209 Business Journal - October 2021

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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OCTOBER 2021

VOLUME 6 ■ ISSUE 10

IN PROFILE

Planning ahead is key when it comes to cybersecurity

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

M Motown Raceway in Modesto has been giving slot car racers a place for fun and gathering since 2013.

PAGE 3

NEWS

Tesla Mega Battery plant opts to call Lathrop new home.

PAGE 6

ost organizations take the proper steps to protect themselves from threats in the physical world, but what about threats that come via technology? October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and with increasing attacks featuring growing complexity on the rise, cybersecurity for companies is more important now than ever.

In August, Microsoft alerted organizations using their software (Outlook, Office, etc.) to a phishing scam, which saw cyber attackers trick people into believing spoof emails were from genuine contacts, like their coworkers. This is just one example of how hackers and scammers can easily access a company’s database, said Elliot Frutkin of Alvarez Technology Group during a recent webinar — and all it takes is just one click.

“You need to be careful what you’re clicking on, but the bottom line is someone is going to click on one of those things,” Frutkin said.

CloudOak founder and CEO Petrus Human provides a platform for companies to develop incident response plans, ensuring they’re prepared for if and when a cyber attack does occur.

It’s important for businesses to ensure they protect themselves, he said, with a plan which allows stakeholders to continue communicating in the event of an attack as well as remediate after the fact.

“A lot of people think it’s as simple as running an antivirus scan and everything is fixed, but there’s a lot more to make sure that you go through a certain process...If you’re under stress, finding a process is very difficult so having a plan helps you take the right steps at the right time,” Human said.

The threat against cybersecurity is on the rise; an August study

by CCTV Camera World on the state of cybercrime in America showed that a record $4.2 billion was lost to cybercriminals in 2020 — up from $3.5 billion the year prior.

A lot of people think it’s as simple as running an antivirus scan and everything is fixed, but there’s a lot more to make sure that you go through a certain process In California, residents lost the sixth-highest amount in the nation in 2020 due to cyberattacks with an average of $8,936 per victim. The study also shows that cybersecurity for businesses and

organizations is of the utmost importance. The most financially damaging cyberattacks are through business email compromise ($96,373 per victim), corporate data breach ($46,373) and

investment scams ($38,287).

Cyberattacks against security cameras are also on the rise, leading to lawsuits against Amazon’s Ring doorbells as well as the breach of 150,000 security cameras inside organizations like Tesla, schools and hospitals earlier this year.

Mike O’Brien of CloudOak said that having a plan can help mitigate some of the consequences of a cyberattack or stop them altogether. Additionally, working with a team of experts can help organizations make sure they report the correct data to state officials after a cyberattack, if need be.

“As we know, cyberattacks don’t happen when we want them to happen, they happen in the most inopportune times.

You want something that allows you to, regardless of where you are, take immediate action as a business,” O’Brien said. “When you’re looking at things like cybersecurity and you’re a business trying to protect yourself, it’s always in your best interest to work with experts because how do you know to protect yourself and what processes do you put in place if you’ve never gone through it yourself?”

As cyberattacks increase in frequency, local organizations are taking steps to help businesses prepare for them and prevent them. Tech Connect, a collaboration between the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Valley Small Business Development Center and Bay Valley Tech, hosted a webinar in August which discussed cybersecurity and how to protect internet-connected systems’ hardware software and data from cyberthreats.

Tech Connect will host another cybersecurity webinar at 2 p.m.

Oct. 21, where attendees will be able to hear from Mid Valley IT account executive David Kamins on phishing and preventable measures for data breaches. The event is open to all and to register, visit business.modchamber. org/events/details/tech-connect-10-21-2021-8828

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

OCTOBER 2021

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER. At Kaiser Permanente, we don’t see health as an industry. We see it as a cause. And one that we very much believe in. During this extraordinary time we are especially thankful to the heroism of our frontline workers. And, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our outstanding care teams and individuals who deliver on the Kaiser Permanente mission each day to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve.

We are here to help you thrive. Learn more at kp.org.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

3

IN PROFILE

Motown raceway offers entertainment for people of all ages

BY DALE BUTLER 209 Business Journal

When the Braham family found out TNT Raceway was going to close its doors for good eight years ago, they purchased the business to preserve their favorite hobby.

Gene, Jennifer and their daughter Katelyn spent countless Friday nights racing slot cars inside the 3,250-square-foot facility located at 1064 Woodland Ave., Suite N in Modesto prior to taking over ownership.

“It’s something that was going to go away if we didn’t,” said Gene, 41. “We wanted to keep it around for other people to enjoy.

The next closest one to us is in Rocklin.”

The Brahams staged a grand-opening ceremony for Motown Raceway (formerly called TNT Raceway) on Aug. 1, 2013.

“We changed the name to make it our own,” Gene said.

“Shops come and go,” he added. “They never last more than two to three years. This is the longest,-running slot track in Modesto. We have a very good local following.

They’re really good to us.”

Customers of all ages race miniature, model cars on slotted tracks. The cars are 1/24 scale and run on electricity. Remotes with triggers are used to control the speed of cars.

“It’s a bigger version of home-set stuff,” Gene said.

Motown Raceway currently has two full-length tracks and a full-length drag strip. The tracks and drag strip are connected to a computerized lap timing system. Built by Chris Dadds, the Hill Climb Slot Car Track is 165 feet in length and the Roadcourse Korkscrew Slot Car Track is 95 feet in length.

Both courses have eight

lanes. The Hasse built Slot Car Drag Strip is 55 feet in length.

“Fridays and the weekends are usually busy,” Gene said. “It’s about racing, hanging out with your buddies and having fun.”

The rental fee for a car and controller is $12 for one hour or $8 for a half hour. Guests can bring their own car to race or practice and can save

money by buying a track time card. Cost for 30 minutes of track time is $5 and 60 minutes of track time is $8. A three-hour track time card can be purchased for $20. Track time is used in 15-mintue intervals.

Motown Raceway stages events weekly.

“We race stock cars on Friday nights,” Gene said.

“We drag once a month on Saturdays. It’s very com-

petitive. It’s as close to real racing as you can get. Everything matters with these cars.”

Slot car races last three minutes and top finishers earn track bucks.

“Only eight people can run at the same time,” Gene said. “Whoever does the most laps wins.”

Motown Raceway has a full-service parts counter. Ready-to-run cars and

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Motown Raceway in Modesto features several tracks for racing slot cars. Customers of all ages race miniature, model cars on slotted tracks. The cars are 1/24 scale and run on electricity. Remotes with triggers are used to control the speed of cars. The slot track venue is owned by the Braham family.

controllers have a starting price of $75.

“You can get everything to build a slot car,” Gene said. “If you want a fully, custom-built slot car, it’s $160.”

Motown Raceway is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

“Working for yourself is nice,” Gene said. “But you have to worry about paying bills and making ends meet.

I didn’t think we’d make it through COVID. To survive the last year and a half, we’ve been pretty fortunate.

Our locals are good to us.”

For more information call (209) 544-2550 or visit motownraceway.com.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

4

OCTOBER 2021

IN PROFILE

Young entrepreneurs grow cottage home décor business

BY TERESA HAMMOND 209 Business Journal

Things seem to have gotten an early start for Oakdale High School Class of 2021 alum Peyton Johnston and Rylee Knittel. The longtime best friends and former Mustangs are the current owners of the popular home décor business Gracefulleigh Designed.

“We were super into organizing so we got machines that make labels,” Knittel said of the start of the business last September. “We could customize labels and all that and then how it actually started is we wanted to make our nail lady a doormat for her new studio suite thing, so we made her one for her business.”

From there, she added, they just seemed to get on a roll, as the creative juices were flowing.

The two young women shared that it was during the early part of Distance Learning in their 2020-21 school year that they became restless and each acquired Cricut Label makers. A hobby turned business began in a corner

of Knittel’s home dining room and in the past year has grown to occupy Johnston’s garage.

The business began to grow when a family friend offered them a chance to do a pop up event, and set up outside of her store and sell their products.

What began with custom doormats painted by hand and custom door hangers with the Cricut has now expanded to dish towels, charcuterie boards and a few other custom items.

“We can do anything custom,” Johnston said. “We’ve done stuff for people’s businesses, last names, just like generic sayings, we could do a bunch of different stuff.”

“Our most popular one is ‘Welcome ish … depends on who you are,’ that sells out like every time at our pop ups,” Knittel said of their original doormats.

“We hand paint everything, a lot of people don’t know that, and then we seal it all with like a clear on top,” Johnston shared.

The craft-hobby turned business taken up by the Modesto Junior College

freshmen is self-taught with inspiration coming from Tik Tok and Pinterest for their creations. Products are sold at pop-ups as well as through their Social Media pages bearing the same name as the business.

It’s a lot of fun. A lot of people don’t have fun when they work; we get to have a lot of fun. ­—Peyton Johnston “It’s a combination of my middle name and her middle name,” Johnston explained of the unusual yet original spelling of the business name. “So her middle name is Grace and my middle name is Leigh

Anne, so it’s the combination of the two.”

As they attend MJC classes virtually full-time, the two shared the business keeps them going as primary employment for both, working four to five days a week.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Johnston said of working with her best friend. “A lot of people don’t have fun when they work; we get to have a lot of fun.”

“We do get frustrated with each other,” Knittel added, “but we know when we’re frustrated with each other.”

The pair shared they each have their own specialties which complements the other.

During the course of the past year and doing business the two have learned a number of valuable lessons, including the value of customer service and being professionals.

“I think dealing with customer service is kind of really hard,” Knittel admitted, of those customers that are more difficult to please than others.

“You have to learn to

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Gracefulleigh Designed home décor owners Peyton Johnston, left, and Rylee Knittel as they celebrate one year of doing business. keep your cool because you can’t ruin your reputation, you know,” Johnston added.

Yet at the end of the day, the duo openly shared they enjoy the freedom of being self-employed just as much as sharing it with one another.

“I think like the interaction with the people personally for me, being able to create something that somebody wants,” Johnston said of her favorite part of the business. “Like their last name or if they want their logo for the front of their store. Being able

to put that on an item and then have, our product advertised in their store, in front of their store or whatever, is the best part for me personally and I just like to see like people happy when it’s done.”

Looking toward the future the young business owners shared they do have plans.

“Eventually, sooner than later, we’d like to do a mobile trailer, get one and renovate it and make it super cute inside, and then be able to bring that to the events,” Knittel said.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

5

IN PROFILE

Hob Nob Hot Dogs is coming back to Manteca

BY JASON CAMPBELL 209 Business Journal

The beloved hot dog eatery – which serves up Caspers Franks, a longtime staple of the East Bay Area – left Manteca earlier this year for the Sherwood Mall in Stockton after failing to reach an agreement with the landlord for the “ice cream cone” building on North Main Street that has housed the location for decades – will welcome back their customers to a new location at 1134 N. Main Street near Mountain Mike’s Pizza for a special Grand Opening weekend on Oct. 9 and 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The outpouring of support on social media since the owners announced that they would be returning to take over a recently shuttered frozen yogurt location owned by friends has been overwhelming for Patricia Cortez.

“I’m nervous – I’m nervous because I’m looking at the response and I’m overwhelmed,” said Cortez, who recently lost her father, Raul Hernandez – a driving force behind the business. “We’re doing everything that we can to meet everybody’s expectations.”

While Cortez and her family expanded the menu upon moving into the Sherwood Mall earlier this year, the menu that will be offered during their second stint in Manteca will be more inline with what customers remember from the business’ long run in the community – hot dogs, chips, nachos, Frito boats, and delicious drinks.

While the Stockton location afforded them a kitchen outfitted with a fire suppression system

Solar panel cleaning business services Turlock and beyond

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

Hob Nob Hot Dogs – the beloved eatery that left for the Sherwood Mall in Stockton – is coming back to Manteca.

The longtime N. Main Street staple, which was previously housed in the funky ice-cream cone building near what is now Casino Real, will reopen next weekend near Mountain Mikes at 1134 N. Main Street.

and a hood that allowed for things like corn dogs and French fries, those will have to wait as the business tries to recover from lackluster sales spurred in part by the pandemic slowdown and a new location without the nostalgic ties to the hot dogs they serve or the brand that Bob Lange built in the community.

But there will be some additions to the menu – chiefly, a variety of new milkshakes that Cortez and her family implemented in Stockton as well as chocolate dipped soft-serve cones.

“Before we had chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and while we added some at the mall, we didn’t have the traffic to be adding more and more things to the menu,” Cortez said.

“But now we have the space and it looks like we’ll have the traffic so we’re go-

ing to move forward with expanding that.

“The big deal that everybody is actually waiting for is that we’re going to have soft serve – we purchased two of the good machines from the previous owners and we’re going to add soft serve cones and we’re going to give dipped cones a try again. It was really difficult with the space constraints that we had at the ‘cone’ but we think we’ll be able to get it all figured out here – we’re going to give it a test run next week and see how we can do that.”

The business has a revamped logo – drawn up

by Cortez’ daughters Elizabeth and Carla, nieces Ariana and Adelina, and nephew Little Adam – that was designed for the mall location and will include Cortez’ father’s longstanding slogan of “come and eat.”

New home for A Crafter’s Paradise

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

A Crafter’s Paradise in Gustine celebrated their move to a larger shop with an official ribbon-cutting party on Oct. 2.

After two years at 467 5th St., A Crafter’s Paradise moved across the street to 498 5th St. where owner Jennifer Villalobos previously operated the antique store named A Picker’s Paradise.

The relocation nearly quadruples the store’s space, Villalobos said, providing more options for the community who has come to know and love what A Crafter’s Paradise has to offer. Now there’s ample room for birthday parties and get-togethers, she added, as well as the shop’s open craft nights where anyone can walk in and make something.

“I’m so stoked about everything we’ll be able to offer,” she said. “I didn’t realize this store was anything special until how many people told me they were glad to have it

here. It’s important to have even more avenues for kids — and adults — to express themselves.”

The open craft night will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and the second weekend of each month (4 p.m. to 8 p.m Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday).

The shop also serves as a location for local crafters to sell their creations.

Villalobos also hosts craft classes at A Crafter’s Paradise, allowing participants to learn firsthand how to make masterful creations.

“It’s so much fun to just watch people learn and to craft with them,” she said.

“And the crafts range from $5 to $75, so you’re not going to break the bank.”

Villalobos had a blast putting together the new location and leaving her former smaller space behind. For more information, to book a class or schedule a private party, call 209-509-9777.

From creating his own board games to inventing handy tools, Turlock resident Juan Pineda Sanchez has always been a selfmade entrepreneur. Now, he’s taken that passion for success and started his own solar panel cleaning business servicing his own community and beyond.

Using his own expertise as a solar panel technician, Pineda Sanchez said he was inspired to start Super Cleaning Solar Panels Cleaning Service about six months ago after realizing many weren’t aware of the importance behind clean solar panels.

Since then, he’s used his own expertise in the solar field as well as connections he’s made throughout his career in order to provide top-notch service for those looking to get the most out of their ecofriendly energy method.

“I’ve been trying to succeed in life and have gone out of my way to be somebody by bringing products and ideas to the community, and this time I decided to start a business for service,” Pineda Sanchez

Super Cleaning Solar Panels Cleaning Service Type of business: Mobile solar panel cleaner Location: Turlock and its 40-mile radius Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, by appointment Contact information: www.supercleaningsolarpanelscleaningservice.com

said. “I wanted to provide my knowledge about solar and help the community know why they’ve got to keep their panels clean.”

He explained that when the glass top of a solar panel becomes dirty, it prevents sunlight from properly filtering through the energy-creating cells beneath. Some clients have gone years without cleaning their panels, he added, and never understood why their energy bills were higher than anticipated.

“You need to have the panels clean in order to produce the most energy,” Pineda Sanchez said.

His prior experience in the solar panel industry also led him to develop a tool he believes cleans glass more efficiently than those used by other businesses. Rather than a brush, Pineda Sanchez utilizes a fabric tool and

filtered water to polish panels, avoiding scratches and resulting in a shimmering, energy-efficient finish.

“It’s like when you take a piece of jewelry and polish it — it looks much nicer,” he said. “Once they’re washed, clients usually love the way the panels look on their home.”

Pineda Sanchez services homes within a 40mile radius of Turlock, he said, and prospective clients can book a cleaning at www.supercleaningsolarpanelscleaningservice. com.

“I feel good about providing a great service and good customer service.

I’m trying to do something that’s very challenging, because it’s not easy to start a business,” Pineda Sanchez said. “I want to show the community they can do anything if they never quit.”

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Windsor Fashion specializes in special occassion fashion, from prom to date nights.

The company recently opened a new store at Vintage Faire Mall in Modesto.

Vintage Faire Mall welcomes new retailer Windsor Fashions STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

Windsor Fashions, a leading special occasion and fast-fashion retailer with over 250 US-based stores and fast-growing e-commerce business, celebrated their grand opening of a new store at Vintage Faire Mall.

The store officially opened its doors on Friday, Sept. 17, and can be found on the Upper Level across from Macy’s Women’s.

Founded by the Zekaria

family, Windsor opened its first store in 1937 with a mission that continues to this day - To Create an Oasis That Inspires and Empowers Women.

Windsor focuses on providing a broad selection of on-trend apparel for all the occasions in a woman’s life. Whether schoolbased occasions like prom and graduation, seasonal events like Halloween, New Year’s Eve, or everyday occasions like date night and brunch with the girls; Windsor provides a

broad and inspiring assortment of the latest trends.

Windsor holds a unique place in the occasionbased retail landscape and during a time when many fashion retailers are closing or downsizing, Windsor is experiencing strong momentum both in-store and online.

For all career opportunities, including retail stylist positions at Vintage Faire Mall, visit Windsor Careers.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

6

OCTOBER 2021

NEWS

Auto dealership to expand between Keyes and Turlock Turlock enters into tax sharing agreement with Stanislaus County

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

A new auto dealership has been given permission to build on a 5.14-acre site between Keyes and Turlock.

Price Honda asked to rezone a 5.14-acre parcel south of Barnhart Road along N. Golden State Boulevard from an expired Planned Development (PD) (209), to a New P-D. The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors gave the go-ahead on Aug. 31, with construction set to begin in the spring.

The dealership would be built in two phases. The first phase calls for a twostory 29,300 square-foot auto dealership building with a showroom, parts storage, offices, and service areas. A 2,048 square foot reception canopy would be attached to the main dealership, a 2,100 square-foot express service center, and 1,500 square-foot car detail building.

The second phase within 10 years proposes a 3,375 square-foot expansion to the service bay.

The site is located in the county but within Turlock’s sphere of influence.

The city of Turlock will supply water and sewer through an Out of Boundary Service agreement requiring approval of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

Price Ford will be expanding into the vacant lot next door with the addition of Price Honda.

Despite a development restriction easement on the property which has been in place since 1966

and was supposed to last until 2033, the city of Turlock terminated the restriction and also entered into a tax sharing agreement with the county which will see the city collect 50% of the new dealership’s sales tax revenue and provide both Price Ford and Price Honda’s public sewer and water services. Portions of the sales tax revenue collected from the new Price Honda will be dedicated to future planning, design and construction of the Taylor Road interchange at Highway 99.

Owners James Figurell and David Price purchased their original Ford dealership, formerly known as Patchett’s Ford, in June 2015 and have since become a philanthropic staple in the community.

During review of the new Price Honda project, the county planning department discovered two other issues in addition to the development restriction easement: compatibility with the nearby residential neighborhood and the project’s proposed signage.

Sharon Turnbull, who lives and owns several properties along Barnhart Road behind the project site, complained of dust from the project site from vehicle delivery trucks and Price Ford employees parking in the vacant lot — something not permitted under the property’s current zoning. She also said that the current dealership is the cause of speeding cars and semis down Barnhart Road.

“This is getting to be a real nuisance with the racing

and stuff down the road,” Turnbull said. “We are an older community, we’re nothing fancy, but we do try to keep our areas clean and neat. Something’s got to be done now.”

Figurell said during the county Planning Commission meeting on Aug. 5 that Price Ford has a policy in place which states employees aren’t to use Barnhart Road, and that he would ensure his staff follows the order. A wall will be built along the backside of the project to act as a buffer between the residential area and dealership, and neighbors will be able to reach the dealership directly should any disturbances occur as part of a Good Neighbor Policy included in the project.

Also, despite the city’s sign ordinance which would not allow for the Price Honda’s proposed 65-foot-tall sign, the approved project will include the signage after the Planning Commission considered a nearby 75-foot Peterbilt sign and the existing 45-foot Price Ford sign along Highway 99.

Supervisor Terry Withrow said the project has been years in the making and “painful,” but was happy to see it finally moving forward. Supervisor Vito Chiesa assured nearby residents that if they had any problems with noise, dust or vehicles driving down Barnhart Road, they could call him directly.

“If I lived on Barnhart, I’d feel the same way,” Chiesa said.

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

The vacant lot next to Price Ford between Keyes and Turlock along S. Golden State Boulevard will soon be another car dealership, Price Honda, after plans were approved by the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.

Tesla broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Lathrop – which will be housed in an old J.C. Penney distribution center. Shown with Tesla officials are, on the left, City Manager Steve Salvatore and Councilman Paul Akinjo with Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal on the right.

Lathrop lands Tesla mega battery plant Going in next door to existing Tesla parts plant inside JC Penney’s former distribution center

BY JASON CAMPBELL 209 Business Journal

When Tesla announced that Lathrop would be the site of a plant that manufactures parts for the company’s electric cars in Fremont back in 2014, nobody thought that it would be the beginning of a growing relationship between one of the world’s most closely-followed companies and the growing city.

But on Sept. 22, the company officially broke ground on a project that will repurpose what was previously a J.C. Penney distribution center for a manufacturing facility for an entirely new product – a massive, trailer-sized battery that will be used not for cars or homes, but to store excess power from the power grid and funnel that power back when it is needed most.

For Lathrop Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal, the announcement of the manufacturing facility for the Megapack – billed by the company as the largest, densest storage battery in the world – is another feather in the cap for the city.

“Lathrop is proud to be the home of the Megafactory, Tesla’s most recent expansion here,” Dhaliwal said. “The future of green energy will be produced right here in our community.

“This development means more opportunities for our residents, and a brighter future for our planet.”

While the company – known the world over for its electric vehicles – has been in the home power

storage space for some time, the Megapack will be different because of the unique role that it will play in promoting a greener world by improving power efficiency.

The storage system aims to “transform the way that utilities manage the power grid” by providing “emissions-free” energy when providers need it most – eliminating the need for traditional fossil fuel power plants that are commonly used to supplement shortages.

While the delivery of electricity has become more efficient, the distribution of power across long distances often leads to overall loss – especially since traditional grids don’t have any place for excess power that isn’t needed to be stored. The Megapack solves this problem by allowing energy providers with the chance to store that excess power and send it back into the grid as it is needed – something that the company already does with its home-focused battery system that allows for excess power generated by solar panels to be stored and saved.

The facility in Lathrop will assemble and distribute the Megapack units around to locations around the world – including those that are utilized here in California – and will include over-the-air updates to the operating software for the units to maximize efficiency and continuously improve performance.

The announcement in 2014 that Tesla would take over the shuttered Mopar

distribution facility along I-5 made headlines around the country as the Silicon Valley company expanded its footprint beyond Fremont where it assembles most of its electric cars.

But that was just the beginning for the growing South County city and one of the world’s most recognizable brands.

Tesla has since expanded its initial building’s footprint, and added other space including an 870,000 square foot distribution center behind the old Pilkington glass plant on Louise Avenue. A company that manufactures parts that are used in Tesla vehicles also opened a facility in Lathrop near the original Tesla building to help provide parts that are used in the manufacturing process.

And for a time, Lathrop also housed thousands of Tesla vehicles that had been assembled in Fremont and were awaiting shipment to their final destination – renting space at the old Pilkington facility to temporarily stage the vehicles that were dropped off and hauled away by trailer.

According to Bloomberg News, the news that Tesla was expanding its operations in California was a welcome sign for the state after the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, slammed the state’s shutdown efforts early during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently moved to Texas – which is now where the company plans to assemble the Model Y and Cybertruck vehicles.

The move to build the Megapack in Lathrop, Bloomberg said, was seen as a sign that California remains a part of the company’s future.

209 209BUSINESS BUSINESS JOURNAL JOURNAL

7

OPINION

Vol. 6 No. 10 ■ October 2021

Ambition is the path to success.

Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.

PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

EDITOR Sabra Stafford

NEWSROOM Dale Butler Jason Campbell Kristina Hacker Teresa Hammond Angelina Martin Pawan Naidu Virginia Still Dennis Wyatt

­—Bill Bradley

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman

SALES & MARKETING Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Karen Olsen Corey Rogers Kyle Souza Melody Wann Charles Webber

DIGITAL

Frankie Tovar Rich Matheson

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Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of 209 Business Journal is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed in 209 Business Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of 209 Business Journal management or owner.

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209MAG A Z I N E.CO M

The three keys to success in a service business A lot of downsized executives from corporate America are looking to start consulting practices these days, and a majority of them want to go back to corporate America and pitch themselves as “independent contractors” doing the same old job they used to do as corporate employees.

A lot of them are disappointed, though, when they find out their old companies won’t hire independent contractors to do these jobs because these jobs either are no longer necessary (due to advances in information technology) or are so sensitive that they can be handled properly by full-time employees.

Still, it isn’t impossible to work for corporate America as an independent contractor or 1099. You just have to be a little more flexible in the type of work you accept.

A frequent complaint I hear from consultants-who-wereonce-corporate-executives is “gee, I am getting work from corporate clients, but the projects are really dogs, the lowest of the low, involving long hours and really mind-numbing detail work.”

Well, here’s a news flash for you: corporations (such as all customers) don’t want to delegate the fun stuff. The work that’s enjoyable, fun, sexy, state of the art, ground breaking, career enhancing, etc., etc, is precisely the work that will be kept in-house. Tell me, if you really enjoy working on cars as a hobby, do you let someone else work on your car?

This seems so elementary,

CLIFF ENNICO CREATORS SYNDICATE

but you’d be surprised how many people forget it.

Take me, for example. It says “business attorney” on my business card, so what do you think people pay me for? Lofty advice and research on complex legal questions? Sophisticated business advice that I offer while attending my clients’ board meetings?

As the comedian Steve Martin used to say, naaaaaaaaah ...

What people pay me for is document production — the ability to churn out legal documents on relatively short notice to engrave in stone the business deal they’ve spent weeks putting together and negotiating with other people.

Client never ask, “Cliff, how should I structure this deal?”

What they ask instead is, “Cliff, we’ve struck a deal with XYZ Company. We’re emailing the term sheet over to you now, how long do you think it will take to get the legal documents done?”

Basically, I’m in the “documents on demand” business, as far as most of my clients are concerned (there are exceptions, of course).

Why are clients willing to delegate this work to me and pay significant amounts of money for me to do it for them?

Well, let me answer this question with another: wouldn’t you? I mean, do you really en-

joy staying up late every night wordsmithing complex business agreements in technical legalese, knowing that if you get one word or phrase wrong, the whole thing could come tumbling down on someone’s head and you could be sued?

Of course not! Nobody does (not even moi). But the job has to be done, and it has to be done well, and therein lies an opportunity for someone like me.

This brings us to the moral of this week’s column. If you truly want to be successful running your own business, especially a service business such as mine, the path to success lies in three easy steps: Step One: “Find a dirty job...”

Step Two:” ... that has to be done but that no one wants to do.”

Step Three: “Charge lots of money for doing it.”

You may laugh, but it’s really that simple. People (and corporations) don’t delegate the work that’s enjoyable. What they will delegate is work that’s tricky, detailed, painful, boring, mind numbing, risky and generally unpleasant. You will never make money asking people to pay you for stuff they enjoy doing. You can make TONS of money doing the stuff they won’t dirty their hands with.

This brings us to one last point. Every once in a while when you are pitching consulting jobs to corporations, you will get the sense that the project you’ve been asked to work on is impossible to complete on time and within budget, to the point you start to think you

have been deliberately set up to fail.

In my experience, every company or client has at least one project that is politically sensitive within the company and has a high probability of failure no matter who does it. Such a project, if not done 100% perfectly, will cost someone within the organization their job. It makes sense to hire an independent contractor to work on such a project because if they fail, they simply don’t get paid and will never work in the company (or perhaps the industry) again, and no one within the organization loses their job.

If you sense that a client is offering you such a project, I would suggest not taking it if you value your reputation. If you are desperate for income or are willing to take the risk of failing on such a project because your failure isn’t likely to make page one of the industry newsletters and “no one will ever know,” I have one piece of advice for you: charge several times what you normally would charge for other projects. If the client is indeed setting you up to fail, and the people you’re dealing with are desperate to unload — I mean, delegate — the project to an outside consultant, they shouldn’t get a bargain on top of it.

Make them pay, make them bleed money, make it worth the misery and don’t apologize — you are performing a truly great service for that company, and if they’re the right kind of people, they will appreciate it.

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OCTOBER 2021

NEWS

UC Merced creating better future for health care in the Valley STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

JEFF BENZIGER/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Walmart Supercenter is nearing completion at Service and Mitchell roads.

Supercenter plans to open in November in Ceres

BY JEFF BENZIGER 209 Business Journal

After a series of exhaustive legal challenges and over 13 years of waiting, the Ceres Walmart Supercenter is gearing up to open on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

Employees of the existing store at Hatch and Mitchell will be transferred to the new store at Service and Mitchell roads while Walmart seeks to hire an additional 50 to 75 employees. A Job Fair will be held at the existing Ceres Walmart store from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. Persons wanting a job at the new Supercenter should apply by texting “JOBS” to 240240.

Part-time cashiers will be paid $15 per hour, while full-time and part-time food and consumable employees will earn $16 an hour. Pay of $17 per hour is for full- and part-time employees in the meat and

produce, deli and bakery, and digital shopper employees as well as the temporary setup team.

Walmart offers competitive pay, 401K, medical, dental and vision benefits, stock options and other benefits to its employees.

Work began on the 185,682-square-foot Supercenter in December 2020 at the northwest corner of Mitchell and Service roads. The Supercenter is the anchor and first building of the 304,000-squarefoot Mitchell Ranch Shopping Center. The new store will occupy 185,682 square feet with approximately 36,167 square feet devoted to grocery sales.

Besides the Walmart Supercenter, plans call for 10 other retail shops totaling 114,162 square feet, including three other major tenants and four smaller shops as well as a standalone retail building and

two to three new restaurants.

The city expects the remainder of the center to develop as companies express interest in leases. In the past, Applebee’s has expressed interest in locating in the center.

Once the Supercenter is finished, the Walmart at Hatch and Mitchell roads will be closed and marketed for another use. City officials expect the building to be offered for noncompeting businesses, possibly split into two or more spaces.

The shopping center was fought for years by Stockton attorney Brett S. Jolley and a group calling themselves Citizens for Ceres, but generally acknowledged to be silently funded by a local store chain trying to keep Walmart from expanding in California.

Assemblymember Adam Gray and Rep. Jim Costa gave Sen. Alex Padilla a glimpse of the future of healthcare in the Valley.

California’s newest US Senator came to the University of California, Merced on Sept. 17 for a medical education roundtable to discuss plans for a state-of-the-art medical education building in the midst of the most modern campus in America. It would have a prominent place on a gleaming campus filled with 10,000 students and faculty.

“This campus is proof that actions speak louder than words,” Gray said.

“We’re proud to show Senator Padilla – or anyone else – what we’re achieving here.”

A medical school has been envisioned for the campus since its inception. And the need to find more doctors for the Valley is undeniable.

Chancellor Juan Sanchez Munoz told those participating in a medical education roundtable that the Valley is “conspicuously underserved” with far fewer general practitioners and nurses and only a faction of the specialists that treat the rest of California.

A 2018 study conducted at the request of Assemblymember Gray demonstrated the chasm between the availability of medical treatment in California’s urban areas and the San Joaquin Valley.

Gray has often highlighted the Valley’s stark health care workforce shortage, including that there are

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla joined Assemblymember Adam Gray and Rep. Jim Costa for a roundtable discussion on the possibility of a state-of-the-art medical education building at UC Merced.

3 times more doctors for each Bay Area resident than for residents of the Valley.

“Health care disparities kill,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Gregg Camfield. “Working on these disparities is part of our mission.”

Padilla and Costa are both involved with negotiations in Washington on budget and infrastructure bills which have taken on greater importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed some 675,000 Americans.

“Health care is critical infrastructure,” said Sen. Padilla. “Our focus is on equity (and) institutions like this are ground-zero in building that.”

Munoz pointed out that enrollment in healthcare majors is up 333 percent in the past year. “This is a snapshot of doing what the UC was put in the Valley to do – care for the health and welfare of the people of this Valley.”

“With a lot of effort and a lot of creativity, we built this campus,” said Gray, who began working on its planning well before he was elected to the State Assembly. “Now it’s time

to take that next step.”

With Gov. Gavin Newsom’s support, Gray and other Valley representatives secured $15 million per year in the 2020 State Budget to open a UCSF branch campus operated jointly by UC Merced and UCSF-Fresno.

Plans for a new classroom building dedicated to the branch campus and behavioral sciences are deep in the conversation stage. Additional resources are needed to make it a reality.

“We’ve got papers, we’ve got bills, we’ve got budgets,” said Padilla, who served as California’s Secretary of State before being appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Newsom.

“But this reminds us that what this is really about is people.”

And clearly, said Gray and Costa, the pandemic has demonstrated that people living in the Valley need help.

As Betsy Dumont, Dean of the School of Natural Sciences said during the medical roundtable, “All of these things that will come with the passage of time need work now.”

New funding program available for state’s smallest businesses STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

California’s smallest businesses now have access to an additional $56.5 million through the California Rebuilding Fund, which offers flexible, low-cost loans to support long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

First announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom in November 2020, the California Rebuilding Fund is a public-private partnership that blends capital from private, philanthropic and public sector orga-

nizations to support new lending administered by Community Development Financial Institutions.

Born out of recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, the California Rebuilding Fund received an anchor commitment from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank); and, although launched in response to the pandemic, the program is addressing credit gaps that have existed for decades, and is con-

tinuing to raise public and private investment to ensure funding is available to small businesses for years to come.

“It goes without saying that too many of California’s smallest businesses are still reeling from the pandemic,” said Scott Wu, executive director of IBank. “Our vision is that this additional funding will not only help those business owners, their employees, and their families to survive, but by growing this fund through continued support from partners

around the state, that we will go a step further and ensure they thrive.”

To date, the Rebuilding Fund has provided loans to more than 700 small businesses with an average loan size of around $63,000. More than 90 percent of the loans have gone to small businesses that are historically “unbanked,” meaning they lack access to credit from traditional financial institutions. These include businesses in low-income communities and those with under $1 million in

annual revenue. The additional $56.5 million will bring the total amount raised by the California Rebuilding Fund to more than $100 million, helping California’s smallest businesses — especially those in economically disadvantaged and historically un-banked or “underbanked” areas of the state — continue to weather this economic storm and emerge with stronger prospects for growth.

The California Rebuilding Fund is supported by public, private, and

philanthropic investors interested in supporting the equitable growth of small businesses across the state, including IBank, Santa Clara County, San Francisco County, Wells Fargo, First Republic Bank, Bank of America, the Grove Foundation, The Kapor Center, the Panta Rhea Foundation and generous individual donors. The Fund’s newest supporters include The Doctors Company, Sonen Capital, Visa Foundation, and others.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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NEWS

River Islands aims for Pleasanton-style business park employers

BY DENNIS WYATT 209 Business Journal

The Northern San Joaquin Valley’s first “true” business park in the classic model of the Hacienda Business Park in Pleasanton could rise on former pumpkin and watermelon fields that are in incorporated into River Islands at Lathrop.

And it’s because all of the elements — and then some — that made Hacienda Business Park a magnet for office-style endeavors are slowly falling in place for the 15,000-home planned community. *It’s at the juncture critical freeway for NorCal Metroplex Bay Area commerce — Interstate 5, the 120 Bypass, and Interstate 205. *As early as 2028 it will be the initial terminus of the extension of the Bay Area’s key mass transit system — BART — via the Valley Link project that will run to the Pleasanton-Dublin BART station. *The Valley Link station at River Islands not only is on the edge of the planned business park but it will be

surrounded with a transit valley with roughly 1,500 apartments plus shops and restaurants. *It is best positioned with just a short shuttle either by bus or Valley Link to take advantage of future reverse commutes via Altamont Corridor Express trains from San Jose and Sacramento after Ceres ACE service to the Capital City starts in 2023.

That means Lathrop, which is roughly equal distance from San Jose, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, and Merced would be a tailor-fit for the anticipated post pandemic world of hybrid workforces mixing in office with remote working.

Not only will the location have rail service to the heart of all tech concerns and the cities where many of the key upper level workers reside but it also would allow future businesses to secure workers from those seeking more affordable housing from Merced and Modesto on the south and Sacramento to the north.

Clearly, such a business park wouldn’t be an over

ight thing.

“We’re willing to wait,” noted River Islands President Susan Dell’Osso.

That qualifies as an understatement, Cambay Group, the England-based concern that owns River islands, spent just a tad over 20 years working through the entitlement process and addressing daunting issues such as 200-year flood protection, surface water, and putting in place a publicly owned electrical concern to allow future residents and businesses enjoy lower power costs than what PG&E charges.

Every time a home closes escrow at River Islands at Lathrop, $5,000 is paid into an account designed to lure employers to the planned community’s envisioned 350-acre business park.

That fee — along with the housing mix and lifestyle Cambay Group is creating in the 4,800-acre project — could be the key to help Lathrop do what no other Northern San Joaquin Valley city has done. And that is to create a large business park devoted exclusively

The entrance to River Islands off of Manthey Road.

to research and development, office headquarters and laboratory space.

The goal is to create 16,800 jobs to balance the 15,000 homes being built.

“The park will not allow distribution centers,” Dell’Osso said In fact, language approved by Lathrop voters explicitly prohibits warehouse or distribution centers. The street patterns and other flows such as for pedestrians are designed not to accommodate truck traffic save for local deliveries to future stores.

Breaking the mold of San Joaquin County being the domain of distribution centers either moving out of the Bay Area or opting to locate close to it and be able to serve the Sacramento market at the same time is being done by design.

River Islands will offer the 209 region’s largest concentration of executivestyle home with 990 lots atop a 300-foot wide levee with access to a 17-mile continuous greenbelt park with commanding views of the San Joaquin River

as well as apartments, and single family homes built around numerous lakes.

The strategy of Cambay Group is to develop a desirable community with easy access by passenger rail to the Bay Area to serve as an enticement for firms that want to move out of the high cost Bay Area to take advantage of a pool of 85,000 workers — many of whom are in the tech fields — that commute each day from the Northern San Joaquin Valley to San Jose, the Silicon Valley, and San Francisco.

Three regional planning agencies support ‘Megaregion Dozen’ transportation projects STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

For the first time, representatives of three regional planning agencies spanning major population centers from the Bay Area to the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills are pledging to advocate for a select list of interregional transportation projects known as the “Megaregion Dozen.”

Those projects are in the Northern California Megaregion, which includes 16 counties and 136 cities with a total population of nearly 11 million.

The Megaregion Working Group, made up of board members and commissioners of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), and Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), agreed to back the slate of 12 transportation improvement projects that will benefit quality of life, transportation and commerce throughout Northern California. They include highway improvements, passenger rail expansions, a new truck scale facility, and electric truck charging infrastructure.

“The Megaregion Dozen are a package of projects that guide and advance the transportation principles and strategies that this working group approved,” SJCOG Executive Director Diane Nguyen told the members Friday.

“And those framing principles — of interregional functionality,

policy alignment, persuasive leverage and strategic investment — helped the executive directors of MTC, SJCOG, and SACOG narrow down to four projects from each agency that we felt advanced those core principles.”

Praise for the collaborative effort was quick and clear.

“In just three meetings, we were able to complete the first-ever branding for the interregional list of projects,” said SJCOG Board member and San Joaquin County Supervisor Robert Rickman, who this year chaired the Megaregion Working Group. “And this is an outstanding outcome this year under the leadership of the megaregion policy members, Vice Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza of MTC, and agency staff. The San Joaquin Council of Governments was the host agency responsible for the agenda setting this year and we appreciate the work of SJCOG Executive Director Diane Nguyen on this joint advocacy concept.”

It is that work and coordination that has been key to the success of the Megaregion Working Group so far.

“Coordination and cross-disciplinary planning, I think, is critical,” Pedroza said. “By the time things come to us, it’s harder to go back and talk about collaboration, because we’re dealing with the aftermath. And I think investing in collaboration on the frontside will be so critical. I really see a lot of value in us coming together and

trying to identify that advance coordination that can potentially lead to better outcomes from a policy perspective or investing in projects.”

The pieces are falling together to give the Megaregion Dozen a better chance for being realized.

“The fact that we all got together and supported each other’s projects is laying the foundation,” SACOG Executive Director James Corless told the group. “And it’s not lost on any of us with some trips coming up to (Washington, D.C.), that we have an infrastructure bill that’s bipartisan sitting in Congress we hope will get passed that has a huge plus-up for things like megaregion projects, mega projects and the new (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grants), so this is excellent timing. And I think what we have heard from you is an intent to focus and to deliver (projects).”

Group members believe the effort will significantly help to push forward those interregional transportation projects and that more people will know about the work being done.

“I think this is a very solid, constructive step for us to take,” said Don Saylor, a Yolo County supervisor and a member of the SACOG board and Megaregion Working Group. “I chair the Capital Corridor Joint Power Authority this year and we have some active opportunities for passenger rail — the San Joaquins, Altamont

Commuter Express, the Capital Corridor — and I want us to be able to support as a megaregion those efforts as they advance. …

It feels to me like we’re kind of at a point where we’ve been hiding our light under a basket for too long and maybe now we’re at a point where we can let others know about the megaregion efforts that this group has been working on relatively quietly.”

The Megaregion Working Group takes into consideration issues beyond highway and rail projects.

“All three of our regions have realized — and particularly over the past year — how the intersecting issues of transportation, housing, climate and the environment, and the economy all really filter down and impact the success of delivering infrastructure that will be to the benefit of our collective residents,” said MTC Executive Director Therese McMillan, calling the group’s action “a significant step forward.”

MTC will host the Megaregion Working Group in the coming year and McMillan also briefed its members on future policy work.

The Megaregion Dozen projects will be essential for moving goods and people throughout the megaregion in the future and will require strong support from business leaders.

“Part of our action plan for the megaregion project is to strengthen and develop business partnerships to advance the planning and the funding efforts for the

megaregion branded projects,” Nguyen said.

She added that the business community has strongly supported the collaborative megaregion planning efforts.

Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman, a longtime supporter of the concepts represented by the Megaregion Dozen projects, again Friday offered support to the Megaregion Working Group.

“To me, you’re doing exactly what we had hoped you would do,” said Wunderman.

“Being able to plan where they live and how they live and how they move about is going to be much more important in the future than it was moving into this,” Wunderman said. “In a way, you’re really getting ahead of the issue at a time when you absolutely need to be ahead of it. I think the project list, the Megaregion Dozen, is a really good list.”

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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AT WORK

OCTOBER 2021

MIND YOUR BUSINESS

Using technology to narrow the resource gap of your small business Small businesses are at a disadvantage trying to make their mark in their respective market. With limited resources and time to make a business successful, taking advantage of technology could be vital to help them compete with larger companies. Technology can help small business owners leverage limited capital in smarter, more effective ways. In some cases, using technology provides greater efficiency and versatility, making it a tool to help maximize practices already being conducted at the business. However, you may need to make some adjustments to reap the benefits of tech-friendly alternatives.

The good news is that the benefits often outweigh the short-lived challenges of the transitional process, once new systems are in place.

You can use technology in the four business practices listed below to narrow the resource gap between you and your more established competitors:

Productivity There are a plethora of productivity tools out there that can help you increase the efficiency of your business.Therefore, you will start to get more done and hopefully achieve a higher stream of revenue as well.

Time tracking software is a great tool to determine where time is spent and by whom. This helps you spot where time is being wasted and opportunities to in-

PAWAN NAIDU 209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

crease efficiency. Such analysis, when properly utilized, is great for accountability, process improvement and productivity.

You should also utilize project management and task management tools to stay on top of your daily business responsibilities.

A great one to get started with is Trello, it has a simple interface and a lot of free features to make it great for business owners using software like this for the first time. If you’re more experienced or have a more complicated business, Microsoft Project offers powerful tools to meet all your needs.

And finally, you should create a digital filing system to make it easier to sort, save, share and find documents.

Financial There are tools that can help you manage your company’s finances and spot wasteful spending, as a result, will increase your bottom line.

If you haven’t already, you should use an online invoicing system to reduce costs of collecting payments from customers. Also use online budget tracking to keep track of, and reduce, your expenses.

An increasing number of consumers are online shop-

ping these days; therefore, it is necessary that you create an online presence to sell your product. To keep your finances more efficient you should share digital files with your bookkeeper or accountant consistently to improve your ongoing bookkeeping processes.

You might also want to explore open source applications to replace more costly name brand ones. For accounting you could explore GnuCash, OpenElement is a good one for web designing and eHour could help with tracking time.

Marketing Software can help you market your business better by streamlining workflows and increasing collaboration between different marketing channels.

Utilize social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. to promote your business, products and services. Once you are on these platforms, some social media sites will allow you to do video marketing, which will help humanize your product. Tutorials are available for whatever platform you would like to use.

If you want your consumers to be a targeted audience, you might want to consider starting a blog.

Domain builders such as Wordpress and Wix offer easy to use tools to help you get started.

Once you build your website, you can start collecting

email addresses through an opt-in form and start utilizing the power of email marketing.

Collaboration and Learning Technology can help coordinate your team and train them to increase productivity.

Ever since the pandemic came into our world last year, working remotely has become a common practice for a lot of businesses.

If you are working remotely,

you should conduct regular teleconference calls to make sure your team is on the same page. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are popular platforms for a lot of businesses.

You should expand your teams and your own knowledge with online business training. This will help provide knowledge as you integrate more technology in your company. Kutztown Small Business Development Center has a growing

collection of free courses that focuses on small businesses. Microsoft Office Training also provides useful tutorials of getting familiar with new and challenging interfaces.

Companies should be sharing files and data on the cloud and communicate quickly and clearly with your team through team messaging.

Applications such as Slack and GroupMe are popular with a lot of companies.

Regional transit system offers a simplified fare structure for 2022 STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority Board unanimously approved a simplified fare structure for Modesto Area Express and Stanislaus Regional Transit (StaRT) services. The simplified fares will go into effect in January 2022. Until that time, rides on all MAX and StaRT services will be free for passengers.

The StanRTA Board of Directors approved the simplified fare structure to streamline the currently 40-plus different fare categories across MAX and StaRT. As part of the new fare structure, all persons 18 and younger will ride for free, fare reductions across major fare categories will be implemented, and a day pass for the general public will be the same cost as a current single ride on MAX

- $2.00.

“I absolutely love this,” said Vito Chiesa, Stanislaus County Supervisor and StanRTA Board member.

“This new fare structure is in line with the Board’s philosophy of making transit more equitable for the people of Stanislaus County.

Making progress like this is exactly why I joined the StanRTA Board.”

This is a major step for the new Authority which formed last January from the consolidation of City of Modesto MAX and Stanislaus County StaRT services to create a new public transportation provider in to operate County-wide.

Simplifying fares across the current multiple transit providers was a primary goal of the Authority. Both MAX and StaRT operate a slew of different services (fixed-route, Dial-A-Ride,

paratransit, commuter, shuttle and Medivan programs), which led to a lengthy list of fare options and categories.

“We are implementing the fare consolidations as evidence of one of the benefits of forming the new Authority,” said Phil McGuire, StanRTA CEO. “More changes will be coming as the new Authority ramps up its effort to improve service for the public through adjustments made possible by a consolidated system.”

Additional projects the Authority is working on include a Comprehensive Operational Analysis to review all existing routes of the two former systems and creation of a new Authority brand. These initiatives will culminate in the launch of the consolidated system with a unified fleet and fare collection system in 2022

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

11

ACCOLADES

PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, HONORS, ETC. Cannabis retailer Perfect Union donates $9,000 to animal welfare groups in support of World Animal Day

Perfect Union, one of California’s announced on Oct. 4 that they are making $1,000 donations to nine animal welfare organizations in communities they operate in as part of World Animal Day. Within the 209 region that includes Riverbank and Turlock. The cannabis retailer donated $1,000 to the Astro Foundation in Riverbank and $1,000 to Turlock Animal Services.

The donations honor World Animal Day, which aims to create a world where animals are recognized as sentient beings and full regard is paid to their welfare.

when he received an offer to be a play-byplay radio broadcaster in his hometown of Burlington, Washington.

In October 2020, McMahon was promoted to corporate partnerships manager with the AquaSox’s. Now, in 2021 McMahon will begin a new journey, in a new state, as the general manager of the Stockton Ports.

“I’m excited to try out a new state. I’ve never lived in California, I’ve been there a few times but never lived there, so that is exciting,” McMahon said. “The tradition of baseball in Stockton you can’t find in a lot of places these days, unless you go back East. It is a deep-rooted organization and experience, so I’m excited to be a part of the next step of Ports baseball.”

Community Hospice announces resignation of President/CEO C. DeSha McLeod

“From day one, we’ve made it part of our mission to invest in like-minded community partners that reflect the company’s culture and mission,” said Perfect Union CEO David Spradlin. “We support animal welfare groups that work tirelessly to end animal cruelty and exploitation, so we’re proud to support the staff and volunteers who make magic happen for these animals in the face of increased demand and limited resources.”

New general manager named for Stockton Ports

The Stockton Ports announced the hiring of Kieran McMahon as the team’s new general manager.

“I am delighted to welcome Kieran to the City of Stockton, and the Stockton Ports baseball team,” Ports President Pat Filippone said. ”I have had the pleasure of working with Kieran for the last three years and have been impressed by his passion for our Kieran McMahon industry and our company. I look forward to having our fan base interacting with and meeting Kieran and am confident it will be a positive and productive relationship.”

McMahon began working in sports the summer after graduating high school

The Community Hospice, Inc. Board of Directors announced the resignation of Ms. C. DeSha McLeod as President/CEO effective Friday, Sept. 24.

McLeod has made the difficult decision to pursue a new opportunity out of state which allows her to be closer to her family.

She shared, “It has been an honor to serve as the leader of Community Hospice and its affiliates these past years.

I am truly grateful for my time and the opportunity to work with the amazing staff, volunteers and Boards in service to our community. I am most DeSha McLeod proud of Community Hospice being awarded one of the Best Places to Work in the Central Valley for four consecutive years.”

She joined Community Hospice in 2013 and during her eight-year tenure McLeod guided her staff to successfully develop, expand and implement several programs.

“On behalf of the members of the Community Hospice Board, we share our gratitude for DeSha’s invaluable contribution and dedication to the mission of the organization,” said Susan Donker, Community Hospice Board Chair. “We support her decision and wish her the very best in all of her future endeavors.”

John Renner, Director of Operations has been named Interim President/CEO effective immediately. Renner has been employed with Community Hospice for more than 18 years and serves as a member of the Senior Leadership team.

“The Board has complete confidence in John as the Interim President/CEO,” added Donker. “Along with John’s dedication

and years of service at Community Hospice he has proven sound judgement, outstanding performance and compassion for the mission.”

The Board has appointed a selection committee to spearhead the recruitment of a new President/CEO.

Central Valley hospitals earn maternity honor roll award

Doctors Medical Center, Doctors Hospital of Manteca and Emanuel Medical Center announced that all three hospitals have received the 2021 Honor Roll Award for Maternity Care from the California Health and Human Services Agency, Hospital Quality Institute and Cal Hospital Compare.

124 hospitals have been recognized on the 2021 Maternity Honor Roll. These hospitals met or surpassed the statewide target aimed at reducing births via cesarean section (C-section) in first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies.

In 2015, the California Health and Human Services Agency began recognizing hospitals that meet the 23.9% statewide target of C-sections for low-risk births through its Maternity Honor Roll. This year’s award reflects calendar year 2020 hospital discharge and birth certificate data from California hospitals that offer maternity services and participate in the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative’s Maternal Data Center l.

Every year, approximately 500,000 babies are born in California and childbirth is the No. 1 reason for hospitalization in the U.S. and California. C-sections can result in higher rates of complications like hemorrhage, transfusions, infection and blood clots. The surgery can also bring risks for babies, including higher rates of infection, respiratory complications, neonatal intensive care unit stays and lower breastfeeding rates.

Delta college president picked for Aspen Fellowship

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has announced that Dr. Omid Pourzanjani, superintendent/president at Delta College, is one of 25 leaders selected for the 2021-22 class of the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. This program supports community college presidents in the early years of their tenure as they aim to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success. The Fellowship’s philanthropic partner is JPMorgan Chase.

The 25 Aspen Fellows, who lead colleges that collectively serve more than 280,000 students, were selected through a highly competitive process. Starting later this year, the Fellows will engage over nine months in residential sessions and virtual learning to develop strategies to meet their goals for student success and equity with data to assess challenges and progress.

“We continue to learn how the best community colleges improve outcomes for students and close persistent raceand income-based equity gaps,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “This year’s fellows have demonstrated their commitment to achieving excellent and equitable student outcomes, and we are eager to work with them as they join Aspen’s network of more than 100 fellows who serve as community college presidents.”

“It is an absolute honor to be selected for the prestigious New Presidents Fellowship,” Dr. PourzaDr. Omid njani said. “I want Pourzanjani to thank the Aspen Institute, and all of my colleagues at Delta College, for this opportunity. It’s my hope that this fellowship will lead to new and innovative ideas to serve our students even better, which of course is the focus of everything that we do at Delta.”

Oak Valley hires new bank manager

Oak Valley Community Bank announced Shaun Smith has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager. He will be based out of the bank’s 12th & I Branch in Modesto. Before joining Oak Valley, Smith served his previous employer as a banking center manager overseeing branch operations and business development.

“We are pleased to welcome Shaun tothe Oak Valley team. He brings with him a solid banking background and energetic dedication toserving clients and the community,” stated Julie DeHart, Executive Vice President, Retail Banking Group.

Prior to getting into banking, Smith attended the University of Central Missouri and later earned a bachelor’s degree in police science from Blue River Public Safety Institute. He served as a police officer and Chief of Police for the city of Cleveland, Missouri for a combined eight years – Shaun Smith at one time being recognized with the Life Saving Award for Heroism in the Line of Duty.

Family ties are what ultimately brought Smith to the Central Valley. He resides in Tracy with his wife Brittany and their son.

During his free time, Smith enjoys golfing, traveling, sports, and spending time with the family.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

12

OCTOBER 2021

We’re thinking about the Delta’s waterways. Twenty years from now.

WELCOME TO THE PORT OF TOMORROW. At the Port of Stockton, we’re improving water quality for today, and for the future. How? We’re oxygenating local waterways to support aquatic life. Soon a new storm ditch will be rebuilt as a constructed wetland to naturally lter pollutants from storm water. We also use safe drains that prevent spills, train our tenants to reduce storm water pollution, and inspect our stormwater system daily. We're taking these measures now so that th our waterways will thrive tomorrow.

WATER

AIR

WILDLIFE

SOIL + SEDIMENTS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

SUSTAINABILITY