even city officials acknowledge that an acquisition is far from being a done deal.
Friday, October 15
WD-40 Finishes a $322M Year
WD-40 Co., the San Diego maker of lubricants and other household products, reported net income of $6.9 million for the fourth quarter ended Aug. 31, down 10 percent from the like quarter in the prior year.
Center Gets EPA Grant for San Diego Cleanup
The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, which is developing the mixed-use Village at Market Creek in southeastern San Diego, has received a $175,000 brownfields rehabilitation grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Fate Therapeutics Signs 3-Year Deal With Becton, Dickinson
San Diego-based Fate Therapeutics Inc. announced Oct. 14 a three-year collaboration with a New Jersey company to develop and commercialize Fate’s products which create stem cells without relying on embryos.
Wednesday, October 13
Casino Buys Sports Arena Naming Rights
Valley View Casino has purchased naming rights to the San Diego Sports Arena, representatives of Valley View and arena operator AEG said Oct. 12.
Tuesday, October 12
No Cash, But Valuable Exposure For Quick Pitch Winners
Ritter Pharmaceuticals, a drug developer currently in phase 3 clinical trials for a therapeutic treatment for gastrointestinal diseases, was the overall winner of this year’s Quick Pitch Competition held Oct. 7, according to the Tech Coast Angels, the local investor group that sponsored the event.
County Leads State in Foreclosed Hotels
San Diego leads California counties in the number of hotels foreclosed on by their lenders, with 13, according to a third-quarter report by Irvine-based Atlas Hospitality Group.
Monday, October 11
Poway Chamber Sets October Mixer
The Poway Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its October mixer for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Patrick’s Irish Pub on Poway Road.
Mitchell Makes Move to Larger Quarters
Mitchell International Inc., a San Diego provider of software used by auto insurers and repair shops, said Oct. 11 it’s moving its corporate headquarters from Scripps Ranch to a larger office in the University City area.
Center Receives Federal Grant of $12.6M
The La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology announced Oct. 8 that it received a $12.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop the area’s first center for RNA interference screening, which is a type of genomics technology.
Medicare to Reimburse for TearLab Test
San Diego-based TearLab Corp., which is developing therapies for dry eye disease, announced that the Committee for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Oct. 8 published a proposed reimbursement rate for the company’s osmolarity test.
Medical Professionals Express Mixed Opinions on Reforming the System
HEALTH CARE: Doctors Will Face Challenge of Increased Patient Load
The San Diego region’s medical doctors and the professional associations they work with have mixed feelings about the sweeping federal health care reform that was designed to provide coverage for many uninsured Americans.
Hospitals Prepare for Their Role in Health Care Reforms
INSURANCE: Initial Revenue Losses Expected As Changes Implemented
Whether the overhaul of the nation’s health care system is eventually considered a success five years out will be determined to a large extent by what happens inside the nation’s hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices.
Leadership, Contributions to Community Earn Exec a Powerful Title
Theresa Drew, managing partner of Deloitte, was named Woman of the Year by San Diego Magazine at the Women Who Move the City event held Sept. 15 at Scripps Seaside Forum.
Reform Brings Healthy Outlook for Improved Access to Alternative Care
GOVERNMENT: Some See New Law as Increasing Patients’ Treatment Options
Alternative and ancillary health care professionals are hopeful that the federal health care reform legislation that recently began taking effect will improve access to all types of effective treatment and therapies.
Proposition D Equals Delay, Deny, Deceive
Does the City of San Diego need the new revenue that would be created by Proposition D? Yes.
Real Estate Roundup
Projects, developments and other activity in cities in and around San Diego County
Best known for its mixed-use condominium projects in downtown San Diego’s East Village and Little Italy neighborhoods, CityMark Development is set to begin construction on Beacons, a new residential community in coastal North County.
Executive Profile
Bradley A. Marcus
Bradley A. Marcus, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, is the founder and operator of Medical Rehabilitation & Kinematics Lab. He is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
News in Brief
The City of Del Mar could become the owner of the 400-acre property that includes the Del Mar Fairgrounds and its famed horse racetrack. Language in proposed state legislation, co-authored by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, includes terms that would allow the city to purchase the property for $120 million from the state.
British Airways Brings Back Local Nonstop Flights to London
TRANSPORTATION: Mayor Says Service Starting June 1 Will Boost Tourism, Business Promotion Efforts
British Airways will offer daily nonstop flights from San Diego International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport starting June 1, the first such service since 2003, bringing what local officials say will be a significant boost to the local economy.
Cargo Helicopter Won’t Carry a Pilot
TECHNOLOGY: Northrop, Bell Join Forces to Make Unmanned Aircraft
After seven years of development on Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter project that has grabbed the interest of the U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman is attempting to make a bigger autonomous flying machine, teaming up with airframe maker Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
Fashion Tips That You Can Safely Bank On
First up this week, the Insider observed this sign in the front door of a Union Bank branch on Market Street: “No hats, no hoods, no sunglasses. Remove before entering this facility.” Our comment? No kidding! … This next item could be the plot for a great movie! Walter Green of Rancho Santa Fe, who is the former chief executive officer of Harrison Conference Services, went on an amazing journey after selling his very successful business a few years back. Green traveled the globe, thanking the 44 most influential people in his life.
Medical Device Maker Delivers Wake-Up Call
MANUFACTURING: ResMed, Major Rival Team Up to Educate Clinicians About Sleep Disorders
As health officials continue to monitor the physical and monetary toll sleep disorders exact in the U.S., treating various conditions brought on by sleep problems has transformed snoozing into a sound business for a San Diego-based medical device manufacturer.
Expanding Area’s Health Facilities Benefits Builders
CONSTRUCTION: McCarthy Derives $180M From Work on Children’s Hospital Pavilion
Hospital and health center expansions are good medicine for the San Diego economy, and particularly for the construction industry, which is profiting from investment in health care infrastructure.
For Kids' Sake
NONPROFIT: Board Members Use Their Expertise to Improve The New Children’s Museum
Many hands make for light work at The New Children’s Museum. The nonprofit organization, which prides itself on creating a hands-on experience for children, is a hands-on experience for its board members as well.
Small-Business Loans Must Reach Their Targets
What will it take for the majority of us to begin to think the economy is on the road to recovery? You could pick any number of variables such as stock market results, value of the dollar, unemployment rates and the list goes on. Many stipulate that small-business lending will lead to job creation. The majority of all jobs are produced by small businesses across the nation.
Company Purchases Troubled Downtown High-Rise for $200M
Equity Residential, one of the nation’s largest owners of apartment buildings, has acquired downtown San Diego’s troubled Vantage Pointe high-rise for $200 million.
PaperFree Looks to the Future With SBA 504 Loan Program
James Robinson, president of PaperFree Corp., decided earlier this year his fast-growing business was getting too big for its current 4,000-square-foot space.
Regional Report
News and notes from communities around San Diego County
The Cancer Center at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute said Sept. 28 that it has received a $21 million grant from the National Cancer Institute. The five-year core grant renewal runs through 2015 and will assist efforts to support advanced cancer research at the La Jolla-based facility. The grant is a 21 percent increase compared with the previous funding.
Creating High-End Audio Brings Company Sense of Accomplishment
TECHNOLOGY: Design Process Often Leads to Finding New Products
John McDonald, president and chief executive officer of the Audience LLC audio and video equipment company in San Marcos, was running a health food store in Carlsbad during the 1970s when his career took a welcome but unexpected turn.
It’s Super News: Comic-Con Stays Put Until 2015
HOSPITALITY: Contest Highlights Need to Expand The Convention Center
Convention and hotel leaders reacted with celebration and relief after Comic-Con International organizers decided to keep the massive pop-culture convention in San Diego through at least 2015.
Drug Maker Seeks Partner to Market Painkiller
FINANCE: FDA Approval Process Is Expensive Task; Firm Touts Phase 3 Data
Transdel Pharmaceuticals Inc., a La Jolla biotech developing a topical painkiller, is negotiating growing pains of its own as it seeks a deep-pocketed funding partner to take its signature drug to market.
Friday, October 8
DivX Sale to Sonic Closes
Northern California-based Sonic Solutions said Oct. 8 that it completed its $323 million acquisition of DivX LLC, the San Diego-based maker of video compression software.
West Wireless Heads to Washington
San Diego-based West Wireless Health Institute is hosting a Health Care Innovation Day in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 12. The conference aims to connect representatives of the wireless health industry and government to accelerate low-cost health care solutions.
Thursday, October 7
Del Mar May Purchase Fairgrounds and Racetrack
The city of Del Mar could become the owner of the 400-acre property that includes the Del Mar Fairgrounds and its famed horse racetrack.
Wednesday, October 6
Northrop Gets $70M Parts Deal
The U.S. Department of Defense said Sept. 29 that Northrop Grumman received a $70 million contract for spare parts for the Global Hawk aircraft.
REIT Set to Buy 136 Properties for $250M
Escondido-based Realty Income Corp., a real estate investment firm that invests primarily in retail and other commercial centers, announced Oct. 6 that it has signed a purchase agreement to acquire 136 retail properties for approximately $250 million.
London Flights to Resume
British Airways announced Oct. 6 that it will offer daily nonstop flights from San Diego International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport starting June 1. It will be the first such service offered locally since 2003.
Tuesday, October 5
Port District Names Interim President and CEO
Port commissioners have named Wayne Darbeau as interim president and CEO of the Port of San Diego, following the Sept. 24 resignation of Charles Wurster.
Beltway Buy: REIT Acquires Maryland Shopping Centers
San Diego-based Excel Trust Inc., an investment firm focused on retail centers, has acquired two Maryland properties for approximately $70 million.
Life Tech Finishes $350M Acquisition, Appoints Executive
Life Technologies Corp. of Carlsbad said Oct. 5 that it completed its acquisition of Ion Torrent, a Guilford, Conn. company that has developed a new way of sequencing genes, in a deal worth $350 million in cash and stock.
Equifax Buys Anakam
Equifax Inc. said Monday it has acquired San Diego-based software technology company Anakam Inc. Anakam, which was founded in 2004, is a provider of authentication solutions for government, banking, health care and commercial institutions.
Monday, October 4
Clinics Join Scripps Health
Scripps Health announced Oct. 1 its acquisition of North Coast Women’s Care clinics in Encinitas and Vista.
Big Plans Brewing
MANUFACTURING: Stone Brewing Looks to Open Brewery in Europe
An American company trying to open a brewery in Europe may seem as plausible as a Siberian firm hawking fish tacos in Pacific Beach.
Military Still Has a Presence at Former NTC
RETAIL: Defense-Related Tenants at Liberty Station Are Close to Spawar
Thirteen years after the Defense Department officially ceased operations there, the sprawling San Diego property once known as Naval Training Center retains significant ties to the military.
Grim Statistics Tell the Tale of Economic Woe
Curious to know how hard the current recession has hit San Diego County residents?
Conference Features Well-Known Local, International Speakers
TECHNOLOGY: Al Gore, Carlos Slim, Paul Jacobs Scheduled to Participate
Several notable San Diego business and industry leaders are among the impressive list of keynote speakers and panelists at an upcoming forum in Tijuana highlighting various themes driving the regional economy.
Goodrich’s ‘People Philosophy’ Pays Off
MANUFACTURING: Teamwork Helps Local Unit Become World’s Market Leader for Nacelles
Jim Womack recalls visiting a plant then owned by Rohr Inc. in Chula Vista some 15 years ago, and viewing a metal stretching machine that hadn’t been moved since 1943.
Cassidy Turley CEO Finds New Challenge At CB Richard Ellis
REAL ESTATE: John Frager To Oversee Operations in U.S., Canada and Latin America
John Frager is eager for a new challenge.
Students Must Have Access to Technology’s Tools
Some of the most powerful changes in the way children are educated are playing out in schools, universities, houses and apartments across the country.
Foundations’ Gift Sows Seeds of Success for Balboa Park’s Future
Three foundations — The Legler Benbough Foundation, The Parker Foundation and the Balboa Park Trust Committee of The San Diego Foundation — have come together with a $120,000 lead gift to support the launch of the Balboa Park Conservancy and its operations
Real Estate Roundup
Projects, developments and other activity in cities in and around San Diego County
Executive Profile: Maggie Osburn
With more than 20 years of sales, training and leadership experience across a variety of industries, Maggie Osburn leads Intercare Insurance Solutions’ business development, marketing and public relations activities and has helped Intercare grow to become the second largest employee benefits consulting firm in San Diego.
Brokers Translate Reform Jargon Into Meaningful Insurance Options
HEALTH CARE: Clients Strategize Plan Renewals, Long-Term Implementation
Health care reform legislation signed into law earlier this year has left many San Diego employers wondering what it means for them in terms of future spending and how they should prepare.
Health Insurance Reforms Bring Big Changes to Companies
HEALTH CARE: New Standards for Employers to Be Phased in Through 2014
By Jan. 1, 2014, when health exchanges and many other new health care reform provisions take affect, many employers can expect changes including paying more for insurance, disclosing more data to the federal government and experiencing a marked increase in health plan administration, local experts say.
Businesses Sort Through the Complexities of Health Care Reform
GOVERNMENT: Employers Must Comply With New Federal Rules or Be Fined
Employers in San Diego and across the nation are in the throes of determining how to understand and be in compliance with the first wave of health care reform provisions that went into effect Sept. 23, the six-month anniversary of the historic legislation being signed by the president.
Nonprofit Profile: Elizabeth Makee
Accion San Diego Executive Director Elizabeth Makee has been working with the organization for six years.
Banks Savor the Financial Benefits Of Extended SBA Loan Terms
Banks active in making small-business loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration were breathing a sigh of relief late last month after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that will extend higher guarantees and waive fees on the loans.
IPO Cash Is REIT’s Ticket to Acquiring Life Sciences Properties
It may be an understatement to say that September was a busy month for BioMed Realty Trust Inc., the San Diego-based investment firm that focuses on life sciences real estate.
Regional Report
News and notes from communities around San Diego County
Investors Pluck Apartments Off the Market While Conditions Are Ripe
REAL ESTATE: Demand Picks Up While Vacancies, Interest Rates Remain Low
The apartment investment market is on a hot streak in San Diego County, as buyers compete to acquire a limited number of properties relative to demand, amid vacancy rates that remain among the nation’s lowest for major metro areas.
Aging Trolley Lines Are Headed for $620 Million in Improvements
TRANSPORTATION: Orange, Blue Lines to Get Upgrades Over 5 Years
San Diego’s distinctive red trolley cars look sharp as they traverse the county, but some cars and stations, as well, are in dire need of refurbishing.
Firms Making Progress Developing Antibiotics
BIOTECH: Trius, Optimer Seeking Shares of $32B Anti-Infective Drug Market
Emerging from the mounds of data presented at several recent high-level programs on infectious diseases were updates from two publicly traded San Diego drug companies that have collectively raised nearly $400 million to develop narrow-spectrum antibiotics.
Company Sets Sights on Market for Wireless Surveillance Cameras
TECHNOLOGY: Providing Portable, Self-Powered Video Systems Is Plan
Founded in 2008 by a team of wireless and video industry professionals, MicroPower Technologies creates power-efficient wireless video camera technology.
As Economy Picks Up, Retailers Ponder Expansion
DEVELOPMENT: Lower Leasing Prices Make Vacant Spaces More Attractive
After a major shopping center trade group wrapped up its annual Western Conference in San Diego, some local experts said prospects are brightening for retail development as the economy slowly improves.
Competition Offers Way to Win Over Investors
FINANCE: Companies Get Big Chance to Show What They’ve Got
Frank Felber’s business has been around 23 years, but it’s rolling out its first product, and hoping to make some connections.
Friday, October 1
Daily Hawaii Flight Takes Wing
Alaska Airlines launched daily service from San Diego’s Lindbergh Field to Maui Oct. 1.
Officer Arrested in Alleged Smuggling
A U.S. customs and border agent was arrested Sept. 30 while on duty at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Bolsa Mexicana Chief Named to Sempra Board
Sempra Energy, San Diego’s second largest public company in terms of annual revenue, said Luis Tellez was re-elected to its board of directors in an announcement made Sept. 28.
Comic-Con Stays in San Diego Through 2015
Comic-Con International, the pop-culture extravaganza that has called San Diego home since its 1970 inception, will remain at the San Diego Convention Center at least through 2015, organizers announced Sept. 30.
Huya, Quintiles Team Up on Cancer Therapy
Huya Bioscience International, a San Diego-based company with a team of “drug hunters” in Shanghai, China, says it has struck a partnership to co-develop a new cancer therapy sourced in China.