209 Business Journal - August 2020

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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AUGUST 2020

VOLUME 5 ■ ISSUE 8

IN PROFILE

Mobile business bringing sweet treats to 209 residents.

PAGE 2

IN PROFILE

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

The Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act would establish a $5 billion federal grant program available for both 2020 as well as 2021.

States would be able to apply for aid from the United States Department of Agriculture and then distribute the funds to fairs in their state.

Sports cards are proving to be a booming business during troubled times.

PAGE 3

As fair funding dwindles, Congressman introduces helpful bill ANGELINA MARTIN

F

209 Business Journal

ollowing the cancellation of fairs throughout the state this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Josh Harder is hoping a new bill he introduced this week will help alleviate some of their economic strain and keep them afloat until next year.

During a virtual round table discussion held via Zoom on July 23, Harder announced the Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act — a legislative effort that would create an emergency grant program to help offset the massive revenue losses experienced by fairs this year.

According to the California Fairs Alliance, fairs across California preserve 30,000 jobs, generate $3.5 billion in local revenue, and contribute $200 million in local tax revenue for local and state governments – all of which could be in jeopardy if individual county sites are forced to sell off either part or all of their properties in order to offset the losses incurred by not holding events this year.

“The Western Fairs Association, the California Fairs Alliance, and our Service Member partners are in strong support of Representative Josh Harder’s efforts to include the fair industry in Congressional legislation to assist during this time of National Emergency,” said Sarah Cummings, the

There’s nothing more American than apple pies and county fairs. ­—Congressman Josh Harder President and CEO of the Western Fairs Association. “Fairgrounds are an essential part of the infrastructure necessary for state and local communities to effectively respond in natural disasters and emergencies. More importantly, fairgrounds are often the heartbeat of their communities, generating multi-millions of dollars in non-profit and community benefits, promoting agriculture and a quality of life serving as gathering spots, recreation facilities, and learning centers. Now is the time to provide emergency funding and preserve the legacy of the state’s Fairgrounds for future generations to come.”

Locally, the Stanislaus County Fair boasted an attendance of over 260,000 in 2019. After announcing in April that the annual event in Turlock would be canceled, however, the fair has laid off a majority of its employees and is in danger of

operating at a deficit by October if no action is taken.

The Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act would establish a $5 billion federal grant program available for both 2020 as well as 2021. States would be able to apply for aid from the United States Department of Agriculture and then distribute the funds to fairs in their state.

“We’re doing this because fairs are really important. They’re really important to me; they’re really important to our economy and to our entire community. It’s one of

the best things we do in the Central Valley,” Harder said. “…Fairs can really have a lifelong impact on kids and families.”

Turlock and other communities throughout the state rely on their annual fairs as economic drivers which provide jobs, create fundraising opportunities and attract tourism. The Stanislaus County Fairgrounds serve as the heartbeat of the region, enabling emergency services and hosting community events all while promoting agriSEE FAIR, PAGE 10

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

The opportunities county fairs provide for students through 4-H and FFA, like raising and selling livestock, would be lost if fairs are forced to close because of lack of funding.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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AUGUST 2020

IN PROFILE

New mobile business offers two sweet treats

Fun Factory opens in downtown Ripon

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

Most people with a sweet tooth love edible cookie dough and shaved ice, but what if they were both available at one convenient location? Thanks to one Turlock family, that fantasy is now a reality through their new mobile business Snow and Dough.

Billy Foley, his wife Marissa and their daughters, Madison and Lexi, were constantly traveling the country before the coronavirus pandemic hit as the two girls participated in beauty pageants. This gave them the chance to experience a variety of different treats in various states, but it was the edible cookie dough in Nashville and authentic shaved ice in Maui that left a lasting

BY VINCE REMBULAT 209 Business Journal

Lauren Lisa couldn’t ask for a better location.

Her Ripon Fun Factory finally opened in late July – this new downtown business was initially scheduled to open in the spring prior to the COVID-19 pandemic – and is located at 114 W. Main St., nestled between Pizza Plus and the recently opened Ice Cream Emporium.

“We really wanted this place when it became available back in November,” said Lisa, who is also the owner of the House of

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Since opening about a month ago, Snow and Dough has offered edible cookie dough and shaved ice to family get togethers and community members looking for a sweet tooth fix.

impression on the group.

After a year of ups and downs – and a novel virus that stopped the world — Snow and Dough opened up shop about a month

Snow and Dough Location: T urlock and surrounding towns; www.snowanddough.com Hours: By appointment only Contact information: Call or text 209-502-4315 Specialty: Expansive and unique menu of shaved ice flavors

ago, with the Foleys serving up soft cookie dough and refreshing shaved ice from a portable trailer.

“I saw the pandemic as an opportunity to get ahead and move forward,” Billy Foley said.

Snow and Dough travels throughout the 209, stopping to cater family gettogethers or pausing on street corners so that the neighborhood can grab one of the Foleys’ sweet options. Word of the by-

appointment-only business spread quickly on social media, Billy said, and now he can hardly keep up with the constant phone calls and text messages.

“I’m absolutely blown away. I’ve never seen a business start this easily, and I’ve owned four or five,” Billy said. “People want to be home right now. They want to be safe and they want to know who it is who’s bringing

Cars, which happens to be the other toy and hobby store in town specializing in diecast cars at 467 N. Wilma Ave. Suite #10.

The Fun Factory features 2,000 square feet of toys and games along with a retail environment where kids can not only play but purchase the items.

“My husband (C.J.) and I grew up with Toys ‘R’ Us,” said Lisa of the once beloved toy giant. “That’s something we enjoyed but our kids were not able to experience. We’re really opening this store for our SEE FUN, PAGE 5

VINCE REMBULAT/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Aiden, 5, displays one of the Hot Wheel track sets at the Ripon Fun Factory.

SEE SNOW, PAGE 6

HELPING VALLEY BUSINESS GROW

Deep Roots ~ Strong Branches

866.844.7500 • www.ovcb.com Oakdale • Sonora • Modesto • Turlock Patterson • Escalon • Ripon • Stockton Manteca • Tracy • Sacramento Bill Loretelli Jr., Veronica Loretelli, and Bill Loretelli Sr., with Oak Valley’s Sylvia Orozco, Modesto-McHenry Branch Manager, 579.3365

“We’re treated so well at Oak Valley, everyone is friendly and happy to see you – it’s like family.

If you look at our customers, you see local people who support us and we naturally try to support other local businesses too. We only wish we switched sooner.”

-Bill Loretelli Sr., Loretelli Farms

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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IN PROFILE

Team cards and collectibles business is booming

BY DALE BUTLER 209 Business Journal

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Jerry Baker (seen here driving the tractor) and his wife Paula, started Camp Tuolumne Trails to give adults with medical and developmental issues a chance to have an authentic camp experience.

Camp Tuolumne Trails makes special memories

BY SABRA STAFFORD 209 Business Journal

When Jerry and Paula Baker’s youngest son was 9-years-old they got the heartbreaking diagnosis that he had a brain tumor.

Jerry Baker describes it as a lightening strike moment, in that it altered the course of all their lives in a single moment.

Five years after the diagnosis and five surgeries later, their son came out of it tumor-free. And while they were beyond grateful for the end result, they were a little saddened when they thought about some of the formative experiences their son had missed out on because of having to be in the hospital.

“He didn’t really get a chance to be a kid,” Baker

said.

In that little twinge of sadness an idea was born that they could give kids going through similar medical issues a chance to experience one of the staples of childhood - summer camp.

“We assumed we’d be all about kids like ours, but it turns out that’s not much of a market,” Baker said of the initial idea for the camp.

They did, however, see that there was a need to create something special for the underserved population of adults with medical and/or developmental needs and with that, Camp Tuolumne Trails came to life.

Located in Groveland on 80 acres surrounded by the mountains and

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woodlands, Camp Tuolumne Trails gives people a chance to delve into the camp experience by adapting it all to fit their needs.

The Bakers believe camp is a unique experience shared in songs, games, explorations and nights around a campfire and they wanted to make sure that experience was open to everyone.

“We are in the business of overcoming adversity,” Baker said.

Camp Tuolumne Trails offers campers all the essentials of summer camp - hikes, swimming, team games, music and arts and crafts, while also having a medical program to meet the needs of the campers.

SEE CAMP, PAGE 10

The sports card industry is thriving again.

“Everything is selling right now,” said Jeff Hoekstra, store manager of Teammates Sports Cards & Collectibles at 2900 Standiford Ave. in Modesto. “We’ve never seen anything like this. Business has never been better. Sales are at least triple from what they were a year ago. It’s hard to know exactly why that is.”

Teammates has experienced an increase in overall sales since March while other businesses have been hit hard due to the coronavirus.

“You don’t expect people to spend a lot of money on collectibles when you go into a pandemic,” Hoekstra said. “After COVID, we were seeing so many new customers, including doctors and lawyers. People are taking money out of

their retirement and from the stock market and investing it into the hobby because the stuff is so hot right now.”

Basketball, baseball and football hobby boxes, which include guaranteed hits such as autographs and memorabilia cards, have been flying off the Modesto shop’s shelves for the past five months.

Curbside pickup is available, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

“Everybody is shocked when they see the price of cards now,” Hoekstra said.

“Your average box of cards isn’t $50 or $100. It’s hundreds of dollars. The bottom line is people want what’s rare and sells for a lot of money.”

The price of a 2019-20 Panini Prizm Basketball hobby box quadrupled from $400 to $2,000 thanks in large part to rookie phenoms Zion Williamson and

Ja Morant, and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.

“Basketball is the king right now,” Hoekstra said.

“Panini Prizm has taken over the hobby.”

Panini Donruss Optic Baseball hobby boxes have been a popular sell since being released several weeks ago.

Justin Torlucci, 47, of Lodi, opened several boxes recently and pulled a Jasson Dominguez Rated Prospect Purple Prizm autographed card and Mike Trout Stars and Stripes super short print insert card.

Collectors, investors and sellers have also spent a lot of money on 2020 Bowman Baseball hobby boxes chasing Dominguez cards.

Dominguez, 17, is the New York Yankees’ top prospect.

“Bowman has been huge,” Hoekstra said. “The only downfall is it’s more expensive because of the SEE SPORTS, PAGE 5

DALE BUTLER/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Jeff Hoekstra, 47, has been store manager of Teammates Sports Cards & Collectables since the shop opened its doors five years ago in Modesto.

Announcing the Opening of the Gladstone Clinic

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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AUGUST 2020

IN PROFILE

Rage RoomStanislaus in Salida lets clients blow off some steam

BY FRANKIE TOVAR 209 Business Journal

For years Olivia Bartlett’s husband made a living with his Tracy-based handyman business Andrew’s Maintenance until the spread of Covid-19 forced his business operations to stop. Like so many other business owners in the area, the Bartletts found themselves at a crossroads as they scrambled to find a way to support their family.

“We have four kids so it was like, ‘well, what do we do?’” Bartlett said.

Amid the frustration of the situation Bartlett found inspiration in an unlikely

place — Rage.

Drawing from an idea she had four years ago, Bartlett decided to switch the family business from repair to destruction with the opening of the Rage Room Stanislaus in Salida, a unique attraction its operators hope will help others release their pint up frustrations.

“It was just something I wanted to do really, really bad,” Bartlett said. “We put all of our savings, every penny that we had into this.”

As the name suggests, Rage Room Stanislaus is a place to unleash. Providing

I think this is going to be something that is fun for people to come do that is also therapeutic. ­—Olivia Bartlett

a safe space to demolish a number of objects with the help of various weapons, the rage room proved to be a hit with locals during its August 1 grand opening.

“We had the best first customers we could have asked for,” Bartlett said.

“I think this is going to be something that is fun for people to come do that is also therapeutic.”

“It’s been described as stress relief through controlled destruction,” she added.

With a reservation system in place via their Facebook page, Rage Room Stanislaus offers a variety

of packages for its customers based on the size of the items that will be smashed and battered as well as the time allotted to do so.

There is also an option to bring your own items to rage out on.

Groups of three to five are allowed to visit per session but as of now only one person is allowed to participate in the mayhem at a time. Individuals participating in the destruction are provided with coveralls, leather gloves, safety glasses, a face shield, hard hat and ear protectors.

Though there are currently limitations in place

Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Employee Health & Benefits Commercial Business Insurance Workers’ Compensation Home & Auto Insurance Coffee, lots of coffee

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in terms of participation and weapon selection, there are already plans to expand which includes a larger area to allow multiple people to destroy a number of items, including vehicles, with custommade weapons to accompany the already available crowbars, sledgehammers and 2x4s.

There are also talks of lowering the minimum age to participate from 18 to 13.

“I feel like we have gotten so lucky. I don’t even know where it came from. It’s amazing,” Bartlett said. “I can’t even really describe it with words.”

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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IN PROFILE

Bilingual brokerage opens up in Oakdale

BY AUTUMN NEAL 209 Business Journal

One of Oakdale’s newest businesses, Alvarez Insurance Service, has two amiable faces - Guadalupe Alvarez and Kimberley Munoz - eager to help the community with their insurance and notary needs.

“We have insurance, public notary, and registration services,” Alvarez said, “and we’re bilingual and biliterate.”

The reason that her second point is especially important is why she decided to open up in Oakdale in the first place. Though there are a few similar brokerages in Oakdale, she noticed that a lot of local residents, especially the Hispanic community, had to go out of town to get these services.

Before she became interested in insurance, Alvarez was actually studying medicine.

“Before I had my first child, I was in the medical field. I became a mom and realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” she explained.

She then decided to try out some other options.

After applying to a few jobs and getting all of them, she opted for insurance.

Though she was intimidated by the new position for the first week, with all that there was to learn, she quickly got over any fears.

“It’s challenging at first,” Alvarez admitted, “but I’ve always been that type of person that’s up for a challenge.”

In January of this year, she was finally able to open up her own insurance company.

“So here I am,” she added, “this is my own thing, and I can finally say ‘It’s me, I’m representing me.’”

Alvarez was eager to start her own business as she started to get to know the customers. She realized in bigger companies, the communication may get muddled and misunderstood. Now, she’s excited to make sure that anyone who comes in can feel secure with her services.

“We like to know what we’re sending our customers with,” she said.

“So, when it comes to coverages or their insurance, we explain to them what liability is and what full coverage is.”

Alvarez believes her candor and willingness to sit down and explain what’s going on is what is bringing customers back. Moreover, this natural affability is definitely what is needed after coronavirus shutdowns.

Alvarez Insurance Services opened just a few months before the mandatory lockdown, so they are just returning to the scene, eager for new customers.

“I get to interact with lots of people and I enjoy interacting with the community. I get to even change the person’s day, just a smile can change their day and I’ve seen that,” she shared. “Everyone has a different origin, where they come from.

When they get into detail it’s nice, I can bond with my customers.”

She is hoping to soon be able to reach out and do some meet and greets around town once coronavirus concerns are al-

AUTUMN NEAL/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Guadalupe Alvarez, at right, and Kimberley Munoz are eager to help the community with their insurance needs. Their office includes a kid’s corner for those who need to bring their children in.

leviated.

As for services, Alvarez is working out pricing.

Most come at a flat rate, but she is hoping to initi-

ate a coupon-referral service so that customers who need a bit of a discount can try and opt for one. For a free quote or more infor-

mation, call Alvarez Insurance Services at 209-9003344 or stop by their office at 132 S. Third Ave.

SPORTS

FROM PAGE 3

strong rookie class.”

Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa autographs and parallels are the most sought-after cards in all football hobby products, including Panini Chronicles and Contenders Draft Picks. The rookie quarterbacks were selected by the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL Draft.

A customer at Teammates pulled a 2019-20 Ja Morant Panini Donruss Optic Basketball one-ofone autographed rookie card on June 26.

“It should sell for a minimum of $20,000,” Hoekstra said.

History was made in the sports cards world on July 19 when a 2003-04 LeBron James Upper Deck Exquisite rookie patch autographed parallel rookie card sold at auction for $1.845 million.

The previous record for any modern sports card sold was set in May when a gem mint 2009 Mike Trout Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects red refractor autographed rookie card fetched $922,500.

Blowout Cards has offered a $500,000 bounty to the person who pulls Zion Williamson’s 2019-20 National Treasures NBA

VINCE REMBULAT/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

The graphics at the Fun Factory is the work of airbrush artist Artes Luna.

FUN

FROM PAGE 2 DALE BUTLER/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Justin Torlucci, 47, of Lodi, is a regular customer at Teammates Sports Cards & Collectables. He opened several hobby boxes of 2020 Donruss Optic Baseball during a recent visit.

Logoman one-of-one autographed rookie card.

“You can open a pack of cards now and pull a card that’s worth $100,000 or a lot more,” Hoekstra said.

“That wasn’t the case a few years ago.”

The sports card industry has gone through its ups and downs over the years.

The number of shops has shrunk drastically since the mid-1990s due to the Internet, video games and other trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and Yugioh.

“There wasn’t any money

to be made,” Hoekstra said.

“I stuck with it because I love the hobby.”

Hoekstra has been in the sports card business for 27 years.

He worked, from 19932015, at Krier’s Cards & Comics in Modesto. The Pelendale Avenue shop has since closed its doors.

“I gave up tennis at Modesto Junior College so I could work and go to card shows,” said Hoekstra, who earned a business management degree from Stanislaus State. “I started selling at local card shows in 1989.”

Hoekstra opened his first pack of cards, Donruss Baseball, in 1981.

“My parents would buy us a Topps Baseball card set every year starting in 1983,” he said. “That’s why I got into it more. I started really building my collection in 1986.”

Hoekstra turned his passion into a profession.

“It’s an ideal occupation,” said Hoekstra, who also sells sports cards and collectibles on EBay. “It’s given me the flexibility to do what I want. I love sports. I enjoy what I’m doing.”

kids.”

The Fun Factory will provide them with that and more.

Besides the full line of all the manufacturer toys catering to kids and collectors alike, the new business is in the space formerly occupied by Mello Realty, and features the Arcade Dungeon with several standup arcade consoles with some 3,600 available games and a few flat screen televisions hooked up to video-gaming systems.

The private party room won’t be available as of yet for health safety reasons.

“Our retail space will

be open and there will be limited arcade use,” said Lisa in her social media post.

Opening day featured special guest Johnny Jimenez, who is the resident toy expert from television’s Pawn Stars. He’s also the owner of Toy Shack in Las Vegas.

“There’s no one more knowledgeable about the toy industry than Johnny,” said Lisa, who also scheduled a guest from the Disney Plus series The Mandalorian – a mural of the Star Wars character is featured in the hallway of the Ripon Fun Factory – for next month.

For more information including hours of operation, call (209) 718-1234 or log on to www.riponfunfactory.com.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

6

AUGUST 2020

NEWS

Grant program to provide relief SBA offers civil unrest offers disaster assistance to area businesses for Stanislaus businesses STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

considered for a touchless gift card program.

After distributing over $3 million in federal aid and community contributions to nearly 350 businesses in the spring, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors recently approved another opportunity for business owners to receive financial help as the coronavirus pandemic wears on.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the establishment of a Business Grant Program during their July 14 meeting, which will utilize a total of $10 million in business revitalization and economic support funding thanks to CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds.

Stanislaus County received $96.1 million of the $150 billion in relief funding included in the CARES Act. In June the Board voted to allocate $15 million of that funding for business revitalization and economic support — $10 million of which has been set aside for the new grant program, $4 million that will be directed to nonprofit organizations in the community and another $1 million which is being

This is the second round of funding made available through Stanislaus County; in April, the Small Business Relief Fund was established and provided grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses with 50 employees or fewer. In total, $3 million in CARES funding and an additional $150,000 in community contributions were distributed to 344 businesses.

The new Business Grant Program will accept online applications July 31 through Aug. 28. At least 50 percent of the funding will be allocated for small businesses that employ up to 50 full-time equivalent employees, with a maximum grant funding opportunity of $25,000.

Businesses employing more than 50 full-time equivalent employees are also eligible under this program, with maximum grant funding for medium and large businesses capped at $50,000.

Similar to the last round of grant funding, applications will be scored based on criteria that includes SEE GRANT, PAGE 8

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to businesses and residents in some 209 counties affected by the civil unrest that began May 26.

“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” said Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The Small Business Administration, which is administering the loans, can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size,

SERVING THE CENTRAL VALLEY Improving access to higher education

www.csustan.edu

SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates can be as low as 3 percent for businesses, 2.75 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.25 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years.

Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

The disaster loans cover businesses and residents

SNOW

FROM PAGE 2 the food to them.”

Chocolate chip and sugar cookie doughs are always on the menu, while specialty flavors are sprinkled in from week to week. Most recently, customers could also get their hands on a s’moresflavored dough or another which featured M&Ms. As for shaved ice, there are over 50 flavors on the

who incurred damage as a result of the civil unrest in Alameda, Contra Costa, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and Ventura counties in California.

“SBA is strongly committed to providing California with the most effective and customer-focused response possible, and we will be there to provide access to federal disaster loans to help finance recovery for businesses and residents affected by the disaster,” said Garfield.

“Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.” In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, for this disaster SBA will establish a virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the applica-

menu ranging from fruity, Hawaiian syrups to southern flavors straight from Louisiana which include dreamsicle, red velvet, Laffy Taffy and more.

While the new business will give the community a chance to experiment with their taste buds, Snow and Dough has also provided the Foley family with more opportunities to spend time together. It’s a true family affair, with mom and dad running the show, 10-year-old Madison taking money from

tion process and help each individual complete their electronic loan application.

The Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday by email at FOCWAssistance@sba.gov or phone at (916) 735-1500. These services are only available for the California disaster declaration as a result of the civil unrest that began May 26, 2020, and not for COVID-19 related assistance.

Applicants can apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba. gov/. Applicants can also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. customers and Lexi, age four, observing the operation while telling everyone “she’s the boss.”

“I’m teaching my girls how to run a business during a very scary time,” Billy said.

At the end of the day, the most important thing to Billy is a happy customer.

“Everyone keeps saying, ‘Hey, we want to make sure this stop is worth your while,’” he said. “We tell them that it’s worth our while if they smile.”

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

7

OPINION

Vol. 5 No. 8 ■ August 2020

Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be. ­—Ralph Waldo Emerson

PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

MANAGING EDITOR Sabra Stafford

NEWSROOM Brooke Chau Dennis D. Cruz Kristina Hacker Teresa Hammond Angelina Martin Autumn Neal Vince Rembulat Virginia Still Dennis Wyatt

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman

SALES & MARKETING

Preparing your business for the new normal It’s official. The coronavirus pandemic’s biggest victim is the U.S. economy.

Despite some states’ recent efforts to reopen their economies, periodic surges in infections and the lack of a marketable COVID-19 vaccine make it a virtual certainty that this will be a U-shaped (or perhaps a WWWWW-shaped) recession lasting at least the next two to three years, maybe longer.

And that’s not the worst of it.

The worst of it is that when the U.S. economy finally does emerge from the pandemic, it won’t look much like it did before. Structural upheavals in the economy over the last decade are being turbocharged by the pandemic, and many traditional business models and career paths are now obsolete.

Here are some of my personal predictions. May history prove me to be overly pessimistic.

We Will All Be Hypochondriacs. I used to laugh at the hand sanitizers in my local supermarket and the people who wore face masks on airplanes.

Not anymore.

The pandemic has made us all more sensitive to (and less tolerant of ) other people and their personal hygiene. When I see someone in a store who’s not wearing a mask or not following the painted arrows on the floor, I call them out on it (or alert a manager). We are becoming increasingly aware — and protective of — our personal space.

We will still go to grocery

CLIFF ENNICO CREATORS SYNDICATE

stores but at 6 a.m. on Sunday when there’s no one else there.

We will avoid stores more by having things delivered to and picked up from our homes. We will avoid large crowds, maybe permanently.

We Will All Be Homebodies.

I’m seeing more kids riding bicycles in my neighborhood, more grown-ups walking their dogs and more people doing home renovation projects.

Something I’ve known for the past 25 years: Learning, working and playing remotely is much more efficient than schlepping to an office, school or theater. People are not only waking up to that; they are liking it.

No longer just a place to sleep, home is once again becoming the center of our lives — our school, our workplace, our gym, our play place.

Most of the traditional office workday is taken up with nonproductive tasks that are eliminated when people work from home. Getting rid of long commutes, unnecessary meetings and water-cooler chats mean most workers can do in 3 to 4 hours what used to take 8 hours. Bright, motivated kids can learn a lot faster at home than being stuck on a one-sizefits-all classroom treadmill.

Big employers are waking up

to this, too. Look for massive employee reductions in force in coming months, with fewer employees working longer hours in their pajamas.

Working more efficiently also means more people have more time to take care of elderly relatives at home (making death-trap nursing homes less necessary), and the loss of socialization resulting from kids not seeing their classmates in school every day can be offset partially by seeking live interactions with other kids in their neighborhoods.

Brick-and-Mortar Is Yielding to Silicon. Once the big corporations have become virtual, their big office buildings and rental spaces will be the next to go.

Most retail, service and other businesses will be conducted 100% online. Shopping centers are already morphing into condo complexes. Corporate campuses are being donated to universities. And suburban strip malls are becoming medical offices.

Technology Holds It All Together. Your personal computer and smartphone have become your everything-things and are now indispensable.

They will increasingly run your life. Even temporary power outages will become existential crises, and whoever figures out how to shut down the internet will rule the world.

And while millennials and Gen Z folks have always lived on their phones, the pandemic has — wonder of wonders! — pushed baby boomers, kicking

and screaming, into the digital world.

Escape From New York (and Chicago and Los Angeles).

People will rethink living in large cities. What makes New York New York — the theaters, the restaurants, the museums, the sporting events — all relies on large groups of people in close proximity. Say goodbye to all that.

When you can do anything anywhere, you don’t have to be anywhere at all.

Six months ago, there was a glut of single-family homes for sale in my suburban hometown about an hour’s train ride north of New York City. Today, there are hardly any “for sale” signs in town, and cars with New York license plates are cruising local neighborhoods leaving flyers in mailboxes.

“We Can’t Go On Together with Suspicious Minds” (apologies to Elvis Presley). All of the above may lead to a decline in trust — in people and institutions. History shows that the more people are physically isolated from one another, the more they take comfort in tribes, fear outsiders and tune out information that threatens their worldview. Look for an increase in social fragmentation, and in intolerance of divergent opinions and cultures.

Like all historical events, the pandemic will produce winners and losers. The losers will be those who can’t adapt to the new normal, while the winners will be those who learn to surf the waves.

Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Karen Olsen Corey Rogers Melody Wann Charles Webber

DIGITAL

Frankie Tovar Rich Matheson

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AUGUST 2020

BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS AT WORK

Testing is the best HR assistant The high unemployment rate caused by COVID-19 means thousands who were once employed are now searching for jobs of all kinds. This means human resource departments have been inundated with online applications and unsolicited resumes. The competition is fierce, and HR cannot and never has been able to interview every good candidate. Some applicants simply don’t make the cutoff, no matter how good they are or could have been in the job. The problem is in the timing.

While great candidates may not be included, candidates who are just acceptable due to their keywords may pass through.

An efficient way to weed through the candidates who made the pass is through preemployment testing. Ken Crowell of the website EmployTest says: “Education is not enough, nor is a degree in in a specific field, nor is a license to practice in a particular field. Many people have formal educations but cannot do the work. Whether it’s simple math, accounting knowledge, reading comprehension, grammar or just plain common sense, testing is the most efficient way to screen for candidates whose educations are backed up with skills, abilities and practical knowledge.”

EmployTest has hundreds of tests for any size company to use in the hiring process. One benefit of preemployment testing is to save a company from

LINDSEY NOVAK CREATORS SYNDICATE

the losses experienced by bad hires. A company can lose 2.5 times an annual salary from a bad hire.

Testing used to be limited to Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies due to the expense. This is no longer the case. EmployTest has made it possible for the smallest of companies to purchase a minimum package of five tests of any kind for a cost every company can afford: $149. The digital tests are administered online, so HR no longer needs applicants to take tests in person. This method helps eliminate applicants who were counting on charm and smiles to help them through the process.

Tests are grouped into five overall areas, with subcategories as well: Behavioral and Aptitude, Software Skills, Basic Administrative Skills, PsyMetrics, and Industry Knowledge.

“Behavioral and Aptitude” has 11 tests focusing on cognitive and reasoning; workplace success; professional success; behavioral profile; integrity; management; sales; health care aptitude; customer service profile; and building your own test.

“Software Skills” offers 134 tests covering areas such as general computer; Microsoft and Excel; Microsoft Word; Windows; PowerPoint; and Outlook.

GRANT

FROM PAGE 6 prior business health, the level of COVID-19 impact to the business, business planning and impact, along with details regarding the intended use of funds.

The Board of Supervisors also approved in concept two additional recommendations: the Non-Profit Support and Community Match Fund, which are modeled after other local programs (the Resilient Stanislaus Fund and Downtown Modesto Partnership RAD Card).

The non-profit support program includes a $4 million infusion of local support funding for three categories: direct service providers, youth services/activities and community centered arts/cul-

“Basic Administrative Skills” includes 44 individual tests for general work; typing; attention to detail; grammar and spelling; reading comprehension; and workplace math.

Companies can also choose from 23 tests by industry knowledge. For example, the legal field offers 18 tests; nursing has 16; the medical field has 29; and accounting knowledge offers 31.

There is also a category for PsyMetrics, which tests for elite skills and supervisor aptitude.

When HR is searching for a sales representative to succeed, the desirable character traits are a person who is results-oriented and competitive. It’s easy to see that most hiring professionals would not have the background or the skills needed to choose candidates with the exact traits, knowledge and skills for a specific position.

Despite the numerous tests a company can choose, Crowell says the most common desired skills are written communications. One comment he often hears is, “They can text, but they can’t write grammatically correct sentences.” Basic math skills also seem to be lacking, along with the ability everyone wants in a person — common sense.

Knowing these tests are available may scare off the applicants who know they lack the abilities, which would increase the chances for the right job-seekers to get hired.

ture nonprofit organizations.

The Community Match Fund will allocate $1 million to implement a touchless gift card program countywide, allowing consumers to purchase gifts cards in several denominations and matching funds to stimulate the Stanislaus economy and support local restaurants and retailers (including personal care services).

The Board of Supervisors will consider details of these programs at a future meeting. The Business Grant program details and application are available at www.stanworkforce.com (click on the COVID-19 link then the Stanislaus County Business Grant link). Application navigators are available to assist applicants in Spanish as needed and applicants can call 209-558-4473 for additional information.

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NEWS

ADA Compliance Website Design It seems like ADA compliant websites are a new reality. For those who don’t know, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) represent this standard.

It is often associated with many physical locations and accommodations that businesses must adopt so that people with disabilities can see their websites. This is why ADA compliant website design is getting popular nowadays, and why everyone should learn more about it.

Some of the questions you might have at this point include: • Is my website ADA compliant?

• What does an ADA compliant website cost?

• What does an ADA compliant website look like?

• Are there any clear regulations and ADA requirements for websites?

• How can one develop an ADA compliant website?

The best way to get answers to all of these questions is by reading the sections below.

What Is ADA Compliance?

As we said before, ADA is an act which passed in 1990. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and makes sure that everyone has the same rights and opportunities when looking at a website.

So, ADA compliant websites need to be present in all sectors, whether websites are managed by public institutions or private entities open to the public. In 2010, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design was passed. With this, the law requires all electronic and information technology entities (like websites) to be accessible for people with disabilities such as vision impairment and hearing loss.

ADA Compliant Website Checklist: Are There Any Guidelines?

Even though there are some unclear rules for designing an ADA accessible website, businesses should still provide an accessible virtual presence that accommodates all users with disabilities.

Here’s what we know in terms of what websites need to be compliant as of now: • If you are a business benefiting the public • If you are a local, state, or government agency • If you are a private employer with 15 or more employees You should follow ADA website compliance guidelines to be considered compliant with current ADA regulations.

As some attorneys note, “there is no federal direction” on how to make your website ADA compliant or any ADA compliance website test, you can check out online. However, what we know and are set as a legal requirement is the WCAG set of rules, explained below.

WCAG (Guidelines) For People With Disabilities The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are not a legal requirement, but a common reference point for all businesses looking to improve their digital accessibility. In that manner, there are currently three versions of WCAG (1.0, 2.0, and 2.1).

While the WCAG Version 2.0 replaced the WCAG Version 1.0, the brand new 2.1 Version is an extension of the former.

There are three levels of conformance, including A (bare minimum level of accessibility), AA (target level of accessibility meeting legal requirements), and AAA

(exceeds accessibility requirements).

Under the latest WCAG Version 2.1 guidelines, we can see that to have an ADA compliance website design; your website needs to be: • Perceivable – Your site’s content should offer alternatives to text or assistive technology, helping sight-impaired individuals.

• Operable – This guideline is set in terms of navigation, making sure that disabled people can access your website and content with various keyboard options.

• Understandable – Your content should be easy to understand, readable and predictable, with some input assistance if needed.

• Robust – Essentially, you need to have content that is read by various devices and platforms (especially ones for people who use assistive technologies).

If you can meet all of these standards, it is safe to say that you have passed most ADA guidelines for websites that are present now. More importantly, your website will be accessible to people with vision/hearing disabilities and or cognitive, language, or learning disabilities.

What do the ADA compliance requirements say about websites?

Known as a complicated and often consuming story, the relationship between ADA and websites does not explicitly address online compliance. Title III of the ADA requires that every owner, lessor, or operator of a “place of public accommodation” provide equal access to all people who are meeting ADA standards for disability.

How To Design an ADA Compliant Website?

Knowing that the ADA requirements for websites are not as easy to follow as they sound, every business should be open to new opportunities and professionals in the field of ADA compliance website design.

For many, common sense indicates that a website should have certain technologies like audio (for those who are visionimpaired) where voice reads the text on the screen back to the web visitor.

Having an ADA accessible website is vital nowadays. There are requirements for federal websites, and they are also expected to be present for all private websites owned by individuals or businesses.

Below, we share some of the common ways businesses ensure their website is accessible, and people with disabilities can read their web content.

ADA Compliant Website Checklist 1. Alt tags for all images, videos, and audio files – Alt tags are words that allow

users with disabilities to read or hear alternative descriptions of some content that they are unable to view. They describe the objects in an image or video and the purpose they serve on the website.

2. Proper markup techniques for structuring content – Elements such as the correct heading tags and HTML for ordered and unordered lists can also help you get an ADA compliant website. The content should always be presented in a meaningful order and sequence, and it must read properly.

3. Elements’ color – The use of one color should be avoided, and there must be a color contrast ratio of at least 4:5:1 between the text and background.

4. Elements’ size – Like color, your elements and text need to come in different sizes – text must support resizing up to 200% without causing problems for people trying to read it.

5.

Text transcripts for audio/video content – ADA compliant websites have text transcripts that help hearing-impaired users access content that would otherwise be inaccessible.

6. Language onsite – You should make it clear what language your site is written. This helps users who utilize text readers to translate better or hear the text that is present on your website.

7. Alternatives for input errors – The ADA requirements for websites suggest that users can encounter input errors because of their need to navigate the website differently. In such cases, you should learn how to design an ADA compliant website and offer recommendations to your visitors.

8. Consistency in layout – Your website layout should be consistent. This means that all of your menus, links, and buttons should be organized so that they are clearly moved away from one another and easily navigated throughout the site.

If you are still unsure how you can make your website ADA compliant, you can consult with an attorney who specializes in disability law or get an ADA compliant website cost from a professional agency with experience in designing similar websites.

For businesses that are ready to make these changes to their websites, reading the ADA requirements for companies and detailed guidelines is necessary.

‘What If I Don’t Design An ADA Accessible Website?’

Businesses without ADA compliant websites will be put in the “failure to comply” category, which means that they could receive lawsuits moving forward.

Some sources say that depending on the

state, a fine for this can reach a sum of up to $150,000.

Reports show that from 2017/2018, the number of lawsuits for ADA website compliance increased by 177%, and there have been more than 2,258 filed in 2018 alone, which is up from the 814 in 2017. Even though California, New York, and Florida are dubbed as the busiest jurisdictions for cases like these, even fourteen other states are making the charts, including Texas, California, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Illinois, However, the essential point here is that without ADA compliance for websites, businesses may lose on many customers.

Furthermore, ADA compliant websites are indexed and crawled by search engines more quickly, increasing their position in the rankings and getting the entire content in front of every user.

Don’t Fall in A Trap: Complying with ADA Means Complying with The Law. Since ADA was brought to users by the public, complying with it means complying with the law. In times when many companies see this form of compliance as a trend, our most honest advice is not to waste your money installing a plugin or add-on as a solution to making your website accessible.

It is up to you to find out if your website is ADA compliant.

Explore Our Affordable ADA Compliance Website Design Services At Devine Solutions Group, we completely understand how vital ADA website compliance is. We also know that there is absolutely no reason for you to spend money on toolbars, plugins, and add-ons that are “say” they are guaranteed to produce ADA compliant websites.

Instead, our Tracy, CA digital agency has a solution to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is already available for our clients. While some of you may see ADA as a loophole in the law, the smartest decision you can do is take advantage of it and make your website ADA compliant before it is too late.

We are listing the five most significant reasons why your website should be ADA compliant: 1. Increase your target audience and receive more website traffic 2. Rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs) Increase SEO results 3. Improve your online reputation 4. Achieve better visibility 5. Avoid costly penalties Wondering what to do next?

Contact us today. We will conduct an ADA website compliance audit and show you where you are at risk.

Making the most of having an ADA compliant website for your business can give you a real competitive advantage.

Beth Devine is one of the most sought-after marketing experts in the Central Valley.

She is the founder and principal of Devine Solutions Group, an award-winning digital marketing and business development agency headquartered in Tracy, CA. Connect with Beth by either calling 833-9338463 or email her at beth@devinesolutionsgroup.com.

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FAIR

FROM PAGE 1 culture. The San Joaquin County Fair even hosted the command center three years ago when flooding seemed like a real possibility in south Manteca.

The endless educational opportunities the fair provides for students through 4-H and the Future Farmers of America, like the livestock shows and auctions, have been forced online this year, and local nonprofits that typically make most of their revenue at the fair are struggling to make ends meet.

“Like every fair across the state, we are looking outside the box at how to keep supporting our communities,” Stanislaus County Fair CEO Matt Cranford said, pointing to the organization’s work to secure Personal Protective Equipment for local healthcare professionals. “The nonprofits look to us to find ways to fundraise…these nonprofits have lost their major source of revenue, so we’re seeing that economic impact and that social impact on playgrounds, on youth activities and other social movements that the Lions Club and the Rotary Club put out.

“Economically, locally we’re feeling the pinch…it’s definitely a tough environment and we’re doing all we can to keep it going.”

Former Stanislaus County Fair Board of Directors Finance Chair Angelica Anguiano shared that the orga-

CAMP

FROM PAGE 3 Counselors come from all over the globe and undergo a rigorous training program.

Baker said the benefits of the camp are multi-fold and believes the experience the counselors gain is invaluable to their general understanding of people with special and medical needs.

“They walk away with an understanding of these challenges that they wouldn’t have gotten somewhere else,” Baker said.

Typically, Camp Tuolumne Trails offers six sessions during the summer and fills the off-season working with different school districts for outdoor education and special projects with various organizations, like the Wounded Warrior Project.

However, this is most

nization has only been able to operate this long with zero revenue coming in thanks to the first federal aid package and the Friends of the Fair Foundation, which was created to raise funds locally when the state slashed its budget funding for fairs in 2011.

The Stanislaus County Fair had to pay companies who had already completed work in preparation for the fair this year despite the event being canceled, and has also returned thousands of dollars in rental deposits back

Without this bill going forward and making it through, our fair will likely not survive. ­—Former Stanislaus County Fair Board of Directors Finance Chair Angelica Anguiano to organizations and companies that can no longer host their events at the fairgrounds. Now, the money from the foundation has run out and Anguiano warned that the fair would be “in the red” by October.

The San Joaquin County

Fair, typically a four-day summer event, which was also cancelled, is expected to lose out on half a million dollars this year.

Both Anguiano and Cranford applauded Harder’s new bill.

“Without this bill going forward and making it through, our fair will likely not survive,” Anguiano said.

Despite the trillions in relief already spent by the federal government during the coronavirus pandemic, Harder is hopeful that the fair industry can receive a bailout just as airlines and hotels were previously given. As Washington mulls over a second coronavirus stimulus package, Harder hopes the Protecting Fairs During Coronavirus Act can be included in the conversation.

Because after all, he said, “there’s nothing more American than apple pies and county fairs.”

“We’ve already done targeted COVID response packages for airlines and other industries that were hard hit, but fairs are a huge economic driver especially among more rural areas like ours, and that money is invested back into this community,” Harder said. “So, I think the $5 billion number is a bargain to make sure that places like the Stanislaus County Fair survive and provide the experiences like the ones you’ve heard today.”

Reporter Jason Campbell contributed to this report.

AUGUST 2020

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Fairs across California preserve 30,000 jobs, generate $3.5 billion in local revenue, and contribute $200 million in local tax revenue for local and state governments.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Communities throughout the state rely on their annual fairs as economic drivers which provide jobs, create fundraising opportunities and attract tourism.

definitely not a typical year.

The Bakers and their staff have set up COVID-19 precautions and are changing the structure of the camp.

Rather than just campers coming for a stay, Camp Tuolumne Trails is renting out their cabins for whole family stays.

“This summer, we have seen families rejuvenated by a weekend away outside of their homes,” Baker said.

“We have had the opportunity to chase after this need and have served over 30 families with socially distanced guidelines in place.

We have provided a safe, welcoming and fully accessible space for families to have time outside they have so desperately needed.”

The camp also is upgrading the internet at the site to offer people a work in the woods stay. For more information about Camp Tuolumne Trails visit http:// www.tuolumnetrails.org or call (209) 962-7534.

The world is

Located in Groveland on 80 acres surrounded by the mountains and woodlands, Camp Tuolumne Trails gives people a chance to delve into the camp experience by adapting it all to fit their needs.

Your business should be, too.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Camp Tuolumne Trails offers campers all the essentials of summer camp hikes, swimming, team games, music and arts and crafts, while also having a medical program to meet the needs of the campers.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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NEWS

PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, HONORS, ETC. Red Cross selects new executive to lead the new Heart of the Valley chapter

American Red Cross announced Christopher Losavio has taken the role of Executive Director for the newly created American Red Cross of the Heart of the Valley.

In this position, Losavio will serve in a leadership role working with more than 526 local volunteers and many community partners to improve the resiliency of the communities and the more than 1.6 million resi- Christopher Losavio dents of Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters.

“As we create this new chapter, we are confident that Chris is the right person to lead us forward,” said Jennifer Adrio, Regional CEO, American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region. “Chris brings a wealth of experience in community engagement as well as disaster preparation, response and recovery.”

Losavio said his focus will be on relationships. “I want to strengthen our current relationships and develop new relationships for the future to help deliver life-saving Red Cross programs and services.” said Losavio “I am proud to join our dedicated volunteers and our generous community and corporate partners in providing the Red Cross lifesaving services to those living and working in our Chapter.”

Most recently, Losavio served the Regional Director of the Service to the Armed Forces and International Services program for the American Red Cross of Greater New York. Over the last two years, he has managed a team of staff and volunteers to support the military and international community. In this role, he built and managed a team of over 200 volunteers. This team works to support the casework and resiliency for active duty service members, vet-

erans and their families. They also provide support to five veteran hospitals, families preparing for pre or post deployment, individuals joining the military, and families who were displaced due to war or conflict.

DMC receives quality achievement award Doctors Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

Doctors Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients.

“We are dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center. “Our team has done a wonderful job of utilizing the tools and resources provided to help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.”

Doctors Medical Center also qualified for recognition on the Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

In addition, Doctors Medical Center received the Association’s Target: Type

2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90% of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”

Doctors Medical Center met specific scientific guidelines earlier this year to become a Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

“We are pleased to recognize Doctors Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

New Chief Strategy Officer appointed for Tenet’s Central Valley hospitals Tenet Healthcare has appointed Sabrina High as the new Chief Strategy Officer for its three Central Valley Market hospitals – Doctors Medical Center, Emanuel Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Manteca – effective July 13.

As Chief Strategy Officer, High will focus on the growth and deSabrina High velopment of the market’s network of services to ensure the hospitals are meeting the needs of their communities and providing convenient access to high-quality care close to home.

“Sabrina has excellent experience working in healthcare business development and brings a fresh perspective to enhancing and expanding our healthcare delivery,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Tenet’s

Northern California Group. “We are delighted to have her in this role on our executive team.”

High has been with Tenet since 2013.

She most recently served as the Group VP of Business Development for the Northern California Group in which she was responsible for driving growth within the six hospitals. Prior to her VP role, Sabrina served as a Physician Relations Manager at Doctors Medical Center where she was responsible for strategically planning and implementing outreach efforts and improving hospital physician relationships.

She also previously served as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

High earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from California State University Stanislaus. She and her husband have two children and reside in Modesto.

Merced College alumnus is top cadet at recent Fresno City College police academy graduation Merced College alumnus Tim Slenders was recognized as the Top All-Around Cadet at the Fresno City College Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy graduation on July 15.

Slenders, 32, was working as a jail sergeant at the Adult Detention Facility with the Mariposa County Sheriff ’s Department when he enrolled at Merced College to complete one of his remaining POST modules required of all full-time law enforcement officers by the State of California.

Sponsored by the Mariposa agency for his POST training, Slenders then went on to the academy at Fresno City College in January. There he completed the final module, which is only offered at full law enforcement academies.

Slenders, now a deputy sheriff on patrol in Mariposa, was also recognized for having the Top Law Enforcement Skills at his Fresno City College graduation.

What businesses should know about machine learning

As a business owner, you are undoubtedly aware of some of the fascinating things companies like Google and Amazon do with the aid of machine learning.

Things that only a few years ago were nearly inconceivable. Things that make them more efficient and, therefore, more profitable.

Google applies ML to services such as its image search and translation tools. These sophisticated algorithms allow computers to see, listen and speak in much the same way as humans do. By aggregating and analyzing purchasing data on products using ML, Amazon can more accurately forecast demand.

It also uses ML to analyze

purchasing patterns and identify fraudulent purchases.

Machine learning provides a computer system with the ability to learn and automatically improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. So how can ML be applied to your business? Here is what you need to know to take advantage of machine learning, just like the giant tech companies do.

The first thing a small- to medium-sized business owner should know about ML is that you don’t need to have the in-house expertise or capital resources required to spin up your own ML applications. The

ARVIN TEHRANI CEO, CONTRAST MEDIA LABS, INC

technology has evolved to the point where many useful ML applications can be purchased ready-made and then adapted to your specific use.

You may already rely heavily on cloud computing, which means you are accustomed to consuming what you need “as a service.” You may already consume software as a service, or network as a service. You can also purchase machine learning as a service.

Another thing you should know about ML is what it

can do to help your business compete with larger enterprises. While custom ML development services are available, these services often exceed the price point where it makes sense for SMBs to make such a substantial investment. Like other cloud-based services, MLaaS services are much more affordable than custom development.

Some of the MLaaS applications ready to be adapted to your business needs include the following.

Sales Forecasting - By factoring in all the many variables that affect sales forecasting and then learning over time to become more accurate, ML can provide a precise forecast.

Natural Language Processing - There are many uses for NLP, including automated support, enhancing the customer experience and analyzing customer feedback.

Sentiment Analysis - Interpret and classify your customer’s emotions (positive, negative and neutral) within text data using text analysis techniques.

Fraud Detection - If done correctly, ML can distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent behaviors while adapting over time to new, previously unseen fraud tactics.

Image Classification - Do you need to find, identify and classify items found in images? ML can help to au-

tomate that process.

Cloud services have revolutionized business by bringing expensive, highly sophisticated applications within reach of SMBs. Employing ML to increase efficiency and profitability is simply the next step in the revolution.

Contrast Media Labs is a unique design and development studio located in San Francisco, California.

CML specializes in AR/VR, 3D media and the production of unique immersive experiences using mobile apps. CML partners with Bay Valley Tech (www.bayvalleytech.com) to foster growth of the Central Valley’s tech economy and talent base.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 2020