209 Business Journal July 2018 by 209 Multimedia Publications

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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JULY 2018

VOLUME 3 ■ ISSUE 7

IN PROFILE

Kidz Time in Turlock is ready to help parents beat the heat and while letting kids have plenty of fun. PAGE 2

IN PROFILE

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHEESE ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Peter and York Peterson have found earned a stellar reputation for service and quality at Lockeford Meats & Sausage. PAGE 4

The Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and has provided dairy education to guests since 1998.

Hilmar Cheese Visitor Center celebrates 20 years BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

The Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center has welcomed travelers and locals alike through its doors since 1998, educating the public about the benefits of the California dairy industry. As the well-known center celebrates its 20th anniversary, it continues its mission of encouraging the public to become involved in agriculture. Hilmar Cheese Company was originally formed in 1984, with the original owners taking extra care to hire an excellent staff and obtain the latest technology to process the company’s products, which came from Jersey cows whose milk made excellent cheese. By 1985, Hilmar Cheese Company was finally producing and packing its first cheese products, and the organization’s success led to expansions in 1990 and 1994. Located at the perfect halfway

stop off Highway 99 between San Francisco and Yosemite — or any trip through the Central Valley, for that matter — Hilmar Cheese Company saw the perfect opportunity to reach travelers from all over the world. In 1998, the company’s Visitor Center was completed and has since welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests who want to be educated about the company’s operations. The Visitor Center actively encourages the public to partake in interactive displays that feature hands-on exhibits about cows, dairies and cheesemaking, allows guests the chance to enjoy savory meals in its quaint café and also offers catering services, all while providing education about the importance of dairy. Thanks to free public visitor center tours, guests can learn about the different career options available in the dairy industry and even watch Hilmar Cheese Company employees

package the “big cheese” — a 640-pound crate of cheese. The center’s public ice cream making tours have been around since the Visitor Center’s inception and for just $3 per person allow guests the opportunity

to create (and eat) their own ice cream. Through the age-old method of “shake, rattle and roll,” guests make their own homemade individual ice cream from scratch and learn about the dairy SEE HILMAR, PAGE 5

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Hands-on activities and displays allow guests at the Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center to learn about the dairy industry in a fun and unique way.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2018

IN PROFILE

Kids beat the heat at new indoor playground BY ANGELINA MARTIN

playground at Kidz Time, which features a larger play structure for older children, a small, soft play area for those who may just be learning to walk and a “crawler” area for smaller babies. Activity tables and toys can also keep children busy while their parents sip on complimentary coffee, or adults can join in on the fun and enter the play place if they’d like. “When it’s full in here, I love seeing all of those happy faces running around,” Jesica said. “I know all of the hard work has paid off when I see that.” In addition to public playtime, the space can also be rented for private events like birthday parties or other gatherings, Jesica

209 Business Journal

Turlock has plenty of public parks for children to play in, but as temperatures rise, Turlock’s newest playpark is ready to welcome kids for a fun, airconditioned visit. “There isn’t much for younger kids in Turlock to do other than the park, but when it’s too hot or even when it rains, where can you take your crawler or toddler?” Kidz Time Indoor Playground owner Jesica Karam said. Aa parents of two, Jesica and her husband Web Karam decided to answer this question for themselves when they opened their indoor playground in May. They had seen the idea years ago while traveling out of state, she said, and after the birth of their second child decided to provide an indoor play option for kids in Turlock. “I thought it was not only a great idea that lets kids socialize, but that lets moms socialize as well,” Jesica said. Supervised by their parents, children ages infant through seven can play on the 2,000 square foot

said, and once a week the playground hosts “Sensory Sunday” for children with autism. During Sensory Sunday, the playground is transformed into a quiet and calm space where children with autism can play without fear of overstimulation. “An organization for children with autism reached out and gave us the idea,” Jesica said. “It’s very important to those families and I know they have been appreciative of it.” Pricing for Kidz Time Indoor Playground is $5 for individual “crawlers” and $10 for individual children above the age of infant. For two children, the cost is $16, for three the cost is $21 and for four the cost is $24.

Kidz Time Name of business: Kidz Time Indoor Playground Type of business: I ndoor playground and party venue Location: 809 W. Hawkeye Ave., Turlock Birthday boy Talen Valenzuela is all smiles as he comes down the slide at Kidz Time Indoor Playground on Tuesday afternoon. ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Contact information: 209-330-9933 Specialty: Temperature controlled playtime

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

IN PROFILE

Datapath becomes area’s largest IT provider with acquisition STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

Modesto-based Datapath, the Central Valley’s leading managed services and security provider, recently acquired Fresno’s Valley Network Solutions, doubling Datapath’s size and creating the largest IT provider in the Central Valley. Datapath’s expansion gives it reach throughout the region, widening service deep into rural communities and multiplying its roster of highly trained technical staff to assist the company’s top client industries: agribusiness, K-12 school districts, higher education, manufacturers, and mid-size professional service organizations. The expanded Datapath team will provide essential services to Central Valley organizations that rely on leading edge IT consulting, managed services and multilayer cybersecurity. In 2017 the cost of each record stolen during a data breach was $141, per record, adding up to an average cost of $3.62 million per data breach, according to IBM’s 2017 Ponemon Cost of Data Breach Study. Datapath helps mitigate this risk of data theft — every hour the Datapath Security Operations Center monitors thousands of cyber-intrusion attempts for our customers. “We have been extremely pleased with the growth in our company and the growing need for leading technology services in our region,” said David Darmstandler, Datapath CEO and co-founder. “Add-

ing an office in Fresno, staffed with very knowledgeable technical experts, not only expands our footprint, but also greatly improves our ability to support clients with multiple locations throughout the Central Valley. The new Fresno location provides immense opportunity for Datapath, enabling our customers up and down the state to benefit from additional resources and solutions, including enterprise-grade managed security.” “We have spent the last several years positioning Datapath to be the leading IT and Security services provider in the Central Valley. The acquisition of Valley Network Solutions brings together two great companies with expanded resources, talent, and geographic reach to better serve all our customers, expand our team, and better serve our community” said James Bates, Datapath CTO and co-founder.” “VNS Founder Daniel Duffy and his team have done a great job of building a business people trust and a workplace employees can thrive in,” Darmstandler said. “We hope to build upon their accomplishments and further extend the Datapath service excellence into the greater Fresno area.” Since 2005, Datapath has been listening to customers and exploring how technology can better serve and protect them. Datapath prides itself on becoming part of the team, a trusted partner for IT solutions that help organizations simplify, strengthSEE DATA, PAGE 11

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2018

IN PROFILE

Visitors flock to Lockford for sausage BY DENNIS D. CRUZ 209 Business Journal

Lockeford is a small community off Highway 88 with just over 3,000 residents. However, there is no shortage of foot traffic entering Lockeford Meats & Sausage. Peter Pettersen has been the owner and manager at the facility for over 45 years and his reputation draws customers from around the region. “When I was a young man, I used to help run businesses for several different people. So one day I thought, ‘Why not open a business of my own?’ So I gave it a try and people seem to flock to it,” said Pettersen. His passion for crafting meat and sausage began when he was 11. The passion only grew and thanks to a few mentors, he was able to break into the meat business. “I was fortunate enough to be around some great men who taught me a thing or two about what I do. They were very knowledgeable.” People would bring their game to Pettersen and he would turn it into jerky. “That’s kind of how

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Owners father Peter Peterson, left, and son York Peterson have been serving up sausage and other fine meats in Lockeford for nearly five decades.

IF YOU GO Location: 19775 Cotton St., Lockeford Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Information, special orders: 209-727-5584

things got started. A few buddies would bring in their wild game and I would take care of them. This went on for quite a while,” said Pettersen. Folks from all over the 209 and beyond make the trip to the sleepy town for the wide selection of sig-

nature meats at Lockeford Meats & Sausage. With over 25 different selections, it has turned into a destination for travelers and locals alike. “I came from Chowchilla to get Hawaiian Luau Sausage and British Bangers;” said Claudia Castaneda, a customer of six years. Hawaiian Luau Sausage, garlic sausage, sausage sticks and jalapeno sausage are just a few of the signature items that they offer. “A lot of these (sausages) you cannot get anywhere else. You may see some of them but I guarantee you SEE LOCKFORD, PAGE 11

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

NEWS

Senate, House pass versions of Farm Bill BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

Both the U.S. Senate and the House have passed their respective versions of the 2018 Farm Bill and are expected to meet soon to iron out differences in the two pieces of legislation. By just two votes, the House of Representatives on June 21 passed its version of the farm bill, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, that renews protections for farmers across the country, but also includes tougher conditions for recipients of food stamps. The Senate passed its version of the bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, on June 28. The Senate’s bill provides a dairy risk management program, sees an increase in conservation funding and expands high speed internet access to rural communities. The House’s $867 billion GOP-backed measure covering farm and food policy legislation passed 213211, including a “yea” vote from Congressman Jeff Denham, who serves as a member on the Committee on Agriculture. “We must protect our farmers and farmland to keep the Central Valley productive for future generations,” Denham said. “This bill protects the Valley’s interests and will help keep our ag industry on a path towards continued expansion and success.”

As one of the top producing agricultural areas in the nation, the Central Valley produces more than $6 billion worth of food in just Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties alone. The 2018 House farm bill includes provisions to support farmers through maintained crop insurance programs, investment in working-lands conservation, improved programs for specialty crops including research, block grants, technical assistance and marketing and promotion programs, and a new National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program to protect the health of our nation’s livestock sector. The bill originally failed to pass the House just a month ago, as the most divisive elements of the legislation include new, stricter work rules for able-bodied adults in the food stamp program, which provides an average of $125 per month in grocery money to 42.3 Americans. Under the new farm bill, adults

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

The newly passed farm bill includes provisions to support farmers through maintained crop insurance programs, investment in working-lands conservation, and improved programs for specialty crops including research

will have to spend 20 hours per week either working of participating in a state-run training program to receive benefits.

We must protect our farmers and farmland to keep the Central Valley productive for future generations. —Congressman Jeff Denham

Many states, Democrats argued, do not have the ability to scale up case management or training programs to this extent and as a result, they believe thousands of low-income adults could lose benefits. Republicans believe the plan is a way to make lowincome adults more selfsufficient, ensuring the government is investing in the nation’s workforce and giving SNAP recipients the tools and guidance to put themselves on a trajectory for economic mobility. With farming income on the decline over the past

few years, the bill also takes care to provide support for farmers with a strengthened safety net. The bill authorizes and restores funding for trade promotion and market development tools while maintaining authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by unfair foreign trading practices. The Senate’s bill easily passed by a vote of 86-11 and includes $867 billion five-year plan with a sweeping array of programs ranging from nutrition assistance and farm

subsidies to rural development and agricultural research. Unlike the House’s bill, it avoids the subject of work restrictions. Key differences between the two bills have set up possible contentious discussion between lawmakers, who will be responsible for combining the two versions of the bill into one. The House and the Senate have until the end of September to come up with a compromise, which will then be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.

HILMAR

FROM PAGE 1

To celebrate 20 years of welcoming guests, the Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center is now home to a large mural that boasts the theme “#UndeniablyDairy.” ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

products that help make the sweet treat possible. While the Visitor Center has seen some changes over the years, the most recent addition to the educational hub is its AgXscape room — a dairy-themed escape room that requires participants to quickly follow instructions to find clues, locate a fictitious vaccine to save the Hilmar Cheese Company’s cows, all within 30 minutes. The AgXscape room is just another way the Visitor Center allows guests to learn about the dairy industry hands-on in a unique and exciting way. The Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate its 20th anniversary at 10 a.m. July 13. The center is located at 8901 North Lander Ave. in Hilmar and can be reached at 209-656-1196.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2018

NEWS

ROOM TAX HIKE Manteca visitors will pay 12 percent tax if voters approve plan on Nov. 6 DENNIS WYATT 209 Business Journal

It is the $450,000 question: Should Manteca visitors staying in hotel rooms pay $450,000 more over the course of a year to provide day-to-day municipal services such as police, fire, parks and street maintenance, and more? The City Council will decide whether to place such a measure on the Nov. 6 ballot for voter approval. The tax is currently 9 percent and generates just over $1.2 million a year for city services. The proposed tax rate would be 12 percent. At that level visitors to Manteca would still be paying a lower hotel tax than Manteca residents going to popular California destinations. Current hotel tax rates include 14 percent in San Francisco and Los Angeles, 15 percent in Anaheim (Disneyland), 13.5 percent in Reno, and

13 percent in South Lake Tahoe. Those room taxes are in addition to other hotel room taxes. Los Angeles, as an example, also slaps on a 1 to 1.5 percent tourism improvement district tax on top of the hotel tax depending upon where the hotel is located. Manteca has no such tax nor is it planning one. At 12 percent the proposed Manteca hotel room tax would be on par with Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, and tourist dependent locales such as Inyo County. It would equal the Las Vegas strip room tax of 12 percent but would be lower than the Las Vegas downtown room tax of 13 percent. The tax increase — if passed — would go into place before the end of the year. That would mean the city would realize $201,650 for the balance of the fiscal year that started Monday. The city would generate an

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Manteca residents may soon consider a ballot measure to raise the tax rate on rooms at hotels and motels.

additional $450,000 for a full fiscal year starting July 1, 2019. The big payoff would come after the Great Wolf Lodge that breaks ground next month is up and running in 2020. After the first full year of

Great Wolf being open, under a 25-year room tax split that was negotiated the city would receive $581,700. Given that any increase up to the capped 12 percent would go 100 percent to Manteca, having the 12 SEE ROOM, PAGE 11

Port of Stockton site of zero-emission partnership STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

Dannar, a leader in zero-emission off-road technologies, is partnering with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to deploy the first Mobile Power Stations in California at the Port of Stockton. The MPS is a robust off-road battery-electric mobile platform that offers multi-function capabilities that can efficiently replace multiple pieces of single-purpose, conventional diesel off-road equipment. Funded inpart by the California Air Resources Board through California Climate Investments, the project will help accelerate the commercial deployment of zero-emission off-road technologies, as well as significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, criteria pollutants, and diesel emissions to benefit adjacent and surrounding disadvantaged communities. “The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is excited to support the deployment of

zero-emission off-road equipment in our effort to reduce mobile source emissions, which remain the largest source of pollution in the Valley,” the Air District said in a released statement. Ports, airports, warehouses, and logistic centers throughout California today rely primarily on diesel technologies to move, load, and unload higher tonnage loads. To improve air quality impacts and accelerate the commercial deployment of zero-emission off-road technologies, the Port of Stockton will demonstrate two battery-electric 30,000-pound capacity forklifts with additional cargo handling attachments, including a multipurpose cargo truck bed and scissor-lift. To support the batteryelectric off-road equipment, ChargePoint, the world’s largest network of electric vehicle charging stations, will install two DC fast-chargers at the Port of Stockton. Bosch, a leading global supplier SEE PORT, PAGE 11

VOLT Institute receives funding in state budget for automation training STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

For some organizations in the San Joaquin Valley Christmas came early this year. The gifts are in the form of the 2018-19 California State Budget, which includes a $1 million investment to expand training for high-demand careers in manufacturing, one of the region’s most critical industries. The funding will support the expansion of an education and training partnership between Modesto Junior College, Stanislaus County Office of Education, and Opportunity Stanislaus to prepare students for jobs based on employer demand. This partnership is realized through VOLT Institute, which launched in October 2017 and saw the graduation of its first class on June 27. Funding for the expansion comes from the California Community Colleges Strong Workforce Initiative, targeted toward providing training that meets documented labor market need in the community.

MJC will invest grant resources directly into program equipment at the downtown SCOE training facility for use by the VOLT Institute and MJC to expand its fast-growing manufacturing training. VOLT currently offers a comprehensive Industrial Maintenance Mechanic program that takes 10 months to complete or a 3-month Certified Production Technician program. MJC offers various maintenance and repair programs, including industrial electronics and automation, manufacturing, machining, welding, and agricultural mechanics. The expanded partnership between MJC, SCOE, and VOLT is a tiered training model in which students can get entry-level training that leads to a skilled job and return for additional training for a higher skilled-job. The college is developing a process to assess skills and award credit for the training that students complete at VOLT, enabling students to then continue on their career pathway. Opportunity Stanislaus Chief Executive Officer Da-

vid White has been lobbying local lawmakers to help with the center since VOLT was just a vision he conceptualized with investors to solve a workforce issue in 2015. “We are very appreciative and excited about the state’s support for VOLT Institute,” said White. “We have come so far so fast as the community embraces the value of this training… and are proud many of the students have already found jobs.” Scott Kuykendall, Assistant County Superintendent noted, “Regional programs that offer specific, technical training are in high demand. By delivering skilled training, VOLT is simultaneously meeting the needs of job seekers and industry.” Henry Yong, the Chancellor of the Yosemite Community College District, calls the multi-tiered partnership “a creative approach to fund workforce training for community residents. Everybody is a winner in this partnership: students, training institutions, and employers.” SEE VOLT, PAGE 11

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

OPINION

Vol. 3 No. 7 ■ July 2018 PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people. —Steve Jobs

GENERAL MANAGER Drew Savage

MANAGING EDITOR Sabra Stafford

NEWSROOM Dennis D. Cruz Kristina Hacker Teresa Hammond Glenn Khal Angelina Martin Candy Padilla Paul Roupe Virginia Still Dennis Wyatt

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman

ADVERTISING DIRECTORS Chuck Higgs

SALES & MARKETING

Making sure company founders are diluted fairly “A couple of months ago I started a Web-based company with two college friends. We agreed that I would have 20 percent of the stock in this company, and that my two friends would split the remaining 80 percent equally (40 percent each). That is okay with me, because this is really going to be their company — I’m just designing and putting together the social media Website for them, and I won’t be involved in the business full-time. “We hired an attorney to draft a Stockholders’ Agreement for us, and he sent us a draft the other day. It’s a 40 page monster with all sorts of provisions I don’t understand. “I really only have one concern. I don’t mind owning only 20 percent of the company but I don’t want my two friends to get a leg up on me and force me down to 1 percent or 2 percent once my work on the Website has been finished. If a new investor comes in and dilutes all of us, that’s okay, but I want the three of us to always be 40/40/20. “What are some of the things I should look for in the Stockholders’ Agreement to make sure that doesn’t happen?” First of all, let me commend you on your fairness (or perhaps it is naivete) in agreeing to accept only 20 percent of this company. Most people in your situation would have taken the

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position that they are entitled to an equal share of the business, because you are designing the website for a business that can’t operate without one and, therefore, you are indispensable to the company’s future success. Since you are not planning to work in the business full time, however, there is some justification for your having a lessthan-equal share. I would also point out that a 40-40-20 split will put you in the uncomfortable position of tiebreaker if your two friends ever disagree on something. No matter which way you vote, one of your friends will hate you. Think long and hard before stepping into that role. But never mind. My immediate response to this email is that you shouldn’t be looking for anything in the stockholder agreement. Your first task should be to hire an attorney of your own to review it for you and point out all the possible pitfalls.The lawyer the company hired is representing the company, not you or your two friends individually. Since it was presumably your two friends who hired the attorney

and are paying his or her fees, this lawyer has no obligation to look out for your best interests. You need someone on your side who is looking out solely for you. Yes, it will cost you some money in legal fees (about two to three hours of an attorney’s time, just to give you an idea of a fair fee), but it will help you sleep better at night and prevent the sort of majority vs. minority shareholder shenanigans you are rightly worried about. Having said that, here are some provisions you should insist on including in the agreement to make sure you are not treated unfairly: Put Yourself on the Board. There are three of you, and all three should be on the board of directors. Your friends may not like this, as it gives you the deciding swing vote should they disagree on something, but it ensures that they won’t be able to do anything behind your back. Require a Unanimous Stockholder Vote When the Company Issues New Shares. In most states, a company can do just about anything with the approval of a majority of the stockholders (i.e. your two friends). But if they’re planning to issue stock to a new investor (or more stock to themselves), that should require the approval of all three stockholders. This

provision (called a supermajority voting clause) gives you the ability to block any attempt by your friends to increase their ownership share at your expense. Consider a Pre-Emptive Right. If something were to happen that dilutes your ownership percentage below 20 percent (for example, a new stockholder is admitted), a pre-emptive right would give you the right to purchase additional shares of the company at a discounted price to bring your percentage back up to 20 percent. In many states, companies have to amend the company certificate of incorporation in order to create pre-emptive rights — merely including a provision in the stockholder agreement will not be legal enough. Consider a Phantom-Stock Arrangement. If your two friends will not agree to any of the above solutions, you could ask them to compensate you for your web development services in an amount equal to 20 percent of the company pretax income each month regardless of the amount of stock you own. That won’t prevent you from being diluted, but it will guarantee you the same payout that a 20 percent stockholder would have. In a tough economy, cash beats stock any day.

Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Maddie Hayes Corey Rogers Melody Wann Charles Webber Jennifer Webber

To advertise in 209 Business Journal, call Manteca • 209.249.3500 Oakdale • 209.847.3021 Turlock • 209.634.9141 209 Business Journal is published monthly 122 S. Third Ave • Oakdale, CA 95361 Information: dsavage@209businessjournal.com 209businessjournal.com The Oakdale Leader USPS No 178-680 Is published weekly by Morris Newspaper Corporation, 122 S. Third Ave. Oakdale, Ca 95361 ©Copyright 2018. 209 Business Journal All rights reserved. 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. 209 Business Journal assumes no responsibility and makes no recommendation for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages incurred.

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JULY 2018

ACCOLADES

PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, HONORS, ETC. 2018 Veteran of the Year honors awarded to Modesto woman

Assemblyman Heath Flora (R-Ripon) recently honored Becky Crow from Modesto as the 12th Assembly District’s 2018 Veteran of the Year. “Ms. Crow is CEO of the Veterans Foundation of Stanislaus County where she serves the needs of the county’s veterans and their families,” said Assemblyman Flora. “I was proud to recognize her as our Veteran of the Year, and to show her around our state’s Capitol.” Crow is a veteran of the U. S. Air Force, having served honorably from 1969 to 1978 as both a computer operator and the first female officer in Security Police. She is a disabled veteran from the Vietnam War era. She has used the services of the Veterans Administration and understands the requirements of the system and what veterans go through to access their benefits. As CEO of the Veterans Foundation of Stanislaus County, she brings over 50 years of leadership experience, making her particularly well-suited to manage the event and conference center of a one-of-akind one-stop service center for veterans and their families. “Our mission statement at the Veterans Foundation of Stanislaus County is to bring people, organizations, and resources together to effectively improve the well-being of all the veterans of Stanislaus County and their families,” said Ms. Crow. “It is an honor to receive this award from Assemblyman Flora, and it is an honor to continue serving the veteran community.” Crow has a passion for helping veterans and improving the quality of their lives by updating and enhancing services and facilities on their behalf. She is a lifetime member of the American Legion Modesto Post 74. She was previously selected as the Stanislaus County Veteran of the Year for 2015. Assemblyman Flora represents the 12th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Denair, Empire, Escalon, Farmington, Hickman, Hughson, Keyes, Lathrop, Linden, Lockeford, Manteca, Modesto, Oakdale, Ripon, Riverbank, Salida, Turlock, Victor, and Waterford.

Barnwood Arms is Small Business of the Year The Barnwood Arms gun shop and shooting range in downtown Ripon was honored by Assemblyman Heath Flora as a Small Business of the Year. The Barnwood Arms is a family owned and operated business now in its second generation of ownership. It was started in 1981 by brothers Joseph and John Mange-

los while Joseph was a member of the Ripon Police Department and John ran the longtime Barnwood restaurant and Deli. “As a locally owned company, we strive to be an active part of our community, supporting numerous area fundraisers and youth activities,” according to Paul Mangelos. “We pride ourselves in being a full-service gun store and shooting range, supplying the needs of sportsmen, law enforcement, collectors and anyone with self-protection needs.”

The Pew is awarded annually to promising early-career biomedical researchers who have held the rank of assistant professor for three years or less. Beaudin — who joined the UC Merced faculty in 2016 after completing postdoctoral work at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz — was selected from a competitive pool of 184 candidates nominated by leading research institutions around the country. Beaudin joins a community of more than 600 prior Pew winners, many of whom are among the world’s most distinguished scientists, including Nobel Laureates and Lasker Award winners. “This award is a testament to the quality and vision of Professor Beaudin’s research program,” Dean of Natural Sciences Betsy Dumont said. “She exemplifies the strength of our faculty and their capacity to move whole fields of science forward.”

Modesto CPA elected Society president Small businesses contribute to 75 percent of California’s gross state product and over half of the state’s private sector jobs from hardware stores to manufacturers, Flora said. Small businesses have reenergized California’s communities and economy, he added. “California small businesses are the economic engine of our state,” according to Betty Jo Toccoli, president of the California Small Business Association. The Barnwood Arms Gun Store was celebrated for its successful small business and its contribution to its community.”

UC Merced professor earns Pew award UC Merced Biology Professor Anna Beaudin was named a member of the 2018 class of Pew Biomedical Scholars today, one of 22 early-career researchers nationwide to receive this year’s prestigious award. “I am thrilled and humbled to Anna Beaudin be joining such an accomplished and talented group of scientists as a 2018 Pew Biomedical Scholar,” Beaudin said. “Receiving this award will give my lab the opportunity to dig deeper into how early life events shape immunity across the lifespan and contribute to autoimmune disease susceptibility.” The award provides Beaudin with four years of funding at $75,000 per year. Beaudin will use the funds to study how stimulating the immune system during pregnancy — for example, immune system activity resulting from an infection acquired by an expectant mother — influences the risk for autoimmune disorders in offspring later in life. Beaudin is the second UC Merced faculty member to receive the award. She joins biology Professor Clarissa Nobile, who became UC Merced’s first Pew Biomedical Scholar in 2015.

Eileen Pastenieks, has been elected president of the California Society of CPAs Education Foundation for 2018–19 by the CalCPA Council at its meeting at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. Pastenieks has served on the board since 2012 and most recently held the position of first vice president. The Foundation, which has 48 state partners, offers more than 1,750 live and webcast continuing professional education (CPE) courses to CPAs and other financial professionals. In accepting her new position, Pastenieks said that technology has changed the way accountants and finance professionals take their CPE. She noted that the majority of the training is being done online and keeps evolving at an accelerated rate. “The Foundation is tasked with rapidly developing innovative products and services to meet the needs of its customers, which include young and seasoned accounting and financial professionals,” Pastenieks said. “Providing education continues to be an extremely competitive environment.” She said that the Foundation strives to provide quality CPE. The newest trend in delivering CPE is called “nano” learning, which consists of 10-minute units. The Foundation plans to launch nano-learning modules within the coming year. Pastenieks is the managing partner of Pastenieks, Bucheli & Falasco LLP, Modesto, California. She is the litigation services chair for CalCPA’s San Joaquin Chapter and is a former state chair of CalCPA’s Management of Accounting Practices Committee. Pastenieks holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (accounting emphasis) from California State University, Stanislaus.

MJC grown walnuts receive Top Quality Award from Diamond Walnuts grown by Modesto Junior College were recognized by Diamond as one of their Top Quality Award Winners 2017 Crop. Diamond’s Top Quality Awards are presented annually on a regional basis to

producers of each area’s primary varieties. MJC won the award for the Tulare walnut varietal in the Northern San Joaquin Valley region. Honorees are selected at the account level and are determined by the highest combined total of quality attributes such as percent edible yield, reflected light index (RLI) score (lighter colored walnut meats are more desirable), low off-grade and jumbo size. Winners received a plaque inscribed with their region, account name, and notable variety. The award-winning MJC walnuts were grown on the college’s Beckwith Ranch property in Modesto. The farm is operated by the college’s Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Division as a learning lab for students.

Turlock woman named to water board Turlock resident Dorene D’Adamo was confirmed by the California Senate as a member of the State Water Resources Control Board following her reappointment in February by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. She was first appointed by Gov. Brown in March 2013 and confirmed by the Senate in January 2014. D’Adamo’s term expires in Dorene DAdamo January 2022. The five-member State Water Board is responsible for protecting all water quality and water supplies in California. The Board is also responsible for the allocation of surface water supplies for agricultural, public trust, and urban purposes throughout the state. “It is an honor to be reappointed by Governor Brown and reconfirmed by the Senate,” D’Adamo said. “This is a crucial period as our state meets the challenges presented by climate change, including more frequent and longer lasting droughts. This calls for improved water use efficiency, sustainable management of groundwater, and balancing agricultural, urban, and environmental uses of water. Expanded water supply opportunities, targeted environmental flows, and habitat projects are essential components to balanced solutions. “I am also committed to providing all Californians access to safe drinking water supplies. More than 300,000 Californians are currently being supplied with contaminated drinking water that fails to meet health standards. We must use all of our authorities to meet the basic human right to safe and affordable drinking water.” D’Adamo fills the position of the board member qualified in water quality issues and also serves as the member with experience in irrigated agriculture. She lives in Turlock and has served in various capacities for members of Congress from the San Joaquin Valley over a 20-year period, working primarily on environmental, water and agricultural legislative policy. Her family farms in Merced County.

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ROOM

FROM PAGE 6 percent rate in place when Great Wolf opens that would bump Manteca’s annual room tax from Great Wolf up to $2,023,700. That means once Great Wolf is open and if the 12 percent tax rate was in place between

existing hotels and the indoor waterpark resort, Manteca would be able to count on almost $2.4 million a year to support day-to-day municipal services without taxing city residents. That is a $1.2 million increase. That translates into the equivalent of nine public safety (police-fire) frontline positions in today’s dollars.

LOCKFORD

FROM PAGE 4

that you won’t find this kind of variety anywhere else,” said Pettersen’s son York, who also works at the shop and is very proud of the family business. “We have so many different varieties of meats. Bavarian, Cajun andouille, bacon, garlic, old fashioned franks,” noted York. “We are the best at what we do, and we serve nothing but the best to this wonderful community.”

VOLT

FROM PAGE 6 Yong also noted that once employed, the former student trainees bring a better future to their families, and make a greater contribution to the local economy and tax base. The expanded training will support local employers that are eager to see

Based on the fact public safety is locked into receiving 62 percent of the general fund based on the voter approved language in Measure M so the half cent public safety tax would not supplant general fund revenue for the two departments, police and fire would receive $740,000 of the $1.2 million increase in room tax.

Over the years, Lockeford Meats & Sausage has been active in the community. They appear at festivals and other events throughout the calendar year. Their summer is always packed and 2018 is no different. In May they attended the Oakdale Chocolate Festival, traveled to a Mother’s Day event in Alameda, and did Brewfest in Turlock, amongst others. This summer, scheduled stops are at the Patterson Apricot Fiesta, Kat Country’s Listener Appreciation Concert and more. July is their busiest time of the year.

more graduates equipped with the skills needed to fill vital, now vacant positions in the local workforce as maintenance workers continue to retire. Students who complete training at VOLT or MJC programs will work on the same high-tech equipment at use in facilities throughout the county. The state grant will also serve as a 40 percent lo-

PORT

FROM PAGE 6 of technology and services, will install telematics on the vehicles to collect data and provide analysis for the Project. “We are proud to partner with the Port of Stockton, Bosch, ChargePoint and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District on such a pivotal project,” said Gary Dannar, CEO of Dannar. “The Mobile Power Station will better serve the Port’s needs, reduce costs, reduce emissions, and provide significant localized air quality benefits, as well as help California achieve its strong environmental policies and goals. We thank CARB for this key investment.” The zero-emission offroad equipment project is part of California Climate

cal match required to obtain a $2 million federal Economic Development Administration grant to further expand the MJC/ SCOE/VOLT training partnership. Assemblymember Adam Gray (D-Merced) was pleased with some of the state’s funding finding a local home. Additional local funds went toward homelessness services,

auto technician education in Atwater, and a facility dedicated to helping children with congenital heart defects. Assemblymember Gray represents the 21st Assembly District, which includes all of Merced County and portions of Stanislaus County. VOLT is now enrolling students for the Certified Production Technician class starting on July 27 as

Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. The cap-and-trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zeroemission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are made in disadvantaged and low-income communities. well as the next Industrial Maintenance Mechanic class beginning in September. To register or to learn more about VOLT Institute please visit www. voltinstitute.com or call (209) 566-9102. MJC manufacturing classes begin August 27th. For more information, visit MJC.EDU/Now or call (209) 575-6789.

DATA

FROM PAGE 3 en and scale. “We’re excited to be passing the baton to not only an industry leader, but to a team of people whom we greatly trust to serve our client base and nurture the existing staff,” Duffy said. “I whole-heartedly believe in Datapath’s vision to empower people and organizations to boldly grow. I am proud to pass things off to such a capable and outstanding team - I know Valley Network Solution’s customers are in great hands.” Datapath was founded in 2005 by Darmstandler and James Bates and has been listed on the Inc. 5000 since 2013. The company is deeply involved in creating the next generation of tech professionals, hosting the six-week summer coding camp CodeX and Lemonade Day Modesto, a young entrepreneur program. Headquartered in Modesto, Datapath is a leading IT solutions provider to the mid-market and public sector. A highlyrecognized company with vast capabilities, Datapath provides outsourced and supplemental services to help organizations and IT staff accomplish more and boldly grow.

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