Cvbj may 2015 final lowres by Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

MAY

2015 VOL 10 • NUMBER 9

Business Journal CENTRAL VALLEY

www.cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON • TRACY • LODI • MANTECA • LATHROP • ESCALON • RIPON MERCED • LIVINGSTON

MODESTO • CERES • TURLOCK • OAKDALE • PATTERSON LOS BANOS • ATWATER

Lodi gets ready for Amgen Tour

Retail Expansions Riverbank shopping center adds restaurants, stores.

By SIM RISSO Business Journal writer srisso@cvbizjournal.com

Page 3

Ride a Bike Cities build biking into transit plans.

Page 24 ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Almond grower and Almond Board member Dave Phippen owns 2,000 acres with his partners in the Manteca area.

Water for almonds

Almond growers face another year of curtailments

Mobile Flowers Happy Girl florist pops up in Modesto.

By ELIZABETH STEVENS Business Journal editor estevens@cvbizjournal.com

Page 34

WHAT’S INSIDE Publisher’s Notes.............Page 2 On the Web.......................Page 4 Community Voices..........Page 35 Briefs......................Pages 42, 43 Legals.....................Pages 45, 46

MODESTO — California’s almond industry has been on a campaign to earn back its status as the Central Valley’s economic golden child since the beginning of April when Gov. Brown ordered mandatory 25 percent water cuts for cities but not agriculture. The order sparked a cry of “no fair” from other industries and urban dwellers

who asked why ag was off the hook when it uses much of the state’s water but only contributes 2 percent of the state’s GDP. Fingers were pointed at the almond industry, a permanent crop which occupies about 940,000 acres. “We’re used to wearing the halos here,” said Manteca almond grower and processor Dave Phippen. “We haven’t had to defend ourselves.” Almonds are the state’s third biggest commodity, after dairy and grapes, with a

value of about $6.4 billion. The almond industry also contributes 104,000 jobs in California, according to a report from the University of California Agricultural Issues Center. But California is in the fourth year of what the Public Policy Institute of California says is the worst drought since recordkeeping began in 1895. About 41 percent of the state’s water goes to agriculture, and of that, about 1.1 trillion gallons goes to Please see ALMONDS Page 10

LODI — Lodi is preparing for the exposure it hopes will come when the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California finishes in downtown on Monday, May 11. “Lodi has never really had anything this big in terms of getting us on the global stage, with global visibility of broadcasting in 200 countries,” said Lodi Chamber of Commerce CEO Pat Patrick. The Amgen Tour of California is the largest annual spectator sport event in the state. It is also the largest cycling event in North America, drawing in more than 2 million spectators every year. The race features world-class riders from 26 nations and will be broadcast by NBC and NBC Sports Network in more than 200 countries, with more than 4.26 billion online, print and television impressions worldwide. This is the first time Lodi will be before such a large audience. “There’s some huge number, like 2 billion people, that are going to be watching the race progress through California. So it’s a great opportunity for us to make a statement on who we are, where we are and what we do,” said Patrick. A big part of Lodi’s allure is its ever-growing wine industry. The area is becoming a destination for wine connoisseurs, and the city sees the Tour of California as a way to further that effort. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase our wines,” said Patrick. “I think many of the cycling fans around the world Please see AMGEN Page 11

PERMIT NO. 305

Scan to visit WWW.CVBIZJOURNAL.COM

PRTSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID

and “Like” us at FACEBOOK.COM/CVBIZJOURNAL

SACRAMENTO CA

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Keeping my fingers crossed, praying Greetings, The drought is hitting home as we’ve all been asked to cut back our water use by 25 percent compared to what we used in 2013. We’re taking a hard look at our landscaping and the little ways we use more water than we should. We all need to do our part to get through this together. I’ve been interested in all the ideas Sharon floating around Alley Calone about increasing our water supply — desalination and even bringing water here via a pipeline from the Pacific Northwest. It’s a good thing California is home to the world’s most innovative thinkers, because creative solutions will be needed to tackle this long term water problem. You’ve no doubt heard that statistic that agriculture gets 40 percent of California’s water but only produces 2 percent of the state’s GDP. That figure only accounts for the farmgate value.

Publisher’s Notes

It doesn’t take into account the other industries that support agriculture. The almond industry alone supports 97,000 jobs in the Central Valley. And while the Valley makes up just 1 percent of the farmland of the United States, farmers here produce a third of our nation’s fruits and vegetables. I was interested to read about innovations in water efficiency that have been developed in agriculture. From new plant varieties that can get by on less water or lower quality water to more efficient irrigation systems, farming is on the cutting edge when it comes to making the most of the water we have. John Duarte of Duarte Nurseries told us they’ve developed new almond root stock that tolerates water with higher salt content. That means orchards can now be planted in parts of the state where it wasn’t possible before. You can read more about that in our cover story on almonds and the drought. I’m very much looking forward to Stockton’s State of the City address this year. Stockton is out of bankruptcy, and it will be exciting to learn about the city’s path going forward. There is a lot of out-of-the-box thinking concerning the revitalization of downtown, and it is great to see people focusing on new possibilities rather

than digging out of a hole. We have turned the corner! The State of the City address is May 21 at the Port of Stockton. I hope to see you there. It’s with a heavy heart I’m writing my column this month. My sweet little Sophie, Yorkie-Poodle mix, has gone missing. She was last seen Sunday, April 26 at our farm on Highway 12 in Victor, right outside of Lodi. Sophie has been a very important part of our family for the past five years, so much so that my rescue Labrador, Buddy, has stopped eating, and Elvis, our rag doll Siamese is searching the entire house meowing loudly, trying his best to call her back. We are heartbroken at the possibility of never seeing her again. I’ve called the shelters, vets and groomers and have posted her photo on the missing pet websites. I’ve hung missing dog posters all over Victor and Lodi. Sophie has a chip in her, so I’m praying that helps us find her. There is a reward for anyone who can help us bring her home safely. I’ve included photos of her. Any help finding her would be greatly appreciated. Our pets are gifts from God as our are children, family and friends. We are blessed to have them enriching our lives. Enjoy each day with them

“Sophie” - Yorkie Poo mix $500 REWARD will be given, Please call Sharon at (209) 996-4405

as we never know when it’s going to be the last. My hope is Sophie is safe and waiting for her mom to find her and bring her back home! God bless America, Sharon Alley Calone

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Shopping centers share expansion plans Lincoln Center 99% full with new store STOCKTON — McCaulou’s department store plans to open in Lincoln Center in October, the center announced April 24. The store will move into the 23,746 square-foot location that was Campbell’s before its closure in 2012. When that happens, Lincoln Center will be 99 percent occupied, the center’s management said. Ninety-four businesses are currently located in Lincoln Center. Over the past year, as the economy has improved, 10 new businesses have opened, including Midgley’s Public House, other restaurants, retail and services. All of them are locally owned and operated, said Phil Johnson, president of Sims-Grupe Management, General Partner for Lincoln Properties. Additionally, local grocer Podesto’s announced it will remodel the 30,000 square feet it occupies in Lincoln Center. The remodel will feature updates, including an energy efficient lighting system, new signage, fixtures, refrigeration and merchandising displays throughout the store. Specialty coffee drinks will be offered in a new café with indoor and outdoor

According to the center’s leasing manager, Scott Bohrer of Browman Development Company, the expansion will make room for a Dickey’s BBQ restaurant and four other businesses. The new building is going up in the southwest corner of the shopping center at the corner of Claribel and Oakdale roads, next to Starbucks. In addition to Dickey’s, AT&T has also signed a lease. Bohre said the new, standalone building will be 9,500 square feet and will accommodate five tenants. There are also plans for patio seating alongside Starbucks’ drive thru and on the southside. There will also be walk-in access from Claribel. According to Bohre, there are just two unoccupied spaces in the shopping center and pads are available for construction. Paden & Bletscher out of Fresno is the construction company. That’s the same company that is building two other shopping center additions in Modesto. One is at McHenry Avenue and Briggsmore Avenue. That new building will house Starbucks, Chipotle and The Habit, a casual dining burger restaurant. The company is also putting up a building down the road at McHenry and Bowen that will house the long-awaited Panera as well as a dental office.

BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO

McCaulou’s department store will occupy the former Campbell’s location when it opens in October.

seating, as well as a new outdoor barbecue area near the south entrance. Podesto’s will also offer new products including fresh-made meals and snacks to-go in the deli, meat and bakery departments, more organic produce, baked goods and specialty cheeses. McCaulou’s carries a wide variety of merchandise found in most department stores including menswear, women’s and children’s clothing, cosmetics, shoes and gifts. The family-

owned chain has been in business for more than 40 years and has nine stores in the Bay Area including its flagship store in Lafayette. McCaulou’s expects to create 30-40 new jobs. Riverbank’s Crossroads expands Just a few months after finishing a new building to house cosmetics store, Ulta, construction has begun again at Crossroads Shopping Center in Riverbank.

A business friendship built to last. Whether it’s reaching out to the community or helping a customer in need, we’ve always looked out for our friends. As one of the strongest, local community banks, we’re proud to have the community count on us. Whether you need commercial banking services, real estate financing, construction lending, cash management services or agricultural credit, we’re here to help you achieve your goals. Call on us today!

Douglass Eberhardt II

Eric Daegling

Dave Boyd

Doug Eddy

Business Banking Center Managers Stockton Douglass Eberhardt II, EVP, 209-929-1265 Lodi Eric Daegling, VP, 209-340-2301 Manteca Dave Boyd, VP, 209-249-2201 Modesto Doug Eddy, VP, 209-557-2266 bankofstockton.com Member FDIC

Friends you can bank on.

Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

May 2015

ONLINE EXTRAS CVBIZJOURNAL.COM

The Lists for June

Events:

► Golf courses ► Hotels ► Fine dining ► Oldest businesses ► Florists

If your business has an event you would like to add to our Business Journal calendar, email the information, including date, time, location and cost to editor@cvbizjournal.com.

If you have a business in one of these industries and haven’t been contacted, you can request a survey by emailing Danette Conley at research@cvbizjournal.com.

May 16 Various locations, Modesto ► State of the City May 21 Port of Stockton ► Scholarship Golf Tournament May 29 Stevinson Ranch Golf Club

► Lemonade Day

News Tips Contact our editor directly with story ideas, new hires or promotions, business expansions or information about events. Email Elizabeth Stevens at editor@cvbizjournal.com.

Slideshows & Video ► San Joaquin Asparagus Festival ► Farmers Markets (Find slideshows in our Media Gallery)

(Find details on our calendar at www.cvbizjournal.com)

Notable Quote

Digital and Social Media

Subscribe by calling 209-477-0100 and ask for subscriptions.

► Twitter: Follow us at @cvbizjournal

“Take the water from the farmer and the whole community is going to suffer.”

► Find us: LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook

-- John Duarte, Duarte Nurseries owner

► Daily newsletter: Sign up for our free daily

Advertise with us

digest of local business news. Send your email address to editor@cvbizjournal.com.

For advertising information, call 209-477-0100.

What we do:

» Paving

877.823.2305

» Grading

georgereed.com

» Asphalt

Director of Business Development:

» Aggregates

Chris Marr

Galt, Ca - River Oaks Subdivision Project

Highway 108/120 - Oakdale Overlay Project

chris.marr@georgereed.com

May 2015

Business Journal STOCKTON • TRACY • LODI • MANTECA • LATHROP MODESTO • CERES • TURLOCK • OAKDALE • SALIDA

4512 Feather River Dr., Suite E • Stockton, CA 95219 Phone: (209) 477-0100 • Fax: (209) 477-0211 Web: www.cvbizjournal.com Publisher Sharon Alley Calone

Columnists Peter Johnson Michael Blower Jason Harrel Ryan Swehla Bruce Sarchet John Parker

Editor Elizabeth Stevens Stanislaus County Sales Manager Ron Posey

www.cvbizjournal.com

100 Years Strong!

EQUIPMENT LOANS & LEASES Great Bank. Great Offers. Great Terms.

Contributing Writers Craig W. Anderson Kent Hohlfeld Patricia Reynolds Nora Heston Tarte Sim Risso

San Joaquin County Account Executive Stephanie Bialach Assistant Manager/ Subscriptions/Research Danette Conley

Photographers Wayne Denning Mark Richey

Creative Director Sophia Machado

Legal Adviser Calone & Harrel Law Group, LLP Richard Calone

Accounting Lisa Delany-Duffy Office Administration Alyssa Larson

Printer Paradise Post

3 Year Term Loans & Capital Leases AS LOW AS

2.85

DETACH AND MAIL OR FAX

Subscribe Today!

Receive 12 months of the Journal mailed to you Gain online access to special business content  Enjoy a copy of our annual Book of Lists  All for a FULL Year 

AS LOW AS

2.60

Annual Subscription

Name:__________________________________ Company:_______________________________ Address:________________________________ City:___________________State:____Zip_____ Check one:

Check enclosed

Charge my:

Visa Discover

Business Phone:___________________________ Email Address:____________________________

4512 Feather River Dr. # E, Stockton, CA 95219, (209) 477-0100 www.cvbizjournal.com

*Subject to Credit Approval

CALL TODAY

American Express

Signature:__________________Sec. Code:_____

Refinanance or Purchase | Up to 100% Loan to Value | 3, 5, and 7 Year Terms

MasterCard

Card #:_____________________ Exp. Date:____

*Subject to Credit Approval

3 Year Tax Leases



Claire Brumley (209) 337-6007

Bob Harmon

(209) 337-6008

Jared Steinwert (209) 337-6006

Eric Tobias

(209) 571-4015

*Business equipment ﬁnancing only. Offer not applicable to existing F&M Bank loans. Rates based on Auto Pay from an F&M Bank Checking Account. Other rates and terms may apply based on your qualiﬁcations. Effective 3-23-15 and subject to change without notice. Ask for the current rate. F&M Capital is a unit of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California.

fmbonline.com

Member

The Central Valley Business Journal, LLC published monthly at 4512 Feather River Drive - Suite E, Stockton, CA 95219. Circulation 17,000 verification letter available upon request. Contents copyright 2015 by the Central Valley Business Journal, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced, reprinted or placed on any electronic medium, without strict, written permission from the publisher.

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Construction comes back slow but steady By CRAIG W. ANDERSON Business Journal writer canderson@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Construction is on the upswing after a five-year recession, according to economists and construction companies on the national and local level. “Construction has gone from essentially zero to chugging right along,” said Steve Diede, president of Diede Construction, Inc. in Lodi. The Construction Financial Management Association surveyed a panel of construction industry executives and concluded “2015 is shaping up to be a year of significant recovery for the U.S. construction industry,” which it said has been gaining momentum since the first quarter of 2014. In the San Joaquin Valley, construction is the top performing employment category, according to CSU Stanislaus’ Business Forecast mid-year update. Employment is projected to grow to 47,500 by 2017, a rate that Foster Farms Endowed Professor of Business Economics Gokce Soydemir said was more sustainable than during the boom that preceeded the recession. “Relative to the pre-recession years,

construction employment has been displaying more balanced growth during the post-recession years as observed from the almost linear long term growth since 2011, as opposed to exponential growth before the recession,” Soydemir wrote. Much of that growth has come in just the past year, according to the Associated General Contractors of California. “The construction industry in California has seen a 7 percent increase in jobs, more than 40,000 from March 2014 to March 2015,” said the organization’s CEO Thomas Holsman. In fact, finding qualified workers has been a challenge. “When the recession hit, trained people left the construction labor force and didn’t come back, so the industry is recruiting from the ranks of veterans, vocational programs of schools and is working with unions and their apprentice programs.” Diede agreed companies in the Valley are working to attract experienced workers. “A lot of people left it and those remaining who are trained in the skills needed are smaller in number,” said Diede. “Re-establishing an experi-

BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO

Expansion at Crossroads shopping center in Riverbank is just one of numerous retail construction projects in the Valley.

enced labor force will be a challenge.” Many construction companies hung on through the recession by diversifying their services. Now they’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. “When the recession hit it was devastating for remodelers, but the remodeling sector and construction as whole are getting better,” said John Price, CEO of Artisan Construction & Design, headquartered in Merced. “We do remodeling and during the recession we took on a lot of commer-

cial work that carried us through the down time.” Price said his company has done a lot of work for UC Merced and has also picked up jobs installing solar systems. If the construction of new units in the private, commercial and industrial sectors is growing, albeit slowly, other construction realms are opening up for contractors. While construction of new schools is low, renovations of Please see CONSTRUCTION Page 15

INTRODUCING TUOLUMNE COUNTY’S

Where the outdoors meets your front door. Consider a move for your business and spend more time with your family. For more information call 209-989-4058 or visit us 24/7 at www.tceda.net

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Sierra Pacific unveils rooftop solar project PATTERSON — Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group unveiled the new solar panel system on its Patterson warehouse April 10, the largest solar system in the Turlock Irrigation District. The company’s CEO Chris Murphy said it’s a move he’s been wanting to make for years. “I’ve wanted to do this for eight, nine years, and it was just out of our reach,” Murphy said. “Rodda Electric came to us with a plan that let us get as much energy as we could out of the roof. Then we were able to make that decision to go for it.” The system consists of 100,000 square feet of solar panels that generate 835 kilowatts of electricity, or about 46 percent of Sierra Pacific’s needs — a huge savings for a warehouse that stores frozen food and whose electric bills are between $80,000 and $100,000 a month. “The other thing that makes it unique for us is, as a frozen warehouse, our power demands are really constant,” Murphy said. “When this system’s working the hardest is when we’re getting the most off the roof, and that’s when the region has most of their demand. So when we’re at full production, we actually help the area electricity grid.” Rodda Electric, out of Brentwood, installed the system. Murphy said the

company worked with Sierra Pacific to maximize energy efficiency, which was key in the warehouse group’s decision to move on solar now. Sierra Pacific celebrated the new solar system with a luncheon attended by dozens of employees and dignitaries including Sierra Pacific president Michael McNulty, Rep. Jeff Denham, District 21 Assemblyman Adam Gray, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, Stanislaus Business Alliance CEO David White, Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth and Patterson Mayor Luis Molina. Denham told the group that the Sierra Pacific project was an example of the potential for energy independence in the Central Valley. “Here in the Central Valley, between our hydro-electricity with our many irrigation districts, the wind power that we have coming over the Altamont and now the huge, growing projects that we’re having with solar, we have an ability like no other to be energy independent here utilizing our own resources,” Denham said. Murphy said supporting the growth of solar power was one of the reasons the company decided to invest in it. “Ethically it’s the right thing. Environmentally it’s the right thing to do,” Murphy said. “I believe that we need energy independence.”

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group CEO Chris Murphy shows off the 100,000 square feet of solar panels on the roof of the Patterson warehouse.

According to Murphy, the company at first thought the new system would pay for itself in about a decade, but with energy costs rising, he said he now believes it will be sooner. Murphy advises other companies thinking about installing solar systems to move ahead. “Do the math because the systems

are getting cheaper,” Murphy said. “The panels are getting efficient. The inverters are getting more efficient. You don’t know where we’re going to be with hydro or gas. I mean, there’s a lot of unpredictable things in this market and so the one thing off the top of your roof is really predictable and you can manage it.”

Celebrating

50 Years! Mobile

Web

In Branch

ATM

Personal & Business Banking the Way YOU Want It.

You Define Service. We Deliver It.

Since 1965

bankbac.com

Member FDIC

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Walnut processor tests RF pasteurization By ELIZABETH STEVENS Business Journal editor estevens@cvbizjournal.com

HUGHSON — Food safety is on everyone’s minds these days, especially businesses in the food industry. Grower Direct Nut Co., which processes walnuts in Hughson, has partnered with RF Biocidics of Sacramento in the hopes of revolutionizing the industry. The two companies are testing the effectiveness and practicality of radio frequency (RF) as a way to pasteurize walnuts. The process uses RF photons at specific frequencies to activate targeted molecules in a food product, in this case nuts, which disinfects it and kills pests. Currently, when the walnut processors pasteurize, they use steam or a chemical gas called propylene oxide (PPO) to kill salmonella, e-coli and listeria. “[RF] is a good process because it is fairly simple versus steam treatment which has a lot more moving parts. And PPO is a pretty harsh chemical,” said Grower Direct President Aaron Martella. Martella said one problem with steam is that sometimes the product isn’t dried properly and mold develops. And with both steam and PPO, heat is applied in a way that can make walnuts go rancid faster. Although heat is used in RF, the process actually arrests degradation, Martella said.

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Grower Direct Nut Co. is testing the entry-level RF Biocidics pasteurization machine, which can process between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds of walnuts at a time.

“It could extend shelf life for six months or a year maybe. It deactivates enzymes that make it oxidize,” he said. RF has been around since the 1950s. The technology was developed for agricultural applications at UC Davis. In 2008, RF Biocidics’ parent company, Allied Mines, obtained the exclusive license to the technology, including

Tuition-Free Public School Option

eCADEMY CHARTER AT CRANE SCHOOL

1100 Cahill Ave., Turlock, CA | (209) 669-3410 www.ec-turlockusd-ca.schoolloop.com

K-6 Home School ddd ddddd 7-12 Independent Study/ssssss Blended Learning Programddd

Full student and family support system

WE OFFER:

EDGENUITY COURSES THAT ARE UC APPROVED ENGLISH • SCIENCE • MATH SOCIAL STUDIES • ELECTIVES Information Night for Interested Parents: May 12, 2015

K - 8th: 5 p.m., 9th grade: 6:00 p.m. and 10th - 12th grade: 6:30 p.m.

eCADEMY CHARTER AT CRANE SCHOOL

patents and intellectual property and formed RF Biocidics. In addition to California, the company has customers in Australia, South America and the Middle East. Regulatory changes are driving the partnership between RF Biocidics and Grower Direct. The idea is to get out ahead of problems, especially as the

Food Modernization and Safety Act is written into regulations. “That really changes the nature of the food industry to one that really mandates much more proactive approach from the perspective of the grower or the processor,” said RF Biocidics CEO Craig Powell. RF is not a solution for all agricultural products, however. “I would love to attack the problems that they’re having in the fresh produce industry. Chicken is having a huge issue with salmonella,” Powell said. “Because we generate heat, we’re not really appropriate.” Currently, the two companies are working to streamline pasteurization and to determine if it can be achieved with minimal change to the walnuts. They’ve sent out test batches to customers to see what they think of the RF-pasteurized product. Martella said they’ve discovered a by-product from the new process. “With the RF system, it puts a little bit of a toast on the product, which makes a nice flavor. It takes the tannins away,” he said. If it turns out the process also improves shelf life, it could open up new product possibilities for walnuts. “Then you can use these products in snack packs and other things that you didn’t see too much before because it went rancid,” Martella said.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

May 2015

ALMONDS Continued from Page 1

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Thanks to modern technology, farmers can now produce about 30 percent more almonds on the same acreage as they did several decades ago.

Is your money in a bind? • 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 • Bankruptcy Planning and Filing

Calone & Harrel Law Group, LLP Es ta te Pl a nni ng, Tax an d Bu sin ess At t or neys

209.952.4545

WWW.CALONEANDHARREL.COM

almond and pistachio farmers. Representatives for the almond industry say nobody knows better than its growers how dry it is. For the second year in a row, growers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will receive no water from the federal Central Valley Project. They’ll receive just 20 percent of their normal allocation from the state system. “It’s not that we won’t do more or aren’t trying to do more, but we have been severely restricted, and it’s placed a lot of growers in some very difficult situations and uncertainty in terms of their future,” said Almond Board of California CEO Richard Waycott during a conference call with reporters on April 20. Phippen says he’s one of the lucky ones. The 2,000 acres he and his partners farm mostly fall within the South San Joaquin Irrigation District, which uses surface water from the Tri Dam Project on the Stanislaus River. This year, they’re limited to 36 inches of water, or about three acre feet. “That’s a lot of water compared to a lot of the poor farmers that are farming south of here,” Phippen said. “Anybody south of the Delta, basically, is dependent on water that’s being shipped from the north to the south, and those are the folks that are facing serious curtailments right now.” Phippen’s company, Travaille and Phippen, uses about four acre feet of water for its orchards. He said his limit of 36 inches will leave them about a foot short, so they will pump about 12 inches or one acre foot of water from their wells. They’ll get a lot for their water, Phippen said -- certainly more than his father did when he was farming in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Phippen’s father planted about 55 trees per acre. He and his partners can plant about 110. Modern techniques, equipment and higheryielding root stock now make it possible to produce about 30 percent more almonds on the same amount of land. Travaille and Phippen planted four new, small ranches this year, which replaced older orchards. At the same time, the company installed more efficient drip irrigation. Using probes to monitor soil moisture allows them

to apply only as much water as they need. It’s a process Phippen said is about 90 percent efficient. “There’s virtually no loss to transpiration because you’re not throwing water up in the air like sprinklers do,” he explained. Nurseries have been developing new root stock that is tolerant of more soil conditions in an effort to make it possible to plant almond orchards in other parts of the state. “We can use salt-tolerance (root stock) to grow trees where the quality of water is lower, and we can use wetsoil-tolerance to grow trees in the Delta and the Sacramento Valley where sometimes there’s too much water and the soil texture isn’t ideal for almonds for traditional root stock,” said Duarte Nurseries owner John Duarte. One of the major criticisms of the almond industry is that growers continue to plant more orchards even as the state struggles through the water crisis. In mid-April, Rabobank released a report concluding that growers will increase plantings by 2 percent each year. Waycott argued it’s a matter of economics. He said some growers are replacing less valuable annual crops that can be grown elsewhere with almonds, which cannot be grown in many other places. He said it comes down to 6,500 growers making their own business decisions. “The growers in this Valley are independent business people that are making decisions based on their outlook for markets, their outlook for pricing,” he said. “That’s the American economic system.” Phippen said that for most of his life growing almonds, the worry has been the industry will produce more than it can sell, but demand has always kept up. “Then we start running into this water thing and for the first time in my life, I saw an end,” Phippen said. “Maybe it’s not unlimited how many almonds we can produce in California because of the lack of this resource -- surface water.” He said planting an orchard is a 25year commitment, but for now, in the Manteca area at least, it still makes economic sense to grow almonds.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

CVBJ

AMGEN Continued from Page 1

– France, obviously, Italy, Australia — are all countries that have a great reputation for wine, and they’re going to see all the bicyclists riding past vineyards for miles and miles as they enter into Lodi.” It’s something that isn’t lost on local wineries, many of which are sponsoring the tour. One of the biggest sponsors is Michael David Winery, which is putting $10,000 toward the effort. The winery sees the tour as an opportunity to boost its own business, but mainly as a way to increase exposure for Lodi’s wine industry as a whole. “I think it’s a good commercial for people to see all these vineyards as they ride into town and see that we are a wine region that’s worth visiting,” said David Phillips, one of the co-owners of Michael David Winery. “I think it will be quite beneficial and get people to come here. Bike riders that do come here can do tours through the vineyards. They always buy a lot of wine and are good customers.” The city has already seen new business from cycling teams that have been to town to scout the area. They’ve stayed in local hotels and eaten in the area’s restaurants. Restaurants on School Street in downtown Lodi said they’ve been accepting reservations over the past few months for race day.

MAP COURTESY LODI AMGEN ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

As riders make their way into Lodi, they’ll do two circuits around downtown before finishing.

Cycling fans who want to experience the Tour and Lodi can do so at the Lifestyle Festival, which will be free to the public on race day. There will be 60-70 vendors representing the community and cycling organizations. The festival will be set up at Hutchins Street Square, near the finish line. “We’ll have a wine pavilion and a food court. The race will be broadcast live on several big TV screens. There’s an entertainment stage. So,

“The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase bottom line through print, digital and local Andy their Prokop, President/CEO events.” “The most trustedUnited sourceWay of positive, local of San Joaquinbusiness County news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Thecounties. Central Valleyvalue Business a great way Stanislaus Providing to readersJournal by helpingis them grow their business, grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local for our United Way to share our message about the events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing valueback to readers by helping them live grow better. their business, importance of giving to help others grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local is read enjoyed our business events.” “TheItmost trustedand source of positive,by local business news inand San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers helping them grow their business, community leaders in bytwo counties. grow their careers and increase their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, grow their careersCENTRAL and increase VALLEY their bottom line through print, digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Providing value to readers by helping them grow their business, STOCKTON • TRACY • MANTECA • LATHROP • LINDEN • RIPON MODESTO CERES • TURLOCK •print, OAKDALE • PATTERSON grow their careers and• LODIincrease their bottom line • through digital and local events.” “The most trusted source of positive, local business news in San Joaquin and

all of that’s going on at the same time,” said Lifestyle Festival co-organizer Bob Colarossi, who also owns Estate Crush Winery. The riders will start the day in Nevada City, making their way to Grass Valley and eventually winding their way south toward Lodi. Once the riders arrive in the Lodi area, they will cross Highway 99 at Jahant Road, head over to Woodson Road before turning left on Lower Sacramento Road. They then will make their way

downtown via Elm Street. When the riders enter downtown, they’ll do two circuits before finishing. In addition to enjoying the local vendors and entertainment provided at the Lifestyle Festival, spectators will also be able to gather more information on Lodi from its visitors’ bureau, VisitLodi. “VisitLodi will have a booth in the welcome area where we’ll be able to pass out visitor information, visitor guides, wine-trail maps, direct people to restaurants and hotels for after the event,” said Nancy Beckman, coorganizer and president and CEO of Visit Lodi. Beckman said organizers have raised $150,000 from sponsors, not including in-kind donations. Patrick estimates there will be anywhere from 40,000-60,000 additional people in the city on May 11, many of whom may wish to stick around following the stage’s conclusion. Not only could the race bring in additional revenue in the short term, but it also could be what encourages tourists to return. “Events like this can be a great impetus to bring people here for the very first time,” said Beckman. “It may be the draw to bring someone to Lodi for the very first time, but then when they get here, they have an opportunity to find out more about us and who we are and what we have to offer. Then they’re likely to come back again and again with their family and friends.”

Positive, local business news

Business Journal www.cvbizjournal.com

Harnessing the Value of Information Technology Harnessing the Value of Information Technology Harnessing the Value of Information Technology

Call for your CallFRE for your Call for E you FRElogy Techno E r FREE & TecNetw hnology ork & Technology & Netw Ass ork essm ent! Network Assessment! Assessment!

Managed Managed Managed Services Services Services

A proactive partnership A partnership A proactive proactive is better partnership business is better is better business business Fixed IT Budgeting · State-of-the-Art Technology Fixed IT ·· State-of-the-Art Technology Fixed IT Budgeting Budgeting State-of-the-Art Technology Quick Response Time · Top-Notch Expertise Quick Response Time · Top-Notch Expertise Quick Response Time · Top-Notch Expertise

888-82-SOLID 888-82-SOLID 888-82-SOLID WWW.SOLIDNETWORKS.COM WWW.SOLIDNETWORKS.COM WWW.SOLIDNETWORKS.COM

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

In San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Number of Employees. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Company Name Rank Address Phone 1

2 3

George Reed, Inc 140 Empire Avenue Modesto, CA 95354 (209) 523-0734 Teichert Construction 265 Val Dervin Parkway Stockton, CA 95206 (209) 983-2300 Diede Construction, Inc. P.O. Box 1007 Woodbridge, CA 95258 (209) 369-8255

Top Local Executive Number Contractors License of Local Web Address Employees Ed Berlier, V. P. 211337 georgereed Dave Swartz 290418 teichert.com Steve Diede 632667 diedeconstruction.com

350 yr 500 pk 300

108 yr

Services Asphalt and concrete paving, aggregate installation and related site work

Notable Projects

Year Est.

Keys improvement-Ciy of Ceres,Widening City of Modesto & Galt, Merced-Ashby /Buhach intersection 1944 improvement

Underground pipeline, grading, concrete Golden Gate Auto Auction, Tracy Walker Ranch, Patterson and asphalt paving contractor Diablo Grande, Stanislaus County

1952

Earth work, rebar, underground,metal generations center, Manteca transit center, roofs erections, concrete,carpentry(rough Lathrop (Currently)Lodi Fire Station # 2 & finish),metal studs and siding

1979

1st Place Award of Distinction 2015 Modular building Institute. Lexington Elementary/Los Gatos Chavez High School, Stockton In Shape Health Clubs CA Tracy Chevy Remodel Stanislaus Health Center GMC Buick Dealership; HG MAKELIM Modesto Toyota, Payless Auto Best Public Works Project Award, PG&E Rock Creek unit #1 overhaul, March Creek bridge, MID exchequer unit overhaul, trestle bridge modification, Gallo/M&ET, Bowman dam radial gate straightiening, Hartnell science building/Salinas, PG&E pit 4-5 control piping

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

William Meehleis 473488 meehleis.com (209) 334-4637

Design and build private and public works projects

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

Guy Simile, President 794642 simileconstruction.com (209) 545-6111

Commercial construction

TCB Industrial, Inc. 2955 Farrar Avenue Modesto, CA 95354 (209) 571-0569

Dave Raybourn Bruce Elliott 383991 tcbindustrial.net

65 yr 145 pk

Industrial Contracting

Phillip Mastagni B167130 acmeconstruction.com

50 yr 100 pk

General contractor, concrete, rouch and finish carpenty,

Joseph Gregori High School

1947

Sean P. Carroll 606462 rossfcarrollinc.com

50+

Grading, paving, concrete, underground utitlities, residential, commercial, industrial and project management

Upon request

1989

Jim Hoagland 487654 rolandconst.com

46+

General contractor specializing in preengineered metal buildings

Stockton Jet Center, Stockton Manteca USD Lathrop HS, Lathrop

1986

40 yr 45 pk

General contractors, design-build, and restoration services

Spring Creek Golf & Country Club, Ripon Tower Health and Wellness Center, Turlock Cheese Cold Storage Facility, Hilmar Woodbridge Recreation Center, Manteca Holiday Inn Express, Modesto

1971

Construction: new, design build, renovation, alteration, repair

VA Hospital-Mather, renovate Begle AFB-Building 23560

2007

Nicholas B. Jones 391570 ford-construction.com

30 yr 150 pk

General engineering and heavy civil construction contractor

Merced river ranch fish habitat Presidio trust baker beach remediation Beardsley recreation improvements in Stanislaus National Forrest

1979

Brian Roek 171084-B roekconstruction.com

General contractor

Calvary Bible Church, Lodi SJC Juvenile Hall, French Camp Patterson Pass, Tracy

1926

T. Wayne Bogart 602019 tmwandassociates.com

16 yr 20 pk

Dan Warren 355353 wlbutler.com

17 yr 20 pk

Bob Leonard 347290 bob-leonard.com

14 yr 30 pk

8 9

11 12 13

17 18

ACME Construction Company, Inc. 1565 Cummins Drive Modesto, CA 95358 (209) 523-2674 Ross F. Carroll, Inc. 8873 Warnerville Road Oakdale, CA 95361 (209) 848-5959 Roland Construction 3269 Tomahawk Drive Stockton, CA 95205 (209) 462-2687 Huff Construction Company, Inc. 4917 Stoddard Road Modesto, CA 95356 (209) 545-7505

Brad Ardis Gary Huff 385014 huffcon.com

Patriot Construction, Inc. 4646 Quantas Lane, Ste. B-4 Stockton, CA 95206 (209) 982-9900 Ford Construction Company, Inc. 639 E. Lockeford Street Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 333-1116 Roek Construction, Inc. 2580 Teepee Drive Stockton, CA 95205 (209) 464-8344 TMW & Associates, Inc. 1725 Sanguinetti Lane, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95205 (209) 943-2881

Christopher Cotta, CEO 905350 patriotbuilds.com

W. L. Butler Construction, Inc. 140 Frank W. Circle, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95206 (209) 983-4890 Bob Leonard & Associates 1325 El Pinal Drive, Ste. D-4 Stockton, CA 95205 (209) 931-4625 Blach Construction 3255 March Lane, Ste. 105 Stockton, CA 95219 (209) 478-2374 Hanley Construction, Inc. PO Box 808 Stockton, CA 95201 (209) 462-2446 Haggerty Construction Inc. 2474 Wigwam Drive, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95205 (209) 475-9898 Gabbert Construction, Inc. 1852 W. 11th Street, Ste. 337 Tracy, CA 95376 (209) 833-5050

Bob Haupt 210418 blach.com Jim Hanley, President 434631 hanleyco.com

Verona Office Building, Stockton Clark Pest Control Corp. Office, Lodi DMV, Tracy; Central Valley Community Bank, Lodi; University Park VMRC Office, Stockton Commercial general contracting Target, Fresno; GMC, Folsom including medical facilities, automotive, Charles Schwab, Sacramento retail, office buildings, TI services, data IKEA, Emeryville Heritage Baptist Church, San Leandro centers and hospitality facilities Commercial and residential remodeling, TK Services, Stockton fire damage and casualty repairs, Western Truck Service, West Sacramento California tenant improvements, design build and Water Service Field Office, Stockton SMV, Sonora publicworks projects Design, build commercial, retail, industrial construction and solar PV

Stockton Unified School District General contracting, construction management and program management Walden Special Center, $12 million

9 yr 14 pk

Commercial, Metal buildings, site acquisition and design-build services

Ryan Haggerty, President 944274 haggertyconstruction.net

General contractor

Carl Gabbert 735813 gabbertconstruction.com

1986

1999

1992

1986

2003

1977

1970

Financial Center south Stockton branch, Central State Credit Union exterior renovations, Valley First Credit Union Tracy branch

1954

Target, Lathrop Waste treatment plant, Patterson Menlo worldwide logistics,Distribution facility

2010

New custom homes, additions, remodels Many homes that have been completed and AG buildings

1978

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 us at research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Researched by Danette Conley 04/2015

May 2015

Quality Quality

Reliability Reliability www.cvbizjournal.com

Integrity Integrity

Meehleis Modular Buildings, Inc. A Design Build Company

CA License # 473488 NV License # 0037887

A Design Build Company

CA License # 473488 NV License # 0037887

Meehleis Modular Buildings, Inc.

(209) 334-4637 â&#x20AC;˘ www.meehleis.com

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Fashion, food, family

Modesto’s Costa rolls out new food, clothing business ventures By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer khohlfeld@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — Few families successfully manage one business, much less four. That is the challenge that Dan Costa and his family have taken on with three clothing lines and a line of gourmet food products. “How I think about a business is how I think about a banana,” said Costa in a March interview with the Business Journal. “A business, to me, when I decide to get involved, it’s green, but I know I can ripen it, and I am going to go as fast as I can to get it ripe.” The latest venture that Costa is ripening involves three clothing lines: First Tactical, Skingraft and Noble Outfitters. Each line is geared toward a specific audience. First Tactical, which will launch in July, is Costa’s second foray into clothing and gear aimed at first responders, such as law enforcement, fire fighters and emergency medical services. He founded 5.11 Tactical more than a decade ago, which served a similar audience. He sold that business in 2008.

That followed Costa’s desire not to stay in any one business too long. “I don’t consider business a longterm hold,” he said in March. “Things change too fast, and I enjoy the diversity of doing different things.” That diversity can be seen in their two other clothing lines. Noble Outfitters caters to those interested in equestrian activities. The line of products includes shirts, boots, gloves, bags, socks and footwear. “We have a large range of products,” said Costa’s daughter, Kelsie, president of Noble Outfitters. “We see an opening in the market. You can find our products in everything from high-end English tack shops to feed stores.” She said that a strong market for equestrian products has driven the popularity of the brand. “Noble Outfitters has really grown over the last two years,” she said. “We’re in over 2,500 stores. You would be hard pressed to find an (equestrian) event that we don’t have a presence at.” The quality of their products also led them to create their Skingraft line. The line is aimed at high-end customers and is sold in two shops, one in

PHOTO COURTESY NOBLE OUTFITTERS

Dan Costa’s latest ventures involve three clothing lines including one for the riding set, Noble Outfitters.

Los Angeles and one in New York. They also sell products online. “We have high-end boutique stores in LA and New York,” said Kelsie Costa. “The response has been really positive.” The line had its first full-blown New York Fashion Week runway show in 2013. The L.A. Times called it a “strong and varied collection … worthy of the brand’s New York Fashion Week debut.” As if that wasn’t enough, Costa also has a line of food products that has been revamped. The gourmet-quality,

ready-to-eat packaged meals are being sold through Raley’s and Nob Hill grocery stores. Kelsie said that she expects the continued growth of the family line of businesses. “We expect to see Noble Outfitters continue to grow,” she said. “We expect the First Tactical brand to move very quickly, and Skingraft is a new market to us. We have some very unique designs. We have a unique group that follows those brands.”

In the market to purchase a new home? Looking to take equity out for other investment opportunities? Work with a bank you can trust! We offer competitive pricing and an amazing variety of loan products. Let Oak Valley’s mortgage lending professionals help you choose a loan program that’s best for you. • Primary Residence • Investment Property

• • • •

Second Homes Cash Outs 1-4 Family Unit Financing Low Cost Options

• • • •

Conventional Fixed Rate Loans Adjustable Rate Loans Jumbo Loans FHA Loans

Call today!

Celia Wilbur - 209.758.8009 VP Mortgage Lending Manager NMLS ID 728023

www.ovcb.com

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

UC Merced recognized on green college list MERCED — UC Merced has made the Princeton Review’s list of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the country. It was the first time the school has received the honor. The education company, long know for its test prep and tutoring services, features UC Merced in its report, “The Princeton Review Guide to 353 Green Colleges.” The Review looked

CVBJ

at more than 2,000 schools when making its final selections. The Review considered key factors such as whether students have a quality of life on campus that is both healthy and sustainable, how well schools prepare students for employment in a green economy and how environmentally responsible a school’s policies are. The Princeton Review noted that

61 percent of students it talked to said that a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college. The report profiles green facts about each school, including transportation alternatives and the percentage of the school food budget spent on local and organic food. “With strong sustainability poli-

cies, campus-wide sustainability efforts and having all of our buildings LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, UC Merced deserves its place among the country’s greenest schools,” Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Facilities Planning Graeme Mitchell said in a press release. “It’s quite an honor to have the Princeton Review recognize our work.”

CONSTRUCTION

Continued from Page 6

growing schools is picking up. Industry experts say hospital work will be strong over the next few years. In fact, Health South broke ground in Modesto on a 54,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital in March. It’s a construction job that is expected to last into the summer of 2016. “There is a lot of work going on across the board now,” said Holsman. “Schools, hospitals being built with many undergoing renovations and retrofitting. (There are) mixed-use projects across the Central Valley and the state. Contractors have become more diversified which is vital in today’s construction marketplace.” It’s been a slow comeback for residential construction, but even that appears to be gaining steam. Demand is growing, driven by increased employment and low inflation. Soydemir said increased housing permits now point to steady growth in residential construction. Some of the bright spots in the Central Valley include the River Island project in Lathrop as well as subdivisions in Lodi and senior apartments in downtown Modesto. Soydemir said it’s not a bad thing for housing demand to be lower than it was before the recession. “I’m not sure you want it to grow faster than what it is right now,” Soydemir said. “Of course, you want more, but not a lot more because then you create a bubble.” Diede believes construction across the board would improve if lending rules were loosened. “There are still a lot of issues and red tape slowing the industry’s ability to borrow money,” Diede said. “Lenders need to free up a little bit with the government’s help because government regulations banks must observe are slowing down the recovery.” Another regulatory issue that impacted construction and contractors was the California Air Resources Board’s ruling that the majority of diesel engines in trucks and equipment had to be replaced at great expense due to pollution concerns. “This changed the way contractors did business,” Holsman said. “Many small to mid-size contractors couldn’t afford to retrofit or buy new vehicles so they sold their equipment fleets and then rented the equipment they needed for projects.

Lighting rebates

HVAC rebates

High efficiency Refrigerator motor rebates recycling program

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Pacific student wins ‘15 Entrepreneur Challenge with rabbit meat scheme By SIM RISSO Business Journal writer srisso@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — A business student from the University of the Pacific won the sixth San Joaquin County Entrepreneur Challenge April 8 with his plan to sell naturally raised rabbit meat. Frankie Arburua III, placed first, while Niles Jackson, of Stockton, took home second prize. Arburua was told he was the first student ever to make it past the first round. “Just that alone was gratifying enough. To go on and win the entire competition, it’s just crazy, and I’m having a hard time believing it’s true,” Arburua said. Arburua’s winning proposal was using naturally raised rabbits as an alternative food source. His family owns and operates a farm in Tracy called Frank’s Basque Family Farm, from which he plans to run the business. He got the idea for the business during a conversation he had with a contractor last summer. “On our ranch this summer, we

were drilling a well. I was talking to the owner/operator of the drill rig, and he told me about these rabbits. He said, ‘You should really get into it because you can produce so many on an acre, and it’s really scalable,’” Arburua said. “I’ve always been involved in sheep, and I never really looked outside the box.” Arburua said he bought a couple rabbits to see what they were like and developed the idea of raising them free-range. “Then I thought, ‘Well, nobody else is doing it around here, there’s quite a gap in the market,’” he said. It’s a gap Arburua hopes to fill when his operation gets off the ground in October. To help him in this endeavor is the $16,000 in cash and professional services he’ll receive for winning the competition. Niles Jackson placed second with a standing chalk-line tool, which he calls “Stand and Snap.” Jackson and his father, Neil, operate a construction company in Stockton called Golden State Striping Inc. Their work with the company helped spur the idea.

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Frankie Arburua stands in his rabbit pen with one of his breeding rabbits.

“We operate an asphalt-management company, and we do a lot of parking-lot striping,” said Jackson. “We’d have to bend over constantly to snap the lines. I started to think about it in my mind and I’m thinking, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’ I started playing with ideas, and after a couple months of thinking of ideas, this is the final product that I came up with.” As the product’s name suggests, Jackson’s tool allows operators to snap chalk lines without needing to bend over. Jackson won $7,000 in cash and services and plans to use the winnings to help design a logo for the company, in addition to pitching the idea to a few chalk-box distributors located in the Midwest. As he and his father have done with Golden Gate Striping, they’re aiming to ratchet things up over time. “With this other company that we have, we built slow,” said Jackson. “We started out with one striping machine and an old pickup, and now we have all kinds of equipment. We plan to do the same thing with this company.” Arburua and Jackson were the two prize winners among the eight proposals that moved from Round 1 to the second round. Those eight were whittled down to four finalists who moved on to Round 3. “I thought Frankie was a very impressive young man, and in the final round, I thought his presentation was

right on point,” said Jim Dyer, a lawyer from Downey Brand who was one of three judges. “He was firm. He was very proud of his family business, and it was very clear he was not willing to take any actions that would tarnish his family’s name and the business they’ve developed.” Dyer was also impressed with Jackson and his ability to describe the problem construction workers have the solution his product represents. “I think it’s a fabulous product, and they did a great job presenting it,” he said. “It was simple to understand. They have a patent pending, and he did a great job presenting it.” Even though only two products won, Nathan McBride, director of Delta College’s NEC Small Business Development Center and one of the main organizers of the challenge, was encouraged by what he saw from each of the competitors. “I was actually just talking to one of the four finalists that didn’t win, but they made the comment that the contest has given them some focus and direction on what they need to do to move forward with their business,” said McBride. “As one of the organizations that puts on the event, we love to hear that because that’s what this is about. “The prize money is great, and it’s great to say you won first or second, but that somebody can move forward and make their business dreams happen is what I love to see.”

DO YOU HAVE GOOD NEWS TO SHARE? WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! The Central Valley Business Journal wants to help spread positive news about your business, throughout the community. Email press releases about openings, new hires and other news to: editor@cvbizjournal.com.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

REASONS WHY YOU CAN DEPEND ON US. . . Ford Master Certified Truck Sales Consultants

Reason #1: We specialize in custom contractor bodies, including: flatbed, contractor, welding, service, crane, dump gardener, utility and box bodies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ready for Work!

Stockton Auto Mall | Hammer Lane off 99 | Bigvalleyford.com | 209.870.4473

Central Valley Business Journal

ALL PHOTOS: ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

The farmers market features cooking demonstrations.

Modesto’s Certified Farmers Market is open from April through November.

May 2015

Modesto’s farmers market, open on Thursday and Saturday mornings, features both organic and non-organic produce.

Farmers markets face higher scrutiny, costs By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer preynolds@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — Shoppers looking for fresh straight-from-the-farm produce do not need to travel far. With multiple certified farmers markets serving Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties, residents can enjoy picking and choosing from a wide variety of seasonal and locally grown fruits and vegetables several months of the year. Consumers can find market locations in Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Mountain House and Lodi, all managed through the San Joaquin Certified Farmers Market. In Stanislaus County, certified markets include those in Modesto, Ceres and Turlock. In Merced County, residents can shop at farmers markets in Merced, Los Banos and Atwater. Opening as early as April, most markets offer produce through October and into November. Growing popularity of the markets has extended Modesto’s market well into the holiday season and the new Lodi Sunday market operates year-round. Markets are open on a variety of days depending on the location and demand from the area. Turlock’s cer-

tified farmers market ran on Friday mornings, serving a large group of stay-at-home parents, but switched this year to the weekend. “In order for the market to grow, to get larger and be more part of the community we needed to move it to Saturday mornings so everyone could attend,” said Turlock’s market manager Derek Griffi. Along with farmers selling their bounty, markets typically include food vendors selling edibles such as popcorn, barbecue or meals pre-packaged from commercial kitchens. Artisans selling jewelry and other crafts are found at most markets, and entertainment and culturally-themed festivals such as Cinco de Mayo, Oktoberfest and Celtic fairs also help draw visitors. Still, it’s the fresh produce that defines what a certified farmers market really is all about. “The majority of people that come to us, the clientele we have, come for local vegetables and fruit and for the freshness of getting produce within one to two days of harvest,” said certified Stanislaus County producer and Modesto market vendor John Bava. “Produce purchased at the store is picked two to three weeks earlier and doesn’t have the sugar content as fresh-picked.”

Customers of certified farmers markets can be assured that the fresh produce they take home from their downtown market is grown locally. Produce vendors must gain certification from their local county’s Department of Agriculture in order to sell their product at a certified farmers market. “The Ag Department has to come out, see their farm, see that they’re actually growing what they say they’re growing, and they’re not going out and buying it from another source,” said Bethany Dutra, who co-manages of San Joaquin Certified Farmers’ Markets with her husband, Chris. Upon completion of the certification process, the Department of Agriculture lists all items grown on a farmer’s property that are available to sell at the market. Vendors with multiple farming locations must have each production area certified. The certification process is in place to protect the consumer from vendors misrepresenting what they are selling. Elsewhere in the state, cases of cheating the certification process have been revealed. In 2010 investigators discovered vendors buying produce wholesale from Mexico and selling it as local produce at a Los Angeles farmers market. Last year Los Ange-

www.firstchoiceservices.com 209.467.4426

les County exposed 19 vendors selling produce they had not grown. The certification process does come with a cost. “I can roughly tell you that they pay a minimum fee of between $45 and $50 because they pay for transportation. They pay for inspection. That would be a minimum of 15 minutes travel time, and it increases from there,” said Modesto Certified Market Manager Marie Uber. Market managers also are experiencing increased costs associated with certification. Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1871 as a way to fund the Department of Food and Agriculture inspections required to keep market vendors from violating the certification process. The new legislation, which took effect in January, raises state fees certified markets pay for each vendor from 60 cents to $2.00 for each operating day. In addition, vendor fees now apply not only to farmers but to food vendors and artisans as well. “In our biggest quarter, when we are the most full, we will go from approximately $300 per quarter to almost $3,000,” Uber said. The Modesto market will pass part of Please see FARMERS MARKET Page 20

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

PHOTO COURTESY LET’S FACE IT TOGETHER

Before/after of Let’s Face It Together patient, Gina, who was injured in a car crash but had been denied by her insurance company.

Stockton nonprofit aims to improve medical care By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer khohlfeld@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Throughout the Central Valley, patients are needlessly suffering with disfigurements that are medically correctable. Let’s face it Together, a nonprofit organization in Stockton, is working to help those patients get the care they need. “Here (in the Central Valley) there are very few specialists,” said Dr. Kimberly Cockerham at an April 16 fundraiser for the organization at Wine and Roses in Lodi. “There are few doctors and very bad insurance companies. They deny things you would not believe.” Cockerham co-founded the organization with fellow doctor Anne Roland after a 15-year military career that included a stint as chief of Ocular Facial Plastics at Walter Reed Hospital. She said that the difference between military and civilian medicine, especially in the Central Valley, was stark. “In the military, it’s very communitybased,” she said. “There was a feeling you are my patient but their support structure is what you want to help, too. The civilian sector was kind of odd. Medicine wasn’t as good as it could be.” Cockerham found that to be especially true in the Central Valley. She compared the level of care many patients received

CVBJ

to that of a third-world country. Lack of area doctors, combined with insurance companies that actively work to deny care they deem “cosmetic” makes helping area patients a challenge. “Insurance companies are paying primary care doctors not to refer to patients,” she said. “Had a kid where the eye had been removed when a sarcoma had occurred. The kid has no eye socket. He was denied a prosthetic eye because it was cosmetic. He was 14. He was the same age as my kid. Can you imagine going to high school?” Helping those kinds of patients is a daunting task that requires effort and a lot of fundraising. Currently the group is trying to raise money for retinal cameras which allow doctors to get a picture of the back of the eyeball and can tell if a brain tumor is present. “It’s something that should be done to every single person who has a headache, and it’s not,” she said. The group hopes to raise $60,000 for the project through fundraisers and donations. The group takes donations through its web site, www.lfitfoundation.org, and also looks for help from the medical community in the form of services or goods. “Getting out to the communities is important,” she said. “Getting word out to people who have multiple foundations. I think that is the first step.”

FARMERS MARKET Continued from Page 18

the increase along only to vendors operating on Saturdays and will absorb the rest. “I agree with it. I would have hoped from our own financial situation it would have built up to it a bit, but the state is terribly underfunded. They have the same staff that they had working for them when there were 200 farmers markets and now there are 800 plus,” Uber said. Others are more skeptical.

“It’s for the ability to keep this pure, to keep this monitored, but they didn’t spend the time when they were supposed to. When it was 60 cents a vendor they never really monitored it much to keep on top of it, and now they’re going to get more money and they will probably use it for bureaucracy and not use it to protect the consumer,” said Bava. “The legitimate farmers are being punished through higher vendor fees.”

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Asparagus Festival lives on in new venue Revamped event draws visitors to fairgrounds venue STOCKTON — The Stockton area’s revamped Asparagus Festival, which was held April 17-19, attracted 71,114 visitors, organizers announced. That number is about 16,000 higher than attendance at the 2014 Asparagus Festival. The festival got generally positive reviews for more convenient parking and activities for children. There were glitches, however. On Friday and Saturday visitors complained about the long lines to get in the gates and suggested there needed to be more entrances. Others wanted more choices for asparagus dishes offered in Asparagus Alley. This year there was just deep-fried asparagus and asparagus ice cream. Even with the limited offerings, volunteers still dished out 10 tons of California grown asparagus. Leftovers were donated to local charities. The Noceti Group, led by local businessman Tony Noceti and his wife Carol, decided to organize the new festival after the Stockton Asparagus Festival, a staple in the com-

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Volunteers prepare deep-fried asparagus for visitors to Asparagus Alley.

munity for 29 years, folded last year in the wake of falling attendance and increasing costs. After the festival Carol Noceti admitted it was a bigger project than they first thought. “It was a lot of work — more than we thought was coming at us,” she said. The Nocetis moved the festival

from downtown Stockton to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, which saved money the former festival was paying to the city. Some visitors liked the fairgrounds venue, but others said they missed the showcase the downtown site provided. Willie K. Kelly, Jr., the director of Asparagus Alley, has volunteered for the festival for 13 years. He thinks the

fairgrounds was the perfect place for the festival. “We had to convert downtown into a festival place, which would cost a lot of money,” Kelly said. “There was a lot of overhead. But here it’s a lot easier to do it because it’s already set up for that.” Kelly, who is a counselor in the Stockton Unified School District, also thought it was good for people to visit Stockton’s southside. “We need to get rid of the stigma that it’s all ‘south Stockton’ and make sure that everybody knows it’s just as safe over here as it is anywhere else,” Kelly said. Richard Guido, a volunteer with Hope’s Angels has worked at the Asparagus Festival for 22 years. He said this first year under new management, there have been some “kinks” but they were working them out. “I think it’s nice. They’re bringing it back,” Guido said. “It’s more compact, better parking. Again, we have to work the kinks out.” Carol Noceti said the attendance figures prove the Asparagus Festival is viable. “These people have made it clear they don’t want the Asparagus Festival going anywhere,” she said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t.”

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS In San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Number of Employees. Ties ranked in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Name Address

Collins Electrical Company, Inc. 3412 Metro Drive Stockton, CA 95215

Industrial Electrical Company 1417 Coldwell Avenue Modesto, CA 95350

Best Electric 1322 7th Street Modesto, CA 95354

Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. 1528 El Pinal Drive Stockton, CA 95205

Access Electric 1990 Foundry Court Ceres, CA 95307

Pacific Metro Electric, Inc. 3150 E. Fremont Street Stockton, CA 95205

Kirkes Electric 999 N. Golden State Boulevard Turlock, CA 95380

Number Top Local Executive of Local Phone Employees Web Address Yr Round/Peak Eugene C. Gini (209) 466-3691 collinselectric.com David Howell (209) 527-2800 industrialelectrical.com

240/350

200/200 +

Services Provided Biggest Projects Electrical and solar installation Kings County courthouse

Year Est.

1928

Full service electrical company, specializing in industrial electrical services for industry, commercial and institutional companies and projects

1935

Dimitri Guzman (209) 569-0120 bestelectricca.com

24-hour emergency service, commercial, industrial, residential, agriculture free estimates on new installations

1959

Gary Woody Jeff and Greg Bockmon (209) 464-4878 bockmonwoody.com

New construction, remodels and maintenance Qualified and approved control panel builder 24-hour emergency service

1990

Walter Resendes (209) 577-1491 accesstopower.com

Design/build, electrical engineering/design, new construction, commercial TI, network cabling, facility maintenance, and industrial construction

2001

Glen Rigsbee (209) 939-3222 pacificmetroelectric.com

Installation, maintenance, repairs, design/build, commercial tenant improvements, and stainless steel purge welding

1995

Kyle Kirkes, President (209) 634-9301 kirkeselectric.com

Commercial, design, industrial service, specialty home services, electrical design and lighting design

1949

Acme Electric Company 1025 S. Kilroy Road Turlock, CA 95380

Buster Lucas (209) 667-2851 acme-electric.net

Electrical contractor for commercial, industrial, agricultural, and solar installation

1970

Brite Electric 490 S. Golden State Boulevard Turlock, CA 95380

Frank Lemos (209) 632-7291 brite-electric.com

All phases electrical service, including solar

1983

Carr Electric 3750 Wilcox Road Stockton, CA 95215

Richard Carr (209) 931-5910 carrelectricinc.com

Complete electrical services for both residential and commercial $500,000 job in Stockton

1979

Quantum Electric 1745 Mc Conmick Street Turlock, CA 95380

Lance Donaldson (209) 667-6574 quantumelectric.net

Full service electrical company, residential, commercial, industrial

1998

S. D. Electric, Inc. 1852 W. 11th Street, Ste. 327 Tracy, CA 95376

Steve Hanson (209) 832-0870 sdelectricinc.com

Specializes in industrial and commercial work with an emphasis in public works

2000

Wilkinson Electric, Inc. 12321 Rodden Road Oakdale, CA 95361

American Power & Communications 1416 Mariani Court, Ste. 130 Tracy, CA 95376

Big Valley Electric 19057 E. Gawne Road Stockton, CA 95215

BTS Electric 6 Sierra Vista Place Lodi, CA 95240

New Energy Homes 151 N. California Avenue Oakdale, CA 95361

Commercial, agricultural, residential, industrial 500,00000 Commercial PW jobs Free estimates, senior and military discounts 24 hours emergency services Electrical, voice/data, solar Villa Tuscany Park, Stockton CA Starbucks - Various Bay Area locations

Matthew Wilkinson (209) 678-2161 wilkinsonelectriccompany.com

10/15

Dustin Wortham (209) 833-1369 americanpowercomm.net

8/20

James A. Coyle Jr. (209) 986-3550 bigvalleyelectric.com

8/16

Commercial, industrial, design/build and engineering services UPS Data Center, Tracy Defense Depo

2004

Jerry Branson (209) 367-1403 btselectricservice.com

5/8

Electrical, mechanical, network, automation 7-11 television

2008

2007

2004

Steve Vella (209) 321-0239 illuminex.com

Energy efficient lighting LED, electrical contracting, solar

2011

A.S.A.P. Electric, Inc. PO Box 692362 Stockton, CA 95269

Rick Carlson (209) 473-8555 asapelectric.info

Residential, small commercial projects, mobile homes. Surface upgrades, work with real estate firms for home repairs and inspection upgrades

1991

Pacific Electric P.O. Box 5366 Stockton, CA 95205

James Clevenger (209) 456-1236 None

Commercial, residential, industrial, repairs, remodel, panel changes and new construction

2002

Gunsch Electric, Inc. 1086 Bessemer Avenue, Ste. B Manteca, CA 95337

Ed Gunsch Jr. (209) 823-7687 gunschelectric.com

Commercial, residential, and industrial

1987

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. (209) 477-0211 or email research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Researched by Danette Conley 04/2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

See Our Progress in the Central Valley

Theresa

Customer Relationship Manager

“

Tracy residenT

as a mom, I know that every dollar saved can make a big difference to a family. that’s why I’m proud that PG&e is committed to helping our customers save energy and money.

”

At PG&E, our customers are our neighbors. The communities we serve as PG&E employees are where we live and work too. That’s why we’re investing $4.5 billion every year to enhance pipeline safety and strengthen our gas and electric infrastructure across northern and central California. It’s why we’re helping people and businesses gain energy efficiencies to help reduce their bills. It’s why we’re focused on developing the next generation of clean, renewable energy systems. Together, we are working to enhance pipeline safety and strengthen our gas and electric infrastructure—for your family and ours.

together, Building a Better California

See the FaCtS IN the CeNtral Valley Surveyed more than 8,700 miles of gas distribution pipeline Invested more than $635 million into electrical improvements Connected more than 31,500 rooftop solar installations

pge.com/SeeOurProgress

May 2015

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Valley cities work bicycles into their road, transit plans By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer khohlfeld@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — When people think of bike friendly cities, towns like Davis or San Francisco usually jump to mind. While the Central Valley lacks the bike friendliness of those areas, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties’ largest cities are trying to be more hospitable to those choosing a twowheel mode of transportation. “Davis is one of the best in the country,” said John Gerling, an avid cyclist in Modesto and president of Gerling Applied Engineering Inc. “Modesto by comparison leaves a lot to be desired.” Despite the somewhat sparse accommodation made to area cyclists, the cycling community is thriving in the area. Gerling is a member of both the Stanislaus Bike Club, which caters to recreational riders and the Ciclistas Del Valle Cycling Club, which caters to riders involved in racing and long endurance rides. Riders in San Joaquin County have the San Joaquin Bike Coalition and the Stockton Bicycle Club, as well as others to choose from. Lodi had a strong enough biking community to lure a leg of the Amgen Tour of California to the city. While on any given weekend, dozens of cyclists can be found crisscrossing county roads, getting people to use their bikes in an urban environment can be a challenge. “Modesto is trying to promote and install more bike lanes,” said Michael Sacuskie, associate engineer with the city of Modesto. “We tried to earn the bike friendly designation. The city wants to go again and see if we can get to the bronze level.” In 2013, Modesto applied to the League of American Bicyclists to become a “Bike Friendly” city. The city got an honorable mention but was left off the list of 55 California communities that currently have the bike friendly designation. Within that designation are ranks that run from the best, platinum down to bronze. Currently Davis is the only California city to achieve platinum status. Modesto’s top current priority is to connect areas that have some bike infrastructure and make it easier and safer to travel from one part of the city to another. “We have the College Avenue project from Needham to Briggsmore which is a big priority now,” said Sacuskie.

I think Stockton has a lot of potential to be a bike friendly city. We are lacking in bike infrastructure.

Kristine Williams San Joaquin Bike Coalition The project would connect the Modesto Junior College campuses and change lane markings on 1.6 miles of College Avenue so there would be one lane in each direction for cars and a center lane for left turns. The remaining space would then create more room for cars parked along the street and a bike lane on each side of the street, including a buffer between the bike lanes and traffic. “Overall the city has a strategic goal of making the city more livable,” said Sacuskie. “We’re really aiming our efforts at the 60 percenters.” The “60 percenters” is a term that comes from a study the city of Portland did 15 years ago when that city decided to promote urban bike use. “That Portland study that showed 60 percent of those surveyed were interested in riding, but concerned,” he said. Those concerns were similar to those of riders in the Central Valley. The concerns included the safety of riding in an environment with so many vehicles. It’s something Portland spent decades addressing, resulting in the city now having one of the highest bike use rates in the country. “Portland spent a lot of time working on that perception,” said Sacuskie. “There are still a lot of our streets that the average rider isn’t going to feel comfortable riding on. Our goal over the next 10-15 years is to change that. It’s not going to be changed overnight, but it is something will happen.” Changing perceptions is a challenge for those promoting bike use in San Joaquin’s largest city as well. Stockton riders face issues such as a lack of bike lanes and the idea among riders that riding the streets isn’t safe. “I think Stockton has a lot of potential to be a bike friendly city,” said the San Joaquin Bike Coalition’s Executive Director Kristine Williams. “It

Get Festival such as Stockton’s Earth Day educate riders about using bicycles for transportation.

has a lot of neighborhood lanes. We are lacking in bike infrastructure and there are issues with connectivity of the existing bike routes.” She also said that education among riders and automobile drivers is a key issue in boosting bike use in the city. “Some people don’t know that you should ride with traffic and not against it,” said Williams. “We are hoping to start an education campaign to educate riders and drivers.” She said that the geography of Central Valley Cities should make biking more attractive. “The public terrain is so flat that it should be easy for people to bike

fairly short trips,” she said. “A lot of people in Stockton ride out of necessity because that is the way they have to get around. That is the group that we advocate for.” Stockton is revamping its its master bike plan. The plan includes a network of bike paths and lanes that will be created over time. It classifies elements like Class 1, dedicated paths, to Class 3, which includes bike route signage. The last time the bike plan was updated was in 2007. Since then, the city has faced an economic meltdown and a bankruptcy that put improving bicycle infrastructure on the back burner.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

PHOTO COURTESY STANISLAUS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

QUICK FACTS

COMMUTER BIKING - BY THE NUMBERS

0.7%

0.5%

Percentage of Stockton commuters who ride to work (Source: US Census Bureau 2010 American Communities Survey)

Percentage of Modesto commuters who ride to work (Source: US Census Bureau 2010 American Communities Survey)

47% Growth of bike commuting in U.S. cities from 2000-2011 (Source: The League of American Bicyclists)

t on your bike and ride

Bike to Work Day Events Modesto | May 14 | 6:30-8:30 a.m. 10th Street Plaza between J & K Streets WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

“I think the plan that we have needs to be revamped,” said the city of Stockton’s Engineering Services Manager Wes Johnson. “The growth patterns have changed, and it’s not the most buildable plan right now.” He said a top priority is to connect the north and south parts of the city. The city plans to hire a consultant to help rework the plan and find safe routes from the Miracle Mile and University of the Pacific to downtown. “My opinion is that it’s battling traffic and not having choices as to dedicated bike areas that hurts ridership,” said Johnson. “Having to ride a bike and take your chances against traffic,

that keeps people off their bikes.” To meet the challenge of getting people on their bikes, area cities are promoting events like Bike to Work Day. Stockton’s event will be May 13 followed by Modesto’s event on May 14th. The events are aimed at educating people about the benefits of riding, such as better health, easier parking and less pollution in the air. “One of the biggest benefits is a healthier citizenry and the benefits of air quality by people getting out of cars,” said Johnson. “Any time we go for grant money, a big part of that is how many cars can we get off the road.”

A continental breakfast will be provided to all bicycle riders who commute to work on a bicycle. The first 150 riders will receive a free T-shirt and bicycle incentives. All riders can enter the prize drawing and win one of several prizes Stockton | May 13 | 6:30-9 a.m. Janet Leigh Plaza | 222 N. El Dorado Street Select routes will be guided by cyclists from REI and the San Joaquin Bicycle Coalition. Upon arriving, you’ll be rewarded with snacks and goodies as a thank you for your participation. Merced | May 7 Energizer stations at Bob Hart Square, Golden Valley Health Center, Mercy Health Education Center, Mercy Medical Center and U.C. Merced

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Pacific unveils first Food Studies program By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer preynolds@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Beginning this fall, students will be able to earn a Master of Arts degree in Food Studies at the University of Pacific’s San Francisco campus. The program will be the first of its kind on the West Coast. The two-year program will blend various disciplines as they pertain to food including history, sociology, anthropology, business, politics, law and writing. “The program as envisioned pays as much attention to the ways in which food and agriculture impact our everyday lives as it does to developing a strong theoretical and historical grounding in food studies,” said Alice McLean, a Pacific adjunct faculty member who specializes in food writing and feminist food studies. With its huge number of eateries, local farmers markets and ethnic cuisine, San Francisco provides the perfect environment in which to study all aspects of food and its impact on society, Pacific said. “It’s in a great location with a brand new building — very modern. Not like the Stockton campus at all,” said the

Food Studies Program Director Ken Albala, who is also a professor of history at the University of Pacific. Situated in the heart of downtown San Francisco at 155 5th St., the campus currently houses the university’s dental school. The Food Studies program will begin sharing classrooms on the facility’s bottom floor with the Music Therapy, Audiology and Data Analytic programs. After a decade of effort, Albala credits sympathetic new university administrators along with the availability of the San Francisco campus in getting Pacific’s Food Studies program up and running. His colleagues believe Albala was an instrumental force as well. “The enormous shift in attitude toward food studies over the past two decades has come about, in large part, due to the sheer determination of a few key scholars such as Ken Albala, whose considerable energy and passion has helped gather a scattered interdisciplinary study into the thriving and well-integrated field it has become today,” said McLean. Influenced by graduate programs developed in the 1990s at East Coast institutions such as NYU, Boston Uni-

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

Pacific history professor Ken Albala will be the new Food Studies program director.

versity and Chatham University, Pacific’s program emphasizes the social sciences and humanities and is supported by faculty with backgrounds strong in those disciplines. Albala said the addition of business classes during its second year will further differentiate Pacific’s Food Studies degree from programs at other schools. Availability of a food studies program in the western United States is long overdue. “Food is very hot right now on the

West Coast, and of course in California from food start-ups to lawsuits of “natural” labeling to serious issues impacting our food supply like the drought,” said Michele Simon, a public health attorney and adjunct faculty member. “It’s almost embarrassing that we don’t have such a program, so it’s about time.” Albala estimates between 15 and 20 students will be in the program’s first class, and expects it to grow from there. Please see FOOD STUDIES Page 27

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Medline joins Prologis Int’l Park of Commerce TRACY — Medline will join FedEx as the first tenants at the Prologis International Park of Commerce in Tracy, Prologis announced April 28. Medline is the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and services. Construction began on its 1 million square foot distribution facility in February and is scheduled to be finished at the beginning of 2016.

CVBJ

FOOD STUDIES Continued from Page 26

“The idea is that in the second cohort, we would have more than double once we start ramping up the marketing and publicity, and we have to start breaking even in three years,” he said. “I think probably the upper limit would be somewhere around 70 or 80 (students). I don’t think we’d want to get much bigger than that.” In addition to on-site attendance, the program will be available to remote students by what Albala terms “synchronous delivery.” Video cameras in the classroom will enable students to attend class live via their computers. Class requirements will be the same for all students. “Participation in class will be the same too. It will work sort of like a “Brady Bunch” screen where you have a whole handful of people on there who can participate and see the class and talk to other students. It’s a really neat system,” he said. The Food Studies program also will include Saturday seminars, which will be open to the public and focus on topics such as farmers markets, the wine business and food safety. As the culture, history, growing and distribution of food becomes more complex and diverse, industry observers expect food professionals across a wide spectrum of disciplines will be in demand. “The fields of food law and policy are growing all the time and are related to all other food specialties. It is simply not possible to have a career in food and not understand the laws that shape our food choices,” said Simon. Erika Peters, director of the Culinary Historians of Northern California and an adjunct faculty member, will teach students the importance of researching and writing about food history, skills attractive to the food industry, municipalities and local food groups. “I will be teaching a course on how to research and write local food history: how to study the food history of a particular location, through archival and published sources,” Peters said. “The case study will be San Francisco, and students will research their own topic in Bay Area food history, but the point of the class is to learn skills which students can then apply elsewhere as well.” Some of the program’s the required courses include Food Justice, Sociology of Food, Food and Environment, Food in Literature and Research Methods.

That facility will serve as a distribution center for Northern California. “Medline and FedEx chose the International Park of Commerce because of its unique location,” said Ryan George, vice president, market officer, Tracy. “There isn’t another master-planned, Class-A logistics and distribution park in the Central Valley that is closer to the Bay Area or that offers better access to three major in-

terstates. The park will allow Medline and FedEx to connect with customers throughout the West Coast.” Medline’s building is different from the 1 million square foot speculative building under construction at the International Park of Commerce. That facility is scheduled to be complete in August. Prologis International Park of Commerce is one of the largest industrial parks on the West Coast. It has direct ac-

cess to Interstate 580, Interstate 205 and Interstate 5 and is close to the San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento International Airports, as well as BNSF and Union Pacific Intermodal facilities. The park has the build-out potential of an additional 25 million square feet. Prologis currently owns and operates more than 11 million square feet and 30 buildings in the Tracy market, the company said.

TIME. MONEY. And how the Port of Stockton helps your business save on both.

SHIP INLAND. SHIP STOCKTON.

Delays can be costly. You won’t find them at the Port of Stockton. We’re a centrally located, 35-foot, deep-water port with none of the congestion and waits that typically conspire to slow you down. And with direct access to rail, freeways, distribution, and storage, your cargo keeps moving fast. And forward. Learn why the Port makes sense for your business.

portofstockton.com 888-635-8143 Chair Gary Christopherson, Vice Chair R. Jay Allen, Commissioners Sylvester Aguilar, Elizabeth Blanchard, Michael Patrick Duffy, Stephen Griffen, Victor Mow and Port Director Richard Aschieris.

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS In San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Number of Licensed Staff. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Name Address

Top Local Executive

Number of Local Licensed Staff

Number of Local Offices

Geographic Focus

Michael P. Zagaris (209) 527-2010 pmz.com

575

Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Calaveras and Merced Counties

1957

John Melo (209) 758-8184 c21mm.com

457

Oakdale and surrounding areas

1994

Suzanne Candini (209) 952-8421 kellerwilliamsstockton.com

198

Central Valley

2012

Michael Blower, Sales Manager (209) 644-6444 gogrupe.com

130

San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties

2006

Matt Enriquez (209) 575-0231 mycvre.com

San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties

1988

Beverly Housden (209) 823-8141 cbxr.com

San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties, Folsom Property management

1982

Stanislaus County and surrounding area

1985

San Joaquin and surrounding areas

1970

Steven G. Werner (209) 944-9444 wernerproperties.com

San Joaquin County

1993

Pat Coons, Owner (209) 847-5931 oakdalerealty.net

San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties

1973

Lorrie Docter (209) 478-8121 williamhumphreys.metrolistpro.com

San Joaquin County and surrounding areas

1973

David Beck (209) 957-1340 beckrealtors.com

Stockton, Manteca, Tracy, Lodi, Linden, and Elk Grove

1988

Art Godi (209) 4798-5100 artgodirealtors.com

San Joaquin and surrounding areas

1992

Theo Cayenne, Anita Jones Cayenne (209) 952-8861 embarcadero-re.com

Central Valley and San Joaquin County

2002

Rachelle Souza (209) 825-0825 manzanita.me

Central Valley

2009

Bruce Davies and Karylene Mann (209) 956-2966 brooksidebrokers.com

San Joaquin County

1982

Mike Coldani and Nick Kerns (209) 334-0527 coldani.com

Central Valley San Joaquin and Plumas County

1959

Karen Freeman (209) 952-1919 innovativerealtyonline.com

San Joaquin County

1996

Phone Web Address

Year Established

PMZ Real Estate 1120 Scenic Drive Modesto, CA 95350

Century 21 M&M & Associates 1414 East F Street, Bldg. A, Ste. 102 Oakdale, CA 95361

Keller Williams 3133 W. March Lane Ste. 1060 Stockton, CA 95219

Grupe Real Estate 3428 Brookside Drive Stockton, CA 95229

ReMax Executive Real Estate 3425 Coffee Road, Ste. 2-C Modesto, CA 95350

Coldwell Banker Cross Roads Real Estate 319 N. Main Street Manteca, CA 95335

Matel Realtors 1562 Tully Road, Ste. A Modesto, CA 95350

Riggs & Associates, Inc. 4600 N. Pershing Avenue, Ste. D Stockton, CA 95207

Werner Properties, Inc. 306 Regent Court Stockton, CA 95204

Oakdale Realty 801 West F Street Oakdale, CA 95361

Docter & Docter Realtors, Inc. 1212 W. Robinhood Drive, Ste. 2-D Stockton, CA 95207

Beck Realtors, Inc. 8102 Kelly Drive, Ste. E Stockton, CA 95209

Art Godi Realtors 1150 W. Robinhood Drive, Ste. B Stockton, CA 95207

Embarcadero Investments 6777 Embarcadero Drive, Ste. 1 Stockton, CA 95219

Manzanita Ventures 204 N. Sherman Avenue Manteca, CA 95336

Partners Real Estate 3461 Brookside Road, Ste. B Stockton, CA 95219

Coldani Realtors, Inc. 1806 W. Kettleman Lane, Ste. J Lodi, CA 95242

Innovative Realty 7843 N. Pershing Avenue Stockton, CA 95207

Sheri Midgley Realty 938 N. Yosmite Street Stockton, CA 95203

Sheri Midgley (209) 943-3622 sherimidgleyrealty@sbcglobal.net

Lodi, Stockton, Manteca, Tracy and surrounding areas

1990

Turlock Realty Group 1505 Geer Road Turlock, CA 95380

Larry Rumbeck (209) 634-0000 therealestateboys.com

Stanislaus County

2013

John Myrtakis & Ken David Elving, Managing Brokers (209) 576-2835 matelprop.com Bob Riggs, President (209) 478-5900 allvalleyhomes.com

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 ua at research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Researched by Danette Conley 04/2015

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

FOR LEASE 6 Central Court On the Miracle Mile

urt

en Av

l Co ntra

c cifi Pa

Over 200 businesses in this pedestrian friendly, mercantile setting known as the Miracle Mile Improvement District:

Architectural Amenities

Private Security

●

Maintenance

●

Events

●

Marketing

●

Professional Management & Advocacy

Bikram Yoga

●

3,468± Rentable Square Feet Currently a dance studio

The AVENUE

● ●

Back Room Storage

●

Signalized Corner

●

Subway The Abbey

Southern Exposure

Kevin Dougherty, CCIM

(209) 461-6400 kdougherty@naibenchmark.com DRE#01258350 This information has been provided from sources which we deem as reliable although we do not guarantee its accuracy. Any prospective buyer or lessee should carefully verify all pertinent property and economic information. Subject to prior sales, price changes, correction or withdrawal.

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Stockton Civic Theatre celebrates 65th season By NORA HESTON TARTE Business Journal writer nhestontarte@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — The Stockton Civic Theatre (SCT) is celebrating its 65th season this year. Managers credit donor support, knowledgeable staff and a solid marketing plan for helping the organization become a beacon for theatrical arts in the Central Valley. “For the greater part of 65 years SCT has been producing plays and musicals here and has just been kind of a tremendous center for theatrical arts,” said Artistic Director Kevin Costello, who is celebrating his second year with the company. Attendance at SCT productions began to lag several years ago, but Costello said it is back on the rise, a change he accredited to talented staff that take bigger risks.The first two shows of the 2014-15 season set new attendance records for SCT. The quality of the shows is key, acknowledged Costello, but the genre is important as well. Costello described choosing shows as a balancing act, offering the right mixe of musicals and plays, ranging from serious work to risky artistic pieces

and popular comedies. Overall, the theater hasn’t made any dramatic changes in line-up other than a slant toward more modern productions. Some of the selections are a bit more risky than in the past. For example, Costello said “Sweeney Todd” was received well by the community with good ticket sales, but the play itself, about a murderous, singing barber isn’t to everyone’s taste and could have been a tough sell. The addition of a new marketing team has helped SCT increase profits and online presence. However, without donations from the public – individuals and businesses alike – SCT could not survive. Ticket sales alone are simply not enough, Costello said. “We have every year at least one or two shows that are underwritten significantly by someone or some entity,” Costello said. While these donors don’t typically cover expenses for an entire show, underwriting most commonly refers to renting the show’s rights. Costs can run anywhere from several hundred dollars for a play to $15,000 for a quality musical, Costello said. Barbara Crocker is one of the theater’s donors. The career drama

SERVING STANISLAUS COUNTY

800-44-Mocse www.Mocse.org

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

The Stockton Civic Theatre is presenting “The 39 Steps” through May 17.

teacher was asked to join SCT’s Artistic Committee in 2000 and, later, the SCT Board. As a member of the Artistic Committee, Crocker played a role in choosing the season’s shows. “It has given me much satisfaction to be a contributor to the success of SCT by helping to select plays that our local audiences want to support by their attendance,” Crocker said. Her involvement and passion for theater arts led her to underwrite the upcoming “Young Frankenstein” production at SCT in memory of her late husband, under the name of their trust, The Rodney and Barbara Crocker Trust. “Rod was never as great a theater lover as I am, but he enjoyed supporting my abiding passion for good theater,” she said. “My financial contribution does not cover all the expenses of producing a large musical, but it certainly helps a lot. Many audience members do not understand how much money it takes to keep the doors open at a community theater.” “The most expensive component of any show’s budget is the actual cost to rent the show for the royalties,” Costello commented. “We cannot survive without sustaining donors.” Local businesses also have a hand in keeping SCT open. “We have businesses that will donate things,” Costello explained,

ticking off items such as furniture or costumes, as well as concessions. Some establishments, such as Ave on the Mile, donate food. Owner Kevin Hernandez’s love of the arts led him to donate dinner for a past opening night. “Kevin is a huge fan of the arts, pulling his inspiration as an entrepreneur from Mr. Walt Disney and other famous moguls,” said the restaurant’s operation manager Karen Amestoy about the business’s reason for donating. “We have every year at least one or two shows that are underwritten significantly by someone or some entity,” Costello said. Additionally, funds are often donated for special projects such as live orchestras or equipment upgrades. One of SCT’s new marketing strategies aims to partner with wineries that will provide wine tastings on Saturdays in exchange for cross promotion. SCT also has a digital marketing campaign. In addition to building presences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, SCT’s marketing group is launching a phone app. The effort is driven largely by the fact that more people are buying theater tickets online and that social media is the way to attract the the middle-aged group that Costello believes is missing at their shows.

Get daily local business news, delivered free! Stay current with Central Valley Business news... send your email address to: newsletter@cvbizjournal.com and put “please subscribe” in the subject line.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

COME WE COME SEE SEE OUR OUR WE HAVE HAVE A A WORLD WORLD CLASS, CLASS, COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE DEPARTMENT READY TO COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, DEPARTMENT READY TO REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE COME SEE OUR WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE DEPARTMENT READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE REMODELED FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE DEPARTMENT READY TO REMODELED SHOWROOM FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE REMODELED SHOWROOM SHOWROOM DEPARTMENT FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE READY TO DEPARTMENT READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE A Community Since 1936 DEPARTMENT READY TO DEPARTMENT READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE A Driving Driving Force Force in in the theSERVICE Community Since 1936 DEPARTMENT READY TO YOUR GM VEHICLE SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE SERVICE SERVICE YOUR YOUR GM GM VEHICLE VEHICLE

COME SEE OUR COME COME SEE SEE OUR OUR REMODELED SHOWROOM REMODELED SHOWROOM REMODELED SHOWROOM

I-CAR I-CAR TRAINED TRAINED AND AND OEM OEM I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM CERTIFIED COLLISION I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM CERTIFIED COLLISION I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM CERTIFIED COLLISION CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY CERTIFIED COLLISION CERTIFIED COLLISION CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY CERTIFIED COLLISION CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY REPAIR FACILITY I-CAR TRAINED AND OEM CERTIFIED I-CAR I-CAR TRAINED TRAINED AND AND OEM OEM CERTIFIED CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY

WORLD CLASS, FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE WORLD WORLD CLASS, CLASS, FACTORY FACTORY TRAINED TRAINED SERVICE SERVICE DEPT. READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE DEPT. READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM DEPT. READY TO SERVICE YOUR GM VEHICLE VEHICLE

LARGEST LARGEST GMC, GMC, BUICK, BUICK, AND AND LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND CADILLAC INVENTORY IN LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND CADILLAC INVENTORY IN LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND LARGEST GMC, BUICK, AND CADILLAC INVENTORY IN CADILLAC INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY CADILLAC INVENTORY IN CADILLAC INVENTORY IN CADILLAC INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY CADILLAC INVENTORY IN CADILLAC INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THE CENTRAL VALLEY THE CENTRAL VALLEY THE CENTRAL VALLEY THE CENTRAL VALLEY THE THE CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY VALLEY LARGEST GMC, BUICK AND CADILLAC LARGEST LARGEST GMC, GMC, BUICK BUICK AND AND CADILLAC CADILLAC INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL INVENTORY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY VALLEY

90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614

90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614

90349961_060614 90349961_060614 90349961_060614

ALFRED MATTHEWS ALFRED MATTHEWS ALFRED MATTHEWS ALFRED MATTHEWS

www.alfredmatthews.com ••••• 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto ••• 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto • 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto • 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com • 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto • 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com • 3807 McHenry (at Union) in Modesto • www.alfredmatthews.com 577-0140 www.alfredmatthews.com •• 3807 3807 McHenry McHenry (at (at Union) Union) in in Modesto Modesto •• 577-0140 577-0140 Prices plus government fees & taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document charge, any electronic filing & any emission testing charge. All vehicles subject to prior sale. Offer ends within 24 hours of publication. Prices good through 6/14/14. Prices plus government fees &fees taxes, any finance charges, anyany dealer document charge, & any any emission emissiontesting testingcharge. charge. vehicles subject to prior 24 hours of publication. Prices good 6/14/14. through 6/14/14. Prices plus government & taxes, any finance charges, dealer document charge,any anyelectronic electronic filing filing & AllAll vehicles subject to prior sale.sale. OfferOffer ends ends withinwithin 24 hours of publication. Prices good through Prices plus government fees &fees taxes, any finance charges, anyany dealer document charge, any emission emissiontesting testingcharge. charge. vehicles subject to prior 24 hours of publication. Prices good 6/14/14. through 6/14/14. Prices plus government & taxes, any finance charges, dealer document charge,any anyelectronic electronic filing filing & any AllAll vehicles subject to prior sale.sale. OfferOffer ends ends withinwithin 24 hours of publication. Prices good through Prices plus government fees & taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document charge, any electronic filing & any emission testing charge. All vehicles subject to prior sale. Offer ends within 24 hours of publication. Prices good through 6/14/14.

Prices plus government fees & taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document charge, any electronic filing & any emission testing charge. All vehicles subject to prior sale. Offer ends within 24 hours of publication. Prices good through 6/14/14.

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

TITLE COMPANIES In San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Number of Escrow Staff. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Name Address Placer Title Company 2800 West March Lane, Suite 100 Stockton, CA 95219

Top Local Executive Phone Web Address James Johnston (209)951-9170 www.placertitle.com

Number of Escrow Staff Number of Support Staff 13 N/A

Debra Geene (209)236-1014 www.nat.com

Juan Tavares/ Jarod Lilly (209)529-5000 www.firstam.com/title/ca/stanislaus

Dennis Wolfe (209)929-4800 www.firstam.com/title/ca/san-joaquin

Corinne Koftinow (209)669-7950 www.firstam.com/title/ca/stanislaus

North American Title Company 810 Standiford Avenue, Suite 6 Modesto, CA 95350

First American Title Company 1506 H Street Modesto, CA 95354

First American Title Company 3203 West March Lane, Suite 110 Stockton, CA 95219

First American Title Company 501 East Olive Street Turlock, CA 95380

Chicago Title 1473 East G Street, Building 1 Suite A Oakdale, CA 95350

Greg Martinez (209)848-1315 www.chicagotitle.com

WND

Chicago Title 1700 Standiford Avenue, Suite 110 Modesto, CA 95350

Greg Martinez (209)571-6300 www.chicagotitle.com

WND

Chicago Title 2021 West March Lane, Suite 1 Stockton, CA 95207

Greg Martinez (209)952-5500 www.chicagotitle.com

WND

Chicago Title 1949 West Kettleman Lane, Suite 201 Lodi, CA 95242

Greg Martinez (209)368-2434 www.chicagotitle.com

WND

Fidelity National Title Company of California 155 El Portal Drive, Suite B Merced, CA 95348

North American Title Company 3520 Brookside Road, Suite 151 Stockton, CA 95219

Gary C. Bondi (209)722-3911 www.fntmerced.com

WND

WND N/A N/A

Pam Richardson (209)956-6282 www.nat.com

WND

Old Republic Title Company 3425 Brookside Road, Suite C Stockton, CA 95219

Diana Contreras (209)951-9460 www.ortconline.com

WND

Old Republic Title Company 1156 Scenic Drive, Suite 100 Modesto, CA 95350

Cochelle Collins (209)521-1458 www.ortconline.com

WND

Old Republic Title Company 150 West 10th Street Tracy, CA 95376

Christine Sunn (209)835-1331 www.ortconline.com

WND

Old Republic Title Company 1215 West Center Street, Suite 103 Manteca, CA 95337

Lori Richardson (209)239-9538 www.ortconline.com

WND

Orange Coast Title Company 2937 Veneman Avenue, Suite B245 Modesto, CA 95356

Angela Ballard (209)543-1500 www.octitle.com

N/A

Stewart Title Company 809 Sylvan Avenue, Suite 101 Modesto, CA 95350

Vicki Gardea (209)529-8550 www.stewart.com

WND

Stewart Title Company 2030 West Monte Vista Avenue Turlock, CA 95382

Holly Weston (209)632-2341 www.stewart.com

WND

Transcounty Title Company 2553 First Street Atwater, CA 95301

Peg Lawler (209)358-8254 www.transcountytitle.com

N/A

Transcounty Title Company 635 West Nineteenth Street Merced, CA 95340

Peg Lawler (209)383-4660 www.transcountytitle.com

N/A

WND

N/A

WND

N/A

Number of Local Offices 2

Geographic Focus Specialties and Additional Services San Joaquin County Commercial and residential Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County Title, escrow, 1031 exchanges, refinancing, real estate, commercial and agriculture San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County Title/ Escrow services San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County New homes, residential, commercial San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County Title/ Escrow services Stanislaus County Title Insurance Stanislaus County Title Insurance San Joaquin County Title Insurance San Joaquin County Title Insurance Merced County Title, escrow and builder services San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County Title, escrow San Joaquin County Provides title and escrow products and services Stanislaus County Provides title and escrow products and services San Joaquin County Provides title and escrow products and services San Joaquin County Provides title and escrow products and services Stanislaus County Title, escrow, builder/commercial, lender Stanislaus County Title, escrow, post-closing and insurance services Stanislaus County Commercial, title, escrow Merced County Escrow, title Merced County Escrow, title

Year Established 1974

1953

1889

N/A

2009

1980

1974

1893

1985

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 ua at research@cvbizjournal.com. Copyright Central Valley Business Journal. Researched by Alyssa Larson 04/2015

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Modesto flower shop tries pop-up approach By NORA HESTON TARTE Business Journal writer nhestontarte@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — Opening a floral shop during a time when many florists are closing their doors is a brave move. Barbara Terpstra, owner of Happy Girl Flowers, is relying on an old formula to give owning a floral business a facelift. Her mobile flower shop, Happy Girl Flowers, opened in November and pops up a couple of times every month in Modesto and the surrounding area. “It kind of looks like a little flower shop inside,” she explained. The pop-up floral trucks that are fairly common on streets in big cities influenced Terpstra. While mobile businesses in general may be a trend, this format for selling flowers is nothing new. “You see a lot of trends from florists moving out of high rent areas to lower rent areas,” said Wilton Lee, president of the California State Florist Association and owner of his own flower shop in Berkeley. While Lee said he was mostly referring to florists who work out of their homes, a mobile truck offers similar financial relief. Terpstra is a human resources professional who learned her love of flowers from her grandmother. She wanted to own a floral shop but also needed a flexible schedule, so she decided to take to the open road. “I wanted to have fun with it and see where it went,” she said. The fact that her business is mobile means she can schedule pop-up sales a week in advance about once or twice per month. The frequency can change depending on the season. The Society of American Florists noted that the floral industry has experienced considerable consolidation since 2008. In order to thrive in a down economy, many retail florists look for ways to cut costs and remain in business. While the growing competition of online shops and floral departments at grocery stores have caused some florists to close their doors, Lee said the threat level has reduced. Over the past five or six years, Lee

said he receives more direct orders than wire service orders, which are orders places through companies like FTD and Teleflora who employ local shops to fill them. He cited two main factors for the shift: cost and expectations. For example, Lee said there are extra charges associated with wire service orders that he doesn’t charge if someone calls him direct. Additionally, a photo seen online isn’t always an accurate depiction of what is delivered. With Terpstra’s shop, patrons can see exactly what they are getting before they buy. In addition to expertly arranged bouquets, she offers single flowers so customers can choose their own stems and either arrange them themselves or have Terpstra work her magic. “I try to buy what is the freshest and most local,” Terpstra said of her truck’s offerings. At any given time, she typically has two or three arrangements on hand as well as individual stems. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges Terpstra faces with her parttime business is education. While the concept of a mobile flower shop is nothing new in bigger cities, it is new for the Central Valley, she said. People don’t always know what to do with the large, vibrant truck parked on street corners or at community events. “We have some education to do on that,” she explained. Ideally people will stop on their way home from work and pick up a bouquet, Terpstra said of her vision. But that’s not all she has to offer. Terpstra also welcomes passerby who want to ask questions about the business or general floral care. If they see the offerings and the value, Terpstra hopes they will follow Happy Girl Flowers on social media, she said. Social media is key to the success of any mobile business and offers a new spin on an age-old business. People who want to know where the comeand-go shop will be can “like” the Facebook page – Happy Girl Flowers – or follow the business on Instagram, @happygirlflowers. Terpstra will post her upcoming lo-

MARK RICHEY/CVBJ

Pop-up flower shops are common in bigger cities but still novel in the Central Valley.

MARK RICHEY/CVBJ

Terpstra can make arrangements to order in her mobile shop.

Happy Girls Flowers owner Barbara Terpstra inherited her love of flowers from her grandmother.

cation about a week in advance as well as teasers of what will be available in the days counting down to her appearance, including prices. While the truck does not deliver or offer services for weddings, the business is already expanding since

its start last fall. Happy Girl Flowers will deliver pre-ordered arrangements sold before specified holidays, a model Terpstra employed for Thanksgiving and Easter. Terpstra also hopes to get on the local farmer’s market circuit.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Business Journal Community Voices CENTRAL VALLEY

Community banks: the buck stops here A recent national survey revealed 66 percent of Americans wish their relationship with their financial institutions were more personal. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s 2014 findings are not surprising, particularly when it comes to the “megabanks.” How personal can you get with a national bank, when they don’t know you by name but only by your nine-digit identification code? Relationship banking Community banks provide traditional banking services in their local markets. They have a specialized knowledge of the businesses and people in communities they serve and focus on relationship banking versus transactional banking. For example, unlike national banks, community banks service a defined market, city, county or group of nearby cities or counties. This enables community banks to focus on the unique needs of each community. It also gives us first-hand knowledge of local financial conditions. We often interact with our customers outside of the bank at local events

and activities. It might be at a community fundraiser, shopping at their business or a high school football game. This gives us a special insight on our customers and their special needs. This could explain why 92 percent of U.S. consumers confirmed being satisfied with their community bank or credit union, Community according to a Voices 2012 article in Time Magazine; William Trezza whereas, only 27 CEO, percent admitBank of A&C ted being satisfied with nation’s three biggest banks, reported CNN Money in 2011. Big impact on small business Small businesses, the foundation of our nation’s economy, have found personal banking service and support from the country’s 6,000 community

banks. In recognition of this — as well as other major contributions to consumers and local economies — the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA) dedicates April as “Community Banking Month.” According to the ICBA, community banks with less than $10 billion in assets were responsible for 58 percent of all small business loans nationwide in 2011. Megabanks, with more than $100 billion in assets, made only 22 percent of all small business loans in the same period. Community banks making loans to local small businesses help local entrepreneurs get their start. This contributes toward building stronger neighborhoods and local economies. High touch, high tech In my more than 30 years as Chief Executive Officer at Bank of Agriculture and Commerce (BAC) I’ve made personal contact and customer service our No. 1 priority. This commitment to personalized service does not come at the expense of the latest technology and processes. BAC offers the same advanced, electronic banking products and cash

At Bank of Agriculture and Commerce, personal contact and customer service are our No. 1 priority.

management services as the megabanks. We offer a wide variety of consumer banking products to satisfy the personal banking and investment needs of individuals, business owners and their employees. BAC, along with ECC Bank, a division of BAC, has 10 branches in Stockton, Modesto, Lodi, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Antioch and Concord. When you apply for a loan, the decision is made at our Stockton headquarters. Apply for a loan from a national bank and the decision could be made in New York City or Charlotte, N.C. According to the ICBA, community Please see COMMUNITY BANKS Page 40

WESTGATE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT

Want to be a Better Leader? Call today to take your leadership to the next level. For 20 years the Westgate Center has helped thousands of leaders and managers become more effective. We offer a wide variety of programs and certificates on topics including: • Designing Innovative Organizers • Creating Strategy • Non-Profit Board Development • Leadership Effectiveness • Exceeding Customer Expectations • Team Building

209.946.2956 westgate@pacific.edu Pacific.edu/Westgate

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

FLOORING AND WINDOW TREATMENT COMPANIES Flooring

Yes

Sales and installation of hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet, vinyl. Refinishing and repair of wood flooring. Granite, marble and stone fabrication and installation. Shutters and blinds

1994

(209) 469-9055 cmcarpets.com

Yes

Carpet, hardwood floors, laminate, ceramic tile, vinyl and window treatments

1998

(209) 334-4060 classicdesignftc.com

Yes

Carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, LVT, VCT, area rugs, ceramic, porcelain, natural stone and more

2006

Retail and commercial flooring sales Window coverings Sales with optional installation available

1977

Carpet, vinyl, laminate, hardwood, ceramic tile, custom area rugs and luxury vinyl tile

1996

Web Address

CM Carpets Plus/Color Tile 1338 E. Miner Avenue Stockton, CA 95205

Classic Design Floor To Ceiling 2303 S. Stockton Street Lodi, CA 95240

Accent Carpet One 136 N. Main Street Manteca, CA 95337 141 W. 11th Street Tracy, CA 95376 431 S. Cherokee Lane Lodi, CA 95240

Address

(209) 571-8583 astepaboveflooring.com

Local Phone

A Step Above Flooring, Inc. 823 N. Emerald Avenue Modesto, CA 95351

Products and Services Offered

Company Name

Window Treatments

Rank

Number of Employees

In San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Ranked by Number of Employees. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Big Foot Carpets 4500 Broadway Avenue Salida, CA 95368 House of Carpets-Carpet One 1120 McHenry Avenue Modesto, CA 95350 Pinnellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flooring America 430 E. Kettleman Lane Lodi, CA 95240 Floors Plus 615 Kansas Avenue, A Modesto, CA 95351

accentcarpetonemanteca.com (209) 647-3089 accentcarpetonetracy.com (209) 200-8780

Yes

Year Est.

1974

(209) 334-5667 (209) 454-0747 bigfootcrpets.com

Yes

Floor Coverings Carpet, laminate and vinyl

1986

(209) 523-5664 carpetonemodesto.com

Yes

Carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl flooring and area rugs Retail and commercial flooring sales and installation Window treatments available

1950

(209) 642-4936 pinnellsflooring-america.com

Yes

Carpet, vinyl, ceramic tile, area rugs, hardwood flooring, laminates and window coverings

1982

(209) 577-0718 floorsplusmodesto.com

Yes

Commercial and residential flooring of all types Including carpet, vinyl, laminate, hardwood, porcelain/ceramic tile and natural stone

2002

Lodi Tile Works, Inc. 130 N. Sacramento Street Lodi, CA 95240

(209) 369-9682 loditileworks.com

Yes

Tile showroom and tile installation

2003

Gienger Floor Covering 403 S. Sacramento Street Lodi, CA 95240

(209) 369-9527

Yes

Floor and window coverings, includes hardwood, laminate, carpet, linoleum, blinds and shutters

1947

Rayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carpets Flooring Studio 200 Kiernan Avenue, Ste. A Modesto, CA 95356

(209) 577-5642 rayscarpets.com

Yes

Full-service floor covering, offering carpet, hardwood, laminate, cork, bamboo, resilient, tile, natural stone and area rugs Window dressings and installations

1979

Direct Flooring and Home Construction (inside Direct Appliance) 2424 Mc Henry Avenue Modesto, CA 95350

(209) 238-3000 directappliance.com

Yes

Flooring and window treatments Full service flooring, lighting, plumbing and accessories Hardwood, tile, stone, carpeting, luxury vinyl tile, plank, IVC fiber floor, laminate, oil finish hardwood, cork and bamboo flooring

2010

H.W. Thompson 2580 Teepee Drive, Ste. B Stockton, CA 95205

(209) 948-3501 none

Yes

Carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring Commercial and minimal residential

1946

Oakdale Interiors, Inc. Walnut Wood Blinds 122 N. Sierra Avenue Oakdale, CA 95361

(209) 847-5786

Yes

Complete line of flooring: carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and commercial flooring Window treatments, Hunter Douglas Gallery Free estimates

1986

Shelton Lee Flooring Specialties, Inc. 5170 Pentecost Drive, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95356

(209) 491-0310 sheltonleeflooring.com

Yes

Carpet, vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring, tile, stone, laminate flooring, area rugs, specialty flooring, sand and refinish hardwood

1995

Coates & Wright Floor Coverings, Inc. 115 Mark Randy Place Modesto, CA 95350

(209) 527-2100 coatesandwright.com

Yes

Residential and commercial flooring Including: carpet, vinyl tiles, hardwood and laminate

1976

Hacienda Flooring 2800 Auto Plaza Drive, Ste 130 Tracy, CA 95304

(209) 833-8590 haciendaflooring.net

Yes

Flooring sales and installation Commercial and residential

2003

The Gallery 5940 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95207

(209) 952-2681 thegallerydesigncenter.com

Yes

Hardwood, natural stone, laminate and tile Vintage furniture and accessories

2002

Vision Flooring and Interiors 13400 E. Collier Road Acampo, CA 95220

(209) 369-1166 visionflooringlodi.com

Yes

Carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and solid surface. Kitchen/bath remodels, Hunter Douglas, Scandia window fashions Consultations available

2001

United Floor Covering Carpet One Floor & Home 312 West Main Street Merced, CA 95340

Yes

Carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile

(209) 847-4676 walnutwoodsblinds.com

(209) 722-1509 carpetone.com

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Check out our different services that meet all your home needs at www.cmcarpets.com or give us a call at (209) 469-9055!

Servicing Central California for almost 20 years!

Come by and see our showroom at 1338 E. Miner Ave., Stockton, CA 95205

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015

Taxpayers beware: phone scams abound Over the past several months I have received calls from some of my clients with tax problems saying they have received a phone call from the IRS threatening them with criminal prosecution if they did not immediately pay their taxes over the phone. Knowing the IRS’ tactics, I reassure my clients that the call is a scam, but to allay their concerns, I take down the phone number provided and inquire. Upon calling the number, I quickly confirm it is a scam and report back to my client. I used to think these scams were reserved for people with tax problems and have liens filed against them. Tax liens being public records, so they are an easy target. However, these scammers are also calling people with no problems whatsoever and are trying to intimidate and coerce payments. I learned this from my wife when they called my house and left a message on our answering machine. Upon receiving the message, I returned the phone call. The person who answered the phone sounded like they were in a large call center with a lot of background noise. The person had a foreign accent. I requested the purported IRS agent’s badge number and was answered with a barrage of threats including that they were going to send agents down to arrest me. Not being concerned, I advised them I was

about to leave for an appointment but would be back by 2 p.m. if they wanted to come at that time. Of course, nobody showed up. The simple fact is that the IRS does not call people and demand credit card payments over the phone. The IRS is required to send written notices to taxpayers who owe back taxes. If those notices are ignored, the IRS typically will try Jason Harrel to levy bank accounts and wages. Calone & Harrel If the levies don’t Law Group produce enough results, the IRS will show up at a taxpayer’s residence or place of work unannounced to make a field visit to attempt to get the taxpayer to pay their back taxes. However, proper identification is provided on those field visits. With the first annual deadlines passed for filing tax returns, some taxpayers will find they owe taxes they cannot afford to pay. Be careful of the numerous so-called tax firms that advertise on television and radio promising to resolve your tax problems through the IRS’ recently announced

Fresh Start Initiative. The Fresh Start Initiative was rolled out back in February 2011. Tax problems can be resolved, but a struggling taxpayers should rely on someone local they can meet with and trust to resolve their problems. I frequently meet with people who have hired someone over the phone in another state, but their problem has not been resolved and they can no longer get in contact with the person they hired. To resolve IRS tax problems, you will essentially have one of four choices: pay in full; pay in installments; submit an offer in compromise; or file bankruptcy. The easiest way to resolve the problem is to pay it in full if you have the ability. There is no deal to be made if you have the funds to satisfy the liability. Dragging the process out will only result in penalties and interest being added to the tax bill, and you will be amazed how fast those penalties and interest accrue. If you do not have the ability to pay the liability in full, there are various IRS installment agreement programs. The installment agreement in some instances will require no financial documentation whatsoever. However, in some cases, it will require detailed justification of the amount you propose to pay. The offer in compromise program

is another way you can try to resolve a tax problem. It will require detailed financial information and verification. The process can be difficult and you will need someone who understands the program and its rules. The IRS is not required to accept an offer in compromise and it is in their discretion. Accordingly, proper advice is required before spending the time and money to pursue this option. Lastly, a tax debt can be resolved through a bankruptcy. However, different types of taxes have different rules and taxes that can be discharged have to have been assessed for at least three years on a filed return before they become eligible for discharge. Proper planning and advice is necessary before attempting to discharge a tax debt through bankruptcy. If it is done incorrectly, you are stuck because it could be a long time before you can file another bankruptcy. There are a lot of scams out there. Be careful in dealing with people on the phone and hiring people to assist you with your problems. The best way to find someone to assist you is to obtain a recommendation from someone you trust. If you cannot get a recommendation, search for attorneys or accountants who are located near you and have experience in dealing with your type of problem.

When you enter into a real estate transaction, whether you’re buying or selling, you can be fixated on getting the sale done. There’s typically excitement or anticipation that comes with this, and while you might be focused on the big picture, it’s the small details that often make or break a deal. Below are some things to pay attention to during the process. However, your best bet for having a successful transaction is to consult a real estate professional. Transactions fall apart for a variety of reasons. Here are the most common culprits: Buyer motivation Looking for your dream home is the enjoyable part of the process, but the other work associated with buying a home can cause many buyers to take a step back and realize that they may not be ready for home ownership. The financing process and paperwork required, the inspections, the bidding and negotiating on price can all factor into a buyer pulling out of the process, leaving the seller to start over. Seller motivation Similarly, a seller can view listings in a hot market as a great opportunity to get a big payday. However, once into the process, it can become daunting. Repairs and renovations needed to prepare the home for sale, open house showings that can disrupt everyday life, or price haggling with the buyer

are all reasons for some sellers’ stress. Financing Many transactions can fail because of tightened lending, the significant down payment required or the steep credit score needed. Most residential real estate transactions require financing by the buyer, so the possibility of getting stopped at this step in the process is not unusual. Cash is still Michael Blower king, and Cali2015 President, fornia remains Central Valley attractive to inter- Assoc. of Realtors national investment buyers who often make cash purchases and do not rely upon financing. Contingencies Often times a real estate transaction is contingent upon buyers selling their current home, or sellers closing on their next home. This can be tenuous and require the help of a Realtor for a smooth outcome. Appraisals Appraisals are ordered by the lender to determine the market value of the property. Transactions can fall apart if the appraisal and the

contracted sale price are significantly different. In a market where inventory is low and sellers look at capitalizing on that to get a higher price for their home, this can quickly backfire when a lender won’t budge on the true market or comparable value. So how do you overcome these issues and protect your home buying or selling dreams? Let’s take them one by one: • Buyer motivation: The best thing you can do for yourself as a buyer is be proactive early in the process. Getting prequalified with a lender helps you know what you can afford and also decide what and where you want to buy. Rely on your agent for advice. Because no transactions are exactly alike, having a real estate professional you trust is a must in this process. • Seller motivation: Sellers also need to be well prepared and versed in what hurdles they may encounter during the process of selling their home. Understanding why certain steps should be taken will help you push through and keep motivation to reach your ultimate goal. You should also get a Realtor you trust when selling your home. Different homes sell for different reasons and having an experienced agent can help sellers maneuver steps in the process like staging, showing and negotiating for the best price for their home. • Financing: Learn your credit

score and what you will need to improve it, if you need to. A real estate professional can help you understand your budget for your home purchase. • Contingencies: If a sale is contingent on buyers selling their own home, or sellers closing on their home, you can offer to put them up in a hotel or make other concessions that allow more time for the process to continue. If the contingencies are based on structural repairs that will take more time, the two parties can negotiate a better timetable for getting the repairs done. • Appraisals: If the appraised value of the home is significantly lower than the asking price, the seller can lower the price, or the buyer can increase his or her down payment to cover the short fall. Either way, that price difference has to be made up if the lender is to approve the loan. Real estate transactions are complex, whether you are on the buying or selling side, and the potential for them to fall apart along the way is very real. Understanding the land mines ahead of time and having a plan to counter these challenges is the first step. It also pays to use a qualified real estate professional who is used to these roadblocks and experienced at helping buyers and sellers navigate them. The dream of home ownership is absolutely achievable. Don’t let these factors prevent you from realizing it.

Taxing Matters

Top five reasons real estate deals fall through

Bringing it home

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

The numbers behind the economy’s recovery Across the United States, commercial real estate is changing. More people believe the economy is recovering, and positive sentiment is spreading. Let’s take a close look at where we are in the recovery. Real GDP and per capita real GDP have managed to exceed their pre-recession levels. But don’t be misled. The U.S. economy still remains nearly 14 percent Ryan Swehla below its longPrincipal, term trend real NAI Benchmark GDP, which is First Commercial over $2.3 trillion. To put this into its proper perspective, that’s about $7,130 per capita, which outstrips the entire GDP of countries like Russia and Italy. The forecast for job growth tells a similar story, but it’s one that’s more promising. NAI Global predicts that more than 2.5 million jobs will be added this year nationwide, and a 1.9 percent increase is expected every year until 2018. Because there is a significant historical relationship between employment growth and commercial property vacancy rates, the United States will need to add at least 12 million jobs by 2018 to realize any noticeable decline in vacancy rates across all property sectors. Of the 8.7 million jobs lost during the recession, the United States had regained 112 percent by September 2014. However, the economy still remains 19.3 million jobs below trend. That leaves a lot of room for growth. Aggregate commercial construction activity has improved 62 percent since the market hit rock bottom but still remains 15 percent below normal levels. This might begin to improve as banks continue to loosen their standards and move away from an unprecedented lending capacity of about $20 trillion. Commercial real estate experts are expecting a new wave of construction and mortgage lending. That prediction is especially significant when you consider that housing and related services combined compose about 18 percent of the country’s total GDP. The flow of mortgage funds is what typically drives cap rates. As for the future of mortgage flow, the Fed has been contributing $480 billion per year into money center banks since 2008. As the economy steadily improves, major banks are starting to increase their lending activity significantly. Even though commercial real estate loans have only increased 2.4 percent from their 2011 low, we view this as a precursor to the explosion of lending that could occur over the course of the next five years as banks seek to profit from the near $3 trillion “gift” they received from the federal government. While the U.S. economy is limping

Business Space

along toward recovery, let’s compare that to other global regions. European commercial real estate growth has been flat and is expected to remain that way for a few years to come. Markets in Asia continued to see growth through the close of last year, but that growth is slow. Latin America is enduring a declining market. In the United States, we’re fighting an uphill battle and will continue to

do so across the nation for the next few years. But on a local level, we see promising trends. 2008 ushered in a period of economic stress. The commercial real estate market in the Central Valley was hit especially hard because it has relied heavily on overflow from the neighboring Bay Area economy. While our region is at the tail end of the nation’s economic recovery, we have already begun to see the

improved economy raise commercial real estate values. Although the economic hardships we are recovering from in the Central Valley have dampened investor enthusiasm for our region, 2015 will continue to see increased interest from investors. The national trends supporting recovery will further increase leasing and sale activity in the Central Valley as the nation creeps back toward our long-term historical growth levels.

Did you hear about the bank that helped a client with a

shining business

opportunity? Kirk Short had a chance to expand his business when a German solar manufacturer was selling off its U.S. interests, including their entire inventory and equipment, but a quick response was key. Tri Counties Business Banker Sonny Ventimiglio and his team worked to get the business acquisition loan and arranged an international transfer of funds in a flash. Kirk was able to purchase the company, expand his business and enjoy a brighter future. How can we shine for you? For business problem solving, switch to Tri Counties Bank.

COMMERCIAL FINANCING CASH MANAGEMENT SERVICES BRIGHT FUTURES

Start your own story! Call or visit us online today. Member FDIC

1-800-922-8742 | TriCountiesBank.com

Central Valley Business Journal

Securing support for change The key attribute of any successful leader is the ability to implement change by moving a team from where they are today to a more desirable point in the future. As I work with leaders in organizations, I am constantly reminded about the difficulties in implementing change. Even when organizations create a plan for change, few of those plans ever get implemented to their fullest extent. This happens for a variety of reasons including: the plan was pushed by the leader without buy-in from the team; the team believed that creating a plan was enough to get the momentum started, which would carry them through to success; or there wasn’t a compelling reason for the change in the first place. Humans are creatures of habit, and we resist change unless we understand why it is critical to success. Effective leaders understand there are 11 steps to implementing change in almost any organization. Follow these steps and although it may not be easy, it will be effective in moving your organization forward. This month, we’ll look at the first five: • There has to be a clear understanding of where the organization is today and where it will be in the future. This goes beyond revenues, net profit and number of employees. Successful organizations have additional goals such as customer satisfaction goals or those

set by the industry. • As the leader you have to convey a sense of urgency. People in the organization have to understand the “why.” People become motivated when they understand that change is needed to protect or enhance the things they deem important (ie: their job, growth in compensation, greater opportunities within the company). In addition, when people unPeter Johnson derstand the reaPacific - Eberhardt sons for change, School of Business they may find innovative ways to move the business forward. • For significant change to happen there has to be a well thought out plan with buy-in from the team. No leader ever moved an organization successfully from one point to another without a team. The key word here is successfully. There are lots of examples where people came in to lead a company and systematically (and unintentionally) tore it a part. It is critical the team has buy-in to the vision of where it wants to go and understands the process of how it is going to get there.

Clear Vision

Getting the team to help develop the plan creates buy-in and instills a sense of ownership. Plans created by teams are more likely to address future obstacles and challenges while creating more realistic expectations of what will actually happen as change is implemented. This assumes the team has a diverse set of skills. • The plan needs to be in alignment with the mission and vision of the organization. I have seen organizations where money becomes the driving force, and the organization strives to create new revenue streams. This might be fine for a for-profit business, but if it is a nonprofit and they are chasing revenue streams that have nothing to do with their mission, it can create a real challenge. • Along the change process everyone will be asking “what will my role be in this change and how exactly will this impact how I do things?” It is important that everyone understands their role in the change process and expectations moving forward. Their only road map going forward is their previous path. If they are going to do things differently in the future, they need to have a clear understanding of the process and expectations. That’s all the space I have this month, but join me next month as we continue with the next six steps in implementing successful change in your organization.

May 2015

CVBJ

COMMUNITY BANKS Continued from Page 35

banks also impact local economies by: • Employing 700,000 U.S. workers • Making 46 percent of commercial loans • Providing 77 percent of agricultural loans • Holding $2.9 trillion in deposits • Having $3.6 trillion in assets • Making $2.4 trillion in loans to consumers, small businesses and the ag industry Community banks also are accountable. If you have a problem with BAC, the buck stops with me. Unlike Fortune 500 banks, at BAC your phone call won’t be placed on hold for 10 minutes and then transferred to another individual or a recording. You talk to real people — real people that have a sincere desire to personally help and serve you. Community banks are relationship lenders that flourish when their customers and communities do the same. Taking care of customers and looking out for the best interest of local communities is the community banking business model. After all, we’re all in this together. William R. “Bill” Trezza is a Stockton resident. He’s worked in the banking and the federal regulatory industries for 46 years. Trezza spent 13 years with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a Federal Bank Regulatory Agency, before joining BAC in 1982 as Chief Financial Officer and becoming Chief Executive Officer in 1984.

Good supervisors can keep you from being sued Employees may be your most important asset, but your frontline supervisors can sometimes be your biggest liability. Consider the case of a used car dealer in Yuma, Arizona. One day, he called a salesman into his office to discuss a few work-related matters. At the start of the meeting, the dealer had no intention of firing the salesman. However, during the course of the meeting the salesman lost his temper. He yelled at the dealer, using quite a bit of profanity. He went on to say to his supervisor, “You are stupid, nobody likes you, and everyone talks about you behind your back.” He then stood up, pushed his chair aside and states that if he is fired the company “will regret it.” He was fired. That’s no surprise. What may surprise you, however, is that when he brought a claim before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), he was reinstated to his job and awarded full back pay for the time he was not working. How could this happen? It has been said many times that “bad facts make bad law.” Here, on the law, the NLRB found that the employee was terminated for complaining about working conditions, which is protected by the National Labor Relations Act. The out-

burst occurred at a work-related meeting, the topic of the meeting was related to the job, and the employee’s conduct was not so outrageous as to lose the protection of the Act. Importantly, the NLRB also concluded that the employer’s unfair labor practices, at least partially, provoked the outburst. A review of the events that preceded the Bruce Sarchet meeting gives a Attorney, Littler flavor for why Mendelson Law Firm the NLRB found that the outburst was provoked. On the salesman’s first day on the job, he asked whether he could take a break to go to the bathroom or eat a meal. His supervisor replied, “You’re always on break, buddy … you just wait for customers all day. You are free to leave if you don’t like it.” Later, when a vehicle was damaged, the supervisor informed the group that an equal amount would be deducted from the pay of all salespersons to cover

Human Element

the cost. When the salesperson complained that was not fair, the supervisor responded, “I don’t like employee negativity. I have a stack of applications, and I can easily hire new salespeople.” When the salesperson eventually did sell a car, he believed he was shorted on his commission. He asked to see the dealer’s costs of the vehicle, at which time he was called into the meeting that led to his outburst and his termination. This story contains a number of important lessons for business owners in the Central Valley. Of course, each situation in the workplace is unique, and therefore, this article does not substitute for the advice of legal counsel. But a number of practical suggestions can be gleaned. First, business owners should recognize the importance of effective frontline supervisors. Employees spend most of their work time in direct contact with frontline supervisors. A good (or bad) supervisor can make a huge difference in an employee’s day. Qualities of effective supervisors include being a good listener, consistency in dealing with employees, not playing favorites, and the ability to effectively communicate the reasons why things are done in a particular way. Second, focus on any newly pro-

moted supervisors. They are new in their jobs, and so more likely to make mistakes. Human resources professionals and business owners need to spend extra time with newly promoted supervisors, and regularly check in to learn about how things are going, their challenges, etc. Third, focus on your “problem” supervisors. Every organization has them. They are poor listeners. They may tell employees to do things in a particular way “because I am the boss, and I said so.” Business owners and human resources professionals need to do even more work with this group. Coaching and counseling, along with progressive discipline, should be utilized. If the supervisor does not improve, then an exit strategy should be developed. Finally, seek to obtain full compliance with the multitude of California’s labor and employment laws. This can be a challenge, in and of itself, but it should always be your goal. The bottom line is that an employee with a poor supervisor is much more likely to complain about his or her workplace than is an employee with a good supervisor. Keeping a current and ongoing focus on your supervisory team is perhaps one of the best ways to reduce the risk of employment and labor law liability today.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

5 simple ways you can protect your data I’ve worked in the IT consulting industry for a decade, and in that time there have been waves of hot topics in technology that bring apprehension to decision makers everywhere. Many fads, fears and concerns have come and gone, but IT security has been one that has remained prevalent and is Practical talked about now more than ever. Technology Network security should be topDavid of-mind for every Darmstandler business owner, Vice President organization of Data Path leader or IT professional. Losing data to theft, disaster or simple human error can be costly. On average the cost per lost customer record is $188 (that can add up fast) – and the embarrassment in explaining to customers how their information was stolen is not a conversation you want to have as a business leader. Many articles describe incidents of stolen data (Home Depot, Target, etc.), but I’ve found that the biggest holes in IT security are often the simplest to solve. Here are five simple ways to secure your network starting today: Make a list and check it twice The best thing you can do to protect yourself from network security issues is to make a list of what would be worth stealing: financial records, internal documents (employee records), proprietary property (trade secrets or vendor information) and most importantly, customer data (names, addresses and billing information). Use protection Once you’ve determined potential targets, you need to practice protection. What are you doing to on a practical level to secure these items? Often when I walk through an office I see easy physical access to server rooms, network closets and to the accounting offices. On sticky notes I’ll see login information for company software, bank accounts and employment applications. Would you tape your house key on your front door? Of course not. Then why would you leave your company’s valuables in plain sight? You’re asking for a disaster. Ensure you are securing what is valuable to you. It’s as simple as hiding the key. Get to know your technology One of the greatest weaknesses I see in businesses is that management doesn’t have sufficient documentation of how technology is set up, what they have and who has control over it. • Create a basic network map. Document how your office interconnects, connects to other sites you have, connects with outside vendors and to the Internet. • Document usernames and passwords. Most importantly, who on your staff has access to what resources

(bank accounts, file shares, programs, administrative rights, etc.). Become the teacher Unfortunately, according to PC World, up to 70 percent of network security breaches take place due to theft of internal information or just negligence, but this is fixable. • Take a stroll. If you walked around your office, I bet you would find very few employees who could tell you how

they are helping to protect the company from network breaches, viruses or how they’re keeping an eye out for suspicious internal behavior. • Teach, eat and play. Start by providing lunch and learn meetings, and make it fun. I’ve found employees like to learn about things in a game format, which helps them to retain the information. It’s best to start with a single subject. For example, I would start with

A BETTER WAY TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS

A recipe for boosting productivity Employees with poor nutrition report 50 percent more sickness-related absences than those who eat well.* Visit us online to see how workforce health programs can help your employees feel better and be more productive.

Choose better. Choose Kaiser Permanente.

* “Poor Nutrition Increases Sickness Absence 50%,” Workplace Savings and Benefits, accessed October 22, 2012.

kp.org/workforcehealth

basic email security. Teach your employees about what to click on and what to just delete. Back that thing up Regardless of your current vulnerabilities, your biggest threat may simply be a lack of protecting your data. Make sure you investigate and understand how your data is being backed up, how often, where, and who’s in charge of making sure it’s happening.

Central Valley Business Journal

www.cvbizjournal.com

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

BRIEFS Farmington Fresh hires new CEO STOCKTON — The Farmington Fresh Board of Directors has named Ernie Pascua as chief executive officer. His appointment took effect April 13, the company said. Pascua’s appointment is part of the produce processor’s strategic growth plan, Farmington Fresh said. “Our family business has grown in 20 years from an apple and cherry packing facility to a state of the art onion packing, apple growing and fruit slicing operation,” said the company’s founder and managing partner David Rajkovich. Pascua has 25 years experience Pascua in the produce industry, including an operations background and is experienced in marketing new specialty produce items. He has guided several companies through a growth trajectory and increases in market share. “Ernie has a great deal of experience helping diverse produce companies like ours grow, and we’re excited to have his leadership,” Rajkovich said. “As our company grows and product lines become more diverse with our new ‘BFFs – Bites of Fresh Fruits’ and ‘Just Enough’ potato retail product lines our attention to detail is more focused than ever.”

Pacific’s business school maintains prestigious accreditation STOCKTON — The University of the Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business continues to earn prestigious accreditations. The University of the Pacific learned April 15 that its business program will maintain its accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The AACSB is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. Less than 5 percent of the world’s business programs earn the accreditation. “It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn and maintain AACSB Accreditation,” said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International in a press release. “Business schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty, and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students.”

Tracy businesses doing well, survey finds TRACY — Businesses in Tracy are feeling pretty good about the way things are going for them. That was the finding of a walking survey by the Tracy Chamber of Commerce. Of the 70 businesses surveyed during a two-hour walking tour, 89 percent

reported business was “good or great.” Just 11 percent reported that business was bad. The results came during a “walking survey” in which participants were asked a series of questions about doing business in Tracy. Businesses were selected by geographic location and industry in order to obtain diverse results and chamber membership was not a requirement for participation. Among things that business liked about working in Tracy, its “small, home-town feeling” was the most often cited draw. Other draws cited were the friendly people, city’s safety, location and growth. Issues that needed to be addressed, according to the survey, included downtown parking, improved city permit times and more advertising opportunities. Items such as improved higher education, more transportation options from the Bay Area were also among top concerns for area businesses.

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

STANISLAUS COUNTY

BRIEFS Dust Bowl breaks ground on new brewery

STOCKTON — The West Coast Conference (WCC) baseball tournament will make a third appearance at Stockton’s Banner Island Ballpark. The three-ay tournament will begin May 21. The tournament will mark the third consecutive year that the Stockton Ports’ home park has hosted the tournament. The the top four squads in the 10-team WCC, which includes the University of the Pacific, advance to the conference tournament. WCC conference tickets are on sale at the Stockton Ports Box Office. Tickets start at $5 for students and seniors and $12 for MVP seating. Club seating, for $15, is available to Ports’ season ticket holders. For more information on the 2015 WCC Championship or the Stockton Ports 2015 season, contact the Ports’ front office at (209) 644-1900 or visit stocktonports.com.

TURLOCK — Dust Bowl Brewing Company broke ground April 8 on its new brewery in the Turlock Industrial Park. The craft brewing company expects the 30,000-square-foot facility will be finished in December. “Demand has overridden the capacity a couple of different times at the location we’re at currently and have been at since the beginning,” Dust Bowl owner Brett Tate told the Business Journal last December. “We just thought it was time to look at a new venue.” The new facility will be located west of Highway 99, on the corner of Fulkerth road and Dianne Drive. It will benefit from freeway exposure that the current downtown facility, located at 200 W. Main St., doesn’t have. The company estimates the cost will be $12.5 million and projects sales to be 10,000 barrels in its first year. Currently the brewery can only produce 5,400 barrels a year. The new facility will allow the company to grow to 100,000 barrels a year. In addition to increased brewing capacity, the new location will feature brewery tours, tasting room, light fare, retail sales of packaged product and swag, indoor and outdoor seating.

Stockton names new deputy director of recreation

Two business get California Competes tax credits

STOCKTON — Arecia Yee will be the new deputy director of recreation in Stockton starting May 18. Yee is currently a Community Service Manager with the City of Richmond. The CSU-Sacramento graduate will be in charge of overseeing the Community Services Department programs and community centers. While in Richmond, Yee received the city of Richmond Recreation Department Director’s Award in 2011. She led the aquatics staff to earn the Richmond’s Customer Service Award in 2015. She is an active member of the California Parks and Recreation Society, the League of Black Women and the 2015 Contra Costa Local Government Leadership Academy.

TURLOCK — Two companies in Stanislaus County were among the 93 companies statewide that received tax credits from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). Turlock’s Lock ‘N Stitch, which will create 18 jobs, received $45,000 in tax credits. Another $100,000 went to Modesto Industrial Electrical to create 70 positions; and $80,000 to Industrial Automation Group which will create 52 jobs. The California Competes Tax credits total $69 million and will help businesses create a projected 13,286 jobs and generate more than $3.1 billion in state investment.

WCC baseball tournament starts May 21

California Competes credits go to six companies STOCKTON — Six companies in San Joaquin County received tax credits from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GOBiz) under the California Competes program. Sutter Home Winery and Shepard Brothers, both San Joaquin Partnership projects, will create a combined 227 jobs and $18.4 million in new investment in the area. Peerless Coffee Company, W. C. Maloney, Inc., All Cal Equipment Services and Vol-Ten Corporation received the remainder of the tax credits and will account for 115 jobs and $8.6 million in investment. The six companies received a combined $1.4 million in tax credits.

Western United Dairymen announce new board MODESTO — The Western United Dairymen announced its newly elected executive board during the group’s annual meeting in Yosemite last month. The new executive board leaders are president Frank Mendonsa, Vice President Lucas Deniz, 2nd Vice President Simon Vander Woude, Secretary Larry Pietrowski, Treasurer Michael Zylstra, Membersat-Large Tom Barcellos and John De Raadt. The Western United Dairymen, based in Modesto, represents producers of more than 60 percent of the

May 2015

milk produced in California. The group dedicates itself to issues ranging from labor law to environmental issues. The 2015 meeting of the group drew more than 320 attendees and 45 exhibitors. The 2016 meeting will take place in Rohnert Park.

Denham wants to make bridge repairs a priority TURLOCK — Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, is leading a push to prioritize funding for crumbling locally-owned bridges across the nation as Congress works on the 2012 law that authorized federal surface transportation programs. Denham noted Modesto’s 7th Street bridge as one of many that is in dire need of repair. The bridge rates a 2 out of 100, which means it is unsafe for school buses to travel over. Denham noted the fact that locally-owned on-system bridges are at a significant disadvantage Denham when competing for funding with state-owned on-system bridges. Nearly 3,000 bridges in California are structurally deficient. For locallyowned bridges, there is an estimated funding shortfall of $1.3 billion over the next 10 years.

Modesto’s Boyd Corp. gets new investor MODESTO — Genstar Capital is teaming up with Modesto-based Boyd Corporation. Genstar Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm that focuses on investments in targeted segments of the industrial technology, healthcare, financial services, and software industries, has announced it bought a stake in Boyd Corp. The size of the investment was undisclosed. Boyd Corporation sells engineered rubber, plastic, metal, flexible environmental sealing products that aim to help with energy efficiency, durability, safety and performance of a variety of products. Boyd provides products primarily to mobile computing, consumer and enterprise electronics, transportation, data storage, medical, and aerospace industries. UBS Investment Bank served as financial adviser and Weil, Gotshal & Manges provided legal counsel to Genstar.

Oakdale Chocolate Festival starts May 16 OAKDALE — The 23rd annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival is May 16 and 17 at Wood Park. The festival features food and craft from more than 200 vendors and celebrates Oakdale’s heritage as a chocolate-making town. Dont’ miss Chocolate Avenue with its array of fudges, truffles, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cheese cake, and more. Last year the festival raised more than $16,000 for local nonprofit groups. Pre-sale tickets are available online for $4 each through PayPal. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Learn more at www.oakdalechamber.com.

www.cvbizjournal.com

MERCED COUNTY

BRIEFS Geologists to give talk on California drought MERCED — The public can learn more about the history of California’s climate and the current drought at a lecture May 7 by UC Berkeley geography professors Lynn Ingram and Frances Malamud-Roam. Their talk is based on their book “The West Without Water,” which contextualizes California’s water concerns in its overall climate history. The authors tell the story of the American West’s climate detectives, punctuating their survey with accounts of the region’s great droughts, floods and other challenges its people have faced over thousands of years. They investigated what constitutes normal climate in the West, and learned that while we might have temporarily buffered ourselves from harsh climatic swings by building dams and reservoirs, we might be unprepared for the effects of climate changes that are occurring now and could continue for hundreds of years into the future. The talk is at 7 p.m., May 7 at 301 W. Main St. in Merced. Admission is free. Call (209) 217-7247 for more information.

Entrepreneur workshop set for May 20 MERCED — Anyone thinking of starting a business can learn more about what it takes to be successful at a free workshop presented by the Small Business Alliance. The two-hour workshop will introduce entrepreneurs to the basics of starting a business including determining whether an idea is viable, the kind of financing needed, the risks and why a business plan is needed. The workshop is from 6-8 p.m., May 20 at 1810 K Street in Merced. Call (209) 386-1008 for more information.

Castle Air Force Base hosts Open Cockpit Day ATWATER — Families have a chance to tour and learn about airplanes during Castle Air Force Base’s spring Open Cockpit Day May 24. Visitors to the base can look through dozens of historic aircrafts, and children can make models to take home. Admission is $14 for adults, $35 for families, $8 for seniors 60 and over, $5 for children 6-17; children 5 and under and active duty military personnel are free. The event is from 9-5 p.m., Sunday, May 24 at 5050 Santa Fe Drive in Atwater.

Deadline for County Fair entries is May 7 MERCED — Show off your skills at the Merced County Fair June 10-14. The fair encourages you to share the works of art you’ve created in the garden, at the sewing machine, in the kitchen, at the work bench, in the classroom, with a laptop, a welding torch, an easel or a cell phone. The 2015 Merced County Fair’s Exhibitor’s Handbook has been divided into two booklets – livestock and all other non-livestock exhibits for adults and junior exhibitors. Both versions of the handbook, including entry forms, are available at www.MercedCountyFair.com. The deadline to submit most entry forms is Thursday, May 7. This year’s fair theme is “5 Best Days of Summer.” For more information call (209) 722-1507.

Comcast to offer faster Internet speeds SAN FRANCISCO — Comcast Internet users in Merced as well as Modesto and Stockton are about to have a faster option when it comes to Internet service. The company will roll out its multi-gigabit broadband service to nearly three million California homes, including Central Valley locations, starting in June. Gigabit Pro is a 2 Gigabit-per-second service that will be delivered via a fiber-to-the-home solution. Other Comcast Internet speeds are about to get faster also. The company announced it is preparing to launch its Extreme 250, a new 250 Mbps Internet speed tier for California customers. The company will also increase its performance tier speeds from 50 Mbps to 75 Mbps. It’s blast service will increase from 105 Mbps to 150 Mbps. “This is Comcast’s 15th speed increase in 13 years. We are proud to boost our existing speeds and most importantly introduce new Internet tiers like the Extreme 250 and Gigabit Pro that will allow our California customers to do more online, across multiple devices,” Comcast Cable’s California Regional Senior Vice President Hank Fore said in a press release. “We will continue to look for opportunities to increase speeds to not only stay ahead of customer demands, but also to provide a wide range of options that meet customer needs.” The new speeds will start in May and continue throughout the year.

UC Merced students receive fellowships MERCED — Three UC Merced undergraduates are the recipients of a new fellowship under University of California President Janet Napolitano’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative. Through the President’s Sustainability Student Fellowship/Internship Program, the students — Adriana Gomez, 18, a freshman from Sacramento; Alex Newman, 21, a senior from the Dublin-Pleasanton area; and Gabriel Morabe, 20, a junior from South San Francisco — each receive $2,500 toward projects that bring the campus closer to meeting carbon neutrality goals. The program provides $7,500 for research fellowships and traditional internships to each UC campus, along with the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Office of the President.

Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

May 2015

CALIFORNIA BUSINESS NEWS

Covered California rebrands Meehleis Modular wins award its small business exhange SACRAMENTO — Covered California is reworking its small business exchange. The Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, is aimed at giving small businesses a chance to offer health plans to their workers. Currently the program has 15,644 members at more than 2,200 companies statewide. The biggest change that people will notice is the elimination of the SHOP acronym. Moving forward, Covered California will call the program Covered California for Small Business. “One of the things we talk about at Covered California is not speaking in acronyms,” Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said at a board meeting in Sacramento on April 16. “But we have been talking about SHOP for years. You will see us transitioning out of SHOP and into Covered California for Small Business.” The rebranded program will focus more on informing businesses on ways that Covered Californian can keep their costs down and still provide health care to employees. Another focus will be on getting insurance agents’ commissions paid

in a timely manner. Some agent commissions have been delayed for as long as 10 months. “We have had problems getting timely payments to agents that have sold the SHOP program,” Lee told the board. “For most of them it’s a small part of their business, but it’s not what we aspire to by a long shot.” Covered California hopes to have agents’ late commissions paid in full by the end of May. Covered California will use a new automation system to keep such problems from reoccurring. Another change for the program will be new advertising and marketing efforts that will include digital and print avenues. Lee said he expects those efforts to pay off primarily in the fall when businesses will be renewing plans. “This is building a drumbeat of information getting ready for fall when the significant number of small businesses will be relooking at their purchasing options,” said Lee. “Now, we don’t think there will be a lot of sales in the next few months, but we know that fall will be important. That October through December time will be very important for the program.”

LODI – Meehleis Modular Buildings, Inc. was awarded first place for its design of modular buildings used at Lexington Elementary School in Los Gatos at the annual Modular Building Institute (MBI) Awards of Distinction. Meehleis Modular’s Lexington Elementary School project was selected in the category of permanent modular education facilities over 20,000 square feet. The award marks the third time in the last two years a Meehleis Modular project has won an award at the MBI’s annual event. The Lexington project was built with a large percentage of recycled steel and wood products. Projects are submitted from all over the globe for the MBI awards. Entries are judged on innovation, energy efficiency, number of days to complete and design with a peer and professional panel of nearly 500 people voting on the projects.

Three seconds! That’s how much time some say we have to make a good impression. Others give us a whopping seven seconds! Like improv comedy, customer service means we are on and live. Three seconds on the phone tells us the customer service representative is engaged. They greet us pleasantly and state their name clearly. And, if we miss what they’re saying, they don’t get huffy when we ask them to repeat it. I was going through the drive-thru the other morning, and my server finished our transaction with “Have a nice day” but was looking somewhere else when she said it. The next morning, at the window again, I realized she never made eye-contact at all. That was extra food for thought, along with my muffin and juice. She seemed disengaged. Research shows that the most frustrating aspect of waiting is not knowing how long the wait will be. We appreciate the service agent who looks up for even a half-second and says welcomingly, “I’ll be with you in a moment.” At least they know we’re here. Camille Lavington, in her book, “You’ve Only Got Three Seconds,” writes, “Get used to it. The real world has your number. It only takes people a few seconds to know where you’re coming from. Within a few seconds

they can size you up. It’s not a comforting prospect to be judged so hastily, but that’s the way it is.” In my customer service workshops I like to teach the 7-11 rule. Participants see the following lead sentence, with two blanks in it. It reads, “In the first ___ seconds customers decide ____ things about you.” It’s fun to hear their John Parker responses. Professional The answer Development of “7” seconds Adventures and “11” things is surprising at first. Then heads start nodding in agreement as we reflect on our own experiences. We read through the 11, then I ask each person to self-evaluate and mark some of the 11 that they already do well and a couple that could be improved. Here are the 11 items with brief descriptions. Rate yourself if you wish. 1. Clean: This has to do with daily grooming items such as bathing, hair, teeth, clothes.

2. Attractive: No, this is not about being sexy in dress, tone of voice, or flirtatious activity. Attractive is more about being approachable, comfortable, and socially safe to be around. 3. Credible: Wearing a business suit while repairing cars or sporting flipflops and shorts at a bank give mixed messages. The question is: Are you believable? Do your words, vocabulary, dress, and demeanor match your business? Can I take you seriously? 4. Knowledgeable: Are you prepared? Have you done your homework? We get annoyed on the phone with the script reader who seems to know nothing about our concern. On the other hand, we are delighted with the ones who not only knows their stuff but care about it, and about us, too. 5. Responsive: Even a lack of knowledge can be compensated for by a genuine interest in meeting the customer’s need. If we don’t know the answer we’ll get it for you right away. 6. Helpful: While responsive has to do with speed, helpfulness has to do with anticipating the customer’s need before they ask. Would you like more … Water? Chips? Napkins? May I help you with that? 7. Friendly: Body language and tone of voice convey friendliness before words are ever spoken. Do you look happy and positive? How’s your

COURTESY MEEHLEIS MODULAR BUILDINGS, INC.

Every second counts with your customers

At Your Service

posture? Is your handshake appropriate and engaging? What about your eye-contact? For repeat customers, do you try to learn their names? 8. Empathetic: This is the ability to imagine yourself in someone else’s position, sense what they are feeling, and respond accordingly. Empathy tunes into body language, tone of voice, and mood of the customer in order to better serve them in the moment. It is not manipulative but genuine and understanding. 9. Safe: OSHA for the soul. It’s about creating safe conversations and exchanges even with the unhappy customer. We are non-threatening, non-intimidating, positive and appropriate at all times – even when customers are not. 10. Confident: Our poise and selfmanagement creates a sincere assurance that is not smug or arrogant. It is peaceful without being distant and secure with out being cold. 11. Professional: We are actively seeking to live out the first 10 items ethically, responsibly and sincerely. We match what we profess with what we do. We seek to practice what we preach. Three seconds! Seven seconds! These add up to a customer service style that says, “Yes, we care” and “Yes, you can trust us.”

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Tracy, Ca 95376 Hubrig Deborah Marie Smith Moses Jr Country Liquor N Market 8909 Thornton Rd #9 Stockton, Ca 95209 Singh Lovedeep Brookdale Tracy 355 W Grant Line Rd Tracy, Ca 95376 Summerville At Heritage Place Llc

SJ COUNTY

LEGALS Fictitious Business Names Hohn Trucking 1717 Star Tulip Manteca, Ca 95337 Hohn Thomas Beyond Bedazzled 2939 Country Club Blvd Stockton, Ca 95204 Greathouse Gloria Jean La Boulangerie 2324 Grand Canal Blvd Stockton, Ca 95207 Kurnfuli Milad Fariz Famous Daves Legendary Pit Bar B Que 3170 N Naglee Rd Tracy, Ca 95304 Sr Tracy Fd Inc

Brookdale Stockton 6725 Inglewood Ave Stockton, Ca 95207 Summerville At Cobbco Inc Brookdale Manteca 430 N Union Rd Manteca, Ca 95337 Summerville At Cobbco Inc Brookdale Lodi 2220 W Kettleman Ln Lodi, Ca 95242 Blc Chancellor Lodi Lh Llc Brookdale Kettleman Lane 2150 W Kettleman Ln Lodi, Ca 95242 Emeritus Corp Chrisman & Associates Real Estate 17700 Bowser Rd Lodi, Ca 95240 Chrisman Dorothy Faye Ezquisite Bliss Beading By Winnie J 1917 Telegraph Ave Stockton, Ca 95204 Kedd Winnifred J

Delta Systems & Services 3038 Sonata Circle Stockton, Ca 95212 Khan Hamid N

Lodi Self Storage 4232 N West Lane Stockton, Ca 95204 Baca Dennis E

Fast Tops.Com 2881 Rhett Court Tracy, Ca 95376 Bassi Shelley Jean

Laura’s Earth Art Visions 258 Lancaster Dr #9 Manteca, Ca 95336 Vangelder Laura Lee

New Solution Spa Inc 4600 S Tracy Blvd Ste 118 Tracy, Ca 95377

That Guy Innovations 379 Granite Way Ripon, Ca 95366 Wyrsch Robert Louis

We Play Indoor Soccer Complex 3252 Tomahawk Stockton, Ca 95205 Gonzalez Michelle A Gonzalez Jason

Gold Coast Distributors Inc 1915 N Macarthur Drive #300 Tracy Ca 95376 Shah Distributors Inc Shah Roy Trucking Inc

Destiny Marketing & Consulting Group 1852 W 11th Street Ste 249

Econo Lodge 3511 North Tracy Blvd Tracy, Ca 95376

Ajrt Holdings Inc All Bay Trucking 587 Rockingham Way Tracy, Ca 95376 Italia Trans Inc Dhillon Trucking 2349 San Carlos Court Manteca, Ca 95337 Dhillon Davinder Singh Doctor On 5904 N El Dorado St Stockton, Ca 95207 Serendipity Integrative Health Clinic On Dat Dat On Bos Insurance Services 2087 Grand Canal Blvd Ste 10 Stockton, Ca 95207 Blue Oak Specialty Ins Serv Inc Legacy Farms 11870 N David Rd Lodi, Ca 95242 Cook Jim Sr Tr Euro Star Cafe| Euro Style Cafe 1918 W Grant Line Rd Tracy, Ca 95376 Euro Star Cafe Llc Chavez Auto Dealer 540 N Grant St #7 Stockton, Ca 95202 Chavez Antonio Gkt 16725 English Country Trail Lathrop, Ca 95330 Singh Amrik California Prisoner Transit 850 Bryant San Francisco, Ca 94103 Rembert James

Re-Up Wireless 3651 Country Club Blvd Stockton, Ca 95204 Pacific Sec Inc Jr Trucking 18 E 22 St Tracy, Ca 95376 Hernandez Ricardo Ag Food Safety Solutions 620 E Alameda St Manteca, Ca 95336 Sandoval Gabriela Sandoval Joey

Vans Trans 16670 Loganberry Way Lathrop, Ca 95330 Do Khanh Khanh Do

Exceptional Events 1327 Park Street Lodi, Ca 95242 Wallior Patricia Barker

Smart Cashflow Investment Club 10940 Trinity Parkway #C126 Stockton, Ca 95219 Nordan Capital Ventures Llc

Concrete Wine Co.|Concrete Wines 3750 E Woodbridge Rd Acampo, Ca 95220 Concrete Wine Co Llc

Practical Roofing 1340 Ruffino Ct Manteca, Ca 95336 Medeiros Ernest M

Gr Wines 3750 E Woodbridge Rd Woodbridge, Ca 95220 Lodi Vintners Inc

United Pacific Realty & Investment Co. 5316 La Miranda Way Stockton, Ca 95212 Espinoza Gerry P

Hammertown Launderland 922 B E Hammer Lane Stockton, Ca 95210 Burgos Dante M Burgos Gena B

West Lodi Self Storage 2650 West Lodi Ave Lodi, Ca 95242 Kristmont West Inc Drms Tracy Inc 2986 West Grant Line Rd Tracy, Ca 95304 Drms Tracy Inc Af Food Safety Solutions 620 E Alameda St Manteca, Ca 95336 Sandoval Gabriela Sandoval Joey Vm & Sons Trans| V M & Sons Transport 1255 Laurel Park Cir Manteca, Ca 95337 Batres Olga L Mazaa Kabob House 2745 Naglee Road Tracy, Ca 95304 Hamid Haroon

Lauras Wedding Planner 2720 Otto Drive Stockton, Ca 95209 Reynoso Laura

Stockton Trading Co. 622 E Hazelton Ave Stockton, Ca 95203 Stockton Trading Co 888 Inc

Thicket 3534 Iron Canyon Cir Stockton, Ca 95209 Cao Maximilian Sunshine Travel Plaza 1022 Frontage Rd Ripon, Ca 95366 Kaur Arashdeep Singh Jatinder

Liquor Country 8909 Thornton Rd #9 Stockton, Ca 95209 Singh Lovedeep

Rikk’s Plumbing 5918 Dresden Way Stockton, Ca 95212 Argumedo Laura Argumedo Enrique

Memorystock.Com 7746 Lorraine Ave Ste#207 Stockton, Ca 95210 Mscom Llc

Elms Consulting 6507 Pacific Ave #261 Stockton, Ca 95207 Barnes Susan L In Sight Productions Llc 1464 Swallow Tail Ln Manteca, Ca 95337 Deese Shannon Christopher

Rgm Concrete & Pumping Rentals 6668 Crestview Circle Stockton, Ca 95219 Madrigal Ricardo G Press Release Massage 617 S Lower Sacramento Rd Suite C Lodi, Ca 95242 Gillingwater Joyce Ann Sd Consulting 6738 Fredericksburg Pl Stockton, Ca 95207 Ding Shannon Iglesia Pan De Vida Pentecostes 2393 E Sonora St Stockton, Ca 95205 Iglesia Pan De Vida Pentecostes Solace Of Home 13 Sierra Vista Place Lodi, Ca 95240 Soun Julie California Hypnosis Center| Hypnoprofessional Publishing 1625 W March Lane Suite 101 Stockton, Ca 95207 Bowers Susan D Country Day Spa 1065 E Yosemite Ave Manteca, Ca 95336 Yang Hong Hong Yang Bus Van Rv 110 South Cherokee Lane Lodi, Ca 95240 Jacopetti Dennis

Unique Imaging 346 West Viento St Mountain House, Ca 95391 Wilson Cynthia Ann Gorgeous Massage 3706 E Hammer Ln Ste 3 Stockton, Ca 95212 Lu Baoyu Baoyu Lu M & L Straw Wattles 5019 Johant Rd Galt, Ca 95632 Laviolette Glenn Martin Joey Jr All City Safety 3274 Tomahawk Dr Stockton, Ca 95205 Reyes David Rode Way Inn 8009 North Hwy 99 Stockton, Ca 95212 Usg Llc Western World Properties 711 E Miner Ave Stockton, Ca 95202 Craig Patrick Craig Kathryn Viado Electrical 20 West Vine St Suite 5 Stockton, Ca 95202 Viado Jeffrey Baumbach Property Management 645 N Argonaut Stockton, Ca 95203 Baumbach Timothy Ganda Trucking 2420 Sulley Way Stockton, Ca 95206 Ganda Gurjit S Advanced Equipment Sales 3990 N Wilson Way Stockton, Ca 95205 Advanced Trailer Sales & Serv Sound Revolution Car Audio And Video 7277 1 Pacific Ave Stockton, Ca 95207 Ihdaib Ahmad

Central Valley Business Journal

www.cvbizjournal.com

Bell, Allen J Active Industrial Contracting Inc 1501 Hall Rd Denair, Ca 95316 Active Industrial Contracting Inc

STANISLAUS COUNTY

LEGALS Fictitious Business Names 3130 Communications 313 Covena Ave Modesto, Ca 95354 Scott, Carmen M Scott, Zack J 5m Consultants 20537 Sarazen Lane Patterson, Ca 95363 Murphy, James P 7 Star Liquor 952 Lander Ave Turlock, Ca 95380 Mane, Mustafa Kaid A. M. C. Valley Welding 1315 Vanessa Ct Ceres, Ca 95307 Cajero-Hurtado, Mauro A.R.F. Fire Extinguisher Co. 3225 Tehama Ct Modesto, Ca 95355 Hernandez, Joseph F Hernandez, Lorna D Ab La Grange Ranch 6049 Leedom Rd Hughson, Ca 95326 Tyler Angle Business Ventures Lp Byrd, Larry Byrd, Timothy A Academy Ranch 1341 North Academy Ave Sanger, Ca 93657 Bugarin, Juanita C Torralba, Vicente Z Ace Hauling & Odd Jobs 1908 Kruger Dr Modesto, Ca 95355 Bell, Karen

Gonzalez, Carlos Perez, Pablo Arleen’s Beauty Hut 2124 Viking Lane Modesto, Ca 95350 Burleson, Arleen Woodward

Affordable Rv Repair 3116 Hummingbird Ct Modesto, Ca 95356 Castro, Richard J Castro, Andrea E

Atrina Group 7121 Sherry Lane Modesto, Ca 95356 Daneshvar, Yashar Tahoory, Aida

Affordable Rv Storage 5737 Terminal Ave Riverbank, Ca 95367 Seng, Paul P Seng, Wutha Seng, Wuthy

Aurora’s Bakery 2761 Patterson Rd Ste 110 Riverbank, Ca 95367 Garcia, Nancy Esquivel

Aladdin Bail Bonds 910 11th St Modesto, Ca 95354 Two Jinn Inc Alicia Trucking 347 N 5th Ave Oakdale, Ca 95361 Ibarra, Jaime M All American Concrete 2405 Lilac Ct Ceres, Ca 95307 Garrad, Mark Andrew All Care Dental 3200 Mowry Ave Ste A Fremont, Ca 94538 Anil Chowdhary Dmd Inc All Star Drilling Co 1833 Nadine Ave Modesto, Ca 95351 Lamb, Grover Cleveland Lamb, Maudie Marie Amar Trucking Company 1804 Ficus St Ceres, Ca 95307 Amar, Hardeep Singh Amar, Baljit Kaur An Affair To Remember 821 W Roseburg Ave Modesto, Ca 95350 Murdaugh, Cynthia Marie Andalusian Del Valle 15906 Ash Ave Patterson, Ca 95363 Macias, Antonio Macias, Esmeralda Anything On Wheels Auto Detailing 3618 Nadia Ct Turlock, Ca 95382 Vasquez, Robert Apostolic Landscape & Maintanance 1311 Thomas St Modesto, Ca 95351

Axcell Auto Service 2930 Geer Rd Ste 207 Turlock, Ca 95382 Vierra, Jim Vierra, Carol B & D Dairy Brindeiro Dutra 9579 Hultberg Road Hilmar, Ca 95324 Huff, Barbara Dutra Huff, Finley Huff, Eric B Sturg 7101 Langworth Rd Oakdale, Ca 95361 Sturgill, Bryan Babylon Auto Transport 3816 Lorene Court Modesto, Ca 95356 Polousy, Younan Baguette Bbq Sandwhich 341 I St Modesto, Ca 95351 Chuop, Chantha Baker Inspection Group 3636 Busher Ct Modesto, Ca 95356 Baker, Scot D Baker, Deanne L Bear Creek Supply 19406 Yosemite Blvd Waterford, Ca 95386 Miller, Steven C Bel-Air Lodge Convalescent Hospital 180 Starr Ave Turlock, Ca 95380 Mark One Corporation

Slusher, Cynthia J Beyond The Scoreboad 3700 Tully Road Unit #80 Modesto, Ca 95356 Rosenbaum, Gregory Martin Bg Agri Sales & Service 5225 OakdaleWaterford Hwy Oakdale, Ca 95361 Mid Valley Agricultural Services Inc Big House Wine Co 400 Hosmer Ave Modesto, Ca 95351 Varni Brothers Corporation Blossomwood Management 2901 Blossomwood Ct Modesto, Ca 95355 Swanson, Charles G Blue Island Jersey’s 5301 Ehrlich Rd Turlock, Ca 95380 Silveira, Manuel Duarte Silveira, Nelia Agueda Boomers! 4215 Bangs Ave Modesto, Ca 95356 Apex Parks Group Llc Bp Auto Services 1806 Walnut Ave Patterson, Ca 95363 Palafox, Humberto Lombrana, Pilar Aundrea Braden Hulling 1348 Meikle Rd Hickman, Ca 95323 Braden Properties, Inc. Braden Hulling 5400 Hawkins Rd Denair, Ca 95316 Braden Properties, Inc Branding Iron Catering 2400 Santa Fe Ave Hughson, Ca 95326 Corsant, Wanda Venema, Matthew Broadway Market 701 N Broadway Turlock, Ca 95380 Cortez Maldonado, Sheila Y

Bella Real Estate Inc 610 13th Street Modesto, Ca 95354 Bella Real Estate Inc

Bushwood Industrial 1934 South Walnut Turlock, Ca 95380 Bushwood Industrial Llc

Benchmark Drafting 597 S Maag Ave Oakdale, Ca 95361 Slusher, James R Slusher, Michael N

C And E Performance Horses 5444 Griffin Road Hughson, Ca 95326 Mooneyham, William

May 2015

Edson Mooneyham, Ellen Mclaughlin Cada Group 640 Bitrito Ct Modesto, Ca 95356 Lozada, Carlos Cafe Bliss 152 N Yosemite Ave Oakdale, Ca 95361 Cafe Bliss Llc Cain’s Handyman Services 1963 Amberwood Lane Turlock, Ca 95380 Maldonado, Cain Caitlyn Shiane Bleu 733 Maze Blvd Ste #21 Modesto, Ca 95351 Madkins, Albert Earl Cal-Pools 7437 Morgan Lynn Lane Hughson, Ca 95326 Hari, Damion California Creedence 1328 Speer Street Oakdale, Ca 95361 Applegate, Kristy California Living & Energy 3015 Dale Ct Ceres, Ca 95307 William Lilly & Associates, Inc. Carla Avalos Servicio De Limpieza 2985 Agresti Dr Ceres, Ca 95307 Yepiz, Carlota Carniceria Costa Alegre 1238 Crows Landing Rd Modesto, Ca 95351 Frias Larios, Heriberto Lopez, Maria Lopez, Candelario Casey Moving Systems 2209 Fair View Drive Ceres, Ca 95307 Casey, James Edwin Cb Mobile Welding 3434 6th Street Ceres, Ca 95307 Strange, Cody William Central California Art Association; Mistlin Gallery 1015 J Street Modesto, Ca 95354 Central California Art League Central Market 5401 Central Ave Ceres, Ca 95307 Prasad, Avinesh Ashnil

Central Sweeping Corporation 359 Trevor Ave Oakdale, Ca 95361 Central Sweeping Corporation Central Valley Gastroenterology Associates, Inc 4120 Dale Rd Ste J8240 Modesto, Ca 95356 Central Valley Gastroenterology Associat Central Valley Turnkey 743 Eat Springer Dr Turlock, Ca 95382 Peacock, Frank Century 21 M&M And Associates Ag & Ranch Division 1414 East F Street Bldg A Ste 102 Oakdale, Ca 95361 Premier Solano Inc Ceres Mart 2600 Mitchell Rd Ste B Ceres, Ca 95307 Qureshi, Nazia Chaos Commerce 5636 Pirrone Rd Salida, Ca 95368 Campos, Ramiro Charles Creek 6342 Bystrum Rd Ceres, Ca 95307 Bronco Wine Company Charlotte Russe #783 3401 Dale Rd Ste 119 Modesto, Ca 95356 Charlotte Russe, Inc Charming Flowers And More 2537 Ives St Modesto, Ca 95355 Castro, Cynthia China Wok Restaurant 2037 Tully Rd Modesto, Ca 95350 Li, Daming Cholico And Sons Produce 1100 Pedras Rd F109 Turlock, Ca 95382 Cholico Hernandez, Ricardo Clas Cleaning 1901 Ellison Dr Modesto, Ca 95355 Baugh, Sheila Joann Co Op Mailers 5446 Pirrone Road Salida, Ca 95368 Salome, Gabriel

May 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Do you know about the new health coverage requirements? Health plan of San Joaquin can educate you and your employees about health care coverage options, including qualifications for no-cost programs like Medi-Cal.

Call to learn more!

1•888•896•PLAN (7526) www.hpsj.com

A healthy community of employees is a happy community of people.

Central Valley Business Journal

May 2015