Cvbj oct2015 final lowres by Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

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OCTOBER

2015 VOL 11 • NUMBER 2

Business Journal CENTRAL VALLEY

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

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

Boosting college graduations Sunny Prospects State closes in on energy goal.

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College grants put focus on getting students to graduation By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer preynolds@cvbizjournal.com

Produce Pickup The meet-up solution to farm-fresh deilvery.

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Solo-k Retirement solution for the self-employed.

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WHAT’S INSIDE Publisher’s Notes.............Page 2 On the Web.......................Page 5 Community Voices..........Page 40 Briefs......................Pages 54, 55 Legals......................Page 56, 57 Who’s Hiring...................Page 58

TURLOCK — David Narciso is the first in his family to attend college. He will be the only one to hold a degree when he graduates next spring from California State University, Stanislaus with a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography. But Narciso’s path to graduation has not been an easy one. After attending Modesto Junior College, he transferred to Stanislaus State in the fall of 2012 and found himself struggling to navigate within the four-year university setting. “I was completely lost because I came from a junior college,” he said. “So to try to figure my way out coming from a different system, my first semester I was completely lost.” Thanks to recently awarded TRIO grants from the U. S. Department of Education, first generation University of California, Merced and Stanislaus

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David Narciso (left) and his friend, Paul Gutierrez (right) walk to class on the Stanislaus State campus. Narciso received counseling to help him focus on earning his geography degree.

State students like Narciso can receive help to reach graduation. Funding support services that increase the retention and graduation rates for disadvantaged students, TRIO programs evolved from three legislative educational outreach acts

passed in the 1960s. TRIO grants target students at the highest risk of dropping out, including students who are the first in their families to attend college. Starting with a new grant year that began Sept. 1, Stanislaus State is receiving $1.8 million over

a five-year period to assist firstgeneration, low-income, and disabled students. The university has received multiple TRIO grants in the past. “The overall goal of the Please see COLLEGE Page 10

Stanislaus County crop values at record high MODESTO — Stanislaus County farmers’ gross income hit an all-time high as they produced nearly $4.4 billion worth of gross products in 2014, according to the Stanislaus County Agricultural Crop Report, released Sept. 29. That total beat 2013’s total in gross crop production by more than $734 million or nearly 20 percent. The increase was due largely to

increased values of almond meats, cattle and calves, milk production, turkeys, silage and walnuts. Almonds alone accounted for a $224.2 million increase in agricultural revenue. The report also found the numbers could have been even higher if not for the state’s drought. More than 13,000 fewer acres were harvested mainly because of forced fallowing. Most of the acres that

went unplanted were vegetable and silage crops in western Stanislaus County. For the second consecutive year, almonds beat out milk as the county’s top grossing agricultural product at $1.4 billion. Milk, which prior to 2013 had topped the list for decades, was second followed by cattle, walnuts and chickens as the county’s top five money makers. The biggest change among the

top-10 products was a jump in turkey production from 2013. Bird values jumped from 16th in 2013 to seventh with $99 million worth of birds coming from the county in 2014. Overall, Stanislaus County ranked higher than 20 states in agricultural income and more than the bottom eight states combined. County products were shipped to 109 countries in 2014.

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Be passionate about life It’s official. I’m 60. Most days I feel 39, but that little piece of paper (my birth certificate) says different. I guess that’s why matches were invented. So we can burn it and go on feeling young. I’m on board with that notion! So it’s official, I’m holding at 39 for the next 25 years! Three days after my birthday, my father turned 89. Our Sharon family is so Alley Calone blessed to have him in our lives. He’s so vibrant and full of love and life. Now I know where I get my energy. Thanks Dad and happy birthday. I can’t believe how fast time flies. Just 25 years ago the Central Valley Business Journal was launched under the name Business Tribune. Shortly after that, I changed the name to Central Valley Business Journal, and it was off to the races. In the past quarter century, the Journal was sold to The Record, and they published it for four years. When they decided to stop printing it, my staff and I regrouped

Publisher’s Notes

and launched the publication again. Reporting on businesses in the Central Valley is my passion. The business owners and their employees are my heroes. It has been our privilege to bring you positive business news, even in the worst of times. I thank all of you for allowing us to share your good news! With the ever-changing economy, it takes stamina, planning, money and sheer willpower to keep the doors of any business open. In fact, many of our local businesses made it through the recession, kept growing and are continuing to grow today. Celebrating our 25th anniversary is amazing, a blessing to be sure. One never really knows what the future holds, but I do know God has blessed us. We have some exciting events headed our way this fall. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will be the keynote speaker for the Advancing Women’s Leadership forum on Oct. 23 at University of the Pacific. I’m told that tickets were sold out in one hour! We are proud to be a sponsor of this exciting event. Another great event for women in business is coming up for Modesto on Nov. 5. The Women’s Business Symposium will feature keynote speakers Lynn Dickerson, CEO of the Gallo Center for the Arts and UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland.

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Publisher Sharon Calone and Dr. Wayne Dyer in Maui.

The symposium will focus on three issues that affect women in business: communicating across generations, achieving success with finances and embracing work-life balance. That event is presented by the Stanislaus Business Alliance, the Small Business Development Center at UC Merced and the Small Business Administration. Dr. Wayne Dyer, one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, passed away last month. Wayne was 75, grew up in foster homes in Detroit, gradu-

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ated from Wayne State University (as did my father), wrote many self-help books and lived his final days on the island of Maui. I had the extreme pleasure of talking with him on several occasions while vacationing in Hawaii. My heart is heavy knowing that we lost such a loving individual, but looking on the bright side, we have his many books to keep us company and help us stay on the right track.

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October 2015

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Stockton Metro Airport plan undergoes update By CRAIG W. ANDERSON Business Journal writer canderson@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — In deciding how to develop the land around Stockton Metropolitan Airport, experts look at what’s on the ground as well as what’s in the air. “The airport is working on eliminating bird strikes,” Airport Director Harry Mavrogenes said. “Allegiant (Air) had two on the same flight — one taking off and one landing — about 18 months ago. Stockton Metro is long overdue for updating its land use plan. The last update was in 1993. The San Joaquin Council of Governments will serve as the San Joaquin Airport Land Use Commission, the group updating the plan. It will determine the best and safest way to develop the area around the airport. “The biggest issues to be dealt with are noise and any incompatible land use,” Mavrogenes said. For example, the commission will try to identify the locations around the airport that are at the greatest risk of experiencing an aircraft accident in order to minimize the number

of people exposed to that risk. He said that in the past, it was up to airports to adjust when urbanization or industrialization arrived. “Now, we should avoid problems by planning,” Mavrogenes explained. “We now have the opportunity of being able to apply a lot of alternative solutions to the situations present at Stockton’s airport.” An open house was held in September to make the public aware of the situation and to present the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP), the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) and the Airport Influence Area (AIA). All those entities will play important roles in focusing on what the revised airport plan will be and how the wide swaths of land located under the airport’s flight paths will be used. The area surrounding the airport includes much of south Stockton, the northern third of Lathrop, the northwest corner of Manteca and portions that stretch southeast almost to Ripon. Mavrogenes said the review is to ensure current and potential future airport flight operations can move forPlease see AIRPORT Page 20

MAP COURTESY OF SAN JOAQUIN AIRPORT LAND USE COMMISSION

The shaded area indicates the region affected by the land use plan.

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Almond industry braces for lower nut yield By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer khohlfeld@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — The drought continues to extract a heavy CAL IFORNIA price from area D R OUGHT almond farmers. Statewide, early almond harvest estimates expect a crop that is down 4 percent from last year. “The 4 percent number is due to the expectation by the USDA,” said David Doll, a University of California pomology farm adviser in Merced County. “We’re a little bit unsure how they are going to yield right now.” The almond harvest is nearing its completion, several weeks ahead of usual. That was due to warm temperatures during the blooming season in February and March. “Warmer weather during February and March will actually expedite the harvest,” said Doll. “We are two weeks ahead of normal. Many farmers will probably be wrapping up in early October.” One of the reasons that this season’s harvest is hard to predict is because of the differences in varieties grown in the area. The area’s top va-

BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO

The harvest this fall was two weeks ahead of schedule because of the warm late winter.

riety, nonpareil, may be down significantly but other varieties may make up for some of those losses. “What I am hearing, anyway, is from 10-20 percent down (in Merced County) on nonpareil almonds,” said Doll. “What we need is snowpack and surface water.” As of late September, agriculture officials in the northern part of the Central Valley had not heard whether there will be harvest reductions similar to those seen down south.

One factor helping farmers in the northern part of the Valley is more abundant surface water. Still officials are hearing anecdotal reports of lower harvests. “I only know what the growers that I talked to are saying,” said Stanislaus County, UC Cooperative Extension Office Farm Adviser Roger Duncan. “There are orchards that are down significantly.” Still, it’s early to predict how badly the harvest may be hurt.

“Overall, things are early,” said San Joaquin Agriculture Commissioner Tim Pelican. “The crop is lighter this year. I haven’t heard a percentage. The numbers will actually be higher just because of the sheer numbers of almond trees are going up.” The large number of relatively young trees, which tend to produce more almonds per acre, will also help mitigate some of the drought’s effect. “The large number of young trees that are coming into production will help boost the numbers as well,” said Pelican. One of the main concerns that agriculture officials are hearing about is excess salt polluting the soil. Normally fall and winter rains help flush excess salt out of the soil. Without those rains, salt can build up and harm the trees. “The salt will impact the tree and the productivity of the tree,” said Doll. “It reduces the vegetative tissue. The salt problem we have this year will impact next year. Even if we get good rains this year, we may have hangover effect going into next year.” The problem is forcing farmers to use tactics such as adding gypsum and calcium to the soil in order to lower salt content and help promote flushing out the salts. The problem is that growers still need water for the flushing to occur. “I often say the solution to pollution is dilution, but right now we don’t have anything to dilute,” said Doll.

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4512 Feather River Dr., Suite E • Stockton, CA 95219 Phone: (209) 477-0100 • Fax: (209) 477-0211 Web: www.cvbizjournal.com Columnists Peter Johnson Keith Wood Michael Blower Dan Natividad David Darmstandler John Parker Bruce Sarchet Contributing Writers Craig W. Anderson Kent Hohlfeld Patricia Reynolds Sim Risso Nora Heston Tarte

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STOCKTON — If there’s one industry in the Central Valley that’s struggling to meet the demand for qualified employees, it’s trucking. The trucking industry currently faces a nationwide shortage of about 35,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations. By 2023, the shortfall could be 240,000. Positions for tractor truck drivers topped the list of jobs in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties in June. In the Stockton area, there were 670 positions open. In Modesto, there were 570 and in Merced there were 196. There are a number of reasons for the shortage, some regulatory, some demographic and some personal. “The kind of statistics we’re getting back from various groups are that for every five to seven jobs there are available out there, there’s

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STOCKTON – The Stockton Conference and Visitor’s Bureau is looking at new ways to improve the city’s image and bring new visitors, businesses and residents to the area. That efforts will get a jumpstart by a new contract with Nashville-based North

Amazon to hire 700 more workers.

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MERCED — The Central Valley is mostly known as an agriculture center, so it comes as a surprise to some that Merced County topped the nation with the highest growth rate in manufacturing sector employment last year. Of the fastest growing U.S. manufacturing metro areas in 2014, two-thirds increased their manufacturing job base. MerTruck driver William Perry has worked at Antonini Freight Express last year. WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ ced grew the fastest however, Local businesses promote followed by Danville, Illinois one qualified driver to fill that He opened employee health. a motorcycle shop in and Flint, Michigan. know it’s high demand. I can get need,” said Greg Stanfill, re2008 but had to close within a year Merced County’s increase of a job anytime, anywhere I need cruiting manager for Turlockdue to the recession. After that 2,200 manufacturing jobs from so I won’t be worrying where based Northern Refrigerated experience, the steady work in January 2014 to January 2015 my paycheck’s coming from,” Transportation. trucking became more appealing. was 26.2 percent, far outstripsaid Perry. “I’ll always have food William Perry worked as a Page into 14 “I decided, let me go back ping second-place Danville’s driver for Pepsi from 1996-2000. truck driving again because I 14.9 percent. Please see TRUCKING Page 11 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Merced About 46 percent of 3 and 4-year-olds BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO in California attended preschool in 2013, County had 8,400 manufacaccording to the advocacy group Kids Count. turing jobs in January 2014. Star Destination Strategies By January 2015, those jobs said. It will be paid from money us define what is what is auin which the company will increased to 10,600 in a total Visit Stockton receives from the thentic, ownable and distinct develop a new “brand” for the workforce of 116,000. hotel tax and district assessments. about Stockton.” city of Stockton. “It was a surprise to find The first step includes surDefining that “DNA” is one “What we are looking for is Merced County leading the veying a variety of residents, of the most important parts of what any company wants,” said nation in creating and growbusinesses and assorted officials any rebranding effort whether Wes Rhea, CEO of the Stockton ing manufacturing jobs,” said about the community’s ameniit’s a city or a company, accordConference and Visitor’s BuChris Engle, president of Headinside our region’s By ties andGoculture. ingELIZABETH to Carrie STEVENS Sass, owner of Unified School District, legislareau/Visit Stockton said. “To light Data of Austin, Texas, the Pacific started its Beyond Our historical theaters.leads Business Journal “All that editor research Sass Public Relations to a find out what is the best way to in Stock-tors’ offices and others were on Gates Reading by Third company that did the data analestevens@cvbizjournal.com DNA for the community,” said Initiahand ton. to discuss She said ways to keep that gathering reach them (visitors).” ysis. “The area’s manufacturtive to address the problem. The North Star Destination Strateinformation the most impor-children from falling behind. The project will run four ing economy is comprised of purpose of the summit was to STOCKTON --isThe gies president and CEO Don UniverTesting shows many children months and cost $80,000, Rhea convince business leaders to sup- two-thirds food manufacturing sity of the Pacific hosted a McEachern. “That will help in the region are not performsee STOCKTON IMAGE Page 20 and one-third metal products. Page 20 businessPlease port it and to show them how. education summit in ing at grade level. The Literacy When commodities are packOne proposal was support for mid-June to address what it Report Card Pacific released aged or the original commodpublic spending on preschool. believes is one of the Central last summer found that only ity, say tomatoes, is changed Scan Lenny Mendonca, chairman of to Notes.............Page Valley’s most pressing issues Publisher’svisit 34 percent of third graders 2 into something else – like tothe child advocacy group Chil-- early childhood education. in San Joaquin County were On the Web.......................Page 4 and “Like” mato paste – that’s agricultural dren Now, said every $1 invested us at Representatives from the proficient readers. Research Briefs......................Pages 40, 41 manufacturing.” in early childhood education can advocacy group Children has found that children who Legals.....................Pages 42, 43 According to Engle, Merced save $7 in the long-term through Now, First 5 San Joaquin, are not proficient in reading by County has plenty of manufacreduced costs associated with Downey Brand, Wells Fargo, third grade fall behind and are turing businesses, including San Joaquin A+, Stockton at risk of never catching up.

Preschool for all?

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October 2015

California close to meeting its solar goals By SIM RISSO Business Journal writer srisso@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — California is close to meeting its goal of installing 1,750 megawatts of solar capacity by the end of 2015 and 1,940 megawatts by the end of 2016. The California Solar Initiative’s (CSI) most recent report, published in June, shows the state has reached 94 percent of its 1,750 goal and will attain it with 258 megawatts waiting in pending projects. The Central Valley is doing its part to help the state reach those goals. For example, South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) uses solar energy in its water treatment plant. “We treat drinking water, and we sell that to Manteca, Lathrop and Tracy,“ said SSJID General Manager Jeff Shields. “So it’s right around 200,000 people who get their drinking water from that plant. And 100 percent of that plant’s load is met with renewable energy.” SSJID has 14 acres of solar panels under glass that it developed in 2007. Its solar panels track the sun from east to west and produce 1.4 megawatts of electricity. Local residents can also install solar panels on their homes or businesses to produce energy, with a utility company installing a meter to track it.

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

SSJID’s solar panels generate energy to power its water treatment plant.

Modesto Irrigation District (MID) introduced a rebate program in 2007 as part of the CSI legislation. “MID offers rebate incentives to residential, agricultural and commercial electric customers who purchase and install solar generating systems for their homes or businesses,” said MID Public Affairs Specialist Samantha Wookey. “MID has offered two kinds of rebates – MID Solar Photovoltaic Incentive for systems that are 30 kilo-

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watts or less and MID PerformanceBased Incentive (PBI) for systems that are greater than 30 kilowatts and up to 1,000 kilowatts.” The programs have proved so popular, they’ve outstripped their funding, so both programs have been suspended for 2015. MID only plans to continue the PBI initiative in 2016, although it will still accept applications for customers who wish to install a system that is less than 30 kilowatts.

According to Wookey, the utility company hasn’t seen solar connections decline despite suspending the rebates for the rest of the year. “To date, we have 2,032 solar systems installed and interconnected to MID that generate approximately 23,400 kilowatts,” said Wookey.” MID provides service to Modesto, Salida, Empire, Waterford, Mountain House and parts of Escalon, Oakdale, Ripon and Riverbank. Customers who are in those areas and wish to install a solar system must get prior approval from MID and hire a contractor to do the installation. Once the system is ready, MID comes in and hooks it up to a meter. If you’re thinking of getting solar panels for your home, Shields, who installed solar panels on his house, recommends purchasing them yourself and not signing up for a 20- or 30-year power purchasing agreement. “I know a lot of people like to do those because there’s no money down,” said Shields. “But you also now have a partner on your house. If you want to sell it, it comes with the requirement that the buyer has to agree to pick up the solar contract.” The Central Valley is also leading in innovation. Professor Roland Winston from UC Merced is a leading solar researcher. He and his students Please see SOLAR Page 15

October 2015

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New distribution centers planned for Lathrop LATHROP — Lathrop is booming. The city’s Community Development Director Rebecca Willis updated the City Council Sept. 22 on projects planned or underway in the city. There are several new warehouse/ distribution centers planned for the city. Buzz Oates has submitted applications for three industrial warehouse buildings on two lots in the Crossroads Logistics Center. The three buildings will be 104,000 square feet, 117,000 square feet and 340,000 square feet. “This was made possible through the various negotiations that were done with South Lathrop and the Crossroads plant in decommissioning the sewer plant,” Willis said. “So a lot of good came out of that effort. That was an extraordinary effort with a lot of benefits.” LBA Realty has submitted for reapproval of the 517,600-square-foot distribution warehouse on the 299-acre site in Crossroads Commerce Center on LBA Harlan Road South. “This is a project that was approved several years ago, but it expired,” Willis explained. “With the news of SB5, they wanted to come and get everything re-approved and have everything lined up.” Senate Bill 5 was the levee improvement measure that incorporates flood risk considerations into urban planning.

The foundation has been laid for the I-5 Logistics center, a 750,000-squarefoot warehouse/distribution structure on Harlan Road. The footprint for the building alone is 17 acres. The environmental impact review is underway for a new Pilot Flying J travel center and is expected to be finished next spring. The 13,000-square-foot building will include a store, restaurants, drivers’ lounge, laundry, shower and restroom facility. There will also be nine diesel fueling lanes, 12 gas lanes, 64 vehicle spaces and 116 parking spaces. The facility on Roth Road is not within city limits now, but the city plans to annex it concurrent with construction. The Tesla plant is up and running, and there are plans to add more machines. Willis said the company has more than 20 permits for different types of machinery in the plan. “They are a working plant right now,” Willis said. “At the same time they’re also adding more machinery and making really efficient use of the space here.” TEC is nearly finished with its new sales and service facility for trucks and trailers on Louise Avenue in what was the Anderson Truss building. “They completely renovated it,” Willis said. “When you walk in, you don’t feel like you’re walking into a truck service station. You feel like you’re walking into a new truck showroom.”

River Islands had 334 homes built as of the end of September.

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Automaker Tesla has applied for more than 20 permits to add machines to its Lathrop plant.

Super Store Industries has received approval and will start work soon on its 18,000-square-foot addition to the refrigerated warehouse on McKinley Avenue. With regard to residential construction, River Islands has 334 homes built so far. That community also added its second school this year. Woodside Homes expects to complete the last six of the infill lots in Mossdale Landing by the end of the year.

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Legal community mourns Downtown developer remembered for passion Franklin Stephenson STOCKTON — Tim Egkan, 32, the chief brand officer for Ten Space Developers, was found dead in downtown Stockton early on Sunday, Sept. 13. Police are investigating his death as a homicide. “This is an awful tragedy and anyone that has any information please immediately bring it to our attention,” Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva wrote on his Egkan Facebook page. “My deepest condolences and sympathies go out to Tim’s family and friends. I need all of you to pray for his family and to pray for the salvation of this city. Please help pray and please help bring justice.” According to the Stockton Police Department, officers were near Poplar Street and Lincoln Street on an unrelated call when they were approached by someone who said there was a man lying in the gutter who appeared to be dead. Officers found an unresponsive 32-yearold man with obvious signs of trauma. Medics responded but were unable to resuscitate the man. Detectives began an investigation, and the victim

was identified as Tim Egkan. Detectives believe he was involved in some type of altercation, but there was no information about a possible suspect. In his position at Ten Space, Egkan was working to revitalize downtown Stockton. The company rehabilitates old buildings in an effort to create housing, retail and entertainment venues in an effort to attract residents and businesses to Stockton’s core. Just hours before he died, Egkan had led of downtown for 20 artisans from San Francisco. Cynthia Fargo, CEO of the Downtown Stockton Alliance says Egkan was committed passionately to Ten Space’s vision of Stockton economic opportunities. “I think he had a keen way of articulating downtown’s future, especially to the younger crowd of people who might be interested,” Fargo said. She added that Egkan was part of a bigger group of people who are carrying on with Stockton’s rebirth. “We’re going to survive this tragedy because so many people are committed to the revitalization of downtown,” said Fargo. Anyone with information about Egkan’s death is asked to call the Stockton Police Department at (209) 937-8377.

MANTECA — San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Franklin Stephenson died Sept. 22 in a crash on Highway 99 near Jack Tone Road. The San Joaquin County Sheriff ’s Department said Stephenson suffered a heart attack while driving. Paramedics responded, but Stephenson died before he arrived at the hospital. Stephenson The San Joaquin County Superior Court and the county’s District Attorney’s office observed a moment of silence for Stephenson at 10 a.m., Sept. 23. “He was an outstanding judge for us and a great friend,” said San Joaquin County Presiding Judge Lesley Holland. “We’re still trying to digest this. We’re in a bit of a shock.” Holland said Stephenson was “unfailingly cheerful,” steady no matter what kind of pressure he was under and served as a mentor to new judges. Stephenson, 54, was appointed to the San Joaquin County Superior Court in May 2002 by Gov. Gray Davis. Before

that, he worked in the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s office and in the Stockton law firm of Hakeem, Ellis and Marengo. “This is a loss to the legal communty,” said the firm’s partner Al Ellis. “He was a wonderful man and a great friend to me.” Ellis described Stephenson as a hard worker. “He was diligent,” Ellis said. “He got along well with people, was a quick study. He did a lot of things very well.” As a judge, Stephenson had worked in both Stockton and Manteca but had been transferred to Manteca permanently at his own request. He handled felony arraignments and preliminary hearings. Holland said his caseload varied from 30 to as many as 75 cases a day. Gov. Brown will appoint a replacement for Stephenson, Holland said. However, he did not know how soon that would happen. In the meantime, Stephenson’s cases will be handled by retired judges. Holland said Stephenson was an avid golfer and coached the Little League teams his three young sons played on. Holland also described Stephenson as a devoted husband to his wife, Michelle.

Littler’s Fall 2015 Employment Law Seminar NorCal Breakfast Briefing Series Please join attorneys from Littler’s Sacramento office for a lively look at new developments in labor and employment law, such as:

As As an an accounting accounting firm, firm, we we love love numbers. numbers. Here are a few of our favorites. Here are a few of our favorites.

102 102

years in business years in business

10 10

California offices California offices

102 102

countries served countries served (Through Praxity, aisbl )

5.2:1 5.2:1

staff-to-partner staff-to-partner ratio ratio

33 33

industries served industries served

(Through Praxity, aisbl )

( 2 0 9 ) 9 5 5 - 610 0 ( 2 0 9 ) 9 5 5 - 610 0

W W W. M O S S A D A M S . C O M W W W. M O S S A D A M S . C O M

Data as of October 2015 Data as of October 2015

1 1

goal: your success goal: your success

• How to avoid disability lawsuits as the ADA turns 25 • Anti-bullying training at work: one year and counting • LGBT developments – e.g., “I Am Cait” in the workplace • Making sure your wage statements won’t get you sued, and other wage/hour tips • What is Jerry Brown signing? New labor/employment laws effective 1/1/16 Stockton – Tuesday, October 20, 2015 Sacramento – Tuesday, October 27, 2015 Chico – Thursday, October 29, 2015 Redding – Friday, October 30, 2015 Modesto – Tuesday, November 3, 2015 For more information or to register, please contact Julie Lopez at jrlopez@littler.com or 408.795.3432.

littler.com Littler | 500 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000 | Sacramento, CA 95814 | Tel: 916.830.7200

October 2015

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CVBJ

October 2015

COLLEGE Continued from Page 1

PHILIP JOHNSON/CVBJ

Director of Support Services Jacquelyn Forte helps Stanislaus State students find the resources they need to stay in school.

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grant is to help students graduate in a timely manner,” said Jacquelyn Forté, director of Student Support Services at Stanislaus State. “We have students do that by providing a number of academic support programs.” These programs include intrusive academic advising, additional tutoring, access to a writing specialist, peer mentoring, skill enhancement workshops and the availability of some scholarships. The help Narciso received through the university’s Student Support Services Center was what he needed to stay enrolled. “The help that I got from advisers was crucial. It would have taken me a lot longer to figure out what I was doing and where I wanted to go,” he said, noting that he changed majors multiple times before settling on geography. Stanislaus State’s TRIO grant funds services that help 250 first-time freshmen, upper division transfer students and a few continuing students at any given time. There is a waiting list each semester, and for good reason. Students taking advantage of the services track better than their counterparts who do not and, in some cases, better than the student body as a whole. “We as participants in the program tend to do better than the university,” Forté said. Making sure that students progress in good academic standing, continue their education from one academic year to the next, and earn a degree in four to six years are the program’s three objectives. According to Forté, more than 90 percent of the program’s participants progress in good academic standing and continue their education, while 7080 percent graduate within six years. The University of California, Merced also received a TRIO program grant in July for $1.09 million over five years. The funding will launch the Strengthening Talents and Exploring Pathways (STEP) program. STEP will target first-generation, low-income and underserved students who have yet to declare their majors.

“We want to have somebody who is going to focus on making sure all those students are connecting to a firm pathway by the end of second year, that they’re connecting to a major and that they understand how and why they will be able to make it through that transition of going undeclared into a field,” said Elizabeth Boretz, director of the Calvin E. Bright Success Center at UC Merced. The Bright Center is the home base for student academic and personal support services on campus offering services such as undeclared advising, peer tutoring, peer academic advising and new student orientation. The STEP program will serve 140 students with focused specialized attention. Students will not need to apply but will be invited by email or through their current academic adviser. “I’ll be telling them it is a very exciting time for them because here they are approaching the time where they’re going to need to find their major,” said Boretz. Boretz expects STEP to be fully implemented by the end of this fall semester. She will hire a retention specialist (adviser) and STEP program coordinator who will make sure students take advantage of the career counseling, career planning, resume creation and leadership activities available to them. By improving student retention rates and helping students declare a major by their junior year, STEP’s ultimate goal is to improve degree completion, a university-wide objective for all students. The university’s most recent graduation rate measurement, based on a six-year outcome for 2009 freshmen, is 63.3 percent. Narciso highly recommends that new university students seek out the type of support offered through UC Merced’s and Stanislaus State’s TRO grant programs. “It’s absolutely critical, whether it takes four years or eight years, the academic advisers are going to help them take the classes they need, help them develop their academic plans which will be crucial for them to stay on path to graduate,” Narciso says.

October 2015

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Don’t make these 5 investing blunders By NORA HESTON TARTE Business Journal writer nhestontarte@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Money management is a tricky topic. With inflation, uncertain social security and other financial factors out of your control, it’s easy to feel bewildered by your bank account. Local financial advisers delve into some of the biggest mistakes people make in their financial lives and offer solutions to rectify these problems before it’s too late. Here are the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them. Not having a plan “Most people spend more time planning their vacation than their financial lives,” said Allan Conan, a financial adviser with Thorson Financial Estate Management, Inc. in Modesto. A poor financial plan could be the most devastating mistake people make with their money. Without a proper plan, they invariably fall short of their goals. Consequences include paying too much in taxes, not maximizing return on investments, falling victim to emotional decisions and not knowing when to get in and out of the market. Working with a qualified financial planning professional, one who is registered and licensed, is a good place to start, Conan said. If the goal is to pay

for college for your children, then it’s important to know how much needs to be saved. College tuition is rising and so are housing and other living expenses. Working with someone who has the tools to analyze that information and provide educated estimates will help you create a savings plan to meet your goals. Failing to save enough Paying into your company’s 401k may fill you with false confidence that you’re doing enough for your financial future. However, saving isn’t just about making sure you have money for retirement. There are several goals you should save for and financial planners say simply having one bulk fund doesn’t suffice. In addition to savings plans for children, such as a 529 College Savings Plan, and retirement funds, people should plan for unforeseen expenses or potential disasters. “If something happens that they didn’t necessarily expect … they have to dip in to their retirement savings or their child’s education savings,” explained Athena Stone, an investment adviser with Michael Dalton in Stockton. Sudden car expenses or a job loss could set you back so far that it becomes too stressful to recover. Stone recommends that everyone have a savings account with three to six months worth of emergency funds saved up just in case.

PHILIP JOHNSON/CVBJ

Financial planner Allan Conan talks to clients about goals for their money.

Not prioritizing retirement Stone’s advice is to “pay yourself first.” Monthly bills and expenses likely eat into your earnings pretty significantly. However, when assessing what you make and what you can afford, remember to place money into your retire-

ment or other necessary savings funds. If you make it part of your monthly budget, it won’t seem like an option that can be put off down the line, she said. Another mistake people make is Please see FINANCIAL Page 21

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

STOCK AND INVESTMENT BROKERS

In San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties. Ranked by Number of Licensed Brokers on Staff. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Name Address

Merrill Lynch 801 10th Street, 7th Floor, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95354

Morgan Stanley 3421 Brookside Road, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95219

Top Local Executive Number of Number Stock Exchange Memberships Licensed Phone of Support Brokers on Services Offered Staff Staff Web Address Betu Gill 209-578-2600 ml.com

James Douglas Washington 209-478-2230 morganstanley.com

Wells Fargo Advisors 3203 W. March Lane, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95219

Daniel Christ 209-957-8100 wfadvisors.com

Merrill Lynch 3255 W. March Lane, Ste. 110 Stockton, CA 95219

Philip Benson 209-472-3500 ml.com

Raymond James Financial Services 215 W. Oak Street, Ste. 1 Lodi, CA 95240

The Investment Consulting Group 121 Rue De Yoe Modesto, CA 95354

Scottrade 2819 W. March Lane, Ste. A-4 Stockton, CA 95219

Smith, Gatschet & Kobrin Financial Group 4750 Quail Lakes Drive, Ste. B Stockton, CA 95207

Attentive Investment Managers Inc. 5345 N. El Dorado Street, Ste. 4 Stockton, CA 95207

Blakely Financial Services 2800 W. March Lane, Ste. 324 Stockton, CA 95219

Conrad Fournier Wells Fargo Advisor 3361 G Street, Ste. B Merced, CA 95340

Edward Jones Investments 5 S. School Street Lodi, CA 95240

Jerry Hearon 209-339-9010 edwardjones.com

Edward Jones Investments 1026 B Street Tracy, CA 95376

Mark Vien 209-833-1325 edwardjones.com

Goldstrand Planning Group 2800 W. March Lane, Ste. 326 Stockton, CA 95219

Dennis Goldstrand 209-472-7000 goldstrand.com

Northwestern Mutual 207 W. Oak Street Lodi, CA 95240

Scott R. Marcus 209-369-5555 scott-marcus.com

Stull Financial 4529 Quail Lakes Drive, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95207

David J. Stull 209-957-1673 stullfinancial.com

Thomas Bryant 209-577-5704 ticginc.net

Michael L. Dalton 209-367-8700 christopher.j.olsen

NYSE/FINRA/ASE Investment services NASDAQ, NYSE Area, Chicago Board Options Exchange, International Stock Exchange, Boston Stock Exchange, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange and Chicago Mercantile Exchange

1914

1935

1978

NYSE/NASDAQ and all major stock exchanges Wealth management and investments

1977

FINRA/SIPC/NYSE/NASDAQ 6

Chuck Smith 209-474-1602 sgkfinancial.com

Financial management and advisory

Fee based portfolio management services, wealth management, investment, retirement planning, estate planning, stocks, bonds and mutual funds

Grant Fletcher 209-333-4500 fletcherfinancialgroup.com

Ted Goodsell 209-473-1601 scottrade.com

NYSE/NASDAQ

Year Est.

Investment services, corporate cash management, insurance and annuity products, long-term care, comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning and IRA rollover NYSE/SIPC Investment consulting, financial planning and brokerage services

1962

1998

NASDAQ, Direct Edge and Bats 3

Online investing, local branch office support, free educational seminars, online trading tools, mobile trading, live webinars, online community, market news, research and real time quotes

2003

All major stock exchanges 3

Retirement, estate and tax planning, investment management, portfolio analysis

1986

FINRA/SIPC 2

Comprehensive financial planning, retirement, tax, and estate planning, asset management

1991

FINRA/SIPC

Kurt Blakely 209-956-0267 teamblakely.com

Conrad Fournier 209-385-5154 wellsfargoadvisors.com/ Conrad.B.Fournier

Resources for seniors, investment management, retirement income planning, estate planning, IRA roll overs and trust services SIPC Business investment, estate, insurance, IRAs & IRA roll overs, retirement planning

1980

2009

NYSE Retirement planning, education savings, long term care insurance and estate consideration NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Financial planning, investments and insurance FINRA Fee-based investment advisory, all investment products

1922

1991

1976

NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Retirement and investment advisory services, life insurance, long term care insurance and disability income replacement insurance FINRA/SIPC Insurance, securities, financial and estate planning

1995

1977

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 09/2015

October 2015

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Central Valley Business Journal

Carmen Sabatino

Dave Lopez

October 2015

Ted Brandvold

Garrad Marsh

*Candidate Armando Arreola did not respond to requests for a photo.

Five in field for Modesto’s mayoral election By KENT HOHLFELD Business Journal writer khohlfeld@cvbizjournal.com

MODESTO — On Nov. 3 Modesto voters will choose from among five candidates for the city’s next mayor. That decision will have lasting consequences when it comes to how the city improves its business climate. The five candidates include incumbent mayor Garrad Marsh, City Councilman Dave Lopez, former mayor Carmen Sabatino, architect Ted Brandvold and Armando Arreola. The candidates’ answers to the city’s economic struggles range from focusing on and expanding current business improvement efforts to tackling corruption and vagrancy in the city. Marsh is seeking re-election on his record, which he says includes improving the city’s stature as a hub for medical services. He points to a new pediatric hospital as well as hotel and restaurant developments that are headed to the planning commission as proof the city is on the right track. “There is a lot of land ready to develop today,” said Marsh. “There are things that are already under way that are pretty major developments.” Marsh also points to the new Stan-

islaus County courthouse planned for downtown and a supply of undeveloped land as factors that will keep Modesto moving forward. “Having people that know how to work those projects is key,” said Marsh. “We have the downtown superior court that is in the planning stages. That is a $280 million construction project. That will be a major boon to the area.” Marsh also sees growth opportunities in the proposed Altamont Corridor Express train expansion and hopes reforms to city codes will bring market-rate housing downtown. He also believes the city’s available groundwater supply will help keep the area’s agriculture businesses strong despite the state’s historic drought. Those hoping to unseat Marsh see a less rosy picture of the city’s economic situation. Lopez, who was elected to the City Council in 2007, sees a city beset by graffiti and panhandlers who are driving away potential business. “Everybody wants to talk about economic development and public safety, and those things will come,” he said. “But we need to clean up the city first.” One of the biggest challenges he believes Modesto faces is the prevalence of panhandling on the city’s streets. “New businesses come to Modesto

and the first thing they see is a panhandler on the side of the freeway,” said Lopez. While free speech concerns limit new ordinances, Lopez believes the mayor, by virtue of his office, can convince people to stop giving money to panhandlers. “The mayor is given a microphone that he can use to get the word out,” said Lopez. Lopez contends the city has a prevalence of social services for those who need food and shelter, but much of the handouts residents give to street people end up feeding drug habits. “The money for panhandlers is going into drug dealers’ hands,” said Lopez. He would also encourage criminals and homeless people who come from outside the area to return to their home cities. Lopez is convinced policies such as Prop 47, which reduced prison sentences, is increasingly leading people from other cities to end up in Modesto. He would even go so far as to pay for bus tickets for them to return to their home cities. “That is going to help economic development through Greyhound therapy,” he said. While Lopez would focus on crime and the city’s homeless, Arreola would

SHORE McKINLEY & CONGER

improve city services and use revenue increases to improve “the general welfare” of the city’s residents. “At this time, the city’s priority needs to be to advance and improve the city systems like the streets, and those advances will bring businesses,” said Arreola. He would use the city’s share of proposed state tax increases to pay for those city improvements. He would also look at reforming certain permits and licenses to boost business. “I can reduce liabilities and lower barriers to business permits,” he said. “That is what we have to do as part of a review of city systems.” For Sabatino, battling law enforcement corruption is key to helping the area’s ability to bring new jobs. “Corruption in law enforcement is rampant, and I would support and cooperate with any effort to expose and deal with the problem,” said Sabatino. Twelve years ago, during Sabatino’s first tenure as mayor, he was charged with 10 counts of corruption. Prosecutors alleged that, while mayor, Sabatino failed to disclose loans and gifts, employed city staff for personal concerns and voted on issues in which he had financial conflicts of interest. The case Please see MAYORS Page 15

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October 2015

CVBJ

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MAYORS Continued from Page 14

ended in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked, with some saying there was not enough evidence to convict Sabatino. However, before the trial started, he lost his bid for a second term. He has long contended the charges were politically motivated. “Rampant corruption must be dealt with,” he said. “The national attention is bad for the county, for the city and for business.” Sabatino also believes that close relations between government and business officials are detrimental. ”Crony capitalism is an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials,” he said. “The big interests help themselves, to the detriment of all others.” He is also against Measure G, the proposed half-cent sales tax aimed at improving fire and police protection. He adamantly opposes annexing Salida and would eliminate the annexation of Wood Colony from the city’s general plan. Sabatino believes his experience would be key to helping Modesto grow. “Through my 45 years of experience in the restaurant business and my four years as mayor of Modesto, I have acquired an institutional memory of how the system works, and right now

CVBJ

SOLAR Continued from Page 6

have developed their own prototype of solar panels that can produce a high heat output even in areas with extreme temperatures. “We’ve developed a technology called nonimaging optics,” said Winston. “We’re able to produce high temperature … high enough to produce steam with no tracking. So just like the solar panels on your roof don’t move, our solar collectors which produce these temperatures, they don’t move either. They’ve installed their panels all over the world, with systems in Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, India and China. Winston and his program, UC Solar, are putting together a symposium on solar energy on Oct. 16 in San Francisco at the public utilities commission building. State and international leaders in solar will talk about policy and the latest technologies. Anyone interested in attending needs to register online at ucmerced.edu/2015-solar-symposium. When you include installation costs, it’s currently about twice as expensive to get electricity from solar (roughly 34 cents per watt for solar compared to 12.5 cents per watt for electricity from other sources). But with electricity rates rising and solar falling, the two will soon converge in what’s called grid parity, which is when Winston says things will get interesting. “Economically, it’s going to become the reasonable choice to buy solar to produce your power,” said Winston. “When that happens, it will really take off.”

it is not working very well,” he said. While Sabatino believes that city government should keep a healthy distance from business groups in the city, Brandvold thinks a cooperative effort is crucial to improving Modesto’s business climate. “We need to work as a collaborative group,” said Brandvold. “We need to work with other surrounding cities, the Chamber, the [Stanislaus] Alliance, everyone to improve the city.” Brandvold believes that dysfunction within city government is the main economic drag holding Modesto back.

“They have a good group of employees that are really capable that are hampered by their leadership,” he said. “You have some departments that are functioning well, and they are hampered by those that aren’t.” Brandvold said that during his 20 years working as an architect, he has seen that red tape kills projects that should be welcomed into the area. “I’ve seen it [the dysfunction] in all aspects from the concept to the completion,” he said. Brandvold has a range of ideas for attacking what he sees as dysfunction. He

said bringing people together would be the key to making City Hall work well. “We have built up a bad business climate,” he said. “We should be rolling out the red carpet and what I find are barriers.” He said he believes Modesto has the chance to be a center of business activity that could help power the county, region and state. “Modesto needs to act like the hub that it is,” Brandvold said. “We could build this region in the next economic center of the state. We just need to make it happen.”

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

PAYROLL SERVICES

In San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties. Firms are Ranked by Number of Local Accounts. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Name Address

Phone Fax Web Address

Number of Local Accounts

Number of Local Staff

Services Offered

Top Local Executive

Year Est.

1,600

50 +

Integrated payroll, HR, workforce time management services, tax services, accounts payable and 1099 services from a SAS70/SSAE16 secure facility

Bettye L. Smith President/CEO

1981

Lammert Van Laar

1958

Payroll People, Inc. 2152 E. Copper Avenue, Ste. 105 Fresno, CA 95730 (Serves businesses in San Joaquin & Stanislaus and Merced Counties)

209-524-2311 Fax 559-251-1431 payrollpeople.com

Kemper CPA Group, LLP 3031 W. March Lane Stockton, CA 95219

209-473-2001 Fax 209-473-1761 kempercpa.com

161

Auditing and accounting services, tax preparation, business consulting and valuations, payroll services, family law support, litigation support and non-profit consulting

RJL Financial Services, Inc 1788 Mitchell Road Ste. 102 Ceres, CA 95307

209-538-7758 Fax 209538-7788 rljfinancial.com

Payroll and Tax services, Estate planning, small business planning and accounting, QuickBooks Services

Randall Jenkins

1986

Ascend Financial 2575 Grand Canal Boulevard, Ste. 300 Stockton, CA 95207

209-472-7378 Fax 209-472-1778 ascendfinancialmgmt.com

Tax preparation, payroll, bookkeeping, QuickBooks clean-up, QB review service and audit representation

Kimberley E. Washer, EA

2007

DeVaney Business Services 1050 N. Carpenter Road, Ste. I Modesto, CA 95351

(209-524-4345 Fax 209-524-0775 devaneybusiness.net

Payroll, bookkeeping and tax preparation for individuals and small businesses

Karen DeVaney

1976

Account Masters Bookkeeping Service 4598 S. Tracy Boulevard, Ste. 120 Tracy, CA 95377

209-836-4961 Fax 209-229-1009 accountmastersbkg.com

Payroll, bookkeeping, sales tax reports, weekly or monthly services

Lydia Ferreira

1994

Paycheck Solutions P.O. Box 690016 Stockton, CA 95269

209-956-3800 Fax 209-956-3841 paychecksolutions.biz

Payroll, bookkeeping, business consulting and notary

Doug Clark

1998

Quality Business Service 1920 Tienda Drive, Ste. 101 Lodi, CA 95242

209-333-8488 Fax 209-339-8631 qbstax.com

Payroll, taxes and bookkeeping

Connie Lorz

1985

Rea & Associates, LLP 1937 Coffee Road Modesto, CA 95355

209-521-2727 Fax 209-525-8919 reaassociates.com

Simple to full service payroll-direct deposit impounding, EFTPS, all fed and state quarterly and annual reporting. web delivery available

Walter T. Rea Jr., CPA

1987

Valley Payroll Services P.O. Box 578253 Modesto, CA 95357

209-551-5086 Fax 209-551-5087 valleypay.com

Complete payroll processing, direct deposit, electronic time & attendance, full government reporting and certified payroll

Angela Asher

1999

Workplace Solutions, Inc. 801 Tenth Street, 5th Floor, Ste. 101 Modesto, CA 95356

209-338-5847 Fax 209-338-1119 trustwsi.com

Human resource outsourcing and payroll for businesses of all sizes

Jennifer Doll

2007

All About Numbers 4512 Feather River Drive, Ste. G Stockton, CA 95219

209-955-2244 Fax 209-955-2245 allaboutnumbers.com

Direct deposit, electronic transmission of reports and payments, employee portals, â&#x20AC;&#x153;green payrollâ&#x20AC;? and more

Laura Strombom

1995

Olive Payroll Services 903 W. Center Street, Ste. 1 Manteca, CA 95337

209-823-9719 Fax 209-825-5255 olivepayroll.com

Full service tax, accounting, insurance, payroll, investments, and business consulting

Joe E. Cuellar

2009

R First Bookkeeping & Consulting 6702 Inglewood Avenue, Ste. K Stockton, CA 95207

209-933-0924 209-473-2900 Fax 209-933-0825 rfirst.biz

Income tax preparation, full charge accounting, payroll, A/P, A/R, sage 100 certified, QB certified, consulting, sales & use tax preparation, enterprise zone recovery and records management

Rose Marie DuQuette

1990

Precision Payroll Solutions, Inc. 7 W. Acacia Street Stockton, CA 95202

209-946-4291 Fax 209-946-4702 None

Payroll and workers comp

Grace Aprile

2008

Dougherty CPAs Inc. 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 210 Stockton, CA 95219

WND

Payroll processing, compensation, and tax planning, tax preparation

Steve Dougherty

1983

209-476-1111 Fax 209-476-1112 doughertycpas.com

October 2015

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Nomellini explains how he’d fix the water crisis STOCKTON — Attorney Dante Nomellini has been fighting to protect water rights in the Delta for 47 years. He is manager co-counsel for the Central Delta Water Agency which is comprised of about 120,000 acres in the center of the Delta. Nomellini says interests in the southern part of the state have Nomellini influenced the governor to use his emergency powers to connect the Sacramento River to the export pumps in order to send water south from the Delta. He says that use of emergency powers is overriding statutory obligations to protect those in the north with senior waters rights. Business Journal editor, Elizabeth Stevens spoke with Nomellini about the competition between north and south for California’s water and how the drought is affecting that battle. CVBJ: What is the most urgent or biggest issue for Northern California regarding water rights? DN: The biggest issue, in my view, is that we’re operating a system that’s grossly short of water, and that water rights, and contractual agreements, and State Water Resource Control

Board standards and all of that are circumvented during shortage periods through the use of the emergency powers of the governor. CVBJ: Some people describe this as a man-made water shortage. DN: The water shortage, from the exporters’ viewpoint, is due to endangered species. That’s what they say. That isn’t true. The shortage that exists is manmade because the state’s water project and the federal Central Valley Project committed to deliver surplus water that really wasn’t surplus. The plan was to develop multiple reservoirs in the north coast portion of California to provide the water for export and also meet the increasing demand … which were anticipated in what we call the ‘areas of origin.’ They didn’t do that. That is man-made. There’s nothing new about droughts. The planning anticipated six-year droughts, and there was just no followthrough with the projects for various reasons. Some were environmental restraints. Some were economic. CVBJ: How would you fix that? DN: The solution, in my opinion, would be to honor the commitments. Concentrate on trying to develop the ability to capture more rainfall and snowmelt when it is available, store that underground wherever you can, surface facilities when feasible.

Friday, October 16

Pacific Mambo Orchestra Stockton Civic Auditorium 7pm Salsa Lessons • 8pm Concert

But I don’t know of any solution to make up for the shortage that we have without going to other watersheds that have not yet been tapped and bringing in additional supply. The hydrology of the existing SacramentoSan Joaquin Valley is just not sufficient. It was never thought to be sufficient to meet these needs. CVBJ: Is the state open to more storage? DN: Yes, I think so. They talk about it, but the reservoirs they’re talking about building are in the SacramentoSan Joaquin watershed … but it’s like being able to deliver another 500,000 or 600,000 acre feet in the sixth year of a drought when you’re short 5 to 8 million acre feet. So, yes, there is interest, but financing is very difficult because reservoirs only get filled up once every 10 years, and then you have to keep them full or relatively full till the sixth year of a drought. The economics are very difficult. Mother Nature provides a big slug of water for a short period of time and to capture that water is very difficult. It takes a lot of money. CVBJ: What about concerns farther south? DN: There are areas of the south coastal regions who are adversaries in the fight over water for the north. They have been investing, I think appropriately so, in their own water-

sheds in order to be able to capture more of the water that’s available there. They recycle more. I think desalting for the urban needs is going to be competitive as they go forward. But the huge shortage that we have that we can’t resolve is to meet the demands of agriculture and permanent crops. When people make investments in permanent crops that need to be irrigated all the time based on a surplus supply that’s not there, its costs to economic loss are very significant. That’s the problem. CVBJ: The almond industry is putting out a message that it’s not the problem. DN: The problem is not just pointing at almonds. The problem is the lands on the west side of the Valley and in other locations were intended to be supplied with water that is surplus the needs of the north, and there isn’t that much surplus. Like I said, they didn’t build the reservoirs that generate the capability to provide surplus water to make it more reliable so it remains unreliable. And when it’s unreliable, when you plant almonds or grapes, whatever is permanent, there’s a huge loss that’s associated with not irrigating. I think we ought to do what we can. The state and federal government are Please see WATER Page 37

Saturday, October 17

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Jazz on the Green

1:00pm • University of the Pacific

Karrin Allyson & SFJAZZ Collective

Performing the music of Michael Jackson

7:30pm • Bob Hope Theatre

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October 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

F&M Bank rolls out ATMS with new features By PATRICIA REYNOLDS Business Journal writer

preynolds@cvbizjournal.com

LODI — Farmers and Merchants Bank of Central California (F&M Bank) has spent $1 million to upgrade its automated teller machines (ATMs). Over the summer, F&M Bank installed 34 new ATMs at its 22 branches from Sacramento to Merced and in Concord. There is also a non-branch machine situated outside the Grape Festival grounds in Lodi. “We really look at these as upgraded technology to improve the customer experience,” said said Debbie Skinner, executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “And given the number of people that have already started using them for simple deposits, we know the customers are liking the technology and feel confident using it.” The NCR-manufactured ATMs can scan and count multiple checks and currency deposited in a single transaction, which eliminates the need for deposit slips and envelopes, a feature offered by bigger national banks and some regional banks. Using touch screen displays to complete transactions, customers can also select to receive printed receipts displaying check images and an accounting of each type of cash denomination deposited. The new ATMs also feature a dip

card reader which no longer requires the machine to hold the user’s ATM card for the duration of the transaction. Instead the ATM card never leaves the user’s possession. Added security functionality enabling the ATMs to handle EMV chip cards in addition to magnetic strip cards will be activated in October. Then, the user’s card will be held momentarily while chip information is validated. “One of the benefits to the customer and also to the bank is these are machines that don’t eat your ATM card anymore,” said Retail Operations Manager and Senior Vice President Marti Denk. There are no fees for F&M customers to use the ATMs or for non-customers who are simply checking the balances they have at other banks. A transaction fee of $3.00 is applied for non-customers who withdraw funds from an F&M Bank ATM. As more people conduct banking via ATMs, tellers are freed to assist customers who need to conduct more complex transactions inside the branch. “The idea is to increase the use of automation and this will allow customers to do more basic routine transactions at their convenience, making deposits at any time day or night,” said Denk. “And that does allow our branch staff to provide any service in

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ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

The new ATMs allow customers to keep possession of their cards during transactions.

terms of the more complicated transactions, problem solving, talking to them about services and benefits.” Farmers and Merchants Bank has plans for further automation beyond the new ATMs. Interactive teller ma-

chines (ITMs) are currently in the demonstration phase and will provide customers with live video access to a teller in a remote location. The customer will only need to show an ID and no ATM card will be required.

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

An outsider’s look at San Joaquin County By ELIZABETH STEVENS Business Journal editor estevens@cvbizjournal.com

TRACY — A national site selection company CEO says that despite California’s reputation as having a bad business climate, the state — and especially the Central Valley — is a great place to put a distribution center. The Boyd Company released its study of the 25 cities its clients most commonly look at for warehousing and distribution. It calculated how much it would cost to run a 500,000-square-foot warehouse with 200 workers in each city and ranked them according to the cost of doing business. Ten California cities, including Stockton and Tracy, were on the list. Tracy ranked 18th with $16.6 million in operating costs. Stockton was 19th with $16.7 million. Apart from being less expensive than Chicago ($21.8 million) or Dallas ($17.6 million), California cities have other things going for them. “The (study’s) summary talks about the sheer size of the California market,” said John Boyd, CEO of the Boyd Company, pointing out that if California were its own nation, it would be the

CVBJ

BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO

Boyd Company CEO John Boyd says business leaders in other parts of the country should learn more about the Port of Stockton.

eighth largest economy in the world. E-commerce trends that prompt companies to locate close to large population centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco also work to California’s advantage. “This idea of same-day delivery trends — companies like Amazon and

WalMart and e-Bay and Target doing same-day delivery — that clearly is a reason why the Central Valley is experiencing a lot of growth in the distribution sector,” Boyd said. Imports and exports with China are also driving forces. Chinese demand is growing for U.S. branded products,

especially fresh and frozen American food and agricultural products. Being located in the Central Valley, a food processing center, means Stockton and Tracy are well-situated to continue to take advantage of that trend. There are threats, though, Boyd said. He thinks one of the greatest is the National Labor Relations Board’s rulng in August that a waste management company was required to treat its contract workers the same as its employees. Distribution is one of the leading industries making use of temporary or contract workers, and the impact could be significant, he said. “This ruling could make business costs for warehouses too expensive, and that will be another reason why these secondary markets in Arizona and Nevada are looked at as being even more desirable,” Boyd said. Arizona and Nevada are gaining reputations for being less expensive places to open distribution centers, mainly because they are right-to-work states, and land is relatively cheap. Mesquite, Nevada, located near Las Vegas, topped Boyd’s list of least expensive cities for warehousing Please see SAN JOAQUIN Page 21

AIRPORT Continued from Page 3

ward without posing undue exposure to noise or safety hazards to the public. “The open house was intended to make the public aware of what we have here,” he said. “It was a good turnout of diverse people: property owners, pilots, representatives from local, state and federal officials, business owners, the agricultural community and local industrial sectors including home builders.” ”It’s definitely time to develop a new Airport Land Us Compatibility Plan because the old plan dates from 1993,” said SJCOG Senior Regional Planner Kim Anderson. “State and federal aviation officials prefer to have these documents reviewed and updated every five years.” She added, “The purpose of doing

this is to incorporate the latest technology of new planes and protect the airport against incompatible uses and finally to protect the safety of pilots and the airport.” The updating process began in 2007. In 2009 the commision adopted plans for all other airports in the county except Stockton. “There’s no danger. We just have to make sure the Stockton Metro receives its update and that the airport’s plan is compatible with the county’s general plan,” Anderson said. The Airport Land Use Commission, however, has no authority over airport operations. That means nothing in the plan can be interpreted as regulating or conveying any recommendations concerning aircraft operations

at the airport. “We provide comments to the county as the coordinating agency with the CalTrans Division of Aeronautics and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA has the final say,” Anderson said. SJCOG works with consultant David Fitz of Coffman Associates out of Missouri for aviation and airport planning, Anderson said. “COG’s expertise is in land use, and we tend to be generalists well versed in development applications,” she said. “But our know-how combined with the aviation expertise of our consultant … creates a team that can handle all aspects of this sort of planning.” Anderson said it is fortunate that so

far urban development in the direct path of aircraft has been minimal, but additional growth will be handled by SJCOG. “The land use in the flight path of the airport is a mix of things over an expanse of land with a large part of it being in agriculture,” Anderson said. “A large body of water, a large wildlife area, and a landfill which increases the possibility of a bird strike are all here. In resolving our challenges, we look at what other airports have done and rely on our consultants. This is a small, niche market so our consultant is quite well versed in what needs to be done.” The Forward Landfill poses a challenge, but the airport has a wildlife plan in place to help with it, said Mavrogenes.

October 2015

CVBJ

SAN JOAQUIN Continued from Page 20

and distribution with an estimated annual cost of $13.7 million for a 500,000-square-foot facility. San Joaquin Partnership President and CEO Michael Ammann doesn’t believe the ruling will affect competition for the kinds of state-of-the-art warehouse/distribution companies Stockton, Tracy, and Patterson in Stanislaus County compete for. “The modern supply chain management that needs to be adjacent to its market to service same-day or short-term delivery — Amazon, for example — for those, cost analyses are not the only location decision [factor],” Ammann said.

CVBJ

www.cvbizjournal.com

FINANCIAL Continued from Page 11

only putting the minimum required into their 401ks to receive the company’s match benefits, according to Stone. Instead, she suggests “maxing out the savings potential as much as you possibly can within your budget.” Short-sighted investing Investments are a common approach to saving and accumulating wealth. However, investors should look at their portfolios as a long-term plan, not a getrich-quick scheme. “It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon,” said Grant Fletcher, a certified financial planner in Lodi. Instead of focusing on return, people nearing retirement should be more concerned with developing a positive distribution strategy. Concentrating on a predictable income stream will better serve them in the future. Everyone knows the phrase “buy low, sell high,” but that is easier said than done. “Most people, if they don’t have an adviser or they don’t have a plan, [sell when the market goes down],” Conan said. The investment market tends to ebb and flow. Investors have to be willing to leave funds in long enough to recoup, or better yet, grow investments. Not diversifying portfolio Fletcher asks all his clients to fill out an investment policy statement questionnaire before creating their portfolios. That blueprint assesses the client’s risk tolerance, time horizon (how long can they tie up their money) and objective (what money is for). Using that information, Fletcher said he can better customize the portfolio with a combination of stocks, bonds, etc. Diversification allows a safety net so if an investment loses value, the entire portfolio doesn’t tank at once. The investment policy statement questionnaire also helps manage risk. When you create your own portfolio, you may make emotional decisions about investments, instead of making the soundest decisions. It is important not to fill your portfolio with high-risk investments hoping for a quick payout if you cannot afford it, Fletcher said. A portfolio that is too risky is another big problem those who try to go it alone often face.

He said Stockton and Tracy likely are not competing for the same kinds of distribution centers a place like Mesquite, Nevada is. “The real growth in logistics is what we’ve secured,” Ammann said, referring to Amazon, the new FedEx ground hub and Medline facilities — all in Tracy. “We’re state-of-the art here. No one else anywhere else is doing what we’re doing.” Ammann also said facilities such as Amazon rely on robotics and sophisticated computerized systems for much of the work employees do in

more traditional warehouses. Boyd believes the increasing number of intermodal facilities is a “great equalizer” for communities in secondary markets that aren’t located near big population centers or a port. “Intermodal rail remains a critical site selection criteria for distribution centers,” Boyd said. “Companies want to be within 100 miles of a major intermodal rail facility.” That criteria is a plus for San Joaquin County, which boasts two intermodal facilities: the BNSF center on Austin Road, which can lift (move truck trail-

Tricks

ers to flatbed rail cars) 300,000 units annually and the Union Pacific facility in Lathrop, which was approved for expansion last summer. Currently, that facility can lift 270,000 units every year. When it comes to ideas for making the Stockton/Tracy area even more attractive, Boyd said the Port of Stockton is perhaps the area’s best-kept secret. “I think the the inland port in Stockton is very, very exciting,” said Boyd. “As I travel the country, so few people are even aware of that inland port and the vast potential it has to be a real engine of commerce.”

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

LAW FIRMS

In San Joaquin, Stanisluas and Merced Counties. Ranked by Number of Local Attorneys. Ties are Listed in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Number Number of Phone of Attorneys Fax Types of Law Practiced Number Support Web Address of Staff Paralegals

Company Name Address

Year Established Managing Partner

Agriculture, banking-finance, bankruptcies, business, commercial, eminent domain, employment, labor, environmental, litigation, public agency, real estate, tax, trust, probate, real estate planning, water law

20 2

Agriculture, business formations, complex litigation, wills, trusts, estate planning, personal injury practice, alternative dispute resolution: family, government agency, employment, copyright, trademark and health care law

209-478-2000 Fax 209-478-0354 kroloff.com

14 4

Civil, business and commercial transactions, estate planning, health care, labor and employment

1946 Christopher Engh

Mayall Hurley 2453 Grand Canal Blvd. Stockton, CA 95207

209-477-3833 Fax 209-473-4818 mayallaw.com

12 3

Employment law, serious injuries, business and probate

1935 William Gorham

Freeman Firm 1818 Grand Canal Boulevard, Ste. 4 Stockton, CA 95207

209-474-1818 Fax 209-474-1245 freemanfirm.com

10 2

Civil litigation, eminent domain, business law and appellate advocacy

Herum, Crabtree, Suntag 5757 Pacific Avenue #222 Stockton, CA 95207

209-472-7700 Fax 209-472-7986 herumcrabtree.com

10 2

Natural resources, land use, business, taxation and civil litigation

1997 Steve Herum

Curtis Legal Group, A Professional Law Corp. 1300 K Street, 2nd Floor Modesto, CA 95354

209-521-1800 Fax 209-572-3501 curtislegalgroup.com

9 15

Personal injury, employment, estate planning, and probate law

1953 Ralph Curtis

Gianelli & Associates 1014 16th Street Modesto, CA 95354

209-521-6260 Fax 209-521-5971 gianelli-law.com

9 14

Estate planning, litigation, real estate, business and family law

1974 David Gianelli

9 5

Civil litigation, family law, school district defense, employment, medication

1992 Jeffrey Olson

9 0

Business and commercial law, wealth and estate planning, personal injury, family law, civil appeals and writ proceedings.

8 4

Personal injury

Neumiller & Beardslee 509 W. Weber Avenue 5th Floor Stockton, CA 95203

209-948-8200 Fax 209-948-4910 neumiller.com

23 3

Damrell, Nelson, Schrimp, Pallios, Pacher & Silva 1601 I Street, 5th Floor Modesto, CA 95354

209-526-3500 Fax 209-526-3534 damrell.com

Kroloff, Belcher, Smart, Perry & Christopherson 7540 Shoreline Drive Stockton, CA 95219

1903 Clifford Stevens

1968 Fred Silva

1965 Michael Gurev

McCormick, Barstow, LLP 1150 Nineth Street, Ste. 1200 Modesto, CA 95354 Shore, McKinley & Conger, LLP 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 230 Stockton, CA 95219 Arata, Swingl, Sodhi, Van Egmond 912 11th Street, Fistt Floor Modesto, CA 95354

209-524-1100 Fax 209-524-1188 mccormickbarstow.com 209-477-8171 Fax 209-477-2549 smcslaw.com 209-522-2211 209-522-2980 arata-law.com

Brunn & Flynn 928 12th Street, Ste. 200 Modesto, CA 95354

209-521-2133 Fax 209-521-7584 brunnandflynnlaw.com

7 5

Civil litigation, arbitration and mediation, business and corporate, property and family law, estate planning, probate, trusts, wills, personal injury and wrongful death,

1974 Charles Brunn

Calone and Harrel Law Group, LLP 1810 Grand Canal Boulevard, Ste. 6 Stockton, CA 95209

209-952-4545 Fax 209-952-8751 caloneandharrel.com

6 3

Estate planning, tax, real estate, corporate, partnership

1974 Richard Calone

Downey Brand, LLP 3425 Brookside Road, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95219

209-473-6450 Fax 209-473-6455 downeybrand.com

5 1

Corporate and estate planning, business litigation, employment law, tax, real estate, incorporation, construction, banking, environmental, insurance and eminent domain, inverse condemnation and bankruptcies

2000 Kevin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brian

5 5

Family and criminal law, land use, probate, personal injury and civil litigation

1985 Michael Hakeem

3 3

Employment and business/real estate law, workers compensation, estate planning and personal injury

1974 Craig Lee Corren

3 3

Mediation, arbitration, civil litigation, land use, water law, criminal and business matters, estate planning and probate

3 1

General law practice, criminal defense, civil litigation and personal injury

1976 Randy Thomas

2 0

Estate planning, public agency, civil litigation, family law

2013 Charles Keen

209-956-5700 Fax 209-956-5774 laneduncanlambertsoncom

2 0

Family law and dissolution of marriage

209-522-0500 Fax 209-522-0700 modestorealestatelawcom

2 0

Real estate and land use, environmental and business regulation, advocacy and special projects

9 10 11

17 18

Hakeem, Ellis & Marengo 3414 Brookside Road, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95219 Law Office of Corren & Corren 5345 N. El Dorado, Ste. 7 Stockton, CA 95207 Harris, Perisho & Ruiz 3439 Brookside Road, Ste. 210 Stockton, CA 95219 Randy E. Thomas Law Office 18826 N. Lower Sacramento Road Woodbridge, CA 95258 Keen & Keen, LLP 5405 N. Pershing Avenue, Bldg C, Ste. 2-A Stockton, CA 95207

Lane, Duncan & Lambertson 7540 Shoreline Drive, Ste. C Stockton,CA 95219

Petrulakis Law & Advocacy, APC 1130 12th Street, Ste. B Modesto, CA 95354

209-474-2800 Fax 209-474-3654 hakeemellismarengo.com 209-478-2621 Fax 209-478-3038 correnlaw@sbcglobal.net 209-957-4254 Fax 209-957-5338 harrisperishoruiz.com 209-369-9255 Fax 209-369-9288 none 209-948-0434 Fax 209-948-9451 bgrn.com

1984 John McKinley 2009 Colleen Van Egmond

1980 John Harris

1981 Dennis Duncan 2012 George Petrulakis

Researched by Danette Conley 09/2015

October 2015

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Stockton’s Bicycle Plan builds support By SIM RISSO Business Journal writer srisso@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — With mild weather for much of the year and plenty of flat terrain, Stockton provides the perfect elements for bicycling. Yet bicycling isn’t as popular as many think it could be. That’s something advocates in Stockton hope to change. The city organized a workshop Sept. 12 at Huddle Cowork in downtown Stockton to examine ways to make Stockton a safer, more bikefriendly city. Organizers brought in representatives from the UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) to host it with the help of transportation consultants Fehr & Peers. The workshop was part of the city’s larger Bicycle Master Plan. That plan is in the evaluation stage until December, when the city will come up with the preliminary concepts. From there, the plan’s concepts will be developed. City administrators hope to have the plan drafted and finalized by October 2016. “The city was very pleased to re-

ceive Active Transportation funding for the update of the Bicycle Master Plan for Stockton,” said City Engineer and Deputy Public Works Director Eric Alvarez. “Public Works believes the timing is perfect given the current movement to build more ‘complete Streets’ concepts into our transportation systems. This includes encouraging and implementing more active modes of transportation such as biking and walking in our community.” The hope is that the plan ultimately improves the way cyclists can travel throughout the city. Part of that can be done through educating cyclists and drivers on the rules of the road. According to the Stockton Police Department, there were 335 bicycle-related collisions from 2010 to 2014, and the primary factor in 45 percent of them was cyclists riding against traffic, on the wrong side of the road. The bike plan also aims to create a safe, connected, efficient and convenient network for local residents. As San Joaquin Bike Coalition Board Chair Kari McNickle points out, creating that network will be key, but it isn’t an easy task with three major freeways and a river running

WAYNE DENNING/CVBJ

Gianna Burke, Quinn Danz and Mike McTighe enjoying Bike Fest at the University of the Pacific.

through town. “The key is connectivity,” said McNickle. “What you want to look for is a grid — an easy way to get north and south and an easy way to get east and west.” The bike plan was a hit among cyclists who attended the workshop. Many of them were happy the city is taking action to make improvements. During the workshop, participants walked around the downtown area and audited the current situation. They pointed out potential with the wide streets, flat terrain and nice scenery around the waterfront. “I’m really encouraged that key people have an interest in making cycling better in Stockton,” said Stockton resident John Shreve. “That’s the bottom line. People are concerned and interested. I’m glad about that.” The hope is the changes to make Stockton a safer place for cyclists will encourage more people to participate because there are benefits that come along with it. Increasing the number of cyclists and decreasing the number of people who commute to work by car, which is currently 83.2 percent of Californians, will improve air quality, advocates say. It will also increase overall physical activity, which has its own positives. “One of my favorite stats is that if you change nothing else and you start

biking to work, you’ll lose 13 pounds,” said McNickle. “The average number of pounds lost in a year if you start biking to work is 13. That’s with no other changes to your lifestyle. So it’s an easy way to, especially if you have a short commute, to have a significant impact on your health.” That could also save a lot of money in health care costs. The Minnesota company QBP saved $170,000 in health care costs over a three-year period by encouraging its employees to commute to work by bike. Cycling also has other local economic benefits. A 2012 study in New York’s East Village by the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives found that as a group, cyclists spent the most money at local businesses at an average of $168 per month, compared to $158 for pedestrians and $143 for car drivers. McNickle theorized that part of that increase could be due to the slower pace of biking, which allows you to notice and stop at local shops you may not ordinarily frequent. Of course, in order to reap those benefits, Stockton needs to get more people out there cycling. Events like the San Joaquin Bike Coalition’s Bike Fest, which was held on Sept. 26 at University of the Pacific or the full moon rides in downtown Stockton, where participants meet, ride and eat are aimed at encouraging more cycling.

October 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Produce delivery service takes meet-up approach By CRAIG W. ANDERSON Business Journal writer canderson@cvbizjournal.com

LODI — The produce delivery market is growing. Even Amazon.com is experimenting with home delivery of farm fresh fruits and vegetables. The challenge many businesses find, however, is that in order to make money, they need to charge customers high prices. One Valley business is finding success by meeting its customers halfway. Literally. “Our business is quite simple,” said Leo Garcia, owner of 209 Farm Fresh Produce. “We find what is in season and available and we package it up in different boxes. We then sell the farm fresh organics and regular fruits and vegetables on weekends at locations around Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.” Garcia’s customers place their orders on the Internet or by phone. But instead of delivering those orders to customers’ homes, Garcia meets them in groups at pre-determined locations. He and his wife, Lorie, started their business in 2012 when they were selling cherries six weeks every year at strategically located stands throughout San Joaquin County. “Lorie and I thought maybe we

should sell more of a variety of fruits, expanding over time,” Garcia said. “About three years ago the cherry season was so bad we started selling peaches and nectarines from a farmer that we knew. Then someone said, ‘Hey, can you get plums?’ So, we found a farmer who grew plums. Then tomatoes, then peppers and so on.” The business developed over time through trial and error. For example, at first the Garcias tried letting customers choose the items they wanted but found that packing the boxes was too complicated and took too long. Now, customers choose from a variety of pre-packed boxes and place their orders either by calling them in, going to the website or using 209 Farm Fresh Produce’s Android app. The company takes orders from Monday through Thursday evening. “Friday we spend the day going to local farms and buying the produce to fill the orders,” Garcia said. The boxes are then packed and loaded into Garcia’s van, which he modified with cooling units and insulation. He spends Saturdays and Sundays meeting customers at sites in 22 different towns in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. “We don’t deliver to homes,” said Garcia. “Everyone meets at a central

ELIZABETH STEVENS/CVBJ

Leo Garcia, owner of 209 Farm Fresh Produce, meets customers throughout the Valley with boxes of fruits and vegetables they pre-order.

location to pick up their orders. Our prices remain the same: $15 for small and $25 for large boxes. And we stand by our produce. Anything bad or damaged we are happy to replace.” “Leo couldn’t be nicer to deal with,” said Turlock customer Rita Galvin. “You don’t get the quality or price in the Valley stores. Eighteen pounds of produce for 25 bucks is amazing, and the quality is amazingly fresh.” Sue Buchanan, also of Turlock, said she learned of 209 Farm Fresh Produce from a friend on Facebook. “The quality and service are really good, and Leo’s really responsive if you

have any questions,” Buchanan said. “I used a similar service, but it didn’t have the selection, and it was a little bit more expensive and I like the choices at 209.” Garcia said he has built his customer base mostly through word-of-mouth. He’s selling about 1,400 boxes a month on average, although that number goes up and down depending on the time of year. Overall, he believes his customer base is growing, but he’s considering new ways to market his business. “We may try memberships to keep our core customers,” Garcia said. “And we’re considering a number of options to maintain that base, including home mailings.”

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

ATHENA Award to go to Pacific’s Eibeck

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ing engineering more inclusive and has presented at national conferences. The Chamber said Eibeck is a pillar for the Stockton community and especially for women in education. Since Brenna Butler Garcia started as CEO of one of the oldest and most respected Hispanic Chambers in the state, she has expanded program capacity, increased membership and created community partnerships that provide substantial benefits to their members, the Chamber said. In 2014, Butler Butler Garcia Garcia established the Leaders’ Luncheon on Business to engage Hispanic and local business owners in civic service and politics within their local communities. She is also a supporter of women in business. Under her lead, SJCHCC hosted a Latina Business Conference that provides young women access to inspiring speakers who broke gender stereotypes to become successful. Butler Garcia takes her knowledge to local high schools and speaks about her personal life experiences that have led her to the leadership role she fulfills.

MODESTO — Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen, of Modesto, and others in Stanislaus County’s legislative contingent are pleased about the passage of SB 107, Sept. 22. The bill which, is a comprehensive redevelopment reform measure, also eliminates a quirk in property tax law that has resulted in Stanislaus and a handful of other counties losing money. The problem came from a post Proposition 13 tax formula that was aimed at bailing out counties and cities for lost tax revenue but hurt those counties that did not depend on property taxes as much as most. The problem has cost the county between $3 million and $6 million per year for the last three decades. local representatives say. “I would like to thank Gov. Brown for approving a legislative fix to the state property tax formula that has cost Stanislaus County upwards of $3 million annually since 1978,” Olsen said in a press release. “We have worked with state and local officials for several years to negotiate a fix to the “negative bailout” that started this problem, and I am thrilled that it was signed into law today.”

The new law is primarily aimed at addressing redevelop issues elsewhere in California, but it also fixes the Stanislaus County negative bailout. The bill includes provisions that will streamline the current redevelopment agency dissolution process, enhance affordable housing by providing increased statewide funding and improving transparency, and expand the type of loans for which cities and counties can seek reimbursement. A companion bill, AB 2, allows specified disadvantaged areas of California to create a new entity called a Community Revitalization Investment Authority (CIRA). The CIRA would use property taxes and other available funding to improve employment opportunities, reduce crime, clean up hazardous waste sites and promote affordable housing. “An additional $3 million per year could help the county hire more deputy sheriffs to keep our neighborhoods safe, to double down on its efforts to combat drug use, to fix our roads – or to fund a myriad of other programs that would do more to make our communities stronger than simply handing our precious resources over to the state,” Olsen said.

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STOCKTON — The Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce has chosen Pamela A. Eibeck, president of the University of the Pacific, as its 2015 ATHENA Award recipient and Brenna Butler Garcia, San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO, as the 2015 ATHENA Eibeck Young Professional Leadership Award recipient. The ATHENA Awards will be presented to Eibeck and Butler Garcia at the annual ATHENA Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 19 at the Stockton Golf and Country Club. Eibeck is the first woman to be president of the University of the Pacific. The Chamber said she “has been transforming California’s oldest chartered university into a dynamic, 21st century university” that offers high-quality, distinctive academics programs in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco. The Chamber cited the Beyond our Gates program as a way the university reaches out to the community. Eibeck, who was one of just five women in a engineering faculty of 300 at UC Berkeley, is a champion for mak-

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October 2015

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

ACCOUNTING/CPA FIRMS

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

Company Name Address

Number of Total Staff Primary Services Offered CPAs Phone/Fax Number of Number Local Industry Specializations Non-CPA Web Address Accountants Offices

Top Local Executive

Year Est.

Moss Adams, LLP 3121 W. March Lane, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95219

Kerry Gordon 209 955-6100/209-955-6199 mossadams.com

25 21

54 1

Accounting and consulting Healthcare, construction, food and agriculture, wealth services, manufacturing/distribution, financial institutions

1903

Bowman & Company, LLP 10100 Trinity Parkway, Ste. 310 Stockton, CA 95219

Daniel E. Phelps 209-473-1040/209-473-9771 cpabowman.com

24 16

40 1

Accounting, audit, business valuation, tax Affordable housing, real estate, tax exempt organizations, agriculture, wine and employee benefit plans

1949

Grimbleby Coleman CPAs, Inc. 200 W. Roseburg Avenue Modesto, CA 95350

Clive Grimbleby 209-527-4220/209-527-4247 gccpas.net

21 25

46 1

Tax, audit, business consulting, bookkeeping, trust and estate Agriculture, health care, estate planning, benefit plan audits

1973

Kemper CPA Group, LLP 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 133-S Stockton, CA 95219

Lammert Van Laar III 209-473-2001/209-473-1761 kempercpa.com

18 28

46 5

Tax, audit, payroll, bookkeeping, valuation, litigation support Agriculture, manufacturing, contracting, professional practice, wholesale and retail

1977

Iacopi, Lenz & Company 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 300-E Stockton, CA 95219

Susan Lenz & John Iacopi 209-957-3691/209-957-0841 iacopi.com

16 9

27 1

Tax preparation, auditing and accounting services Business consulting, litigation support, forensic accounting, QB support, retail businesses, medical, professional, manufacturing, and AG

1978

Schmidt, Bettencourt & Medeiros, LLP 865 Geer Road Turlock, CA 95380

Michael F. Schmidt & Carol L. Medeiros 209-668-4857/209-669-0995 sbm-cpa.com

12 6

24 1

Tax preparation, review and audits Financial statement preparation, estate planning, and accounting

1949

DeGregori, Gormsen & Ringer, LLP 1401 N. Hunter Street Stockton, CA 95202

John H. DeGregori 209-944-0740/209-944-9503 dgr-cpas.com

9 6

24 1

Tax, audit, payroll, Bkkp, valuation, litigation support Agriculture, manufacturing, contracting, professional practice, wholesale and retail

1974

Schwartz, Giannini, Lantsberger & Adamson CPAs 4578 Feather River Drive, Ste. D Stockton, CA 95219

Tim Schwartz 209-474-1084/209-474-0301 sfgac.com

6 4

13 1

Tax, auditing, accounting and consulting Real estate and health care

1989

Pastenieks, Bucheli & Falasco, LLP 1301 L Street, Ste. 1 Modesto CA 95354

Eileen Pastenieks, Ralph Bucheli, Dan Falasco 209-529-5515/209-529-5533 pbfcpa.com

4 3

7 1

Tax, auditing, litigation services Fraud research and accounting

2010

Vermeulen & Company an Accountancy Corporation 1180 W. Main Street, Ste. 2 Ripon, CA 95366

Thomas L. Vermeulen 209-599-5051/209-599-5052 vermeulencpa.com

4 5

11 1

Business coaching and planning, tax and financial statement preparation Agriculture, almonds, walnuts, dairy, heating and air, heavy equipment contracting, transportation, retail, service businesses, construction, custom fabrication, automotive, real estate

1980

Croce & Company, A.C. 501 W. Weber Avenue, Ste. 500 Stockton, CA 95203

Duane Bulthis & Larry Solari 209-943-2222/209-943-2220 croceco.com

3 6

18 1

Tax management, assurance, estate planning, bookkeeping Agriculture, real estate, professional services, estates, trusts, and manufacturing

1987

Dougherty CPAs, Inc. 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 210 Stockton, CA 95219

Steven M. Dougherty 209-476-1111/209-476-1111 doughertycpas.com

3 4

7 1

Tax preparation and planning, Quickbooks training and services Professional services, real estate, construction

1978

Richesin Accountancy Corporation 7510 Shoreline Drive Stockton, CA 95219

Chuck Richesin 209-477-4834/209-477-2935 richac.com

3 1

4 1

Taxes, financial reporting, wealth General business

1983

Kalfsbeek & Company Accountancy Corporation 4529 Quail lakes Drive, Ste. E Stockton, CA 95207

Donna Hammel Jane Kalfsbeek 209-235-1040/209-2351044 kalfsbeek.com

2 7

9 1

Accounting, tax preparation and planning, business and Quickbooks consulting Agriculture, small businesses and medical

1983

Michael L. Dalton CPA Inc. 5345 N. El Dorado Avenue Stockton, CA 95207

Michael L. Dalton 209-235-5200/209-235-5206 mikedaltoncpa.com

2 1

6 1

Full service accounting firm for preparation of accurate and complete financial information Tax preparation and business specialization

1986

Mizuno CPA 527 W. 11th Street Tracy, CA 95376

Craig I. Mizuno 209-832-1611/209-832-1285 mizunocpa.com

2 4

7 1

Tax preparation and planning Quickbooks pro advisor

1985

Crane & Ostrowski, an Accountancy Corp. 4525 Quail Lakes Drive, Ste. B Stockton CA 95209

Howard J. Crane 209-478-9616/209-478-9616 crancecpa.com

1 1

7 1

Tax and accounting services Specializing in agriculture, hotels, restaurants, medical practices

1971

Gordon Forensics & Accounting 1040 W. Kettleman Lane, Ste. 147 Lodi, CA 95242

Richard C. Gordon 209-269-6704/855-728-7878 gordonforensics.com

1 1

2 1

Traditional CPA services Forensic accounting, litigation support, fraud investigation CPA certified fraud examiner (CFE), certified in financial forensics (CFF),

2013

Lindstrom & Winsborrow Accountancy Corp. 6820 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 2-A Stockton, CA 95207

Gordon Lindstrom & Tom Winsborrow 209-451-0428/209-451-0593 landwaccounting.com

1 2

3 1

Full-service accounting firm, with tax, financial and business emphasis Tax planning, tax preparation and business solutions

2011

Michael A. Pimentel CPA 3509 Coffee Road, D-6 Modesto, CA 95355

Michael Pimentel 209-527-1070/209-527-1080 pimentelcpa.com

1 4

6 1

Tax planning and preparation, business consulting, and accounting Real estate, agriculture and manufacturing

1997

The James Company 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 123 South Stockton, CA 95219

John H. James 209-952-1901/209-952-2201 None

1 4

5 1

Tax preparation and planning, estate and family succession planning, business, individual, corporation, partnership, trusts and estate taxes Agriculture, family owned businesses and real estate

1996

Warmerdam CPA Group 1500 Standiford Avenue, Bldg. C Modesto, CA 95350

Ever S. Ventura 209-579-0306/209-579-1219 warmerdamcpas.com

1 3

2 1

Accounting, tax and bookkeeping

1992

These lists are provided as a free service by the Central Valley Business Journal for our 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 Joournal. Researched by Danette Conley 09/2015

October 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

Voted Best of San Joaquin 2015 “Look to Iacopi, Lenz & Company for your business and personal finance matters - we are here to help”

John T. Iacopi, CPA • Susan H. Lenz, CPA • Michael S. Butler, CPA • Michael D. Luis, CPA • James J. Acosta, CPA • Paula M. Frago, CPA • James H. LaForest, CPA • Constance D. Logan, CPA, Esq. • Tami K. Horita Louie, CPA • Louis B. Machado, CPA • Dina P. Marasigan, CPA • Kathy L. Morris-Marr, CPA • Kathleen M. Solari, CPA • Revo Somersille, CPA • Sunny Y. Williams, CPA • Amber E. Hibbs Bell, CPA • Shelley Crivello, E.A. • Patricia Melton, E.A.

This resourceful and innovative accounting firm provides comprehensive services in a timely manner to clients in a wide range of industries. Since 1978 it has remained dedicated to delivering the highest quality, personal service to its clients, as well as giving back to its community.

• Tax Planning & Preparation • Accounting & Auditing Services • Business Consulting • Business Acquisitions & Sales • Business Valuation Services

• Litigation Support Services • Marital Dissolution Accounting • Quickbooks Support • Estate Planning • Estate and Trust Tax Preparation

3031 West March Lane • Suite 300 - E • Stockton, CA Phone: (209) 957-3691 • Fax (209) 957-0841 • www.iacopi.com

Central Valley Business Journal

CVBJ

October 2015

FOCUS: EDUCATION

How local colleges stack up Department of Education Scorecard looks at graduation rates, cost and salary potential By NORA HESTON TARTE Business Journal writer nhestontarte@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Next to purchasing a house, paying for college is likely the biggest investment any of us will make in our lifetime. However, it can be difficult to determine what you’re getting for your money. Will that four-year degree help you earn more after graduation? How much debt will you take on? In September, the U.S. Department of Education released its College Scorecard. The Scorecard offers updated, comprehensive data for both current and prospective college students and allows you to compare schools side-by-side. The tool, which you can find at www.collegescorecard.ed.gov helps users quickly compare schools in any given region by graduation rate, cost to attend and salary after attending. Here is how the schools in our area, the University of the Pacific, California State University, Stanislaus and the University of California, Merced scored:

University of the Pacific

Average Annual Cost: $30,318 Graduation Rate: 57% Average Annual Salary $66,400 University of the Pacific ranked eighth overall when compared to 119 other California public and private four-year institutions, based on alumni average salaries. According to the Scorecard, Pacific graduates earn an average of $66,400 per year 10 years after starting classes. “The Scorecard confirms that Pacific offers its students an excellent return on investment,” President Pamela A. Eibeck said in a press release. “It also underscores the importance of Pacific as an engine for social mobility in California. Our standing is a reflection of our dedicated, teachingfocused faculty and the hard work and talent of our exceptional students.” The annual cost of attending Pacific, the area’s only private, non-profit four-year college, is $30,318. According to the Scorecard, 63 percent of students receive federal student loans, and the typical student debt is $23,500.

The Scorecard also reported Pacific’s six-year graduation rate is 57 percent — well above the national average of 44 percent based on 2013 data using the same six-year model. That number, however, takes into account the students in accelerated programs who move on to pharmacy, dentistry or law school without earning a bachelor’s degree. If those students are removed from the equation, the graduation rate comes out to 67.1 percent. Improving graduation rates is an ongoing effort at Pacific. Pacific recently received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support students who need extra academic support such as financial or personal counseling, career guidance or help with graduate and professional school applications.

California State University, Stanislaus

Average Annual Cost: $7,797 Graduation Rate: 50% Average Annual Salary $44,900 When it comes to annual salary, California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock did not crack the top 20. The College Scorecard reported the median salary of a Stanislaus State graduate 10 years after entering the school was $44,900. However, that the average annual cost of attendance was reported as $7,797, the most affordable four-year university in our area. The average graduate will typically have accrued $16,500 in debt during his or her time at Stanislaus State. About 43 percent of the university’s students rely on federal loans to help pay for school. The Scorecard also showed a graduation rate above the national average. Fifty percent of students graduate within six years, according to the Scorecard’s formula. Brian VanderBeek from Stanislaus State’s Communications and Public Affairs however, reported an even higher six-year graduation rate of 53.3 percent based on fall 2008 first-time freshman. The four-year graduation rate came in at just 15.6 percent. Stanislaus State has launched PACE (Program for Academic &

Career Excellence) in an effort to increase those numbers. Its goal is to serve the campus’s Hispanic and underserved or first-generation college students to increase graduation rates. The federally funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education uses a variety of tools and strategies to help more of those students graduate and become mentors and leaders in their communities.

UC Merced

Average Annual Cost: $11,921 Graduation Rate: 57% Average Annual Salary N/A The first class of students at UC Merced arrived in 2005, making it the newest public university campus in California. Because it is a young university, the college Scorecard was unable to rank UC Merced based on annual income of alumni 10 years after starting classes. Regardless of its newness, the Scorecard was still able to report a graduation rate of 57 percent — above the national average. UC Merced has claimed a graduation rate of 63.6 percent based on the 2008 cohort, a large jump when compared to the school’s previously reported numbers of 58.2 percent, 58.1 percent and 56.7 percent for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 cohorts respectively. “Early indications are that the 2009 cohort will be a bit higher still,” said UC Merced Director of News and Social Media James Leonard, “But those numbers won’t be official until December.” UC Merced received a grant of $1 million similar to Stanislaus State’s to help increase graduation rates by assisting underrepresented students. The program, announced in August, will fit into the Calvin E. Bright Success Center and will also focus on helping students to declare a major, as those who are undeclared are shown to be more likely to drop out. (Read more about the grants in our story on page 1). The Scorecard reported the average annual cost of attendance at UC Merced to be $11,921. The average student (58 percent of whom received federal grants) will carry a debt of $19,559 upon graduation.

B Program

Science technologies technicians

Change

1,521 degrees

Growth

49%

October 2015

www.cvbizjournal.com

STEM versus humanities? An emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers has been at the forefront of education discussions in recent years. As STEM education increases in popularity, with its reputation for offering more diverse, lucrative and accessible careers, the question has been posed: How does this affect the humanities? Writing, problem solving and critical thinking are all important skills. They aren’t just necessary for becoming well-rounded communications and humanities majors. Educators say those skills translate into the workplaces of STEM professionals as well. Anne Zanzucchi, co-director of UC Merced’s Merritt Writing Program, stressed the practicality of a degree in the humanities and communication fields. In fact, she said those degrees offer comparable economic benefits to STEM degrees. “According to national studies of employer reports, a student’s ability to think critically, communicate clearly and solve problems is more important than a specific undergraduate major,” she said. In fact, UC Merced STEM students are required to complete courses that employ communications skills. From cultural literacy classes for professional school to advanced composition, “it’s already embedded.” All four-year STEM-related degrees at California State University, Stanislaus require that students complete general education classes. That portion of the degree includes a writing course for all freshmen. STEM degrees also require an upper-level writing course. Some departments at Stanislaus State plan to offer writing courses to fit into the general education requirements to serve STEM disciplines specifically. “I don’t think the rush to STEM has taken away from other disciplines,” said Mark Grobner, interim dean of the College of Science at Stanislaus State. In fact, Grobner said that many medical recruiters are now looking to hire professionals with varied backgrounds in order to diversify the field. They still need the science classes to qualify for those positions, but their bachelor’s degrees could be in history or art. BUSINESS JOURNAL PHOTO

BY THE NUMBERS – COLLEGE DEGREES WITH MOST GROWTH (2010-14)

s/ s

Source: CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl (EMSI)

National resources, conservation

Parks, recreation, leisure and fitness

Multi/ interdiscip. studies

Mathematics and statistics

Public admin. and social services

Computer sciences and support

Precision production

Law enforce., firefighting and related service

Engineering

7,792 degrees

18,869 degrees

24,540 degrees

9,384 degrees

22,683 degrees

38,194 degrees

9,581 degrees

32,529 degrees

32,058 degrees

45%

36%

35%

33%

32%

30%

27%

26%

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Youth summit aims to inspire city’s teens By BOB BALGEMANN Business Journal writer bbalgemann@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — A multi-faceted, day-long event focused on the young people of San Joaquin County is in the final stages of preparation. The first Tru Hope Youth Summit, presented by the United Way of San Joaquin County, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the downtown Stockton Arena. The Summit is a partnership among United Way and numerous local businesses and organizations. The Summit’s mission is to “revive the hope in our youth, focusing on practical and motivational strategies to stay safe and focused as they navigate their ever-changing environments, on their journey to greatness.” Organizers hope 3,000 or more ninth and 10th-graders will be there to hear a motivational speaker, learn from the experiences of a retired paramedic/firefighter and listen as two “Hometown Heroes,” who grew up in Stockton, tell of their successes in professional sports. “We hope this will be an event young people will want to be at,” said United Way CEO Andy Prokop. “I think they will walk away as different people, with hope and high expecta-

PHOTO COURTESY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES OF SAN JOAQUIN

Jeremy Bates gives a motivational speech at an Opportunity San Joaquin event last spring.

tions. We hope they will tell their friends what they missed.” Presentations will be complemented by music, video and art with performances by free runners, some of them stunt doubles for Hollywood actors. The event is free to students. Youth Summit came together over

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a six-month period. The idea started when Leslie Snyder, who works for Anheuser-Busch in this area, invited Prokop to attend a special program geared to the youth of Lodi. Keynote speakers were Vince Easevol, a retired paramedic and firefighter, and Jeremy Bates, who specializes in motivating young people so they feel good about themselves and realize their full potential. “It was about making good choices,” Prokop said of what he saw and heard. He and Snyder met afterward, and that brainstorming session led to this month’s Tru Hope Youth Summit. Bates is known as the “Hope Dealer,” with Hope standing for Helping Other People Every Day. He will open the Stockton program at 9:30 a.m. “I’m trying to revive hope in people, young and old,” he said in a telephone interview. “I want to inspire the hope they have in themselves so they will realize their potential when life becomes a little heavy.” “The day is about effecting change in the way they see themselves and their community,” he added.

After a complimentary lunch from 11 to 11:30 a.m., Easevol will take center stage. His presentation will take participants into “the real life drama” of his former job. Sometimes, he worked to save people who made bad choices behind the wheel when it came to drinking or using drugs, texting or otherwise being distracted while driving or not wearing seat belts. Students will hear the stories behind those crashes, learn about the choices the individuals were given and see how irresponsible actions played out. One student will be selected from the audience to play a “victim” in the presentation. Hometown Heroes Dallas Braden and Tyrone Gross will conclude the presentations, from 1:10 to 1:30 p.m. Braden pitched for the Oakland Athletics and on May 9, 2010, threw a perfect game, the 19th in Major League Baseball history. Gross attended Lincoln High School, and in 2006 signed to play professional football for the San Diego Chargers. Both athletes remain active in the community. The event’s promotional material cites Braden as an example of how life “can be a ‘perfect game’ when you work hard and make good choices.” After the event wraps up at 1:45 p.m., there will be a health and information expo for families on the concourse inside the arena. Students will also have a chance to meet the presenters, take photos and get some autographs. Local businesses, organizations and vendors will be on hand to provide information about services they provide. Prokop said there still are opportunities for more sponsors to help defray the cost of lunch, “swag bags” filled with goodies for the teens, and other expenses. Businesses interested in sponsorships can call the United Way office at (209) 469-6980. He added that he believed the first Tru Hope Youth Summit could be successful enough to become an Please see TRUHOPE Page 33

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October 2015

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Stockton Symphony hires new executive director STOCKTON — After a nationwide search, the Stockton Symphony Association has chosen Don Nelson as its new executive director. He began work in Stockton on Oct. 1. “Don comes to us with a great breadth of experience, having served admirably in the orchestra world as an orchestra manager, musician, producer, administrator, and organizational leader,” said Stockton Symphony music director and conductor Peter Jaffe. “We’re looking forward to a bright future with Don on board.” The Stockton Symphony Association hired Arts Consulting Group, Inc. to provide Interim Management services and to conduct the national search for a permanent director. Nelson comes to Stockton from Buffalo, where he has been general manager with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra where he was a member of the leadership team he directed BPO performance and recording activities along with supervising the management of Kleinhans Music Hall. Before that, Nelson was general manager for 14 years with the Spokane Symphony in Spokane, Washington. Nelson was with the Florida Philharmonic from 1985-2000, first as a bassist and then as the orchestra’s personnel manager and summer festival manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in non-profit management from Regis University. “We’re excited to have someone of his extensive talents take the helm of our symphony as we head into our 90th season next year--we’re looking forward to great things,” said Stockton Symphony Association President

CVBJ

Pam Lee. Nelson’s wife, Vicki Strauss is an accomplished professional cellist. They have two sons: Noah, a musician who lives in London with his wife Anna, and Alex who recently began his second year of Medical School at Florida International University in Miami. The Stockton Symphony’s 2015-16 season began on September 19 & 20

with performances of “‘S Wonderful: Gershwin and Kevin Cole.” The next concert takes place October 10, 2015, with “Beethoven, Maestro and Son James,” with the Stockton Symphony and the Zhou-YuJaffe Trio.

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TRUHOPE Continued from Page 32

annual event. Douglas W. Wilhoit Jr., CEO of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, said in a telephone interview he thought the Youth Summit was a terrific idea and that it came at a good time for the city, county and state. “Young people need mentors; they need to be positive,” he said. These can be difficult times for some young people as shown in statistics provided by organizers of the Summit: * Nationally, 31 percent fail to graduate from high school. * Also across the country, one teenager commits suicide every 100 minutes. * Those 19-24 years of age are the fastest group filing for bankruptcy in the U.S. * Currently, 87 percent of high school students nationally lack clearly defined goals. Wilhoit is optimistic about what lies ahead. Making a difference in the lives of local youth “will be good for them and for all of us,” he said.

PHOTO COURTESY STOCKTON SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

FINANCIAL PLANNING FIRMS

In San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties. Ranked by Number of Local Credentialed Advisers. Ties are Ranked in Alphabetical Order. Rank

Company Address

Total Top Local Executive Number of Local Number Phone Fax Credentialed of Local Business Services Offered Staff Web Address Advisors

Year Established

Wells Fargo Advisors 3203 W. March Lane, Ste. 100 Stockton, CA 95219

209-957-8100 Fax 209-957-7955 wellsfargoadvisors.com

United Capital Financial Life Management 909 Fifteenth Street, Ste. 1 Modesto, CA 95354

Terry Swehla, Jason Gordo Chris Battreall, Jeff Burrow 209-530-1515 Fax 209-530-1522 unitedcpcentralcal.com

Ameriprise Financial Olsen & Associates 431 S. Ham Lane, Ste. A Lodi, CA 95242

Christopher J. Olsen 209-367-8700 Fax 209-367-3700 ameripriseadvisors.com/ christopher.j.olsen

Comprehensive financial planning, asset management, retirement, tax and estate planning

1984

Levy, Daniel and McGee Wealth Management Group 2111 W. Ketteman Lane, Ste. C Lodi, CA 95242

Ken Levy, Corey Daniel, Dudley McGee 209-263-0330 Fax 209-263-0426 ldmwm.com

Business services, retirement and estate planning, insurance, IRAs and IRA roll overs

2015

Randolph and Klein 1625 W. March Lane, Ste. 101 Stockton, CA 95207

Norm Randolph Phyllis Klein 209-956-1212 Fax 209-955-1327 randolphandklein.com

Financial, retirement, estate and Insurance planning. (Life, disability, long term care, medicare) Employee benefits and charitable giving

1987

Attentive Investment Managers, Inc. 5345 N. El Dorado Street, Ste. 4 Stockton, CA 95207

Michael L. Dalton 209-235-5200 Fax 209-235-5206 mikedaltoncpa.com

Fee-only: financial, retirement, education planning, tax planning and preparation, investment advisory and wealth management

1991

Edward Jones 3031 W. March Lane, Ste. 116 Stockton, CA 95219

Joel Carignan 209-474-7100 Fax 888-292-4207 edwardjones.com

Wealth management, retirement, college, stocks bonds, mutual funds, insurance, annuities, business owner planning, cash and credit

2009

Edward Jones 834 W. Benjamin Holt Drive Stockton, CA 95207

Miss Kate Lindell and John Lindell 209-477-1334 Fax 877-222-0228 edwardjones.com

Investment services including: annuities, banking, business and individual retirement, trust, insurance, money market, roll overs, mutual funds, bonds and more

1998

Northern California Planners 5637 N. Pershing Avenue, Ste. B-8 Stockton, CA 95207

Gary Santos 209-476-8095 Fax 209-476-8088 planmembersec.com/gsantos.com

Retirement planning, life insurance

1975

Stull Financial 4529 Quail Lakes Drive, Ste. A Stockton, CA 95207

David J. Stull 209-957-1673 Fax 209-957-1676 stullfinancial.com

Insurance (life, health, disability, etc.), Securities, separate accounts financial, retirement, estate planning and installation

1977

Valley Financial Services 5757 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 248 Stockton, CA 95207

Lindsey Randolph 209-474-3465 lindseyrandolph.com

Retirement, estate planning, insurance and investments

1987

Aspire Advisory Services 104 N. School Street, Ste. 216 Lodi, CA 95240

David Worcester, Jr. 209-339-8971 Fax 209-339-8981 myfinancialplans.com

Fee-based financial advisory, money management, investment advise and financial planning

1987

Christopher H. Weed, CPA, Inc. 1313 W. Robinhood Drive, Ste. A-2 Stockton, CA 95207

Christopher H. Weed 209-957-5025 Fax 209-957-5027 chrisweedcpa.com

Fee only: financial planning and investment management

1981

Drummond & Associates 404 W. Pine Street, Ste. 6 Lodi, CA 95240

Darrell Drummond 209-366-1264 Fax (209) 334-4217 ddrummond.net

Financial advising, risk management and investment planning

1989

Edward Jones 1806 W. Kettleman Lane, Ste. C Lodi, CA 95242

Phil Lenser 209-339-0843 Fax 888-677-3746 edwardjones.com

Financial service to the individual investor and personalized consultations with each client

1990

Goldstrand Planning Group 2800 W. March Lane, Ste. 326 Stockton, CA 95219

Dennis J. Goldstrand 209-472-7000 Fax 209-472-1551 goldstrand.com

Business, financial and estate planning, investment advisory

1976

Legacy Financial Advisors 1508 Coffee Road, Ste. D Modesto, CA 95355

Doug Hearon 209-238-3200 Fax 209-238-9127 legacyorg.com

Estate, financial, retirement, and social security planning, insurance and investment services, life insurance and annuities

2000

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 207 W. Oak Street Lodi, CA 95240

Scott R. Marcus 209-369-5555 scott-marcus.com

Retirement, business and investment advisory services, life insurance, long-term care insurance, special needs planning and disability income replacement insurance

1857

Raymond James Financial Services 215 W. Oak Street, Ste. 1 Lodi, CA 95240

Grant Fletcher 209-333-4500 Fax 209333-4505 raymondjames.com/fmis

Financial and retirement planning, asset and cash management

2007

Thorson Financial Estate Management, Inc. 1101 Standiford Avenue, Ste. C-2 Modesto, CA 95350

Thomas K. Thorson 209-522-0250 Fax 209-576-0065 thorsonfinancial.com

Portfolio management, asset protection, retirement and estate planning

1993

Willson & Company 612 W. 11th Street, Ste. 101 Tracy, CA 95376

Penny Van Der Meer 209-832-2997 Fax 209-832-4184 willsonco.com

Retirement planning, financial investments, asset preservation, short and long term investment services, life and long term care insurance

1992

Retirement plans, investment advisory services, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities and lending Financial life management, company retirement plans, Insurance and financial planning

1978

1996

300 Banner Court, Ste. 1, Modesto, CA 95356

October 2015

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When the IRS comes for you,

CRUSH‘M! • Tax Litigation (and Controversies) • Estate and Wealth Management Planning • Trust and Estate Litigation • Real Estate Law/Exchanges

Calone & Harrel Law Group, LLP E s t a t e Pl a n n i n g , Ta x a n d Bu s i n e s s At t o r n e y s

• Tax Planning to avoid Controversies • Post Mortem Estate and Trust Administration • Business and Commercial Transactions • Bankruptcy Planning and Filing

209.952.4545 WWW.CALONEANDHARREL.COM

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Chamber names Ag Hall of Fame inductees STOCKTON — The San Joaquin Agricultural Hall of Fame will induct its 2015 nominees at a ceremony Oct. 15. This year, the hall will induct Tom Hoffman, Joseph Valente, Ken Vogel, Ken Yasui, and Lester Krohn (posthumously). They will be recognized at the annual Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet at the Robert Vogel J. Cabral Ag Center, 2101 E. Earhart Ave. in Stockton. The Agricultural Hall of Fame honors individuals who made significant contributions to agriculture and their communities. Tom Hoffman is a grape grower who opened the Heritage Oak Winery in Acampo in 2006. Heritage Oak was awarded the Lodi Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Winery of the Year in 2012. Hoffman is a member of the Lodi District Grape Growers Association (LDGGA) and was elected to the LDGGA Board of Directors in 1992. He was president from 1993-1995 and was instrumental in building the Julio Gallo Memorial Trellis at the Hutchins Street Square in Lodi.

Hoffman was a member of the Executive Committee of the Lodi Winegrape Commission from 2000-2002, and served as vice chairman and later as chairman. He also founded the Lodi Amateur Vintner Association (LAVA) in 2001 which has grown to 150 members. Joseph Valente, a 56-year old Lodi native, began his career working for John Kautz Farms as an assistant vineyard manager. By 1989, he was promoted to vineyard and orchard manager. He currently manValente ages 4,000 acres of winegrapes and 65 acres of cherries in fields spread over Lodi, Lockeford, Linden, Thornton and Borden Ranch. Valente has been a member of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau for 35 years and worked his way through the officer chairs eventually serving as president from 2007-2008. For the past three years Valente has represented San Joaquin County as well as Calaveras as the District 12 Director for the California Farm Bureau Federation. Ken Vogel and his family operate

more than 100 acres of walnuts and cherries in the Linden and Farmington area. The 70-year-old Stockton native was awarded the outstanding Harley Walnut Growers by Diamond Walnut. Vogel has been a cooperator with UC Extension Adviser Joe Grant on walnut trials, as well as with private herYasui bicide and industry research trials. He is a member of the San Joaquin County Cherry Growers Association and a member of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation and a past director. Vogel was awarded the President’s Award by Past President Jack Hamm of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation in May. He has also been the District 4 San Joaquin County Supervisor and served on numerous committees. Ken Yasui graduated from Tracy High in 1949 and started his farming career working in his family’s farming business operations, Y-Y Farms. The business was soon producing tomatoes, sugar beets, beans, wheat and alfalfa. Yasui started his own 2,000acre farming operation, Yasui Farms.

In 1982, Yasui became full time coowner and manager of the Vernalis Warehouse and was instrumental in developing a strong Asian market for locally produced baby lima beans. The Yasui brand name of “KY Products” is still considered one of the best in the Japanese domestic food market. Yasui has also served on many local agriculture committees and boards. Lester Krohn is being honored posthumously for an agricultural career that included farming more than 360 acres of Krohn Farm lands. The 92-year-old famer, who died in 2003, was known as an innovator for his irrigation practices. Krohn and a number of other haygrowers formed the San Joaquin Valley Hay Growers Association in March 1941 to help hay-growers secure higher and more stable prices. Krohn also was a trustee of the elementary school on Fabian Tract, Naglee School, which is now a part of the Delta Island School District. He was also board member of Tracy High School for 11 years and served 15 years as a director and volunteer of the Tracy Rural Fire District. Tickets for the induction ceremony are $45 each and must be purchased in advance by calling the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce at (209) 547-2770.

John H. DeGregori •• Peter G. Gormsen John H. DeGregori Peter G. Gormsen John H. DeGregori • Peter G. Gormsen A. Morris Bill D. Ringer • Katherine R. Williams • Deborah Bill D. Ringer • Katherine R. Williams • Deborah Bill D. Ringer • Katherine R. Williams • Deborah A. A. Morris Morris

1401 N. Hunter Street •• P.O. Box 8540 1401 1401 N. N. Hunter Hunter Street Street • P.O. P.O. Box Box 8540 8540 Stockton, CA 95208-0540 • (209) 944-0740 • Fax: (209) 944-9503 Stockton, Stockton, CA CA 95208-0540 95208-0540 •• (209) (209) 944-0740 944-0740 •• Fax: Fax: (209) (209) 944-9503 944-9503 Email: info@dgr-cpas.com Email: Email: info@dgr-cpas.com info@dgr-cpas.com

October 2015

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One Purpose raises $146,140 at midpoint TURLOCK — Volunteers in California State University, Stanislaus’ One Purpose campaign had raised $146,140 for the university just past the midpoint of the campaign. The project has an ambitious goal of raising $1 million in just six weeks. Mike and Alison Allen, owners of Allen Mortuary in Turlock, were the top-producing volunteers for Week 3. They renewed their $10,000 pledge of support as they led a team of fundraising volunteers. “The volunteers and donors who are a part of our team really enjoy supporting the community and they know the value of investing in the university,” said Alison Allen, a Stanislaus State alumna. “Seeing the students who have benefited as a result of last year’s campaign has been incredibly motivating and it makes a connection with those students who will go on to be leaders in our community.” The fundraising effort started Aug. 27 and will end Oct. 8. The campaign has been contacting those who donated to the campaign last year. Teams of volunteers also work to build relationships with community businesses and organizations to support students. Last fall, 175 volunteers and 750 donors raised $818,841 in the One Purpose campaign’s inaugural ef-

CVBJ

WATER Continued from Page 18

still playing their favorite game of favoring exports, so they’re just creating more crisis. They’re not squaring it up, they’re not facing reality, and they’re intent on trying to take that water away from the north -- that’s both the state and the federal agencies. So they’re just trying to transfer that shortage to the north. The shortage is going to be someplace. I don’t know how we’re going to solve it. I think we ought to go back and try to develop a better, concerted effort working together, acknowledge the promises -- water rights -- instead of trying to circumvent them. Acknowledge that and work positively rather than adversarially to try and reduce the damage. CVBJ: In working on these cases, is there anything that’s especially frustrating? DN: We have a number of challenges. Newer people that are pushing and shoving in the state and federal agencies and the water contractors don’t realize that the Delta always has water. The quantity of water is always in the Delta because the channels are below the low tide level and are connected to the Bay and the ocean. So the issue isn’t the quantity of the Delta; it’s the quality. And they are ignoring the statutory requirements. The law that requires the projects to provide salinity control to the Delta. So the water quality issue is kind of being circumvented by them trying to say there’s no quantity.

fort. Accordng to the university, the money raised by volunteers through One Purpose will be applied to student scholarships, which means that every dollar goes to students. More than 165 students were awarded One Purpose scholarships for the 2015-16 academic year. One of those students was Alyssa Long, who is studying to earn her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and

earns her teaching credential at Stanislaus State. She hopes to be an English teacher in the Central Valley. “Receiving a scholarship has fueled my fire to keep my grades up and to give back to the community that invested in me,” Long said. “I want to be able to pay it forward someday and truly say ‘thank you’ for this opportunity.” In addition, the Gemperle family and Gemperle Family Farms donated

a $250,000 seed gift. That money will go toward the One Purpose endowment. Future earnings from the endowment will support future fundraising efforts. Those wishing to support the university in the final weeks of the campaign can contact the Division of University Advancement at (209) 6673131 or visit the One Purpose webpage at www.csustan.edu/one-purpose.

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PROVIDERS

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

Turlock Irrigation District P.O. Box 949 Turlock, CA 95381

FPL Energy P.O. Box 14000 Juno Beach, FL 33408

Lodi Electric Utility 1331 S. Ham Lane Lodi, CA 95242

Modesto Irrigation District 1231 11th Street Modesto, CA 95354

South San Joaquin Irrigation District 11011 E. Hwy. 120 Manteca, CA 95336

All Air Incorporated 1205 E. Vine Street, Ste. C Lodi, CA 95240

Advanced Commercial Enterprises 702 Church Street Modesto, CA 95337

Community Fuels 809-C Snedeker Avenue Stockton, CA 95203

Covanta Stanislaus 4040 Fink Road Crows Landing, CA 95313

Iberdrola Renewables 1125 NW Couch Street Portland, OR 97209

Large Hydroelectric

Other NonRenewable

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 4040 West Lane Stockton, CA 95204

Small Hydro Electric

Biomass/Waste

Hydrogen Technologies Inc. P.O. Box 8540 Stockton, CA 95208

Geothermal

Address

Solar

Company Name

Wind

% Renewable Content

65%

10%

3.5%

11%

Top Local Executive Phone Web Address

Ed Stockon, President/CEO (209) 986-9346 hydrogentechnologiesinc.com Anthony Earley, CEO (415) 973-5930 pge.com Casey Hashimoto (209) 883-8300 tid.com Chris Allen, Branch Mgr. (561) 691-7171 fplenergy.com Elizabeth Kirkley, Director (209) 333-6762 lodielectric.com

22 % - Eligible Renewable 31%

26%

23%

Services and Products

18%

15%

Natural gas and power utility

1905 San Francisco, CA

21%

55%

Electric power and Irrigation water

1905 San Francisco, CA

62%

Clean energy provider operating wind, natural gas, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear power across the nation

6.1%

53.3%

Customer owned and city operated utility providing electricity

1910 Lodi, CA

67%

Irrigation water to approximately 3,100 agricultural customers irrigating close to 60,000 acres. Electric service to more than 115,000 customers and treated drinking water to the city of Modesto

1887 Modesto, CA

1909 Manteca, CA

24 % - Eligible Renewable 0%

34%

2009 Modesto, CA

Renewable energy storage

18%

Year Est. Company Headquarters

1925 Juno Beach, FL

20.3 % - Renewable 0%

0.1%

20%

0.2%

26 % - Eligible Renewables

Greg Salyer, GM (209) 526-7373 mid.org 23%

Jeff Shields (209) 249-4600 ssjid.com

48%

51%

Wholesale power, irrigation water and domestic water

Kevin Gutierrez (209) 369-4822 allairheatingandair.com

100%

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Central Valley Business Journal

Business Journal Community Voices

October 2015

CENTRAL VALLEY

Perspective on the wild world economy Events within emerging market economies have dramatically increased global market volatility above and beyond the levels seen earlier this year over economic concerns in Greece. Most importantly, Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s renminbi (yuan) currency devaluation has shaken investor sentiment. This event is a result of the slower world economy Charles Baker and the climb Portfolio Manager of the Chinese Bank of the West currency by 33 percent from mid-2005 to mid-2013. Chinese exports have dropped due to decelerating demand and increased competition from abroad as their currency increased on a relative basis to other countries. This currency devaluation is intended by the authorities in Beijing to make Chinese goods more competitive

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on a worldwide basis. However, there has been some pushback from other countries to protect their exports as well and additional currency devaluations could occur. This uncertainty is creating broadbased volatility which has unsettled markets, but we do not expect this to

last much longer. Where we are going The economic GDP for China is still expected to substantially outpace that of the United States, Europe and most of the rest of the world. It should stabilize in the future as the economy and demand continue to improve in

the United States and Europe. We expect that it may take some time to see this reflected in the returns for emerging marketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; equities, but there is little reason to expect otherwise. Here at home, economic conditions continue to improve. Employment statistics have been positive and are continuing to strengthen. As a general proposition, real estate sales are up, real estate prices are improving, and balance sheets look good for both consumers and corporations. We expect to benefit from lower prices due to favorable exchange rates, and U.S. corporations that are manufacturing abroad should see improved profit margins. Low commodity costs typically add additional support to corporate profitability as do low energy prices. However, companies and regions that rely on the oil and gas industry or exports will likely suffer from continued low revenues on weak pricing. The coming increase in short-term interest rates from the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will not create much of a headwind for corporate Please see COMMUNITY VOICES Page 45

October 2015

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How to give employees needed validation People are the most important resource of a business, and there are two things that every person wants in life. If you don’t provide these to your employees they will never be fully engaged in your team. They may put in the hours but they will never reach their full potential. So what are Peter Johnson these two critiPacific - Eberhardt cal things that School of Business everyone in life wants? They want to be heard and respected. Heard and respected go hand in hand. When communication is healthy it flows freely in both directions, and people feel respected as the result of being heard. In a recent online Interact/Harris Poll of more than 1,000 U.S. workers, 91 percent said that lack of communication skills significantly lowered the effectiveness of their managers. In another study, lack of communication with their direct supervisor was a leading cause of employee

Clear Vision

turnover. Employees want to be respected and the quickest way to make that evaluation is whether or not employees feel like their voices matter. The valuable lesson here is to learn how to validate an employee’s emotions, concerns and ideas. It’s not necessary to agree with them, but it is important to validate their concerns and let them know they have been heard. When someone shares a concern, the typical human response is to immediately rebut it or to try to solve it. Years of marriage have taught me that there is a third – better – option. This third option is an incredible tool for allowing someone to be heard and respected, and in the end it builds trust with that person. The great part of this tool is that it is not complicated and can be mastered in minutes. • An employee shares a concern with you. • You actively listen to what they are saying. • You ask clarifying questions to ensure that you heard correctly what they said. “So, what I think I heard you say is…” is a great way to repeat back what your employee said. At that point they can further clarify, “Yep,

that’s my major concern” or “No, I was saying that…” At the end of the conversation the employee feels that you were interested in his or her concerns and you are now able to address the real issues, not the ones you thought they were saying (as you created your Costco list in your head while they were speaking). On a daily basis we have a chance to either show respect and build trust with our employees, or to squander away those opportunities. The latter can lead to the loss of valuable employees. Communication issues tend to be items that can be solved by paying a little more attention to interactions with people and usually requires little money to have a large impact. The challenge is to stop what we are doing and be in the moment as we interact with people. Here are the top communication issues that prevent effective leadership (Interact/Harris Poll 2015): • Not recognizing employees achievements: 63 percent • Not giving clear directions: 57 percent • Not having time for employees: 52 percent • Refusing to talk with subordinates: 51 percent • Taking credit for others’ ideas: 47

percent • Not offering constructive criticism: 39 percent All of these items relate to being heard or being respected and most relate to both. Even the last item of not offering constructive criticism is a greater issue than many might imagine. Recently I was working with the CEO of a company and her board. Some of her board members tell her that she is wonderful and fantastic and others are complaining about every little thing. Her comment to me was, “The irony is that the board members that are negative and complaining about everything are more helpful than the ones who only tell me how great I am.” She understands the value of constructive feedback to get better results. By spending time communicating with employees – not talking to but rather listening to – we create an environment where employees are heard and respected and become loyal, engaged employees that aspire to give their best every day. –Peter Johnson is the director of the Westgate Center for Leadership and the Institute for Family Business in the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific. He welcomes your feedback at peterjohnson@pacific.edu.

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New student housing approved in Turlock TURLOCK — The Turlock City Council in early September approved a project that will provide housing for 600 students near the California State University, Stanislaus campus. The Vista student housing project is a four-story, three-building complex and will be built along Monte Vista Avenue between Dels Lane and Crowell Road. They will be the tallest residential buildings in Turlock when they’re finished. Some neighbors who live behind site protested, saying they didn’t want such tall buildings towering over their homes, so Coleraine Capital Group altered its plans to move the building away from the neighorhood and closer to Monte Vista Avenue. There will be 180 units and the bedrooms will be leased to Stanislaus State students. The living areas will be arranged as pods with individual bedrooms at-

tached to a common living room and kitchen. There will also be a recreation area with a clubhouse and a pool as well as off-street parking for residents. “So, the good news is those are 680 cars that aren’t looking for a parking space on campus,” said Turlock Assistant to the City Manager for Housing and Economic Development Maryn Pitt. Development is also moving forward in the retail sector. The Monte Vista Crossings shopping center is in the planning stages for its fourth phase. City planners expect developers to present plans sometime this fall, Pitt said. The shopping center was sold to Excel Trust a few months ago. That company, based in San Diego, owns between 40 and 50 shopping centers throughout the western United States. “So far they’ve been great people to work with,” Pitt said. At Town Center on Golden State

PHOTO COURTESY COLERAINE CAPITAL GROUP

The Vista apartments will consist of three four-story buildings.

Highway, DD’s Discounts held its grand opening Sept. 24, giving that troubled shopping center a new anchor tenant. “That should help that shopping center,” Pitt said. “That one’s been a problem or at least something of a shrinking violet on the vine.” DD’s Discounts is part of the same company as Ross Stores. The walls are up at Dust Bowl Brew-

ing Company’s new facility at Fulkerth Road and Dianne Drive in the Turlock Industrial Park, and Pitt said the company expects it to open in mid-2016. The new location will be used primarily for manufacturing, but there will also be a tasting room, a cafe and meeting center. Dust Bowl will still maintain its location downtown.

Self-employed? Why you should consider a Solo-k When asked to envision their retirement, people generally begin daydreaming of all the relaxing and exciting activities they intend to pursue. For most, their dreams are achieved primarily through participation in their employer’s 401(k) retirement plan. But for the small business owner and the self-employed, the traditional large employer retirement plans are simply not available. However, being self-employed uniquely situates the small business owner to formulate a retirement program through a special plan called “Owner-Only 401(k,)” also called “Solo-k.” The Solo-k plan follows the same contribution rules that govern the traditional 401(k) plan but is only available to companies that have no employees. Each owner, as well as each spouse on the payroll, is eligible to participate in the plan. Compared to traditional 401(k) plans, Solo-ks are less expensive to maintain, easier to set up and are not governed by the Department of Labor (DOL), which means they can bypass

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its complex regulations. A quick overview of the traditional saving vehicles, IRAs and 401(k) plans illustrates the advantages and tax benefits of a Solo-k. Those traditional retirement accounts allow for an upfront, dollar-for-dollar tax deduction to the person making the contribution. The taxes on the account earnings are deferred until they are withdrawn. Over the past two decades, 401(k) plans have become increasingly popular due to their high contribution limits: $18,000 for 2015 compared to only $5,500 for IRAs. Employees also like that employers are allowed to contribute on behalf of workers. An additional benefit of the 401(k) plan is that the account holder can take out a loan from the plan, whereas loans are prohibited in IRAs. A person who makes $100,000 per year and has access to a 401(k) plan through his employer can put away $18,000 in 2015. If such action is taken, that $18,000 will be deducted from his taxable income, which means he will only claim $82,000 in income for 2015. If that person is in the 25 percent tax

bracket, that is a tax savings of $4,500. Said another way, if he did not put the $18,000 into the 401(k) but, instead, received the pay in his paycheck, he would only get $13,500 deposited into his bank account - $18,000 minus the $4,500 in taxes. Being able to invest $18,000 for the cost of $13,500 makes it extremely advantageous to contribute to a 401(k) plan. Essentially, the IRS gives a 401(k) plan participant a $4,500 kick-start to his retirement savings. In addition, the participant does not have to pay any taxes while his account grows. Although 401(k) plans are a great tool for retirement savings, they are only available to those workers whose company offers them and the plans must follow strict regulations set forth by the Department of Labor. Because the small business owner simultaneously plays the roles of employee and employer, the IRS allows him to contribute to the Solo-k plan as both an employee and an employer. As an employee, he can set aside up to $18,000 ($24,000 for those age 50 or older) in 2015.

As an employer, he can set aside an additional amount up to 25 percent of compensation (20 percent for sole-proprietors) for a total employee and employer combined contribution of $53,000 ($59,000 for those age 50 or older) in 2015. Additionally, the entire amount of the contributions provides for a dollarfor-dollar tax deduction. Without this special retirement plan, self-employed individuals would be limited to retirement accounts that have lower contribution limits and do not allow for loans. While being self-employed has its challenges, it also affords unique opportunities such as the Solo-k Plan. With this extraordinary plan, you are able to position yourself for a successful retirement while reaping additional savings from reduced taxes. Before you implement a retirement plan for your business, consult with your tax professional and a qualified retirement plan adviser. –Tolen Teigen is chief investment officer of Financial Decisions, Inc. in Stockton. He can be reached at tteigen@financialdecisionsinc.com.

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Getting the most from your AdWords campaign Marketers often are asked about the value of search engine optimization (SEO) versus paid search advertising as if it were an either/or proposition. SEO is valuable, but it shouldn’t be your only tactic for inbound marketing. If your organization has the budget, you should consider adding paid search to your marketing mix. Dan Natividad Today, 80 Partner percent of Port City Marketing search results contain Google AdWords placements. Those AdWord placements cover as much as 85 percent of the space “above the fold” on a results page. In addition, Adwords provides faster results than SEO alone. Often it can take weeks or months before you notice any results from SEO. With paid search, you’ll get instant feedback on the effectiveness of your campaign. If your organization does decide to

Brand Building

use AdWords campaigns, you have to make sure your budget is put to good use. You can do that only if you are careful about every aspect of your campaign, from the selection of keywords to the actions you want visitors to take on the landing pages. Have a clear, measurable goal Unless you have a clear purpose, it’s unlikely you’ll see the return you want for the money you’ll spend. Except in the rare situation in which the goal is simply to create brand awareness or increase the popularity of a website, you want paid traffic to result in revenue in one way or another. In most cases, it is about increasing sales or generating leads, which will translate into higher revenues immediately or in the future. Regardless of the purpose of your campaign, make sure you have a measurable goal. Increasing sales by a certain amount in a month, adding a certain number of subscribers or customers are all examples of measurable goals. Without measurable goals, it is difficult to gauge the performance of a campaign or to fine tune it. Limit ads to people likely to convert Keyword selection helps you target people who are looking for things that are related to what you offer. However, that alone will not elimi-

nate people who are just looking for information and are not likely to convert. Displaying your ads to them will only result in a lower clickthrough rate or wasted clicks. Google provides several options such as location targeting and targeting based on browsing behavior, which can be used to narrow down the audience and minimize wasted clicks. It is also important to use negative keywords. Negative keywords are search terms that tell Google not to show your ad to people searching for those terms. For example, if you sell marketing services, someone searching for “marketing jobs” is unlikely to buy from you. You would include “marketing jobs” as a negative keyword. Keep landing pages relevant to ads Your landing page must be relevant to your ad text. No one likes being tricked into visiting a page they are not interested in. If your landing page has nothing to do with your ad text, you risk a high bounce rate and wasted money. Regularly monitor, test and adjust campaigns It is important to monitor your campaign and fine tune it for the best performance. This also helps you keep

track of the return you are getting from your investment. When your campaign is not doing as well as it should, there are several possible causes. The problem could be with the design of your campaign, your keyword selection, poorly designed landing pages or poor follow up. To arrive at a combination that works well, you have to experiment. You have to try various combinations of keywords, ad design, landing pages and follow up emails to see what works best for you. However, make only one change at a time and observe its impact before you make another. If you change many things at once, it will be difficult to find out what works and what doesn’t. When properly designed and executed, an AdWords campaign has the potential to give you a good return on your investment. You can expect a steady stream of high-quality traffic, and it will translate into increased sales, revenue and profits. Make your ad dollars work hard to give you the best traffic at the lowest possible cost and then do your best to convert your visitors. –Dan Natividad, a Stockton native, is a partner at Port City Marketing Solutions along with Kristen Dyke and Erin Diego. Dan can be reached at dan@portcitymarketing.com

October 2015

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Almond Board to take part in $960,000 project MODESTO — The Almond Board of California and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) will join with other partners to take part in a USDA-funded pilot project that will give almond and corn growers greater access to greenhouse gas markets like those under California’s cap-and-trade program. The project is part of a $20.5 million USDA Conservation Innovation Grant Program aimed at helping farmers implement practices that will make them more resilient to climate change. The $960,000 program will be the first large-scale pilot project generating greenhouse gas credits from nutrient management practices in growing almonds and corn. The hope is that it will to allow growers to enter the capand-trade market and sell carbon credits to companies and industries seeking to meet their emission targets. “The new project builds on nearly 10 years of funding by the Almond Board of California to improve nitrogen management and better understand greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N2O), from almond orchards,” Almond Board Director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs Gabriele Ludwig said in a press release. “In particular, the project plans to use an almond nitrogen budgeting tool developed from previous Almond Board-funded research.” New studies have shown the industry is making progress toward becoming carbon neutral with respect

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COMMUNITY VOICES Continued from Page 40

profits as the dollar continues to climb in value and consumers are not likely to show more than a passing concern. It will likely spur additional spending in the home market as buyers that are on the sideline make a purchase; more people are employed and household formation is on the rise. Any interest rate increase that we see in the coming year is unlikely to have more than a transitory effect on the stock market or the economy and will result in a stronger dollar, which makes imported goods less expensive and helps profit margins. At the same time, our relatively small list of exported goods will feel the pinch; yes, this means agriculture. The bottom line is that the volatility for the U.S. is expected to be transitory in nature and we are cautiously optimistic that it will begin to subside as the economic strength continues to build, profits continue to increase and jobs continue to be created. Bond markets are expected to struggle with rising interest rates and commodities with few exceptions will remain soft as supply continues to exceed demand. –Charles Baker is senior vice president and portfolio manager for Bank of the West. He can be reached at charles.baker@bankofthewest.com.

to greenhouse gas emissions, or even carbon negative if policy changes and production advancements continue, the Almond Board said. The California Air Resources Board has developed offset protocols for crop-based agriculture in a cap-andtrade market for rice growers. The USDA has demonstrated its support for this and other market-based approaches for growers by increasing

fertilizer use efficiency. “We look forward to working with EDF on this important project and applaud the success they’ve had with U.S. rice growers in establishing the first ever carbon offset protocol for crop-based agriculture,” said Ludwig. “This project will build on the legacy of decades of air quality research funded by the California Almond industry.”

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Keeping documents secure, accessible It’s 2015 and half of your employees love the file server. It is fast, easy and centralizes all work files in a single location on the network at the main office. The other half of your of employees likely hate the file server. They have to log in with their VPN to sync up with the server when they are remote. And more often than not, they are missing critical David files when they Darmstandler are out in the CEO of field. DataPath, Inc. The problem is especially acute for employees who are always remote. Over time, difficulties with remote access can cause employees to get out of sync with the rest of the company, and that leads to data sprawl for corporate documents and to critical content becoming trapped in personal silos. There is a different way. Cloud file sync services implement a feature call File Server Enablement. With this technology, all the data from the file server is available

Tech Top 5

Institute for Family Business 209.946.2956 ifb@pacific.edu www.Pacific.edu/IFB

in real time on users’ mobile devices. That includes smartphones and tablets as well as remote laptops and home office PCs. As new content is created on a remote tablet or PC, the data is instantaneously synced back to the server. Here are five ways you can keep documents safe, secure and always accessible: Get up to date Outdated means of remote access, like VPNs, contribute to data sprawl, as users shun the cumbersome process of logging in remotely. Over time, many users will build up large libraries of valuable work product that is less protected when housed on a remote PC, rather than synced to the file server. File server enablement reverses that trend and provides bi-directional sync between the file server and remote users. Keep people in sync Remote employees usually have a long list of complaints when it comes to IT support. One of the biggest complaints is the feeling of being out of sync with the rest of the organization. With file server enablement and business-class file sync, you can level the playing field. It enables employees to access all of their files and your

team can share content from any mobile device, be it their laptop, smartphone or tablet. Empower your employees Savvy and growth-oriented companies should view their hyper-connected workforce as untapped opportunity. Smartphones and tablets — even if they are “bring your own devices” (BYOD) and owned by the employee — can vastly improve the productivity of your workforce. The trick is to balance convenience with security when it comes to corporate data. Business-class file sync and file server enablement put corporate data on BYOD devices, but you now have critical capabilities to protect your data, such as fine-grained audit trails, per user security policies, and remote wipe of lost or stolen devices. The key is to focus on employee empowerment, no matter the device they choose to access corporate data. Maintain security At first thought, security might seem like the last reason to consider cloud-based network management. After all, transitioning your management tools to the cloud means giving up physical control over the hardware that hosts them and relying on a third party to keep the console secure. Those aren’t small concerns. But consider that the big cloud play-

ers are able to invest millions in security measures, including everything from keeping their physical servers on 24/7 armed guard lockdown to sophisticated protection methods from some of the best security minds in the business. Can you say the same for your own on-premise network? Embrace the cloud Perhaps the biggest incentive for cloud-based network management is the fact that most networks are, at least in part, clouds themselves. Public cloud platforms may be a key part of your company’s workflow and network infrastructure. Even if they aren’t, there’s a good chance your employees are taking advantage of public cloud services, like Dropbox or Google Docs, on the personal devices they bring to work, whether or not they’re officially authorized to do so. All of this means the cloud is already built into your infrastructure. It only makes sense for your file server to live in the cloud, too. File server enablement and businessclass file sync can help you better organize your company and your data, while fully maximizing the power of employee mobility. –David Darmstandler is CEO of Datapath, an IT services company with headquarters in Modesto. You can reach him at david@mydatapath.com.

October 2015

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Federal contractors and new Obama orders Many Central Valley employers provide goods and services directly to the federal government. Working with the government can provide a steady stream of reliable revenue. Indeed, it is anticipated that more businesses in the Central Valley will become government contractors in the coming years with the Bruce Sarchet opportunities Attorney, Littler presented by Mendelson Law Firm construction of California’s high-speed rail project. While the government can be a good customer, it can also use its massive buying power to effect change in the workplace. Two examples of this will go into effect in the coming months and will impact the workplaces of federal contractors. As always, this column provides only an overview of the law, and does not substitute for the advice of counsel. Paid sick leave On Labor Day, President Obama signed

Human Element

a new Executive Order (EO) that will require federal contractors to provide their employees with paid sick leave. The new EO becomes effective in 2017. Federal legislation previously had been introduced to provide for federally mandated sick leave (the “Healthy Families Act”), but it has stalled. The issuance of the EO is a way to achieve the same end — albeit for a more limited group of employees — without Congressional approval. The new EO mirrors, in many respects, California’s recently enacted Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act, California Labor Code section 245-249. For example, under both the California law and the new EO, employees earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. In addition, paid sick leave carries over from one year to the next and must be reinstated for employees rehired within 12 months after a job separation. Further, the use of paid sick leave cannot be made contingent on the requesting employee finding a replacement to cover any missed work time. The new EO, like the California law, would permit workers to use their earned paid leave to “care for themselves, a family member, such as a child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner, or another loved one, as well as for absences resulting from domestic

• • •

violence, sexual assault, or stalking.” As with the California law, employees of contractors may use paid sick leave “upon the oral or written request of an employee…” There are at least two significant differences between the new EO and the California law. First, under the new EO, employees are eligible to accrue up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year (seven days). Under the California law, the basic accrual level is set at 24 hours, or three days. The new EO also addresses a topic upon which the California law is silent: obtaining a doctors’ note to verify illness. This is a common practice in many Central Valley workplaces, yet the new California law is silent on this point. The new California law merely states that paid sick leave should be granted “upon the request of the employee.” In contrast, the new EO provides that a contractor may require certification issued by a health care provider for paid sick leave for absences of three or more consecutive workdays. The EO also provides that such documentation must include only the minimum necessary information establishing a need for the employee to be absent from work. Pay transparency In 2014 an Executive Order was issued prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against employees who

choose to discuss their compensation. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is scheduled to issue a final rule on this EO in the immediate future. As with the new EO on paid leave, the OFCCP’s final rule will apply only to employers that do business with the federal government. Also similar to the new EO on sick leave, over the past years a number of “pay transparency” bills prohibiting retaliation based on wage discussion or disclosure have been signed into law at the state level. Efforts to enact similar federal legislation have failed to gain traction. Application of these provisions to federal contractors is a way to impact workplace policy without actually passing legislation. Summary While the Executive Order on sick leave does not become effective until 2017, federal contractors should become familiar with its requirements and prepare an implementation plan. In addition, because of Congressional gridlock and the looming 2016 elections, it is possible that further actions will be taken to regulate and impact the community of federal contractors here in the Central Valley. Stay tuned! –Bruce Sarchet is an attorney with the firm of Littler Mendelson and represents employers in labor and employment law matters. You can contact him at bsarchet@littler.com.

Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

Seven steps for creating pride in your work A Central California company has asked me to deliver a keynote address next month. The assigned topic is “Taking pride in your work ethic.” My thoughts on the subject follow. I’d love to read your thoughts on this too. My email is at the end. Taking pride in your work is not boastful. It is a benefit to yourself and others as you connect John Parker with the big reaProfessional sons — beyond Development the paycheck — Adventures for why you engage, invest and share in your work. Here are seven steps that may help crystalize that idea for you. Embrace your role and contribution toward customer service Whether you work directly with customers or support those who do, start describing your role as it relates to customer service. For example, if you’re in accounting, try defining your role as “providing staff with accurate, timely information for sup-

At Your Service

porting our customers.” Contribution brings my best gifts into my role. For the keynote, I bring inspiration. What specialty gifts do you contribute to your role? Understand how your name and reputation follow your work We’ve heard the shocking stories of indiscreet, damaging employee postings on social media. “What happened to their sense of a good name and reputation,” we wonder. In his blog on Aug. 16 Seth Godin wrote, “…if you’re saying, ‘Doing that will cause other people to be embarrassed for me; it will change the way they treat me in the future,’ then indeed, your cultural awareness is paying off. There’s a reason we don’t wear a clown suit to a funeral — and it’s not precisely because of how it would make us feel to do that. It’s because insensitive, unaware, selfish acts change our ability to work with people in the future.” A bad reputation can follow and affect even those who feel entitled to position and pay. Socrates (300 BC) said, “The way to a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” King Solomon (1040 BC) wrote, “A good name is more desirable than great wealth. Respect is better than silver or gold.”

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Stretch and learn new ways to reach the goal In 1997 Apple Computer was almost bankrupt. Then founder Steve Jobs came back from exile. Jobs lived his motto: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” He stretched and learned, always. This year, Apple topped the Forbes’ “World’s Most Valuable Brands” list! Connect the dots to stay positive and persuasive During State of the Union addresses whoever is president usually points to the balcony and introduces a regular person, just like us, who has contributed to America’s success. That connects the dots from the White House to us. Likewise, you can connect the dots for work pride by thinking of someone specific who benefits directly or indirectly from what you contribute at work. Is it your customer, co-worker, boss or family member? Connect the dots and take quiet pride inside. Build trust with others by self-management and team work See others as hoping in you and wanting to trust you. Then build trust with them by saying what you’ll do and then doing what you say. Such clarity and follow through builds trustworthy teams we can be proud of. Care about and invest in the tough challenges of the goal

Bob Dylan said, “Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections than those who are most content.” I had expected the ending to be “…than those who don’t.” But unusual Dylan rattles us as usual. He praises investing and risk-taking, even if it means suffering, as a better way of life than safe contentment. Caring and investing involve suffering because we are “sticking our necks out” and risking. Dylan claims that’s a better way. I agree! It brings a sense of pride even if the results aren’t perfect. Better to have loved and lost than never to have cared and invested at all! Be that positive person of influence and make the difference You know. There’s that positive person of influence who has made the difference in your life, right? Now follow “that” one’s example. Declare aloud and regularly, “I too am that positive person! I am influential. I am making a positive difference!” Taking pride in your work is not boastful. It is a blessing, boon and benefit to all. “Say, ‘Hey!’” to excellent service! – John Parker is the founder of Sealegs for Success workshops and an instructor for the UC Davis Center for Human Services. You can reach him at john@sealegsforsuccess.com.

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October 2015

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Rentals may be smart choice in tight market Many homebuyers are finding the availability of single family homes is still limited in some of the more affordable parts of the Central Valley. Savvy homebuyers are are looking at other options for purchasing real estate. Duplexes, triplexes and even small apartment complexes can be smart investments because rental properties are in Michael Blower high demand, and 2015 President, Central Valley many landlords Assoc. of Realtors are commanding top dollar for units throughout the Central Valley. In Sacramento County alone, rents have reached their highest quarterly growth since 2005, according to MPF Research, which measures rental property data. This pushed year-overyear rent growth to 7.3 percent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; well above the national norm. What Fannie and Freddie have to say Multi-family properties present a unique opportunity not only to find a great place to live in a desirable neighborhood, but also as a means of helping pay the mortgage through rental income. According to the loan underwriting guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), you can purchase a one to four-unit property with traditional home financing, as long as you intend to use one of the units as your primary residence. The typical down payment for an investment property starts in the 20-25 percent range. However, if you intend to occupy one of the units, the down payment will be considerably less. Studying the potential of college areas Some potential rental properties you may want to consider are located near the more than 20 colleges in our region. With 13 community colleges and nine private and public colleges and universities, there is tremendous demand from students for rental units. Most schools do not build enough on-campus housing, and that leaves students scrambling for nearby rental options. Increasingly, students are looking beyond apartments to houses, duplexes and triplexes that offer a more home-like feeling. Investing in rental property in a college community is a smart move because there will be a reliable demand for that type of housing. And as professors, academic staff and parents of students continue to buy and sell homes to be near campus, your property value will likely to increase over time. Ask for help Buying a property with rental potential can be tricky. There are many

details to consider about the purchase itself as well as the responsibilities of being a landlord. That is why it is prudent to engage an experienced real estate professional to help you with the process. An agent or broker can help you search for available properties, and they can provide insights on everything from pricing rental units and screening tenants, to insurance and other protections.

Certainly the idea of sharing space with strangers or renting to college students can seem like a risky proposition, but rest assured there are safeguards available that can protect your property and your peace of mind. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Michael Blower is president of the Central Valley Association of Realtors and an agent with Grupe Real Estate. You can reach him at mblower@gogrupe.com.

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October 2015

Planning is key to bankruptcy success Bankruptcy is a powerful legal strategy that can allow individuals an opportunity to discharge all or a significant portion of their debt. However, bankruptcy is not without risk. An improperly planned bankruptcy can result in the loss of assets, conversion of the case to a different chapter, dismissal or a denial of discharge. Pre-filing Keith Wood planning should Calone & Harrel begin as soon as Law Group the decision to file a bankruptcy is made. Often, decisions made while planning for a bankruptcy determine the success of the case. The first consideration in prefiling planning concerns the protection of one’s assets through the use of exemptions or “exemption planning.” When a bankruptcy case is filed, most of an individual’s assets become property of the bankruptcy estate. That includes an individual’s home, cars, money, stock portfolios and even the potential to be a plain-

Taxing Matters

tiff in a lawsuit. Those assets that are exempt, using the applicable bankruptcy and state statutes, are returned to the debtor. Proper planning involves a close analysis of the applicable exemptions to determine if certain nonexempt assets should be swapped for exempt assets. For instance, the exemption for a stock portfolio is far more limited than the exemption for equity in a residence. A common strategy in which an individual owns a stock portfolio in excess of the allowed limits is to cash the non-exempt stock portfolio and invest the proceeds into his or her residence. That allows for maximum use of the exemptions and ensures that the funds in the stock portfolio are not lost in the bankruptcy case. The scenarios for proper exemption planning are endless. However, as shown, failing to properly execute an exemption plan can result in lost assets that otherwise could have been retained. A second consideration is the timing of a bankruptcy filing. Timing of a bankruptcy filing revolves around three distinct factors: • Priority payments • Discharge of debts • Current income Priority payments are payments to

family members or general creditors whereby your payment prioritizes that creditor above other creditors. The court views this as impermissible because every creditor should be treated the same. As such, payments within one year of the filing of a bankruptcy made to family members to repay a debt can be effectively reversed by the bankruptcy trustee in order to distribute the funds to all creditors equally. Payments to non-insiders made within three months of the bankruptcy filing may be reversed. If a priority payment has already been made or needs to be made, then proper bankruptcy planning involves waiting the applicable time to file the bankruptcy case. Certain debts may only be discharged after the passage of a set period of time. Most notably, income taxes cannot be discharged until a set period of time has elapsed since the tax return was filed. Filing prior to the expiration of the deadlines will result in the taxes surviving the bankruptcy case. The calculations for exactly when a tax may be dischargeable are complicated and should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately, there have been plenty of cases in which individuals have filed a case only days earlier

than they should have and fail to discharge significant tax debt. One last important comment relating to the discharge of taxes is to note that filing tax returns even a day late could result in the tax being rendered forever nondischargeable. When in doubt, file the return on time. The risk is too large. A final factor in the consideration of the timing of a bankruptcy filing is an individual’s income. Eligibility for Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually determined by the income received within the past six months. Therefore, prior to filing an important consideration is the income that one has received, is currently receiving, and will receive in the near future. If one’s income has been inflated over the past six months, it is advisable to wait to file until the inflated income is no longer in the six-month window. If one’s income is expected to dramatically increase in the near future, it may be advantageous to file immediately. These are just a few of the considerations for pre-filing planning for a bankruptcy. Most importantly, it is critical to have a knowledgeable attorney to assist in proper planning. – Keith R. Wood is an associate at Calone & Harrel Law Group, LLP and may be reached at (209) 952-4545 or krw@caloneandharrel.com

October 2015

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Brubeck Festival to coincide with homecoming By SIM RISSO Business Journal writer srisso@cvbizjournal.com

STOCKTON — Musician Dave Brubeck is one of the most famous alumni of the University of the Pacific. For the last 14 years, the school has held the Brubeck Festival in his honor. This year’s festival will run from Oct. 15-17 and will coordinate with Pacific’s Homecoming Weekend. “The Brubeck Festival is an annual event that explores Pacific alumnus Dave Brubeck’s influence on the world of music and society,” said Brubeck Institute Director Simon Rowe. The festival consists of several components: musical performances, a symposium and a family event called “Jazz on the Green.” This year, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra, SFJAZZ Collective and vocalist Karrin Allyson are headlining the festival. Also featured are performances from the Patrick Langham Quintet, the Pacific Jazz Ensemble and the Brubeck Institute Quartet. The three headlining acts have ties to Northern California. The Pacific Mambo Orchestra took home a Grammy in 2014 for its selftitle album in the Best Tropical Latin album category. A 20-piece orchestra based out of San Francisco, Pacific Mambo Orchestra will perform at 8

p.m., Oct. 16 at the Stockton Civic Auditorium. There will be salsa lessons available prior to the show at 7 p.m. Vocalist Karrin Allyson and SFJAZZ Collective will both perform at the Bob Hope Theater on Oct. 17. “[Allyson] is celebrated around the world as sort of a presenter of the great American songbook,” Rowe said. “She does everything from bossa nova to Latin jazz to jazz standards and even some reshaped pop tunes.” SFJAZZ Collective is an eightperson jazz ensemble. The Collective was launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, and its only studio album, “Wonder: The Songs of Stevie Wonder,” won the award for Best Jazz Album in 2014 at the 45th annual NAACP Image Awards. At the Brubeck Festival, the Collective will perform the music of Michael Jackson, as well as some of its own original compositions. Allyson will open the evening’s festivities at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by SFJAZZ Collective. Alto saxophonist Patrick Langham and his group, the Patrick Langham Quintet, will kick off the festival on Oct. 15. They will perform at Valley Brewing Company on Adams Street at 10 p.m. In addition to playing saxophone, Langham has been a professor at Pacific and with the Brubeck Institute since 2003. He’s currently the director

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

The SFJAZZ Collective will perform at the Bob Hope Theatre Oct. 17.

of the Pacific Jazz Ensemble, the jazz combos and teaches courses in improvisation and jazz theory and history. He also teaches in the Brubeck Institute Fellows Program, the Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony and the Brubeck Institute Jazz Camp. At the festival, he will direct the Pacific Jazz Ensemble at Valley Brewing Company at 10 p.m. on Oct. 16. Additionally, he’ll be at Jazz on the Green on Oct. 17 directing the big band and

jazz combos. The big band starts at 1 p.m. and the jazz combos start at 4 p.m. “To tell you the truth, some of the other acts that are going to be there are what I’m most looking forward to,” said Langham. “Of course, I enjoy playing with my group, and I enjoy working with the students here at Pacific at the Brubeck Institute, but I also can’t wait to hear the Please see BRUBECK Page 58

October 2015

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SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

BRIEFS BAC Community Bank gets approval for Tracy branch TRACY — BAC Community Bank has received approval from federal banking regulators for its new full service branch office in downtown Tracy, the bank announced Sept. 10. The bank has begun construction on its new location at 951 North Central Ave. “We are excited to establish a full service branch office in Tracy,” said bank CEO Bill Trezza. “We have been serving this area through our other branch and loan offices for over 50 years now. Our new branch location ‘inside the triangle’ will bring us closer to the Tracy community and allow us to better serve the people who work and live here.” The bank said the central location will provide easy access for BAC Community Bank customers in the Tracy area. Aside from the loan production office in Tracy, the Discovery Bay and Stockton branch locations of BAC Community Bank are the nearest to the Tracy area.

Local DJ nominated for CMA broadcast award STOCKTON — “DJ Walker In The Morning” is a finalist for the Country Music Association (CMA) Broadcast Awards radio personality of the year. Dennis Walker and Jim Wells of KATM are nominated, along with four personalities, in the medium market category. The finalists were surprised by the two-time CMA Awards finalist when Kelsea Ballerini called under the pretense of talking about the nominations and then turned the tables. “Radio has played such an important part in this amazing year that I jumped at the Walker opportunity to call the stations to tell them they were nominated for a CMA Broadcast Award,” said Ballerini. “It has been an amazing day and I was really happy to share it with people who have contributed so much to my career.” The CMA Broadcast Award winners will be notified in mid-October and will be acknowledged at “The 49th Annual CMA Awards,” which will be held from 8-11 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4 and broadcast live by ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Brookdale Stockton names new executive director STOCKTON — Brookdale Stockton named Neal Torres as its new executive director for the assisted living center. Torres, a graduate of CSU Sacramento, will oversee the daily operations and care programs for the community, which was formerly known as Merrill Gardens of Carson Oaks. During his career, the West Sacramento resident

has served as the assistant executive director of Brookdale Fairfield and with dementia care and post-acute care organizations.

Stockton Heat to host first fan fest STOCKTON — The Stockton Heat hockey team will host a fan fest from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4. at the Stockton Arena. Fans will get the chance to meet players, get autographs, tour the renovated dressing room and training facility and question the Heat coaching staff. The team will also open its newly redecorated Stockton Fan Attic with new merchandise. Season ticket owners can also pick up their book of tickets. The Heat is replacing the Stockton Thunder as the city’s hockey team and will play in the AHL, the highest level of minor league hockey. The Heat will serve as the minor-league affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames which also owns the team.

Tracy Chamber launches group aimed at young professionals TRACY — The Tracy Chamber of Commerce has launched the Young Professionals of Tracy organization aimed at encouraging young professionals in the local community. Young Professionals of Tracy (YPT) will address and support the needs of local millennials, the Chamber said. The group is aimed at helping professionals, aged 21 to 39, and will offer opportunities for career development, professional networking and community engagement. The organization is geared toward people living or working in the area who want to take part in social networking, develop professional skills and make a positive impact on the community. Dan Arriola, a 25-year-old local attorney and executive director of an educational nonprofit who graduated from West High will serve as the group’s chairman. Matt Higa, a 21-year-old web designer, marketing consultant and Tracy High graduate, will serve as its vice president. Young Professionals of Tracy will hold its first event at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 2, at the Grant Bar & Lounge. The kickoff event will feature music, food, and discounted drinks as well as a chance to learn more about the organization. For more information on the Young Professionals of Tracy, contact Dan Arriola (209) 477-0300 or Sofia Valenzuela at (209) 835-2131.

Visit Stockton seeks public’s input STOCKTON — Visit Stockton, the city’s convention and visitors bureau tourist information center, is looking for community input on its effort to rebrand Stockton among potential visitors. One piece of that effort is a community-wide survey where Stockton residents, businesses and visitors can share their perspectives about the city .The survey will help identify the community’s exceptional assets and what makes Stockton stand out in the marketplace. Those wishing to take part in the survey should visit www.stocktonbrandingsurvey.com. Visitors should allow 15 minutes to take the survey as it must be taken in one visit. Individual responses will remain confidential and the information will only be presented in total. Those wishing to take part must do so by Oct. 13. Questions about the survey should be directed to Wes Rhea, CEO Visit Stockton at 209-938-1551 or email wes@visitstockton.org.

October 2015

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STANISLAUS COUNTY

BRIEFS Alliance adds VP of Investor Relations MODESTO — Tyler L. Richardson has joined the Stanislaus Business Alliance as its new vice president of Investor Relations. Alliance CEO David White announced the move in a press release Wednesday. “We are very pleased to welcome Tyler to our team,” White said in a press release. “Jeff Foster and I had the opportunity to interview Tyler, and we both were impressed not only with his understanding of our business community but also Richardson his enthusiasm for building greater economic vitality in Stanislaus County.” Richardson will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of building, securing and maintaining relationships with investors; managing the revenue base created by fundraising campaigns; and collaborating on the strategic development of the Stanislaus Business Alliance. He was chosen, after a regional search, for his experience in corporate fundraising, during his tenure as the general manager of the Modesto Nuts professional baseball club. He also served as director of business development and assistant general manager for the team. “I am very excited that I’ll have the opportunity to continue developing relationships with the businesses in our community,” said Richardson.

Helzer named interim director of International Education TURLOCK — California State University, Stanislaus has appointed Jennifer Helzer interim director of International Education, the university announced. Helzer has been a Stanislaus State faculty member since 2001. She holds a doctorate in geography from the University of Texas and a master’s degree in geography from Chico State. In addition to her teaching duties, she has held several administrative roles and currently is the co-director of the geography program and director of the master’s of science program in interdisciplinary studies — geospatial analysis of human environmental Helzer change, the university said. Helzer is the campus representative to the Chancellor’s Office for the Academic Council on International Programs. She also serves on the campus committee to implement and prioritize the strategic plan, and serves as the service learning liaison.

Seward joins BAC Community Bank STOCKTON — BAC Community Bank has named a new vice president and senior relationship manager for its Modesto office. Fatima Seward has more than 20 years of experience and for 18 years worked for a regional North-

October 2015

ern California bank in numerous capacities, most recently serving as regional manager. Seward has strong ties with community banking and experience with small business lending that will benefit BAC Community Bank customers, the bank said. “It’s that combination and the unique personal element Seward of community banking that moved me to choose BAC Community Bank,” said Seward. Seward will work from the BAC Community Bank office located at Five Points in Modesto.

Turlock mayor helps fund public policy competition TURLOCK — California State University, Stanislaus has announced the creation of the “Mayor’s Award” fund that will support a special public policy competition. The award was a result of Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth’s decision to donate his mayoral stipend to help fund public policy research at Stanislaus State. The mayor also intends to solicit more funds to boost the award. The competition will consist of two phases. First, any undergrad or graduate student will have until Oct. 30 to submit a research proposal to the chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Stephen Routh. The proposal should seek to address a Soiseth specific regional issue. Those proposals will be reviewed by a committee including Soiseth, faculty and community leaders who will then meet with students for presentations. “Mayor Soiseth is providing resources and recognition to establish an incentive for students who are primed to conduct meaningful research projects in the public interest,” said Humanities and Social Sciences James A. Tuedio. “We hope this partnership becomes a model for other civic leaders and that over time we see increasing numbers of students involved in applied research.”

Students to learn about math at the movies The Stanislaus Math Council will host its first Math at the State (MATHS) event at 2 p.m., Oct. 3 at the State Theatre in downtown Modesto. MATHS highlights interesting careers that use mathematics and follows up that presentation with a fun movie. The speaker for the Oct. 3 event will be computer graphics artist Adam Sidwell, and the accompanying movie is “Toy Story III.” In addition to authoring the popular children’s books Evertaster, Fetch and Chum, Sidwell has created computer graphics for movies such as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “King Kong,” “Pacific Rim,” “Transformers” and “Tron.” He will talk about how math is used in computer graphics. Tickets for children 12 and under are $4; adults are $7. For more information, contact the State Theatre at (209) 527-4697.

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MERCED COUNTY

BRIEFS Solar project completed in Atwater ATWATER — A newly constructed solar array in Atwater will provide enough electricity to power more than 100 homes annually. The array is the product of a joint venture between WGL Energy and Conergy. “Working with Conergy, we have been able to bring sustainable energy answers to a growing California community, and we hope to continue to provide solar solutions to this region,” said Sanjiv Mahan, Chief Operating Officer, WGL Energy Systems. The project consists of solar panels on parking structures at the town’s civic center and community center. Ground-mounted structures are located on Commerce Ave. and Federal Way. The energy that is harvested by the solar panels is converted to usable alternating current by Sunny Tripower TL-US inverters from global solar technology leader SMA America. Conergy said it was a clean power source that would mean lower electricty rates for Atwater residents.

Cannella awards Livingston teacher for award LIVINGSTON — Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, selected Livingston Middle School eighth-grade teacher Sheila Stark as the 12th Senate District’s Teacher of the Year. “Sheila Stark has dedicated over three decades to educating California’s students,” Cannella said. “In addition, she has become an important part of the community, giving her time to civic organizations.” Stark has taught at Livingston Middle School for 26 years. Before that, she taught at a private school in Oakland and Cannella taught adult English as a Second Language classes at Bear Creek Migrant Camp. In addition, she was a home and hospital instructor for the Merced Union School District. Outside of the classroom, she has served as leader, secretary, vice-president and president of Camp Fire; member of the United Way of Merced; member of Kiwanis Club; and site coordinator for the Friday Night Live Mentoring Program.

UC Merced sees record high enrollment MERCED — UC Merced’s enrollment jumped 6.7 percent from fall of last year to an all-time high of 6,685. This year’s enrollment www.firstchoiceservices.com included 1,790 first-year 209.467.4426 students, 95 transfer students and 448 graduate students. The 610 graduate

student applications the school received was 20 percent higher than last year. The university saw a 15 percent increase in undergraduate applications for a total of 21,472. Nearly all the undergraduates at the school (99.6 percent) are from California. The number of admissions continues to be limited by UC Merced’s lack of space. The university is in the middle of a fast-track expansion plan that will allow it to accommodate 10,000 students by 2020.

Health foundation announces new round of grants MERCED — The Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management has announced its second round of funding through the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund. The fund will make grants of up to $20,000 available to prospective grantees working within the eight targeted San Joaquin Valley counties including San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced. The fund’s primary purpose is to strengthen the capacity of communities and organizations in the San Joaquin Valley to improve health and well-being by advancing programs and policy changes that promote community health and health equity for all. The fund was launched in 2014 and is funded by Sierra Health Foundation, The California Endowment, the Rosenberg Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Earlier this year, the group gave near $630,000 to 30 organizations that work to improve health and reduce health disparities in the San Joaquin Valley through policy and system changes. The applications are due by Dec. 1 and winners will be announced by March 2016. More information can be found on the San Joaquin Valley Health Fundwebsite.

App Challenge gets money from AT&T MERCED — The UC Merced Mobile App Challenge got a boost when AT&T gave the school its Investing in California award. The $5,000 award will help support the annual spring competition, which is part of the school’s Innovate to Grow event. AT&T’s award is designed to aid organizations and programs that are improving lives in their communities and throughout the state. The program is aimed at advancing education, economic growth, new technologies and other essential community services. State Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, told app challenge leaders he supports the work UC Merced is doing to increase local education attainment levels and diversify the local economy through technology.

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October 2015

Cruise Planners Ciancaglini Travel 1542 Calhoun Ave Ripon, Ca 95366 Salvador Eloisa Leviste Eleanore H & S Trucking 5082 N Market St Linden, Ca 95236 Serrano Hilario

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Contacts For Good 140-N Fremont St Suite A Manteca, Ca 95336 Fred Wm Stellhorn Optometric Corp Pd Nails Supply 8046 West Lane 101 Stockton, Ca 95210 Tran Amanda Nabha Carrier 2403 Clemente Ln Tracy, Ca 95377 Singh Yadvinder Tm Administrative Service 1301 Hutchinson Ave Stockton, Ca 95210 Putnam Amanda Rose Easier Products 200 W Central Ave 3304 Tracy, Ca 95376 Lievano Matthew Thomas Jorge Starr Salon 241 E Louise Ave Lathrop, Ca 95330 Oriz Somny Boehm and Associates 504 W 11th St Tracy, Ca 95376 Boehm & Assoc Inc West Bay Fleet Service 2290 Bridlecreek Cir Tracy, Ca 95377 Penzkofer Werner L Wenzel Bryan

STANISLAUS COUNTY

LEGALS Fictitious Business Names A & J Sales 1425 Overholtzer Drive Modesto, Ca 95355 Gilbert, Alice A Aaa Auto Repair 608 7th St Modesto, Ca 95354 Taeb, Moe Aamco Transmissions 4231 A Mc Henry Ave Modesto, Ca 95356 Z & T Transmissions Inc Abc Trucking 1685 Wintrop Lane Ceres, Ca 95307 Carrillo, Arturo Addiction Free Recovery Services 2937 Veneman Ave, Ste A105 Modesto, Ca 95356 Opie Group Inc

Furever Home Pet Sitting 1720 Gold Puppy Street Manteca, Ca 95337 Defillo Susan

Advance Auto Repair & Glass 1253 N Golden State Blvd Turlock, Ca 95382 Anvieh, Albert Sargis, Giwargis

Central Valley Advanced Protection 1512 Cherrywood Way Lodi, Ca 95240 Mortensen Donald Wayne

Alder Tree Cottage 1220 Jill Lane Modesto, Ca 95355 Bell, Erin

Alpha & Omega Transport Service 2026 South Tuxedo Stockton, Ca 95204 Jones Billie Jean

All About U 4624 Main St Denair, Ca 95316 Green, Kathleen L All Clean 5255 Lon Dale Rd Oakdale, Ca 95361 Rico, Lori

All Out & Company Llc 1833 Hackett Road Ceres, Ca 95307 All Out & Company Llc Aloeaa Wireless 1013 Mock Ave Modesto, Ca 95351 Buckley, Scott Dean

Bookkeeping By Sue 1733 Randazzo Avenue Modesto, Ca 95350 Moore, Susan Ann

Am Auto Electric 403 W Hatch Rd Modesto, Ca 95351 Avila, Moises

Brothers Chiropractic 1940 Crows Landing Rd, Ste 4 Modesto, Ca 95358 Brothers Chiropractic

Aquatek CrossConnection Solutions 1518 Tully Rd Modesto, Ca 95350 Olivera, Luis A Armoured Guardian Private Secuirty Co 281 Reardon St Oakdale, Ca 95361 Moradkhanian, Nicsson Auto Body Alternatives Llc 623 Bangs Ave Modesto, Ca 95356 Auto Body Alternatives Llc B & R Heinrich Application Services 6406 Shoemake Ave Modesto, Ca 95358 Heinrich, Brandon Beech Inc 607 E Olive Ave Turlock, Ca 95380 Beech Inc Bella Terra Studio 1220 Jill Lane Modesto, Ca 95355 Bell, Erin Bens Auto Repair 5925 Terminal Ave Riverbank, Ca 95367 Azizpour, Benjamin Big Red Cellars 6342 Bystrum Road Ceres, Ca 95307 Bronco Wine Company Bl Farms 3242 North Avenue Modesto, Ca 95358 Lynch, Douglas J Boone, Terry L Lynch, Pamela S Boone, Sheryl L Bl Nut Company 3242 North Avenue Modesto, Ca 95358 Boone, Sheryl L Boone, Terry L Lynch, Douglas J Lynch, Pamela S Body Sculpting Spa 460 N Yosemite Ave Ste 2 Oakdale, Ca 95361 Nickerson, Kathleen

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Bronzed & Beyond 20533 Sarazen Lane Patterson, Ca 95363 Flores, Marie Elena

Bruce’s Barbershop 3207 Atchison Street Riverbank, Ca 95367 Gong, Bruce Buddies Healing Harvest Collective 2086 E Canal Dr #106 Turlock, Ca 95380 Moreda, James Hanson, Patrick

Cavalho Income Tax Service 1608 French Ave Modesto, Ca 95351 Cavalho, Joe A Celadon Development 1570 E F Street A 300 Oakdale, Ca 95361 Degraff, Donald J Cell One 3401 Dale Road Modesto, Ca 95356 Saha, Anirban Cen-Cal Auto Llc 5398 Pirrone Rd Salida, Ca 95368 Cen-Cal Auto Llc Central West Ballet 5039 Pentecost Drive Ste B2 Modesto, Ca 95356 Central West Ballet

Burnside Body Shop 612 N Franklin St Modesto, Ca 95351 Wlmbs, Inc

Champs Elysees 807a W Roseburg Ave Modesto, Ca 95350 Price, Abbie

Cafe Rome 122 W Main St Turlock, Ca 95380 Eshozadeh, Ramio

Cherrywood Cellars 600 Yosemite Boulevard Modesto, Ca 95354 E & J Gallo Winery

California Compliance Service 11240 28 Mile Rd Oakdale, Ca 95361 Wilkins, Kathryn L California Custom Embroidery 3336 Atchison Street #A Riverbank, Ca 95367 Tello, Victor California Homes Direct 4918 Salida Blvd Salida, Ca 95368 Eth Enterprises Inc California Propane 199 West Canal Drive Turlock, Ca 95380 Aasim Propane And Gas Corporation California Radiators & Transmissions 2641 Patterson Rd Riverbank, Ca 95367 Claros And Sons Incorporated Carr’s Cleaners 500 E Main St Turlock, Ca 95380 The Boucher Group Cat Rental Store The 750 N Walnut Road Turlock, Ca 95380 Holt Of California

Circle D Liquors 2630 Geer Rd Turlock, Ca 95382 Kaur, Ampreet Circle M Nut Co 1217 Root Rd Modesto, Ca 95357 Monaco, Rosie Monaco, Jim A Clayton Coffee 502 10th Street Modesto, Ca 95354 Clayton Coffee & Tea Inc Cobles Corner Mobile Home Park 8000 E Whitmore Ave Hughson, Ca 95326 Mohsin, Mohamed Abdo Community Hospice Auto Division 3105 De Este Ave Modesto, Ca 95354 Chi Management Inc Consolidated Energy Compliance Services 660 N Quincy Rd Turlock, Ca 95380 Halsor, David H Control Systems Services 9804 Stanislaus River Drive Oakdale, Ca 95361 Poff, Wade Biglieri-Poff, Beverly

Core Transformations 1425 Standiford Ave Suite A Modesto, Ca 95350 Core Tx Inc Cpr Delivered 1513 Old Farm Rd Modesto, Ca 95355 Sise, Tracy Lee Sise, Darin L

Fabrication Farms Atwater, CA 95301 Andrew Skidmore

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October 2015

Jojo’s Carpet Cleaning 3418 Wathen Avenue Merced, CA 95348 Joseph E. Ramos MLT Construction 741 Enterprise Court Atwater, CA 95301 Martin Tolleson

Crimson Ranch Wines 6342 Bystrum Road Ceres, Ca 95307 Barrel Ten Quarter Inc Crystal Clean 2236 Mitchell Rd Ceres, Ca 95307 Cerutti, David Damasco Fine Foods and Spirits 2959 Speno Dr Patterson, Ca 95363 Damasco Restaurant Group Llc Daniel’s Jewelers #190 3401 Dale Road Ste 167 Modesto, Ca 95356 Sherwood Management Co Inc Datapath 318 Mchenry Avenue Modesto, Ca 95354 Data Path Inc Datapath It 318 Mchenry Avenue Modesto, Ca 95354 Data Path Inc Davis Investments 2236 Mitchell Rd Ceres, Ca 95307 Cerutti, David Dck Investments Inc 1817 Savoie Way Modesto, Ca 95356 Dck Investments Inc Dd’s Discounts 2051 Tully Road Modesto, Ca 95350 Ross Dress For Less Inc

MERCED COUNTY

LEGALS Fictitious Business Names El Potrero’s Party Rental & More 9887 Douglas Ave Delhi, CA 95315 Griselda Olivares Taqueria Los Girasoles 2272 Beachwood Drive Merced, CA 95348 Bassam Muthanna Nori-Anne’s Pet Salon 6944 Winton Way Winton, CA 95388 Nori-Anne Miller Ramirez Motors & Auto Smog 6698 N. Winton Way, Suite A Winton, CA 95388 Jose Luis Ramirez Alaniz Splendor Salad / Ledesma Farms 31479 Cottonwood Road Gustine, CA 05322 Javier Ledesma Moralez

Dean’s Pizza 2390 W Monte Vista Turlock, Ca 95382 Dean’s Pizza Inc

Broadway Laundromat 1551 Broadway Avenue Atwater, CA 95301 Paul Aaron Nevin

Decorative Home Decor 3075 Cajun Ct Turlock, Ca 95382 Wildt, Robert Edward Shahbazian

Bernie’s Liquors 1491 Broadway Avenue Atwater, CA 95301 Nishan Singh Narinderpal Singh

Deleon & Deleon Enterprises 1823 Wyndfair Dr Turlock, Ca 95382 Deleon, Gordon R Deleon, Donna B

Munoz Signs 2568 N. Drake Avenue Merced, CA 95348 Rafael Munoz

Elda Wear 1134 Farmland Avenue Merced, CA 95340 Elaine Davis La Morenita Tortilleria & Meat 705 W. H Street Los Banos, CA 93635 Sofia Magana Juventino Magana LR Design’s 2260 S. Fresno Road Legrand, CA 95333 Linda Richards Nuestra Casa Real Estate 710 W. 18th Street, Suite #18 Merced, CA 95430 David Maclachlan Affordable Markers 230 Commerce Avenue Atwater, CA 94301 Ron Danel Grant Square 857 Kathy Court Los Banos, CA 93635 Monica Elisa Maes Stick E. Fingerz Sweet Treats 10218 Liberty Avenue Livingston, CA 95334 Perrin Spence J&V Trucking 1333 IDA Street Dos Palos, CA 93620 Juan Barajas Veronica Ruvalcaba Golden Soles 1595 E. 26th Street Merced, CA 95340 Bernard Bolden Fifth Directive Training Services 2241 Marguerite Street Dos Palos, CA 93620 Curtis Thomas Independent Silage Covering, LLC 2310 Pinedale Avenue Merced, CA 95348 Rafael Hernandez F&S Houseboats 6345 Mercede Falls Road Snelling, CA 95369 Jason Munoz

Central Valley Business Journal

Business Journal Who’s Hiring?

October 2015

CENTRAL VALLEY

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY EMPLOYERS

STANISLAUS COUNTY EMPLOYERS

MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYERS

Health care jobs lead local openings STOCKTON — Postings for truck drivers and registered nurses continued to lead job openings in the Central Valley in August, according to the state’s Employment Development Department. For example, there were 772 online job ads posted for heavy haul truck drivers in San Joaquin County alone, in August. In Stanislaus County, there were 732, and in Merced there were 236. Ed Wanket, business retention and expansion specialist with the San Joa-

quin County Economic Development Association, said the trucking industry faces a “critical shortage” of drivers, brought on partly by insurance issues. “Trucking companies generally require two years experience behind the wheel before they can put them to work,” Wanket said. He added that while there is an uptick in food processing, which leads to transporting, as well as an increase in retail deliveries, the high number of

openings illustrates “the shortage is there regardless of the seasonality.” The second biggest job category for openings was registered nurses with 432 openings in San Joaquin County, 599 in Stanislaus County and 122 in Merced County. There were other health care jobs in demand as well. In Merced, the third and fourth biggest in-demand job categories were speech pathologists (81) and physical therapists (68).

STOCKTON — Stockton is one of the cities with the best job prospects in the country, according to workforce consulting firm ManpowerGroup According to ManpowerGroup’s employment outlook, employers predict the last three months of this year will show the strongest hiring plans since the fourth quarter of 2007. Of the more than 11,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 21 percent anticipate increasing staff levels in Q4 2015, while 6 percent of employers expect workforce reductions. Among employers in the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas, the strongest job prospects are expected in Stockton-Lodi; McAllen, Texas; Greenville, SC; Tampa, Florida and Cape Coral, Florida. Among survey

participants, the Stockton-Lodi MSA employment outlook is the second best in the nation. Among employers surveyed, 33 percent plan to hire more employees from October through December. This number is offset by the 6 percent that plan to reduce payrolls, while 59 percent of employers expect to maintain current staff levels and 2 percent indicate they are not sure of their hiring plans. That yields a Net Employment Outlook of 27 percent. “The U.S. labor market continues to show broad-based, stable growth, with significant milestones over time such as hiring prospects at a seven-year high, unemployment at 5.1 percent and weekly jobless claims recently reaching a 40-year low,” said Manpow-

erGroup CEO Jonas Prising. “But as the labor market tightens, employers are increasingly telling us they are having difficulty finding skilled candidates – a situation not helped by the low labor participation rate.” Employers have a positive outlook in all 13 industry sectors included in the survey: leisure & hospitality (+27 percent), wholesale & retail trade (+21 percent), professional & business services (+20 percent) and transportation & utilities (+20 percent) employers reporting the strongest intentions. construction, financial activities, professional & business services and transportation & utilities report the most optimistic intentions since the survey moved to reporting 13 industry sectors in the first quarter of 2009.

Stockton’s outlook second best in nation

CVBJ

SOURCE: Employment Development Department, August 2015

Unemployment rate continues to fall STOCKTON — The unemployment rate continued to fall throughout the Central Valley in August as agriculture, trade, transportation, utilities, leisure and hospitality all added jobs. San Joaquin County led the way with the lowest jobless rate among San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties. San Joaquin County unemployment was 8.3 percent, down from 8.8 percent in July and 10 percent a year ago. Stanislaus had the next lowest rate at 8.5 percent. That was down from the 9.3 percent rate the county saw in July. The county had 10.2 percent unemployment in August 2014. Merced County had the highest rate among the three counties at 9.7 percent. Merced did have the largest percentage drop of the three counties as the rate fell almost 1 percent from 10.6 percent in July. Unemployment in Merced County stood at 11.3 percent one year ago. The jobless rate in all three counties is still above the California average of 6.1 percent and well above the national average of 5.2 percent. In Merced County, the biggest gain was in agriculture which added 400 jobs in August. Trade, transportation and utilities added 1,200 jobs in both Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. Leisure and hospitality also added 1,200 jobs in San Joaquin County.

BRUBECK Continued from Page 52

other groups. “Karrin Allyson is going to be incredible. The SFJAZZ Collective is going to be off the hook. And then we’ve got the Pacific Mambo Orchestra who just recently won a Grammy. One of my faculty members, Jamie Dubberly, is a trombonist in that group. I’m looking forward more than anything, to getting my inspiration from their high-quality music.” While music is where Dave Brubeck is most influential and therefore one

of the reasons it’s such a big component of the festival, he was also noteworthy for his progressive stance on civil rights. “He and his wife Iola wrote a wonderful musical called ‘The Real Ambassadors’ that confronts the issue of segregation and racism,” said Rowe. As part of that legacy, there’s also the Jazz and Civil Rights symposium, as well as Jazz on the Green. The symposium will be held at 11 a.m., Oct. 17 on Pacific’s campus.

Speakers include Grammy-winning author, educator and music journalist Ashley Kahn; Independent arts consultant/producer, writer and broadcaster Willard Jenkins; and Brubeck Scholar and University of the Pacific faculty member Keith Hatschek. They will speak about artists who took a stand through their music or actions to advance racial equality. Jazz on the Green starts at 1 p.m. and is a free family event held at the

university. It will feature live jazz performances, a music petting zoo, magic shows, a classic car show, food trucks and an art show entitled “The Music of Dave Brubeck Inspires My Imagination,” which will feature artwork from Stockton Unified School District students. The Brubeck Festival is a community event, open to the public. Jazz on the Green is free to everyone, while tickets for the other festivities can be purchased at www.BrubeckFestival.org.

October 2015

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Central Valley Business Journal

October 2015

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 $5 billion this 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 10,400 miles of gas distribution pipeline Invested more than $1.2 billion into electrical improvements Connected more than 31,600 rooftop solar installations

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