02 cvbj feb2014 lowres by Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

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FEBRUARY 2014 VOL 9 • NUMBER 6

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StOCKtOn • traCy • lODI • ManteCa • latHrOP • lInDen • rIPOn

MODeStO • CereS • tUrlOCK • OaKDale • rIVerBanK

Modesto’s grand prix gamble New Courthouse $207 million project underway in Stockton.

Page 8

How city and pro racing are revving up for race By ELIZABETH STEVENS Business Journal editor

Architect’s Vision Modesto firm creates statement buildings.

Page 26

MODESTO – Racing is returning to the streets of downtown Modesto this August, but it will be highpowered go-carts rather than bicycles zooming through the city’s center. Modesto will host the 5th Annual Superkarts! USA Pro Tour Summer Nationals event along with a lifestyle festival, leaders announced Jan. 10. “We’re looking forward to working with Superkarts! USA to put on a first class event we can be proud of,” said Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh at a press conference to announce the event. While most people think of go-karts as toys kids race at amusement parks, they can be

PHOTO COURTESY SUPERKARTS! USA

Modesto Grand Prix organizers are expecting about 350 professional go-kart drivers to race in downtown Modesto from Aug. 10-3.

startlingly fast and agile, when driven by professionals. Superkarts! USA owner Tom Kutscher promised an exciting event. “It’s the most fun you can have with your clothes on,” Kutscher said.

From Aug. 1-3, drivers will race the 100cc and 125cc-engine karts on a one-mile course through the streets of downtown Modesto. There will be large screens positioned along the course, so spectators can watch the action and three

temporary pedestrian overpasses will be erected so the crowd can move freely around the course. The Jan. 10 press conference was also a chance for the karting world to learn what Modesto has to offer. “I learned that Modesto is a major league ‘car’ town,” race announcer and E-Karting News editor Rob Howden wrote on his blog later that week. “This is the home of American Graffiti, and they love their hot rods and their motorsports. Just like Lancaster and its growing Grand Prix, the city staff is fired up to make this race the biggest event in Modesto. The ingredients are there for a big fan turnout, and a festival of kart racing that could reset the bar in our sport.” Kutscher, Howden and some city officials tested the course during a secret run early on the morning of Jan. 11 and found a few areas that will need to be patched, but all in all, a suitable racecourse. City officials got a taste of the exhilaration of watching what the karts can do. “Honestly it was electrifying, so I can’t imagine what it will be like when there’s 30 cars racing,” Please see GRAND PRIX Page 6

Airports planning to expand Presenteeism How to keep employees from coming to work sick.

Page 30

WHAT’S INSIDE Publisher’s Notes............Page 2 Briefs.....................Pages 28, 29 Insight and Analysis......Page 30 Legals....................Pages 46-47

STOCKTON – Service expansions could be coming to two Central Valley airports. Modesto city leaders are trying to add service to Los Angeles, and San Joaquin County supervisors have approved a fiveyear plan for safety enhancements and service expansion. San Joaquin County supervisors unanimously approved a $28 million plan for renovations and upgrade for Stockton Metropolitan Airport in January. It gives county staff the go-ahead to apply for funding for the improvements. At the top of the list of pri-

orities are safety improvements such as runway lighting, but also included is the addition of a U.S Customs facility that could open the door to international flights. Interim Airport Director Harry Mavrogenes said there are several airport projects in the design stage that could quickly turn to construction projects once funding comes in. They include apron reconstruction, a second entrance for airport parking as well as other improvements to the lot, upgrades and improvements to the terminal, and improvements to runway lighting. A design for a new baggage claim area is in the

early stages as well. The five-year Capital Improvement Program calls for $27.4 million in spending. Currently $7.9 million is funded through a variety of grants, leaving a shortfall of $19.6 million. Mavrogenes said the plan approved would serve as a grant application for additional funding from the state and federal government. He said it may also be possible to obtain funding from the San Joaquin Council of Governments, although money from that fund Please see AIRPORTS Page 6

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A man on a mission Growing up in Michigan, we had the good fortune of spending our summers on a small island between Michigan and Canada: Stag Island, “Isle of the Heart.” We formed lifelong bonds during the many summers spent there. Americans and Canadians alike own summer cottages, passing them down from generation to generation. One can venture out into the crazy world and return to the sleepy little island, knowing it was preserved just as we had left it, frozen in time. Friendly faces reaching far into your past and welcoming smiles meet you in the present. The island provides an old fashioned lifestyle, a place that seems to ground children into reality, teaching us to use our imaginations, be creative, dream big, work hard, and provides a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself. Children, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, neighbors and friends reunite each summer to float down the river or sit around the camp fire, singing songs, roasting marshmallows, sharing stories and of course, popping a couple of cold ones! Stag Island is the thread that wove us together as one big family, our diamond in the rough. I’m proud to say that one incredible man, Chris Hadfield, a Canadian citizen, a former neighbor in fact, started plan-

ning his future on the island. He dreamt of going to space one day after watching the Apollo moon landing in 1969 from a neighbor’s living room (crowded with islanders). He watched as Neil Armstrong carefully stepped onto the surface of the moon, and Chris was hooked! A single event, a pivotal point, his life Sharon was forever Alley Calone changed. Thus, he began his long journey to space. Determined to realize his dream, he immediately started thinking of goals he needed to accomplish to set himself on the path of becoming an astronaut. Yes, at the young age of 9, Chris knew what he wanted to be when he grew up (how many of us can say that?) Just how he was going to get there was another story. Canadians didn’t have a space agency, Americans did, but NASA only accepted applications from

Publisher’s Notes

February 2014

U.S. citizens. Problematic? You bet! Most would have quit, considering the odds. The chance of Chris becoming an astronaut in Canada was nonexistent. But Chris Hadfield never gave up. His story now written in his personal biography, “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,” is a must read. The sheer tenacity and drive that this man encompasses is absolutely incredible. The hardships, courage, compassion, humility, and love for family is so moving, I read the entire 284 pages in one day. The book was dedicated to his loving wife, Helene. Throughout the story, you realize that her dedication to Chris helped fuel his success. In family and career, not many women would have endured the stresses and sacrifices that helped pave his road to space travel. I’m proud of Chris. In fact I’m beaming from just knowing him. He is exactly the role model we should all strive to be, a true leader. A guitar playing rocket man in space! A big thank-you goes to Carmel Munk, my dear friend from Stag Island for sending me my own signed copy of Chris’s amazing book. What a gift! A big thank-you also goes to my father for purchasing our cottage in the ‘60s. This little slice of heaven, without cars or stores, where bicycling, boating, floating or walking are the only modes of transportation, where time stands still, Stag Island provided our family – many families actually – with the simplicity

of life, memories and friendships that I wouldn’t trade for anything. As the years fly by, the memories seem to grow fonder. It’s truly the isle of my heart! As I was starting to write my column I heard that Stockton’s interim city manager Kurt Wilson has been chosen as the new city manager. Reading his bio and knowing that he’s been on board since 2012 tells me this makes good sense. Wilson has a clear understanding of what the city’s issues are, and he won’t need to Please see PUBLISHER’S NOTES Page 13

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February 2014

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Business forecast projects Wilson hired as city manager good year for employment STOCKTON – This year San Joaquin County can expect to see real progress in job growth and employment should return to pre-recession levels by 2015, according to economist Jeffrey Michael of the Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business. “We believe 2014 is going to be the best year for job growth since the year 2000 in this county,” Michael said. The statement came as Michael delivered a preview of his California & Metro Business Forecast to San Joaquin County business leaders during the Business Forecast Conference hosted by the San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber Jan. 16. Michael said he expects employment will grow 3.7 percent in 2014 and that Stockton and Modesto will see single-digit unemployment rates by 2017. He said 2013 set the table with big projects in the county such as the opening of the California Health Care Facility in Stockton and Amazon’s distribution center in Tracy. “That 3.7 percent, some of it has already happened, so this is really showing the momentum that we’ve seen in the late half of 2013 and

that we’re seeing now with these big catalyst projects,” Michael said. Michael expects about 250,000 new construction jobs to be created over the next four years in the state, almost one-quarter of the 1.1 million jobs California will add between 2013 and 2017. Despite leading the state in job growth Michael over the next four years, he believes there will still be fewer construction jobs than before the recession. Before Michael spoke, Executive Vice President and Director of Capital Markets for Bank of the West Michael Stead told business leaders that the global and national outlook had stabilized. Stead did, however, sound a warning about rising interest rates and advised business owners to hedge an increase to make sure they maintain current rates in case they need to borrow money in the future.

STOCKTON – Kurt Wilson, who has served as Stockton’s interim city manager since November, has been hired to become city manager, Mayor Anthony Silva announced at the Jan. 28 City Council meeting. “I am honored to nominate an extremely qualified individual who represents continuity, fairness, diversity and professionalism,” Silva said. “This is truly a fresh start for our city. Working together, our possibilities are endless.” Wilson’s salary will be $240,000. Wilson was hired in September 2012 as deputy city manager. He oversaw the operational departments of Community Development, Economic Development, Public Works and Municipal Utilities. He became interim city manager when Bob Deis retired last November. “Sometimes finding the very best candidate does not require an outside search,” said Councilwoman Kathy Miller. “Mr. Wilson is an outstanding city manager. He is familiar with the organization, up to speed on our bankruptcy, and he provides the leadership that the city needs at this time.” “I’m very pleased,” said the Downtown Alliance’s CEO Leandro Vicuna. “He has demonstrated leadership skills, effective communication and has been very responsive any of the Downtown Stockton Alliance’s inquiries and matters.” Before Wilson arrived in Stockton, he

was city manager of Ridgecrest, Calif. and also served in local government in both San Bernardino and Rialto. In addition, he served in the Schwarzenegger administration as the chief of external affairs for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the executive director of Corrections Standards Authority. “Beyond the headlines, Stockton is a great place to work, filled with caring people who want the best for this commuWilson nity,” said Wilson. “As we work together, we will overcome our challenges and restore this great city to the level our citizens deserve. From finances to public safety, I’m proud of our accomplishments, and I look forward to leading the city through the final stage of bankruptcy and into recovery.” Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration and a Master of Business Administration from University of La Verne and a Master of Education from California Coast University. He is married and has three children.

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February 2014

FINANCE

Stockton bank selling

Community Bank of San Joaquin to be acquired in $5 million deal STOCKTON – Bay Commercial Bank will acquire Bank On It, Inc., the parent company of Community Bank of San Joaquin in a $5 million deal, the banks announced in January. The transaction was approved by the boards of directors of both banks. Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. It is anticipated the transaction will close in the second quarter of 2014. “Community Bank of San Joaquin has successfully served the greater Stockton community for 14 years. We are pleased to join forces with Bay Commercial Bank, a strong, profitable, and respected banking organization,” said Community Bank of San Joaquin President and CEO John McGrath. Bay Commercial Bank will pay $4.8 million to acquire Bank of San Joaquin, less certain expenses and other adjustments. The total assets of the combined banks on a pro forma basis at Sept. 30, 2013 are approximately $445 million, the banks

said. Bank On It, Inc and Community Bank of San Joaquin will be merged into Bay Commercial Bank. The shareholders of Bank On It, Inc. will receive their consideration in cash, according to the press release. Bank On It Inc.’s currently outstanding trust preferred securities and other debt will be repaid concurrent with the closing of the merger. The deal is “a key step in our strategy to augment our growth through organic and external means,” said Bay Commercial Bank President and CEO George Guarini. He said the merger would allow the bank to extend its client reach in San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Napa counties. Bay Commercial Bank plans to add agricultural lending and trust products to its mix of commercial, industrial and real estate loans and loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, Farm Service Agency. “The deposit generating capacity of

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Community Bank of San Joaquin has two locations in Stockton. One is near San Joaquin Delta College. The other is on Waterloo Road.

the Stockton branches combined with the additional diversification of the combined loan portfolio adds to the value of this merger,” Guarini said. Community Bank of San Joaquin operates two banking offices in Stockton. As of Sept. 30, 2013, its assets totaled $118.5 million. Community Bank of San Joaquin and its holding company Bank On It, Inc. opened in November 1999. Bank On It, Inc currently trades on the Over

IRA conversion: When to Roth Second thoughts are part of life, which may explain why some investors change their minds about the types of accounts they use for retirement savings. This could be the case for traditional and Roth IRAs, which feature different tax treatments of contributions and distributions. The IRS allows taxpayers to convert traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA and even to recharacterize (revert assets back to a traditional IRA) under certain conditions. Until recently, however, assets in employer-sponsored 401(k), 403(b), and governmental 457(b) plans could be converted to a Roth account only if they were considered distributable assets. This typically applied to people who had assets in a former employer’s plan as well as those who were 59½ years and older. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 provides a new opportunity to convert tax-deferred employer plan assets — including 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans — to a Roth account offered by the same employer. Unlike Roth IRA conversions, however, inplan Roth conversions are irrevocable and cannot be recharacterized. Taxed now or later Traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored plans offer a current-year tax deduction for contributions, up to annual limits. However, distributions, including contri-

butions and any earnings, are taxed as ordinary income. By contrast, contributions to a Roth account are not deductible. However, qualified withdrawals are generally free of federal income tax as long as they meet certain conditions. Conversions of tax-deferred assets (from Michael Zeiter an employer’s MassMutual Financial retirement plan Modesto, CA or a traditional IRA) to a Roth account are subject to federal income taxes in the year of the conversion. Under current tax law, if all conditions are met, the Roth account will incur no further income tax liability for the rest of the owner’s lifetime or for the lifetimes of the owner’s designated beneficiaries, regardless of how much growth the account experiences. The prospect of a substantial tax bill can be daunting, but trading current-year liability for tax-free income in retirement may be appealing if you expect to be in the same or a higher tax bracket in retirement, if you have unusually low income dur-

Smart Planning

ing a particular year, or if you want to take advantage of potential earnings growth free of federal income taxes. Conversions can be spread over a number of years, which may make the tax liability more manageable. To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, a Roth account must meet the fiveyear holding requirement and the distribution must take place after age 59½ or result from certain conditions such as the owner’s death, disability, or a first-time home purchase ($10,000 lifetime maximum). Required minimum distributions from traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored plans (including Roth employer plans) must begin by April 1 of the year following the year in which you turn age 70½. There are no mandatory distribution requirements from Roth IRAs. Beneficiaries of IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are required to take mandatory distributions based on their own life expectancies. Michael E. Zeiter is a registered financial representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC. Reach Michael Zeiter at Email mzeiter@financialguide.com / Web www.zeiterfinancial.com / Direct (209) 613-7210

the Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol “BKOT.” Bay Commercial Bank has its headquarters in Walnut Creek and began business in July 2004. It trades on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol “BCML.” On Sept. 30, 2013, Bay Commercial Bank had total assets of approximately $327.0 million with five banking offices in Northern California.

Check credit statements for $9.84 charge Check your debit or credit card statements. If you were recently charged $9.84, you might have been the victim of a scam. The Better Business Bureau is warning that thieves are using stolen payment cards to make small charges. They show up as charges to generic-looking websites such as EETsac.com, CEWcs.com and EduAcc.in, which claim to offer customer support services. The BBB put out a nationwide scam alert Jan. 27 and is urging consumers to watch their debit and credit card activity closely. It wasn’t immediately clear how widespread the scam is or when the account numbers were stolen. It was discovered by Brian Krebs, a journalist who writes about cybersecurity. He found that it’s part of a network of schemes stretching from Cyprus and India to the United Kingdom. He traced the operation to two men from Cyprus and a Maltabased bank that was processing the debit and credit card payments. If you believe you’re the victim of a scam, you’re advised to call the bank that issued your card to report the theft.

February 2014

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GRAND PRIX Continued from Page 1 13TH STREET

Race Course PARKING GARAGE

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

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COURT HOUSE

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

11TH STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

PARKING GARAGE PARKING GARAGE

CITY HALL

GALLO CENTER

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DOUBLE TREE

COURTESY CITY OF MODESTO

said Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jennifer Mullen, who attended the test. The idea to hold a race and community event in downtown Modesto came out of a need to raise money for the city’s parks and recreation department and the desire to create a signature event for Modesto that would help boost the economy. In March 2013, a few months after the organizers of the Amgen Tour of California had once again decided to bypass Modesto after using it as a stage host for four years, city staff met to brainstorm ideas on replacing it. They considered an ag-centered event but decided the last thing the valley needed was another food festival. “I looked at them and said, ‘You’ve got to do something different. Something fresh. Something nobody’s ever

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seen before,” said city employee Scott Humphries, who was part of the meeting. After some thought, he suggested a professional kart race. It turned out Humphries, a city financial analyst by day, is a race car owner in his spare time. He and his brother have raced go-karts and cars since they were children, and now Humphries is the crew chief for the sprint car team he and his brother co-own. He piqued the interest of his bosses, but they weren’t familiar with kart racing, so Humphries showed parks and recreation department Deputy Director Mary Otten and Community Partnership Director Andy Johnson a YouTube video of a SKUSA cart race. “After it was over they looked at me going, ‘Is that for real?’” Humphries remembered. He explained that in the hands of a professional driver, karts can reach 100 9TH STREET

mph, and he described the sport’s popularity among families. Otten and Johnson gave Humphries the green light to pursue SuperKarts USA. Humphries then turned his sales pitch to SKUSA’s Kutscher, who was not receptive at first. “He said, ‘Join the line. You and everybody else want to bring a Grand Prix to their town,’” Humphries recalled. Then Kutscher offered to bring a smaller race to Modesto with fewer drivers. Humphries said that wouldn’t be big enough. “I said, ‘No we’ve got one chance. We’ve got to go big or go home. That’s where we’re at. We’re either going to do this the right way or we’re not going to do it at all,’” Humphries said. Humphries told Kutscher about Modesto and its car culture. He also assured him the race would take place downtown, not on a race track on the outskirts of the city. Finally, he told Kutscher he would be his liaison with city officials and that getting permits, security and cooperation would be no problem. He told Kutscher, “If this event goes the way I think it will go and the community that I know Modesto is, is going to back this way in a huge way. I said,’ Is that something SKUSA wants to be a part of ?’” Kutscher was sold. Humphries and Johnson put together a $285,000 budget that would cost the city nothing because sponsors will pay for the event. Any money made over that amount will go to the city of Modesto to fund Parks and Recreation programs. The first company they signed was Save Mart Supermarkets who paid $40,000 to be the title sponsor. Volvo Rentals paid $25,000 to be a presenting sponsor. It will supply lifts and equipment that will be needed to set up the race course, TVs and pedestrian overpasses. Local businesses can be part of the three-day event through sponsorship opportunities that start at $1,000. The convention and visitors bureau believes the weekend will be a shot in the arm for Modesto’s economy, starting with hotels. The city has 21 hotels and 1,811 rooms, and all may be

February 2014

booked that weekend with spillover into Salida, Ceres and Turlock. The DoubleTree Hotel already has booked all its rooms. “We’re in the early stages, but we’re expecting 350 drivers, four to five crewmembers for each team. That’s 1,500 people,” said Humphries Mullen. “Another 8,000 to 15,000 spectators. All those people will be eating, drinking, buying gas. All our hotels will be packed.” Mullen estimated the race and festival would inject $1.2 million directly into economy with an overall economic impact of $7 million. “We think the economic impact will be huge,” Mullen said. There are also plans for concerts, a lifestyle festival and classic car show. Much of that is overseen by the North Kiwanis Club, the same group that puts on the annual American Graffiti Festival in June and was involved in the lifestyle festival that went along with the Amgen Tour in Modesto. “We hope to have it in front of the Gallo Center,” said Kiwanis representative John Sanders . “It will be all-encompassing with health education groups, cancer and Autism and possibly leukemia and lymphoma.” One thing many of those involved agree is that Modesto has Humphries to thank for starting the ball rolling. “Scott Humphries deserves 99 to 100 percent of the credit for bringing this to Modesto,” Sanders said. Humphries, however, said it was a team effort. “Without Mary Otten and Andy Johnson believing in this idea, this wouldn’t have happened,” Humphries said. To learn more about vendor and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.modestograndprix.com.

AIRPORTS Continued from Page 1

would likely only be available if other projects fell by the wayside. In Modesto city leaders have hired a consultant to gather $1 million in pledges so that an unnamed major carrier will add daily flights from Modesto to Los Angeles. So far the DoubleTree Hotel has pledged $10,000, a footwear group in Los Angeles has pledged $20,000 and more than a dozen other businesses have also made donations. A couple weeks into the campaign, $68,000 had been raised but it was only 6.8 percent of the goal. “Everyone agrees it’s a good idea, but we need to put pen to paper,” said Katie Jones of Sixel Marketing. Jones has been meeting with business groups in and near Modesto to sell the idea and to get them to

pledge. The pledges are not cash and are non-binding. They merely represent the amount of money a business or individual expects they would spend on the flights. Modesto Visitor and Conventions Bureau Executive Director Jennifer Mullen said because Modesto is centrally located in the state, the city could see more convention and tourism business if there were direct flights from Southern California. “Absolutely I know we’ve lost business because of the question, ‘How do we get people there directly?’” Mullen said. The deadline for the pledges is Feb. 28. If the $1 million goal is reached, service could start this summer. Businesses that want to learn more or pledge can visit the website www.destinationlax.com.

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Designs are in the early stages for upgrades to the baggage claim area at Stockton Metropolitan Airport.

February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Work underway on new county courthouse

Construction project expected to be biggest since prison hospital; contractor looking for local firms By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer STOCKTON – Stockton’s downtown skyline will see a big change during the next two years. Work has finally begun on the new San Joaquin County Courthouse. While the construction will result in a new landmark 13-story edifice, it will also mark the end of Stockton’s central plaza in Hunter Square. “We have been working on this since 2007,” said Robin Appel, San Joaquin County Super Court trial judge and chair of the facilities committee in charge of overseeing the project. Work on moving utilities has required the closing of Hunter Square Plaza, the one-acre site of the new building and current location of a small parking lot and a dry fountain outside the current courthouse. The new 306,000-square-foot building will replace a 1960s era structure that recently has been as well known for security problems and a dungeon-like jury room as it has for the courts’ decisions made inside its walls. “We had hoped to be in the building by 2014, but there have been delays,” said Appel. “We have had some security lapses with a defendant nearly escaping and a judge was attacked. The new building will help with these issues.” Getting to this point has been a challenge. Originally, the new building plans included 30 courtrooms and had a cost of $262 million. In the ensuing years, the plans have been scaled back to 28 finished courtrooms and will now have a price tag pegged at approximately $207 million. “It took a long time to acquire the land and the funding,” said Appel. “The plans are now for 28 courtrooms with two more that can be finished later.” Those plan changes had to be incorporated into the design of the building which has also affected the timeline. “It (the budget) has kind of been a constantly moving target making us refine the design,” said Ev Ruffcorn, lead designer on the project for architecture firm NBBJ. “It affects lots of things. It hasn’t changed the overall functions of the building, but it affects the interior

and exterior materials and landscaping.” The funding for the new courthouse was authorized through state Senate Bill 1732 which allowed the sale of bonds and use of fees to pay for the new construction. “There is no general fund money being used for this,” Appel said. The most immediate change downtown visitors will notice is that Hunter Square has been closed and the entrance to the current courthouse has been relocated. Turner Construction is the main company overseeing the project. During the first phase utilities will be removed from the area and two buildings will be demolished. Turner Construction, which is involved with numerous regional public works projects including the new arena in Sacramento, is currently taking bids for the main construction phase. That portion of the project is expected to begin in late spring. “We hope to have a physical ground breaking in May,” said Appel. “That is when the main construction will begin. We hope to be in the building by the end of 2016.” The construction project will be a major boost to local industry. The project will be one of the largest non-road efforts in either San Joaquin or Stanislaus counties. At its peak, officials expect to see 300-400 workers on the site at a given time. “With housing not taking off yet this kind of work is a big Band Aid,” said Executive Director of the Stockton Builders Exchange Mike Self. He said that projects such as the courthouse can provide a big stimulus to area businesses beyond building contractors. Where road work often has an effect on a limited number of contractors, projects like the courthouse can impact a more diverse collection of companies. “This affects a wide variety of trades,” said Self. ”Concrete, glass, electrical, they are all impacted on a project like this.” Prior to the courthouse, the largest area project was the $800 million state prison hospital. With work on that project coming to completion, the timing for the new courthouse is welcomed. Self said that until the housing market

PHOTO COURTESY NBBJ

The new San Joaquin County Courthouse, designed by Seattle-based architecture firm, NBBJ, will take about two years to complete at a cost of about $207 million.

picks up, projects like these are a big part of what is keeping area companies afloat. “The number of companies has reduced significantly during the crash. It never hurts to have this kind of work,” said Self. Making sure that local companies can get in on that work is a big part of project. While Turner Construction is wary of publicizing target percentages for local company involvement for fear of affecting the prices of bids on the project, local officials would like to see a large percentage of the workers on the project come from the local area. Turner has been involved with local trades and unions to seek their involvement. “I love the fact that they are hiring locally and involving the area trades,” said Self. “I will feel better when housing construction starts happening again, but these kinds of projects are a big help to the area.”

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

The courthouse will be built on historic Hunter Square, which was designed to be the heart of the city by Stockton founder Charles M. Weber.

COURTHOUSE PROJECT - BY THE NUMBERS

Floors of the new courthouse

Finished courtrooms in new building

207

MILLION

Revised budget for construction project

2016

1853

Year courthouse will be fininshed

Year Stockton’s first courthouse was built SOURCE: SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

February 2014

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New courthouse to dominate Stockton skyline By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer STOCKTON – The new courthouse will dramatically change the face of downtown Stockton, adding modern architecture to an area dominated by older buildings. The new structure will become the tallest building in San Joaquin County when it is finished in 2016. The building will replace a 1960s-era monolith that currently serves as home for the San Joaquin County Superior Court. The new building will be a significant upgrade. “This building will be inviting and open to the public,” said Ev Ruffcorn, lead designer for the Seattle-based architecture firm NBBJ. The company has a long history of designing courthouses and other public works projects along the West Coast. The new design will reflect the fact that taste and expectations in public buildings have changed since the 1960s. “I think it’s changed from a standpoint that the goal today is to design a building that it is more transparent, that people can see in,” said Ruffcorn. “Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s it was more about utility and less about aesthetics.” The new courthouse will be a far cry from the current facility. The new jury room will be on the top floor of the building with a terrace and a view of the Delta to the west. Currently poten-

PHOTO COURTESY NBBJ

When it is finished, the new San Joaquin County Courthouse will be 13 stories, the tallest building in the county.

tial jurors wait in a windowless basement. The new building will also feature added security and safety features. “Security is probably the No. 1 priority,” said Judge Robin Appel, who chairs the facilities committee for the court. “Currently inmates walk through the same halls as the public, judges and jurors. That can be intimidating.” The current courthouse has also been the scene of escape attempts and an at-

tack on a judge. Those incidents will be less likely with the improved security features. “Security on these buildings has continued to increase,” said Ruffcorn. “We try to create a building that responds to those concerns but is still civic in its architecture.” Ruffcorn said that the goal is create a structure gives the public the feeling of government transparency while lessen-

ing the stress of what goes on inside its walls. “They tend to be stressful buildings,” said Ruffcorn. “But we will use more glass and give it more visibility and light into the building.” Blending those needs in a modern building and making it fit with existing architecture in the area is challenging. Many existing downtown structures have long histories, some dating back to the gold rush era. “It will be interesting with the juxtaposition with the new building and the old buildings across the street,” said Chairman of the Stockton Public Art Advisory Committee Tom Bowe. Bowe, who has been an architect in Stockton for 36 years and currently works with WMB Architects, said getting something new downtown could help invigorate the area. “Rather than trying to mimic something historically appropriate, it’s good to have something of its time,” said Bowe. Bill Maxwell, archivist at the Bank of Stockton said it was a tough balance when mixing new structures with historical buildings. “We should try to keep some of the old facades downtown so that we don’t have us looking like Emeryville,” said Maxwell. Please see COURTHOUSE Page 13

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

Contractor Jim Hanley believes opportunities in commercial construction will continue to grow in 2014.

Commercial construction shows signs of improvement Small construction projects increase; banks still cautious

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The commercial construction sector, which in recent years got by on big publics works projects, such as the prison hospital, is looking forward to a steadier stream of work in 2014. San Joaquin County Supervisor Ken Vogel told business leaders in January that foot traffic is increasing at the county planning office, which means more businesses have plans to expand in 2014. “The commercial construction market is poised to be as good in 2014 as it was in 2013,” said Jim Hanley, of Hanley Construction Inc. in Stockton. In business since 1954 the company’s focus is on commercial construction. “We have more projects scheduled now and capital is more available which helps the commercial market.” In California building permits issued for non-residential projects in November 2013 had a construction value of more than $2.82 billion, an increase of 74 percent from October and a 126 percent increase over November 2012, according to the California Building Industry Association’s November construction review. Jim Hoagland, owner and president of Roland Construction Inc. in Stockton, wasn’t surprised by the permit increase. “A major plus for us last year was the agriculture sector, as we had projects for packing sheds, cold storage facilities, drying sheds and other ag-oriented work.” Another positive sign of increased productivity in commercial construction was an increase in small buildings work.

“Over the last two or three months, projects in small buildings has really picked up whereas that construction segment was nearly non-existent for the last five years,” Hoagland said. Recent growth in design billings points to healthy gains in future construction levels in 2014, according to Kermit Baker, chief economist for the American Institute of Architects. “The AIA expects to see construction spending gains exceeding seven percent with the commercial/industrial sector continuing to lead the upturn,” Baker said. Baker’s forecast of 2014 improvement extends to the hotel sector, which he believes will see 15 percent spending increase. He also thinks the office and retail sectors will see strong growth with more modest spending growth in the manufacturing sector. Health care and education facilities will finally shake off their flat performance, Baker believes. Public safety, religious, and amusement/recreation sectors should see reasonably healthy improvements. Adding to the positive forecasts for 2014, a report in Construction Executives noted the “astonishing stability of non-residential construction materials prices … [which] rose only 0.6 percent between September 2012 and 2013.” This was good, if not earth-shattering news to John Beckman, CEO of the Building Industry Association of the Greater Valley. “Demand didn’t impede supply during this time and even now demand is clearly second to supply and the ability of manufacturers to meet supply needs,” Beckman said. According to Hanley, materials costs “are always hit or miss and dependent on the market with each area more or less influencing the cost of materials.” That supply and demand position Please see CONTRACTORS Page 13

February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

February 2014

ON THE JOB

Environmental engineers see good career prospects Demand for water resources drives need for engineering services By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer As the movement to protect the earth’s environment has grown over the past several decades, the demand for professionals that develop methods of safeguarding the earth’s natural resources has accelerated rapidly. With a general objective of solving environmental problems related to water, air, and land, environmental engineering is one such vocation. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the field of environmental engineering will grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, a rate faster than the average for all occupations. In order to support this rapid growth, local firms continuously are in search of skilled environmental engineering professionals. “I expect demand to increase and historically there has been a shortage of qualified engineers and scientists who have the skills to collaborate, communicate and problem solve real world problems,” said Bob Job, presi-

dent of Condor Earth Technologies. With offices in Stockton, Merced, Sonora, Jamestown, and Roseville, Condor Earth Technologies is a diversified, multidisciplinary organization providing a variety of earth and environmental sciences, engineering, GIS, and construction management services to private and public sector clients. Local firm Cardno ATC also anticipates an increase in requested services as well. “Budgets and political agendas impact the demand for environmental engineering services, but it should increase as our demand for water resources increases and global warming worsens,” said Jeanne Homsey, PE and branch manager at Cardno ATC in Modesto. ATC of Modesto merged with the international firm Cardno in 2012. The new entity, Cardno ATC, delivering a diverse range of services including environmental engineering in areas such as urban, traffic, water and coastal arenas. Environmental services include assessment, remediation, air quality,

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BILL KIMBLE/CVBJ

Environmental engineer Charlie Selkow of Cardno ATC conducts a water test in Modesto.

NEPA/CEQA studies, asbestos and lead testing, and mold testing. So what exactly do environmental engineers do? “The primary functions of an environmental engineer are to assess and remediate environmental concerns in various media – air, vapor, soil, water, groundwater – and to identify, reduce, and/or eliminate an environmental liability or risk,” said Homsey. Because of the broad spectrum that environmental issues and problems cover, the profession of environmental engineering actually involves expertise and experience across multiple sciences and disciplines. “We do not have any environmental engineers. We have a team of discipline experts - civil engineers, geologists, geotechnical engineers, bio-chemists, hydro-geologists, etc. – that collaborate to understand and solve environmental problems, each bringing a deep understanding of their respective areas of expertise to the table,” Job said. According to Job, the designation of environmental engineer specifically is not a title or area of engineering practice regulated by the California Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. “The typical work performed by environmental engineers can vary significantly. Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil sciences, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems,” said Job.

Condor Earth Technologies expects to remain busy in the coming year with projects involving water quality management, pollution prevention, soil and water quality assessment and clean up, chemical and safety risk management, and environmental compliance services. Currently, services involving water supply are in greatest demand at Cardno ATC and are expected to dominate projects in the future. “Water treatment, water supply, and greenhouse gas projects will be in greatest demand over the coming years,” said Homsey. Students interested in pursuing a career in environmental engineering should plan on earning the minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree in civil or chemical engineering, soil and water science, biology, chemistry, geology or similar earth sciences. Condor Earth Technologies’ engineers have graduated from universities throughout the country, many with master’s degrees. Job recommends that students pursue advanced degrees for future jobs. “Obtain a bachelor’s, preferably master’s degree from a college recognized in engineering and science. In the consulting industry a PhD is valued,” he said. Locally, Cardno ACT employs engineers who have earned Bachelor of Science degrees at the University of California Davis, University of California Berkeley, California State University Stanislaus, and California State University San Jose.

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February 2014

CVBJ

CONTRACTORS Continued from Page 10

could change if Beckman’s analysis comes to pass. “There is more construction activity, more plans, new sub divisions and infrastructure work being planned. The economic downturn is easing.” “But the banks haven’t loosened up their loan programs very much, they’re still very cautions,” he said. “The industry has a way to go before banks will ease up on their loan policies.”

CVBJ

COURTHOUSE Continued from Page 9

Leandro Vicuna, CEO of the Stockton Downtown Alliance, believes that the building will have a positive impact on the city. “This is the kind of building we want downtown,” he said. “We have been told the new building will include a water fountain and feature an art wall that will have scenes from Stockton’s past. This is all part of the progress that downtown needs.” The overall concept for the building’s construction has remained relatively constant since the project was first conceived in 2007. In the ensuing years, budget cuts have affected the overall plan. “Changes with these kinds of projects are not that unusual,” said Ruffcorn. “The overall look of the building has remained pretty constant.” The biggest goal of the designers is to produce a modern building that will be functional while also giving the city a structure it can be proud of. “I think the thing we are shooting for is a careful balance of the modern interpretation of a classical building,” said Ruffcorn. “We want it to have a sense of judicial dignity.”

CVBJ

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PUBLISHER’S NOTES Continued from Page 2

be brought up to speed or shy away from the current state of affairs. We wish him well on his new promotion. Personally, 2014 already looks promising! One project that looks promising is the Modesto Grand Prix, which will be held from Aug 1-3 in downtown Modesto. Go-karts roaring through the streets should be quite a spectacle. The city is looking for sponsors for this exciting family event. You can learn more about how Modesto attracted such a big race in our cover story. Our Book of Lists is coming soon and the tedious job of collecting current information is almost complete. A big “thank you” to those who cooperated with our persistent phones calls and emails. We truly appreciate your quick response and participation. This book will be the largest in the CVBJ’s 25 years of publishing. Look for your copy coming March 1. All indicators point to continued recovery. We look forward to reporting the good news coming our way. Now all we need is RAIN – lots and lots of RAIN! God bless America, Sharon Alley-Calone

As construction increases, the economy improves, and more jobs appear, labor might be a problem, said Beckman. “From 2008 through 2012 laborers left the construction industry and found something else to do so it may be very challenging to find enough skilled labor if some who left don’t return.” One challenge – comprised of many parts – will remain no matter what economic improvements occur in construction: regulations. “We see a big challenge in 2014: the new California building code which

OAKLAND

has provisions that will drive up construction costs,” Hoagland said. “California’s regulators have, in their divine wisdom, created even more regulations which makes doing business more difficult,” Beckman said. “Energy standards, building codes, air tight home mandates, and every new home built in California must have a sprinkler system, which means the larger the house the higher the cost.” Another challenge for contractors to overcome is high fees charged by many Central Valley cities. The rates

can be as high as 25 percent of the selling price; however, Beckman said Manteca, Lathrop, and Lodi have moderated their fees to 10 percent to 12 percent. On a good note, he said “San Joaquin County has kept its fees in check for the most part.” “We’ve had more inquiries from Tracy, Manteca, and Lathrop for work than from anywhere else,” Hoaghland said, adding, “I don’t think the industry will ever return to that previous level of madness before the recession. We’re seeing a gradual improvement.”

STOCKTON

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FIRMS In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Total Staff. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Ron Skaggs, VP of Engineering Services (209) 234-1507 condorearth.com

Condor Earth Technologies, Inc. 188 Frank W. Circle, Ste. I Stockton, CA 95206

Advanced GeoEnvironmental, Inc. 837 Shaw Road Stockton, CA 95215

Cardno, ATC 1117 Lone Palm Avenue, Ste. B Modesto, CA 95351

ENGEO, Incorporated 580 N. Wilma Street Ripon, CA 95366

Ground Zero Analysis, Inc. 1714 Main Street Escalon, CA 95320

Geological Technics, Inc. 1172 Kansas Avenue Modesto, CA 95351

Muir Consulting, Inc. Land Surveyors 139 Church Avenue Oakdale, CA 95361

Jack M. Smith, President (209) 845-8630 muirconsulting.com

Geo-Phase Environmental, Inc. 2937 Veneman Avenue, Ste. B-240 Modesto, CA 95356

Steve Lankford, President (209) 569-0293 cal-geo.com

Robert Marty, President (209) 467-1006 advgeoenv.com

Jeanne Homsey, P.E. Branch Manager (209) 579-2221 atcassociates.com

Joe J. Tootle, Principal (209) 835-0610 engeo.com

40 20 20

14 6 3

12 1 1

12 3 1

Well Installation and Monitoring

Wetlands Evaluation

EIR Studies

50 12 6

Phase 1 Site Assessments

Nancy Walker (209) 948-1345 kleinfelder.com

Environmental Studies

Kleinfelder 2001 Arch Airport Road, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95206

Top Local Executive Local Phone Web Address

Storm Water Monitoring

Rank Company Name Address

Total Number of Local Staff Licensed Professionals Local Registered Engineers

Bioremediation

Services Offered

Year Est.

Remediation, CEQA/NEPA, biological/geologic studies, water resource services, design

1961

Chemical risk management, industrial compliance services, WDR/NPDES services, storm water management, underground storage tank (UST) services, GIS/data management services

2000

Contaminated site assessment; site, soil and groundwater remediation; air quality monitoring; asbestos, lead and mold sampling and abatement

1992

Asbestos, lead, mold, geotechnical, SPCC plans, indoor air quality

1988

Geotechnical engineering, testing and inspection, structural engineering

2003

Litigation support

1995

Surface and groundwater monitoring

1987

Environmental surveys

2000

Health risk assessment Engineered remediation

1996

Russell Juncal, Owner (209) 838-9888 groundzeroanalysis.com

11 1 1

Cher Tonge, CEO (209) 522-4119 geologicaltechnics.com

8 1 1

4 2 0

2 1 0

Other Services Provided

These lists are provided as a free service by the Central Valley Business Journal for its readers. As such, inclusion is based on editorial consideration and is not guaranteed. If you would like your business to be included in a list, please write to: Research Department, Central Valley Business Journal, 4512 Feather River Drive, Ste. E, Stockton, CA 95219, fax your information to Research Dept. at (209) 477-0211 or email research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Revised 01/2014

February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Senior living facilities cater to more active residents By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer Now that the economy is on the upturn, senior housing communities are beginning to see a slight shift toward younger, healthier, and more active incoming residents. “We have been seeing a turn in the real estate market and thus younger seniors who are planning for their future, are now moving into O’Connor Woods,” said Marcia Fitzgerald, administrator for independent living. Founded in 1990 by St. Joseph’s Hospital, O’Connor Woods in Stockton is a not-for-profit organization. Situated on 34 acres, the facility is a continuing care retirement community with more than 400 residents and 300 staff members. It offers residential living, assisted living, and skilled nursing and rehabilitation accommodations. A memory care unit and adult day care is now under construction. It’s a shift from the recession when region’s sickly economy caused many aging seniors to choose to continue living in their family homes, waiting out the uncertainty in the real estate market and moving only when a catastrophic health event forced them into a care facility. “Historically we were seeing the age of residents and prospects increasing

as the economy dipped and home sales declined. People were waiting until they were in desperate need of care and support before making the move,” said Stratford at Beyer Park Community Marketing Director Christina Mize. Stratford at Beyer Park in Modesto is home to 95 residents. The community is made up of seniors living independently in studio or onebedreoom apartments along with residents who require daily care and reside in the facility’s assisted living and memory care units. The availability of tiered levels of living choices according to a resident’s need of assistance is common among senior housing facilities. Residents can relocate to a higher level of care within the community as their health declines. Facility administrators noticed that because of deteriorating health upon arrival, new residents tended to process through these tiers at a faster rate. “In the last 10 years we’ve noticed seniors are staying home longer, so they are more frail when they come to us. These residents seem to transition through the system a little quicker than they did 10 years ago,” said Kathy Lewis, director of administration for Casa de Modesto. With 175 residents, Casa de Modesto is a private, not-for-profit, four-level retirement community offering inde-

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O’Connor Woods residents Ernie Null, Al Kennedy, and Betty Mittenmaier enjoy a meal prepared by head chef Rudy Zamora.

pendent living accommodations, two levels of assisted living housing, and a skilled nursing care unit. Administrators at these three retirement communities say that the benefits of retiring to a senior community while healthy and active are many. “Seniors who plan for their future will move into independent living while able to enjoy the vibrant lifestyle. Should health needs change in the future, they will receive priority admission to our other levels of care while offering peace of mind to their families,” said Fitzgerald. If and when a change in level of care becomes necessary, the move between living situations within a community is seamless for existing residents. “We would be the perfect facility for seniors who wants to age in place. As their needs change they can transition through the different levels. They can still maintain friendships, and be near their spouses even if they move to different level of care,” said Lewis. In fact, Casa de Modesto has residents whose health and capabilities improve such that they can move back to more independent living. “That’s the beauty of our facility. People can transfer from one level to another and have the opportunity to switch around up and down, just not through the stages. People can really improve from situations that at the outset don’t look good,” Lewis said. Regardless of a resident’s care

needs, the term “retirement” should not be confused with idleness. All residents are greeted daily with a host of activities and amenities that keep them busy and on the go. “We are seeing a request for a more active and diverse set of activities. There is also a demand for the building to have an abundance of activities. The residents like routine and they enjoy having a very full calendar on a daily basis,” said Mize. As incoming residents become healthier and younger, more fitness and exercise choices are in demand. “First of all, fitness and wellness are a priority for us. Last year we completed our covered pool structure for year round swimming. Certified by the Arthritis Foundation, we offer a variety of aqua fitness classes to our residents as well as to the senior public for an affordable monthly fee,” said Fitzerald. O’Connor Woods also boasts a fully equipped gym with state of the art equipment. Casa de Modesto also has an extensive activities program, offering variety to its residents. Trips to the Gallo Center, concerts in the park, and outings to local restaurants are among residents’ favorites. For those that like to stay home, bingo, art, movies and exercise classes of different levels are offered. “On Fridays we have an ice cream social with various forms of entertainment. It’s very popular and very packed,” said Lewis.

DO YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING EVENT? IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS, CHARITY OR ORGANIZATION... ...YOU CAN POST YOUR EVENT ON OUR WEBSITE FOR FREE!!! Our new and improved website has a dynamic calendar that you can post on, and it only takes a couple of minutes! CVBJ is here to serve you! www.cvbizjournal.com

February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

ARCHITECTURAL & BUILDING DESIGN FIRMS In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Local Licensed Architects. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Name Rank Company Address

Number Top Local Executive of Local Local Phone Licensed Web Address Architects

Programming, facilities planning, cost estimating, entitlement coordination, space planning, CASP accessibility evaluation

1971

Brent Lesovsky, AIA, Partner (209) 943-0405 ldapartners.com

Full architectural services, LEED consulting and interior design Stockton Golf & Country Club

Master planning, historic restoration, construction administration

1979

Mark C. Holley, AIA/Managing Partner (209) 952-5850 architechnica.net

Public school design Brookside Elementary School and Edison High School master plan up grades

Full project and construction management

1979

LDA Partners, LLP 4 S. Central Court Stockton, CA 95204

Architechnica 555 W. Benjamin Holt Drive, Ste. 423 Stockton, CA 95207

Derivi Construction & Architecture, Inc. 924 N. Yosemite St. Stockton, CA 95203

Timothy P. Huff & Associates, Inc. 519 McHenry Avenue Modesto, CA 95354

API 4335-B North Star Way Modesto, CA 95356

Pires, Lipomi, Navarro Architects 1720 G Street Modesto, CA 95354

Della Monica Snyder Architects 212 W. Pine Street, Ste. 1 Lodi, CA 95240

San Joaquin Design Group 7877 N. Pershing Avenue Stockton, CA 95207

Chris Schrimpl Architectural Corp. 3350 Deer Park Drive, Ste. E Stockton, CA 95219

Chris Schrimpl, Architect (209) 956-4566 cschrimplarch@aol.com

DL Smith Design Studio, Inc. 918 13th Street, Ste. D Modesto, CA 95354

Dennis L. Smith (209) 579-7208 dlsmithdesignstudio.com

L Street Architects 1414 L St. Modesto, CA 95354

Pacific Design Associates, Inc. 1218 K St. Modesto, CA 95354

Year Est.

Yoshino/Shaw Architects 1016 N. Golden State Blvd., Ste. A Turlock, CA 95380

Other Services Provided

Architecture, master planning, interior design Stockton Collegiate Renovation and Bob Hope Theatre in Stockton, Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock

Wilson Architecture, Inc. 609 15th St. Modesto, CA 95354

Primary Services or Specialties Notable Local Project

Thomas Bowe, President (209) 944-9110 wmbarchitects.com

WMB Architects, Inc. 5757 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 226 Stockton, CA 95207

Total Staff

Linda Derivi, President (209) 462-2873 dcaaia.com

Architecture, landscape architecture and interior design Humphreys College main campus LEED & BIM consulting expansion and CHCF central utilities plant in Stockton

Timothy P. Huff, President (209) 571-2232 timhuffaia.com

K-12 education, commercial construction, senior housing, churches Modesto Toyota renovation/expansion

Facilities master planning

1988

Frank C. Boots, President (209) 577-4661 apiarc.com

Commercial, office, retail, multi-family housing and custom residential In Shape health clubs

Planning

1982

Greg Pires, Principal, Barrett Lipomi, Principal, Mike Navarro, Principal (209) 499-3853 plnarchitects.com

Commercial, Medical Facilities Beckwith Veterinary Hospital, Modesto, Valley Wound Healing Center, Modesto, Health Care, Medical Offices Justin Ferrari Cardiovascular Operating Suites, Emanuel Medical Center, Turlock

Thomas Snyder & John Della Monica (209) 367-0296 None

Commercial, residential, medical architectural services Delta Blood Bank of Sonora and Delta Blood Bank of Stockton

Planning, Master planning and Re-stabilizing

1995

Bill Johnston & Jim Tibbens (209) 478-4013 None

Residential-design and remodeling and commercial design Woodbridge Irrigation District offices

Structural engineering

1989

Custom residential new homes, remodels and additions. Commercial tenant Many custom homes in Brookside improvements Estates

1992

Architecture and planning MarketPlace and UC Merced

Commercial tenant improvements

2007

1987

Robert DeGrasse, AIA/ President (209) 575-1415 lstreetarchitects.com

Commercial, industrial, retail, food service and more Spring Creek Country Club, several Burger Kings, Stoddard Manufacturing plant adaptive re-use

Donald Phillips, President (209) 577-2288 pacdesign-aia.com

Architecture, space planning, interiors and site planning Del Rio Country Club and Gallettoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Construction estimating, construction management

1979

Commercial/industrial/hospital/ educational/residential 3 story (51,000 sf) medical building at Oak Valley Hospital campus 26,975 sf nut processing building in Turlock

1980

Architectural design services, construction administration and master planning Patterson City Hall, Dust Bowl Tap Room and Turlock Funeral Home

Interior design and color consulting

1976

Norman E. Wilson, Pres/CEO (209) 577-0114 None

Jim Shaw, Architect/Owner (209) 667-2603 yoshinoshaw-architects.com

February 2014

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CIVIL ENGINEERING FIRMS

In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Total Local Staff. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Rank

Company Name Address

Total Local Staff — Total Top Local Executive Licensed Local Phone—Fax Number Professionals Web Address — Total Registered Engineers

Corporate Headquarters

Primary Services —

Year Est.

Notable Project

Mid Valley Engineering (MVE) 1117 L St., Modesto, CA 95354

Kirk DeLaMare, President/CEO (209) 526-4214 Fax (209) 526-0803 Fax (Southern Calif) (866) 932-9683 mve.net

51 10 -

Modesto

Project management, civil/structural engineering, telecommunications, OSP engineering, urban design, land planning, entitlements, right-of-way/ permitting, construction staking and graphics LAX Central Utility Plant Project

1969

O’Dell Engineering 1165 Scenic Dr., Ste. B Modesto, CA 95350 6200 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Ste. 330 Pleasanton, CA. 94588

Randall O’Dell R.C.E., President (209) 571-1765 Fax (209) 571-2466 odellengineering.com

36 13 6

Modesto

Civil engineering, design surveying, construction surveying, planning landscape design, 3D laser scanning California highspeed rail and River Islands Community in Lathrop

1994

Kjeldsen, Sinnock & Neudeck, Inc. 711 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton, CA 95203

Stephen Sinnock, President (209) 946-0268 Fax (209) 946-0296 ksninc.com

28 11 9

Stockton

Civil engineering, land surveying California Health Care Facility Phases 1 and 3

1956

Siegfried Engineering, Inc. 3244 Brookside Rd., Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95219

Anthony J. Lopes, P.E., S.E., President (209) 943-2021 Fax (209) 942-0214 siegfriedeng.com

26 20 -

Stockton

Civil engineering, structural engineering, landscape architecture, surveying UC Davis Student Community Center-LEED Platinum, DBIA Winner

1955

NorthStar Engineering Group, Inc. 909 14th St., Modesto, CA 95354

Brian Jones, President (209) 524-3525 Fax (209) 524-3526 nseng.net

21 3 -

Modesto

Civil engineering, land surveying Mountain House High School

2002

Dillon & Murphy 847 N. Cluff Ave., Ste. A-2 Lodi, CA 95240 MCR Engineering, Inc. 1242 Dupont Ct., Manteca, CA 95336 GDR Engineering, Inc. 3525 Mitchell Road, Ste. G Ceres, CA 95307 Associated Engineering Group, Inc. 4206 Technology Dr., Ste. 4 Modesto, CA 95356 Nolte Vertical 5 (NV5) 1215 W. Center St., Ste. 201 Manteca, CA 95337

Cecil Dillon & Joe Murphy, Partners (209) 334-6613 Fax (209) 334-6613 None Tony Marshall & Dan Eavenson (209) 239-6229 Fax (209) 239-8839 mcreng.com Richard Ringler, President (209) 538-3360 Fax (209) 538-7370 gdrengineering.com Dave Skidmore, President/L.S. (209) 545-3390 Fax (209) 545-3875 assoceng.com Dave Richard, VP (209) 239-9080 Fax (209) 239-4166 nv5.com

15 3 15 7 4 12 3 1 11 4 1 11 6 6

Civil engineering and construction management

1980

Civil engineering, surveying and construction management

1997

Public works surveying and engineering, land surveying, master plans, civil engineering and land planning Amazon Fulfillment Center in Patterson

1978

Land surveying, civil engineering and land planning

2002

Hollywood, Fla.

Water/wastewater, transportation, survey, general civil and construction management Manteca Waste water treatment plant and Kiernan interchange, Modesto

1985

CTE Cal, Inc. 242 W. Larch Rd., Ste. F Tracy, CA 95304

Kirt Lamb, Regional Manager (209) 839-2890 Fax (209) 839-2895 cte-inc.net

10 1 1

Escondido

Testing & inspection, geotechnical investigations and consulting Grainger warehouse in Patterson and Gateway Plaza in Santa Clara

1989

DF Engineering (formerly DeLaMare-Fultz) 3421 Tully Rd., Ste. J Modesto, CA 95350

David J. Hoberg, PE, QSD/QSP (209) 529-7450 Fax (209) 529-0457 dfengineering.com

9 3 2

Modesto

Civil engineering and land surveying 36” and 30” storm drain master plan piping project at N. Soderquist Road and W. Main Street for City of Turlock

1957

Benchmark Engineering, Inc. 1121 Oakdale Road, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95355

Rick Mummert, President (209) 548-9300 Fax (209) 548-9305 bmeng.net

8 1 1

Modesto

Land surveying, construction staking and civil engineering

1999

HCS Engineering, Inc. 4512 Feather River Dr., Ste. 7 Stockton, CA 95219

Richard C. Smith, P.E. (209) 478-8270 Fax (209) 478-2169 hcs-eng.com

8 2 2

Stockton

Full service electrical engineering consulting primarily in the Central Valley

1969

Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group 4701 Sisk Road, Ste. 102 Modesto, CA 95356

Dena Traina, PE, Principal Engineer (209) 809-2300 — Fax (209) 809-2290 ppeng.com

8 2 2

Fresno

Civil & Ag Engineering, regulatory compliance, land use and environmental planning

2012

KANE GeoTech, Inc. 7400 Shoreline Drive, Ste. 6 Stockton, CA 95219

William F. Kane, PhD/P.G./P.E. President & CEO (209) 472-1822 Fax (209) 472-0802 kanegeotech.com

7 1 -

Stockton

Civil engineering, specializing in landslides, rockfall mitigation, instrumentation for earth movement, rock mechanics and tunnels. Also expert witness testimony

1997

Baumbach & Piazza, Inc. 323 W. Elm St. Lodi, CA 95240

Josh Elson, P.E., P.L.S., President (209) 368-6618 Fax (209) 368-6610 bpengineers.net

5 2 -

Lodi

Civil engineering, land surveying Woodbridge Irrigation District fish screens and new building Woodbridge Golf and Country Club, remodel

1961

Muir Consulting, Inc Land Surveyors 139 Church Ave. Oakdale, CA 95361

Jack M. Smith, President (209) 845-8630 muirconsulting.com

4 2 2

Oakdale

Boundary surveys, topographic surveys, ALTA land title surveys, environmental surveys, construction staking, subdivision mapping, lot line adjustment and easements

2000

Wong Engineers 4578 Feather River Dr., #A Stockton, CA 95219

Zachary C. Wong (209) 476-0011 Fax (209) 476-0135 None

4 2 2

Stockton

Civil engineering and land surveying

1965

Sousa Engineering 1006 6th St. Modesto, CA 95354 210 S. Sierra Ste. 4 Oakdale, CA 95361

Manny Sousa, P.E., Owner (209) 238-3151 Fax (209) 238-3158 sousaeng.com

1 1 1

Oakdale

Civil engineering Notable project: Del Rio Villas in Stanislaus County

2004

Lodi

Manteca

Ceres

Modesto

Central Valley Business Journal

Oakdale’s candy crush

Sconza Candy Company creates treats using products grown in Central Valley By CRAIG W. ANDERSON Business Journal writer OAKDALE – As people are eying sweets to buy for Valentine’s Day, it’s interesting to know the Central Valley boasts one of the giants of the candy industry: Sconza Candy Company headquartered in Oakdale. The previous candy operation in town was Hershey Chocolate which left an abandoned candy factory behind. That unused chocolate facility is what drew Sconza Candy from Oakland to the Central Valley. “We spent several years looking at relocation options around the U.S. and in western Canada before the Hershey plant became available,” said Sconza’s Director of Marketing Janet Sconza Angers. “The Oakdale plant met our criteria for location, infrastructure, and a quality food facility.” The Sconza candy lines required a different manufacturing process than those used for chocolate. “We modified the facility to accommodate our unique needs,” Angers said, noting that the other locations considered were rejected because they would have required too many compromises. What Sconza Candy has made are com-

mitments, which include a dedication to produce a quality product, to carry on its family tradition, and to continue providing American manufacturing jobs. “The sweet smell of candy and chocolate making has returned to Oakdale, and we’re very happy Sconza Candy purchased the Hershey plant and came here,” said Oakdale Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau CEO Mary Guardiola. “They brought Oakland people with the move. They’ve hired here as well and currently employ more than 100.” Moving to Oakdale allowed Sconza Candy to consolidate operations in one location from the multiple sites in Oakland where the company was founded in 1939 by Vincenzo Sconza who immigrated from southern Italy. The manufacturing plant encompasses 500,000 square feet and, said Angers, “It is the site of all production and has plenty of room to accommodate our continuing growth.” Guardiola said Sconza has plans for viewing tours in the future. Among the candies created are almonds, hazelnuts, raisins and peanuts covered in a variety of chocolates and coatings; seasonal confections of

February 2014

mini-colored Easter eggs, Fall and Christmas candies, and packaged Halloween-themed candy; bulk items including chocolate, yogurt flavors, organic, sugar free and reduced sugar, Boston Beans, French Burnt Peanuts, licorice, toffee nuts, and the classic jawbreaker, wrapped and unwrapped. “Many of the ingredients used BILL KIMBLE/CVBJ in our products are A new generation of Sconzas are carrying on the family’s candy-making tradition. grown in the Central Valley,” Angers Ron Sconza (left), Jim Sconza (center) and Janet Sconza Angers (right). said. “It makes us happy to see the “We’re excited to celebrate our 75th orchards full of beautiful nuts and fruits anniversary later this year and we’re that will be used in our candy. This is planning events to commemorate the also a sustainable model.” event,” Angers said. Sconza also has a complete system Three generations of the Sconza family that develops, manufactures, packages, are currently running the business: Jim, and ships to customers nationwide. who serves as chairman of the board; “Sconza is very successful because it is Ron, who is president and CEO; and Ana diversified company,” said Guardiola. gers, who is the director of marketing. Sconza Candy has come a long way “Our company will always be about from its beginnings in the kitchen of Vincenzo’s dream and working toVincenzo Sconza, who worked on the pro- gether as a family to build on what he duction line in a food plant while he and started in 1939,” Angers said. “And we wife Maria made peanut brittle which love being part of this wonderful town they sold in Oakland neighborhoods. that’s embraced and supported us.”

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February 2014

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YOU DON’T PROFIT FROM SICK EMPLOYEES. WHY DOES YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER? In an industry built on fee-for-service care, Kaiser Permanente succeeds because we’re built around prevention and the highest quality care. One Harvard Business Review article described our care as “untainted by any economic conflict of interest.” * And in an industry report by The Economist, Kaiser Permanente’s care was described as promoting economy and quality care with “no financial motive to order unnecessary procedures.”†

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* Lew McCreary, “Kaiser Permanente’s Innovation on the Front Lines,” Harvard Business Review, September 2010. †

”Another American Way,” The Economist, May 1, 2010.

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Modern technology, old-fashioned service drive automotive shop By COURTNEY JESPERSEN Business Journal writer STOCKTON – For one San Joaquin County automotive repair shop, sustaining a successful business operation is a lot like maintaining a car. All it takes is knowledge, dedication, attention to detail, and a little elbow grease. Founded in 1968, Bill Parks Auto Repair is one of Stockton’s longest-running automotive repair businesses. “Trust is a huge thing when you’re dealing in the automotive industry,” said the business’s Marketing and Production Manager Jake Parks. “You see a lot of negative press about automotive repair shops and things like that. It really is important for us to maintain trust with our customers, not just over one particular incident, but over the lifetime of their vehicle.” Services at the family-owned Pacific Avenue business consist of everything from diagnostic checks and oil changes to window tinting. Other areas of expertise include suspension, brakes, air conditioning, and emission systems. The shop’s 10 employees have more than 200 years of combined automotive experience among them. But it is the level of customer service that President Phil Parks said was truly unmatched. “We still offer good, old-fashioned service as far as courtesy rides,” he said. “If you have to leave your car

overnight and have no other transportation, we’ll go pick you up and take you to work and go pick you up from work and take you home if we still need to have your car.” Originally part of a Chevron full-service gas station, Phil Parks purchased the automotive business from Bill Parks, his father and the business’s namesake, in 1997. Jake Parks, son of Phil Parks and grandson of original owner Bill Parks, came on board late last year to further fuel the shop’s community connection. “My role was partially born just as a way to re-examine the business and figure out what we’re doing well and bring in a different perspective on how to do things,” Jake Parks said. “Right now we’re doing a lot of online digital media. We’re working with a company called CustomerLink to really maximize our search engine optimization and increase our online presence.” The shop includes a page on its website for customer reviews. Feedback is left for potential customers – and the business’s employees – to read. “The good and the bad get on there,” Phil Parks said. “Who wants to read just all the good fluff ? Do we hit a home run every time? Nope, we don’t, but we don’t give up easily.” Bill Parks Auto Repair is committed to versatility, so a customer drives a 2014 Lexus or a pre-1980 Chevy, the technicians are trained to help.

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

Phil Parks (left) bought the business from his father in 1997. He and his manager Mike Bonilla (right) keep customer service at the forefront.

“We’ve really tried to make sure that we’ve stayed up-to-date with all of the trends that are happening in the automotive world, so that way there is no problem we can’t solve,” Jake Parks said. “We’re willing to go out there and learn things. We’re not still stuck in a 1975 way of doing things.” A large part of customer service means adapting to changing technology. “There have been tons of changes – from just replacing parts that are broken or defective and putting them back on, to having to reprogram the whole computerized system of a vehicle when you do it,” Phil Parks said. “You can’t even replace a window switch without reprogramming the computer on these modern cars now. A lot of shops don’t do that. We do.” Steve Ramirez, an automotive salesman in Stockton with 33 years in the industry, sells motor parts

to Bill Parks Auto Repair. He explained why the local operation has won him over and earned his family’s business. “I do not take my car to them because they buy parts from me,” he said. “I take my car to them because they treat me well as a customer and as a person. They care about their customer and they’re not going to sell them something they do not need.” Jake Parks summed up the nearly 50-year-old shop’s goal for the future. “We’ve been in the community for so long that we really do have a vested interest in not just seeing our business prosper, but seeing the entire community of Stockton prosper and making sure that people are being taken care of here.” Bill Parks Auto Repair is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is located at 6522 Pacific Ave., Stockton.

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February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

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Carpenters Opening Doors for Women Entering Construction Trades

odi resident Julia Simpson never thought about a career in the construction trades until glancing at a ﬂyer about an apprenticeship program. At that time, she was a single mother struggling to make ends meet through part time cashier work. She decided to give the program a shot. Soon, she was learning how to build houses through a six-month pre-apprenticeship program offered by the Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California — the CTCNC. That was 11 years ago. Since then, Simpson has worked on the Stockton Arena and bridge projects in the Central Valley. Men may still outnumber women on the job site, but they both share a common bond in what makes the work worth more than a paycheck.

trade is changing “itsOur face quite a bit. The

opportunity for women to get into the trades is as great as it’s ever been. Susan Rodriguez

”

Carpenters Union Field Representative “It’s very cool to be able to drive under a bridge and say, ‘Yeah, I helped build that.’,” said Simpson, who’s thinking about returning to school to learn construction management. Simpson is one part of a burgeoning success story behind the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council — the Carpenters Union — and its work with the CTCNC to attract more women to the construction trades. In the Central Valley, the Delta/Yosemite Carpenters Training Committee has one of the CTCNC’s most successful track records for putting women on a pathway to construction careers. Old assumptions about the trades held by both men and women are fading, opening up the trades as a serious career consideration for many women. “Our trade is changing its face quite a bit,” said Susan Rodriguez, a ﬁeld representative with the Carpenters Union in Manteca. “The opportunity for women to get into the trades is as great as it’s ever been.” A lot of women don’t like indoor, ofﬁce work and want to work outdoors with their hands, said Mary Lieser, a CTCNC district coordinator who started out in the trades in 1985. “We’re trying really hard to get the word out that this is work women can do. Women can do this work and succeed,” Lieser said. “The attitude I remember when starting out was, ‘The guys may be stronger than I am, but I’m at least as smart as they are.’” At the same time, many women anticipate a hostile work environment in any male dominated

Photos courtesy of Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California

profession, construction included. Instead, what they’re finding is acceptance, respect and something else not necessarily found in office work: the absence of any gender pay gap. And with the Carpenters Union on their side, women in the trades earn decent wages that can support families. They can also build upon their skills throughout their career through journey worker training programs offered by the CTCNC. “I don’t know of any job out there where you’ll be treated more equally,” Rodriguez said. The Carpenters and CTCNC train apprentices in a wide field of building crafts. In addition to general carpentry, apprentices train in acoustical installers, drywallers, hardwood floor layers, insulators, lathers, millwrights, pile drivers, scaffold erectors and shinglers.

Women interested in the building trades can learn more by visiting the CTCNC online at www.ctcnc.org, where they can link to a “Women in Construction” page with more information and resources. If they ﬁnd a career in construction, they won’t be alone. Women are becoming less of a rarity on job sites. Carpenters Union member Jessika Broglio, from Ripon, said she usually sees at least one other woman from each construction trade on any given job site. Broglio actually had carpentry in mind since childhood, when she watched her grandfather at work as a cabinet maker. “I get to be outdoors every day and work with my hands. I love it,” Broglio said. “It’s a big construction family out there.”

February 2014

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Let’s face it, when it comes to most projects, the entitlement process can get quite stressful, but it doesn’t have to. With the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council on your side you’ll get: • An ally that uses extensive public outreach to engage the voice of the community. • The ability to work with a variety of public/private sector entities to build project support. • A proven track record of stepping in and significantly smoothing out delays and stoppages. • Representation and support at public hearings. So when it’s time to get through the entitlement process, get through it in a more timely, efficient and cost effective manner with the NCCRC. Call 510.568.4788 or visit www.NCCRC.org for more information.

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Modesto firm builds reputation designing medical buildings By JONATHAN MUMM Business Journal writer MODESTO – For Barrett Lipomi of the architectural firm Pires, Lipomi and Navarro, the best part of the job comes toward the end. “I’ve always enjoyed seeing the finished product,” Lipomi said. “For me, there’s no better feeling than going out and seeing something that you’ve drawn on paper and been thinking about and then there’s a crew of people building it. And the client is happy!” Many of the firm’s clients include health care facilities in Stanislaus County, and include combining aethestics with high-tech medical equipment. One is Modesto’s Valley Wound Healing Center, the region’s first hyperbaric therapy treatment facility. Hyperbaric chambers have been found to be of tremendous help in healing wounds. “They used it originally for divers. Scuba divers that would get the bends or compression disease,” Lipomi said. “You can go into this chamber, and they can control the amount of atmospheric pressure. Someone with bad wounds can go in and have a series of treatments, anything that requires extra oxygen into the blood.”

In designing the treatment area, the firm added floor to ceiling glass windows looking out to the landscaped exterior to provide calming views for patients. At Emmanuel Medical Center in Turlock, another of the firm’s designs, two of the operating suites also boast a new technology, the “hybrid operating room,” that is both a cardiac catheterization laboratory and a room for open heart surgery. The two rooms are normally separate. According to Lipomi, if something happened during a cath procedure, in which the heart is checked with diagnostic imaging equipment, the patient would have to be moved to another room for surgery. “You’d have to take the patient out of that room, move them to another room, get that room prepped and ready. Now they can do it right on that exact same table and in that same room. It’s a new thing we’re seeing.” One of the projects the firm is most proud of is the 15,000-square-foot Beckwith Veterinary Hospital, winner of the American Institute of Architects Sierra Valley Design Excellence Award of 2013. It is state of the art when it comes to environmental features. “It was really just driven by the client wanting to make a building that would serve the area (and) be

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responsible. So there are features like an almost 300,000-gallon underground system that stores rain water and uses it to irrigate pastures.” Rather than push a certain architectural style of their own, Lipomi said the firm wants instead to bring the client’s vision to life. New 3D computer technology helps in that process. “All our drawings now are done in a 3-D format in the computer and that not only helps us in coordinating our drawings, but to make sure that everything lines up and everything is properly laid out when it comes to be built but it also helps explain the design.” After all, Lipomi said, not everyone can read a flat floorplan or visualize exactly what that plan will translate to when the building is under construction. “And the last thing you want is for a client to think they’re getting one thing, and you get out there on the construction site and that’s not what they want at all.” There is even software that enables the client to take the plans home and look at them on their own computer. “They can animate through it, they can modify it, they can look at it and walk into spaces before they’re built. We’ve found that’s really helped us to get to the final solution quickly.” Lipomi credits Modesto’s Art Museum and the annual Architecture Festival with helping to increase the public’s appreciation and interest in architecture in the city. “You know, it’s probably not a huge portion of the population that has the opportunity to work with an archi-

tect,” he said. “So I think it’s been great for opening people’s eyes to not only architecture internationally but also what we have here.” In fact, the BARRETT LIPOMI rich tradition of Modesto’s architecture even surprised him when he first took the museum’s tour with museum director Bob Barzan. “People in Modesto were hiring the best architects and landscape architects in the western United States going back at least to the 1890s,” said Barzan. It’s a legacy that has not gone unrecognized. In the 1940s three books by the Museum of Modern Art in New York featured Modesto architecture. “Working here in town and living here pretty much my whole life and driven by these places, it was still eye opening to me to see we were regarded so highly outside of the area,” Lipomi said. Lipomi said the firm of Pires, Lipomi and Navarro is optimistic about the future as well. “For a while there they were building a lot,” he said. “And then the recession kind of slowed it down, so I think there’s definitely a need out there, and I’m hoping in the next year or so we see more construction pick up in our region here.”

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One of the projects the firm is proudest of is Beckwith Veterinary Hospital on Beckwith Road near SR-99 in Modesto.

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February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

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Changing chairmen

SJ COUNTY

BRIEFS Stockton to host college baseball championship STOCKTON – The 2014 West Coast Conference Baseball Championship will be held at Stockton’s Banner Island Ballpark in May, the Stockton Ports and the Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today. The announcement marks the second consecutive year that Banner Island Ballpark will play host to the event, with the 2015 Championship scheduled to take place in Stockton, as well. “We are excited to host the WCC Championship for another year at Banner Island Ballpark, and we look forward to continuing the relationship in 2015,” said 7th Inning Stretch, LLC President Pat Filippone. “I am very pleased that the West Coast Conference Baseball Championship will return to Banner Island Ballpark this year,” said WCC Commissioner Jamie Zaninovich. “Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Banner Island staff and the City of Stockton, our first baseball championship after a three-year hiatus was a great experience. We look forward to improving upon the event and making the WCC Baseball Championship a premiere event for our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and fans.” The West Coast Conference currently consists of ten schools including Brigham Young, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and recent addition and Stockton representative, University of the Pacific. Championship play will begin Thursday, May 22 with the top-four WCC teams from the regular season and will conclude on Saturday, May 24.

Burgos Medina to host Stockton business roundtables STOCKTON – Stockton city Councilmember Dyane Burgos Medina is hosting a series of small business roundta-

Bob Elliott (left) becomes chairman of the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors at a reorganizational ceremony Jan. 6. He replaces outgoing chairman Ken Vogel (right). Elliott was elected to the board of supervisors in 2012 and represents District 5, which includes parts of south San Joaquin County, including Tracy, Mountain House and parts of Manteca. Elliott, 64, of Tracy said his priorities included facilitating public safety, promoting economic development, protecting agriculture and being fiscally responsible. Carlos Villapudua becomes vice chairman. Elliott was next in the rotation to become chairman, but supervisors took a vote to make it official.

bles throughout District 5, which covers downtown Stockton. “I am on the front line working with families who are struggling due to a stalled local economy. I am passionate about making sure our City Hall is doing all it can to assist our businesses in job creation and economic growth.” Burgos Medina said the roundtables were part of her efforts to encourage business growth and leadership. The next roundtables also are scheduled at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 5 at El Grullense Restaurant at 1347 South El Dorado St.; and later that day at 1:30 p.m. at Casa Flores at 201 East Weber St.

Dameron chooses company to run electronic health records Stockton’s Dameron Hospital Association has chosen Allscripts Sunrise to help if manage its electronic health records for medical, surgical and intensive care services. “Allscripts Sunrise has a range of capabilities that make it the perfect solution for Dameron,” said Lorraine Auerbach, Dameron Hospital’s President and CEO. “Dameron is particularly well known for its exceptional surgical services and is committed, in surgery and all of its patient care services, to providing excellence in service and quality. Allscripts Sunrise’s care coordination, integration and population health capabilities will help us continue to provide the best possible care for our community well into the future.” Dameron said Allscripts Sunrise will play a part in helping the hospital reach its goal of delivering healthcare even greater emphasis on quality, outcomes and value. “Dameron has a legacy of care within the community of Stockton,” said Paul M. Black, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts. “We are delighted

to be their partner, and deliver a suite of solutions that will help them deliver exceptional outcomes and provide highquality and cost-efficient care.” Dameron Hospital is a non-profit community hospital with more than 200 beds. It has provided acute and tertiary level care to San Joaquin County residents for more than 100 years. Dameron has been recognized nationally and statewide for the quality of many of its services and programs, including a 5-star designation from HealthGrades that places it in the top 10 percent in the nation for Orthopedic Care.

Stockton Ports blog among most popular in MiLB STOCKTON – The Stockton Ports’ blog, “Docking with the Ports,” ranks in the top quarter of Minor League Baseball blogs based on popularity, according to MLB.com blogs. Popularity was based on overall page views in 2013 of the top 100 teams in Minor League Baseball. “We are honored to be recognized by MLB.com Blogs,” said 7th Inning Stretch, LLC President Pat Filippone. “Our fan base continues to support our organization, and we truly appreciate their interest.” The team’s most popular blog posts included “How the Ports Spend Their Off-season,” “Meet the Ports Front Office,” and “Ports in the Big Leagues.” Ports Opening day is April 10 when they face the Visalia Rawhide. For more information regarding the 2014 season, contact the Ports front office at (209) 644-1900.

St. Joseph’s awards grants to community groups STOCKTON – Twelve local community benefit organizations received a total

of $310,207 in grants from St. Joseph’s Community Grants Program. The organizations provide critical health and human services to San Joaquin County residents. They include Community Center for the Blind, Delta Healthcare, Family Resource & Referral Center, Mary Graham Children’s Foundation, Mary Graham Children’s Foundation, Mercy Housing of California, NAMI, Puentes-America, San Joaquin County Office of Education, Service First, Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, University of the Pacific, and the YMCA. The Community Grants Program at St. Joseph’s Medical Center has distributed nearly $2.4 million since it was established in 1990. Its mission is to provide funding to community-based organizations that provide services to individuals in need with an interest in improving health and living conditions.

Jackson joins Herum Crabtree STOCKTON – Nathan Jackson has joined the Stockton law firm of Herum Crabtree as an associate attorney, the firm announced in early January. Jackson practices in the areas of municipal law, employment law, land use and environmental law, as well as business law. Jackson holds a Jackson bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Davis. He earned his law degree from the UCLA School of Law, where he received the Excellence in Preparation for Trial Practice Award and served as a senior articles editor for the UCLA Journal of Law and Technology. Jackson grew up in Elk Grove. He enjoys reading and spending time with his wife and son.

www.cvbizjournal.com

February 2014

STANISLAUS COUNTY

BRIEFS Hilmar Cheese Company to expand to Turlock TURLOCK – Hilmar Cheese Company will build a milk powder processing facility in Turlock, the company announced today. The new facility will add 40 full time jobs to the local economy when completed. “We are expanding our ingredients business to meet strong global demand for milk powders,” explained John Jeter, Hilmar Cheese Company CEO and president. “The U.S. dairy industry, and specifically California, is well positioned to be a consistent supplier to the world.” The Turlock location provides numerous advantages. It is ready for construction and the location is excellent for export opportunities through the Port of Oakland. “The City of Turlock’s staff was excellent to work with,” Jeter commented. “This is a great example of how effective business and government can be when we work closely together.” “Hilmar Cheese Company is a solid business and major employer for our area with great career opportunities, a strong commitment to the environment, and a proven track record of supporting our community with many significant donations,” said John Lazar, Turlock City mayor. “We are glad they chose to grow here.” GO-Biz, Governor Brown’s Office of Business and Economic Development, assisted with site-selection. “GO-Biz is excited that Hilmar Cheese Company is expanding their presence in California, further strengthening the state’s food processing industry,” said director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, Kish Rajan. “Our team worked closely with Hilmar Cheese Company to help them find a location for their new facility and we look forward to helping them

continue to grow and provide new job opportunities.” The new facility in Turlock will produce a variety of milk powders to help provide nutrition for people in the developing world, the company said. Milk powder is a convenient form of milk that does not require refrigeration and is simple to reconstitute. It’s also easy to transport and store. “With this expansion into milk powders, we are continuing our tradition of converting our high quality milk supply into the value-added products customers want,” Tom Ielmini, vice president, Hilmar Ingredients explained. “We now have customers in fifty countries and are always striving to meet their needs. This is part of a broader plan to be a larger, more dynamic global supplier.” Hilmar Cheese Company’s division, Hilmar Ingredients, will market the milk powder. The manufacturing process will use the most technologically advanced equipment to capture the water in milk for reuse to conserve precious ground water. Water will be recycled, reused and passed through a preliminary treatment before going to the Turlock Regional Water Quality Control facility. Energy efficiencies will follow the company’s direction for energy efficient lighting and use premium efficiency electric motors. Hilmar Cheese Company Inc. was founded in 1984 and is a privately held corporation with more than 1,200 employees.

Save Mart honors Ceres’ store manager MODESTO – George Bettencourt of Ceres has been named Save Mart’s store manager of the year, the company announced. “George Bettencourt is a top-rate store manager. He has demonstrated a continuous commitment to excellence for store performance, customer service and commitment to his community. He is a strong leader and great person,” explained Steve Junqueiro, president and COO of Save Mart Supermarkets. The award, formally known as the Nicholas J. Tocco Store Manager of the Year Award, is named after Save Mart founder Nicholas Tocco. This is the 20th year the award has been given. Bettencourt started his grocery career at an Albertsons store in 1986 and worked his way up from utility clerk to store manager. Bettencourt is passionate about running a store strong on the basics—service, freshness and value, the company said. He has been married for 13 years and is heavily involved in the Turlock and Ceres communities. “Ceres is a tight-knit community and I am proud to be part of its fabric,” Bettencourt said. “Our shoppers are also our neighbors and friends. This award was given to me, but it also belongs to the store team who work hard every day to provide toplevel customer service.” At a dinner Jan. 11, Bettencourt received an etched blown glass vase,

travel certificate, and cash. Runners up receive a cash award and all nominees receive a framed certificate.

Memorial Medical Center awarded for cardiac care MODESTO – Memorial Medical Center has received the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Gold Performance Achievement Award for 2013, the hospital announced. The award signifies that Memorial is treating cardiac patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations, the hospital said. “We continue to focus our efforts on providing safe, quality affordable care to our patients,” said Daryn Kumar, Memorial Medical Center chief executive officer. “I am very pleased to accept this award and recognition on behalf of our cardiac care team. They put our patients’ care at the very heart of everything they do.” Memorial, part of the Sutter Health network, was one of just 32 hospitals nationwide to receive the award. To receive it hospitals must consistently followed the treatment guidelines in ACTION Registry–GWTG for eight consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures. Following these treatment guidelines improves adherence to ACC/AHA Clinical Guideline recommendations, monitors drug safety and the overall quality of care provided to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non- ST- elevation myocardial infarction patients (NSTEMI).

Marcia Herrmann Design adds public relations MODESTO – The design and marketing firm, Marcia Herrmann Design, is adding a public relations division, the company announced this week. “I am excited about the opportunity to expand the range of services we provide to our clients,” said Marcia Herrmann, who founded her company in 1987. The expansion will allow the company to offer press releases and news announcements, public affairs writing, media training, development of crisis communications strategies, and the ability to serve as the outsource public information officer for public agencies and small businesses. The public relations division will be led, an accomplished writer, editor and communications expert by Dave Lyghtle. “Dave has a well-deserved reputation for his news media management expertise, communications skill sets and his commitment to this community,” Herrmann said.

For 28 years, Marcia Herrmann Design has helped hundreds of West Coast companies build their brands by designing logos, packaging, marketing materials and websites. The company works for a range of industries including agriculture, manufacturing, wine, medical, distribution and construction.

Oak Valley hires new business development officer OAKDALE – Oak Valley Bancorp announced in January it has hired Susan Quigley as its new vice president and business development officer. “Susan has a first-hand appreciation of relationship banking,” said Ron Davenport, vice president and area manager. “Her commitment to her clients over the past 40 years and her local ties in the community make her an exciting addition to our team and a perfect fit with the Oak Valley culture.” Quigley will be responsible for business development and strengthening relationships with new and existing customers in the Turlock area. Quigley currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce. She is a longtime member of the Epsilon Rho Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Sorority and the Arrowhead Athletic Club. She was also a Legacy Circle member and team leader for Emanuel Medical Center for many years. Quigley is a life-long resident of Turlock. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

CSU Stanislaus English professor receives NEH grant TURLOCK – CSU Stanislaus English Professor Jesse Wolfe has been awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It is the first NEH faculty research grant CSU Stanislaus has received. Wolfe was one of just eight recipients of the 2013 NEH Awards for Faculty Fellowship. He will use it to pay for a nine-month Wolfe sabbatical during which he will complete his second book on ways novelists explore the changing dynamics of love and relationships in modern society. “Some of those barriers are coming down, but things are not completely rosy,” Wolfe said. “These authors help us see we are freer in some ways than we used to be, but that doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness.” In addition to his teaching and research, Wolfe is a creative writer who has had poetry published and serves as the faculty adviser for Penumbra, the university’s annual art and literary journal. He’s been a professor at CSU Stanislaus since 2006. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Berkeley and his master’s and Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Business Journal Insight & Analysis CENTRAL VALLEY

Sick employees who won’t stay home are nothing to sneeze at By MARIE SARDALLA-DAVIS Business Journal writer

PRESENTEEISM (n.) The act of attending work while sick.

True story: Fed up with a co-worker’s persistent cough, one employee sprayed a germ-killing aerosol overhead. The cougher yelped in protest and coughed even more. The germ warrior’s finger returned fire with matching frequency. It might have been comical had it not been in the middle of flu season. If you managed these people, how would you resolve this? More than a case of playing referee, the situation presents employers with questions: How do you maintain a healthy work environment? What’s up with the staffer who shows up sick? And who better to decide when someone is “too sick” to work — the company or the employee? According to Chris Sablynski, associate professor of management at the University of the Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business, a near-Utopian wellness policy would have three components: a prevention program, a crisis plan, and, most significant, a company culture that allows an employee to take sick time without fear of punishment. Prevention programs include onsite flu shots, ample supplies of antibacterial wipes and gels, and awareness campaigns on preventing the spread of germs. Other measures call for temporarily separating healthy and sick workers, perhaps by splitting work shifts, telecommuting, hiring temps, and cross-training in advance to facilitate workload sharing when needed. Sablynski recommends employers adapt guidelines, available online, from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (flu.gov). The critical factor for keeping the workplace healthy remains the culture, Sablynski said. Managers send messages ranging from “We care about you. Stay home when you’re sick,” to “I don’t care what the policy says, report to work or you’re fired.” “Just as there are bullies in the schoolyard, there are threatening bosses,” Sablynski said. He advocates compassion training for managers. At some places, employees feel pressured to prove themselves by sacrificing personal time. Sablynski encountered that while at a Fortune 100 high-tech firm. “It was a badge of honor to be at work at all

PRESENTEEISM and ABSENTEEISM - BY THE NUMBERS Employees who say they’ve gone to work despite actually PERCENT being sick so they could save their sick days

Workers who say they’ve called in sick in the past year, PERCENT but did work from home

Employers who say that February is the time of year employees call PERCENT in sick the most

Employers who checked a sick employee’s social media posts to see if they were PERCENT faking

SOURCE: CAREERBUILDER 2013 STUDY ON ABSENTEEISM

Please see PRESENTEEISM Page 31

IN THIS SECTION • Taxes • Real Estate

• Management • Social Media

February 2014

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Flu season especially severe, state health officials warn IS THE GOVERNMENT

CVBJ

go to vaccine.healthmap.org to find a place that offers flu shots near you. In addition to getting vaccinated, public health officials say there are several other things you can do to reduce your chance of getting influenza: • Wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, which is how germs are spread. • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. • If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine. • If you have been exposed to a person with the flu, talk to your doctor about getting antiviral drugs, which are 70-90 percent effective at preventing you from getting sick. The sooner you are treated with an antiviral, the more likely it will prevent the flu. Experts say you should be aware of flu symptoms which include include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue.

CHOKING YOU?

PRESENTEEISM Continued from Page 30

hours. Everyone was trying to outlast you. If you didn’t join all the ‘fun’ team-building activities, there had to be something wrong with you,” he recalled. Preferable to imposed teambuilding, Sablynski would rather see workers helping workers. For instance, they could donate their sick time to colleagues in need, either directly or into a company pool. In contrast to high-pressure environments, Sablynski cited the maverick no-vacation policy set by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in 2004. “The Netflix vacation policy: There is no policy or tracking. We should focus on what people get done, not how many days they worked,” the company stated on a series of slides made public online. “There is also no clothing policy at Neflix, but no one comes to work naked.” “If employers start seeing a pattern of abuse, they’ll question that worker’s sick time off,” said Linda Curtis, branch manager at Nelson Staffing in Modesto. “But most of our clients are understanding and would rather that you not come in. Our agency’s hard and firm policy is that if you’ve been sick for three days, you’ll need a doctor’s note to return to work.” Gauging your ability to return to work is not an exact science. “Sometimes you wake up feeling better, but start feeling worse. I’ve done it myself,” Curtis said. Mike Letizia, principal consultant

at Letizia HR Solutions, advises asking yourself, “Can I do my job exactly at the level I do without this condition?” If not, don’t go to work. “Common sense dictates we ask our employees to give us their full attention as we are giving them their full pay,” Letizia said. “Some may not appreciate hearing that, but I’ve been an employee, too. I get medicine head from allergy medicine. I don’t want to take the chance of messing something up badly.” But what if a sick worker insists on staying at work, whether as an act of nobility or desperation? “I feel strongly that the employer should make the decision on whether or not to allow it,” said Letizia, who also serves as director of the California State Council of the Society for HR Management (SHRM). A caveat, though: “I am not a fan of putting the supervisor in the unfavorable position of telling a worker not to come to work if that supervisor will be taking up the slack.” Asked how he’d handle the situation of the coughing worker and spray-happy cubicle neighbor, Letizia responded that he would talk with the sick employee about hygienic behavior such as covering the mouth when coughing. He’d make the other worker aware about sensitivity to aerosols and recommend non-invasive products that dry quickly. “Antibacterial wipes are probably the best thing ever invented,” he said.

• Tax Litigation (and Controversies) • Tax Planning to avoid Controversies • Estate and Wealth Management Planning • Post Mortem Estate and Trust Administration • Trust and Estate Litigation • Business and Commercial Transactions • Real Estate Law/Exchanges

WWW.CALONEANDHARREL.COM

This year’s flu season has been severe with reports of the illness spread throughout the state, according to California’s epidemiologist. Deaths related to influenza surged in January to 147 with another 44 deaths possibly tied to the virus, compared to 106 deaths last season. Eleven of those deaths were in Stanislaus County, four in San Joaquin County, according to public health officials. The predominant strain is H1N1, “swine flu,” which tends to be more deadly than other strains. “The increasing number of influenza related deaths points to the severity of this flu season,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health. “Vaccination is so important, because it continues to be the best defense against the flu.” Flu season typically peaks in January and February, but it can extend into the spring, so there is still time to get a flu shot. “It’s not too late to vaccinate,” said Kinisha Campbell, assistant public information officer for Stanislaus County Health Services Agency. This year’s flu vaccine covers the H1N1 strain, officials said. You can

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Exporters, the IRS may have a deal for you Tax shelter also open to growers, manufacturers who sell overseas Since the dividend income tax rate has not been raised up to the ordinary income tax rate, the IC-DISC has again become popular. The interest charge domestic international sales corporation (IC-DISC) has evolved from the original Domestic International Sales Corporation from the ‘70s when its purpose was to subsidize U.S. manufactured products or U.S. grown crops sold overseas as well as Canada and Mexico. The IC-DISC is a flat-out federal income tax subsidy to farmers and manufacturers who export. It even includes services. This subsidy allows growers to take profits from the top tax rate of 35 percent to a lower tax rate of 23.8 percent, producing a tax savings of 11.2 percent. If your corporation is a sub chapter S corporation for tax purposes whose income is taxed to you as a sole proprietor or partnership, you can save up to 15.8 percent because the S corporation’s income is taxed at your

personal rate of 39.6 percent. The IC-DISC is a separate corporation that can have the same shareholders as your company or you can have your children own it. You pay for them anyway, so you might as well have the government support them for you. Letting the government subsidize them seems to be the new American way. You can allow key employees, your mother or mother-in-law to own it – anyone you are supporting. The IC-DISC system allows a portion of your international sales to flow into it TAX FREE. You then distribute those proceeds at dividend income tax rates to the named shareholders at the lower income tax rates. You measure the IC-DISC by any of three methods better explained to you by your CPA. The primary condition among many is that you are selling export property you have grown or made in the United States by someone other than the ICDISC itself. Yes, the export of grown

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crops qualifies. If you are manufacturing something you cannot have more than 50 percent of it containing foreign parts. These products are required to be sold outside the USA. The amazing aspect of this strategy is that it does not need more than a set of books and can be kept in a filing cabinet. It doesn’t need employees or a sales staff. It is book entry Richard Calone all the way. If Calone & Harrel it sounds like Law Group a tax shelter, that’s because it is. It’s sanctioned by Congress and bolstered by the IRS to promote and subsidize exports. See Treas. Reg 1.922-1(a) if you want verification. If you are involved in exports in any way you need to investigate this strategy, even if you’re a grower. If your export sales are $2.5 million with an $800,000 profit, you can

Taxing Matters

deflect under the 4 percent of sales commission formulas $100,000 to your IC-DISC and have it avoid your higher tax bracket as a deduction. It will then be taxed when distributed as a dividend at 23.8 percent to its shareholders. Instead of paying $39,600 you will pay $23,800 and save $15,800. All saved by paperwork. How do you do this? I strongly advise you to make an appointment with your CPA and meet with your tax attorney. Now nothing in the Internal Revenue Code comes without complexity .You will still need a corporation, $2,500 dollars in capital stock and file the election. This is not a Turbo Tax deal. The computation of the commission alone will be a task for your CPA. Be careful out there. - Richard S. Calone is a Partner at Calone & Harrel Law Group, LLP who concentrates his practice in all manners of Taxation, Real Estate Transactions, Corporate, Partnership and Limited Liability Company law matters. He is a certified specialist in Taxation. Mr. Calone may be reached at 209-952-4545 or rsc@caloneandharrel.com.

February 2014

www.cvbizjournal.com

Driving on the decline, but road work goes on

I Choose DMC

Smart Growth

these routes during traditionally slower weekend stretches. Moreover, the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) logged one million passengers in 2013, the highest total in its history. Why is this happening? The obvious answer would be that high gas prices have forced us to change our transportation patterns. However, it turns out that there is only a weak correlation between gas price and VMT. According to the SSTI, the decline in driving can-

not be fully explained by higher gas prices. In fact, the SSTI found a fairly strong correlation between VMT and the density of urbanized areas. Translation: as people return to city living, they don’t drive cars as much. It’s clear that decreasing VMT and increasing public transit ridership are real trends, not anomalies. We are driving less while relying on public transit, bikes and our own feet to get us to where we need to go. How-

ever, our spending on infrastructure fails to reflect the new trends. While we continue to spend the vast majority of funds on highways without a second thought, other means of transportation such as busses, commuter rails and biking have to scrap and claw for every dollar. In light of this information, it’s time to rethink the value of highway projects and consider boosting investments in other modes of transportation.

“ Having suffered a heart attack, “

Anyone who has driven through San Joaquin County recently has noticed heavy construction on highways and roads, with hundreds of millions spent to increase the region’s traffic capacity. With all of this new construction, passersby might conclude that car use is surging, but they would actually be mistaken. By nearly every metric, driving is on the decline across the United David Garcia States while pubEditor/Blog lic transportation Stockton City Limits ridership continues to climb, even in the Central Valley. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the numbers. In 2012, national per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) dropped to its lowest level since 1996. While some attribute the decline in driving to the recession, the data prove otherwise. In 2004, VMT peaked at around 10,000 annually and has been falling steadily ever since. According to the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI), the decline in national VMT began before the housing crisis— albeit slowly– but then took a drastic plunge in 2007. According to the Federal Highway Administration, that trend holds true here in the car-heavy Central Valley as total VMT in recent years is less than the mid-2000s. We may be experiencing a phenomenon known as “peak driving,” in that we have reached our limit for how many miles we will drive. Just 10 years ago, the concept seemed laughable, but faced with new statistics, it appears as if less driving may be the new norm. A parallel decline in gasoline consumption corroborates the theory that Americans have curtailed their driving. Since 2007, demand for gas fell 6.1 percent, going from 9.3 million barrels of oil per day to 8.73 in 2012. As a result, the number of gas stations nationwide has fallen by 8 percent (nearly 14,000 stations) since 2002. The decline in VMT and gas consumption corresponds with a rise in public transportation ridership. In 2012, 10.5 billion rides were recorded nationwide, the second highest total since 1957 (which is particularly impressive given that public transportation in the Northeast was knocked out by Hurricane Sandy for an extended period of time). The demand for public transportation has grown locally as well. In Stockton, San Joaquin Regional Transit District’s new Metro Express lines have proven incredibly popular, dramatically increasing ridership along Stockton’s busy Hammer Lane and Pacific Avenue corridors. In fact, a recent customer survey has prompted the agency to increase frequency on

DMC saved my life.

Reynaldo Marcial, Modesto

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

COMMERCIAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS

In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Total Number of Local Employees. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Company Name Address

Total sq ft of all commercial Top Local Executive Total Number projects started in Local Phone of Local 2013 or number Web Address Employees of units started in 2013

Diede Construction, Inc. 12393 N. Hwy. 99 Lodi, CA 95240

Steven Diede (209) 369-8255 diedeconstruction.com

125

Simile Construction Service, Inc. 4725 Enterprise Way, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95356

Guy Simile, President (209) 545-6111 simileconstruction.com

Meehleis Modular Buildings 1303 E. Lodi Avenue Lodi, CA 95240

Rank

Percentage of projects classified as:

Year Established Locally Headquarters

Industrial Office Retail

Apartments Other

Call for info

30% 35% 20%

5% 10%

1978 Lodi

454,000

0% 10% 70%

0% 20% (auto dealerships)

2000 Modesto

Bill Meehleis, Chris Meehleis, Owners (209) 334-4637 meehleis.com

190,000

1986 Lodi

Roland Construction, Inc. PO Box 8670 Stockton, CA 95208

Jim Hoagland (209) 462-2687 rolandconst.com

1.1 million

10% 5% 0%

85%

1986 Stockton

Huff Construction Company, Inc. 4917 Stoddard Road Modesto, CA 95356

Gary Huff, CEO (209) 545-7505 huffcon.com

1971 Modesto

Patriot Construction. Inc. 4646 Quantas Lane, Ste. B-4 Stockton, Ca 95206

Christopher Cotta, President/CEO (209) 982-9900 patriotbuilds.com

60,000

20% 0% 0%

80% (federal government)

2008 Stockton

CMC - Construction Management Corporation 627 Bitritto Court Modesto, CA 95356

Bruce Russo, President (209) 574-1300 constmgmtcorp.com

150,000

5% 20% 20%

5% healthcare 50%

1995 Modesto

DeGraff Development, Inc. 538 S. Fifth Avenue Oakdale, CA 95361

Chad DeGraff, President (209) 847-2563 degraffdevelopment.com

190,600

70% 10% 20%

0% 0%

1985 Oakdale

Bob Leonard & Associates 1325 El Pinal Drive, D-4 Stockton, CA 95205

Bob Leonard, Owner (209) 931-4625 bob-leonard.com

6 Units

30% 30% 40%

0% 0%

1977 Stockton

Steel Blue Corporation 1919 Grand Canal Blvd. B-5 Stockton, CA 95207

Greg Murphy (209) 951-9451 tahoegroup.com

Call for info

0% 25% 25%

0% 0%

2010 Stockton

Souza Development Inc. 105 E. 10th Street Tracy, CA 95376

Mike Souza, V.P. Development (209) 835-8330 souzard.com

Call for info

50% 20% 30%

0% 0%

1988 Tracy

Buzz Oates Group of Cos. 2385 Arch Airport Road, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95206

Robert Taylor, Sr. V.P. (209) 982-1200 buzzoates.com

1.5 Million

95% 5% 0%

0% 0%

1960s Sacramento

These lists are provided as a free service by the Central Valley Business Journal for its readers. As such, inclusion is based on editorial consideration and is not guaranteed. If you would like your business to be included in a list, please write to: Research Department, Central Valley Business Journal, 4512 Feather River Dr., Ste. E, Stockton, CA 95219, fax your information to Research Dept. at (209) 477-0211 or email research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Revised 01/2014

February 2014

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The Central Valley and Sacramento Commercial Brokerage Firm SACRAMENTO OFFICE: 4850 VERENA LN., SACRAMENTO, CA 95835 | PHONE: 916.922.9545 STOCKTON OFFICE: 4118 FORT DONELSON DR., STOCKTON, CA 95219 | PHONE: 209.473.3799

Lic.#01080467

SUZANNE STONE

Office & Land Specialist

BROOKSIDE 3461 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA

suzanne-stone@comcast.net

Lic.#01934932

Lic.#01222976

THOMAS YEE Broker tyee@jps.net

RITA SOMERA

Retail Specialist

rita.rtyee@comcast.net

WATSON SQUARE 1462 Yosemite Ave. Manteca, CA

Lic.#00628659

DIANE CORREIA

COLLEGE SQUARE March Lane & Pershing Ave. Stockton, CA

Retail & Land Specialist

dianecorreia@comcast.net

RT Yee & Associates, Inc. is a small boutique Commercial Real Estate Brokerage company that specializes in Commercial Retail/Office Leasing/Sales. Its broker and salespeople have over 70 years of combined commercial real estate and development experience. With offices in Sacramento and Stockton, California, we have completed sale, lease and/or development deals from as far north to Redding, west to the bay area and south past Fresno. RT Yee & Associates, Inc. continues to be a market contender in Northern California.

Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

February 2014

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Five mistakes to avoid when negotiating business leases Real estate is a key aspect of operating a business, whether it’s finding the perfect location for a retailer, the business-specific amenities for an industrial user, or the functionality and cost effectiveness of office space. Typically, real estate is also one of the largest expenses for a business. The Central Valley is still a tenant-friendly leasing environment with historically low rental rates. We will begin to see less available space, but rental rates and other terms are favorable for locking in a long-term lease for your business. Signing a lease is a significant commitment and can have a tremendous effect on the success of your business. Here are some critical mistakes business owners often make when they negotiate a lease. 1) Signing a long term lease without concessions There are many benefits to signing a long-term (five to 10-year) lease, including the ability to lock in low rental rates and provide some certainty for your business. However, the primary reason for signing a long-term lease is the negotiating leverage you create with a landlord. Landlords want certainty and usually prefer a longer term.

Because of landlords’ preference for a longer term, you can negotiate many concessions into your lease that can outweigh the restrictions of having a longer term. Common concessions include: • Tenant Improvement (TI) allowance: money from the landlord to help improve the space for your use • Free rent: during start up or spread throughout the lease • Reduced rent: Ryan Swehla Lower rent overPrincipal, all than shorter NAI Benchmark term leases and First Commercial the ability to have much lower initial rent with larger increases (especially appealing for a growing business) • Right to expand: various rights of first refusal to expand into a vacant adjacent space or to be relocated to a larger suite under the same lease terms Without the longer term and greater certainty of income, landlords will not agree to many of these conces-

Business Space

sions. Shorter term leases provide flexibility to move but don’t allow for the various benefits of longer leases. These same benefits (including TI) can also be negotiated into a longterm lease renewal in a space you already occupy. Existing tenants can sometimes negotiate even more favorable concessions since the landlord knows (and is presumably happy with) the tenant and does not have the cost associated with a vacancy. 2) Relying on the landlord or broker to verify zoning compliance and fees It is your responsibility and obligation to perform due diligence on a leased space (much like inspecting a home you purchase). Due diligence includes verifying that your business can locate in the space (compliant with city zoning and building codes) and that fees for additional sewer, water, or electrical service are known upfront. Meet with city building, fire, planning and other officials to ensure your occupancy is in compliance. Meet with utility companies or public works if you will be increasing sewer, water, or electrical demand or changing use of the space. You may uncover previously unknown fees or may find out that your business is

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simply not permitted there. 3) Rejecting a good offer out of emotion In real estate negotiations, there is always a way when two parties genuinely want to reach agreement. Yet frequently a stalemate occurs and parties are unable to come to a deal. This is typically because the parties couldn’t find a creative way around each other’s concerns, they allowed emotion and ego to get in the way, or one or both parties had unrealistic expectations of the market. When in the midst of negotiating a lease, it’s easy to get hung up on certain terms “out of principle” or because one party has to feel they “beat” the other. Instead, approach your negotiations with a healthy understanding of the current real estate market and a pragmatic attitude that focuses on dollars and cents and creative solutions instead of perceived “non-negotiables.” 4) Signing a lease without a renewal option Renewals are a tenant’s best friend. They cost nothing and provide peace of mind that you can remain in the same space. Renewals don’t necessarily mean you will be paying below market rent and they don’t increase your ability to get other concessions. But they do keep your business from being in a reactive negotiating position. There are many ways to structure lease renewals, with the most common being “same terms and conditions” or some variation of “fair market rent.” 5) Negotiating a lease by yourself – get free help Negotiating real estate is complex with many possible options and structures to meet your needs. It is also an exercise most business owners only perform a few times in their careers and involves negotiating with a party who does this on a regular basis. The worst mistake a tenant can make is attempting to negotiate a lease without representation. The business owner will always end up with less favorable terms than had he or she worked with a commercial real estate expert. The good news is that this representation is free for the tenant. Much like purchasing a home, every property that is listed on the market and represented by an agent has a pre-arranged commission paid to the listing agent regardless of whether the tenant has an agent. If a tenant is represented, the listing agent splits the commission with the tenant’s agent. If not, the listing agent keeps all of the commission. The landlord pays the same commission no matter what. Do you think the landlord’s agent will represent your interests? Remember that the landlord performs these negotiations to his benefit on a daily basis. Find an agent whom you trust and who demonstrates competence. Then Please see BUSINESS SPACE Page 41

February 2014

CVBJ

www.cvbizjournal.com

SPRING EVENTS

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

2014 Home sellers feel more upbeat

Market more competitive, Internet playing a bigger role in home sales, Realtor survey finds Home sellers are more optimistic about repurchasing a home than they have been in the past few years, according to the California Association of Realtors’ 2013 Home Sellers Survey, which was released in January. Confidence has grown because of strong growth in home prices, record-low interest rates, and better personal financial situations, CAR said. Last year 69 percent of home sellers purchased Eileen Schamber a home after sellPresident, Lodi ing their previRealtors Association ous residence, up from 47 percent in 2012, and only 12 percent in 2011. “The improved housing market conditions in the last year have given sellers more confidence to own a home rather than to rent one,” said CAR President Kevin Brown. “With sellers being more positive about the future of home prices, the vast majority of sellers who are currently renting plan to buy again in the future. In fact, 70 percent of sellers who are currently renting said they would purchase another home, up from 22 percent in 2012.” Nearly half of sellers (43 percent) were confident home prices would rise over the next year, compared to just 9 percent in 2012. Another 58 percent believe home prices will increase in five years, up from 12 percent in 2012. Additional findings from CAR’s 2013 California Home Sellers Survey include: • For home owners, the motivation to sell changed significantly in just one year. In 2012, most sellers were spurred to sell by financial difficulties, but as home prices surged, a desire to trade up became the top reason for selling in 2013. Other home owners were interested in taking advantage of low interest rates to finance their next

Bringing it home

home, and some sellers believed the price of their homes had peaked and wanted to cash out. • Market competition increased in the first half of 2013 and led to an increase of multiple offers. Nearly all home sellers (98 percent) said they received multiple offers, up from 83 percent in 2012. On average, each home sale received 5.9 offers in 2013 compared to 3.1 offers in 2012. • Competitive market conditions also led to bidding wars, with 45 percent of all sellers receiving offers higher than the asking price. In fact, more than one-third (37 percent) received three or more offers above asking price. Sellers, on average, received 2.2 offers above asking price. • Sellers most commonly use the Internet continued to find an agent, with 51 percent of sellers finding their agent online. A quarter of sellers used an agent they had worked with before, up significantly from just 3 percent in 2012. • The Internet was also the key place to show listings. More than two-thirds of sellers found Realtor.com the most important website in the selling process. • Sellers are also using social media more to sell homes. Nearly threefourths (74 percent) of sellers incorporated social media into the selling process, up from only 24 percent in 2010. Sellers used sites such as Facebook (83 percent); Twitter (52 percent); YouTube (39 percent); LinkedIn (24 percent); and Yelp (19 percent) to learn more about their agents or to communicate with them. The survey is great news for San Joaquin County which experienced record high foreclosure and short sale problems for several years. Due to the 28 percent increase in prices in 2013 San Joaquin County has moved into a more normal market, with sellers having equity and showing interest in moving up to a larger home. This is great news for the first time buyers waiting to purchase these homes. Homeowner confidence appears to be on the rise, which is a big boost for our economy.

Black History Month

An Evening with Common

Saturday, February 8 • 7 pm Bob Hope Theatre Amber Krzys

LGBTQIA Conference

“From Body Hater to Body Celebrator” Tuesday, February 11 • 7 pm DeRosa University Center Ballroom

Ryan Parker Art educator, textile designer and printer Thursday, February 13 2–6 pm workshop 7:30–8:30 pm lecture Friday, February 14 10 am – 2 pm workshop Jeannette Powell Art Center

Judy Shepard Keynote: LGBT rights activist and Executive Director of Matthew Shepard Foundation Saturday, February 22 • 9 am DeRosa University Center Ballroom Black History Month

Claudia Rankine Poet and Playwright Thursday, February 27 • 7 pm Wendell Phillips Center, Rm. 140 Asian Pacific Islander Month

Joel Kaminsky Professor at Smith College “Does God Play Favorites? Chosenness in the Bible” Wednesday, February 19 • 7 pm DeRosa University Center Ballroom

“God Has Brought Me Laughter: Humor in the Bible”

Eugene Gloria Poet Thursday, March 27 • 7 pm Wendell Phillips Center, Rm. 140 Black History Month Brubeck Festival

Terri Lyne Carrington

Friday, February 21 • 7:30 pm Temple Israel

GRAMMY–winning drummer, producer and vocalist Saturday, March 29 • 8 pm Faye Spanos Concert Hall

Pacific.edu

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

SENIOR HOUSING In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Total Number of Units. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Level of Care

Rank

Company Name Address

Local Contact Local Phone Web Address

Independent

Assisted

Skilled Nursing

Utilities

Meals

Overnight

Pets

Total Number of Units/ Capacity

Services Included

Bethany Home 930 W. Main St. Ripon, CA 95366

Andrew Lee, Executive Director (209) 599-4221 bethanyripon.org

420

Yes

$680 to $1,520

Indoor pool & fitness center, lounges, coffee bar, in-home care, meals & transportation provided for a fee, guest cottage, worship opportunities

Covenant Village of Turlock 2125 N. Olive Avenue Turlock, CA 95382

Laura Bemis, Interim Director of Marketing (209) 216-5610 covenantvillageofturlock.org

375

Yes

$1,262 to $9,311

Worship services, fitness center, woodworking shops, creative arts and life enrichment programming

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor Woods 3400 Wagner Heights Road Stockton, CA 95209

Marsha Fitzgerald, Marketing Director (209) 956-3400 oconnorwoods.org

320

Yes

$1,985 to $5,160

Fitness club, putting green, private chapel, bird watching, trips and excursions, pool table, gardening, creative arts studio, woodworking shop

Samaritan Village 7700 Fox Road Hughson, CA 95326

Gary Lunsford, Administrator (209) 883-3000 svliving.org

277

Yes

$1,740 and up

Fitness classes, weekly trips, aquacise, book clubs, travel clubs, writers workshops, happy hour

Casa de Modesto Retirement Center 1745 Eldena Way Modesto, CA 95350

Courtyard at Venetian Terrace 5020 Virtue Arc Drive Stockton, CA 95207

Rio Las Palmas Retirement 877 E. March Lane Stockton, CA 95207

Approx. Other Services and Activities Cost Per Month

Fitness programs, ice cream socials, bingo, family nights, meal outing, Gallo Center outing, shopping outing, entertainment. *Independent living does not include all the services listed

Kathy Lewis, Admissions Director (209) 529-4950 casademodesto.org

200

Yes*

Yes

$905 to $7,440 for skilled nursing

Maria Soltero, Manager (209) 951-1545 seniorsatvt.com

166

Yes

Yes*

$636-$945

Jacqueline Powell, Marketing Director (209) 957-4711 riolaspalmasretirement.com

163

Yes

$2,100

Beauty salon, weekly outings, private dining and 24-hour security

The Ashley Place 1321 S. Fairmont Ave. Lodi, CA 95240

Brad E. Kluza, Administrator (209) 334-3436 theashleyplace.net

145

Yes

$2,099 to $2,899

Church services, entertainment, bingo and exercise

Plymouth Square 1319 N Madison Street Stockton, CA 95202

Chantel Howard, Marketing Director (209) 466-4341 rhf.org

126

Yes

IL: $1,500 AL: $1,963 SN: $197 a day

Standiford Place 3420 Shawnee Drive Modesto, CA 95350

118

Yes

$2500 to $4500

Travel programs, on-site managers and daily activities

The Vintage 2145 W. Kettleman Lane Lodi, CA 95240

117

Yes

$2000 to $4,700

Travel programs, on-site managers and daily activities

Prestige Senior Living at Manteca 1130 Empire Avenue Manteca, CA 95336

Linda Nickolisen, Executive Director (209) 239-4531 prestigecare.com

114 90 ALF 24 Memory care

Yes

ALF

Movie theater, fall prevention program, licensed nurse, excursions, monthly buffets, restaurant & dining

Paramount Court Senior Living 3791 Crowell Road Turlock, CA 95382

Cheryl Gerhardt, Marketing Director (209) 664-9500 paramountcourtseniorliving.com

100

Yes

No+

$3,250

Social, spiritual, educational, therapy, dementia support group, recreactional * With prior approval +Visits only

The Commons on Thornton 10711 Thornton Road Stockton, CA 95209

Yolanda Atwood, Marketing Director (209) 800-8746 commonsonthornton.com

100

Yes

$2,290 to $3,650

Exercise, cards, bingo, bunco, Wii bowling, entertainment, field trips, assistance with services and medication

The Commons at Union Ranch 2241 N. Union Road Manteca, CA 95336

Chelsea Neal-Ricker, Marketing Director (209) 242-8492 commonsatunionranch.com

Yes

$1,900 to $4,200

Internet and cable included, pet exercise area, gardening, exercise, salon, walking paths and private patios, memory care

Arbor Senior Apartments 115 Louie Avenue Lodi, CA 95240

Joanne McReynolds, Executive Director (209) 333-3338 arborseniorapartments.com

Yes

Starting at $1,200

Casino trips, live entertainment, bingo, exercise classes, barbeques, shopping trips, pool table and beauty and barber shop

Eskaton Manteca Manor 544 Eastwood Avenue Manteca, CA 95336

Judith A. Collins, Executive Director (209) 823-8828 eskaton.org

Yes

HUD 202/8

Bingo, potlucks, social service coordinator, coffee time, movie

Villa Marche 1119 Rosemarie Lane Stockton, CA 95207

Rita Vasquez, Family Care Coordinator (209) 477-4858 villamarchecare.com

Yes

Yes*

Private $4,000 Shared $3,200

Family support group meet every Thursday from 10 to 11:30. Activiities hourly, 7 days a week *yes, after discussion

Stratford at Beyer Park 3529 Forest Glenn Drive Modesto, CA 95355

Susan Bell (209) 236-1900 stratfordbp.com

Yes

Call for info

Dementia and Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care, outings, activities 7 days a week and special events

Pacifica Senior Living 2325 St. Pauls Way Modesto, CA 95355

Rebekah Martin, Community Relations Director (209) 846-2185 pacificamodesto.com

Yes

$4,000 is average

Barbara Arrington, Community Sales Leader Jessica Lavato, Community Sales Leader (209) 521-7000 standifordplace.com Barbara Arrington, Community Sales Leader Jessica Lavato, Community Sales Leader (209) 339-1500 the-vintage.net

Bingo, game night, movie nights, hot lunches, resident dinner * With paid deposit

Activities 7 days a week

Nurse on duty seven days a week, memory care, exclusive floor plan

February 2014

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Hone your leadership skills by joining a nonprofit board I work with a lot of different types of organizations over the course of a year including for profit, nonprofit, and government agencies. The organizations that tend to have the greatest untapped human capital are nonprofits. People who have done well in life tend to want to give back. For many, this means donating their time (expertise, knowledge, skills) by being on a nonprofit board. For a nonprofit organization, the board is an opportunity to gain access to talent and leadership that it could otherwise not afford. The irony is the higher the quality of people on a board, the harder it may be to fully utilize their talents. Having a board full of successful people – successful senior managers and leaders in their own businesses – can be akin to herding cats. Cats are intelligent, independent and basically do what they want. Board members can be the same way. In working with board presidents, I have found many to be intelligent, strong, and focused. They can make a decision and move on it. This is great if they’re the CEO of a small company, but not so great if they have to work as part of a team. Great leaders have the ability to see a problem, develop a solution and move on it while most people are still trying to understand the problem. Many board presidents have a clear vision and understanding of where they want to lead the organization. The problem is that their vision may not be a shared vi-

sion. Although the title “board president” implies greater authority, in reality the president has only one vote, the same as any other board member. Boards are created to operate as a group not as a sole individual. The value in this logic is that is helps create a better decision making structure and provides the proper checks and balances. If you work on a board, Peter Johnson you are part of a Pacific - Eberhardt team. Bylaws genSchool of Business erally give equal decision making power to all members of the board (team). A board is a body of people that has been entrusted to operate in the best interest of the organization, whether that nonprofit helps feed the hungry, prevent child abuse or provide programs for youth. Although the board president may be a dynamite CEO at a successful company, in their role as board president they don’t have the authority to make board decisions on their own. When a board president operates in the board setting the same way that they run

Clear Vision

2 Offices 15 Team Members 75 Years of Experience

We are here.

Stockton Stockton Office 2920 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95204 1 + 209 461 6310

their business, they run the risk of alienating other strong leaders in their group. By acting alone and calling the shots, they eliminate, either intentionally or unintentionally, the need for the team and undermine the board’s authority. Once a board member realizes that what they bring to the table is being ignored, they feel devalued. Just like in the corporate setting, if quality employees feel that their ideas and feedback are not important, they may become disenfranchised and quit or at a minimum stay but not do their best work. Disgruntled board members may simply resign. Their time is too valuable to show up and then find out decisions are made in a back room without input from the entire board. By working as a team to find a solution to a problem, there are likely to be better solutions, better buy-in from the group and a better understanding of the process through open discussion. Doesn’t getting everyone’s input slow down the decision-making process? Absolutely, but by investing the time in collaborative leadership up front – asking questions, getting input, reviewing the process, reaching a better solution – you save yourself the grief of having to address issues one-on-one with disgruntled team members who wonder why they weren’t included in the process. When team members contribute, it ties them to the end result which allows

them to share in the success or failure of the organization. The value of sitting on a nonprofit board (besides helping out a good cause) is that you learn how to balance the “I know the solution and here is what we are going to do” with the “How can I get other people involved in the process and engage them in the solution?” There is no “I’m the manager and I say so…” Instead it becomes about presenting a clear picture and getting input from the valuable resources around the table. Leading a nonprofit board where everyone is a volunteer, most are leaders in their own right and you can’t employ individual incentives or repercussions to modify behavior represents the ultimate in collaborative leadership. If you can do this at the nonprofit level, you can transfer these leadership skills to other aspects of your life. One more benefit of being on a nonprofit board, you might actually change someone’s world. Until next time, make it a great day toward your best year ever! Peter Johnson is the Director of the Westgate Center for Leadership and Management Development and the Institute for Family Business in the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific. He welcomes your feedback and can be reached at 209.946.3912 or peterjohnson@pacific.edu.

Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide.

Accountable, Dedicated, Experienced, Team Approach and Deep Market Knowledge, this is the NAI Benchmark Difference. We are built around the central idea that we create the greatest value for our clients by being hands-on, hardworking, and strategic. www.naibenchmark.com

Modesto Office 1031 15th Street, Suite 4 Modesto, CA 95354 1 + 209 576 2240

February 2014

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Job market growing, but wellrounded education is critical Nationwide, the demand for individuals with accounting degrees continues to remain strong. According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 51 percent of firms were planning to hire accounting grads this year — and with an average starting salary of $53,300, up from $49,700. This is good news for students, and this trend is a reLinda Nowak flection of job Dean, College of Business growth in our CSU Stanislaus region. CSU Stanislaus’ Foster Farms Endowed Professor of Business Economics Gokce Soydemir is forecasting further growth in jobs for the Central Valley in 2014 and 2015, particularly in the construction, wholesale and hospitality industries. CSU Stanislaus is responding to the business community’s increased demand for accountants, particularly in San Joaquin County. The university offers its internationally accredited accounting program at its satellite campus in Stockton, and starting in Fall 2014, students will be able to complete their entire accounting degree without having to drive to the main campus in Turlock. CSU Stanislaus faculty will also be working closely with San Joaquin Delta College to ensure a seamless transition into the accounting program for qualified students.

Business Watch

CVBJ

BUSINESS SPACE Continued from Page 36

trust your agent’s advice. Recognize that he knows more about the market and what is reasonable to expect. Ask him for creative solutions around perceived roadblocks. He will let you know your options and when your expectations are unattainable. Remember you can and should have your commercial real estate agent represent you on lease renewals or renegotiations as well. But you must establish with the landlord that your agent needs to be compensated or be prepared to compensate him or her directly. Remember that you’re negotiating with a landlord whose business is commercial real estate. The benefit received from your agent’s skills will outweigh the cost of paying an agent during lease renewals. This is the time when the landlord has the greatest perceived negotiating advantage. In addition to a commercial real estate agent, rely on your other trusted advisers: your attorney, financial adviser and accountant. Avoiding the above pitfalls will significantly increase your success with one of the most important aspects of your business.

In addition to accounting, we are seeing strong demand for degrees in finance, human resource management, information technology, marketing, and operations management. The College of Business Administration at CSU Stanislaus continues to evolve its curriculum to ensure that its students are getting the proper skills needed to compete in the workplace.

Recent feedback from local employers has indicated that not only are specific technical skills important, but people skills are critical. In this competitive business environment, excellent customer service is key. And employers want strong writing skills, even in the field of accounting. Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA programs have become even more important for career progression, as they teach higher-level analytical, communication and leadership skills in a very interactive classroom environment. Students are

able to immediately apply their newly acquired skills at their jobs. CSU Stanislaus offers three ways to earn a MBA degree: evenings, Saturdays and online. The Central Valley’s employment projections are looking very positive. But it is not just about the numbers — it is about all of us focusing on training a skilled workforce for the competitive environment in which we find ourselves. We are now competing with companies halfway across the globe. Our businesses must be able to meet that challenge, and our graduates must be well prepared and able to hit the ground running.

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

Is Facebook losing its value as a marketing tool?

Those of us on Facebook have noticed a troubling trend over the last year. Since the social network started its ad platform, we have seen less of what our friends post and more content that was sponsored or “boosted” by businesses. Facebook allows individuals to create profiles and businesses to create pages. Personal profiles allow you to be friends with other personal profiles. Content you post to Facebook can be seen by those friends and vice-versa. Businesses and organizations create Facebook pages, which behave differently. Users with personal profiles can “like” a page, which allows the content shared through those pages to appear in their newsfeeds. The idea is that you’re supposed to see posts from your Facebook friends and posts from businesses you’ve “liked.” However, Facebook is keeping content we want to see from showing up in our newsfeeds. When we post something to Facebook it typically is seen by those who interact with us most. When they “like” the post, it expands its reach because when people click the “like” button it lets Facebook know that the post is good and would probably be enjoyed by others. If a post does not receive many “likes,” it does not get this special attention. The problem here is that things you don’t take the time to “like” will disappear over time and eventually your

newsfeed will become nothing more than a reflection of what you already know and like. Other opinions and things you might have found interesting but never “liked” will go away. I know that I often like a post but don’t click the “like” button, so what happens to that information over time? This is why we end up seeing photos of our friends’ kids and pets Jerad Hill more than anyOwner thing. Facebook Hill Media Group obviously needs some sort of filtering to make sure that we see content that is relevant to us, but I suspect they are filtering out a lot of content from pages I have “liked” in order to force those pages to pay for ads. If you manage a Facebook page for your business or organization, you are probably aware of the options Facebook has built in to help boost your post. It started out as a $5 option but can go much higher. I am sure pages with more 100,000 “likes” have

Social Maverick

seen prices even higher than I have. Now don’t get me wrong. I think Facebook’s ad platform is pretty genius. Because of the information we share on Facebook, ads can be displayed down to the niche things we enjoy or post about. The problem is that Facebook wants us to use their pages platforms for our businesses and they themselves have said that pages should expect their content to show up less and less in the newsfeeds of their subscribers. Facebook is saying that the only way people are going to see our content is if we pay for it. Did you know that you can even pay to promote a post you make to your own personal profile? I have to pay $6.99 to be assured that more of my friends see my posts. In a normal world, businesses that create content are usually paid for it in one way or another. I can place ads on my website or in YouTube videos to earn a little bit of money for the content I produce. On Facebook, you actually have to pay to get your content seen. That sounds crazy to me. When you pay for your content to be shown in the newsfeeds of people who already performed an action saying that they want your content, do they actually see that content? I have run many tests myself using my own Facebook pages and the truth is that it is difficult to measure. Facebook shows you how much larger your reach is compared to what it would

have been otherwise but what does “reach” actually mean? I think it is a loose term that describes how many people would have seen your post if it had caught their eye while they were scrolling through their newsfeed. In my opinion, Facebook is broken and there is not much value left in it for business owners. I have spent more than $10,000 promoting my page through ads and sponsored posts for the past few years, but the return on investment is decreasing and becoming harder to measure. This does not mean I am going to leave Facebook. Once you get someone to your page, your content is free for them to browse. Having a presence on Facebook allows people to see that your business is active, and that is a good thing. It is easier to get someone to look at Facebook pages than it is to get them to a website. Until it is easier and cheaper to integrate the feeds from our websites into the social sphere, we will have to play ball with social media platforms such as Facebook. What are your experiences with Facebook pages? Let’s continue this conversation on the Central Valley Business Journal website. I would especially like to hear from those who have spent any amount of money attempting to promote their content. How did it work out and do you feel you were able to measure your return on investment? Go to www.cvbj. biz/i-have-a-problem-with-facebook.

Commercial – Small Business – Ag – Home

Call Us About Your Next Project Today! 1.866.844.7500 • www.ovcb.com Oakdale • Sonora • Modesto • Turlock • Patterson • Ripon • Escalon • Stockton • Manteca

February 2014

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Covered California exceeds half-million enrollments SACRAMENTO – More than a half-million Californians enrolled in Covered California health insurance plans through Dec. 31, the agency announced this morning. “We are pleased that Californians — many for the first time — are getting quality, affordable health insurance to protect themselves and their families,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. From the time enrollment opened on Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 500,108 people in the state had enrolled for insurance and selected a plan under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while 584,000 applicants were determined likely eligible for Medi-Cal coverage, the agency said. DHCS also transitioned 630,000 individuals into the Medi-Cal program from the state’s Low Income Health Program. Lee also noted that of those enrolled so far, 424,936 are eligible for subsidies. Lee said the December figures show an improved trend in the number of enrollment and applications among Latinos. Of the 395,614 consumers who identified their ethnicity, nearly 20 percent indicated they are of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin. Additionally, about 30 percent of consumers who have applied but haven’t selected a health plan self-identified as Hispanic, Latino or

Spanish origin. That figure compares to the estimate that about 46 percent of subsidy-eligible Californians are Latino. “We’re in the process of both finetuning the way we assess our enrollment demographics and, more importantly, building on our focus to ensure that more Latinos apply for and enroll in coverage,” Lee said. “We have much work to do over the next three months to build on our outreach to this important population and help those who have applied complete the process.” As far as coverage, most consumers — 303,016, or about 61 percent — signed up for a Silver plan, the second lowest cost of the four plan tiers. About 85 percent of consumers across all metal tiers received some sort of financial assistance. Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente and Health Net lead the way among plans chosen. Taken together, they make up nearly 96 percent of total enrollment.

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Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS In San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Total Local Licensed Staff. Ties are Ranked in Alphabetical Order. Industrial Leasing

Industrial Sales

Commercial Leasing

Commercial Sales

Retail Leasing

Retail Sales

Duke Leffler, SIOR, President (209) 527-5640 pmzcommercial.com shackett@pmz.com Joe Muratore, CCIM, Principal Ryan Swehla, CCIM, Principal Kevin Dougherty, CCIM, Principal (209) 576-2240 naibenchmark.com Craig C. Lewis, CEO (209) 529-9610 prucommercialre.com Mike Goldstein, SIOR, Managing Partner (209) 475-5106 colliers.com David Brennan, Senior Managing Director (209) 473-7800 cbre.com Tom Davis, President (209) 983-1111 lee-associates.com

1947 Modesto, Calif.

13 2

1993/2009 Modesto, Calif. Property management and receivership services

12 2

1965 Newark, NJ

PMZ Commercial 1120 Scenic Drive Modesto, CA 95350

NAIBenchmark 1031 15th Street, Ste. 4, Modesto, CA 95354 2920 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95204

Prudential Commercial Real Estate 1101 Sylvan Avenue, Ste. A-25 Modesto, CA 95350

Colliers International 3439 Brookside Road, Ste. 108 Stockton, CA 95219

CBRE, Inc. 1776 W. March Lane, Ste. 170 Stockton, CA 95207

Lee & Associates 241 Frank West Circle, Ste. 300 Stockton, CA 95206

Commercial Real Estate Investers 151 N. California Avenue Oakdale, CA 95361

Steve Vella, Director (209) 845-3836 cricommercial.com

7 1

Cornerstone Real Estate Group 1919 Grand Canal Blvd., Ste. C-6 Stockton, CA 95207

Randy Thomas, Broker (209) 955-2022 sellingstockton.com

6 1

Northgate Commercial 6506 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95207

Xavier Santana (209) 477-4400 NORTHGATECRE.com

6 1

ProLogis 17284 W. Commerce Way Tracy, CA 95377

Ryan George, First VP (209) 839-0209 prologis.com

6 1

Rand Commercial Properties 1718 H Street Modesto, CA 95354

Richard Rand, Owner (209) 577-0484 racps.com

6 1

17 18 19 20 21

Souza Realty & Development 105 E. 10th Street Tracy, CA 95376 Stone Bros. Management 5756 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 220 Stockton, CA 95207 CoSoL Commercial Real Estate 2020 Standiford Avenue, Bldg. A Modesto, CA 95350 Brekke Real Estate 1500 Standiford Ave., Bldg. D Modesto, CA 95350 RT Yee & Associates 4850 Verena Lane Sacramento, CA 95835 Tahoe Group, Inc. 1919 Grand Canal Blvd., #B7 Stockton, CA 95207 Velthoen Associates Commercial Brokers 300 Banner Court, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95356 ARS Commercial aka Albert Realty Services, Inc. 503 W. Larch Road, Ste. D Tracy, CA 95304 Buzz Oates Real Estate 2385 Arch Airport Road, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95206 Cort Companies 343 E. Main Street, 10th Floor Stockton, CA 95202

Anthony F. Souza, President (209) 835-8330 souzard.com John Godi, GM (209) 478-1791 stonebrosmgmt.com Thomas Solomon (209) 521-1591 cosol.net Randy Brekke, President (209) 571-7230 brekkere.com Diane Correia, Agent Rita Somera, Agent Suzanne Stone, Agent (209) 473-3799 Lisa Hill, Broker (209) 951-9451 tahoegroup.com Brian Velthoen, CCIM, President (209) 575-3800 vacb.com Jacqueline Turney, President (209) 836-9492 arscommercial.com Lesa Stewart (209) 982-1200 buzzoates.com Dan Cort, President/CEO (209) 235-5231 cortco.com

Financing

20 2

Total Local Top Local Executive Licensed Staff Local Phone Web Address Number of Local Offices

Appraisals

Company Name Rank Address

Investments

Services: Year Established Company Headquarters Other Services

11 11

1999 San Jose, Calif. Property management

10 1

1988 Torrance, Calif. Asset management, project management

1993 Stockton, Calif.

2007 Oakdale, Calif Brokerage forecasting, real estate investments for communities and agricultural lands

9 1

6 1

1996 Stockton, Calif. Real estate sales 2012 Stockton, Calif. Real estate sales, tenant representation, property management 2004 San Francisco, Calif.

2005 Modesto, Calif. Management 1984 Tracy, Calif. Consulting, ranch and land sales 1948 Stockton, Calif. Property management

6 1

5 1

1984 Modesto, Calif.

4 1

1996 Modesto, Calif. Property management and fee development services

4 2

1998 Sacramento, Calif.

4 1

2 1

2 2

2 1

2007 Stockton, Calif. Residential sales & leasing, property management 1986 Modesto, Calif. Asset management & property management 1992 Tracy, Calif. Management 1996 Sacramento, Calif.

1979 Stockton, Calif.

1986 Stockton, Calif Property inspection and management, commercial and residential These lists are provided as a free service by the Central Valley Business Journal for its readers. As such, inclusion is based on editorial consideration and is not guaranteed. If you would like your business to be included in a list, please write to: Research Department, Central Valley Business Journal, 4512 Feather River Drive, Ste. E, Stockton, CA 95219, fax your information to Research Dept. at (209) 477-0211 or email research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Revised 01/2014 22

Romero Management Services Inc. 5613 Tamworth Way Stockton, CA 95207

Robert Romero (209) 951-5090 romeromgmtservices.com

1 1

February 2014

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Over 35 Years of Experience in Commercial and Residential Management!

• Commercial Property Management • Site Development • Construction Management Services RobeRt RomeRo

(209) 951-5090

ICSC Certified, SCDP, SCSM, Manager DRE Lic.#01936014 • Contractor’s Lic #499015

• TI Improvements • Complete Remodels • Home Inspection

Central Valley Business Journal

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Pamela Louie King Island Resort 11530 W Eight Mile Rd Stockton, CA 95219 Ps Marinas 5/ West rec Investors, Inc/ Marine Ventures Limited Irma’s Place 524 E Weber St Stockton, CA 95202 Irma Gutierrez Unique Treasures 1706 Royal Crest Dr Lodi, CA 95242 Judy Foreman

SJ COUNTY

LEGALS Fictitious Business Names MILO Real Estate/ MILO Products 672 W 11th St Tracy, CA 95376 Milo Lewis Our House Wine Vineyard & Wine Co 17000 E Hwy 120 Ripon, CA 95366 The Wine Group LLC Mariscos Playa Dorada 3550 N Wilson Way Stockton, CA95205 Felix Reyes Avant Residential 672 W. 11th St $336 Tracy, CA 95376 Gevon Polgar Bazzano Produce Packing Co 2717 Market St Garland, TX 75041 Quality Packing & Shipping Co Inc Monacos Money Publishing Company 2132 Wagner Heights Rd Stockton, CA 95209 Ernest Rougeau Durst Contract Interiors 3008 Cherokee Rd Stockton, CA 95205 Durst Office Designs, Inc GoSmart Mobile 2829 West Lane Stockton, CA 95219 T-Mobile West LLC Valley Pool & Spa Supply 9120 Thornton Rd Stockton, CA 95209 Valley Pool & Spa Supply Inc K9 Kreek 849 Winnepeg Court Tracy, CA 95304

Park Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning 7808 Hwy 99 E Los Molinos, CA 96055 Park Mechanical, Inc

Noelle Ochoa Roberto’s Liquor 142 S El Dorado St Stockton, CA 95202 J. Robert Perez TheZain Computers 16194 Suzie Q lane Lathrop, CA 95330 Moiz Zaini Veenstra Farming 15863 Sexton Rd Escalon, CA 95320 Joann Veenstra Trustee of Frederick John Veenstra and Joann Veenstra 2002 Family Bypass Trust J. R. Drywall, Inc 2601 Waterloo Rd Stockton, CA 95205 J.R. Drywall, Inc

Abstracts of Judgment Samara R Isaacs 574 Button Ave, Apt # 129 Manteca, CA 95336 FIA Card Services, N.A. $3,168.66 Miguel Fajardo 2935 Amherst Drive Stockton, CA 95209 Midland Funding LLC $3,821.37 Venus Dutra 2398 Sea Ranch Ct Stockton, CA 95206 Midland Funding LLC $2,541.93 Theodore E Yaw 517 Park Avenue Manteca, CA 95337 Asset Acceptance LLC $24,512.72

Tire & Wheel Pros 1414 E Harding Way Stockton, CA 95205 Mohommad Suhaib

Complete Auto Detail 1905 Carmel Cir Lodi, CA 95242 Stuart Holloway

Miller Home Inspectors 6346 E Eight Mile Rd Stockton, CA 95212 Miller-Klein Development, Inc

Calex Transport 1240 Whispering Wind Dr Tracy, CA 95377 Amarjit Singh

Oanh K Tran 3249 Cathedral Circle Stockton, CA 95212 Citibank, N.A. $6,710.45

LJ Roman’s Heating and Air Inc 431 Matthew Ct Lathop, CA 95330 LJ Roman’s Heating and Air, Inc/ Lawrence Roman

Khamphang Vang 9055 Warm Springs Circle Stockton, CA 95210 Discover Bank $10,168.09

Joe L Guerrero Trucking 4378 S Roberts Rd Stockton, CA 95206 Joe Guerrero

Luis Garcia 4378 Roxbury Drive Tracy, CA 95377 Citibank $10,931.26

Merrill Law and Mediation 3620 N Monitor Circle Stockton, CA 95219 Zayante Merrill

Nandine Perry 6507 Pacific Ave #259 Stockton, CA 95207 American Express Centurion Bank $3,834.84

Morris Market 2907 S El Dorado St Stockton, CA 95206 Nijjar G Corporation Diamond Ice, Inc 2716 E Miner Ave #26 Stockton, CA 95205 Diamond Ice, Inc D Moz Entertainment 40 W Pine Street Stockton, CA 95204 Daniel Moznett/ Mia Moznett IGI, LLC/ Inert Gas Injection, LLC 600 W Taddei Rd Acampo, CA 95220 Inert Gas Injection, LLC Kooyman & Son Dairy 6787 East Jahant Rd Acampo, CA 95220 Michael Kooyman Program Legacy 405 Donner Way San Ramon, CA 94582 Ruby Converse/ Leigh Purry/ Stephanie Williams All Keyed Up 337 E Poplar St Apt 16 Stockton, CA 95202 Richard Knoernschild La Costentita 612 S Central Ave Lodi, CA 95240 Patricia Morell That Gadget Innovations/ The Richardi Group/ Kurrnl Creative Agency/ Slicksnap Studios 165 N Maple Unit 2563 Manteca, CA 95336 Nicholas Richardi Productos de Ggave International 1091 Alba St Manteca, CA 95337

Kim Nails 1337 Historical Plaza Way Manteca, CA 95636 Thanh Kim Bui Mubarak Tours and Travel 1690 Whirlaway Lane Tracy, CA 95377 Ramona Malik

Randal Chan 1830 Bellini Court Stockton, CA 95207 American Express Bank, FSB $11,632.61

Jimenez Trucking 10063 Liotard Dr Stockton, CA 95209 Pedro Jimenez

Cliff Miller 1910 W Rose Street Stockton, CA 95203 American Express Bank, FSB $4,955.17

W.B. Investments 50190 Innisbrook Stockton, CA 95219 Jeremy White/ Edith Boogvsett

Aida Zamora 6380 Porterfield Ct Stockton, CA 95207 Lobel Financial Corp $3,357.47

La Strada 88 18935 Hwy 88 Clements, CA 95227 Tres Cruzes Land & Cattle Co, LLC

Salazar Transportation, Inc., A California Corporation, dba John Salazar Heavy Haul 1535 Timberlake Circle Lodi, CA 95242 Northern California Collection Service $5,730.98

Creative Draperies 12109 E. Louise Ave Manteca, CA 95336 Laurie Holfman Tri Valley Gardens 310 Don Carlos Ave Stockton, CA 95210 Dave Laroza

Phil Salazar 1535 Timberlake Circle Lodi, CA 95242 Northern California Collection Service

February 2014 $5,730.98 Larry Carter Gail Carter 8336 Manhattan Drive Stockton, CA 95210 Quail Lakes Neighborhood, et al $1,469.56

T.A. Ross-Collections $1,463.15 Howard Kemp Beverly Raylene Kemp 2633 Marblehead Circle Modesto, CA 95355 Indymac Bank, F.S.B. $4,000,000.00

Ramiro H Cortes 161 Cherub Way Tracy, CA 95377 GCFS, Inc $18,441.52

Kemp Land Company 2920 3rd Street Ceres, CA 95307 Indymac Bank, F.S.B. $4,000,000.00

Vicke L Ferrell, aka Vickie Lenai Ferrell, aka Vickie Ferrell 710 Glacier Street Tracy, CA 95376 GCFS, Inc $7,517.70

Cottonwood Medical Group, LLC C/O James N Bradley 1785 SR 89A #2-I Sedona, AZ 96336 Coastline Re Holdings Corp., A California Corporation $786,791.96

James L Davis Pauline D Davis 1305 Augusta Pointe Dr Ripon, CA 95366 Capital One Bank $12,552.24 Andrew B Shipman 402 Acacia Street Tracy, CA 95376 Cach, LLC $6,606.59 Christopher E Kalba, aka Christopher Edward Kalba 3554 Des Moines Drive Stockton, CA 95209 Westlake Services, LLC, dba Westlake Financial Services $10,215.12 Josue Centeno 1845 Camelia Drive Tracy, CA 95376 The Woods Of San Jose $3,585.18 Anibal Vazquez 3117 Birds Rest Place Kissimmee, FL 34743 The Woods Of San Jose $3,585.18 Naveez Khan 602 N Chruch Street Lodi, CA 95240 Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC $3,669.43 Henderson G Galimore, Jr 2868 Fox Creek Ct Stockton, CA 95210 Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC $3,391.61 Ryan M Shannon, aka Ryan Shannon 84 Elysian Ct Tracy, CA 95376 Cavalry Spv I, LLC $16,827.84 Richard F Brown 1731 Calhoun Way Stockton, CA 95207 Valerie Jo Byers-Brown $1,500.00 Jose Juan Granados 349 S Olive Ave Stockton, CA 95215

Vasanti Peiris 11845 Tierra Del Sur San Diego, CA 92130 Coastline Re Holdings Corp., A California Corporation $786,791.96 Radharani Gattu 1385 Trabert Ranch Road Encinitas, CA 92024 Coastline Re Holdings Corp., A California Corporation $786,791.96 Thomas McHale 12832 Stone Canyon Road Poway, CA 92064 Coastline Re Holdings Corp., A California Corporation $786,791.96 Susan Goyal-McHale 12832 Stone Canyon Road Poway, CA 92064 Coastline Re Holdings Corp., A California Corporation $786,791.96 Judy Montgomery 219 Vera Ave Ripon, CA 95366 GE Capital Retail Bank $6,131.72 Lisa Coons 2331 Tejon St Lodi, CA 95242 Midland funding LLC $2,895.24 Flora Ochoa 1525 S Sacramento St Lodi, CA 95240 Capital One Bank $2,965.54 Patricia Q Sanchez 2034 Princeton Ave Stockton, CA 95204 Portfolio Recovery Associates $1,330.70 Fleming M Woodmansee 1279 Bolton Drive Morro Bay, CA 93442 Portfolio Recovery Associates $5,007.34

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February 2014

Swimming Pools 3913 Dale Rd Unit A Modesto, CA 95356 Cassio Almeida

Market 2531 E Whitmore Ave Ceres, CA 95307 Dolgen California LLC

Corinas Night Club 132 – 134 S First St Turlock, CA 95380 Sandra Corina Valencia

Don Pedro Motel – Salida Inn 4730 Salida Blvd Salida, CA 95368 Atul Patel Shilpa A Patel

Country Wide Baby Sitting 15923 Sonora Rd Kights Ferry, CA 95361 Ernie Altmann

STANISLAUS COUNTY

Country Wide Child Sitting 15923 Sonora Rd Knights Ferry, CA 95361 Debra Stelma

Fictitious Business Names

Countrywide Horse Training 15923 Sonora Rd Knights Ferry, CA 95361 Ernie Altmann

Carniceria Garcia #2 114 Herndon Rd Modesto, CA 95351 Jesus Omar Partida Erika Gasso Partida

Crystal Clear Drains & Plumbing 4324 Finney Rd Salida, CA 95368 Sergio Aguilar Crystal Vargas

Caroline Richardson 2000 Columbard Way Modesto, CA 95351 Megan Caroline Richardson

Custom Concepts 6803 E Whitmore Ave Hughson, CA 95326 Robert Borba

LEGALS

Catholic Heritage Curricula 1916 Legend Dr Modesto, CA 95357 Johnson Family Corporation CCDS Driving School 126 4th Street Patterson, CA 95363 Felicia Nicole Muna-Vasquez Central Grants 1704 Kruger Dr Modesto, CA 95355 Janet M Horton Chuck’s Auto Parts 12800 Yosemite Blvd Waterford, CA 95386 The Cross Automotive Group Inc Continental Tires & Wheels 1829 Crowslanding Rd Modesto, CA 95358 Mohammad T Zubair Cool Treats Ice Cream 2601 Oakdale Rd Ste C-180 Modesto, CA 95355 Cool Treats, Inc Copacabana

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D & V Sobrero’s 427 Covena Ave Modesto, CA 95354 Daniel Sobrero Valarie Sobrero

Down Range 209 2204 Gladwyne Court Modesto, CA 95358 Eduardo Bravo Camarillo Dufort & Company, CPA’S 527 Fifteenth St Modesto, CA 95354 Michael R Dufort Inc Dwharterdesign 507 East Hawkeye Turlock, CA 95380 David Wayne Harter Elite Heating & Air Conditioning 3624 Viader Drive Modesto, CA 95356 Paradise Construction & Development Inc Escalon Community Ambulance 1480 Ullrey Ave Escalon, CA 95320 Escalon Community Ambulance Espinoza Gift Shop 1622 Main Street Newman, CA 95360 Avelina Espinoza

Data Boost 915 14th Street Modesto, CA 95354 Orbit Productions LLC

Esquivez Trucking 1035 Q Street Newman, CA 95360 Jose Esquivez

DH1 Digital 9344 Vintner Circle Patterson, CA 95363 Richboy Ventures Inc

Esteves and Sons 3008 Poppypatch Drive Modesto, CA 95354 Joshua Lawrence Esteves

DH1 Media 9344 Vintner Circle Patterson, CA 95363 Richboy Ventures Inc Diggin’ It Nursery 2730 Derr Ct Denair, CA 95316 George Manuel Lima Sheri Ann Lima Dirty Wick A Forever Dark Company, The 2801 W Hatch Rd Modesto, CA 95358 Paul D Mercy Doggie Salon 18413 Sycamore Ave Patterson, CA 95363 Lixin Boehmer Dollar General

Esteves Enterprises 3008 Poppypatch Drive Modesto, CA 95354 Joshua Lawrence Esteves Everlasting Electrology 1400 Mitchell Rd #16 Modesto, CA 95351 Marisa Lopez Excel Athletices 17184 Sonora Rd Oakdale, CA 95361 Chris Peterson Extra Space Storage #8401 1780 Mitchell Road Ceres, CA 95307 Extra Space

Management Inc Extra Space Storage #8402 2536 Patterson Road Riverbank, CA 95367 Extra Space Management Inc Family Time Bouncers 807 Elm Ave Modesto, CA 95351 Desiree Rodriguez Family Truck and Auto 360 N Yosemite Ave Oakdale, CA 95361 Carver Investments LLC Farmers Cyber Stop 6943B Maze Blvd Modesto, CA 95358 Karen Schuber Vernon Verburg Femme Bricoleuse 150 East E Street Oakdale, CA 95361 Linda Sue Ellinwood Field Services by John Rock 2329 Miller Ave Modesto, CA 95354 John Rock Fitness Evolution 2210 Patterson Road Riverbank, CA 95367 OM Fitness LLC Fitness Evolution 1275 East F Street Oakdale, CA 95361 Zeus Fitness LLC Fitness Evolution 4120 Dale Rd #G Modesto, CA 95356 Zeus Fitness LLC Fly N Dutchman 5107 Kiernan Ave Salida, CA 95368 Nanette Gracie Spyksma Forever Young 1220 Main St Ste 116 Newman, CA 95360 Patricia Cortes Ree Classified Real Estate Advertising 3461 California Ave Modesto, CA 95358 Delbert Jolly From Packs 2 Hats 1002 Floyd Ave Modesto, CA 95350 Monica Jimenez Steve Jimenez Garcia’s Heating & Air Conditioning 408 S Del Puerto Ave

Patterson, CA 95363 Robert Anthony Garcia Gill Family Dentistry 1518 Coffee Rd Ste B Modesto, CA 95355 As Gill Corp Girasol Paleteria Y Neveria 2215 Scenic Drive Modesto, CA 95355 Girasol Paleteria Y Neveria Inc Gold and Silver Gallery 5061 Pioneer Road Hughson, CA 95326 Teresa Moitoso Gold Diamonds & More 121 E Orangeburg Ave #12 Modesto, CA 95350 Ricky Cabral Alejandro Hernandez Golden Comb 4231 Idaho Rd Turlock, CA 95380 Anatoliy Tsymbal Good to Drive 1104 Cedar Dr #2 Modesto, CA 95355 Gregory R Cupper Goodspeed Motorsports 1025 Lone Palm Ave Ste 8G Modesto, CA 95354 Michael Raymond Dufort Jeremy Wynn Goodspeed David Theodore Brager Grade A Investments, Inc 21143 Armstrong Road Crows Landing, CA 95313 Grade A Investments, Inc Grand Properties 7725 Gilbert Rd Oakdale, CA 95361 Tracy Dawn Williams Weatheral Gregg’s Mobile Truck & Trailer Repair 4628 Gomes Rd Modesto, CA 95357 Robert A Gregg Grille, The 933 Fresno St Turlock, CA 95380 Daniel S Gray Grischott Investigative Services 553 Agadoni Court Patterson, CA 95363

Craig F Grischott H.A.R.D. Motorsports 1260 St Francis Avenue Modesto, CA 95356 Robert Matthew Hartzell Hampton Inn & Suites 4921 Sisk Rd Salida, CA 95368 Aleena Investment LLC Harding Performance Bootcamp 350 Delta Ct Turlock, CA 95382 Anthony Harding Heidi M Design 416 Ryan Ave Modesto, CA 95350 Heidi Marie Mendonca High Sierra Legal Services 116 Poplar St Oakdale, CA 95361 Frank Muterspaw Hiside Fabrication Inc 763 Apricot Ave Patterson, CA 95363 Hiside Fabrication, Inc Hiside Properties 763 Apricot Ave Patterson, CA 95363 Alan Robert Souza Jim Ray Thurman Hollidays Home Repair 2400 6th St Hughson, CA 95326 Guillermo Dimas Hollis Associates Computer Systems & Training 1814 Plaza De Maria Modesto, CA 95350 Ginny Hollis Home Place 1031 Fifteenth St, Suite 3 Modesto, CA 95354 Sanders Construction Company Sanders Properties Hoyer Road Ranch 1514 H Street Modesto, CA 95354 J Wilmar Jensen Judith A Jensen Draper Road Ranch, A California General P Jensen Bros Co, A California General P J Wilmar Jensen & Judith A Jensen Family

Central Valley Business Journal

February 2014