SCV Business Journal, Februray 2017 by Signal

Canyon Country · Newhall · Saugus · Valencia · Stevenson Ranch · Castaic · Agua Dulce

Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal Santa Clarita’s Only Business Publication

$4.50 · Volume 8 · Number 10

www.scvbj.com

february 2017

Newhall Ranch Sets a Carbon-Neutral Course

Page 4

 Courtesy rendering.

“Santa Clarita Diet” Now Med Tech Solutions Settles Showing on Netflix Into Valencia Offices By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

anta Clarita is about to be in a rather macabre spotlight, and this month we’ll all see if the city is any more than an anonymous suburban backdrop. On Feb. 3, Netflix releases the first 10 episodes of “Santa Clarita Diet,” its first internally produced TV comedy to air. Though the streaming ser- ■ Drew Barrymore in “Santa Clarita Diet,” on Netflix. Photo courtesy of Netflix. vice doesn’t release viewership statistics, it will have its first chatting hopefully about getting a new sense of just how popular a dark comedy listing (“It’s a beautiful property. Great about an undead flesh-eating real estate location, new kitchen.”) while digging agent might be. a hole to so they can messily dispose of You read that right. At the very least, what appears to be parts of a corpse. it’s a niche that breaks new comedic If an aerial establishing shot from the ground, sometimes literally. A trailer for trailer is any guide (and after all, that’s the show released last month shows stars See SDC, page 13 Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant

By Paul Parcellin SCVBJ Contributor

any companies find that Santa Clarita is a welcoming environment for business, and Med Tech Solutions, a firm that provides computer network assistance and storage to health care organizations, is among them. With its new headquarters on Avenue Stanford in Valencia, Med Tech Solutions completed its move to Santa Clarita from Pasadena. The company provides a range of information technology services, including hosting servers, desktops and storage, which is provided in Med Tech’s server cloud that the company built. Engineers and technicians provide on-site IT support for servers and workstations at practices or health care organizations’ facilities. In all, 14 staff members have moved to the nearly 4,200-square-foot office space, which is large enough to accommodate an additional 10 employees. The company also has the option of expanding an addition 1,500 square feet in the new space. The company has three offices in all, including St. Louis and Morristown N.J., in addition to the Valencia site. “We expect to be up to about 60 employees in the next couple of years,” said Med Tech Solutions founder and CEO James Deck. Of those anticipated new employees, 10 to 15 will be located in Valencia.

 Med Tech Solutions CEO James Deck. Courtesy photo.

A Strategic Move Deck, a long-time Santa Clarita resident, chose to move the company here not only because of its convenience, but because many customers are nearby. From Santa Clarita it’s easy to reach clients in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Los Angeles and Orange County. “Depending on traffic, it’s 2 to 2½ hours to get almost anywhere in Southern California,” he said. “The location is perfect from what we do in providing on-site support.” By moving to Santa Clarita, the company was able to gain additional space and save See MED page 12

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FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Canyon Country · Newhall · Saugus · Valencia · Stevenson Ranch · Castaic · Agua Dulce

Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal Santa Clarita’s Only Business Publication www.scvbj.com

$4.50 · Volume 8 · Number 10

february 2017

Cover Editorial

Newhall Ranch Sets a Carbon-Neutral Course

SCVBJ Editor

“Santa Clarita Diet” Now Showing on Netflix

Patrick Mullen pmullen@signalscv.com

Med Tech Solutions Settles Into Valencia

661-287-5509

Features

SCVBJ Managing Editor

Newhall Ranch Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Jana Adkins

Amid Stable Health Insurance Rates and Coverage, Concerns About What’s Coming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

jana@signalscv.com 661-287-5599

Local Ski Shop Was a Pop-Up Before Pop-ups Were Cool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Advertising

Princess Cruises Unveils “Digital Concierge”.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

661-287-5564

Lessons From the NFL Season. . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Advertising Director

Top 10 Mistakes Employers Make to Get Sued. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Steve Nakutin snakutin@signalscv.com

La County’s Economic Recovery Still On Track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

661-287-5561

Canyon Club Coming to Valencia Town Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Multi-Media Account Executives

Warrior Fitness Buys Former Hart School District HQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CalArts Alumni Win Golden Globes for “Zootopia”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

City and County Film Industry on the Upswing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SCV Remembers Local Entrepreneur Tom Thornbury. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 More Than A Gym: Henry Mayo Fitness & Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Henry Mayo names Kingman Ho, M.D. as CMO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Two Real Estate Deals Total $27.1 Million. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Local Producer Settles Star Trek Lawsuit With Studios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Regional Chains Come to SCV. . . . . . . . . 17

SCV Business Services Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The List: Digital Media Companies. . . . . 21 SCVEDC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 SCV Chamber of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . 23 VIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Real Estate Section Commercial Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Residential Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Correction An article in the January SCVBJ misstated the annual revenue of Andy Gump Temporary Site Services. The correct figure is $23 million.

■ Five Point property in Castaic, part of the proposed Newhall Ranch project. Photo by Dan Watson.

From the Editor The Valley we live in would be quite different but for a decision members of the Newhall family made in the 1950s. Los Angeles County started taxing property based on the county’s idea of the land’s highest and best use. In the case of Newhall Land’s farmland, that meant residential use. Rather than sell chunks of land for piecemeal development, Newhall retained Austrian-born architect and urban planner Victor Gruen and the master-planned community of Valencia was born. A half century later, Newhall Land’s corporate successor, FivePoint, seeks approval for Newhall Ranch, a 21st century successor to Valencia. The approval process remains

unresolved after more than twenty years amid fierce debate over whether Newhall Ranch represents an outdated model of urban sprawl or a new vision of carbon-neutral development. This month, as public comment periods end for the latest phase of state and county review of the project, we provide an update on the project’s status.

Dawn Begley Maureen Daniels Monica Jaffe Toni Sims Administrative Assistant

Courtney Briley Circulation Circulation Manager

Pam Conley 661-287-5580 Art/Production Graphic Design Supervisor

Deborah Runions Photographers

Daniel Watson Katharine Lotze Executive Staff Publisher

Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor pmullen@signalscv.com

Index of Products and Services

Charles F. Champion II cchampion@signalscv.com 661-287-5578 Vice President and Editor

Jason Schaff jason@signalscv.com

Colliers International. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Exclusive Service Directory Group. . . . 27 Fast Frame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 JD Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Newhall Mansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

661-287-5515

SCVEDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Online www.scvbj.com

Signarama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

LBW Insurance Financial Services. . . . . 9

Valencia Acura. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Mission Valley Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Valencia Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal (a Signal publication), © 2017, is published monthly by the Santa Clarita Valley Signal newspaper, Paladin Multi-Media Group, Inc., 26330 Diamond Place, Santa Clarita, CA 91350. The SCV Business Journal is intended to provide business executives with a cross-section of industry news and information, trends and statistics that impact our growing community. Information gathered in the pages of the SCV Business Journal has been collected from what are considered reliable sources, and is believed to be accurate, but cannot be guaranteed. Articles may not be reprinted without publisher’s written permission. For reprint requests, please call 661-259-1234.

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Newhall Ranch Sets a Carbon-Neutral Course By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

onstruction of FivePoint’s Newhall Ranch master-planned community is expected to take 20 years once the first shovel hits the ground. Approval of the $12.7 billion dollar project, still not final, has taken even longer. To paraphrase Churchill, 2017 could represent the end of the beginning for a project on the banks of the Santa Clara River that promises to have as great an impact on the Santa Clarita Valley as Valencia, a development of comparable size built in a different time. Valencia welcomed its first residents in 1967 and is still not completely finished a half century later. Once complete, Newhall Ranch will include 21,500 homes, including rental and affordable housing, in nine villages. The project will set aside 10,000 acres of open space, and produce 60,000 permanent new jobs, according to FivePoint, the successor company to Newhall Land Co. (see timeline). Newhall Ranch ultimately is designed to include up to 11.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, seven new public schools, four fire stations, 11 neighborhood and community parks, and a public library. All told, the community is estimated to generate $388 million in annual property tax revenue and $410 million in annual income taxes. FivePoint, based in Aliso Viejo, owns about 32,900 acres on three sites: 30,000 acres at Newhall Ranch and Valencia, 2,100 acres at Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, the former El Toro Marine Air Station; and about 800 acres on San Francisco’s former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. “Transportation revolutions have always driven the growth of cities,” said Holly Schroeder, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp. “We’re at the dawn of clean energy and autonomous vehicle revolutions, and Newhall Ranch will be a big part of making the Santa Clarita Valley a leader in both.” Opponents say the plan represents an outdated model. “We don’t need this kind of urban sprawl on the last freeflowing river in Los Angeles County,” said Lynne Plambeck, president of SCOPE, the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment. Development in the valley should focus on the roughly 30,000 housing units that have received permits but remain unbuilt, she said. The most recent roadblock to Newhall Ranch came in November 2015, when the California Supreme Court said the developer didn’t prove the project met state guidelines to control harmful greenhouse gas emissions and protect the endangered unarmored threespine stickleback fish. To reduce impact on the fish, FivePoint redesigned two bridges to remove footings from the Santa Clara River bed that could impede the stickleback’s movement. “We didn’t see clear direction from the Court on what level of greenhouse gas emissions we needed to reach,” said FivePoint spokesman Steve Churm. “Rather than guesstimate an amount, we decided to eliminate any doubt by going to net zero.” Dubbed Net Zero Newhall, the goal of plan is to achieve net zero emissions of greenhouse gases from construction and operations, a first for a community this big in the United States. FivePoint plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars

“

■ Mission Village is one of the first phases of Newhall Ranch scheduled to be built. Courtesy rendering.

on 13 greenhouse gas mitigation measures as part of the revised plan, unveiled last November. Within the development, these include: • Designing homes, commercial buildings and public facilities to annually create as much energy as is used, using energy-efficient design and renewable energy generation, such as solar panels; • Electric vehicle charging stations in every home, 2,000 onsite charging stations in commercial and community areas, and subsidies for electric vehicle purchases; and • Electric school bus and neighborhood electric vehicle programs, transit subsidies, tech-enabled mobility features, bike-share and car-share programs, Elsewhere in Los Angeles County, FivePoint will pay to make schools and public buildings in disadvantaged communities more energy efficient. Climate Resolve, a nonprofit group dedicated to combating climate change, will manage this program. FivePoint will work with Plug In America on Net Zero Newhall’s electric vehicle infrastructure and installing 2,000 electric vehicle charging stations across Los Angeles County. FivePoint will partner with Climate Action Reserve, an environmental registry, to conserve forest land, reduce methane emissions at a California dairy farm, and pay for a clean cook stove – Jim Backer program in sub-Saharan JSB Development Africa to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Landmark Village and Mission Village are the first two Newhall Ranch subdivisions scheduled to be built. Landmark Village will be on 293 acres with up to 1,444 residential units, approximately 1 million square feet of mixed-use commercial space, an elementary school and a park. Mission Village will be built on 1,262 acres with up to 4,055 residential units and 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use commercial space, along with an elementary school, fire station and public library, among other uses. The commercial space, and prospects that residents can work near their homes, appeals to Calvin Hedman,

They have a right to develop their property”

president of a local accounting firm. “Unlike other developments that are residential only, this one helps rebalance the jobs to homes ratio.” “This project is overdue,” said Gary Saenger, president of an executive search firm and EDC board member. “It will bring an influx of quality homes, new schools, new jobs, and space for businesses to expand.” “They have a right to develop their property,” said Jim Backer, founder of JSB Development and a former Newhall Land employee. “If we take that away from them, we’ll eventually take it away from ourselves. “They’ve paid property taxes, employees, and consultants for 22 years for permission to build on property they’ve owned for 146 years.” Opponents said Newhall Ranch will clog the interstate with traffic, damage the Santa Clara River and not actually diminish greenhouse gas emissions. “Everyone is not going to buy a Tesla,” Plambeck said, adding that she doesn’t believe the project will be able to achieve net zero emissions. Noting his longtime opposition to the development, Kris Ohlenkamp, conservation chair of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, said the “project is not as disgustingly horrible as it was back then.” In remarks at a public hearing last month covered by The Signal, he said the developers only made positive environmental changes to their plan in response to lawsuits. Frances Herskovitz cautioned that the development would worsen already sluggish traffic along Interstate 5 through Calgrove. “The whole idea of sustainability is very important, but I believe that includes the ability to make a living and have a job,” Backer said. “This is a high quality project will create construction jobs and permanent jobs, and we need the new homes.” Newhall Ranch still needs final approval from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and county Department of Regional Planning and county Board of Supervisors. “It is our hope the entire approval process for both state and county will be concluded by end of June,” FivePoint’s Churm said. Even with expected further legal challenges, the company hopes to begin construction in mid-2018. ■

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Newhall Ranch Timeline Newhall Ranch is one of the largest real estate developments in Southern California’s history. It’s also among the most contentious and slowest to come to fruition. Here are some key milestones in the ownership and development of this piece of land over the 142 years since the Henry Mayo Newhall bought it.

for mass transit, a solid waste disposal plan and electric car recharging facilities.

1875 – Henry Mayo Newhall pays $2 per acre for 46,460

2000 – San Fernando Valley spineflowers are discovered in the footprint of the planned Newhall Ranch development. The plant was thought to have gone extinct in 1929, but a population was discovered in 1999 in Ventura County.

1883 – Following Henry Mayo Newhall’s death, his family

2003 – In May, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approves Newhall Ranch Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

1936 – Rancho San Francisco is renamed Newhall Ranch.

In July, Lennar Corp. and LNR Property Corp. form LandSource Communities Development LLC, as a holding company for Newhall Land and other assets.

acre Rancho San Francisco.

forms Newhall Land and Farming Co.

Late 1950s – Los Angeles County tax assessor starts

assessing farmland at its highest and best use - as residential. The Newhall family decides to develop a “new town,” Valencia, rather than sell land to residential developers.

1965 – Los Angeles County Planning Commission adopts

Newhall Land’s master plan for Valencia, a master-planned community that eventually includes more than 20,000 homes. By 2017, Valencia is 95% complete. Newhall Land later becomes FivePoint.

1973 – The federal Endangered Species Act includes the unarmored threespine stickleback on list of protected species. Newhall Ranch site is one of three habitats for the fish. 1987 – City of Santa Clarita is formed, with boundaries

that include most of Newhall Land’s Valencia master-planned community, but do not include future site of Newhall Ranch west of Interstate 5, which remains in unincorporated Los Angeles County.

1994 – Newhall Land Co. submits plans to Los Angeles

County for Newhall Ranch, a new master-planned community.

1997 – City officials in Santa Clarita criticize Newhall Ranch

at a regional planning meeting, saying the project would strain the city’s system of roads, sewers, schools and parks. The city seeks changes to the project including long-term funding

JDS_Half_SCVBJ_0316.indd 1

2007 – Lennar Corp. sells 68% of LandSource to California

Public Employee Retirement System for $970 million. Lennar retains a 32% stake in Newhall Ranch.

2008 – LandSource Communities Development files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. CalPERS is the partnership’s main investor. In a symbolic 14-0 vote, the Los Angeles City Council claims the Newhall Ranch development will hurt the city of Los Angeles, citing concerns about traffic through the Newhall Pass on Interstate 5.

2009 – Lennar Corp. buys back CalPERS’ investment in

Newhall Ranch. Lennar pays $138 million for a 15% stake in a new company, Newhall Land Development Co. Five lenders will own the other 85%. The agreement ends CalPERS’ investment in the project. The new company will be managed by Lennar’s chief investment officer, Emile Haddad.

2010 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife

certifies an EIR for two natural resource plans related to Newhall Ranch. The EIR concludes that Newhall Ranch’s emissions of greenhouse gases would have a less than significant impact on global climate and that mitigation measures would reduce impacts to protected fish species to less than significant levels.

2011 – In January, environmental groups sue the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and Newhall Land alleging

Newhall Ranch would destroy natural habitat for native plants and animals along the river, among them the San Fernando Valley spineflower and the unarmored threespine stickleback.

2012 – In February, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approves first phase of Newhall Ranch called Landmark Village, with 422 lots on 295 acres.

2014 – Los Angeles County Superior Court upholds environmental review process for Mission Village phase of Newhall Ranch. The court denies a writ filed by opponents of the development to nullify approval of the EIR.

2015 – In February, the Castaic Lake Water Agency and

Newhall Land agree to build a pipeline to Newhall Ranch, called the Magic Mountain Pipeline. The agency will pay for the pipeline, which will connect existing pipes to a holding tank called the Magic Mountain Reservoir to be built in Newhall Ranch’s second phase. In November, the California Supreme Court rules that Newhall Ranch’s developer must revise elements of the plan’s EIR related to greenhouse gas emissions and protection of the unarmored threespine stickleback fish. The company expects resolution of those issues to take about a year.

2016 – In May, Lennar Corp. reorganizes its FivePoint Communities Inc. into FivePoint Holdings, LLC. Lennar becomes the largest investor in FivePoint. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes protecting the San Fernando Valley spineflower under the Endangered Species Act. FivePoint notes that 227 acres of the development have been permanently funded and protected for the flower, and says it doesn’t expect any designation to change development plans. In November, FivePoint unveils Net Zero Newhall, its plan to make Newhall Ranch the country’s largest carbon-neutral master planned community.

2017 – On Feb. 13, public comment period ends for California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Draft Additional Environmental Analysis for the Newhall Ranch Resource Management and Development Plan and Spineflower Conservation Plan. ■

3/15/16 9:07 AM

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Amid Stable Health Insurance Rates and Coverage, Concerns About What’s Coming By Paul Parcellin SCVBJ Contributor

nyone who receives health insurance, whether from their employer or as part of a plan they buy individually, usually has to wonder every year what the future holds for them. Will coverage change? What will happen with premiums, benefits, co-payments and out-of-pocket payments? Those questions apply this year, but with a difference. With the anticipated end to the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare, no one’s exactly sure what to expect in the long run. “Everybody’s got a lot of questions,” said Vince Pappadato, proprietor of QuoteBroker, an independent insurance brokerage in Valencia. Three of the big ones: “How’s this going to affect me? How long am I going to have my subsidy, or is it going to disappear?” One thing is certain, though. So many people receive a government subsidy that eliminating the Affordable Care Act, as the new presidential administration and Republican-led House and Senate say they’re intent on doing, is likely to be problematic. “It’s going to have to be unraveled carefully or else it’ll really cause a lot of pandemonium in the marketplace,” said Pappadato. Some 20 million people nationwide have health insurance through the individual Obamacare exchanges or Medicaid expansion, according to CNN. That includes approximately 1.3 million enrollees in the Golden State that get health insurance through Covered California.

Families Face Choices As the Affordable Care Act has seen a surge in enrollments recently, there have been glitches along the way. Under terms

of the law, companies with 50 or fewer employees don’t have to provide health insurance. However, if they do, that prohibits workers’ families from receiving a subsidy if they choose to buy their own insurance rather than take the company’s offering. Pappadato’s company is advising many of its clients that it may be more cost-effective for the family to allow the individuals to go to Covered California and either get a small

“

Obamacare is “going to have to be unraveled carefully or else it’ll really cause a lot of pandemonium in the marketplace.” – Vince Pappadato, QuoteBroker

group plan through Covered California or get the subsidies. “It’s bad for our business, but it’s better for the client,” he said. Some of the small groups are seeing rate increases of 8 to 22 percent for 2017. But a couple of the groups with fewer than 10 individuals have had a 40 to 60 percent increase. The problem with smaller groups is that carriers must provide set rates to groups with fewer than 100 members, and the rates are based on age and geography. There’s no negotiation, said Pappadato. “That discriminates against the older worker, because if I’m in a small group, under 100 (people), and I’m a 58-yearold man, I have to pay the premium for a 58-year-old man. So, the 20 year old might only pay $212. I may have to pay

$800,” he said.

Most Increases Are Small Despite some large increases, overall, costs have remained relatively stable, said Haley Wiener, vice president of group benefits with LBW Insurance in Valencia. Many of her company’s clients had a two to four percent increase for employee insurance, and the company is covering the increase rather than passing it on to employee. Although most carriers had stable increases, she said, there were a few that were out of line. “If they were out of line we went to the marketplace to see if it was in the best interest to lead our clients to another carrier,” said Wiener. Coverage that the carriers are providing has also stayed stable. Wiener said that she actually saw some plans that ended up being better. Co-pays went down, but the out-of-pocket didn’t go down. “That to me is the most important number, because if you’re $10 or $10.50 an hour employee and your out-ofpocket is $5,000, that’s a lot, but it’s better than $100,000 when you’re sick,” she said. “I think the damage to coverage already transpired a couple of years ago when they started putting deductibles on HMOs and higher out-of-pockets,” she said. “That was already put in place. Now it’s little tweaks that some of the carriers are making.” “The stuff that’s happened to our benefits because of ACA, I don’t see that changing –higher out-of-pocket (maximums), more responsibility by us as consumers to pay more,” said Wiener. As for the individuals who are buying their own insurance, she doesn’t believe anything is going to change right away. “It’s going to be a long process, I think,” she said. ■

Small Business Snapshot

Local Ski Shop Was a Pop-Up Before Pop-ups Were Cool By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

elanie Teller has been selling ski equipment since before she could ski, and been in business in Santa Clarita since before there was a Santa Clarita. She owns Down and Beyond Skiwear Outlet in the Granary Square Shopping Center on McBean Parkway. Her store straddles the line between pop-up store and full-blown retail outlet, mainly because it’s open for only part of the year, from fall to spring. She has run a seasonal business for more than a quarter century, and this year’s mountain snows have been “fantastic. All the stars lined up this year.” Teller has selling in her blood, going back to her days at the Saugus Swap Meet with her parents. She remembers buying and reselling some beauty products, and enjoying it. At one point, she and another vendor were both selling snow wear, and decided to go into business together. The partnership ended when Teller was got married, and each went into business separately. The partner was out of business within a year. Teller’s still going strong. “He was a bit of a cheapskate, and didn’t like to carry too much inventory,” she said. “My feeling is that you want to look like you’re in business, not like

you’re going out of business. And that means having a good selection.” Teller started out just selling on weekends out of what had been the kitchen of a restaurant on Soledad Canyon Road, with merchandise displayed in a parking lot. But as Santa Clarita grew, a road widening project took the parking, and the addition of bike lanes took the building. Teller moved down the road to the corner of Bouquet Canyon Road. After 19 years there, she moved to the current location three years ago. It’s always been a seasonal business. “We used to take special orders all year long, but there wasn’t enough business to justify it,” she said. “Now we’re open from November to February or March depending on the weather. Then everything goes to a warehouse. People think pop-ups are new. They’re not.” The internet has been a mixed blessing for Teller’s business. “I used to spend more than the monthly rent on advertising,” she said, including on local radio and public access television, through direct mail, using door hangers and in The Signal. Now word of mouth and Google are enough. “The internet is a great source of free advertising.” Her local competition includes Big 5 and Dick’s Sporting Goods, but she says she beats them on selection. The web is See SNAPSHOT, page 7

■ Down and Beyond Skiwear Outlet has been in business since 1989, and on McBean Parkway for three years. Photo by Patrick Mullen.

SMALL BUSINESS SNAPSHOT Business name: Down and Beyond Skiwear Outlet Address: 25832 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355 Days and hours: Mon.-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12-5

Number of employees: 3 Did you write a business plan? No Recipe for success: Provide quality products, amazing prices and offer personalized customer service.

Date founded: 1989

Motto or mantra: Customer satisfaction is our number one priority

Description of business: Ski and Snowboard Apparel and Accessories

For more information: Phone: (661) 286-1013

Owner: Melanie Teller

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Princess Cruises Unveils “Digital Concierge” By Patrick Mullen

SCVBJ Business Editor

assengers on Valencia-based Princess Cruises will have first crack at a new wearable digital device the cruise line’s corporate parent unveiled this week. Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corp. & plc, which owns Princess and nine other cruise lines, announced the launch of Ocean Medallion in a keynote speech last month at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. His speech was a rare departure from the tech titans who typically headline the event. Ocean Medallion is a quarter-size 1.8 ounce disk that has no on/off button, needs no charging or instructions. It can be worn as a bracelet or pendant (available for purchase onboard) or carried in a pocket. The device offers vastly expanded wireless connection for cruise passengers, and may be a harbinger of things to come back on shore. Unlike earlier generations of such devices used at theme parks, no action by the user, such as tapping the device, is required. Sensors automatically pick up signals from the devices. One of the lead designers of the system is John Padgett, who helped develop the MagicBand used at Disney theme parks. Padgett joined Carnival in 2014. Prior to cruising, Princess will encode an Ocean Medallion with information

passengers provide online, laser-etches it with the guest’s name, ship and date of sailing, and mail it to the passenger. The device includes near field communication and Bluetooth low energy communication capabilities that interact with thousands of sensors, kiosks, interactive surfaces and smart devices installed throughout the ships and ports. Princess says the technology will speed boarding and unboarding. Once aboard, it will replace keycards, as it will sense the passenger’s approach to his or her cabin. Carnival says the device does not store

sensitive information, such as a stateroom number, and includes undisclosed authentication features. When making purchases with the device, passengers’ identities will be verified by checking their photo ID. A lost medallion can be deactivated and replaced. Passengers can order food and have it delivered anywhere on the ship, make purchases without any transaction, cards or paper, and engage in onboard wagering. It will also make it easy to locate friends and See PRINCESS, page 11

■ Exploded view of Ocean Medallion, a new wearable digital device, debuts aboard Regal Princess this November.

C E L E B R AT I N G F R I E N D S H I P

SNAPSHOT Continued from page 6 also a competitive threat. “With all the online shopping available, you better be offering something special to survive as a brick-and-mortar business. It helps us when people buy something online, wait for it arrive, find out it doesn’t fit, and have to return it. Then they come to us.” Teller doesn’t run sales, doesn’t try to match online prices, and doesn’t offer special discounts to first responders or anyone else. “I tell people that I give the same discount to everyone who walks through the door. It doesn’t matter who you are.” What she does offer is service with humor and a touch of sass. When a customer said he couldn’t take advantage of a buy-two-hats-get-one-free deal because the hat he liked only came in two colors, Teller told him not to worry, that she would take the free one. She remembers customers’ faces and preferences and she knows how to get antsy children to keep it together while their parents shop. Next to the register is a treasure box, from which children who behave get to choose a prize. “They have to earn it. It’s amazing how well kids will behave for a sticker and a little toy.” These days, some of those kids are with parents who were kids themselves when they first came to the store. That’s likely to continue. “I can’t imagine not working. I love what I do.” ■

More than a dealership, it’s a friendship. #OurValenciaAcuraStory “Twenty years ago we embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with the purchase of Valencia Acura at a time when the dealership ranked dead last nationally in sales and customer satisfaction. Infusing a culture of treating customers the way we wanted to be treated, we turned it into one of Acura’s highest ranking dealerships in customer satisfaction, and one of the highest in the nation for customer loyalty. Valencia Acura has been voted ‘Best Dealership in the Santa Clarita Valley’ 13 years in a row, and that’s only the beginning of our story.” — Don and Cheri Fleming, Owners

23955 Creekside Road, Valencia

ValenciaAcura.com | 661.255.3000

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Business Lessons From the NFL Season By Ken Keller SCVBJ Contributor

he National Football League’s season ends on February 5 when Super Bowl LI (51 to the rest of us) is over. Why do some NFL teams start out losing and stay on that path? Why do some start strong and crash? Why do some teams never seem to improve? Don’t think New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, or the other teams that regularly make the playoffs. Think Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, soon-to-be Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans. Here are some reasons why these teams fail to make it to the top tier of NFL teams – the same reasons why your company may be underperforming.

1. Lack of Commitment The first reason some team never get over the hump is a declining level of commitment by owner, coaches and players. Owners burn out and lose energy and focus. They often have other interests that take them away from the demands of running a football team. Coaches take their cue from the owner, start slowing down, and soon become beholden to the status quo. Players rapidly become disengaged, lose faith and hope, and demonstrate little or no initiative. It becomes a cycle of disappointment. In every business, all eyes are always on the owner and the managers. Employees take their cues from what they see and hear. Are you in a situation where you need to change what your team is seeing and hearing? Re-engage and stay re-engaged.

4. Welcoming Prima Donnas When some players on the team have a sense of entitlement and believe “This place is lucky to have me on the payroll,” you have a recipe for nothing but trouble. Players like this believe and act that rules, policies and procedures apply to others, but they are exempt. Think Terrell Owens. In business, sometimes owners are prima donnas and sometimes they tolerate managers and employees who act similarly. Individual contributors are fine but only as solid members of a team.

5. Keeping the Wrong Players Often coaches discover that there are both unqualified rookies and overqualified veterans on the team. The team’s needs have outgrown a player. A player’s past capabilities or contributions no longer work or are needed. A change is needed but making it can be difficult. Letting players go is not easy but it is seen as simply part of the business of football. Business owners and managers need to learn how to terminate underperformers. Failing to take action provides every other employee an excuse for not doing their best and it keeps the company from achieving results.

2. Lack of Respect When the owner and coaching staff make it clear that players are only on the team to play football as told to them and not to think, these grown men wonder why they are on the payroll. They might even see themselves as equipment. This kind of atmosphere can quickly cause the most loyal, most passionate and most productive players to start doing the bare minimum. The attitude of “I’ll give them my time and nothing more” is not uncommon among losing teams. Is this happening in your company?

3. Constant Coaching Changes I find it absolutely astounding that when a team fails to win games, the coaches are the first to get fired. While it is true that some teams can rapidly improve with a coaching change, it is not the norm. Coaches teach, mentor, guide and help players become better at their craft. But what happens on the field during practice and a game depends solely on what these highly paid professional football players actually do. Only when the team has the right players doing the right things on the field during the game will results improve. The same is true in your business. Do you have the right managers and employees in the right positions?

6. Time-wasting Meetings Every NFL team has a rhythm of meetings during the season. Sometimes the entire team meets but often each area has separate meetings. There is a goal to each meeting, Time is valuable and punctuality and engagement are expected. These meetings are not seen as a waste of time but rather as an investment in winning. By themselves, business meetings do not improve performance, communication, or teamwork. But if every meeting has a purpose and a goal, and is kept to the minimum amount of time necessary to take care of the agenda, attendees won’t see meetings as a waste of time.

7. Failure to Practice In a game, players work together on every play. Each individual has a specific role. Mistakes happen but the goal of practicing is to minimize mistakes and to train to get the best result possible during the next game. During practice, coaches make sure that behaviors and miscues are called out and corrected. There is a focus on

teamwork and execution to drive towards results. Most businesses don’t even practice fire or emergency drills, so it goes without saying that other types of practice are only a dream. Yet owners and managers expect employees to perform at a high level. Do you see a disconnection?

8. No Scoreboard Every fan keeps an eye on the scoreboard, whether they are watching the game on a TV or a mobile device. At the stadium, coaches and players also keep their eyes on the scoreboard, particularly the game clock. The scoreboard lets everyone know what’s taking place on the field and measures the results of the team in real time. In too many companies, there is no scoreboard for employees. As an employee, it’s hard to cheer or know what you need to be doing when you do not know if your company is ahead or behind.

9. Lack of Feedback In the NFL, everything is filmed and the information derived is used to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, which plays worked and which ones did not, which players will start and who will not. Each team has a depth chart, so players know where they stand in terms of competition for precious playing time. Between the team meetings, practices and evaluating each play, it’s a level of micromanagement that allows coaches to put the best possible players on the field for every play. Doing this increases the likelihood of winning more games. That level of micromanagement is not necessary in business, but every employee deserves candid feedback during the course of the year. It’s been my experience that this doesn’t happen as it should. Employees often have no idea how they are doing versus expectations and no idea how to improve. In all nine areas we’ve just looked at, three things stand out that separate better teams from those that need considerable improvement. First is the simple fact that better teams have better players. Whatever system has been created to identify, recruit, onboard, prepare and evaluate players on the team, the goal is to field a better team. Second, in all the processes mentioned above, more successful teams have evaluated what they are doing and they do them better than their competition. Third, there is total alignment on the winning teams. On the Patriots and Packers, there is total commitment to excellence from top to bottom that you do not see in Jacksonville or Cleveland. Which model is your company following? ■ Ken Keller is the CEO of Strategic Advisory Boards. Strategic Advisory Boards guides leaders to their desired future through use of peer perspective, best business practices and leadership tools while reducing risk and unnecessary expense. For a complimentary leadership assessment, please visit www. strategicadvisoryboards.com. Keller’s column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of The SCVBJ.

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Top 10 Mistakes Employers Make to Get Sued By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

mployers may unintentionally violate employment laws, simply by trying to provide flexibility for an employee, to save money for the company, or just to be nice. To help your company avoid litigation, take note of the top 10 mistakes that can lead to employment lawsuits. This list was compiled by the California Chamber of Commerce’s Employment Law Counsel. This list won’t apply to all employers, as regulations and collective bargaining agreements may override these general rules.

1. Classify all employees as exempt It is easier to pay everyone a salary, rather than dealing with meal and rest breaks, overtime, time records and such. Why not pay every employee a salary? They’ll like the fact that they will make the same amount of money each pay period. Under state and federal law, certain types of positions may be exempt from overtime requirements, as well as meal and rest breaks. An exempt employee is usually one who is paid a specified amount of money regardless of how many hours are worked in a week. An employee who does not qualify for an exemption is considered nonexempt and subject to overtime, required meal and rest breaks, and time-keeping requirements. Typically, exempt employees are high-level executives, administrative or professional employees, or certain artists or outside sales staff. Employers sometimes designate employees as “nonexempt salaried.” This status does not exist. A nonexempt employee must be paid for all hours worked in a pay period, including overtime. California specifically requires that all hours worked and corresponding pay rates be included on employees’ pay stubs. More employers are being sued for unpaid off-the-clock work for nonexempt employees. This may result in improper classification of an employee as exempt. If an employee is truly nonexempt but classified as exempt, the employer isn’t tracking hours worked, since exempt employees aren’t subject to such requirements.

2. Let employees eat lunch when they want Employees must be provided at least a 30-minute, unpaid off-duty meal period if they work for more than five hours, and it must happen no later than the fifth hour of work. Failure to provide such a break can result in an additional hour of wages owed to the employee. Your recordkeeping practices should reflect that you provide your employees their meal break before the end of the fifth hour of work. “Late lunches,” after the end of the employee’s fifth hour, are not permitted. “Early lunches” may be allowed, as long as the lunch is provided no later than the end of the fifth hour of work.

3. Make everyone an “independent contractor” Wanting an employee to be an independent contractor or the employee wanting such status, doesn’t make it so. This is a ripe area for claims and litigation. The “independent contractor” is content until money becomes an issue, such as a worker’s compensation claim, unemployment insurance, state disability insurance, or paid family leave benefits. Problems arise when the Franchise Tax Board or the IRS want tax payments, but the

“independent contractor” hasn’t been making quarterly payments, owes money, can’t be found or has no assets. Now the employer, who has money, and has failed to make the required withholdings, owes. Independent contractor status does not have a fixed definition shared by all relevant government entities. The main determining factor is degree of control: Who decides how work is performed, who supplies needed tools and equipment, and where the work is done? Another important factor is whether the work is a regular part of the employer’s business. If you hire an independent contractor to help make your company’s product, chances are that individual is an employee. If you make a product and hire someone to paint your building, that person is an independent contractor.

7. Don’t give employees their final check if they keep company property It may seem reasonable to withhold the final paycheck from employees who don’t turn in company property, such as laptops or cell phones, when they quit or are fired until they turn in such items. However, in California, failing to meet final paycheck deadlines can carry a hefty penalty. If an employee quits or is terminated and gives 72 hours’ (clock hours, not business hours) notice, the employee’s final paycheck must be available on the last day of work, and must include payment for all hours worked through the last day, including overtime and accrued and unused vacation pay. Absent 72 hours’ notice, the employer has 72 hours to prepare the final check. Otherwise, waiting time penalties – of one day of wages for each calendar day the check is late, (up to 30 days) – start to accrue, with the money going to the employee.

Employers sometimes designate employees as “nonexempt salaried.” This status does not exist.

4. Don’t provide harassment prevention training Employers with 50 or more employees are required by law to provide two hours of training on sexual harassment for their supervisors. This training must be conducted every two years. The training must include a component on the prevention of abusive conduct. Employers have an affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct harassing conduct, and training can be vital. The law presumes that once a supervisor is aware of harassment, the company has a duty to correct the problem. California employers must instruct supervisors to report any complaints of misconduct to a designated company representative, such as an HR manager, so the company can try to resolve the claim internally.

5. Let employees choose their work hours

8. Provide loans to employees and deduct them from paychecks California limits payroll deductions to those authorized by law (like state and federal taxes, Social Security and disability insurance) or by the employee for benefits such as health insurance. Also permitted are withholdings for 401(k) and flexible spending accounts,

child support orders and wage garnishments. Deductions for loans to employees are not permitted. So if you lend money to an employee, have the employee sign a promissory note that your legal counsel has reviewed, and set up a repayment schedule.

9. Use non-compete agreements to prevent employees from working for the competition With few exceptions, California prohibits non-compete agreements. There are other ways to protect trade secrets. Prohibiting an employee from working for someone else is limited because it infringes on an employee’s ability to work and earn a living.

10. Implement a “use it or lose it” vacation policy California does not permit “use it or lose it” vacation policies. Accrued vacation time is a form of wages that do not go away. Reasonable caps on vacation accrual are allowed, but once accrued, vacation time cannot be taken away. It must be paid at termination at the current salary. There is no limit on how far back an employee can claim vacation time. The best option is a reasonable cap on accrual, perhaps two weeks of accrual each per year. ■ For more information on California employment laws and HR compliance, contact the California Chamber of Commerce at (800) 3318877, or visit CalChamber.com. The full white paper is available at https://www.calchamber. com/hr-california/Pages/top-10-lawsuit-risks. aspx?tsource=WSO

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State law limits the number of hours most employees can work without being paid overtime. One exception to overtime laws is an alternative workweek schedule. But employees can’t simply decide to work four days a week, 10 hours a day. Employers must follow specific steps to start a valid alternative workweek schedule. Employees may request make-up time and work without being paid overtime if they take time off for personal reasons under specific conditions: they make up the time in the same workweek when time will be or was missed; that they work no more than 11 hours in a day or 40 in a week; the employer agrees; and the request is in writing.

6. Fire any employee who takes a leave of absence Employees have legal protection when they’re away from work for various reasons, including workers’ compensation, disability, pregnancy, family and medical leave, military leave, and jury duty. Since July, 2015, California employees have had the right to accrue and use paid sick leave. State and federal laws also protect against retaliation for taking a covered leave. Thus the employer can’t wait and terminate the employee upon the employee’s return to work. Any termination of an employee while the employee is on a protected leave, or soon after the employee returns to work, must be for a nondiscriminatory business reason, unrelated to the protected leave.

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FEBRUARY 2017

LA County’s Economic Recovery Still On Track By SCVBJ Staff

os Angeles County’s economic recovery should continue over the next five years, a new economic update finds, but the road ahead is not altogether smooth. While job growth will continue, the jobs in greatest demand will require the least education. This raises questions about how those low-skill workers will make their way into the middle class. “Although battered during the Great Recession, Los Angeles continues on a steady employment growth path, which looks certain to continue over the next few years,” according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.’s Institute for Applied Economics. County employment is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent over the next five years, adding 334,000 jobs across a range of industries. Four service industries will account for the greatest number of new jobs: • Health services are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 2.7 percent, adding more than 106,000 jobs over the next five years; • Professional and business services will add jobs at an average annual rate of 2.4 percent, adding more than 75,000 jobs in a range of industries;

Source: Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.

• Leisure and hospitality will add almost 47,000 jobs over the next five years; and • Information, encompassing the region’s entertainment industry and growing digital media sector, will add almost 20,000 new jobs over the next five years. Other industries are coming into their own in Southern California and will become larger drivers of the Southern California economy. These include advanced transportation and fuels, biosciences, and digital media. Entry-level and unskilled jobs will be in great demand, the report found. More than one third of the new and replacement jobs expected in the next five years won’t require

a high school diploma or work experience, and another 30 percent will require only a high school diploma. “The strong correlation between educational attainment and earnings signals challenges ahead for delivering economic prosperity to all residents, as residents with lower-paying jobs are unlikely to be able to support a middle-class household,” wrote the report’s authors, Christine Cooper, Ph.D., Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, and Shannon Sedgwick. Household incomes have increased steadily for the last 25 years, from $34,965 in 1990 to $59,134 in 2015. But adjusted for inflation, household incomes have

fallen steadily, and are still 6 percent below where they were in 1990. As the economy continues to improve, poverty rates continue to fall, the report said. The individual poverty rate is now at 16.6 percent, a decrease of 2.5 percentage points from the peak of 19.1 percent reached in 2012. But due to LA County’s high cost of living, the actual poverty rate likely exceeds the official rate. The report provides more evidence that Southern California’s stubborn housing shortage continues. As of September, the median home price in Los Angeles has risen for 53 consecutive months, but home sales are lagging due to low inventories. Meanwhile new home construction has been slow to ramp up, particularly for new homes in the low- to mid-price ranges. If this housing shortage continues, the report warns that an insufficient supply of housing priced within reach of low and middle income households may make it difficult for firms to attract enough workers to keep the economy growing. Risks to continued employment growth in Los Angeles County include the likelihood of a national recession within the forecast period, which the report said is relatively low, and a continuing slowdown in global trade, which would have a negative effect on the region’s significant logistics and distribution industry. ■

Canyon Club Coming to Valencia Town Center By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

n 1,100-seat live music venue is coming to Santa Clarita this fall. Sterling Venue Ventures will open its fifth Southern California location at Westfield Valencia Town Center mall. Canyon Club Santa Clarita will occupy a former Red Robin and adjoining space. Lance Sterling started the company in 2001 with the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. He’s since opened the Sabon in Beverly Hills and the Rose in Pasadena, and manages the Libbey Bowl, an outdoor venue in Ojai. “Living in Agoura, we understand Santa Clarita,” Sterling said. “We know our audience. Nobody in either place wants to drive to downtown LA for a show. They also don’t want to have to stand up for three hours.” His venues feature dinner seating that can be cleared for a dance floor and some standing room. Adding a fifth location gives Sterling additional leverage as he books acts in competition with Southern California’s two dominant concert promoters, AEG and Live Nation. “An act that plays for them can’t play for us for six months,” he said, due to contract terms known as radius clauses. “Having multiple venues allows us to compete by booking acts for multiple nights.”

Sterling’s venues range between 760 and 2,000 seats. Santa Clarita’s will feature a CaliBurger outlet, bar, VIP lounge, and full dinner service, in a space of 25,000 to 30,000 square feet. Sterling says he gets calls from cities all over Southern California trying to recruit the company, but Santa Clarita, like Pasadena last year, stood out in their willingness to work with the company to make the move as painless as possible. The city has received numerous requests from residents for more live music options said Evan Thomason, economic development associate with the city. Santa Clarita’s

economic development office recruited Sterling and gave him a tour that included 15 possible sites. “This is a big win,” Thomason said. “Last year, they opened the Rose in Pasadena and we expect the venue in Santa Clarita will be similar in size.” “We’re a family-owned business, so we have to control our growth and manage our risk,” said Sterling, who helped develop the House of Blues chain in the 1990s. He caters to an audience that can afford a night out for live music, but no longer has the time or energy to make it an all-night proposition. “Our headliners start at 9 p.m., not at 8:59, not at 9:01,” he said. “And the show is

■ Lance Sterling, owner of the Canyon Club, which is expanding to Santa Clarita. Courtesy photo.

done by 10:30. Our customers aren’t going to have 10 drinks, they’re going to have 1.7. They’re not afraid of paying $30 for a steak, but it had better be perfect.” Westfield has been in talks with Sterling for months, he said. “We know that when 1,000 people come to one of our shows, we only feed about 250 of them. So that’s 750 potential customers for nearby restaurants.” Sterling has a lease on the space and an architect to design it, and is working on figuring out what the audience here wants to hear. He wants Santa Clarita residents to let him know what bands to book at the new venue. Upcoming acts at the Rose in Pasadena provide a taste of the range of artists Sterling books. Headliners include War, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Taj Bachman, Jefferson Starship, Eric Johnson, Eddie Money, Cubensis with Groove Session & Strawberry Moon, and Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles. Audience demographics differ at each of the company’s venues, and Sterling expects Santa Clarita’s audience to skew younger than Agoura Hills, while Pasadena skews older. “One thing we know,” he said, “is that Pat Benatar sells out everywhere.” ■ This story was first published in The Signal on Jan. 14.

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

PRINCESS Continued from page 7 family around the cruise ship, and book shore excursions. “It’s like a modern day currency, and the most advanced currency you can imagine,” said Max Burton, CEO and chief designer with Matter, a digital design firm in San Francisco that worked with Carnival on Ocean Medallion’s design. The medallions are powered by proprietary technology developed by Carnival Corp. that features an Internet of Things network of intelligent sensors and computing devices. Ocean Medallion will work with the Ocean Compass app for guests and crew that is available via interactive displays throughout the ship, on stateroom TVs or on mobile devices. “The Ocean Medallion is an amazing use of technology that potentially redefines travel as we know it,” Donald said. “It opens an entire world of experiences, and the personal power it unleashes is huge.” Use of the medallions will debut this November on Regal Princess, a 144,000ton ship that carries 3,560 passengers and a crew of 1,346. While in drydock in Italy, Regal Princess was outfitted with 72 miles of cable, 7,000 sensors, 650 readers and more than 4,000 interactive portals that communicate with the medallions. Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess will be overhauled this spring for cruises launching early next year, as part of the new Ocean Medallion Class to be rolled out over several years across the Princess Cruises fleet. The line carries two million passengers a year. “With this innovation, from the moment our guests first engage with us, their experiences will be powered by their preferences, from extra pillows to their favorite drink,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “Services they desire will be delivered seamlessly, in real time, often without asking, where and when they want them.” The technology will improve customer service, Swartz said, by providing realtime information to crew members about passengers’ food and beverage preferences, and favorite activities on board and ashore. The medallion is part of what the company has dubbed a highly personalized “experience ecosystem.” As cruise ships have grown ever larger, cruise lines have vied for ways to make the experience less overwhelming. Use of the medallion will be “intuitive, but not disruptive. Personal, but not invasive,” said Michael Jungen, Carnival Corp.’s senior vice president of experience design and technology. Passengers may opt out of using the medallion if they find it intrusive. The technology could be useful in other industries, Donald said, suggesting the benefits of a patient checking into a hospital and being recognized without filling out any forms. In addition to Princess, Carnival Corp. owns Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, and P&O Cruises in Australia and the United Kingdom. The combined lines operate 102 ships that go to more than 700 ports worldwide. ■ This is an updated version of a story that first ran in The Signal on Jan.7, 2017.

■ Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald holding an Ocean Medallion

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FEBRUARY 2017

Warrior Fitness Buys Former Hart School District HQ

CalArts Alumni Win Golden Globes for “Zootopia” By Christina Cox

T ■ The former Hart district headquarters will soon be the home of Warrior Fitness & Wellness Camp

By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

he former district offices of the William S. Hart Union High School District will become the new home of Warrior Fitness & Wellness Camp. The building, at 21515 Centre Pointe Parkway, sold last month for $3.2 million. It had been listed for $3.6 million. Warrior Fitness expects it to open this summer. Warrior Fitness & Wellness combines aspects of a commercial gym and a weight-loss program, said founder Tchicaya Missamou. “We realized that we cannot focus only on fitness,” he said. “We must also work on wellness” with a focus on weight loss. The company’s programs reflect Missamou’s years as a U.S. Marine Corp sergeant. “Everything I learned in Marine boot camp, we will apply.” His African upbringing is also an influence. The training is usually conducted outside — and often in public — running, carrying one another for extra weight and getting hosed down as they lift massive poles together as a team. “It’s Congo-style. American people use machines, but we would use manmade things in Africa — tires, water hoses, street poles. My training combines these things together,” Missamou said. Up to six customers at a time will live on site for from one week to one month in a program modelled after boot. “To change their situation, people need to change their environment, and we will provide a safe setting where that can happen,” Missamou said. Missamou was forced to fight in the Congolese civil war at age 11 before emigrating to the United

MED TECH

Continued from page 1 money by relocating from Pasadena. An additional factor that tipped the scales in favor of this region is the Santa Clarita Economic Development Corporation’s “warm, welcoming environment for a business.” “That sealed the deal for us,” he said. The firm, which was founded in 2006, was up and running when the Affordable Care Act was put in place, and that played a major role in helping the business get off the ground. “Just the influx of technology into the health care market since 2009 through the stimulus act and through the ACA has really allowed our company to grow because we focused on medical technology,” said Deck. “Many of our customers who previously had paper records or older computer systems now felt the need and had the budget to invest in the technology.” Deck said he’s seen a lot of expansion in health care. More people are insured now and new health centers have been springing up around the country. “I think the ACA helped fuel some of that expansion,” he said.

States and joining the military. He traces his interest in helping people achieve a healthy weight to his upbringing by three women who all had weight issues that contributed to their diabetes. He was stationed in Ventura for part of his tour of duty. Familiar with Santa Clarita from shopping trips, he and his wife Ana bought a house here in time for the arrival of their twin daughters (since joined by a brother) in 2006. The 16,777 square foot building, built in 1988, is being renovated to include a gym, weight room, cardio room and spin room. Outside, it will feature an obstacle course, a pool, and an unusual feature: a 182-step exercise stairway that takes advantage of a hill on the 129,000 square foot site. “Life is an uphill battle, and everyone wants to get to the top,” Missamou said. “Every step you climb makes you stronger.” The Hart district moved its district offices to a 30,000-square-foot office across the street at 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway in January 2014, which it has since bought for $8 million. Warrior’s move is also a short one, from rented space on Diamond Court. The company has experienced a decade of rapid growth for the company since it started in a garage in Saugus in 2006. The district had hoped to sell its former building for $3.85 million when it went on the market in 2014, according to a board meeting agenda. The sale was complicated by state rules requiring school districts seeking to sell property to go through an auction process. The Hart district received a waiver from that rule. ■

wo California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) alumni won Golden Globe Awards last month. Directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore, who both graduated from CalArts in 1987 with degrees in Film/Video, won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Motion Picture for their work on “Zootopia.” “We wanted ‘Zootopia’ to be a film that not only entertained kids, but also spoke to adults about embracing diversity even when there are people in the world who want to divide us by using fear,” Howard said in his acceptance speech. The film, which took five years and 800 people to create, tells the story of an investigation of a rookie bunny cop and a con-artist fox as they work together to solve a mystery in their city of anthropomorphic animals. “Zootopia” has grossed more than $341 million domestically and more than $1 billion

worldwide since its release last March. It was praised for its message of diversity and its ability to address topics of racism and prejudice through animation. “And on top of all that we still managed to fit in a joke about a sloth working at the DMV and that, my friends, is a big victory for all of us,” Moore joked in his acceptance speech. Prior to winning the Golden Globe, “Zootopia” won 20 other awards for excellence in animation including the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Animated Feature and the American Film Institute (AFI) Award for Movie of the Year. Howard and Moore were among five CalArts alumni nominated for Golden Globes by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. CalArts alumnus and Director John Musker was nominated for his work on “Moana,” and alumni and producers Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst were nominated for their work on “Transparent.” ■ This story first was first published in The Signal on Jan. 9.

This story was first published in The Signal on Jan. 11.

Looking at a Bright Future With the future of the Affordable Care Act in doubt, one might expect that companies such as his might be hurt, but

■ Med Tech Solutions has developed CareKiosk for patient registration. Courtesy photo.

Deck is optimistic about the future. While it’s hard to see what lies in store, Deck said we won’t see too much of an impact in California, especially where his business is concerned. Whether there’s a Republican-ledsolution or a Democrat-led solution it’s likely to require a fair amount of technology to implement it. Specializing in medical technology puts Med Tech in line to fulfill healthcare providers’ growing technical needs. Recently, the company rebranded itself from MTS Healthcare to Med Tech Solutions, and now has its website at MedTechSolutions.com. In addition to IT support and cloud storage, Med Tech Solutions offers the CareKiosk, a patient registration device that the company developed. It allows patients to fill out the myriad of in-take forms on an iPad and store the information. The CareKiosk reminds patients of upcoming appointments and allows them to fill out forms before they even come in to the doctor’s office. Med Tech’s software will remember who you are and the next doctor who is using the CareKiosk can access that information if the patient opts to share it. “Gone will be the days when you’re just handed a clipboard,” said Deck. “You’ll feel that the health care system really knows you.” ■

FEBRUARY 2017

SDC

Continued from page 1

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

years, Bonstin, a Burbank resident, said it’s a pleasure to work on a show in Santa Clarita. Residents aren’t jaded by the blitz

the point of a trailer), the show’s version

of location filming that Los Angeles area

of Santa Clarita includes the whole valley,

residents have endured for decades, and

not just the city. It shows Castaic. Specifi-

the city’s film office is truly helpful, he

cally, it’s a view you’d get heading out of

said. There’s a return on the investment to

town north on I-5, with the Castaic Sports

Santa Clarita being film-friendly. The city

Complex visible on the right, the Castaic

estimates some 6,000 people in the film

Inn on Ridge Route Rd. and, in the dis-

industry live in Santa Clarita and those

tance, the freeway climbing toward the

salaries go right back into the community.

Grapevine.

Showrunner Victor Fresco, Barrymore,

The show will explore the timeless

Olyphant, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky,

question of how to maintain a healthy

Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell are

life/undead balance in modern suburbia.

executive producers on the series. Nancy

At one point, Olyphant’s character says,

Juvonen is a producer. ■

■ Timothy Olyphant plays Joel Hammond on “Santa Clarita Diet,” which premieres Feb. 3 on Netflix. Photo courtesy of Netflix.

incredulously, “You eat people.” Barrymore’s response: “I know. It’s just that I’m so confident. I can parallel park in one move now.” Beyond showing a family living on a quintessential Santa Clarita cul-de-sac, not much about how the city will come across is clear from the trailer. The only address shown, 2798 Cinder Green, isn’t real, though it is the name of a Beanie Boo stuffed dragon. The original comedy is not only named for and set in Santa Clarita. It was filmed here. Olyphant and Barrymore play Joel and Sheila Hammond, husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives here with their teenaged daughter Abby, played by Australian native Liv Hewson. Filming last summer at a local studio and on location around town was kept

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under wraps. Netflix didn’t reveal the show’s dark premise. Instead we learned “Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending their lives down a road of death and destruction, but in a good way.”

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For Netflix, the show represents a new stage of growth, as “one of the first shows to get produced in-house by Netflix it-

Thursday • March 30, 2017

self,” said location manager Brooks Bon-

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stin. “We’re doing it entirely in-house; it’s an interesting experiment.” It is very much a locally-based production, with all

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but one scene (shot nearby in Stevenson Ranch), filmed in Santa Clarita, Bonstin told the SCVBJ last fall. “It’s a pretty standard size TV crew. We have 50 to 60 working on the set; then the office staff and folks at base camp,” Bonstin said. “We’re employing well over 100 people.” Those are decent, good paying jobs, Bonstin noted. Eighty percent of the crew positions are union. And the show is employing “lots and lots” of Santa Clarita Valley residents. Filming locally spares them a commute, so they try hard to get work on this and other shows that film in Santa Clarita, he said. Having done location work for several

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

City and County Film Industry On the Upswing By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Business Editor

ecording another strong year, television and film location filming pumped $33 million into the Santa Clarita economy last year, according to the city’s film office. This is the fourth year in a row the estimated economic impact generated from location filming has topped $30 million. “The work of the film office is a small part of what makes Santa Clarita an attractive place for productions,” said Evan Thomason, economic development associate with the city. “We’re in the 30-mile-zone, we benefit from the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program, and we offer a wide variety of locations that can double for almost anywhere in the world.” “In addition, Santa Clarita has more than 20 sound stages, more than 10 movie ranches, and some of the lowest filmpermit fees in the Los Angeles area,” he said. It’s the third year in a row the city’s film office has recorded more than 500 permits and more than 1,300 film days. In 2016, the Film Office recorded 548 film permits and 1,366 film days. Due to the need for city permits, location filming is the most easily tracked piece of local film and TV production, but doesn’t reflect the full economic impact of the entertainment sector. The reported numbers don’t include filming on certified sound stages run by local studios, which don’t require permits. Given the competitive nature of the business, studios tend to be tight-lipped about the finances of production deals. TV production accounted for more than half of local location filming days for 2016. This included locally-based shows including “Atypical,” “Blunt Talk,” “Good Girls Revolt,” “The Guest Book,” “Man vs. Master,” “Mistresses,” “NCIS,” “Santa Clarita Diet,” “Shooter,” “Stitchers,” “Switched at Birth,” “Ultimate Beastmaster,” and “Westworld.” “Ballers,” Dwayne Johnson’s HBO series now taping in Santa Clarita, shows the impact of state incentives. After two years of production in Miami, the show, about the post-playing career of a former NFL star, moved to Southern California when Florida ended its film incentive program.

“Ballers” is the seventh TV series to relocate to California via the expanded tax credit program that went into effect in 2015, according to a statement from the California Film Commission. The show, which received an $8.3 million tax credit, is shooting 10 episodes in California, where it will employ 135 cast, 209 base crew and 5,700 extras. Among movies shot in Santa Clarita in 2016 is “A Wrinkle in Time,” directed by Ava DuVernay. Cur- ■ Rob Corddry and Dwayne Johnson star in “Ballers,” which films in Santa Clarita. rently filming around town, Shoot days include on-location filming requiring a local it stars Resse Witherspoon, permit, not shooting on sound stages. Chris Pine, Zack Galifianakis and Oprah Winfrey. Feature film production increased 22.5 percent to 1,322 The Disney production is receiving $18 million in state shoot days in the fourth quarter of 2016. For the year, the incentives, making it the largest single beneficiary of the state feature category grew 12 percent, making 2016 the strongest incentive program, according to the California Film Commission. The program was revised this year to allow movies year for feature production in L.A. since California introduced its first film incentive program in 2009. with budgets over $75 million to qualify for tax breaks. Any production that qualifies for state incentives, or has Feature film projects qualified for the state tax credit pulled more than four permits for location shooting, auto- program generated 15 percent of recent production in this matically qualifies for city incentives. These include waiver category. Some of the projects filming recently on-location of various city fees. include “A Wrinkle in Time,” now filming in Santa Clarita, “The film office works hard to be a one-stop shop for pro- “Bright,” “Magic Camp,” “Miles,” and “Suburbicon.” ductions,” Thomason said. “It is gratifying to see feature film work and related jobs “We coordinate with the L.A. County Fire and Sheriff’s returning to Los Angeles,” said FilmL.A. President Paul departments and with all city departments to make the proAudley in a statement. “The incentive is working as intendcess as easy as possible.” ed in bringing exciting new projects to the area.” More broadly, a surge in feature film production, helped On-location television production also set records in by state tax credits, pushed on-location filming across 2016, despite a weak fourth quarter that saw TV production Greater Los Angeles up in the last quarter of 2016, accorddrop by 1.3 percent. For the year, TV production was up 4.8 ing to FilmL.A. FilmL.A. is a not-for profit organization that is the official percent, to 14,463 shoot days. The report found that 11 percent of shoot days for film office of the City and County of Los Angeles and 20 TV comedies and 39 percent of shoot days for TV draother jurisdictions. mas were generated by projects enrolled in the state inThe increase helped make 2016 the busiest year in recent memory, as annual filming increased 6.2 percent over 2015, centive program. ■ Earlier versions of this story were published in The Signal on to 39,605 shoot days, said FilmL.A. Feature film shoot days Jan. 12 and Jan. 18. were up 5.1 percent.

SCV Remembers Local Entrepreneur Tom Thornbury By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Business Editor

USC’s School of Public Health. A longtime Valencia resident, Thornbury started three companies that are based here. Neotech Prod-

om Thornbury, founder of several local

ucts Inc. makes neonatal, pediatric and respiratory

manufacturing companies, died Jan. 8 at

products. Softub makes portable hot tubs and has

the age of 74 from complications due to

grown from its founding in a garage to distribution

ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A native of Ohio, he had a lifelong interest in astronomy. The pull of California sunshine led

in all 50 states and 30 countries. With his wife Angie, he launched La Fête Design, maker of outdoor furniture.

him to transfer from the Massachusetts Institute of

Thornbury loved travel, astronomy, and dino-

Technology to the University of Southern Califor-

saurs, and sponsored several dinosaur digs. The

nia’s School of Engineering.

Utah Thornbury Dinosaur Expedition discovered

Too busy working to attend his USC commencement, the lifelong Trojan loyalist finally picked up his diploma four decades later, walking down the aisle with his daughter, who was graduating from

a well preserved skeleton of a 150 million-year-old sauropod. In addition to his wife, Thornbury is survived by five children and three siblings. ■

■ Neotech Products Inc. President Craig McCrary(left), Co-Founder and President Tom Thornbury (center), and Co-Founder and Medical Director Arnold Heyman in the Neotech Products Inc. warehouse in Valencia in 2012. Photo by Dan Watson.

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

More than a gym:

Henry Mayo Fitness and Health By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Editor

anta Clarita’s newest fitness facility, owned by Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, is carving a niche that it hopes will distinguish it from the commercial gyms it competes against. Its target audience includes those who might be intimidated by health clubs and their passing parade of perfect bodies, said Bill Holstein, general manager of Henry Mayo Fitness and Health. “I’ve been in the fitness business for 30 years, and have worked for the top corporate clubs,” Holstein said. “This is my first time with a hospital-based fitness center and it’s an amazing experience. The things we’re doing here are why I got my degree in this field. We’re helping people achieve their goals.” Henry Mayo Fitness and Health is part of a growing national trend toward medical fitness facilities that are integrated within larger health delivery systems. About three million

■ Henry Mayo Fitness and Health on Town Center Dr. in Valencia. Courtesy photo.

Americans are member of about 1,400 such facilities across the country, up from 79 in 1985, according to the Medical Fitness Association in Hilton Head, N.C. The average age of members is 50, older than typical members of commercial gyms, and includes many formerly gymaverse baby boomers trying to reverse the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. About half of these members have at least one chronic health condition. Two key elements differentiate such centers from commercial gyms, said association president Bob Boone: medical oversight that aligns with the parent health system’s current clinical approach (and broader national clinical thinking), and programs that connect with other types of care the system provides. “Fitness centers add a new dimension to care,” Boone said. “Historically, we haven’t had a health care system so much as we’ve had a sick care system that treats symptoms. As we move more toward value-based, preventive care, we’ll see more of this kind of integration.” Such connections come in several forms at Henry Mayo. The hospital has moved its physical therapy and occupational therapy departments to the fitness center, along with its health education center. A clinical integration coordinator works with physical therapy patients during and after their active rehabilitation. Holstein, a 12-year resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, points to a thorough three-stage “onboarding” of new members’ health status and risks as another example of medical integration. Conducted by a trainer with a four-year degree in exercise science or kinesiology, the study of the mechanics of body movements, the first step is a one-hour overall health assessment. This captures data on resting heart rate, body composition, flexibility, strength, functional movement, and lung capacity. Results are fed into the center’s MicroFit fitness assessment software, used to track members’ progress and status. Next, new members have a 30-minute cardiovascular

Henry Mayo Names Kingman Ho, M.D. as CMO

enry Mayo Newhall Hospital has hired Kingman Ho, M.D., to serve as vice president of professional services and chief medical officer. Ho will work with hospital leadership and medical staff as a member of the hospital’s executive leadership team. He will oversee strategic patient quality and safety initiatives and work with the chief of staff, department and committee chairs, and other physician leaders. “We are pleased to have such an accomplished healthcare leader join the Henry Mayo team and help us create an exceptional healthcare environment for our patients, physicians, and staff,” said Roger Seaver, Henry Mayo’s president and CEO, in a statement. “The involvement of physicians is integral to achieving superior clinical outcomes and reaching our goals, and Dr. Ho will help us do that.” Board certified in internal medicine, Ho most recently was medical director of adult hospitalist medicine at University of Washington Medicine Valley Medical Center and vice president of operations at Southlake Clinic, both in Renton, Wash. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Johns Hopkins University and a medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey—Robert Wood

■ Kingman Ho, MD, is the new chief medical officer at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Courtesy photo.

Johnson. He completed a residency and internship in Internal Medicine from Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and recently received his master’s degree in business from University of Washington Foster School. Ho has received numerous honors and recognitions including being named Top Doctor by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine for the past four years and the University of Washington Medicine Cares Award, the National Institutes of Health Award. ■

evaluation, based on the FITT principles, used to determine a person’s capacity for exercise based on frequency, intensity, time and type. Finally, there is a half-hour strength orientation to familiarize members with how to use gym equipment, including settings and breathing techniques. Then, 90-120 days into membership, a follow-up evaluation looks at what’s working and not working in order to revise ■ Reception area at Henry Mayo Fitness and Health. Courtesy photo.

an exercise program as needed. Opened last fall, the 53,500-square-foot facility includes 40,000 square feet for fitness equipment and a basketball court, 7,500 square feet for physical therapy, a 2,500 square-foot education center, and a 25-meter pool partly covered open-air pool, and sauna. A group exercise studio currently hosts 40 classes a week, including yoga, HIT (high intensity training), and PIYO (Pilates combined with yoga). The club has a full circuit of Life Fitness strength machines, cardiovascular fitness equipment, each with a personal viewing screen, a free weight area, specialized circuit equipment for those who require a softer touch, an indoor cycling studio, child care, steam and sauna, and massage services. One difference from commercial health clubs is that Henry Mayo, which has 700 members, will cap membership at 3,500, a goal Holstein expects to reach within two years. Commercial clubs can have 8,000 to 10,000 members, he said, and with that comes pressure on employees to sell memberships. Membership is $75 a month on a month-to-month basis, with no long-term contracts. The hospital is leasing the building, which had sat empty, and worked with Boulder Associates architects and Intertex as general contractor on the overhaul. The fitness center, at 24525 Town Center Drive in Valencia, is open Monday-Thursday, 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Friday, 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ■

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Two Real Estate Deals Total $27.1 Million

■ MannKind Corp. is selling its Valencia headquarters to a Los Angeles-based real estate investment trust. Courtesy photo.

By Patrick Mullen SCVBJ Business Editor

wo prominent local buildings were sold last month in Santa Clarita, one of an office and industrial building, the other a retail strip center in the heart of Valencia. MannKind Corp. is selling its Valencia Gateway headquarters for $17.3 million to a private real estate investment trust. And a little more than three years after buying it and sprucing it up, Trion Properties has sold Valencia Town Center Plaza, a retail strip center in Valencia. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, MannKind said it is selling its property, which include manufacturing space and land, to Rexford Industrial Realty. Rexford is buying 11.41 acres of land, a 146,000 squarefoot building, and MannKind’s “improvements, personal property, equipment, supplies and fixtures” at the site. The two-story building was built in 1999 and includes 50,000 square feet of office space, 40,000 square feet of lab and support facilities, and 52,000 square feet of warehouse space. MannKind will lease space in the building. MannKind, a biopharmaceutical company, is trying to launch Afrezza, a rapid-acting inhalable insulin powder for treatment of diabetes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Afrezza in 2014. Afrezza was intended to be the first widely available drug to use MannKind’s Technosphere formulation technology based on a class of organic molecules that are designed to self-assemble into small particles onto which drug molecules can be loaded. These can be inhaled, replacing medications that can only be delivered by injection. The company was founded in 1991 as Pharmaceutical Discovery Corp. In 2001, it merged with two other companies owned by Alfred Mann and moved to Valencia. The sale provides MannKind with a significant cash

infusion. Its stock has declined by 56 percent in the year since it ended a marketing agreement with Sanofi to distribute Afrezza. “In my opinion the only thing that has really changed as a result of this deal is that the company bought itself an additional 6 to 10 weeks of time in which to find something that will resolve many of the issues that ail” MannKind, said Spencer Osborne, an analyst who follows the stock. Rexford is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates 136 industrial properties across Southern California. The company owns about fifteen million rentable square feet and manages another 19 properties with about 1.2 million rentable square feet. A spokesperson for Rexford said the company would have no comment on the transaction until it closes. According to MannKind’s SEC filing, the deal will close within three business days after a 25-day period that started when Rexford received specified documents last month. Rexford has placed $500,000 in escrow and will pay the balance when the deal closes. Separately, a private real estate investor bought Valencia Town Center Plaza for $9.8 million. Trion, a private equity investment firm in Los Angeles, paid $6.8 million for the 26,168-square-foot property in October 2013. According to Trion’s website, the firm bought it “from an heir to the owner/operator who purchased

the asset prior to the economic crisis.” At the time, Trion described the property, built in 1998, as “a distressed class A asset” with occupancy below 50 percent. The company spent $860,000 renovating the two-story building at 24510 Town Center Drive, and has recruited new tenants. The building includes ground-floor retail storefronts and second-floor commercial office space. Real estate brokers CBRE describe Town Center Drive in leasing documents as a half mile, pedestrian-oriented mixed use project designed to evoke a traditional Main Street. It contains 800,000 square feet of retail, commercial and residential space. ■ Earlier versions of this story were published in The Signal on Jan. 18 and Jan. 14.

■ Valencia Town Center Plaza on Town Center Drive.

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Local Producer Settles Star Trek Lawsuit with Studios By Patrick Mullen

SCVBJ Business Editor

alencia-based producers of a Star Trek themed fan film last month settled a lawsuit filed by owners of the science fiction franchise’s intellectual property. The crowdsource-funded film and a planned sequel expand on a storyline from the original 1960s NBC television series created by Gene Roddenbury. In late 2015, Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios sued Axanar Productions and its owner, Alec Peters, over the short film, “Prelude to Axanar.” According to a joint announcement of the settlement, “Axanar and Mr. Peters acknowledge that both films were not approved by Paramount or CBS, and that both works crossed boundaries acceptable to CBS and Paramount relating to copyright law.” In early January, U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled in favor of Paramount and CBS, and said “the Axanar Works have objective substantial similarity to the Star Trek Copyrighted Works.” The settlement means the case won’t go to a jury trial. As part of the settlement, “Axanar and Mr. Peters have agreed to make substantial changes to Axanar to resolve this litigation.” They also said that any future Star Trek fan films produced by Axanar or Mr. Peters will abide by fan film guidelines that CBS and Paramount released last June. Paramount and CBS will not object to, or take legal action against, Star Trek fan productions that are non-professional, amateur, and otherwise meet those guidelines. The settlement allows Axanar to split the planned feature film into two fifteen-minute segments, and to show them and “Prelude to Axanar” commercial-free on YouTube. Peters first produced the documentary-style “Prelude to Axanar” by raising $101,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. It first appeared on YouTube in 2014. Peters is an unabashed Star Trek fan. When the lawsuit was filed, he said that independent fan film made for non-commercial purposes were part of a long and rich relationship between fans and studios. He plays Captain Elvar Garth in “Prelude to Axanar” and played Garth of Izar in two episodes of the fan-based web series “Star

■ Ares Studio owner Alec Peters displays some of the science fiction movie props and memorabilia on display in the lobby at Ares Studio in Valencia. Photo by Dan Watson.

Trek New Voyages: Phase II.” He has also written for the Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Blog and in 2008 created Propworx Inc., which sells costumes and set pieces through high-end auctions for the movie and TV industry. In a separate statement, Axanar said it was pleased to resolve the lawsuit. “We have expressed our desire to address the concerns of the studios, and our willingness to make necessary changes, as long as we could reasonably meet our commitments to Axanar’s over 14,000 donors, fans and supporters. We are now able to do exactly that.” In its fan guidelines, CBS and Paramount said they are “big believers in reasonable fan fiction and fan creativity” within certain limits. Productions must be less than 15 minutes for a single story with no more than two segments. Additional seasons, episodes, parts, sequels or remakes are not allowed. The

Regional Chains Come to SCV By SCVBJ Staff

wo regional restaurant chains opened in adjacent spaced in Santa Clarita last month near the intersection of Magic Mountain and McBean parkways. Presto Pasta and Hook Burger Bistro opened in January, Presto Pasta features fast casual Italian food “that fills the gap between fast food and a more formal sitdown restaurant,” said co-owner Jeff Schuberg. The menu includes pastas, chicken, shrimp, or eggplant parmesan, pizzas, salads and subs. Schuberg and his brother Ken expanded to Camarillo in 1995 and Granada Hills three years ago, and also have outlets in

Ventura and Newbury Park. “Business in Granada Hills was off the charts, so we started looking for similar communities,” Schuberg said. “The demographics of Santa Clarita are fantastic.” The Schubergs learned the Valencia location was available from an old friend, Brent Reichard, who founded The Habit Burger Grill in 1969. He and his brother Bruce sold The Habit, which has grown to 178 locations, in 2007. After a period of semi-retirement, they opened the first Hook Burger Bistro in Oxnard in 2010. The Valencia Hook will be the sixth location, touting upscale burgers as “fine dining on a bun.” ■

name “Star Trek” can’t be in the title, and productions must be subtitled “a Star Trek Fan Production.” Content must be original, props must be licensed merchandise, fundraising can’t

exceed $50,000, and producers can’t charge for viewing or sell ads. Fan videos can’t include profanity, nudity, obscenity, pornography, depictions of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or any harmful or illegal activity. ■

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Appointments

Hunt C. Braly

Jaion Chung

Nicholas DePasquale

Appointed: Board Chairman Habitat for Humanity, San Fernando/\Santa Clarita Valleys Remains with Poole & Shaffery LLP

Appointed: Partner, Poole & Shaffery LLP Formerly: Associate with firm

Appointed: EVP, Gothic Landscape Formerly: VP, maintenance division, Gothic Landscape

Robert J. DiPrimio

Nada Duna

Jodie Hoffman

Marty Kovaks

Appointed: Board President Castaic Lake Water Authority Board member since 2014

Appointed: COO, maintenance division, Gothic Landscape Formerly: SVP, BrightView Landscape

Appointed: Supervisor of Adult Education, Golden Oak Adult School, William S. Hart Union High School District Formerly: Coordinator, Career and College Readiness Department, William S. Hart Union High School District

Appointed: 2017 Chairman, Southland Regional Association of Realtors, Inc. Remains with Kellar-Davis Inc.

Kimberly Moore

William Pesci

Andrew Sevanian

Stuart A. Tross, Ph.D.

Appointed: Partner, Poole & Shaffery LLP Formerly: Associate with firm.

Appointed: Board Vice President, Castaic Lake Water Authority Board member since 1998

Appointed: Associate, Poole & Shaffery Formerly: DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., Paramount Pictures Corp

Appointed: Chief People Officer, MannKind Corp. Formerly: SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer, Amgen Corp.

Submit Hirings, Appointments and Promotions to pmullen@signalscv.com with “SCVBJ Appointments” in the Subject line.

Business Assistance – SCVEDC at Your Service By Holly Schroeder

ave you ever wondered just how many businesses are here in the Santa Clarita Valley? Jump in your car and take a drive through the Commerce Center off the I5 and 126, the Industrial Center along Rye Canyon and Avenue Scott, MannKind Park on Rye Canyon Loop, or Centre Pointe along Centre Pointe Parkway, to have a first glance. In our high-growth industry sectors alone, including Aerospace and Defense, Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Digital Media and Entertainment, Biosciences, and Corporate HQs, there are more than a thousand SCV businesses. Now consider the myriad of

businesses needs these companies face every day – hiring and workforce development, business and financial planning, tax credits and incentives access, real estate needs for growth and expansion, navigating regulatory processes, utility or permitting issues resolution, merger and acquisition opportunities, connection to local suppliers and business resources, to name just a few. Where do these companies start to address any or all of these needs? They start with the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation. SCVEDC is a non-profit organization partnered with the City of Santa Clarita, County of Los Angeles, and private-sector leaders in our community with one mission

– growing quality jobs in the Santa Clarita Valley. One key aspect of achieving this is our dedicated support of businesses in SCV, acting as

one-stop connection, referral and direct problem-solving business resource. For example, consider just some of the programs available to companies that perhaps you’ve never heard of, and could mean thousands of dollars in savings to your company: • California Partial Sales Tax Exemption for Manufacturing and R&D Equipment • California Partial Sales Tax Exemption for Construction and Tenant Improvements • City of Santa Clarita Use Tax Rebate Program • California Competes Tax Credit • Federal and State Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credits • California Employment Hiring Credit

• Foreign Trade Zone • America’s Job Center at the College of the Canyons • Work Opportunity Tax Credit • Employee Training & Workforce Development • Apprenticeship Programs for the 21st Century And that’s just the beginning. As a non-profit, our services are provided at no cost to businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, underscoring our commitment to being the most business-friendly region in Los Angeles County! To learn more, please contact me or our Business Assistance Manager, Sue Arellano, at 661-288-4400. ■ Holly Schroeder is President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

Even Small Businesses Need a Big Security Solution By James Deck CEO, JD Systems

One of the misconceptions of a small business is that, because of its size, it is not as susceptible to hacking attacks – and that can be a dangerous assumption to make. The truth is: hackers don’t care who you are or what you do. They don’t care if you’re a large business with thousands of employees, or if you’re a small startup in the suburbs of your hometown. They don’t care if you’re in the healthcare industry or if you’re a small goods manufacturer. All they care about is stealing your data. If you don’t take measures to protect your data, you could be dealing with a major issue that can’t be ignored. All businesses no matter their size rely on their mission-critical data to function, and all

businesses have information that’s valuable to hackers. For example, most companies have a Human Resources department that collects information about employees and potential new hires, including their Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and so on. Likewise, your business’s Finance department holds banking and credit card information for both your clients and your own business. If this information were to fall into the hands of hackers, it could be catastrophic. Even though hackers will use variable tactics to infiltrate and infect a computer network with viruses, malware, spyware, or other threats, they often don’t target specific data. In fact, hackers often don’t target specific businesses at all. Instead, hackers will send out widespread scams designed to infect any and all who are foolish

enough to click on a suspicious link or download a file. These threats are most often embedded in phishing emails that execute a malicious payload. (Phishing scams are designed to get a user to visit a malicious website, download an infected attachment, or click on a link.) Your business can take significant precautions by implementing security solutions that are designed with the enterprise in mind; specifically, a firewall, an antivirus application, spam blocking, and web content filtering solutions. These security measures are all necessary to minimize your business’s exposure to online threats. They can prevent your team from accessing malicious websites, keep threats out of your system, and eliminate the majority of spam that hits your inbox. Furthermore, executing a powerful antivirus application can swiftly destroy any threats that do manage to

infiltrate your system. Whether your business is large or small, it’s always prudent to implement security solutions. Unified Threat Management solutions like those mentioned above are designed to detect and resolve abnormalities in your systems. As a safeguard against malicious threats, we recommend you consult with a skilled technician who understands the everyday difficulties that come from managing technology, including optimizing security. James Deck is the Chief Executive Officer of JD Systems and an innovator in the information technology field for nearly two decades specializing in Managed Services, Cloud Solutions, and mobile and web application development. The content for this article is produced by Directive. James can be reached at jdeck@jdsystemsinc.com or (626) 486-9330.

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

Business Owners, You Can Avoid Financial Catastrophe Be Aware of Regulation Changes, Learn More at Employment Law Update By Brian Koegle

Poole & Shaffery, LLP With California continuing to hold sway as a leader in regulations, it’s never a dull moment for businesses. Although few of the 898 bills Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law last year significantly affect employers, the slack has been picked up by municipal governments, administrative agencies and the courts. That means if you are a small business in California you’ll continue to feel the pain of regulations. The following information is a taste of some of the more sweeping changes for California employers. For a more complete breakdown of the latest changes affecting your business, Poole & Shaffery’s fifth annual Employment Law Update, will be presented on Feb. 21 at 11:45 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Register at www.employmentlawrsvp.com.

Minimum Wage Laws While a Texas judge stopped the nationwide increase in the minimum salary for exempt employees, California was not granted a reprieve for the increase in the statewide minimum

wage which became effective on January 1, 2017. For businesses with 25 or fewer employees the rate remains at $10 per hour until next year. However, for businesses with 26 or more workers, the wage increased to $10.50 per hour. Further, on July 1 the wage in unincorporated business sectors of Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles will shoot up to $12 per hour for employers with 25 or more employees – on the way to $15 hourly by 2020. The lowest wage earners will be affected by these increases, and it is also important to note that these increases have a “trickle up” effect, influencing the minimum salary of even salaried, exempt employees.

Mandatory Sick Leave Another convoluted state vs. city vs. county variance in the law is in the relatively new sick leave requirements. The cities of Los Angeles and San Diego require accrual of 48 hours of paid sick leave annually, compared to the 24hour cap permitted by state law. Unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will soon have a similar plan, and the location of where the worker performs services dictates which

regulation will apply for the calculation of sick pay.

Sexual Harassment Policies The Fair Employment and Housing Commission issued new regulations that require certain information to be included in every employer’s harassment prevention and reporting policies.

Employers must now: • Communicate specific policies in writing; • List the categories of individuals protected by the Fair Employment and Housing Act; • Provide a specified complaint procedure to ensure complaints are kept confidential (to the extent possible), responded to in a timely manner, investigated by “qualified personnel” in a timely and impartial manner, documented and tracked; • Advise and instruct supervisors on reporting procedure for any complaints of misconduct; • Provide that allegations of misconduct will be addressed in a fair, timely, and thorough investigation;

• Instruct employees that if misconduct is found during the investigation, appropriate remedial measures will be taken; • Ensure that there will be no retaliation against employees for lodging a complaint or participating in an investigation. I can’t stress enough that if your policy does not address those issues clearly, you need to revise your handbook as soon as possible. This represents just a small sampling of changes which will affect your business in 2017 and beyond. Register today for VIA’s Employment Law Update, where David Poole and I will review all of the important changes to the law, and will take time for your questions. Visit www.employmentlawrsvp.com to sign up, because this event will most certainly sell out. This year, make sure your business avoids financial catastrophe by ensuring you are in compliance with California’s ever-changing regulations. Brian Koegle is a partner with Poole & Shaffery, LLP, with a focus on employment and labor law. He is a member of the California State Bar and Los Angeles County Bar Association. For more information visit www.pooleshaffery.com or call (661) 290-2991.

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

Acura’s NSX Hybrid Supercar Named ‘Car of the Year’ By Cheri Fleming Valencia Acura

Smart, sporty, sexy. Doesn’t that sum up how many would like the world to see us? While it may or may not be attainable in the flesh, it certainly is within our reach with the car we drive. Actually, the car we drive is not only a personal choice but often a professional one. Image plays into the decision, as does the professional reputation we want to project. Maybe it’s a family car, luxury sedan or sporty coupe that best fits our lifestyle and work needs. If the persona to embody is prestige, you’re in luck. It’s been a great year for the auto industry, according to Business Insider now in its third year of sampling and rating vehicles. Insider considers each finalist in terms of three

important questions: Was the vehicle compelling to drive? Did it stand apart from the competition? And did it involve a strong business case for the automaker that created it? When all was said and done, Acura’s NSX supercar stood victorious over all others. While the competition was notably fierce, I’m proud to announce the 2017 Acura NSX has been named Business Insider’s 2016 Car of the Year. Acura’s NSX supercar is not only a worthy, exciting winner and a triumph for Acura, but it has also revived one of the greatest love stories in the history of the automobile, the publication cited. You see, the first-generation NSX – New Sportscar eXperimental – sold under the Acura luxury brand name in the US in 1990 and was a real game changer. “It proved that Honda [Acura’s parent company] could build a state-of-the-art supercar capable of taking on

the best Europe had to offer, but with Japanese reliability,” stated Business Insider. After 15 years, the NSX retired in 2005 and work began on its successor. And now the wait is over. With its sleek design, and generating 573 horsepower, the twin-turbocharged V-6 offers on-demand power. With traction going to all four wheels, the NSX offers endless grip around corners. And even better, Acura’s decision to go with hybrid technology was sheer genius. Business Insider experienced the NSX in three distinct settings: on the road, on the race track, and on another track with a pro driver at the controls. “The NSX proved to be stunningly good to look at, joyful to drive, and easy to live with.” And let me mention that while there’s an array of stunning exterior colors to choose from, a personal favorite of ours is one fittingly named “Valencia Red Pearl.” Imagine

what heads will turn when this supercar hits the streets of Santa Clarita! By the way, the NSX is an all-American machine designed in California and proudly built in Ohio. It just arrived in the Valencia Acura showroom. We invite everyone to stop by to feel the excitement and be one of the first to own this supercar! Celebrating 20 years serving the community, Valencia Acura is a local, family-owned car dealership located at 23955 Creekside Road in Valencia. Valencia Acura has been recognized as a prestigious Acura Precision Team Dealer of Distinction for 10 years, awarded Acura’s Council of Excellence for 11 years, and voted Santa Clarita’s Best New Car Dealership for 13 years by the Signal newspaper. Owners Don and Cheri Fleming can be reached at (661) 255-3000. Visit www. ValenciaAcura.com.

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

Turning Receivables Into Working Capital By Janet Shinkle

turn. By obtaining cash for invoices

Mission Valley Bank

within 24 hours, a business eliminates

Need financing faster than a conventional loan might allow? Then consider Accounts Receivable (AR) financing, which is fast becoming a popular option and good alternative for businesses to accelerate cash flow by financing open invoices. In fact, more and more financially sound small to mid-sized businesses are finding AR Financing to be a great tool to help manage cash flow and grow their business. Today, many qualified borrowers are choosing AR Financing over more traditional forms of credit available to them because of the flexibility and unique benefits this type of financing provides. As an example, a business generating $2 million in gross annual sales creates $166,000 per month. If receivables are paying in 30 days, then the business could improve its cash position by over $5,000 for every day it improves its AR

a frozen asset on the books and replaces it with a predictable source of working capital to run the business. In addition to working capital, cash

receivable. Simply put, the more current the invoice, the more value it is assigned. When utilized, AR Financing bridges the cash gap between a company’s payables and receivables immediately.

could be used to meet payroll needs,

How it works

take advantage of trade discounts, extend

The lender purchases all of a company’s qualifying current and future receivables at an agreed upon discount rate and pays the company for all current receivables immediately. The lender continues to pay the company for new receivables as they are generated, generally within 48 hours of origination. This greatly enhances the reliability of the borrower’s cash flow stream, effectively allowing the borrower to operate as an all cash business.

credit to customers, and meet expenses or fuel business growth.

What is AR Financing? AR Financing is simply the selling of outstanding invoices or receivables at a discount to a bank, finance or factoring company, providing quick cash to the business. It is an asset-based financing arrangement where a company’s receivable accounts are used as collateral in exchange for cash bridging the gap between payables due today and receivables remitted in 30 days or more. The value assigned to the account depends upon the age of a

What to think about Before making the decision whether AR Financing is right for your business, do your homework and explore all your

options, including traditional lines of credit and term loans, SBA Financing, or personal financing. While many financially sound small to mid-size businesses are selecting AR Financing as their preferred form of credit, determine if it is truly right for your business. Here’s one last word of advice if you decide that AR Financing is a good choice for your business: carefully select your lender. The right relationship can make a huge difference with regard to the success, and even the survival, of your business. Janet Shinkle is vice president and relationship manger with Mission Valley Bank, a locally-owned, full-service, independent, commercial bank with Preferred SBA Lender status serving the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. She was named “2015 Most Trusted Advisor - Business Banking” by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal and can be reached at (661) 775-4111. MissionValleyBank.com

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

World-Class Back Office at a Fixed Subscription! It’s not too late to welcome the new millennium By Gajaba Hewamadduma CFO Plans In this interview, Gajaba Hewamadduma, founder and CEO of CFO Plans, provider of cloud-based back-office financial management, discusses how the Woodland Hills-based company serves companies of all sizes in various industries, and how business owners in the Santa Clarita Valley can benefit from what CFO Plans has to offer. Q: Tell me a bit about your company and why you launched. GH: I’ve been in accounting and finance for almost 20 years at senior capacities, with a range of companies, from large to start-ups. I noticed that the playing field was unfair for smaller and/or younger companies, because of the hefty operating capital required to compete with the big dogs. Potential employees look at how effectively you run your back-end operation. Today, most accounting, finance, and HR systems are cloud-based. You don’t need bespoke systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or a physical back office to run an efficient business. We deliver cloudbased solutions. Our team of experts,

supported by highly qualified accountants, becomes your back office team. This is not the local CPA doing your books. We determine and provide the most suitable systems, assign a dedicated team, and set up regular and instant communications. It’s like a never-ending chat on how to improve your business. Best of all, our price is fixed and you don’t have workplace liability or HR headaches. Q: How does fixed pricing work? GH: Most service firms charge by the hour. As a client, I hated this model, as you never knew how much you’ll get billed. Ironically, no one has time to count hours. We fix this by assessing your work volume and quoting a price that remains fixed no matter how many hours we work internally. We’re more like salaried employees without the titles. We’re confident that you’ll save 70% of what you spend now, based on our clients’ experience. Q: What do they get for that price? GH: We manage accounting, finance and HR. We are your CFO, controller and staff. Depending on volume, we manage how many people we assign. That’s our worry, not yours, and we do the work at the quality level we promise.

Q: What industries do you serve? GH: We have clients in media, technology, B2B services, real estate, software, retail, e-commerce, restaurants, night clubs, and pharmaceutical. The list goes on. Q: With a restaurant’s daily transactions and employee tracking, how is that possible remotely? GH: We believe remote accounting for restaurants and similar establishments offers better control. We use state-of-theart systems to schedule and track employees’ time. Employees report to work by clocking in, using a GPS-tracked mobile app. Their manager approves hours and the information seamlessly integrates with payroll. From on-boarding to termination, the process is paperless with due control points. This eliminates errors and provides a solid audit trail. Accounts payable is paperless, including required approvals. The restaurant point-of-sale system syncs into the general ledger. Our team monitors, records, and reconciles transactions, almost in real time. We handle everything from data tracking and recording to monthly financials. When a client looks at the dashboard we create, they can act on current accurate

information. Q: How do you manage data security? GH: We don’t save data internally and all applications have bank-grade security. Our applications are from Intuit, Zenefits, Bill.com, Square, Lightspeed, Gusto and other reputable vendors. For example, to hire an employee, we only need five data points: name, email, title, start date, and salary. The employee enters other personal data, during online onboarding. This eliminates mistakes and keeps data secure. When you fly, you trust the pilot; At the bank, you trust the teller. Likewise, our employees are highly qualified, trained and background checked, so you needn’t worry about security. Our internal controls don’t allow one individual to carry a transaction from start to end. Q: What if a company has an established financial team? GH: Usually, we handle the full back office. Sometimes, we augment the internal team and handle fewer functions. We’re agile and will make it suitable for you. You can contact CFO Plans at new@cfoplans.com for a consultation, or visit www. cfoplans.com

FEBRUARY 2017

THE LIST

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Digital Media Companies (Listed by number of employees)

Company

First Name Last Name

Title

Address

# Employees

California Institute of the Arts

Steven Lavine

President

24700 McBean Pkwy., Valencia 91355

690

Arvato Digital

Dominik Dittrik

Executive Vice President

29011 Commerce Center Dr., Valencia 91355

382

Scorpion Internet Marketing

Rustin Kretz

CEO

28480 Avenue Stanford, #100, Santa Clarita 91355

350

Deluxe Digital Media Mgt Inc

Michael Alvarez Sr.

Manager

29125 Avenue Paine, Valencia 91355

172

Wayforward

John Beck

Chief Executive Officer

28738 The Old Road, Santa Clarita 91355

100

ATK Audiotek Corp

Michael MacDonald

Owner

28238 Avenue Crocker, Valencia 91355

Andrews Electronics

Dan Balor

Vice President

25102 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia 91355

Hi Torque Publications

R. S. Hinz

President

25233 Anza Dr., Valencia 91355

Signal Multimedia

Chuck Champion

President

26330 Diamond Pl., Santa Clarita 91350

Mye Entertainment Inc.

Anthony Garcia

President

25129 The Old Road, Ste. 305, Stevenson Ranch 91381

Richard Photo Lab

Brian Greenberg

Chief Executive Officer

28022 Industry Dr., Santa Clarita 91355

Santa Clarita Studios

Mike DeLorenzo

President

25135 Anza Dr., Santa Clarita 91355

Technifex Products LLC

Montgomery Lunde

President and CEO

25261 Rye Canyon Rd., Valencia 91355

Status Not Quo

Scott Capistrano

President

26336 Citrus St., Valencia 91355

The Attraction Services Co., Inc

Melissa Townsend

President

25625 Hercules St., Santa Clarita 91355

Mobiltape Company Inc.

Michael Zeilinger

President

24730 Avenue Tibbitts, Unit 170, Valencia 91355

AV West LLC

Fred Scripture

Member

19965 Rhona Pl., Santa Clarita 91355

Big Fish Audio Inc.

Tom Meadows

President

29033 Avenue Sherman, Santa Clarita 91355

Alpha & Omega Entertainment

Branden Morris

Owner

24451 Mira Vista St., Valencia 91355

Alpha Sounds & Lighting Co.

John Virden

President

24846 Avenue Rockefeller, #100, Valencia 91355

Background Images Inc.

Dan Ellis

President

28159 Avenue Standford, Unit 120, Valencia 91355

Caravan West

Peter Sherayko

Owner

35660 Jayhawker Rd., Santa Clarita 91390

Cort Howell Productions

Cort Howell

Owner

28328 Constellation Rd., Santa Clarita 91355

Vista Electronics Inc.

Ron Schwab

Owner

28472 Westinghouse Pl., Valencia 91355

West Coast Water Tenders

Andrew Sarvis

Director

34855 Petersen Rd., Santa Clarita 91390

Attraction Media & Entertainment Inc.

Jon Corfino

President

25597 Via Velador, Valencia 91355

Source: Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp.

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Economic Development Corporation Santa Clarita Valley

Content provided by

26455 Rockwell Canyon Road | UCEN 263 | Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | (661) 288-4400 | www.scvedc.org

SCVEDC Voices

Mitzi Like CEO/President of LBW Insurance & Financial Services “In Santa Clarita I can run my business, lead in my community, and spend time at home with my family…all within a few miles. It’s good for my family, and my employees’ families. It’s a great community and a big part of LBW’s success since moving the business here in 2004.

Roger Seaver

Jason Renno

Gary Saenger

CEO/President of Henry Mayo

Senior Loan Officer of Wintrust Mortgage

Founder & President of Saenger Associates

Newhall Hospital

“My family and I enjoy living and working in the SCV, and appreciate the sense of pride you see throughout the city. When you have a large portion of residents that live and work here you have more involvement and sense of community. It’s a place where family, entertainment, and business can all co-exist for a more enjoyable way of life.”

“In Santa Clarita we are fortunate to have strong community alliances with the city, education, law enforcement, and nonprofits, anchored by the strategic direction from the SCVEDC. I love to live in a community that is both family-friendly, and business friendly—and working close to home saves precious time I’d otherwise be wasting on a long commute.”

“Our optimism about the future of the Santa Clarita Valley is founded on the quality of life already present, and the leadership of those who have committed to maintain and improve the valley’s ability to entice businesses to grow and develop a strong job base in the SCV.”

Santa Clarita Economic Outlook Forecast March 30

ach year, the Santa Clarita Valley Economic

provide an in-depth forecast of our national and local

also receive tickets to an exclusive, pre-event luncheon

Development Corporation and College of the

economies, as well as discuss global megatrends. This is

with special guest speaker Terry Paulson, a Ph.D. psy-

Canyons host the spring release of the Santa

the only event of this kind with information specific to

chologist, award-winning professional speaker, nation-

the Santa Clarita Valley.

al columnist, and author.

Clarita Economic Outlook Forecast. This year’s event is March 30 at the Valencia Hyatt. Mark Schniepp, Di-

Additionally, sponsorship opportunities of various

The 2017 Santa Clarita Economic Outlook Confer-

rector of the California Economic Forecast, and Mark

levels, including Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze are

ence is sure to sell out, so be sure to register now! Early

Vitner, Managing Director, Senior Economist at Wells

still available. Along with reserved tickets, promotion

bird ticket pricing expires February 10. www.scvedc.

Fargo, are this year’s featured economists. They will

and marketing, Platinum and Gold level sponsorships

org/outlook

Econo Watch Santa Clarita Valley

Source: Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation

Q3 ’16

Q2 ’16

Q2 ’16 Sq Ft

Commercial Vacancy Rates Office Space

10.60%

10.40%

511,910

Industrial Space

2.30%

3.10%

439,602

Retail Space

4.90%

5.20%

619,637

Total Marked Sq. Ft. Vacancy Percentage Office Space - as a % of Vacancy

32.58%

28.28%

N/A

Industrial Space - as a % of Vacancy

27.98%

34.37%

N/A

Retail Space - as a % of Vacancy

39.44%

37.35%

N/A

Decv ‘16

Nov ‘16

Dec ’15

Commercial/Industrial Building Permits

Residential Building Permits

Building Permits

Local Company Stock Prices Bank of Santa Clarita (BSCA) Mannkind (MNKD) California Resources Corp California United Bank Carnival Corp. (CCL) Mission Valley Bank (MVLY) Six Flags (SIX) Woodward (WWD) Lennar (LEN)

Dec ‘16 11.6 0.64 21.29 35.8 52.06 10.5 59.96 69.05 42.93

Nov ’16 11.6 0.47 17.4 27.9 51.41 9.5 58.83 67.73 42.54

% Change 0.00% 36.17% 22.36% 28.32% 1.26% 10.53% 1.92% 1.95% 0.92%

Unemployment Rates Santa Clarita Palmdale Lancaster Glendale LA County California

Dec ‘16 Noc ‘16 % Change 4.3% 4.4% -2.27% 6.4% 6.5% -1.54% 5.3% 5.4% -1.85% 4.6% 4.7% -2.13% 4.7% 4.8% -2.08% 5.2% 5.3% -1.89%

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Your Business Can Avoid a Legal Catastrophe in 2017 Second Annual Employment Law Luncheon Offers Vital Updates By Brian Koegle

VIA Luncheon Planning Calendar 2017 As a resource connecting business and industry, VIA’s luncheon program on April 18, 2017 will feature a speaker discussing the change in statutes affecting building in California. Visit VIA. org for details and reservations. For more information related to the city permit process, visit ThinkSantaClarita. com or contact the city of Santa Clarita Economic Development staff at (661) 255-4347.

SPEAKER SERIES Luncheons begin at 11:45 a.m. at the Valencia Country Club, 27330 North Tourney Road in Valencia unless otherwise noted. Business professionals interested in attending should plan to reserve their seat well in advance. Reservations and payment can be made at www.VIA. org/Calendar or by contacting the VIA office at (661) 294-8088.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017 LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Valencia, 24500 Town Center Dr, Valencia David Poole and Brian Koegle, Partners, Poole & Shaffery, LLP, present the 2017 Employment Law Update.

Poole & Shaffery, LLP

s a firm with years of expertise in employment law, Poole & Shaffery, LLP, is committed to providing businesses with information they need to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. In a state such as California that has some of the nation’s strictest business laws, you simply cannot afford to ignore regulations, especially when violations can result in thousands of dollars in fines. That’s why it is so vital for business owners to attend Poole & Shaffery’s second annual Employment Law Luncheon, Feb. 21 at 11:45 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Hosted by the Valley Industry Association, this replaces VIA’s normal monthly luncheon. Trust me, this event will sell out, so make sure you have a seat at the table by registering today at www.employmentlawrsvp.com. Tickets are only $45 if you RSVP by Feb. 16. While some changes to the law do not go into effect until later this year, some were effective as of Jan. 1. Do you know which ones? That’s some of the important information we’ll unpack at this year’s luncheon. Along with the firm’s founding partner David Poole, I’m looking forward to providing an overview of legislation and court rulings of which to be aware for 2017. Discussion topics will include: • Minimum wage and exempt salary updates

• Paid sick leave • Modification to equal pay statutes • Updating workplace discrimination and retaliation policies • Forecast of 2017 legislation and court rulings • Employee handbook updates • Legalized marijuana and its use in the workplace We’ll also set aside time after the main presentation to answer your questions. Falling out of compliance with employment-related laws can result in catastrophic results for businesses. Employment law litigation can prove costly and lengthy, and can be absolutely devastating to a business’s long-term success and viability. Extremely common employment law-related lawsuits include wage and hour disputes, wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment. Start your business’s New Year on the right foot. Make sure you have the information you need to ensure you are in compliance with all regulations, and avoid consequences that can sink your business. Please RSVP today for the second annual Employment Law Luncheon. We look forward to seeing you there. ■ Brian Koegle is a partner with Poole & Shaffery, LLP, with a focus on employment and labor law. He is a member of the California State Bar and Los Angeles County Bar Association. For more information visit www.pooleshaffery.com or call (661) 290-2991.

Navigating California, Cannabis, and More

VIA is growing and we’re proud to add these new members to our organization. Welcome to Santa Clarita’s premier business and industry connection! Oakridge Landscape Richard Dunbar 28064 Avenue Stanford, Unit K Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 295-7228 richard@oakridgelandscape.net Cloud Plus Services Tina Louise Penn 28233 Stonington Lane Santa Clarita, CA 91350 (888) 871-6584 tina@cloudplusservices.com Siglo Management Consulting Rick Sarmiento 27943 Seco Canyon Road, Suite 211 Santa Clarita, CA 91350 (661) 210-6362 rick.sarmiento@siglomcg.com Wintrust Mortgage Jason Renno 27200 Tourney Road, Suite 300 Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 254-7100 jrenno@wintrustmortgage.com Aflac Brenda Huerta 24405 Chestnut Street, #103 Newhall, CA 91321 (661) 309-5897 brenda_huerta@us.aflac.com OPSEC Specialized Protection David Valenzuela 44262 N. Division Street Lancaster, CA 93536 (661) 942-3999 dvalenzuela@opsecpro.com Santa Clarita Concrete Wayne Crawford 16164 Sierra Highway Santa Clarita, CA 91390 (661) 252-2012 waynescc@socal.rr.com

s Santa Clarita’s leading authority for business climate change, the Valley Industry Association is proud to host the Poole & Shaffery Employment Law Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 21 starting at 11:45 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Trending topics include legalized marijuana and its use in the workplace, minimum wage and exempt salary updates, modification to equal pay statutes, and updates to workplace discrimination and retaliation policies. Paid sick leave, employee handbook updates and the all-important forecast of 2017 legislation and court rulings will also be presented. “Not to scare businesses for the sake of scaring them, but the value of VIA’s employment law luncheon is a reminder of what it takes for a business to be compliant,” said Ed Masterson with SOS Entertainment and VIA’s chairman of the board. “While Brian Koegle and David Poole’s presentation personifies a lighthearted style, it’s a sobering reflection of what seems to be California’s anti-business

WELCOME NEW VIA MEMBERS

Home Smart Mike Bjorkman 28361 Constellation Road Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 212-8075 mikebjorkman@me.com California Leasing Linda Hagen 24730 Ave. Tibbitts, #180 Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 212-8075 linda@californialeasing.com climate reality.” Whether a VIA member or not, the specific information delivered alerts and reminds businesses of the need to be diligent on their own behalf. “The state of California has no sense of humor if you break the rules,” Masterson relayed.

Open to all interested individuals, reservations can be made at www.EmploymentLawRSVP.com, or reservations and payment can be made at www.VIA.org/ Calendar or by contacting the VIA office at (661) 294-8088. ■

Carousel Ranch Denise Redmond 34289 Rocking Horse Road Agua Dulce, CA 91390 (661) 268-8010b dtomey2777@aol.com

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

Want to Grow Your Business? Join the Chamber! By Lois Bauccio President and CEO

anaging a business – large, small, for-profit, non-profit – is often lonely and frustrating. What are the best, most cost-effective resources? How to market your services to multiple audiences and

generations? How to let elected leaders know what is needed to let businesses thrive, thus improving the tax base and creating jobs? In the end, what is the most important thing needed to grow your business? These are difficult questions when you are juggling so many priorities and when you know that businesses – good businesses – fail every day.

santa clarita valley chamber of commerce presents

a t n a S

A T I LOR un Run

Right now, and for the past 93 years, the Chamber of Commerce has been here in the Santa Clarita Valley, to help with answers. Here’s a suggestion: join the Chamber. Join and participate. It has been proven many times over that those businesses that become involved in the Chamber’s activities are those that succeed. There are opportunities too numerous to list, but they include unparalleled networking, marketing, advocacy, legal information and more. As an example of how the Chamber is hearing the needs of our members and stepping up our game to help out with the loneliness and frustration of managing your business, we ask you to join us monthly for the Good Morning SCV networking breakfast on the second Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in the beautiful Oaks Grill dining room at TPCValencia,. We are refreshing our agenda to eliminate the passing of business cards, a distraction from the important information being given. You will have time to display your cards and other printed collateral, ample time for social networking as well as honing your “fast pitch” skills, hear how two businesses are serving the community and hear a presentation that will give you information you can apply immediately to your own business. The value in the GMSCV is that you will be in front of sixty plus colleagues, all learning from each other. We invite you to give Cheryl Ramirez at the Chamber a call at any time during office hours (661-702-6977), visit our web site

5K F

7 1 0 2 5 2 B FE8:00 AM START

e k a L c i a t s Ca

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t a r e t s i com . a Reg t i r o l aco t n a act t s . n o w c w e s w a info, ple at:

e amber h C For mor a t i r ta Cla the San 77 or 9 6 2 0 7 1 66 .comndation, and SCV Chamber r e b m a h Fou vc info@silcl benefit Jack’s Angels, WISH Proceeds

(www.scvchamber.com), and check us out. If you are the manager of a seasoned business in town, we suggest you identify an employee whose emerging and strengthening skills can help your company thrive, and send them to the breakfast. Their personal and professional growth will surprise you, and it will create additional value to your membership. The next date is February 8th at TPC…check-in starts at 7:00 a.m. Hope to see you there. Please have a look at the next issue for highlights of the Chamber’s Annual Installation Gala, as well as to hear about Chamber leadership, and our new Chairman of the Board, John Musella of The Musella Group.

Date to Remember: February 25, 2017, Santa Colorita Fun Run 5k, Castaic Lake; see web site for details 31637_1.indd 1

1/19/2017 8:18:17 AM

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

REAL ESTATE SECTION – Commercial, Industrial, Retail & Land Retail Buildings

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

23154 Valencia Boulevard

10,300

Lease

$1.25 SF/MO/NNN

1,999 - 2,800 - 3,000

Lease

$2.50 - $3.00 SF/MO/NNN

2,552

Lease

$1.25 SF/MO/NNN

916, 922, 1,022, 1,239

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/NNN

2,250 - 3,500

Lease

$1.50 - $2.00 SF/MO/NNN

25739 Wayne Mills Place

1,061

Lease

$3.00 SF/MO/NNN

20605 Soledad Canyon Road

1,500

Lease

Negotiable

23323 - 23453 Lyons Avenue

2,575, 2,280, 3,600, 7,600

Lease

$1.50 - $3.25 SF/MO/NNN

Valencia Mart

25830-25848 McBean Parkway

Granary Square

21515 Soledad Canyon Road

Golden Oak Plaza

26477-26557 Golden Valley Road

Centre Pointe Marketplace

18597 – 18607 Soledad Canyon Road

Canyon Square

The Shops at Tourney Free Standing Building

Old Orchard Shopping Center Patti Kutschko (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2003

23542 - 23546 Lyons Avenue

731 - 1,409

Lease

Price

$1.72 SF/MO/NNN

Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569

27510 The Old Road

11,053

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/NNN

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429

23300 Cinema Drive

1,294

24254 – 24409 Main Street 500 – 6,000 24406 Main Street 1,550 24406 Main Street - Mixed Use Project 800 - 20,000 22520 Lyons Ave 1,000 - 2,200

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

Lease Lease Lease Lease

$1.65 SF/MO/MG $1.50 SF/MO/NNN $2.25 - $3.00 SF/MO/MNN $2.25 - $3.00 SF/MO/MNN

Laemmle Theatre Project

24271 Main Street

900 - 2,160

Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/MNN

23120 – 23130 Lyons Avenue

900 – 5,000

Lease

$1.10 - $1.60 SF/MO/NNN

25065 - 25067 Peachland Ave 26865 – 26889 Sierra Highway

1,830 1,350 – 1,907

Lease Lease

$1.90 SF/MO/MG $2.35 SF/MO/NNN

25269 The Old Road

1,300 – 2,442

Lease

$1.50 SF/MO/NNN

3,053

Sub-Lease

$3.35 SF/MO/NNN

1,298 - 2,596

Lease

Old Town Newhall Properties

Wayman Court Riverview Plaza Sunset Pointe Plaza

24003 Newhall Ranch Road

Bridgeport Village

25810 - 25852 West

$2.00 - $2.25 SF/MO/NNN

Stevenson Ranch Plaza Tim Crissman (Re/Max Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

28207- 28313 Newhall Ranch Rd.

8,090 - 11,090

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/NNN

28112 - 28136 Newhall Ranch Rd.

1,195 - 3,650

Lease

$2.75 SF/M0/NNN

27923 – 27959 Seco Canyon Rd.

1,600

Lease

$2.50 SF/M0/NNN

1,000 - 54,000

Lease

Negotiable

SEC Newhall Ranch Rd. & Rye Canyon Rd. 1,500 - 10,000

Lease

$2.50 - $3.25 SF/MO/NNN

23600 Valencia Boulevard

Lease

$2.75 SF/MO/NNN

27647 Bouquet Canyon Road 1,200 - 12,000 Lease Bouquet Canyon Plaza 23922 Summerhill Lane 1,195 Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

27544 Newhall Ranch Road

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

Gateway Village Highridge Crossing

Seco Canyon Village

27095 McBean Parkway

The Promenade

Copper Ranch Plaza

5,000

Creekside Place

Summerhill Village

1,500

Lease

Plaza Del Rancho John Cserkuti (NAI Capital) 661-705-3551

19971 Soledad Canyon Road 18517 Soledad Canyon Road

1,150 1,100

Sale Sale

$2.75 SF/MO/NNN

1,700 – 7,000 997 – 8,565 660 – 2,337

Lease Lease Lease

$56.00 SF/$65,000 $117.00 SF/$129,000 Negotiable $2.20 -$3.50 SF/MO/NNN $3.00 SF/MO/NNN

Cody Chiarella (CBRE) 818-502-6730

24048 Newhall Avenue 27516 The Old Road

7,200 2,000 - 6,500

Sale Lease

$283.00 SF/$2,040,000 Negotiable

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429

27737 Bouquet Canyon Road

1,084- 2,191

Lease

$1.70 SF/MO/NNN

Andrew Ghassemi (NAI Capital) 661-705-3039, Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553, Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429

18926 - 18932 Soledad Canyon Road

1,080 - 2,280

Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/NNN

1,200

Sub-Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/NNN

28111 Bouquet Canyon Road

850 - 3,000

Lease

$1.35 - $2.50 SF/MO/NNN

26111 Bouquet Canyon Road

1,000 - 3,000

Lease

$1.75 - $2.00 SF/MO/NNN

Knoll Shopping Center

24250 Lyons Avenue

The Moss Center

Santa Clarita Place Santa Clarita Plaza

18710 Soledad Canyon Road

1,250 - 3,000

Lease

Soledad Entertainment Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553

Office/Commercial Buildings 20605 Soledad Canyon Road 28005 Smyth Drive

Sq. Ft. 1,500 8,946

Sale/Lease

5,000 - 10,000

Sale/Lease Lease

Price $2.25 SF/MO/FSG

Allen Trowbridge (CRESA) 818-825-4141

22777 Lyons Avenue, Suite #219 22777 Lyons Avenue, Suite #100

402-1,700 1,350

Lease Lease

$1.30 SF/MO/MG $1.30 SF/MO/MG

23300 Cinema Drive

145- 350

Lease

Negotiable

28159 Avenue Stanford Suite, #200 18,074 Lease Suite, #224 1,414 Lease Suite, #226 1,084 Lease Suite, #170 2,829 Lease

$1.50 SF/MO/FSG $1.50 SF/MO/FSG $1.50 SF/MO/FSG $1.50 SF/MO/FSG

The Lyons Building Andrew Ghassemi (NAI Capital) 661- 705-3039, Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429 Cinema Park/Executive Suites Reena Newhall 661-253-3344

Rexford Valencia Industrial Park Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818- 907-4639, Robert Valenziano (CBRE) 818- 907-4663, Craig Peters (CBRE) 818- 907-4616

25044 Peachland Avenue 23556 - 23560 Lyons Avenue 23548 - 23560 Lyons Avenue

805- 832 280 - 1,320 450 - 2,623

Lease Lease Lease

$1.85 SF/MO/NNN $1.65 SF/MO/NNN $1.68 SF/MO/NNN

25322 Diamond Place, Suite 26320 Diamond Place, Suite # 170 26320 Diamond Place, Suite # 200 26330 Diamond Place, Suite # 140 28494 Westinghouse Place

25,200 2,332 5,562 3,460 554-4,000

Sale $2.57 SF/MO/NNN/$6,500,000 Lease $1.15 SF/MO/NNN Lease $1.55 SF/MO/NNN Lease $1.15 SF/MO/NNN Lease Negotiable

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429, Matt Sreden(NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569

24001 Newhall Ranch Road

488

Sublease

$3.35 SF/MO/NNN

1,790

Sublease

$1.15 SF/MO/NNN

Bridgeport Village Tim Crissman (ReMax/Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

28486 Westinghouse Place Suite, # 110

Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818- 203-5429

28494 Westinghouse Place

552 - 2,208

Lease

$2.15 SF/MO/MG

27200 Tourney Road

2,181 - 22,919

Lease

$2.20-$2.55 SF/MO/FSG

25129 The Old Road

2,300

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

23822 Valencia Blvd.

857 - 4,104

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/FSG

23929 Valencia Blvd.

1,114 - 2,923

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

27202, 27220 & 27240 Turnberry

1,866 - 10,965

Lease

$2.15 SF/MO/FSG

645 - 910

Lease

$1.50 SF/MO/MG

Valencia Atrium Tourney Pointe Sunset Pointe Plaza

Valencia Oaks Bank of America Tower Summit at Valencia

25600 Rye Canyon Road

Executive Center Valencia Kevin Fenenbock (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5204

27451 Tourney Road 3,392 28480 Avenue Stanford 6,187 Suite, # 255 1,755 Suite, # 260 1,940 Suite, # 285 2,728 Suite, # 295 1,133 25061 Avenue Stanford Suite, # 100 Ind/Flex 5,687 25020 Avenue Stanford Suite, # 100 Ind/Flex 943 Suite, # 200 Ind/Flex 3,131

Sublease Sublease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG $1.50 SF/MO/FSG $1.85 SF/MO/FSG $1.85 SF/MO/FSG $1.85 SF/MO/FSG $1.85 SF/MO/FSG $1.10 SF/MO/Gross $1.10 SF/MO/Gross $1.10 SF/MO/Gross

Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

Paragon Business Center John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5202

24501 Town Center Drive, Suite # 103

2,810

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Sam Glendon (CBRE) 818-502-6745

Sarkis Ghazaryan (NAI Capital) 661-705-3561

27630 The Old Road 24300 – 24305 Town Center Drive 24510 Town Center Drive

27770 N. Entertainment Drive

Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569

Lease

Cinema Park Reena Newhall 661-253-3344

Office/Commercial Buildings cont. Sq. Ft.

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

Price

Sale/Lease $2.00 SF/MO/NNN/$825,000 Sale TBD

Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2001, Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000, Patti Kutschko (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2003

25102 Rye Canyon Loop Suite, # 120

1,814

Lease

$1.80 SF/NNN

915- 3,060

Lease

$2.65 - $2.80 SF/M0/FSG

1,187 - 20,000

Lease

$2.75 SF/MO/FSG

25350 - 25360 Magic Mountain Parkway 1,500 - 8,000

Lease

$2.85 SF/MO/FSG

24200 Magic Mountain Parkway

1,300 - 6,000

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

2,389

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

200 - 850

Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/FSG

486

Lease

$3.65 SF/MO/FSG

25115 Avenue Stanford

1,701 - 10,600

Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/FSG

28470 - 28490 Avenue Stanford

1,273 - 10,600

Lease

$2.65 SF/MO/FSG

27413 Tourney Road Suite, #120

1,609

Lease

$2.55 SF/MO/FSG

Mann Biomedical Park Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

26650 The Old Road

Westridge Executive Plaza Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639, Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

25152 - 25154 Springfield Court

The Commons at Valencia Gateway Gateway Plaza

VTC IV David Solomon (CBRE) 818-907-4628

27201 Tourney Road

Valencia Executive Plaza Branson Brinton (SCV Commercial) 818-414-7657

21704 Golden Triangle Road

Hillside Professional Center Dan Robinson (Archer Real Estate) 661-255-0154

24001 Newhall Ranch Road Suite, #260

Bridgeport Marketplace Craig Peters (CRRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607 Valencia Park Executive Center Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661-907-4639, Robert Valenziano (CBRE) 818-907-4663 Valencia Corporate Plaza Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

REAL ESTATE SECTION – Commercial, Industrial, Retail & Land (cont.) Office/Commercial Buildings cont. Sq. Ft. 28546 Constellation Road

5,734

Sale/Lease Lease

Price $0.90 SF/MO/NNN

Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639, Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

23734 Valencia Boulevard

1,523 - 1,860

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/FSG + J

23838 Valencia Boulevard

1,110 - 2,674

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

25078 Peachland Avenue

1,000

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/MG + E + J

23502- 23504 Lyons Avenue

692 - 5,710

Lease

$1.55 SF/MO/FSG + J

23542- 23560 Lyons Avenue

450 - 4,000

Lease

$1.10 SF/MO/NNN

Valencia Financial Center

Atrium Medical Building Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429, Matt Sreden(NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569, Andrew Ghassemi (NAI Capital) 661-705-3039 Peachland Medical Arts

Lyons Plaza

Plaza Posada Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569

26491 Summit Circle

2,397

Sale/Lease $742K; $1.75 SF/MO/NNN

Summit Circle

24303 Walnut Street

200 - 770

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/MG

Industrial Buildings cont.

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

26074 Avenue Hall Suite, # 20 Suite, # 15 Suite, # 1 28079 Avenue Stanford 25570 Rye Canyon Road, Suite K 28650 Braxton Avenue 26943 - 26951 Reuther Avenue Suite, A Suite, C

3,082 6,164 7,444 25,130 2,500 52,260 2,812 1,535

Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease

Price $0.95 SF/MO/Gross $0.95 SF/MO/Gross $0.95 SF/MO/Gross $0.70 SF.MO/NNN $1.10 SF/MO/Gross $0.65 SF/MO/NNN $0.95 SF/MO/Gross $0.95 SF/MO/Gross

John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5202, Chris Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5207

25158 Avenue Stanford 28486 Westinghouse Place Suite, # 120 28334 Industry Drive

44,548 6,255 35,310

Sale Sale Lease

$132.00 SF/$5,880,000 $209.00 SF/$1,307,000 $0.59 SF/MO/NNN

Matt Dierckman (CBRE) 818-502-6752

25060 Avenue Tibbitts

21,147

Sale

$140.00 SF/$2,950,000

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

Tim Crissman (Re/Max Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

24971 Avenue Stanford

27955 Smyth Drive

Mark Sokolowski (NDKF) 310-491-2075, 818-497-8815, Sean O’Leary (NDKF) 310-491-2010

800 - 850

Lease

$1.90- $2.00 SF/MO/FSG

25050 Avenue Kearny

1,500

Lease

$1.65 SF/MO/FSG

25128 Avenue Tibbitts

2,833 - 5,666

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/MG

Rebel Suites Rebel Professional

Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553

Office/ Medical Buildings 25775 McBean Parkway 25880 Tournament Road

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

1,201 - 6,682 1,043 – 4,559

Lease Lease

Price $2.76 SF/MO/NNN Negotiable

Cody Chiarella (CBRE) 818-502-6730, Troy Pollet (CBRE) 818-907-4620

22777 Lyons Avenue

150 - 1700

Lease

$0.11- $2.33 SF/MO/MG

The Lyons Building Andrew Ghassemi (NAI Capital) 661-705-3039, Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818- 203-5429

25050 Peachland Avenue

25159 Avenue Stanford

79,701

Sale

$115.00 SF/$9,200,000

Todd Lorber (NAI Capital) 818-933-2376

27772 Avenue Scott

22,565

Lease

$0.80 SF/MO/NNN

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429, Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553

24955 Avenue Kearny

69,219

Lease

$0.63 SF/MO/NNN

Rexford Industrial Business Park Craig Peters (CBRE) 818- 907-4616, Robert Valenziano (CBRE) 818- 907-4663

2,171 - 7,561

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

SWC Golden Valley Rd./Centre Pt. Pkwy.

Sale

1.5

Price $35.20 SF/$2,300,000

Nigel Stout (JLL) 818-531-9685

23600 Sierra Highway 15112 Sierra Highway 23658 Sierra Highway Placerita Canyon Sierra Highway

10 149 6 10 30,000

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale

$14.35 SF/$6,250,000 $0.61 SF/$3,900,000 $18.00 SF/$4,700,000 $57.00 SF/$25,000,000+D225 $20.00 SF/$599,000

Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553

NEC Bouquet Canyon Road & Plum Canyon Road 1.86 NWC Bouquet Canyon/Madrid Road 3.71

Sale Sale

$25.00 SF/$2,025,000 $30.00 SF/$4,848,000

John Z. Cserkuti (NAI Capital) 661-705-3551

149 15 38 10,743 149 26,179- 65,775

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale

$0.60 SF/$3,900,000 $3.52 SF/$2,300,000 $0.37 SF/$629,000 $55.75 SF/$599,000 $.60 SF/$3,900,000 $16.00 SF/$1,100,000

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-742-1659

SWC Soledad Canyon Rd/Golden Valley Rd Valley Business Center Valley Business Center Valley Business Center Valley Business Center Valley Business Center Valley Business Center

1.19 1.9 2.29 2.67 3.86 4.96 6.15

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale

$21.00 SF/$1,100,000 $23.00 SF/$1,900,000 $21.00 SF/$2,100,000 $21.00 SF/$2,500,000 $21.00 SF/$3,500,000 $21.00 SF/$4,500,000 $21.00 SF/$5,600,000

Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670 -2001, Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000

Industrial Buildings

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

25014 Anza Drive

11,352

Lease

Price $0.75 SF/MO/NNN

Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

20655 Soledad Canyon Road, Suite # 41 4,598 - 5,588 Suite, # 17 1,360 Suite, # 24 3,032 - 4,865 Suite, # 42 990 Suite, # 25 1,833 - 4,865 26321 Ferry Court 15,000 28939 Avenue Williams 58,394

Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Sub-Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/NNN $1.49 SF/MO/NNN $1.49 SF/MO/NNN $1.57 - $1.85 SF/MO/NNN $1.49 SF/MO/NNN $.75 SF/MO/Gross $.79 SF/MO/Gross

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429

4,857

Sale

$216.00 SF/$1,050,000

Michael Corbin (DAUM Commercial Services) 661-670-2004, Kevin Tamura (DAUM Commercial Services) 818-449-1631

7,513 3,180

Sale Lease

$205.00 SF/$1,540,000 $0.85 SF/MO/NNN

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-203-5429

24820 Avenue Tibbitts

$159.00 SF

$1.95 SF/MO/NNN

Sale

28486 Westinghouse Place Suite, # 110 28452 Constellation Road

Sale

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Sam Glendon (CBRE) 818-502-6745

Lease

Land (Commercial, Industrial & Retail) Acres

28348 Constellation Road

16,897

$135.00 SF/$2,800,000

800 - 4,000

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

15112 Placertia Canyon Bouquet Canyon/Vasquez Canyon 14825 Sierra Highway 24605 Railroad Avenue 15112 Sierra Highway 21145 Centre Pointe Parkway

24832 Avenue Rockefeller

Sale

28210 N. Avenue Stanford 28903 Avenue Paine 25161 Rye Canyon Loop Building, #61

Plaza Posada Medical Center Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705- 3569

Copper Ranch Plaza

20,415

13,045

Lease

$0.75 SF/MO/NNN

Tim Crissman (Re/Max Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

28368 Constellation Road, Bldg C - Suite, # 360 4,017

Sale

$205.00 SF/$825,000

116,143 146,000 23,292

Lease Sale Lease

TBD $142 SF + 1.8 ac. Land $0.60 SF/MO/NNN

Mann Biomedical Park

25371 Rye Canyon

81,190

Sale

TBD

Bill Pentz (DAUM Commerical R/E) 818-449-1625 and Kevin Tamura (DAUM Commercial R/E) 818-449-1631

26374 Ruether Avenue

2,994

Lease

$1.00 SF/MO/MG

Bernards Centre Point Park

25110 Rye Canyon Canyon Loop

8,384

Sublease

$0.61 SF/MO/NNN

Mann Biomedical Park Tim Crissman (ReMax/Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

28939 N. Avenue Williams

58,395

Sublease

$0.79 SF/MO/IG

Valencia Gateway Business Park Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 818-742-1660, Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818- 203-5429

27460 Avenue Scott Unit #D 24700 Avenue Rockefeller

20,866 50,261

Lease Lease

$0.66 SF/MO/NNN $0.62 SF/MO/NNN+A327

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

21515 Centre Pointe Parkway

16,773

Sale

$215.00 SF/$3,606,000

Chris Jackson (NAI Capital) 818-933-2368,Todd Lorber 818-933- 2376, Matt Ehrlich 818-933- 2364

27756 Avenue Hopkins 28348 Constellation Road

21,884 4,857

Lease Sale

$0.64 SF/M0/NNN $216.00 SF/$1,100,000

Kevin Tamura (DAUM Commercial), Ron Berndt (DAUM Commercial) 818-333-2207

28251 & 28255 Kelly Johnson Parkway

26,318

Lease

$0.85 SF/MO/NNN

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

Future Industrial Projects

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

VCC; West of I-5/NE SR 126 Gateway V 60,923, 88,752, 105,407 Lease IAC Commerce Center (Phase 1) 93,600, 116,740, 187,880 Lease Sierra Highway/Newhall Avenue/East/SR14 Freeway Needham Ranch (Phase 1) 16,000 - 223,530 Sale /Lease

Price/Occupancy TBD;1Q 2017 TBD; 1Q 2017 TBD; 1Q 2017

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616, Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607, Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

28608 Hasley Canyon Road Avalon Business Center

44,162 20,499, 23,668

Lease Lease

$0.72 SF/MO/NNN $0.74 SF/MO/NNN

James Ebanks (Realty Advisory Group Inc.) 661-702-8880 x 12, Lauren Ebanks (Realty Advisory Group Inc.) 661-702-8882 x 18

28528 Industry Drive

46,778

Sale

$142.50 SF/$6,665,865

Gateway Industrial Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607, Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

Future Office Projects 27770 N. Entertainment Drive

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

100,000 SF (5,000-10,000 SF) Sublease

Price $2.25 SF/MO/NNN

The Real Estate Section of the SCVBJ is the most comprehensive database of Commercial, Industrial, Retail and Land Listings in the SCV. Note: Parties interested in properties should contact listing broker(s) or agent(s) for more information. To list here:

James E. Brown, Manager Business Attraction, SCVEDC, 661-288-4413, JimBrown@scvedc.org

FEBRUARY 2017

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

REAL ESTATE SECTION – Residential Housing Stats - Santa Clarita Valley

SCV Median Home Value SCV Median Condo Value SCV Home Sales SCV Condo Sales SCV Avg. # of Days on Market (SF) SCV Single Family Home Inventory December Sales

Dec ‘16

Nov ‘16

Dec ’15

555,000 340,000 198 84 104 413

548,000 518,000 340,000 309,000 205 238 89 99 95 95 494 424

Find a better place... You deserve better

Source: Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.

Acton New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 44 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . . 4 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $417,500

Newhall New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 27 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 17 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $557,000

Agua Dulce New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 20 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . . .4 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $400,000

Saugus New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 63 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 55 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $554,000

Canyon Country New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 79 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 39 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $470,000

Stevenson Ranch New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 15 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 13 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $757,000

Castaic New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 29 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 16 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $545,000

Valencia New Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . . 56 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . 50 Median Sale Price. . . . . . $610,000

Kevin Fenenbock 661 253 5204 kevin.fenenbock@colliers.com DRE # 01165115

2017

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Out to Lunch Out to Lunch

magazine

Deadline: Wednesday, February 15th Publishes: Saturday, February 25th Call to advertise TODAY: (661) 259-1234 Email: advertising@signalscv.com www.signalscv.com

Source: Southland Regional Association of Realtors. Dec. 1 - 31, 2016

Canyon Country · Newhall · Saugus · Valencia · Stevenson Ranch · Castaic · Agua Dulce

Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal Santa Clarita’s Only Business Publication

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2017

2017 Employment Law Update

Tuesday, February 21

at 11:45 a.m. • Hyatt Regency Valencia Your business can’t afford to ignore California employment laws and risk catastrophic results. Hosted by:

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Topics include:

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