VISIONARY VOICES INSIGHTS FROM
BOOSTING TOURISM Report outlines strategies to attract more visitors
INDUSTRY LEADERS
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BUSINESS WWW.CARLSBAD.ORG
JOURNAL
VOL. 32, NO. 4
Insights from Industry Leaders
AN AWARD-WINNING, MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2015 ANNUAL AWARDS
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For the complete list of winners and photos SEE PAGE 10
INSIDE
APRIL 2015
Businesses take extra steps for employee wellness
Area’s top businesses celebrated
The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce celebrated the best in business among its membership at its Annual Business Awards Dinner, held March 6 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. The awards ceremony, which had “A Sea of Opportunity” as its theme, honored businesses that are forging the future, making new discoveries and charting new courses for their industries and lifting the name of Carlsbad. “Our program recognizes some extraordinary leaders, and demonstrates that Carlsbad is a city with a passion for discovery, innovation and industry,” said Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber. During the evening, the chamber presented awards in eight categories (see pages 10-11 for a full awards list). During the evening, the chamber also recognized the achievements of the 2014 board of directors and inaugurated its 2015 board members. More than 400 people, including prominent and highprofile business leaders, elected officials and community members, attended the awards dinner, which featured a reception and exquisite cuisine at the world-renowned resort.
VISIONARY VOICES
HEALTH CARE | COMMUNICATIONS | HOSPITALITY | EDUCATION
From left: Motivating the Masses employees enjoy a healthy lunch; a prAna employee takes part in a rock climbing session; and Productive Computing’s Sally Schoonover uses her stand-up desk.
Fit job for the
BY JOSÉ A. LÓPEZ
Editor | Carlsbad Business Journal
H
ow much time do you focus on health and wellness? If you’re like most working Americans, you spend nearly a third of each workday at the office or job site. With nearly another third of the day spent sleeping and the other third on everything else, it may seem that you don’t get enough time to eat healthy, exercise and enjoy other wellnessrelated activities. These days, however, more and more companies are recognizing that work and wellness aren’t mutually exclusive pursuits. Guided by the desire to meet the demands of employees who are
looking to maintain a life-work balance, and with clear proof that helping employees achieve good health will have beneficial workplace impacts, many workplaces have taken steps to enrich the lives of their employees. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the workplace, “an important setting for health protection, health promotion and disease prevention programs” that can reduce health risks and improve the quality of life for workers. A healthier workplace, consequently, can lead to lower insurance premiums, fewer worker’s compensation claims and could also lead to fewer missed days of work and increased productivity.
While many employers offer health educational classes, access to exercise rooms and engage in traditional healthy workplace initiatives, there are some businesses that have instituted unique and creative practices that help their employees stay healthy. One company that goes out of its way to promote employee wellbeing is Carlsbad-based prAna, which manufactures sustainable apparel for yoga, climbing and other outdoor activities. Jennifer Tokatyan, the company’s vice president of human resources, said prAna takes a holistic view of its employee’s well-being, one that focusing on promoting healthy bodies, minds and souls. “Our company’s vision is to inspire
healthy, mindful and free-spirited living,” said Tokatyan. “One of our values as a company is life-work balance, so it all works together. Our vision is what we’re trying to create for our customer and our brand, but we live that through and through as employees.” When it comes to fitness, prAna has facilities on site where employees can work out. It features workout equipment, DVD players that employees use for workouts as well as daily fitness routines from instructors who come in to lead yoga, barre, and Zumba classes. The company also has showers, and racks for employees to park their bicycles and surf boards.
SEE WORKPLACE, Page 15
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
The Crossings redefines business meetings Sometimes the word “conference” can conjure images of suffering in a stuffy or freezing cold space, sitting in an uncomfortable chair and suffering for hours, precious time of your life you can never get back. But, when you host your meeting at The Crossings at Carlsbad that will not be the case! At The Crossings, teams can truly get out of the ordinary and make the day extraordinary. With unforgettable views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding an award-winning golf course, The Crossings at Carlsbad provides an invigorating and unique twist to the traditional business meeting. Close to home just off Interstate 5, The Crossings at Carlsbad’s craftsman-style clubhouse offers comfortable décor and state-ofthe-art business amenities. Plus enjoy a delectable lunch on our gorgeous terrace and end the day
By holding your meeting at The Crossings at Carlsbad, you can take care of business and take in unforgettable views of the Pacific Ocean as well. with a glass of wine on our fireside veranda overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Our private dining room/board room is perfect for smaller intimate meetings, events or dining
experiences. It can accommodate up to 40 people depending on the desired set up. With dark wood and frosted windows, this space lends to a more private experience. Our Roston Room
is a guest favorite, and it can accommodate groups of 10 to 60 people. This gorgeous circular room is detailed in stone
SEE CROSSINGS, Page 7