San Diego Business Journal articles from February 2004

San Diego Business Journal archives from February 2004

San Diego: it's the Navy's town: newspaper survey puts four local bases at top of the list.
February 9, 2004... On the eve of another base closure round, the San Diego region has gotten a big vote of confidence from people in uniform. The Military Times Media Group reports the region hosts the best base in not just one, but in two of the nation's...

Mutual attractions: SeaWorld, Legoland hope to draw on each other's new rides to boost crowds.
February 9, 2004... On a recent Saturday morning, Bill Vollbrecht, a master builder at Legoland California, was busy studying a photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger. "The challenge now will be to get his prominent jaw line to protrude at just the right angle beneath...

Survey notes San Diegans spending more, earning less: pay scales not keeping pace with cost to live here.
February 9, 2004... The Boston and San Diego regions ran neck-and-neck when comparing the overall cost of living during the third quarter of 2003, a national survey shows. San Diego came in 38 percent above the national average, compared to 35 percent for...

Pearl joins emerald as latest restaurant jewel.(Entrepreneurs Restaurant)
February 9, 2004... In late January, the final phase of construction ht Pearl Chinese Cuisine--Susan Lew's second restaurant--was moving along as planned. Except for one major detail. One of the custom-etched glass doors imported from Hong Kong was...

Pilot program at SDSU offers dual Ph.D.-MBA degree: focus is on students wanting a career in life science management.(San Diego State University)
February 9, 2004... Chances are when Mina Stemm graduates with her dual Ph.D.-MBA degrees from San Diego State University, she'll be a hot commodity in the drug making business. The fifth-year doctoral student in molecular biology is working on her Ph.D. by...

Biz Czar pushes plan for state's about-face.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Regional business and economic development leaders liked what they heard last week from Sunne Wright McPeak, California's newly appointed business, transportation, and housing secretary. McPeak, who declared she's from the "school of lead,...

Moody's changes city's financial outlook to negative.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Due mainly to uncertainties connected to a $1 billion deficit in the city's pension plan, Moody's Investment Services changed the city's of San Diego's financial outlook from stable Aa1 to negative Aa1. The change is the first step in a...

Grocery chains reject arbitration.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... The United Food and Commercial Workers, the union representing some 70,000 grocery clerks that have been on strike since October, proposed last week to submit the labor dispute to binding arbitration. A joint statement released by the three...

County will take state to court.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... The county plans to take legal action against the state for failing to pay the county for state mandated services. For the past three years, the county has spent more than $30 million on services dictated by state law without any...

Navy sailor and Liberian national Sea Benaci.
February 9, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Navy sailor and Liberian national Sea Benaci (right), Marine Lance Cpl. and Guatemalan national Hector Soto (center), and Navy sailor and Mexican national Maria Palacios (left), were among the more than 200...

Council to require condo conversion payments.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... The San Diego City Council voted to require developers to pay apartment renters when they are forced to move because of a condominium conversion. Condo conversions, which turn rental apartments into for-sale condos, have become popular in...

Reactor will stay put for now.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Southern California Edison won't ship a decommissioned reactor vessel from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to a South Carolina nuclear graveyard as planned. The process of shipping the vessel includes a complex approval process,...

Carlsbad building sold for $23 million.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Gold Pointe B, a Redondo Beach investor and developer, purchased a 210,688-square-foot building in Carlsbad for $23.25 million. The one-story office and research and development building was sold by MG Palomar LLC of Carlsbad. It was built...

Company pledges $1 million for fire helicopter.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... San Diego-based Sunroad Enterprises announced a $1 million pledge to county's Regional Fire and Rescue Helicopter Program. At a press conference scheduled for Feb. 6, Sunroad challenged other local companies to contribute to the fundraising...

Nobel prize-winner headed for UCSD.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... UC San Diego wooed and won a Nobel Prize-winning Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor. Mario Molina won the 1995 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work on the threat to the earth's ozone layer. He becomes UCSD's 16th Nobel...

Fish & Richardson gets basic with boot camp program: college bookstore accused of copyright infringement.(Law)
February 9, 2004... Dressed in fatigues and a helmet, David Feigenbaum prepares the recruits for their second 12-hour day of basic training. In the mess hall, "M*A*S*H," the popular 1970s movie about the Korean War, plays on a big screen. Twenty-four...

Exxon Valdez.(Law)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Exxon Valdez: It's been a long time coming A federal district judge in Anchorage, Alaska, recently ordered Exxon Mobil Corp. to pay nearly $7 billion in damages and interest as retribution for the oil spill that dumped 11 million gallons of...

San Diego is fit, but not necessarily heart healthy: sleep study reveals the right amount for a long life.(Health Care)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... San Diego may be America's fittest city, but it ranks fourth in terms of healthiest hearts. San Diego's population ranks below that of Hartford, Conn., Orlando, Fla., and San Francisco in heart health, according to findings by San...

Not eight.(HealthCare)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... People who get seven hours of sleep, rather than eight, or less than 4.5 hours, seem to live the longest, wrote Dr. Daniel F. Kripke, a UC San Diego psychiatry professor in an editorial in this month's issue of the journal Sleep. As such,...

$80M Chula Vista Complex a sign of things to come: real estate: officials see downtown as next 'Hot Spot'.
February 9, 2004... Mountain West Real Estate's Gateway Chula Vista may be best described as a pleasant surprise. It's not that city leaders thought it would fail, but Jim Pieri, president and CEO of Chula Vista-based Mountain West, built something that the...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 9, 2004... In a story on Leap Wireless International ("Leap Wireless International Shuffles Its Executives") in the Jan. 19 issue of the San Diego Business Journal, a list of holders of Leap's vendor debt was incorrect. The vendor debt originally...

Gateway's future brighter with eMachines: struggling computer maker likely to adapt Irvine Firm's Lean Business Strategy.(News and Finance)
February 9, 2004... Gateway Inc.'s pending acquisition of one of its competitors could be the tonic the struggling Poway-based PC maker has been seeking. In a move applauded by industry analysts and Wall Street, Gateway said it would acquire eMachines Inc., a...

Captiva Annual earnings bolstered by deal: Cohu's numbers prompts exec to say industrywide recovery under way.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Captiva Software Corp., a San Diego-based maker of software completed a strong year, reporting net profits of $2.6 million on revenues of $57.1 million during 2003, compared to a net loss of $500,000 on revenues of $35.6 million for the prior...

In recovery: Cohu Inc.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... In Recovery: Cohu Inc. CEO James Donahue reported customer orders in the firm's fourth quarter were the highest in six quarters, while orders for its semiconductor test handling equipment were up 53 percent over those in the third quarter....

Record year: ViaSat Inc.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Record Year: ViaSat Inc., the Carlsbad-based provider a of satellite equipment, reported net earnings of $7.1 million on $71.8 million in revenues for its third quarter ended Jan. 4, 2004, compared to a net loss of $2.6 million on revenues of...

Vista Firm acquired in $50M deal: UCSD's Henrik Wann Jensen to receive award from Academy of Motion Pictures.(High-Tech)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Publicly traded Verity Inc. of Sunnyvale will pay $50 million in cash to acquire Vista-based Cardiff Software. The companies announced their plans Feb. 2. Cardiff makes software that captures data off both paper and electronic...

Kyocera adds to repertoire: Kyocera Wireless.(High-Tech)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Kyocera Adds To Repertoire: Kyocera Wireless' San Diego factory is turning out a new line of walkie-talkie-style cell phones. Alltel is the first carrier to offer the push-to-talk model 3250--and it won't be the last, company publicists...

New Financings: ImageWare Systems Inc.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... New Financings: ImageWare Systems Inc., a provider of digital imaging systems, said it raised about $6.6 million in a private placement involving the issuance of 1.8 million shares of common stock and warrants to purchase some 360,000 shares....

Liquidation.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Liquidation: According to the Chapter 7 bankruptcy statement filed last month by SureBeam Corp., the firm that made electron equipment used to irradiate food listed total assets of $10 million and total debts of about $50 million. Among...

Getting credit.(Public Companies)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Getting Credit: Another San Diego firm that filed for bankruptcy protection last month under Chapter 11 reorganization rules, Factory 2-U Store said last week the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware approved its $45 million debtor-in-possession...

Beachcomber's delight: Baleen at the Paradise Point Resort on Mission Bay.(What's on the Menu)
February 9, 2004... "Paradise" is an apt name for San Diego's Paradise Point Resort on Mission Bay. The grounds are as beautiful as any Southern California setting for a hotel and restaurant complex. The restaurant, Baleen, is part of the Paradise Point Resort'...

Jack's Restaurant Tidbits.(What's on the Menu)
February 9, 2004... The next best thing to going to the Academy Awards in Hollywood is attending the annual Oscar Night America at the Westgate. The Academy Awards show is earlier than usual this year. It will be held on Sunday, Feb. 29. The Versailles Ballroom...

Terra, an American Restaurant, is offering a special cooking class on Feb. 25 that featuring pan sauces and gravies.(What's on the Menu)
February 9, 2004... Terra, an American Restaurant, is offering a special cooking class on Feb. 25 that featuring pan sauces and gravies. Terra is located in the Uptown Shopping Center. For reservations and information, call (619) 293-7088. The cost of this cooking...

Copyright infringement.(Law)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Copyright Infringement: Five leading publishers, including the New York Times and Harvard Business School Publishing, have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against KB Books, a chain of college bookstores in San Diego that provides...

What's up: Foley & Lardner.(Law)
February 9, 2004... What's Up: Foley & Lardner will host a life sciences forum March 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Orchids Room at the La Jolla Marriott. For more information, contact jdemarre@ foleylaw.com. Space is limited..... Contact Rene'e Beasley Jones via...

Neil Dymott.(Law)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... David Brown, a shareholder at Neil Dymott, was named Defense Lawyer of the Year for 2003 by the San Diego Defense Lawyers Association. The award recognizes a lawyer who has made a significant contribution to the city litigation defense bar in...

Several local law offices--Cooley Godward; Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch; Baker & MeKenzie; and Pillsbury Winthrop--along with the San Diego chapter of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals and other organizations will present a stock plan and executive compensation seminar.(Law)
February 9, 2004... Several local law offices--Cooley Godward; Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch; Baker & MeKenzie; and Pillsbury Winthrop--along with the San Diego chapter of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals and other organizations will...

New Scripps Chair.(Health)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... New Scripps Chair: San Diego attorney Abby Silverman of La Jolla became the new chair of the Scripps Health board of trustees on Jan. 1. Silverman, who specializes in employment and business law and commercial litigation, is a partner with...

National investor purchases vista apartment complex.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... RREEF, a national real estate investment adviser, purchased the 460-unit Vista Hacienda apartments in Vista for an undisclosed price. The company has a West Coast headquarters office in San Francisco. RREEF plans to upgrade and...

Health savings accounts seen as way to put control back into consumers' hands: legislation is aimed at reining in runaway cost of health care.(Human Resources)
February 9, 2004... Prescription drugs got all the publicity when Congress amended the Medicare law in November, but another component of the legislation provides a new way of paying for health care that could reduce skyrocketing costs. Called health savings...

New employment laws bring on same old headaches: changes range from 'whistleblowers' to gender discrimination.
February 9, 2004... Despite a new governor with a new agenda, California employees are facing the same old headaches when it comes to new employment laws. The new year brought a host of new statutes that California employers must implement. While observers have...

Temporary staffing services.(Illustration)
February 9, 2004... TEMPORARY STAFFING SERVICES Ranked by verified local gross revenue for fiscal 2003 Rank Agency (last Address Telephone year) Web site Fax ...

What do you do when you have big shoes to fill? Turnaround recruiter in final stages of filling top broadcom slot.(Q & A)(Interview)
February 9, 2004... Robert "Bob" Lambert once was a "hatchet man," canning hundreds of workers at PepsiCo Inc., Stride Rite Corp., and Carter Hawley Hale Stores Inc. Now he's regional managing partner at the Irvine office of Cleveland-based Christian &...

Largest employers.(Illustration)
February 9, 2004... LARGEST EMPLOYERS Ranked by total number of employees as of Dec. 31, 2003 Rank Company (last Address Telephone year) Web site Fax 1 Federal...

Spot the 'walking lawsuit' before you hire them: avoiding lawsuits begins with the interview process.
February 9, 2004... In today's employment market, some employers' idea of aggressive interviewing is simply asking: "How soon can you start?" Employment lawsuits are not abstract concepts. These lawsuits have legs. They walk into your company, apply for a...

I want you to take care of my troops! Employees returning after military duty.(Uniform Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act of 1994 )
February 9, 2004... With so many reservists returning from combat in the Middle East, employers need to take special care during the employee transition process back into prior employment. The troops have served our country. Now it's your turn to help them. State...

Why we created the best companies to work for awards program.
February 9, 2004... The San Diego Business Journal's Best Companies to Work For in San Diego awards program is a recognition event that salutes local firms that have worked hard to create environments where their employees love to go to work, everyday. Our...

Single source IT training maximizes corporate investment.
February 9, 2004... Since 1982, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers has grown to become the largest independent IT training company worldwide. We offer more courses, at more times and in more locations than any other company in the computer training industry....

2004 Best companies to work for award winners.
February 9, 2004... The San Diego Business Journal honored nine outstanding companies at the Best Companies to Work For Awards on Feb. 5, 2004. These winning firms were chosen from more than 100 applications and 49 finalists. An independent panel of judges...

Second chance: helping those in need in San Diego.
February 9, 2004... Living out of his car was about the only option that seemed available to Don Brew. Laid-off from his job for six months, Brew was depressed and losing hope. He lost custody of his son and lived with a roommate who was swirling further into drug...

Temp-to-hire: your best-bet staffing solution: it truly is the best of all possible worlds.
February 9, 2004... Employers are finally feeling confident enough to hire, and it looks like they're gearing to make up for lost time. According to the results of a nationwide survey conducted in December 2003, hiring managers plan to recruit aggressively this...

Local IT company beating the odds for small business growth: as an employee-owned company, every stock owning team member has a definite "stake" in the company's future growth.(Company Profile)
February 9, 2004... The locally based information technology systems company, ComGlobal Systems Incorporated, continues to grow and expand while simultaneously remaining at center stage for a wide variety of awards and accolades. Since its founding in 1995,...

Industry sees growth potential of minority homebuyers: housing: Hispanic population could almost double in next 30 years.
February 9, 2004... While home ownership is at an all-time high nationally, minority home ownership still lags far behind. To close the gap and capitalize on the large untapped market, everyone from local homebuilders to national lenders are trying to meet...

Progress report.(Real Estate)
February 9, 2004... SALES Property: 2556 Chicago St., San Diego Seller: Whitecaps Ltd. Selling agents: Chad Bramwell and Dick Bassett of Hendricks & Partners represented the seller and the buyer. Buyer/square footage: James Lindsay purchased a...

Construction journal.(Real Estate)
February 9, 2004... Benchmark Landscape Inc. was hired to landscape the areas around residential development at Liberty Station, the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma. The project is under way and will be completed later this year. Cost: $2 million. ...

Canyon Plaza perks up facade, adds Starbucks: BRE Commercial launches downtown retail group.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... My curiosity finally got the best of me, so I called the broker for Canyon Plaza in Chula Vista after watching the renovation at the shopping center during the last few months. The 25-year-old property sits on about 5 acres next to...

Urban retail: BRE Commercial.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Urban Retail: BRE Commercial threw a party for its new Downtown San Diego retail group Jan. 29. The broker-owned company is trying to increase its presence in Downtown. BRE has three offices and 75 agents. Local real estate analyst...

New affiliation.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... New Affiliation: San Diego-based brokerage IPC Commercial is now known as GVA IPC. The new name reflects its affiliation with GVA Worldwide. IPC belonged to a similar network of brokerages for three years (TCN Worldwide) but switched to...

Hotel financing.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Hotel Financing: When San Diego-based JMI Realty announced construction and financing for its Hotel Solamar, it didn't release the amount of money put up for the hotel's construction. The Sycuan Tribal Development Corp. put up some money....

Government consolidation.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Government Consolidation: The engineering and construction department of the Metropolitan Transit System recently consolidated under the San Diego Association of Governments. SB 1703, a bill by former state Sen. Steve Peace, put many...

In brief.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... In Brief: San Diego-based Pacific Scene Homes Inc. recently launched a full-service commercial building operation called Legacy Building Services Inc. Tom Remensperger, former president of the California division of Phoenix-based Sundt...

ECP Commercial.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... ECP Commercial, a brokerage based in La Mesa, now has a commercial mortgage operation called ECP Commercial Mortgage. The president is Marie J. Rivera. The company will provide apartment loans starting at $250,000 and other commercial property...

Marketplace: San Diego Public Stocks.
February 9, 2004... Marketplace SAN DIEGO PUBLIC STOCKS Data as of 01/30/04 TKR/ Company MKT Accredited Home Lenders LEND/Q Advanced Marketing MKT/N Alaris...

Proxy.
February 9, 2004... WD-40 CO. NASDAQ--WDFC WD-40 Co. markets two lubricant brands known as WD-40 and 3-IN-ONE Oil; two heavy-duty hand cleaner brands known as Lava and Solvol; four household product brands known as X-14 hard surface cleaners and...

San Diego Technology 15.(Illustration)
February 9, 2004... San Diego Technology 15 As of Jan. 30, 2004 52 week Company Ticker Close High Low Qualcomm, Inc. QCOM $58.61 $60.73 $29.58...

San Diego Biotech 15.(Illustration)
February 9, 2004... San Diego Biotech 15 As of Jan. 30, 2004 52 Week Company Ticker Close High Low IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp. IDPH $42.98 $45.75 $27.80 Invitrogen...

Legal notices.(Public Notice)
February 9, 2004... SUMMONS CASE No. GIN 032186 NOTICE TO DEENDANT: JACK C. CONAWAY, DOES 1 TO 25 YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: BILL LEWIS You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons is served on you to file a typewritten response at this court....

Vista gets a 2-for-1 with Chamber Boss.(Tips & Trends)
February 9, 2004... The Vista Chamber of Commerce got a new CEO last month. Jim Baumann, 52, comes to this post, after serving three years as CEO of the Poway Chamber of Commerce and three years as the communications director of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce....

Spotlight: Pro Sport Counseling, Inc.(Small Business)
February 9, 2004... Sport psychologist Dr. Cristina Versari worked with the National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players Association as a consultant from 1990-2000. In 2000, she founded Pro Sport Counseling, Inc. and shortly thereafter signed an...

Avoiding pitfalls when selling a business.(Small Business Help Line)
February 9, 2004... Question: What should a small business owner know before putting a business up for sale? Answer: A successful sale requires specialized skill, unique dedication, and steadfast focus. If you sell your company to a public company for equity,...

Marcus & Millichap handles sale of RV-Mobile Home Parks.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Brokerage Co. brokered the sale of a seven-property mobile home and recreational vehicle park portfolio for $45 million, including three local properties. Bruce Herrmann, Douglas Danny, and Patrick...

Calendar.(For the record: business events)(Calendar)
February 9, 2004... If you would like your business event that costs less than $75 to attend included in the calendar section, make sure your press release arrives at our offices at least 15 working days before the event. Send requests to: Calendar Attn:...

Good year for aerostructures.(High-Tech)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Good Year For Aerostructures: In reporting year-end financial results Feb. 5, North Carolina-based Goodrich Corp. reported higher sales in its Aerostructures unit, though the company did not publicly break out that number. Aerostructures has a...

Lighting the way.(High-Tech)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Lighting The Way: UC San Diego computer science professor Henrik Wann Jensen will receive a technical achievement award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Feb. 14. His achievement? Making things like milk, snow, marble,...

Executive profile: Bill Hoehn.
February 9, 2004... People may not know Bill Hoehn personally, but chances are he's made dozens of appearances in their family rooms. Hoehn, the elegant president and co-owner of Hoehn Motors Inc. with six automobile franchises in Car Country Carlsbad, has...

Awards & recognitions.(People: key hires and promotions)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... The Metropolitan Transit Development Board has received the National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Society--King Legacy Award. The award is given to those who demonstrate commitment to building understanding, mutual respect,...

Mark Crowley has been promoted to senior vice president in charge of platform investment sales for Washington Mutual's financial centers.(Banking and Finance)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Mark Crowley has been promoted to senior vice president in charge of platform investment sales for Washington Mutual's financial centers. Crowley has been first vice president, senior regional sales manager, and responsible for sales and...

Bill Cardon has joined Buie Communities, LLC as president.(Construction and Design)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Bill Cardon has joined Buie Communities, LLC as president. With over 31 years of experience in residential real estate development, Cardon will be responsible for the acquisition and development of all Buie's future residential properties....

Cuyamaca College.(Education)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Arleen Satele has been appointed dean of administrative services at Cuyamaca College. Satele's responsibilities will include overseeing fiscal operations, custodial services, grounds, maintenance, operation, food service, and the bookstore. She...

The Alzheimer's Association--San Diego Chapter.(Government and Nonprofit)
February 9, 2004... Carol Gebhart has been named chief executive officer of The Alzheimer's Association--San Diego Chapter. Gebhart has served on the boards of several San Diego nonprofits, including the YMCA, San Diego Symphony, and the San Diego Repertory...

Kyocera Mexicana.(High-Tech and Manufacturing)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Saul Garcia has been named president of Kyocera Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., a wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary supporting Kyocera Group operations in Tijuana. Garcia has held management positions at Kyocera Mexicana (KMX) since 1994, including...

Sullivan Wertz MeDade & Wallace APC.(Law)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Kathleen J. McKee has been elected a shareholder of Sullivan Wertz MeDade & Wallace APC. McKee's practice focuses on commercial real estate transactions, including representation of school districts in the acquisition, leasing, and construction...

MJE Marketing Services.(Media and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Ryan Leeds has joined MJE Marketing Services, LLC as an administrative assistant. Leeds is responsible for office administration and marketing assistance in the areas of client contact, vendor coordination, Internet research, portfolio...

San Diego International Sports Council.(Miscellaneous)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Dan Novak has been appointed chairman of the San Diego International Sports Council. Novak is vice president of programming and communications at Cox Communications. The International Council of Shopping Centers. announced that it has awarded...