SCV Business Journal, July 2020

Contact: Perry Smith Business Editor Phone: 661-287-5599

S A N TA C L A R I TA VA L L E Y

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Email: psmith@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place Suite 100 Santa Clarita, CA 91350 SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · WWW.SIGNALSCV.COM · B1

BJ INSIDE SPOTLIGHTS B4 A message from the SCV Chamber B5 SCV Chamber advocacy B8 A message from VIA B9 The List: the SCV’s top manufacturers

NEWS & FEATURES B1 Thriving in quarantine B3 SCV workplace outlook B6 Local real estate forecast B9 Gyms, salons open back up B9 Public Health hears concern B9 City announces safety plan SCV BUSINESS VOICES B1 SCV Voices: Poole, Shaffery & Koegle B3 SCV Voices: M & M Fasteners Supply B7 SCV Voices: Audiology Associates B7 SCV Voices: SunPower by Green Convergence B10 SCV Voices: SCV EDC B12 SCV Voices: Henry Mayo B12 SCV Voices: Mission Valley Bank

FROM THE EXPERTS B2 Ken Keller: Better days ahead B2 From the Assessor: Opportunity amid unrest B9 Paul Butler: A tale of two workers B9 SCV Econowatch

Tackle Express Manager Steve Castillo, left, and sales associates Harry Roberts and James Schneider. Tackle Express is one of the businesses able to stay open during the quarantine, and even saw an uptick as people sought safe refuge by the water. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

STAYING ABOVE WATER DURING QUARANTINE

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

W

hile the coronavirus pandemic forced numerous businesses across the Santa Clarita Valley to shutter, others were able to navigate restrictions and come out on top.

Tackle Express, a fishing store in Santa Clarita, never closed, as their services were deemed essential.

“It stayed good for us the whole time,” said James Schneider, manager of Tackle Express.

With so many out of work and quickly developing cabin fever, Schneider says there was definitely a big influx into the fishing industry.

“It seems like a lot of people are getting into it or finding an interest they lost years ago,” he added. “It’s been awesome to be able to help a lot of fishermen.”

While Castaic Lake’s bait shop closed, the lake itself stayed open through the shutdown, allowing fishermen to continue fishing and frequenting Tackle Express, Schneider said.

“We were able to be there for them and provide a safe way to get out of the house,” he added. “It was kind of like the perfect storm in the industry.”

Being the only local tackle shop still operating, Schneider said resupplying products started easy at first.

“There was a nationwide influx of fishermen, so once other shops started

THE SIGNAL SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESS. CHECK OUT OUR LISTING OF SCV COMPANIES AND SOME OF THE DISCOUNTS OFFERED AT SIGNALSCV.COM/ COVID19-BUSINESSES. to open back up, it became super hard to get product,” Schneider added. “We branched to different distributors and just kept placing orders. So far so good, but we’re still trying to catch up.”

Similarly, SCV Aquarium, which provides aquarium services and supplies, was See REBOUND, page B6

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

CIVIL IMMUNITY IN THE ERA OF COVID19 Justin R. Wilmers Poole Shaffery & Koegle

I

ntroduction With the recent unveiling of the White House’s “Opening Up America Again” one thing is clear — the states will “call their own shots” as to when and how to reopen.

Despite governmental authority to reopen, businesses will undoubtedly face potential COVID-19 tort liability including personal injury and even wrongful death claims, which may thwart any viable path to economic recovery. As a result, local and federal legislators have proposed measures aimed at limiting the liability of business owners for COVID-19 related claims.

EMPLOYMENT LAWS HAVE CHANGED FOR 2020

FEDERAL LEGISLATION At the federal level, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced they were working on an independent bill that would provide civil liability protections to businesses, nonprofits and government agencies.

STATE AND LOCAL LEGISLATION Many states have taken the issue into their own hands.

Specifically, in California, a letter by the Civil Justice Association of California was sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom seeking broad litigation protection for private entities performing essential services during the current State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BEST PRACTICES FOR REOPENING Until broad litigation protections are passed, businesses will inevitably face risks associated with COVID-19 tort liability when reopening. However, even in the absence of statutory immunity, businesses can take steps to minimize these risks including the following: • Maintaining written workplace health and safety protocols; • Mandate social distancing protocols for workers and customers; • Limiting access to common areas; and • Regularly sanitizing the workplace.

Further, every business should be familiar with the applicable guidelines and regulations in their local jurisdiction as well as those provided by the CDC, OSHA, and WHO. The attorneys at Poole Shaffery & Koegle, LLP remain ready and prepared to help your business minimize the risks faced by COVID-19 related tort claims upon reopening.

Poole Shaffery & Koegle LLP. headquarters are located at 25350 Magic Mountain Parkway, Second Floor, in Santa Clarita. You can reach the firm by calling (661) 290-2991 and more information can be found at www.pooleshaffery.com.

Minimize Your Risk of Exposure Today!

Call 661-290-2991 today to schedule your consultation!

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SANTA CLARITA | LOS ANGELES | VENTURA COUNTY SAN FRANCISCO | ORANGE COUNTY | SAN DIEGO

B2 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

BUSINESS AND GOLF: THE GAME IS THE SAME KEN KELLER

SCVBJ Contributor

T

he country is starting to open up, and you can now actually watch golf tournaments on television again.

Professional golf is much more than watching the grass grow; I recently watched a tournament using it as an opportunity to compare how golf is much like business. Read on and enjoy: Golf is highly competitive; a golfer plays against others, and against their own record. Each time out they measure their results against par. In business, that means finishing better than planned results; and better than the prior year.

Efficiency matters. Golfers use limited resources to achieve the lowest score (fewest shots) to win. Having limited resources is standard in business; winning is non-negotiable.

Golfers that practice are more likely to win. Talent is great, but even a mediocre golfer knows that to improve requires a commitment to practice. In business, only the best in sales practice, which leaves opportunities for improvement in most companies.

Golfers believe in winning. In your company if you have doubters about winning, well, maybe they should play elsewhere.

Every golfer has a definition of what winning is; can every employee in your company say what winning is for the business?

Golfers keep their eyes on the prize.

Distractions are plentiful but winners stay focused. In business, everyday there are

On the course, the only genuine measure of success is when all strokes are counted. “Mulligans” aren’t real. In business there are very few, if any, second chances. COURTESY PHOTO distractions disguised as opportunities.

A golfer can’t be lulled into thinking that nothing matters but results. Why? Having great results often hides other problems and businesses often die because of this tunnel vision.

Patience is essential. Those who take their time and play for the long haul succeed more often. On the golf course or in the boardroom, patient play wins.

Everything counts. On the course, the only genuine measure of success is when all strokes are counted. “Mulligans” aren’t real. In business there are very few, if any, second chances.

Having a place of peace is essential.

A golf course should be a sanctuary; the game of golf is something to enjoy. In business, every CEO needs a place of quiet to think, to gain perspective.

Golfers and CEOs should both

embrace their personality. The successful know who they are and they don’t try to be someone or something they are not.

These individuals are genuine.

Every player receives unsolicited advice about how to do better out on the course. It might be about how the club is gripped, stance, swing or putt. In business it is the same way. I recommend avoiding these well-intentioned people.

The successful have a routine to lean on because during tough times a solid foundation is essential. This means having processes and procedures that work to achieve the desired goals. Businesses with strong operating systems (foundation) are more efficient and are worth more too.

Many professional golfers also have a coach who works with them one on one to improve their game. Did you know

that having a coach, and being coached, is something that the best in every industry utilize?

A coach sees things in us that we do not see in ourselves. They then teach us to take full advantage of our strengths, empowering us with positive, self-belief and encouragement.

In these challenging times, who couldn’t use some of that?

Ken Keller is an executive coach who works with small and midsize B2B company owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs. He facilitates formal top executive peer groups for business expansion, including revenue growth, improved internal efficiencies and greater profitability. Email:Ken. Keller@strategicadvisoryboards.com. Keller’s column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of the SCVBJ.

CIVIL UNREST MAY LEAD TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

BY JEFF PRANG Los Angeles County Assessor

T

o say that the year 2020 has been a time of unprecedented challenges is an understatement of Shakespearean proportions.

And it’s still not over. It’s important to remember that the COVID-19 pandemic is most assuredly not over. We are still adhering to the safety protocols of social distancing and wearing the cloth face coverings. It’s for all of us.

Then we had the unfortunate and totally unnecessary death of George Floyd, which resulted in four police officers charged with various degrees of murder and subsequent days and nights of protests that in the beginning led to violent, civil unrest. Floyd’s death was just another harsh reminder that Black Lives Matter and we all must work toward real, constructive solutions to the social injustice that permeates our society.

I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd and hold fast to the promise intoned by our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, during his brief Gettysburg Address back on Nov. 19, 1863, when he offered “… that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The civil unrest that erupted during those nights of violent protest saw business after business looted, damaged and even destroyed. These very same businesses that were struggling because of the pandemic now are facing more devastation because of uncalled for destruction.

Although I can’t turn back the clock on the destruction, I may be able to turn back the clock on property taxes for those businesses that were looted, damaged and even destroyed. At least on a temporary basis.

To qualify, you must file an Application for Reassessment: Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity with the Assessor’s Office within 12 months from the date the property was damaged or destroyed.

The claim form is available online at assessor.lacounty.gov/disaster-relief or you can call us at (213) 974.8658 for additional information.

Property damage must be at least $10,000, and you must apply within 12 months of the damage. You can file the application; however, we also will proactively identify those damaged properties and begin the process of reassessing them.

I want to extend my deepest respect and regards to those property owners who have lost or suffered damages to their business or commercial/industrial buildings because of the civil unrest. I also want to applaud the valiant efforts of the first responders who move toward

PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

“

The civil unrest that erupted during those nights of violent protest saw business after business looted, damaged and even destroyed. These very same businesses that were struggling because of the pandemic now are facing more devastation because of uncalled for destruction.”

the danger not away from it. I thank all of them for their tireless efforts protecting property and life.

Yes, you have plenty of time to file the claim, since the deadline is still a year off, but it’s important to do so as soon as possible because the tax relief can come in handy when you are planning on rebuilding or replacing.

The savings can be for a total loss of the property or a percentage of the damage. The percentage is calculated by the

appraiser using a standard formula, oftentimes in conjunction with other factors such as existing insurance.

Sometimes, the tax relief may not be a significant amount but it most assuredly helps in a time of need. And we want to help during this time of need.

As an example, my office approved more than $3 million in tax relief for the devastating Woolsey Fire a while back.

This relief was by way of refunds and adjustments to the 2018/2019 tax bills.

The Woolsey Fire had 1,328 homes and businesses affected. Of those, 797 were entirely destroyed.

Dozens of appraisers were at work around the clock to ensure people received the required reassessment of the property that led to the tax relief.

I estimate for that fire alone my staff logged more than 2,500 hours on the job.

We will be doing the same thing for this event. It is the least we can do.

Again, the M&C claim forms can be obtained online at assessor.lacounty. gov/disaster-relief or by phone at (213) 974-8658. Please avail yourself of this tax relief program.

And finally, social reform is a must, in fact, long overdue. However, we must not discard the good with the bad. True social reform delineates between the two factions. We have come a long way but there’s still miles to go and together, we can get there. Absolutely.

Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang has been in office since 2014. Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that generates $17 billion annually.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · B3

WITH REOPENING, SANTA CLARITA LOOKS AHEAD TO RECOVERY

BY PERRY SMITH Signal Business Journal Editor

T

he good news is, Santa Clarita continues to beat almost every city of comparable size with its employment numbers, according to the state’s Economic Development Division.

The not-so-good news for Santa Clarita is that those numbers still represent a huge spike from quarantine layoffs — and more than six times the city’s rate at the same time last year.

“With the roughly 20% unemployment number that we’re seeing — that is more unemployment than we’ve ever seen before in Santa Clarita,” said Jason Crawford, director of economic development for the city of Santa Clarita. “We are glad to see that now with the health orders changing, and more businesses are bringing people back to work, and that hopefully will be reflected in June and July numbers ... but it’s been a very difficult time for a lot of people.”

To put things in a historical perspective: During the period known as The Great Recession, from December 2007 to June 2009, more than 5 million jobs were lost statewide at a clip of about 55,000 to 85,000 a month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Californians have exceeded that number of claims since March alone for this year.

For a little more perspective: This time last year, the city’s unemployment rate was an impressive 3.9% (Traditionally, “full employment” is considered anywhere between 4% and 6%.)

LOCAL SOLUTIONS While the immediate future is a bit bleak, there’s hope for just down the road, as the city has already opened up many of its businesses under Los Angeles County’s most recent public health order, as Crawford mentioned, and filming also started up again.

The city is also working with its traditional partners, including the SCV Economic Development Corp. and College of the Canyons, and staff to create new ways to address the unprecedented challenges of reopening an economy after a pandemic.

See JOBS, page B8

Jason Crawford, economic development manager for the city of Santa Clarita, looks through some of the posters for filming projects shot in Santa Clarita. The industry, which contributes more than $30 million each year to the local economy, is expected to play a big role in the area’s recovery as filming starts to resume. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

City Comparison of May Unemployment Figures City Burbank Glendale Lancaster Los Angeles County Palmdale Pasadena Santa Clarita Val Verde CDP

Labor Force 56,400 97,200 58,800 4,707,700 59,500 70,100 104,000 1,700

Employment 43,100 76,100 46,600 3,737,600 46,400 58,300 83,100 1,200

Unemployment 13,300 21,100 12,200 970,100 13,100 11,800 20,900 500

Rate 23.6% 21.7% 20.7% 20.6% 22.0% 16.8% 20.1% 31.8%

Courtesy: California Economic Development Division

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

M & M FASTENERS SUPPLY RELIES ON EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE

BY SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL STAFF

M

& M Fasteners Supply Inc. offers customers more than four decades of experience in top quality manufacturing parts and service for everything from the machines that make movie magic to the planes that safely carry us all over the world.

While the company excels in filling production orders on a wealth of products listed on its website, the company also provides industry support beyond the production line.

The customer-driven approach of M & M Fasteners Supply Inc. is evident in their motto, “Where quality meets customer service,” a big reason why the company has experienced a great deal of growth since moving to Valencia a little over a year ago, according to Eunice Hajek, CEO of M & M Fasteners Supply Inc. And while the company has always had a strong presence in the commercial sector, M & M is working toward growth in the film and aerospace sectors, which themselves have also experienced a great deal of growth in recent years.

In addition to supplying “anything where someone has to use a piece of hardware to fasten,” M & M can also provide their decades of collective expertise to help support other manufacturers through their warehouseoperations services, such as Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI), which can help companies organize, catalogue and track materials & equipment — a service that can help companies dramatically improve efficiency and make a significant impact on the bottom line.

The VMI service, of course, is in addition to the traditional manufacturing support the company provides: everything from standard threaded bolts for construction or a studio-equipment company that relies on a Maintenance and Service Organization to supply an after-market fix, to the specialty metric fasteners used by Original Equipment Manufacturers to putting together the door components for a brand new Boeing 737 aircraft — both of which are just some of the growing business needs in the Santa Clarita Valley, where the film and aerospace industries continue to thrive.

M & M’s location in the heart of Santa Clarita’s Industrial center, situated amid businesses with similar needs for manufacturing industry-specific services, is ideal for the growth the company expects to see in the coming months and years.

M & M Fasteners Supply is a stocking supplier of quality fastener products and accessories specializing in OEM, MRO, electrical and aerospace markets. M & M can also supply parts from a blueprint or technical specification. For more information, visit mmfastsupply.com or call (818) 767-8833.

2020 DIRECTORS

B4 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

The SCV Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with the City of Santa Clarita’s “Safer Business Com-

Santa Clarita Valley businesses can make the commitment by abiding by a set of safety guidelines and com-

Businesses of all sizes and industries throughout our

CHAIR OF THE BOARD NANCY STARCZYK

geles County Department of Public Health in response

Realty Executives The “Safer Business Commitment” website includes

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HUNT BRALY

Poole, Shaffery & Koegle, LLP

MARISOL ESPINOZA

Southern California Gas Company

KEVIN HOLMES

Martini Akpovi Partners, LLP

TROY HOOPER

Kiwi Hospitality Partners

DR. CHRIS RAIGOSA

Kaiser Permanente

CHRIS SCHRAGE

LBW Insurance Financial Services

JOHN VANCE

Vance Wealth

show that safety is their number one priority and help -

“The SCV Chamber has worked in close partnership with the City and the County to get our businesses

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANDREA CARPENTER

Logix

STEVE COLE

SCV Water Agency

JASON CRAWFORD

City of Santa Clarita

JEFFREY FORREST

College of the Canyons

MONICA HARRISON

LA Film Locations

BRIAN HIGGINS

AAA Companies

PAM INGRAM

Re/Max of Valencia

ALEEN MANCHESTER

California Resources Corporation

PATRICK MOODY

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

BRIAN O’CONNOR

Princess Cruises

DAN REVETTO

AT&T

HENRY RODRIGUEZ

State Farm Insurance

SANDY SANCHEZ

FivePoint

LIZ SEELMAN

Southern California Edison

G. JESSE SMITH

California Institute of the Arts

DR. DIANNE VAN HOOK

College of the Canyons

DENNIS VERNER

Burrtec

KARINA WINKLER

Holiday Inn Express

commitment and working together will help keep all of us safe and healthy and keep our businesses open

are interested in making a “Safer Business CommitBusinessCommitment

CALIFORNIA BAKERY REOPENING CEREMONY -

California Bakery and Cafe are open 24 hours a day

The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce has the following Business Councils:

Government Affairs

Industry & Technology California Bakery and Cafe on June 5

Small Business Small Businesses are at the core of our Chamber’s membership and are the backbone of our

Non-Profit

Latino Business Alliance

NextSCV -

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · B5

ADVOCACY NEWS As the largest business membership organization in the santa clarita valley, the scv chamber of commerce is the voice of business. the chamber actively advocates on behalf of our business community on important local, regional and statewide issues that have direct impacts on our local businesses

SCV CHAMBER SUPPORTS THE LOCAL RECOVERY INITIATIVE

NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

OUR ADVOCACY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT.

SENATE BILL 1333 HOMELESS HIRING TAX CREDIT

JOIN THE CHAMBER TODAY TO STRENGTHEN THE VOICE OF BUSINESS IN THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SCV BUSINESS COMMUNITY RECEIVES UPDATE FROM THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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B6 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

HOUSING MARKET TAKES A HIT IN MAY

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

A

fter monthslong closures amid the coronavirus pandemic, the real estate market has begun to see the impacts of the shutdown, as the number of home and condo sales in the Santa Clarita Valley plunged in May. A total of 111 single-family homes were sold in May, down 54.5% from last year, while the 55 condominiums sales were off 46.6% from 2019, according to reports released June 17 by the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.

While these figures are still above the record low of 99 home and 31 condo sales set in January 2008 during the Great Recession, SRAR member and SCV realtor Marc Leos says he believes these figures will continue to nosedive.

“The demand is there, don’t get me wrong,” Leos said, “but people aren’t ready to make such a large financial commitment right now with the turmoil. A few of my clients were house-hunting before the pandemic — now they’re on unemployment.”

Louisa Henry, chair of the SCV division of the SRAR, said she’s confident the industry will rebound because the need remains for many, despite the pandemic restrictions, and there isn’t a great supply for the area, which is very desirable.

“Realtors worked hard to help buyers and sellers close escrow on transactions that were in the pipeline when the shutdown orders came in mid-March,” Henry said in a prepared statement. “They are working even harder now to help get the market moving again.”

Even with restrictions changing the way the real estate industry does things, including transitioning to virtual showings and enhanced cleaning protocols, the demand remains, Henry said.

“The need for housing is even more intense than before the pandemic, though we’re still limited by a very low inventory,” Henry added.

By the end of May, a mere 426 listings

Crews work to finish a row of new houses being built as part of the Skyline Ranch development project near Plum Canyon Park. While the market supply has been listed as a challenge by Realtors, there are new homes and projects under way across the SCV. PHOTOS BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL were active to serve the entire SCV, down 32.4% from last year, per the report.

However, these figures were the highest tally in seven months, as December saw a record low listing total of 293.

Even though choices are slim, with near-record low mortgage rates, many potential home buyers are still trying to search for their perfect home, Leos added.

“These low mortgage rates are certainly going to continue driving the demand as we continue to reopen here in Santa Clarita, but we’re going to need to see a

lot more listings or new construction to keep prices low,” Leos said.

That being said, home and condo prices have remained steady through the pandemic, even increasing in some areas.

The median price of single-family homes sold in May was $612,000, up 1.2% from 2019 though still below the record high of $643,000 in April 2006, while the condo median price of $425,000 was 9% higher than last year, setting a new record and breaking the prior record high of $420,000 reported both in August and October 2019, according

to the SRAR report.

“When sales used to slow, the supply used to surge, with thousands of properties available to buyers,” Tim Johnson, SRAR chief executive officer, said in the statement. “And when supply surged, prices softened. But the market is fundamentally different today — neither a surge in supply nor a softening of prices appear to be happening, at least not yet.”

With the SRAR report showing 327 escrows opened during May, down only 13%, it appears the real estate market remains active.

SALONS, RESTAURANTS OPEN WITH CARE

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

A

s “Safer At Home” restrictions are eased, businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley begin adjusting to their “new normal.”

At N’ Style Salon, customers now get their temperatures checked at the door, sit in chairs with plastic barriers separating them from the next station and get their hair cut while wearing masks, according to owner Tiffany Friedman.

“It’s the standard regulations, everything from the (Centers for Disease Control),” she said. “We log every name, date, time and temperature, and ask them a process of questions, especially if they’ve been traveling outside L.A. County.”

Even with all the new restrictions, Friedman said reopening has been great.

“The clients love it,” she added.

“They’re so thankful we’re open. They talk about their (quarantine) stories, how bored they were. A lot of people don’t have families out here, so their hair stylist

is really a friend to them.”

While the salon opened the very same day the restrictions were lifted, Friedman had been ready for weeks.

“I had everything done the first week they closed us down,” she said. “I ordered Barbicide, alcohol and four cases of gloves. I stockpiled a little bit because I was worried about the supply (down the line).”

While they planned to be busy, the reopen has been better than expected.

“Rebound has been crazy, which is really weird,” Friedman said. “We thought we’d just have our normal clients back, and we went through the first four weeks of that, but now there’s all these new clients calling.”

The salon is excited to be serving its clients, while being “extra clean and extra safe,” Friedman added.

As the pandemic hit, C’est L’amour Nail owner Van Ngo was preparing to open his third and fourth locations in the SCV, one at Skyline Ranch Plaza and another in Old Town Newhall.

While those additions are still in the

works, now Ngo is simply excited to welcome his clients back to his two current salons, which were reopened on June 22 after being recently remodeled to take advantage of the closures.

“We really are just trying to follow the guidelines exactly,” Ngo said.

With barriers between each client, along with employees wearing all the necessary personal protective equipment, for Ngo, it’s been limiting the salon’s capacity at 50% that has been most difficult.

“We’re taking appointments only right now, and we’ve been very busy, so yes we’re reopened, but it’s still been difficult due to the capacity, and I don’t know when it will go back to normal,” Ngo added.

Since restaurants were given the green light to reopen in early June, Azul Tequila Mexican Grill has reopened its dine-in services, though they continue to offer take-out, according to owner Rafael Cermeno.

“It’s been slow, but it’s coming along little by little,” Cermeno said. “We get a little rush at lunch and at dinner.”

In addition to tables being separated, the restaurant has added plastic between booths. Employees wear face masks and gloves, along with face shields when approaching customers without masks, which has been difficult in the heat of the restaurant.

“They say sometimes when they take it off, they feel dizzy,” Cermeno added.

“There’s a lot of restrictions, but we do it to prevent (spread of the virus).”

Even so, customers have been very understanding, Cermeno said.

“They can see we’re doing our jobs and following the guidelines,” he added.

More so, he says they’re simply excited to be able to come in and eat.

“The customers are happy to come back,” Cermeno said. “They say they missed this place so much, (and that) it tastes so much different (and better when eating in).

“We’re grateful, and we try to do the best we can,” he added.

Now, Cermeno says his main goal is to be able to be at the point where he can bring all his staff back.

REBOUND

Continued from page B1 deemed essential and allowed to continue operating.

“The first couple of days, they didn’t consider me an essential business, but a couple days into it, they said, ‘Well, everybody’s fish are going to die if this guy doesn’t get back to work,’” owner Mike Greber said. “So, I didn’t really miss a beat.”

When Greber got involved in the industry more than 30 years ago, he never expected it could become his full-time gig.

“I was actually a mechanic for 25 years,” he added. “I worked at the dealership during the day and then I worked from 4:30 (p.m.) to midnight at the fish store every day and every weekend.”

Greber’s passion quickly evolved into a business, and in 2009, he started SCV Aquarium, maintaining live reefs, fish and coral, setting up new tanks, and selling new and used equipment and livestock.

Though Greber has everything a typical business would have, including a store number, seller’s permit and business license, he decided years ago not to open a storefront for his business.

“I’ve managed aquarium stores before, and you’re a slave to them — you can never get away,” he said.

Instead, Greber decided to convert his garage into an aquarium store, complete with numerous aquariums, tanks filled with colorful coral, exotic fish and live rock, and a water treatment system that creates saltwater.

While unexpected, this decision to base his business from home is one that helped him thrive during the shutdown.

“The local aquarium store shut down so the phone’s ringing off the hook even more than it was before,” Greber added.

While many businesses struggle to tread water in the wake of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, Mike Greber and his company SCV Aquarium have managed to find a way to stay afloat. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL The Valencia Auto Center had no such luck, forced to close its doors for two months during the stay-at-home orders.

Even so, SCV dealerships quickly saw a rebound in the weeks that followed their reopening, according to the Santa Clarita Auto Dealers Association.

With a robust sales volume, the dealerships’ first weekend open brought 245 units sold, a difference of only one unit from the same weekend in 2019, which Don Fleming, president of the association and Valencia Acura co-owner, said was the closest thing to normal they’d experienced since the shutdown.

“I’ve been in the car business almost all my life, (and) I never could have imagined dealership showrooms being ordered to close,” Fleming said. “Navigating the constantly changing business landscape of the past two months has been challenging. Car dealers had to

change their business practices overnight creating hardships due to the unclear rules and uncertainty.”

That being said, the dealers at the Valencia Auto Center have continued to see sales rebound, as buyers continue releasing the pent-up demand since the shutdown, Fleming added.

Over Memorial Day weekend, local dealerships reported a total of 497 units sold — an increase of four vehicles vs. the same Friday-to-Monday span in 2019, according to the association.

Like the dealerships, A Place to Shoot, a shooting range, was closed for a little over a month, but since its reopening, the range has seen an increase in business, according to owner Tom Watt.

“It’s been a very hectic time,” Watt said. “Between COVID and the riots, people are nervous. A lot of them are buying new firearms, and like most

ranges and gun shops, we’ve been pretty busy since we opened up.”

Nonetheless, public health restrictions have taken some adjustment for both the employees and customers.

“It’s a new system for us to try and keep everyone separated,” Watt added.

“My range (employees) are doing their best to keep reminding everyone to stay 6 feet apart.”

At the range, shooting stations are now roped off 6 feet apart, while shooters must bring their own eye and ear protection, wear masks and are allotted two hours on the range at a time if there’s a wait.

“We’re doing our part, and most people have been pretty good about it,” Watt said. “And, of course there’s waiting times, but we’re coping with it.”

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · B7

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

A BIG SOLAR INCENTIVE IS ABOUT TO SHRINK

BY MARC SALATA Director of Marketing, SunPower by Green Convergence

T

ax incentives that make it more advantageous for a company to go solar are about to be significantly reduced. It’s a good time to familiarize yourself with the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) because it’s going away, and so are significant potential savings.

The ITC was enacted in 2006, and since then the U.S. solar industry has grown one hundredfold. In fact, since its inception, American solar installations have grown at a phenomenal average

of 52% per year. It has been one of the most significant federal policies in contributing to the growth of this efficient clean energy option.

In 2015, the credit was extended, but now it has begun shrinking incrementally each year. In 2019, the ITC was 30%, but was reduced to 26% this year. Next year it will drop to 22%, then will remain at 10% ongoing for commercial installations and disappear for residential.

So how does it work exactly? The ITC is a way of getting a break on the cost of a new solar installation as a reduction of the following year’s taxes. Let’s say a company builds a large solar array on a manufacturing plant for $100,000. The

26% ITC reduces that company’s taxes by $26,000 the following year. If the system is financed, this can mean the costs get spread over time, but the tax break comes all at once — injecting cash into a company’s budget.

Does that mean an entire system needs to be installed before the end of the year in order to get the full 26% ITC? For businesses, fortunately no, this is not the case. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a solar project just needs to commence in calendar year 2020.

That means at least 5% of the costs are incurred (expenses are integral to the generation of electricity), and some physical work has to begin on site.

This needs to be work on the project itself, not preliminary labor like building a fence or clearing a site. See the Department of Energy website for more details.

This means two things. First, waiting until next year will make a solar project more expensive, because this federal tax credit will get smaller. Second, many businesses know this, and solar installers will experience a huge rush toward the end of the year. That’s why it’s time to get a solar estimate today.

Visit GreenConvergence.com for more information.

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SCV BUSINESS VOICES

TIPS FOR ADJUSTING TO NEW HEARING AIDS DR. KEVIN BOLDER AuD, Audiology Associates

H

earing aids will help you hear better, communicate more effectively, and enjoy a better quality of life. Hearing aids can be an adjustment, but they will bring many positive changes to your life. As you start wearing your devices, keep the following tips in mind for a smoother transition.

GETTING USED TO HEARING AIDS Even when you know what to expect, you will still be surprised the first time you hear the sound of your own voice.

Hearing aids are designed to amplify sounds, so certain sounds may take you off guard at first.

As you adjust to hearing, identifying, and interpreting noises, you may realize that you need adjustments. If you ever experience this, please let us know, and we can help your hearing aids sound and feel better.

ADJUSTMENT TAKES TIME Adjusting to hearing aids can take time.

But as long as you wear your devices often and come see us for check-ups, the adjustment process will be much easier.

Try not to get discouraged, it’s normal to feel frustrated, but know it will be worth it in the end.

Below are some additional tips for adjusting: • Wear your hearing aids for a couple hours at a time, gradually working your way up to a full-day wear • Start in quiet places before you go into louder environments • Read aloud or listen to audiobooks to help boost your brain’s sound

recognition and learn how to regulate the volume of your voice In a few months, your hearing aids could feel as natural as your own ears.

To schedule a hearing evaluation today, please call Audiology Associates at (661) 284-1900.

Kevin Bolder, Au.D., Patrice Rifkind, Au.D., and John Davis, Au.D. are three of the best in Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley. Visit our website at www.AudiologyAssociates.net or stop by our office located at 23838 Valencia Blvd, Suite 100, Valencia, CA 91355.

We are hearing healthcare excellence!

B8 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

JOBS

Continued from page B3 If the recovery plans go as expected, including the development of an office project on Orchard Village, as well as the Vista Canyon and Needham Ranch projects.

There are also new programs and incentives being given to businesses, which the city hopes will also stimulate economic activity. One of the more immediate plans for business is the city’s Eat Local program, through which the city is granting businesses an expanded use of their space and parking to serve customers while their traditional occupancy permissions are reduced due to Public Health orders.

After submitting a site plan to the city’s planning team and presenting their proposal, qualified restaurants would be granted temporary use permits at no cost. Santa Clarita-based event rental company 24/7 Events also pitched in, creating ways for businesses to divvy up their spacing to make patrons feel safer.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS Crawford also mentioned the city’s excitement about two projects on the East side of Santa Clarita that are expected to bring a healthy supply of transit-friendly jobs and homes.

Throughout the recent downturn, the state has allowed construction to continue, Crawford noted, “And later this year, we hope to see businesses move into those brand new buildings.”

The plan was part of a deliberate effort by the city to add more business parks and new development in the

Canyon Country area, he said, adding that Vista Canyon, near Via Princessa, and Needham Ranch, near Sierra Highway, are two of the most prominent examples. Vista Canyon already has tenants operating.

FILMING The impact on filming in the Santa Clarita Valley can’t be understated, nor should the importance of its return this past week. Last year, filming generated more than $30 million in revenue for the city, which was on pace for another record year before everything shut down in March.

The city’s Film Office saw brisk business in its first week back, but Evan Thomason, economic development associate for the city of Santa Clarita, expects that to continue to build in the coming weeks.

“We’re completely open as a Film Office. We’re eager to see everybody get back to work and we think that the foundation of safety protocols being handed down by the county are significant, and will ensure people’s safety,” he said.

“I would say that the episodic filming of TV productions is really the bread and butter of filming out here,” said Thomason, who also runs the city’s Film Office.

“We get a fair amount of commercials and film productions or feature films.”

Most of the major studio productions, and the corollary financial benefits, are expected to start coming back in July, he added.

“The return of filming,” Thomason added, “will be a huge boost to our local economy.”

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · B9

SALONS, RESTAURANTS BEGIN TO OPEN WITH CARE

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer As “Safer At Home” restrictions are eased, businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley begin adjusting to their “new normal.”

At N’ Style Salon, customers now get their temperatures checked at the door, sit in chairs with plastic barriers separating them from the next station and get their hair cut while wearing masks, according to owner Tiffany Friedman.

“It’s the standard regulations, everything from the (Centers for Disease Control),” she said. “We log every name, date, time and temperature, and ask them a process of questions, especially if they’ve been traveling outside L.A. County.”

Even with all the new restrictions, Friedman said reopening has been great.

“The clients love it,” she added. “They’re so thankful we’re open. They talk about their (quarantine) stories, how bored they were. A lot of people don’t have families out here, so their hair stylist is really a friend to them.”

While the salon opened the very same day the restrictions were lifted, Friedman had been ready for weeks.

“I had everything done the first week they closed us down,” she said. “I ordered Barbicide, alcohol and four cases of gloves.

I stockpiled a little bit because I was worried about the supply (down the line).”

While they planned to be busy, the reopen has been better than expected.

“Rebound has been crazy, which is really weird,” Friedman said. “We thought we’d just have our normal clients back, and we

N’ Style Salon owner Tiffany Friedman is happy to be able open to the public once again. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON/ THE SIGNAL went through the first four weeks of that, but now there’s all these new clients calling.”

The salon is excited to be serving its clients, while being “extra clean and extra safe,” Friedman added.

As the pandemic hit, C’est L’amour Nail owner Van Ngo was preparing to open his third and fourth locations in the SCV, one at Skyline Ranch Plaza and another in Old Town Newhall.

While those additions are still in the

works, now Ngo is simply excited to welcome his clients back to his two current salons, which were reopened on June 22 after being recently remodeled to take advantage of the closures.

“We really are just trying to follow the guidelines exactly,” Ngo said.

With barriers between each client, along with employees wearing all the necessary personal protective equipment, for Ngo, it’s been limiting the salon’s capacity at 50%

that has been most difficult.

“We’re taking appointments only right now, and we’ve been very busy, so yes we’re reopened, but it’s still been difficult due to the capacity, and I don’t know when it will go back to normal,” Ngo added.

Since restaurants were given the green light to reopen in early June, Azul Tequila Mexican Grill has reopened its dine-in services, though they continue to offer takeout, according to owner Rafael Cermeno.

“It’s been slow, but it’s coming along little by little,” Cermeno said. “We get a little rush at lunch and at dinner.”

In addition to tables being separated, the restaurant has added plastic between booths.

Employees wear face masks and gloves, along with face shields when approaching customers without masks, which has been difficult in the heat of the restaurant.

“They say sometimes when they take it off, they feel dizzy,” Cermeno added.

“There’s a lot of restrictions, but we do it to prevent (spread of the virus).”

Even so, customers have been very understanding, Cermeno said.

“They can see we’re doing our jobs and following the guidelines,” he added.

More so, he says they’re simply excited to be able to come in and eat.

“The customers are happy tvvo come back,” Cermeno said. “They say they missed this place so much, (and that) it tastes so much different (and better when eating in).

“We’re grateful, and we try to do the best we can,” he added.

Now, Cermeno says his main goal is to be able to be at the point where he can bring all his staff back.

PUBLIC HEALTH CITY ANNOUNCES HEARS CONCERN SAFETY PLAN

BY TAMMY MURGA Signal Staff Writer Under stricter lockdown restrictions, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health through last month had received more than 90 complaints of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley suspected of being in violation of its health officer order, according to officials.

Of 93 total complaints, the county said it had investigated 74 as of May 4, of which 56 were not in violation, 17 required a reinspection and one led to a permit suspension, according to Public Health Media, the department’s communications division, via an email.

Complaints were attributed to different types of businesses. Smoke and vape shops accounted for 21 of the complaints, 12 for barbershops, seven for car washes and four for illegal food vendors, according to Public Health on May 28.

The county also received eight complaints of employees not wearing masks.

Complaints were also sent about businesses that did not require customers to wear face masks.

These kinds of complaints are handled

by Public Health rather than the city of Santa Clarita, according to city Communications Manager Carrie Lujan.

“The city of Santa Clarita does not have its own Department of Public

Health, so we fall under the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health as far as the orders to wear masks for essential workers and their patrons. They are also the organization who handles regulating these orders,” she said.

The county had also received 10 complaints of restaurants or bars open for onsite dining. In mid-May, Public Health closed Valencia Crazy Otto’s for seven days for allowing dine-in service despite stay-at-home restrictions at the time.

Dine-in customers were allowed simply out of fear of losing the business, owner Jonathan Carrillo said in a previous interview.

Nine complaints were also filed against essential businesses that are non-foodrelated for failing to follow social distancing guidelines.

The complaints come as the county surveyed about 400 businesses in midMay and found that 162 had not followed all the safety rules in the health order, according to officials.

Now in June, several of the safer at home restrictions, such as indoor shopping and dining, have been lifted but businesses and customers are still required to comply with safety measures such as wearing face masks and practicing physical distancing.

By Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal The city of Santa Clarita recently announced the launch of its “Safer Business Commitment” as a part of the Shop Local initiative, allowing local businesses to let customers know it’s safe to shop local by committing to abide by a set of safety guidelines.

“By making the commitment, local businesses can show that safety is their No. 1 priority and help to ease potential health concerns of would-be patrons,” Mayor Cameron Smyth said in a prepared statement.

Santa Clarita Valley businesses can make the commitment by completing an online form, which adds each business to a published list of “Safer” businesses that customers can then view online.

“Businesses are working hard to regain the confidence of COVID-wary customers and staff, and this commitment demonstrates the collaboration of reopening safely together as a community and restarting our economy,” Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp., said in the statement.

Any size business in any industry throughout the SCV is invited to make the commitment, which includes a list of safety guidelines and best practices, issued by the Centers for Disease Control

and L.A. County Department of Public Health.

The “Safer Business Commitment” website includes eight points of promise from businesses, including using face coverings, practicing social distancing, providing hand sanitizer, intensifying disinfection protocols and providing COVID-19 training for employees, according to city officials.

“The SCV Chamber has worked in close partnership with the city and the county to get our businesses reopened, and we ask that our business community work together and make the commitment,” added Ivan Volschenk of the SCV Chamber of Commerce. “Making this commitment and working together will help keep all of us safe and healthy and keep our businesses open and our community working.”

The city is collaborating with a number of business leaders in the community, including the SCVEDC, SCV Chamber and Valley Industry Association, to support local businesses.

For more information on “Safer Business Commitment,” visit VisitSantaClarita.com/ SaferBusinessCommitment.

A TALE OF TWO WORKERS PAUL BUTLER Signal Contributing Writer

H

ave you noticed there are two types of people during these strange days of COVID-19?

One type of person seems to focus their attention on how this pesky pandemic affects three very important people in their own life — me, myself and I. Conversely, the other type of person has a heart for others and is considering others much more than they think of themselves.

Travails and travesty seem to do that to the human heart — they unveil our true nature. Are we selfish or selfless? Do we think of ourselves over others? Are we grateful for what we have or grabbing for what we don’t?

Whether during virtual conversations over computer platforms or in-person dialogues at the required 6 feet of separation, I am observing the two characters at work. I can see so many parallels of how these two types of people respond during a pandemic and how the same two categories respond during the working day.

In conversation with someone just the other day, soon to retire with a government pension, she gloated about how the stock market doesn’t impact her defined benefit pension plan. She couldn’t care less that some had lost jobs and seen defined contribution plans plummet. She listed all the (in my opinion, petty) inconveniences this virus had infiltrated on her personal life without a

This COVID-19 situation is serious, but ultimately, we can choose our response to it, writes Paul Butler. We can choose to moan. Alternatively, we can choose to be grateful for what we have. thought for others.

Even in our “old normal” (pre-COVID), there are those at work who seem much more interested in themselves and how organizational decisions outside of their control impact them personally.

Their first thought is not toward the customer — the person who ultimately pays their wages. Their first thought is neither toward their direct reports (if they’re a supervisor or manager) but rather how this decision impacts them and them only.

Their first thought is not to endeavor to

understand why the organization had to make such a directional adjustment, but rather to see the change as an unwelcome disruption to their daily duties.

Over the years, I have observed how another category of people deals differently with disruption. Their peace seems to come from within, not from without.

They don’t see lack or scarcity but rather they see abundance and opportunity.

Their first thoughts when change comes are about adaptation, flexibility, support and having concern for others. Such men

and women in the workplace are worth their weight in gold — they make great leaders; great colleagues and great influencers for the good of all.

This COVID-19 situation is serious, but ultimately, we can choose our response to it. We can choose to moan. We can choose to stress. We can choose to be anxious.

Alternatively, we can choose to be grateful for what we have. We can look on the bright side. We can remind ourselves this will come to an end.

People are people whether we’re talking about personal or professional lives.

Why? Well, because we’re reflecting upon the human condition — what comes through people in times of economic uncertainty (good or bad) due to a pandemic is the same as what we see coming out of people (good or bad) in times of organizational change. People are people.

I am just grateful that light is much brighter than the darkest darkness and that one day — hopefully not too far off — we will return to our “old normal.” I am hoping we will all come out of this much more grateful for the freedoms we have and the beauty we have around us in nature and within our families, friendships and even complete strangers. I am hoping we will serve, collaborate and lead a little differently at our work, too.

Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Signal newspaper. For questions or comments, email Butler at paul.butler@newleaftd. com.

B10 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SANTA CLARITA VALLEY

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

A SLOW AND BUMPY RECOVERY?

BY HOLLY SCHROEDER President and CEO of SCV EDC

S

CVEDC recently hosted a webinar with Mark Schniepp from the California Economic Forecast to get an update on the current state of the economy and learn what has changed over the past few months. This webinar was part of a series co-hosted with the SCV Chamber: Schniepp began by noting the SCV moved from record low unemployment levels at the beginning of the year to skyrocketing unemployment due to the COVID-19 shutdown. According to his data analysis, unemployment levels peaked in mid-April and are slowly inching down as businesses gradually begin the reopening process and employees return to work.

Though the lockdowns have lifted for many businesses, including restaurants, retail and some entertainment venues, Schniepp predicted that the economy won’t just go back to business as usual.

L.A. County is likely to lag other regions of California in the recovery because more of the sectors here have been shut down,

and for longer, including tourism, the film industry, entertainment venues and the ports. Though the SCV economy is largely tied to that of Los Angeles County and major local employers have been forced to furlough employees, Schniepp noted that

the construction industry is rebounding for both residential and commercial units.

On the upside, it does appear that consumers are ready to dine out and enjoy personal grooming services, and demand is still high for cars and homes. Schniepp

was optimistic that American industry would become more innovative because of constraints, and the recovery might be easier than economists originally predicted.

Overall, Schniepp forecasted that recovery has begun, but it will be a slow and bumpy ride. As unemployment benefits expire and PPP Loans and other loans come due, that might weaken the economy, or at least slow the recovery further. He anticipated that as things gradually return to “normal,” the economy would too. In about Q3 of 2022.

To listen to the rebroadcast of the webinar with Mark Schniepp, or any of webinars from the Scaling Up series visit our website: scvedc.org/scalingup The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is a unique private/ public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.

(661) 288.4400; scvedc@scvedc.org

Econo Watch Santa Clarita Valley

Q1 ’20

Q4 ’19

Q1 2020 Sq Ft

Lancaster

20.9%

9.2%

127.17%

Commercial Vacancy Rates Office Space Industrial Space Total Marked Sq. Ft. Vacancy Percentage:

11.62% 5.20%

11.82% 3.40% 27,672,670

2,787,940 24,884,730

Glendale

20.7%

5.9%

250.85%

Los Angeles County

20.3%

6.4%

217.19%

Office Space - as a % of Vacancy Industrial Space - as a % of Vacancy

10.07% 89.93%

52.82% 47.18%

State

15.5%

5.3%

Building Permits

New Commercial/Industrial Building Permits Commercial Tenent Improvements/Alterations Local Company Stock Prices Bank of Santa Clarita (BSCA) California Resources Corp (CRC) Carnival Corp. (CCL) FivePoint (FPH) Mission Valley Bank (MVLY) Six Flags * (SIX) Woodward (WWD)

Unemployment Rates Santa Clarita Palmdale

May ‘20

Apr ‘20

May ’19

0 9

0 24

5 69

May ‘ 20

Apr ‘20

8.35 1.33 15.74 5.01 9.3 22.98 68.58

Apr ‘20

8.6 2.8 15.9 5.64 9.65 20.1 62.96

Mar ‘20

20.4% 22.3%

6.0% 9.1%

% Change -2.91% -52.50% -1.01% -11.17% -3.63% 14.84% 8.93%

% Change 240% 145.05%

Housing Stats

May ‘ 20

Apr ‘20

192.45%

May ‘19

SCV Median Home Value

661,200

674,800

605,000

SCV Median Condo Value

421,900

402,300

390,000

SCV Home Sales

111

166

244

SCV Condo Sales

55

62

103

SCV Avg. # of Days on Market (SF)

69

69

89

SCV Single Family Home Inventory

250

167

456

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SCALING UP WEBINAR SERIES HOLLY SCHROEDER President & CEO of SCVEDC

T

he COVID-19 crisis has impacted businesses in every industry imaginable. Over the last two months, we co-hosted a webinar series with SCV Chamber featuring business leaders in diverse industries to learn from their experiences in HR and staffing, facility operations and customer service in responding to this very real “new normal.”

1. Be proactive and prepared.

If there is one thing we have learned, it’s to expect the unexpected. While this crisis has been hard on all businesses, those who were proactive and prepared have fared better. Practicing company-wide disaster drills, having a business continuity plan in place, having access to top legal, insurance and banking experts, and ensuring computers have up-to-date cybersecurity measures were some key recommendations of our webinar participants.

2. Be flexible and adaptable.

Businesses have had to adapt to ever-evolving protocols and mandates. While some “non-essential” companies were forced to close, many essential businesses had to contend with new social distancing and sanitizing regulations. Agile companies able to rapidly implement these were able to get up and running sooner. Panelist recommendations included staggering start and end times to ease congestion at entry points, reconfiguring workspaces and break rooms, and encouraging back office staff to work from home.

3. Communication is key.

Communication is key, both internally and externally.

Whether it’s setting up an intranet webpage for team communications or simply providing a comment box for your employees to drop an anonymous note with their questions or concerns, it’s important to keep lines of communication open.

4. Culture matters.

Relationships matter, and having a great work culture helps ensure trust between management and staff. Business owners who take time to understand employee needs, listen and respond to concerns, and have demonstrated a culture of caring before the COVID-19 crisis, reported that their teams were more likely to adapt to change, feel appreciated and respected, and maintain greater happiness in the workplace.

5. Remote work is here to stay.

Many workers have been afforded the opportunity to work from home, and while some look forward to returning to the office, many do not. Several employers said that employees would continue teleworking, at least part time, and have enjoyed freedom from long commutes and more flexibility to handle family and personal responsibilities.

To listen to replays of these very informative webinars visit: www.scvedc.org/scalingup.

For more information about the SCV Economic Development Corp., visit SCVEDC.org, or by calling (661) 288-4400.

ACCESS THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY'S

TALENTED WORKFORCE Post job openings online for free at

LiveWorkSCV.com POST A JOB LIVE WORK SCV POWERED BY SCVEDC

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · B11

THE LIST: L ARGEST E MPLOYERS I N T HE S ANTA C LARITA V ALLEY NAME

#EMPLOYEES

CONTACT

TITLE

ADDRESS

Six Flags Magic Mountain

3200

Tim Burkhardt

General Manager

26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Valencia, 91355

Gothic landscaping

2200

Jon & Rob Georgio

CEO & President

27413 Tourney Rd. Ste 200, Valencia

Princess Cruises

2177

Jan Swartz

President

24305 Town Center Dr, Valencia, 91355

College of the Canyons

2115

Diane G. Van Hook

Chancellor

26455 Rockwell Cyn. Rd. , Santa Clarita, 91355

William S. Hart School District

2013

Vicki Engelbrecht

Superindent

21380 Centre Pointe Pkwy, Santa Clarita, 91350

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

1982

Roger Seaver

CEO

23845 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Saugus Union School District

1712

Colleen Hawkins

Superindent

24930 Avenue Stanford, Santa Clarita, 91355

Landscape Development

1030

Gary Horton

CEO & Owner

28447 Witherspoon Parkway, Valencia

Boston Scientific

900

Maulik Nanavaty

Principal

25155 Rye Canyon Loop, Santa Clarita, 91355

City of Santa Clarita

879

Ken Striplin

City Manager

23920 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, 91355

Master's University

760

John MacArthur

President

21726 Placerita Canyon, Santa Clarita, 91321

Ravi Rajan

President

24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, 91355 25200 Rye Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, 91355

Walmart

705

California Institute of the Arts

700

Multiple Locations, Santa Clarita,

Woodward Inc

680

Carl Moffitt

Vice President & General Manager

Quest Diagnostics

660

Maryam Sadri

Sr. Director, Laboratory Operations

27027 Tourney Rd, Valencia, 91355

Advanced Bionics

581

Jim Robinson

VP

28515 Westinghouse Place, Valencia, 91355

Scorpion

533

Rustin Kretz

CEO

27750 Entertainment Dr., Valencia, 91355

ITT Aerospace Corporation

475

Robert Gleason

Executive Director

28150 Industry Drive Unit S, Valencia, 91355

Q2 Solutions

405

Brian O'Dwyer

CEO

27027 Tourney Rd, Valencia, 91355

Contractor's Wardrobe

400

Greg Mullen

Plant Manager

26121 Avenue Hall, Valencia, 91355

Auto Nation

400

Mark LeCompte

General Manager

23649 Valencia Blvd, Valencia, 91355

Landscape Development, Inc.

400

Gary Horton

CEO

28447 Witherspoon Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Aerospace Dynamics International

398

John Marshall

General Manager

25540 Rye Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, 91355

Wesco Aircraft

375

Todd Renehan

President & CEO

27727 Avenue Scott, Valencia, 91355

Pharmavite

371

Jeff Boutelle

CEO

28104 Witherspoon Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Bocchi Laboratories

345

Joe Pender

President

26455 Reuther, Santa Clarita, 91350

McDonald's

341

Jay Schutz

Owner/Operator

26370 Diamond Place, Suite 500, Santa Clarita, 91350

B & B Manufacturing

330

Fred Duncan

President

27940 Beale Court, Santa Clarita, 91355

Stay Green Inc.

324

Chris Angelo

President & CEO

26415 Summit Circle, Santa Clarita, 91350

Gothic Landscape

306

Jon Georgio

President/Ceo

27413 Tourney Road, Santa Clarita, 91355

Costco Wholesale

277

Shield Healthcare

272

Jim Snell

President

TA Aerospace

270

Carol Marinello

President

28065 Franklin Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

ASC Process Systems

221

Dave Mason

President

28402 Livingston Ave, Valencia, 91355

18649 Via Princessa, Santa Clarita, 91387 27911 Franklin Parkway, Valencia, 91355

ASC Process Systems

221

Dave Mason

President

28402 Livingston Ave, Valencia, 91355

Forrest Machining Inc

220

Joanne Butler

President

27756 Avenue Mentry, Valencia, 91355

Star Nail International/Cuccio

217

Tony Cuccio

CEO

29120 Avenue Paine, Valencia, 91355

Knowles/Novacap

214

Mark Skoog

President

25111 Anza Drive, Valencia, 91355

Crissair, Inc

202

Mike Alfred

President

28909 Avenue Williams, Valencia, 91355

Arvato Digital

200

Garo Kechbouladian

CFO

29011 Commerce Center Dr, Valencia, 91355

Cardinal Health

200

Marsha Aragorn

Site Manager

27911 Franklin Parkway, Valencia, 91355

Fralock Corp

200

Scott Tucker

CEO

28525 W. Industry Dr, Valencia, 91355

Lief Labs

200

Adel Villalobos

President

28510 W Industry Drive, Valencia, 91355

Stratasys Direct Inc

195

Kent Fireston

President

28309 Avenue Crocker, Valencia, 91355

Frontier Toyota

193

Joe Caso

General Manager

23621 Creekside Dr, Valencia, 91355

Bioness

190

Todd Cushman

President

25103 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, 91355

Adept Fasteners

185

Gary Young

Owner

28709 Industry Dr, Valencia, 91355

PDC – A Brady Business

170

Robert Case

President

27770 N Entertainment Dr, Valencia, 91355

Hydro Systems

166

Scott Steinhardt

President

29132 Avenue Paine, Valencia, 91350

RAH Industries Inc

165

Ronald Hansen

CEO

24800 Avenue Rockefeller, Valencia, 91355

Honda Performance Development

165

Art St. Cyr

President

25145 Anza Drive, Valencia, 91355

Del West Engineering Inc

165

Al Sommer

President

28128 Livingston Ave, Valencia, 91355

Hyatt Regency Valencia

156

Mark Kirsch

General Manager

24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia, 91355

Wayforward

152

John Beck

CEO

28738 The Old Road, Santa Clarita, 91355

Triumph Actuation Systems

150

Randy Lebetsamer

President

28150 Harrison Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Vision Media Management

143

Michael Alvarez Sr

President

29125 Avenue Paine, Valencia, 91355

Classic Wire Cut Company

142

Brett Bannerman

President

28210 Constellation Rd, Valencia, 91355

Regent Aerospace Corporation

140

Reza Soltanian

President

28110 W Harrison Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

HRD Aero Systems

140

Tom Salamone

President

25555 Ave Stanford, Valencia, 91355

PPG Aerospace

128

Sean Purdy

Business Manager

24811 Ave Rockefeller, Valencia, 91355

Lamsco West, Inc.

125

Cesar Porras

President

29101 The Old Road, Santa Clarita, 91355

B12 · SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

SAFE IN OUR CARE AT HENRY MAYO PATRICK MOODY Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

H

ospitals, including Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, have adopted strict safety protocols in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Henry Mayo has launched a campaign to educate the community on the processes and procedures the hospital has put in place to keep patients and visitors safe.

“Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, visits to hospital emergency departments have declined across the country, including in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Dr. Larry Kidd, Henry Mayo’s chief clinical officer.

“The fact is, hospitals are extremely safe environments.

We want people to know that so they don’t postpone needed medical care.”

Henry Mayo’s education campaign is called “Safe in our Care.” It includes a series of short videos that explain the safety procedures patients and visitors go through when they come to Henry Mayo. The videos also spotlight the extra cleaning and other precautions the hospital is taking.

Safety procedures include having Emergency Department (ED) patients, upon arrival, having their temperatures taken and answering a series of screening questions outside the ED. Patients who have fevers or other risk factors are isolated from other patients.

Patients who come to Henry Mayo for elective procedures are screened by telephone before their appointments. Patients who have surgeries done at the hospital are tested for COVID-19 three to five days before their surgeries. Their temperatures are also taken upon arrival for their procedures. Patients who come for routine care, such as physical therapy or an annual mammogram, are also screened both by telephone and in person.

All patients, visitors and employees have their temperatures taken upon arrival. Extra cleaning, such as wiping down clipboards and pens after each use, and cleaning all waiting areas frequently, is done in every Henry Mayo location. Finally, Henry May is practicing “universal masking,” which means all visitors and staff members are required to wear masks at all times.

“The one thing we want our patients to know,” said Dr. Kidd, “is that they are safe in our care.”

Patrick Moody is the director of marketing and public relations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. For more information about local community health programs, visit HenryMayo.com.

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

NEW LEGISLATION ADDRESSES PPP RESTRICTIONS

BY DANIEL M. EPSTEIN Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, Mission Valley Bank

I

n June, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act was signed into legislation, reforming the forgiveness piece of the SBA funding program in the CARES Act. The changes are outlined below. It is expected that the SBA will soon publish formal guidance.

COVERED PERIOD EXTENDED Extends the covered period during which the loan may be used for forgivable expenses from eight weeks following loan disbursement to 24 weeks from loan disbursement or Dec. 31, whichever is earlier. Borrowers who received loans before June 5 may elect to continue using the eight-week covered period.

THRESHOLD LOWERED Lowers the amount that must be spent on payroll costs from 75% to 60%. If a borrower uses less than 60% of the loan amount for payroll costs during the forgiveness covered period, they will continue to be eligible for partial loan forgiveness.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS Extends to Dec. 31, the period that employers may rehire or eliminate a reduction in employment, salary, or wages that would otherwise reduce the forgivable amount of a PPP loan. However, the forgivable amount will be determined without regard to a reduction in the number of employees (compared to Feb. 15, 2020) if the recipient is (1) unable to rehire former employees and unable to hire similarly qualified employees by Dec. 31, or (2) unable by Dec. 31 to return to the same level of business activity that existed before Feb. 15, 2020, due to compliance with federal requirements or guidance related to COVID-19.

PAYMENT DEFERRAL Replaces the six-month deferral of payments due under PPP loans with deferral until the date SBA pays the lender the amount of loan forgiveness. If a borrower fails to apply for loan forgiveness within 10 months after the last day of the covered period for forgiveness, the borrower must begin to make payments of principal, interest, and fees on its PPP loan.

LOAN MATURITY Establishes a minimum maturity of five years for new PPP loans made on or after June 5. Lenders and borrowers may mutually agree to modify the two-year maturity terms of prior-disbursed PPP loans.

YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR MISSION

To Our Business Community – As a locally-owned, relationship driven, community-based business bank, Mission Valley is committed to supporting our clients, MVB team, and the communities we serve. As we find ourselves on the financial frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, our bank remains focused on helping clients through the ever-changing economic challenges of this extraordinary situation.

Reflecting on the events over the past several months, I am humbled by the sacrifices of so many for the greater good, the countless acts of kindness, and by the tenacity of the human spirit to do the right thing. Never has separation done so much to build unity and strengthen relationships.

This was never clearer than with the passage of the CARES Act, which may become the most impactful chapter in our bank’s history. Working day and night, our team hustled with intense focus to secure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for our small and mid-sized business clients.

The national rollout was anything but smooth, but while many large banks initially hesitated, our community bank fought through the funding difficulties to emerge as a trailblazer amid constantly changing guidance. I am proud to report that as of May 29, 2020, our hometown bank has successfully processed more than 333 PPP loans, securing approximately $68.3 million in funding for clients. Our story does not end there; we continue to secure much-needed funding to meet client needs until the lending program is exhausted.

As demonstrated by the PPP funding process, never has the importance of community relationship banking been more evident. As a community bank, our advantage over larger financial institutions is knowing our clients and understanding their businesses before trouble arises. This affords us the ability to advise clients and help immediately determine what solutions are the best fit for their unique situation.

We know it is a very stressful time, and we take great pride in the fact that those seeking help are often greeted by a live person and receive personal calls from our bankers on their loan status. I have heard repeatedly over these difficult weeks that the personal contact received from Mission Valley clearly distinguished our community bank from other institutions.

We take our role as Trusted Advisors seriously and it is at the heart of all we do. Since its inception, the annual “Most Trusted Advisor Awards” presented by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal has recognized Mission Valley Business Bankers with the honor. Client relationships with shared vision, purpose, and understanding makes this possible.

As we move forward in the months ahead, we will continue to work together. Together, we will navigate the gradual reopening of our communities. Together, we will mourn our losses and celebrate our successes with the return of life’s balance and economic recovery. Together, as a community, we will heal and carry on.

Be well –

PAYROLL TAX DEFERMENT Eliminates a provision that makes PPP loan recipients who have PPP debt forgiven ineligible to defer payroll tax payments.

Tamara Gurney President & CEO

Mission Valley Bank is a locally owned, full service community business bank headquartered in Sun Valley, California with a business banking office in Santa Clarita. Daniel M. Epstein can be reached at (818) 394-2300. For more information visit www.

MissionValleyBank.com.

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 9116 Sunland Blvd., Sun Valley 818.394.2300

M I S S I O N VA L L E Y B A N K . C O M Branches located in:

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CENTRE POINTE BUSINESS BANKING CENTER 26415 Carl Boyer Drive, Santa Clarita 661.753.5693

SOUTH BAY LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICE 21515 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 211, Torrance 877.394.2306