209 Business Journal-July 2019 by 209 Multimedia Publications

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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JULY 2019

VOLUME 4 ■ ISSUE 7

IN PROFILE

A new workshop in Turlock will give craft-lovers a chance to hone their skills while creating charming pieces for the home. PAGE 3

NEWS

Blue Diamond is undertaking an expansion in Salida which will feature a state-of-the-art facility meant to help the company keep up with the evergrowing almond industry. PAGE 7

DELICATO FAMILY WINES

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Delicato wine tasting room staffer Lee Ann Larson shares just some of the offerings that are available at the Manteca winery that is the ninth largest winery by sales in the United States.

High growth winery is major Manteca employer BY DENNIS WYATT

209 Business Journal

anteca’s biggest global reach in terms of commerce is wine. More than 13 million cases of wine created from grapes grown in California’s three leading vineyard regions — Napa-Sonoma, Monterey, and San Joaquin County — were sold worldwide in 50 countries during 2018 by Manteca-based Delicato Family Wines. The bulk was produced at the Delicato Family Wine’s main winery just north of Manteca south of French Camp Road and west of Highway 99. It was at that site 95 years ago that immigrant Gaspare Indelicato planted his first vineyard, which ultimately led to a family-owned enterprise that now records more than $500 million in annual sales making it the ninth largest winery in the country. The Indelicato family owns more than 4,000 acres of vineyards in the three-wine grape growing regions with wineries in King City as well as Black Stallion in Napa Valley. But it is the Manteca winery that is the juggernaut that produces wine that has been enjoying double digit annual growth and making 450 fulltime

local jobs possible with an additional 125 seasonal jobs during the crush season. That reflects a local payroll of $25 million that is more than double what Great Wolf Resort anticipates paying when they open their 500-room hotel and indoor waterpark in Manteca in mid-2020 that will offer 250 fulltime jobs and 250 part-time jobs. Companywide, the winery has 850 fulltime employees. The Manteca winery is in the midst of a three-phase expansion that when completed will roughly double its capacity and create about 15 percent more jobs. The biggest visible impact of the expansion is a 700,000-squarefoot plus building — currently the largest in the Manteca area — that will serve as a warehouse with several bottling lines along with a lab. When completed Delicato Family Wines will no longer be leasing a 533,000-square-foot plus warehouse in Spreckels Park between Ford Motor Co. Small Parts Distribution Center and Lineage Refrigeration Logistics. That will free up that space to allow Manteca to compete for more distribution jobs. The Delicato label per se has been retired in favor of 18 basic brands with the biggest three sellers being Gnarly Head, Noble

Delicato Family Wines • Delicato’s various labels feature price points from $15 to well past $100. • Companywide, the winery has 850 fulltime employees. • The Manteca winery is in the midst of a three-phase expansion that when completed will roughly double its capacity and create about 15 percent more jobs. • Delicato is the 9th largest winery in the world.

Wines, and Bota Box. The explosive growth of Delicato Family Wines — it was the 25th largest winery just 12 years ago and is now in the 9th largest — is attributed to a decision by the current generation to switch primarily as a winemaker’s winemaker producing wines for other wineries to concentrating on creating and marketing their own labels. It has allowed Delicato to far outpace the industry in terms of growth. Being a winemaker’s winemaker is what powered the winery’s strong growth from the 1950s to the early 1990s. Among the notable labels they produced were Almaden Wine and California Coolers.

Delicato’s various labels feature price points from $15 to well past $100. Their wines have been showered with hundreds of honors by international and national wine connoisseur organizations, wine magazines, wine critics, and the wine industry. The fact Delicato Family Vineyards for most of its existence was a wholesale producer as opposed to a retail concern may account for its low profile for much of those in the Manteca community who were unaware they have one of the nation’s largest and most successful wineries in their own backyard. It goes hand-in-hand with the fact few realize that the largest wine grape growing area in California is not Napa, Sonoma, or Monterey. It is San Joaquin County. In the latest United States Department of Agriculture stats, San Joaquin County in 2017 had 73,285 acres planted in wine grapes or more than 15 percent of the state total. That is followed by Sonoma County with 59,508 acres, Monterey County with 45,416 acres, Napa County with 45,339 acres, and Fresno County with 40,108 acres. The world’s largest winery is E&J Gallo in Modesto. There are two other top five wine compaSEE WINES, PAGE 10

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2019

OPINION

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.

Vol. 4 No. 7 ■ July 2019 PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

GENERAL MANAGER Drew Savage

MANAGING EDITOR Sabra Stafford

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

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman

—Helen Keller

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Chuck Higgs

SALES & MARKETING Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Dawn Hamilton Corey Rogers Melody Wann Charles Webber Jennifer Webber

DIGITAL Frankie Tovar Rich Matheson

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 2019. 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.

209MAG A Z I N E.CO M

Misfits, unite! Ever get the feeling that you don’t belong? You come to work and do your job, but you can’t escape the suspicion that everyone else is different from you. In a word, you’re a misfit. Now, it could be that everyone else in your office is a misfit, and you’re the only normal person. Or it could be that everyone else is normal, and the misfit really is you. (It could also be possible that Venusians have invaded the bodies of your co-workers, and you are the only one whose superior lack of intelligence lets you resist Venusian mind control. Don’t you hate it when this happens?) Being a misfit does have its advantages. If you want to stand out from the madding crowd, being the unmatched argyle in the sock drawer will do the trick. But if you’d like to blend into the bland background of business, sticking out like a sore — and weird — thumb could be a problem. Which brings us to Jennifer Romolini. An “editor, writer, speaker and ... author,” Romolini recently published “A Misfit’s Guide to Navigating the Office” in The New York Times. It’s a step-by-step and stumble-bystumble tutorial well worth our

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attention. Your first step? “Embrace Your Weird.” “If you’re offbeat,” Romolini writes, “you’ve probably felt that the parts of your personality that seem out of sync are weaknesses you need to overcome.” Ain’t necessarily so. Companies don’t want cookie-cutter thinkers, she asserts. They want disruptors, “employees who are too odd to understand the ways things are ‘supposed to work.’” If you’ve been waiting for an invitation to let your freak flag fly, this is it. Of course, being odd does have its limitations. The way I see it, bringing your pet rabbit to work is good. Coming to work in a rabbit suit is better. Sending your rabbit into the office to sit at your desk is bad. This is especially true if Mr. Floppy Ears does your job better than you do. “Don’t Fake It” is another step to leveraging your weird. Romolini believes that “pre-

tending to be something you’re not in a new job, faking skills or contorting yourself to gain recognition, is a short-sighted strategy with little return.” In order to be a more genuine you, you should “identify what it is about work that makes you feel anxious,” and find ways to cope, either through “journaling, therapy, (or) confiding in friends.” Unfortunately, no one wants to read your journal. No one wants to hear your problems, even at $200 an hour. Besides, the thing that makes you anxious about work is working, and you’ve already found the perfect way to cope with that. In the medical community, it’s called goofing-off. Romolini’s insight that “Confidence Is Overrated” is also a non-starter for you. “Confidence is actually fleeting,” she explains. This is true. You may feel supremely confident when making an important decision, like recommending the best doughnut shop in town, but when it comes to trivial matters — like presenting your plan to reorganize the marketing department and move production to Kiribati — you are faltering and full of self-doubt. The author’s advice is to stop focusing on confidence and

“set your mind to developing your competence.” It’s a lovely thought but clearly impossible. You have already maximized your competence by being able to find your way to work most mornings. To attempt to be competent once you’ve arrived is impossible. (Your managers know this, of course. The only reason they keep you around is because you’re so good-looking. This will keep you employed until the bosses have improved their competence, which is going to happen — never.) “Stop Overthinking” is another way a misfit can succeed. This will be easy. You can’t overthink if you never think in the first place. The final piece of advice is the battle cry: “Misfits, Unite!” “Finding a few smart, supportive people who understand you” is a good idea, though even the optimistic Romolini admits, it “won’t happen overnight.” Find the workers who “don’t fit the mold,” and see if they’ll hang with someone who is covered in mold. If nothing works and you still remain a misfit, there’s only answer: listen to Oprah. “Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction,” she says, and, as always, Oprah is right. Your failure to fit in at work is indeed life trying to move you in another direction. It’s a direction called unemployment.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

IN PROFILE

Sip and create at AR Workshop Millions of ways to build

your best burger at BurgerIM BY VIRGINIA STILL 209 Business Journal

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Shawn and Mike Lawson are hoping to help the Turlock community customize their home décor at the new Anders Ruff Workshop. BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

While Turlock residents are familiar with paint and sip classes, a new workshop in town will give craftlovers a chance to hone their skills while creating charming pieces for the home. Anders Ruff Workshop will celebrate its grand opening this weekend, providing a place where

community members can gather for hands-on classes that will teach them how to create custom items like wood plank signs, centerpiece boxes, clocks, game boards and more. Participants can roll up their sleeves and make home décor from scratch, cutting, nailing and painting raw materials themselves. Shawn and Mike Lawson of Modesto said they were

inspired to open an AR Workshop to bring something new to the area for those in search of a fun night out. “When you register, it’s the experience that you’re registering for. The benefit is you taking the project home, but it’s really about the culture and the experience,” Mike said. SEE WORKSHOP, PAGE 5

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There is a new burger joint in Modesto that offers millions of possibilities for your own personalized creation. Danielle and Greg Fraioli opened BurgerIM in March this year, bringing new flavors and combinations for lunch and dinner seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Fraiolis have been working in the restaurant industry for over 50 years combined. Finally, it came time for them to do something for themselves and after doing some research BurgerIM was well-suited. Greg explained that BurgerIM is Hebrew for many burgers and the concept is from Israel. In 2011, the franchise was introduced in the United States with a location opening up in Los Angeles. So, in 2017 they drove down and met at the restaurant and then discussed the business back at the corporate office. “They were really im-

VIRGINIA STILL/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Greg and Danielle Fraioli opened BurgerIM in Modesto in March and offer lunch and dinner every day of the week.

pressed with all our experience that we had,” said Greg. “She (Danielle) spent the whole year of 2018 getting everything together like the contractors, our liquor license and everything that goes into opening up a restaurant. We finally opened on March 16, 2019.” They have 10 different patties on the menu that come in big or small sizes.

Not only can you get an uncut burger which is a plant based vegetarian burger or a lamb or turkey burger, but you can get dry aged angus beef, grilled chicken, chicken strips, and monster chicken wings. They have a duo of mini burgers so if you wanted to, you could try both the Spanish beef, SEE BURGER, PAGE 5

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2019

IN PROFILE

A STITCH IN TIME

Local seamstress relocates business to downtown Oakdale BY TERESA HAMMOND 209 Business Journal

Denise Montez never would have imagined her life as a seamstress a decade ago. Yet the former Hershey employee and past owner of Sara’s Dry Cleaning and Alterations is now exactly that.

Montez recently opened Changing Thread, an alterations business located in Remember When Again, 122 N. Third Ave., Oakdale. “I’ve just always sewn, for as long as I can remember,” the new business owner said. “Mom started me sewing when I was just a

kid.” Montez shared it was a skill she continued to do well into adult life, taking it next level when she and her brother purchased the cleaning business a decade ago. “It’s a different type of SEE SEWING, PAGE 5 RIC MCGINNIS/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Making a special certificate presentation at the ribbon cutting and grand opening for Vena’s Secrets in a new downtown location were, from left, City councilman Cal Campbell, Vice Mayor Darlene Barber-Martinez, owner Vena Pearson Hudgins and Mayor Richard O’Brien.

New location for Vena’s Skin Care Studio BY VIRGINIA STILL 209 Business Journal

TERESA HAMMOND/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Changing Thread owner Denise Montez in her workspace on the lower floor of Remember When Again on North Third Avenue in Oakdale. Former owner of Sara’s Dry Cleaning and Alterations, Montez has opened an alterations only business in a space of the downtown shop.

With a new location and a revised vision for Vena’s Skin Care Studio, owner Vena Pearson Hudgins will be running her business solo with the exception of a few other beauty professionals that will be appearing on occasion. Five years ago she moved into a building on Santa Fe Street in downtown

Riverbank and deciding to stay in Riverbank, recently moved her business around the corner to 6622 Third Street. She plans to continue bringing the community advanced skin care treatments, beauty and health care. “Thank you so much and welcome to Vena’s Secrets; it is a skin care studio,” said Hudgins at the ribbon cutting for the

new location. “It is not just for one person, it is for all people and I make sure that it is all inclusive. It doesn’t matter: man, woman, teenager, doesn’t matter skin tone, skin color; it is for everybody.” Hudgins expressed that she began this journey over 20 years ago as a single mom with a mission SEE VENA, PAGE 8

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

IN PROFILE

BURGER

FROM PAGE 3

which is a blend of chorizo and beef and the Hawaiian Salmon that has a quarterpound patty, red cabbage slaw, pineapple, ginger vinaigrette and barbecue glaze. Another option is the trio which is three mini burgers that can be mixed and matched with your choice of toppings. They also offer a Family box and Party box to share that come with a variety of tasty combinations of burgers, wings, fries or onion rings. The Falafel burger is a quarter-pound patty, tahini, baby greens, pickles, shaved onions and Roma tomatoes; it is also vegan

SEWING

FROM PAGE 4

sewing,” she shared. “That is a learning experience in itself.” And learn she did, as she and her brother grew the dry cleaning business, the alteration portion of the business grew as well. As the business grew, so did her ability to deliver a quality service in a timely manner. Montez shared she also picked the brains of those in the trade to not only learn, but invest in the

WORKSHOP

FROM PAGE 3

“It’s a fun atmosphere,” Shawn said. “You have fun while you’re doing it, and at the end of the three hours you get this beautiful piece of home décor that you get to take and either gift or put it up on your wall. Then, when people come to your house and they ask you where you got your cute sign, you can say I made it all by myself.” Registrants can sign up for a class and rent out a table for their group of friends, rent out the whole space for a larger party or even come alone and join in with others, Shawn said. Those who may not be able to find time for a workshop but would like to gift a personalized sign can even call AR Workshop and request a specific design, and the AR crew will make it to their liking. Projects range anywhere from $40 to $85, including a workshop which teaches participants how to make a chunky, knitted blanket and the 21 and over space allows those participating to bring their own alcoholic beverage to sip on,

friendly. They recently added Wagyu beef back to the menu which is a Japanese beef cattle breed. “We are doing good,” added Greg. “We are just trying to find our rushes. When people are coming in to visit us so that we can schedule accordingly to make sure we have staff on hand.” They have four beers on tap, a few bottled options and a very unique beer system that pours the beer from the bottom up. The bottoms up draft beer system has a metal ring at the bottom of the glass that is sealed by an FDA approved magnet. The dispenser fills the cup with a preprogrammed amount which allows there to be more beer and less foam.

“Our beer system is different,” stated Greg. “There is nothing like it around here. It fills the glass up from the bottom. I call it the coolest beer in town. It is cold beer but to see it also makes it the coolest beer in town.” For wine lovers, they have a variety of local wines that are available and spritzers. Although they are a franchise the Fraiolis were able to put their own special touches on their restaurant. “Our Angus beef is a popular item and then our dry aged beef, the cowboy style which means it has BBQ sauce, bacon, onions, and cheddar cheese,” said Danielle. “Our onion rings are another popular item, as well as our French fries

which are not like anybody else’s fries; they are soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.” For those with gluten free needs they offer a gluten free bun or a lettuce wrap option which will also satisfy those on the Keto diet as well as their fresh salads. The handmade milkshakes are delightful like the cookies and cream made with scoops of vanilla ice cream, Oreo cookies, and milk blended and topped with a chocolate drizzle, whip cream and of course a few more cookie crumbles. There are also vanilla, chocolate and strawberry shakes. Danielle said that one day a group of three ordered one shake, walked away and then came back and or-

dered two more, expressing how delicious they were. The variety of burgers continues with a Caliente style burger that comes with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, mixed greens, and a habanero aioli. The California style burger has Swiss cheese, chipotle aioli, mixed greens, tomato, and in true California fashion, avocado. “Like I said BurgerIM stands for many burgers,” Greg shared with a smile. “There is a burger for every day of the week. The reason that we tried it out was because they had so many options and variety to choose from. With the combinations and toppings that we do have, there are over 40 million different ways that

you can personally customize your burger.” They make their habanero, chipotle, garlic aioli, and sweet crunchy garlic aioli in house. They have a social media board where people that take pictures of their food and tag them will rotate on their board. The Fraiolis support the military and first responders, offering discounts to uniformed personnel. The burgers are all charbroiled and when you add in the multitude of toppings and options to choose from, with their mix and match combos or party boxes or the half onion rings half fries, there is something for everyone at BurgerIM.

right equipment to provide a quality service for clients. “When we sold the shop, I elected to keep my machines, because I still need to work and this is a trade I know and understand,” she shared. Now over half a dozen machines occupy her work space in the lower level of the downtown Oakdale shop. Each of the machines has a specific purpose from surging, hemming and even leather and canvas sewing. “We can do and have done anything,” Montez

stated. “Once they (the customer) catch on to what we do, we have repeat customers.” The location of the shop came fairly easy, as Montez is close friends with the current owner. An upstairs space has been created for fittings, with work space below the shop. The business name also seemed to come to the owner equally as easy. “… because all I seem to do is change thread,” Montez stated. As someone who quite literally happened upon

the business of alterations, Montez shared there are a number of things she enjoys about aiding clients with alteration needs. “I love when the girls come in for prom because I get to see all the beautiful gowns and all the beautiful girls,” she said. “I love that because I get to see so many beautiful garments.” Montez shared she enjoys making the customer happy, adding the biggest challenge in the gown alteration business can sometimes be with unfamiliar fabric.

“Most of it’s pretty standard and then once in a while, especially with the bridesmaid dresses and prom dresses you’ll get a fabric that’s just a bit more challenging,” she said. Not one to take risk and respect the integrity of her business, Montez takes extreme care when working with clients’ garments and special items. Now with her spot set up and ready for business, Montez shared she’s excited to reconnect with past clients, as well as build relationships with new ones.

“I’m very excited,” she shared of her new beginning. “It’s a lot more relaxing for me.” For additional information or to schedule an appointment, Montez may be reached at (209) 322-5623. “It’s kind of like a painter,” she continued. “When a painter gets done painting a house, they get to step back and see the end results. That’s the same with alterations and with sewing, you get to step back and see the end results. I think that’s what I enjoy the most, seeing results.”

if they’d like. For potential crafters who are under 21, the AR Workshop must be rented out ahead of time to ensure a safe environment. “Our society today has gotten to where it’s ‘let me take your money’ and ‘too bad for you,’ where here it’s more than just the sign or the project you’re working on — it’s the experience here to connect with other people and the community,” Mike said.

Anders Ruff Workshop Type of business: Boutique DIY studio Location: 2911 N. Tegner Rd., Turlock Hours: Online registration at www.arworkshop.com/ turlock Contact information: 209-372-5500 Specialty: Custom home décor

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2019

NEWS

Turlock native leads state’s economic development Mendonca takes Valley upbringing to post as governor’s senior business advisor BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

Lenny Mendonca may now serve as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top advisor when it comes to creating and sustaining economic development throughout the state, but much of what he knows about hard work and discipline comes from his upbringing right here in Turlock. While much has changed throughout the local region since then, the Central Valley native has embraced an approach at the capitol that doesn’t leave our city and its surrounding towns behind. Born in Turlock in 1961, Mendonca was raised on a dairy farm just east of town. Early mornings before school and late afternoons following baseball practice were spent working on the farm for the Turlock High School alum, milking cows and completing chores. His journey since then has led to a variety of roles, including founding and co-owning a brewery, cochairing the leadership council of a governance reform organization and an extensive list of other top economic and business positions, all leading to where he’s at today: serving as Chief Economic and Business Advisor to Newsom and Director of the State’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Mendonca was appointed to his new position in January, and there, he brings a Central Valley perspective seldom found in Sacramento. “I loved growing up in Turlock and I loved working on the farm. It’s a great way to be connected to the reality of the world,” Mendonca said. “Part of what inspired me to want to do this job was the ability to be able to give back in public service to the state, and the thing I’m most excited about is the opportunity to keep talking about the importance of the Central Valley…to me, the opportunity to have this ability to be a public servant with a particular focus on trying to help ensure that all of the regions of the state rise together and are connected is exciting.” Mendonca left Turlock in the late 1970s to continue his education at Harvard (there, he received an AB in economics and later earned his MBA and certificate in public management from Stanford) but returns home frequently

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Turlock native Lenny Mendonca was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January to serve as Chief Economic and Business Advisor and Director of the Office of Business and Economic Development.

to visit family, he said. His brothers still help run the family farm; one recently retired from Turlock Irrigation District, while the other coaches baseball and teaches history at THS. His sister is a special education instructor at Dutcher Middle School. Since he moved away, much of Turlock has stayed the same — like its agriculturally-based roots — though plenty has changed. The city is now connected to other parts of the state, such as the Bay Area, more so than before, as residents in increasing numbers are commuting to other cities for work. The university in Turlock, Stanislaus State, has also seen its connection to the community grow in the years since Mendonca moved away, he said, and issues like healthcare in the area are much more pronounced than they were before. These changes over time have made it all the more important to make sure the Valley has a say in state politics, Mendonca said. “When you’re outside of California, they all assume you live on the beach or have movie stars as your next-door neighbor. I think too often people think about the place where I grew up as the equivalent of flyover states, and the center part of the state as something you just drive through on your way to Yosemite,” he said. “That’s

not the reality of what I remember, and the hugely important part of the state that is the Central Valley.” As the governor’s senior business advisor, Mendonca’s job is to revamp the State’s approach to job creation and economic development. While California is well-positioned in terms of its technology, innovation and educational institutions, the biggest hurdle the state faces in achieving economic security, he said, is its cost of living. “In general, the economy is going to be advantaged by all of what we’re seeing in the next era of innovation and globalization, but it also is one that has got a real challenge in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in that — not just those who happen to live in Silicon Valley,” Mendonca said. It costs too much to live in California, he added, which is partly driven by the state’s lack of housing. “We cannot continue to have the type of job creation we have and not produce housing. We’ll have to build a lot more houses and build those houses closer to where the jobs are, and we have to have jobs closer to where people live,” Mendonca said. People are choosing to live in the Valley, yet commuting to work hours away. They are often graduating from local universities, like Stanislaus State and Uni-

versity of California, Merced, but choose to work elsewhere. Mendonca has a three-pronged approach to enticing graduates to stay and support the local economy, which includes highlighting opportunities for innovation within the Valley’s different markets, like food, water and agriculture, as well as promoting the region’s fresh workforce to prospective companies looking to open new locations.

“If you’re going to open another location and you need really talented people, why aren’t you locating it and looking in Modesto, or Stockton, or Fresno?” Mendonca asked. “If you’re in Silicon Valley…why don’t you put the jobs where the people are, instead of making them come to you? “Turlock and the Central Valley have an advantage of a young, increasingly highly-educated and very hardworking workforce, which, when you ask companies what they’re looking for — that’s what they’re looking for.” Mendonca’s third strategy when it comes to keeping graduates here and ensuring them high-paying jobs comes down to investors, he said. While earlystage investing firms often finance projects in the Valley, there isn’t the level of next-stage venture investing there should be in the center of the state. These three points were topics of discussion at a recent meeting between Mendonca and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Bay Area Council, members from the Central Valley Community Foundation and about 100 different executives and investors. “An important part of this is awareness building,” Mendonca said. “If you’re a CEO and spending all your time driving around Mountain View, or

Before he was walking the halls of California’s capitol, Mendonca spent his childhood tending to cows on his family dairy just east of Turlock. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

San Jose or San Francisco, your first thought isn’t to necessarily look toward the center of the state. All they need to do — and I talk to them about this — is ask their employees where they’re coming from. You get a different perspective when you know that.” Politics is all about perspective, and when talking about job creation and economic stimulation in a state that sees such differing viewpoints depending on which county you’re standing in, partisan norms shouldn’t be in the picture, Mendonca said. Whether he’s in the center of the state, where a majority of voters lean right, or on the more liberal shores of San Francisco, everyone can agree on a plan that focuses on high-quality, inclusive economic development. “Most people are not against jobs, and so trying to ensure that there are jobs and career paths is not a partisan issue,” Mendonca said. “Part of what we’re trying to do is make sure that we are, and I am, spending a lot of time in the center part of the state and just listening, as opposed to coming in and saying we’re from Sacramento, or we’re from Silicon Valley, and we know the answers…it’s really important to have these conversations in a way which isn’t starting with a party lens.”

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

NEWS

Blue Diamond announces Salida expansion BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

Blue Diamond Growers officially announced last month the expansion of its Salida manufacturing plant in a special groundbreaking ceremony, which celebrated the second, state-of-the-art facility meant to help the company keep up with the ever-growing almond industry. Blue Diamond’s first almond warehouse and receiving station in Salida opened four years ago. Construction officially began on the new expansion in February, and comes on the heels of a January expansion of the Sacramento-based company’s Turlock plant. “Today, we’re back again and the reason is that the growth of the almond industry continues to accelerate,” Blue Diamond President and CEO Mark Jansen said. Over the past year, Blue Diamond was

once again named one of the fastestgrowing mid-size companies in the world with over $1 billion in sales. “Part of that growth is making sure we can handle every almond our growers give us, and store it and process it in the best possible way,” Jansen said. The new facility is expected to be completed by August 2020, increasing Blue Diamond’s receiving capacity by 25 percent and adding 20 percent more bulk storage of almonds that come from over 3,000 growers in California. According to a 2015 report from the Almond Board of California, that’s nearly half of all the almond farms in the state. “The cool thing about this warehouse is, once again, we’ve replicated the unique design that allows us to take our most premium, finest almonds and store them and process them in the most

gentle way possible, and that allows us to have the best quality almonds in the world,” Jansen said. At the new warehouse, six million pounds of almonds can be received per day, or 350,000 pounds of almonds per hour. The facility will have the capacity to store over 50 million pounds of almonds and will feature a 26-degree floor slope — the natural angle for almonds’ gravity flow. After being sent to Salida to be processed, almonds are then either transported to Oakland for shipment overseas, to Sacramento to be seasoned and packaged or to Turlock, where they’re chopped or converted into almond milk. “This step forward with the warehouse is the latest in our vision of delivering the benefits of almond to the world,” Jansen said.

Blue Diamond recently announced an expansion of its Salida facility, which will be able to receive six million pounds of almonds per day for an increase of 25 percent. ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Starbucks, In-N-Out Burger going up West of Interstate 5 BY JASON CAMPBELL 209 Business Journal

Lathrop residents on the west side of I-5 won’t have to wait long before they’ll be able to satisfy their cravings for burgers and coffee. Construction for the standalone Starbucks and an In-N-Out Burger has been progressing throughout the start of the summer and the buildings are starting to take shape – the latest chain businesses to open near where the majority of Lathrop’s residential growth

is taking place. Located on the northern edge of the development where Target is located – the Lathrop Market Place – along River Islands Parkway, the businesses will be able to cater both to the homes that have been and continue to be constructed on the river side of the freeway as well as traffic along the I-5 corridor. While the majority of Lathrop’s commercial development has been occurring near the I-5 and Lathrop Road interchange – with ad-

ditional interest in available property to capitalize on the growing market – the addition of the drive-thru businesses near Louise Avenue satisfies the long-awaited arrival of something other than the big-box retailer that opened to carry the development. And the In-N-Out Burger may end up having the freshest burgers of any In-N-Out location in Northern California or Southern Oregon. The company, which is famous for never freezing

their hamburgers before they are served, chose Lathrop as the site for its distribution center on the opposite side of the freeway because of the ease of access to California’s two main arterial freeway sections as well as the sprawling San Francisco Bay Area. Within a half-day’s drive trucks leaving the distribution center have access to markets where almost 16 million people call home including the Bay Area, Sacramento, Redding, Stockton and Modesto, and Fresno

and Bakersfield. The restaurants extend as far north as Medford, and are also operational in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. And they aren’t the only new eateries that are coming to the city. Panda Express has already cleared the development hurdles to begin construction at the corners of Lathrop and South Harlan Roads, adding to an area that already includes a Starbucks and a number of eateries that cater to nearby

residents and freeway traffic passing through the community. The City of Lathrop has actively been reaching out to developers through personal contact as well as meetings at large retail conventions to try and promote the city’s booming economic opportunities. A Tru By Hilton – the first hotel of its kind built in California – has also been approved for construction, as has a Fairfield Inn and Suites.

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Have an average monthly revenue of

$22,341

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FROM PAGE 4 to educate people on skin care. She said she needed to show her kids that they could be successful no matter what their circumstances were so she became an esthetician. “My dream was to find out what it took to bring everyone to the next level,” she said. “To teach everyone and to empower everyone on how to take care of their skin.” Hudgins learned about advanced skin care in

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common for a professional practice to lose between 50% and 60% of its patients within three years of changing hands. Because of this high patient attrition rate, most medical practices sell at a significant discount to their actual value. If that sounds unfair, think back to the last time a physician, dentist, accountant, lawyer, insurance broker or other professional you used for years decided to retire. Now ask yourself: Did you stick with the person who took over his or her practice, or did you go elsewhere? Enough said. Here are some tips for selling a professional practice that will help keep patient attrition to a minimum and ensure that you get the highest possible price for your practice: 1) Get as much cash upfront as possible. Since you cannot control what happens in your practice after you sell, you need to be paid in full at the closing. If the buyer offers to pay you over time with interest, watch out. If the buyer loses lots of patients because he has the personality of an ogre, he may want to renegotiate the deal and take it out of your hide, saying you misrepresented the number of actual patients you had. Since by then you will be retired in Florida; the patients will already be gone; and you won’t want to throw good money after bad, you will Canada and ever since has lectured and trained others on it. She said this is her fifth and final studio that she will own, with plans on retiring in three years. At the new location, there will be two beauty professionals including her daughter that will custom blend makeup for individuals at the studio and Marcy Villaverde, RN that will stop by once a moth to administer any injections like Botox or Juvederm. There will not be a ‘menu of services’ because Hudgins wants to give each person a skin consultation

probably agree to the buyer’s unfair demand. 2. Ask the buyer for a three-year royalty on sales. If the buyer cannot afford to pay all cash, here’s a better way to structure the deal. Have your assistant print out an Excel spreadsheet with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all of your current patients. Attach this list as an exhibit of the contract of sale. Then include a clause saying that you are entitled to a percentage (usually 20% to 30%) of the buyer’s gross revenue from that list of patients over the next three years. Each month, the buyer will total up his gross revenue from those patients and write you a check for your cut. You would not get a percentage from any new patients that come on board after the closing, and after three years all royalty payments to you would cease. Be sure to include language giving you the right to audit the buyer’s books and records during the three-year period to keep him or her honest. 3. Help the buyer out during a transition period. Don’t be too quick to leave town. Especially if there’s a royalty involved, you need to hang around for a while (60 to 90 days is customary) and do everything possible to ensure that patient attrition is kept to a minimum. Be sure to send a letter to all of your patients singing the buyer’s praises, and be there at least a few days a week to greet your patients and introduce them personally to the buyer. If the buyer SEE AT

WORK,

PAGE 10

and then together decide on the plan of action dependent on the individual’s specific needs. “We will have the most cutting edge and most advanced not only treatments but also skin care products and you will also see nutritionals in here because honestly everyone’s beauty comes from the inside out,” stated Hudgins. “I always make sure that we bring service to the table. When you walk in you know that you are the most important person and when you walk out your opinion

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Keeping client attrition low when selling a professional practice “I am a podiatrist with a fairly large practice in a large Midwestern city. My wife and I have decided to move south to Florida to be closer to our grandchildren. I have found a younger podiatrist who wants to take over my practice, but I’m not sure exactly how to put the deal together with him. Any suggestions?” You have obviously worked hard and long to build this practice, and it’s always a big letdown to realize how little it’s actually worth when it comes time to sell out. Except for a few hard assets, such as computers, chairs, bookcases, supplies and workstations, most of the assets you are selling will be soft assets, such as the patient records. And the fact is they aren’t worth much. Why? Because the key asset in any professional practice is ... you. People don’t call podiatrists out of the Yellow Pages when they get a bunion. They talk to their neighbors, their relatives, their friends. And when they decide on a podiatrist, it’s usually as much for personal reasons (they like your personality, your office decor, your staff, the amount of time you spend answering their questions, your sensitivity to managing pain) as it is professional ones. When you leave a professional practice, the value plummets. If your patients don’t like the buyer for any reason, rational or not, they will pull their files and seek another podiatrist. I don’t have statistics for podiatrists per se, but it’s not un-

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Work with a SCORE mentor to keep your retail business competitive.

Work with a SCORE mentor to keep your retail business competitive. Trying items in store is

They spend 69% of their discretionary income each month in-store.

www.score.org

3x more

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“Retailtainment” events attract, engage and retain customers.

https://www.vendhq.com/blog/retail-data/ https://retailnext.net/en/blog/brick-and-mortar-vs-online-retail/

Retailer events consumers are interested in attending:

www.score.org

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matters to me.” you rent a building, when Hudgins moved from a you rent a space you are location on Santa Fe Street, going into partnership noting she didn’t feel she with the owner.” Brick-and-mortar is not dead. was getting adequate reThe Central Valley HissponseEcommerce on onlyacomprises number of panic Chamber of Comissues from an 9.46% absentee merce hosted the event landlord. of retail sales. with CEO Christine Sch“I invested quite a bit of weininger as the master 55% moneyof online redoing it (build- of ceremonies. City of shoppers would prefer to buy from retailers ing onthat have Santa Fe),” she Riverbank Mayor Richa physical store presence vs. online only. expressed. “It was to my ard O’Brien, Vice Mayor benefit in the end to find Darlene Barber Martia SCORE mentor to keep your a place Work thatwith worked bet- nez, and Councilmember retail business competitive. ter. That had an owner Cal Campbell presented that was local that could Hudgins with a certificate. see what was going on Russell Fowler repreand that would be more sented Assemblymember of a partner because that Heath Flora’s office and is what it should be. When presented Hudgins a cerof shoppers attended a retail event last year.

www.score.org

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https://8f6bc1832c450a008db7-83b75ad4e71f1487522ba624f2d5d5be.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/NRF_PWC-The%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20the%20US%20Retail%20Industry%20REV.pdf https://grow.bigcommerce.com/rs/695-JJT-333/images/report-2018-omnichannel-buying.pdf https://nrf.com/consumer-view

https://www.vendhq.com/blog/retail-data/

https://retailnext.net/en/blog/brick-and-mortar-vs-online-retail/

tificate as did District Representative Melissa Santos for Congressman Josh Harder. “The one thing I want the people of Riverbank to know is how much I appreciate them,” Hudgins said with a smile. “This city has been on my side 110 percent. The city officials, the city manager, I am the biggest cheerleader when it comes to the city of Riverbank. I absolutely love it.” For more information and for a free skin consultation call 209-847-8700.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

NEWS

Harder pushes for passage of water bill

SAVE Water Resources Act discussed during hearing BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

More funding to increase water storage, spur innovation in water technologies and make longoverdue investments in the region’s aging water infrastructure could soon be headed to the Central Valley courtesy of Congressman Josh Harder’s SAVE Water Resources Act, which in June took its first step toward becoming law at a congressional subcommittee hearing. Harder pushed for the passage of HR 2473, or the Securing Access for the Central Valley and Enhancing (SAVE) Water Resources Act, during his testimony in the U.S. House of Representative’s Water, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee — his first chance to advocate for the bill in front of his congressional colleagues and, he said, a rarity for a freshman congressman who only introduced the bill on May 2. “I think the whole process has moved much faster than I even expected. Generally, as a new member of Congress, you don’t necessarily get the entire institution’s attention on your top policy priority very quickly,” Harder told the Journal. “People say, ‘Wait ten years, and we’ll maybe then consider what you think you should be doing.’ I think it’s actually fantastic news that it’s happening so quickly and

that we’re even getting a hearing just a month or two after [introducing the bill].” The legislation, which has bipartisan support, will create cutting-edge programs to grow and sustain the region’s water supply by improving storage capacity, supporting key new technological innovations for drought resistance and groundwater management and establishing responsible levels of federal funding to invest in water future. “Water may not be the top of mind for a lot of folks here in Washington, but in my home in California’s Central Valley we think about it every day,” Harder told the subcommittee, pointing out that although the state’s drought officially ended in March, rainfall in California can vary from year to year. “Because of that variable rainfall, we’re locked into boom and bust cycles, and federal water policy hasn’t been designed to manage the extremes of a state like California.” Harder summarized some of the SAVE Water Resources Act’s main components for the subcommittee, such as its potential to help the state prepare for the next “bust” water year as well as its intention to ensure clean drinking water for Valley residents. The bill would require the Bureau of Reclama-

tion to fast-track feasibility studies for four specific storage projects in the Central Valley, including Sites Reservoir, Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir, Los Vaqueros and San Luis Reservoirs, and provides $100 million in storage funding. The bill also leverages federal resources to identify prime locations for groundwater storage and recharge in California and across the Western United States. Del Puerto Water District General Manager Anthea Hansen traveled to Washington, D.C., to testify in favor of the SAVE Water Resources Act, which would greatly benefit her district through support of the proposed Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir just west of Patterson. The reservoir is much-needed, she explained, after years of drought that left farmers in her area with a zero percent water allocation in 2014 and 2015, followed by just a five percent supply in 2016. Even now, with a statewide snowpack exceeding 20 percent of average, South-of-Delta Agricultural Water Service Contractors only have an allocation of 70 percent, she said. “If it were its own country, California would boast the world’s fifth-largest economy, yet it is unable to provide water reliability to a region that produces more than two thirds of its

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fruits and nuts and over 50 percent of the nation’s vegetables. This is unacceptable,” Hansen told the subcommittee. “We know what must be done to confront this challenge. The solutions require political will to accomplish, as well as a coalition of water and resource managers and their political leaders who are willing to move past the historic water wars to implement the solutions.” The SAVE Water Resources Act does just that, with Harder announcing the bill along the Tuolumne River in April alongside organizations who likely haven’t agreed on much before, including representatives from Stanislaus County’s Sierra Club and Farm Bureau. “There is no one action to make up for all of the years that solutions have failed to improve not only our situation, but the situation for the environment as well,” Hansen said. “California has been miserably lacking in infrastructure investment, and HR 2473 takes an allof-the-above approach to

our water challenges, ensuring investment in new infrastructure including storage, water recycling, water use efficiency projects, and encourages the development of 21st century technologies to grow our water supply.” In order to incentivize private sector development of new, cutting-edge water developments, the bill will create an “X-Prize” program, authorizing $2 million per year administered by the Department of the Interior. In addition, the bill invests in water reuse and recycling by increasing funding for WaterSMART programs from $50 million to $500 million and extending the program’s authorization. The SAVE Water Resources Act also invests millions in the Valley’s aging water infrastructure by establishing a water infrastructure and drought solutions fund to provide $300 million for water surface and groundwater storage, water reclamation and reuse, and WaterSMART program projects. An innovative financing program included in the bill would provide low-interest federal loans to fund local water infrastructure projects, and it will also reauthorize the Rural Water Supply Act, which requires the Bureau of Reclamation to work with rural communities to improve ac-

cess to safe and clean sources of drinking water. Rep. Jim Costa, who represents California’s 16th Congressional District including Hilmar, Los Banos and Merced, serves on the Water, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee and shared his support of the bill during Thursday’s hearing. “This is an important piece of water legislation that provides additional tools in our water toolbox to provide solutions to sustain California water resources,” Costa said. “It’s the old adage where if you go to a bank and you make withdrawals and you don’t make any deposits; you can only do that for so long. We understand the critical need of the overdraft of our communities…there are many, many good reasons to support HR 2473.” The SAVE Water Resources Act will be considered, debated and possibly modified by committee before possibly being sent to the chamber as a whole for a vote. “[HR 2473] has broken the mold in how we think about water…all we’re trying to do in this bill is say, ‘Are there some commonsense elements most of us can agree on to make sure that we’re actually getting some progress?’” Harder told the subcommittee. “We can’t afford partisanship or ideological

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Delicato launched its inaugural vintage of 2016 Three Finger Jack East Side Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon in February. The wine is sourced from vineyards on the rugged east side of Lodi. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

AT WORK

FROM PAGE 8

expects you to work on patients during this period, make sure you are paid separately for that

— it shouldn’t be part of the purchase price. 4. Change should come slowly. If your practice has any unusual design features your patients find attractive (such as artwork or a tropical fish

The designation allows longer trucks used in interstate commerce to use local roads in California. Also on Frontage Road is Perry & Sons that also operate numerous trucks from their Manteca operations that is ranked as the No. 1 broker of watermelons, melons, and pumpkins in the United States. They also crush grapes on site — something that Gallo no longer does at its Modesto winery that is somewhat isolated by the Tuolumne River, a nearby industrial area and the fact the company over the years purchased many nearby homes and uses them as rentals. Delicato disposes of water they use on site as well as grinds up stems and skins. Those are important points to Indelicato as Manteca makes plans to eventually urbanize the area between the city’s current city limits just north of Lathrop Road almost all the way to French Camp Road. Making sure development is compatible is a key point the family has tried to make at various meetings designed to shape the general plan update that serves as Manteca’s blue-

WINES

FROM PAGE 1 nies in San Joaquin-Stanislaus counties — The Wine Group along East Highway 120 midway between Escalon and Manteca and Bronco Wines in Ceres. When most people think of wineries, they think of boutique wineries. But Delicato Family and the aforementioned area wineries are big businesses that provided much sought-78after head of household jobs in the Northern San Joaquin Valley and do so in sizeable numbers. Jay Indelicato, who oversees the Manteca winery, notes the local operation has an average of 400 truck trips year-round and operates 24/7 with accompanying noise as well as lights at night. “You need to be able to see as well at night as you do during the day,” Indelicato said. Several years ago Delicato secured approval through the lengthy process needed to have the Frontage Road from the Lathrop Road interchange in Manteca to the northern edge of their property designated as a STAA route. tank) but the buyer isn’t wild about, make sure the contract requires the buyer to maintain those for a period of time after the closing to minimize patient shock.

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print for growth. The light, noise, truck traffic and intense agricultural operations such as crushing grapes is not something that Delicatio believes would sit well with future residents if Manteca ultimately allows homes to be built in the shadows of the winery and its large tank farms that are draped with lights. Indelicato noted despite Manteca being a rightto-farm city he knows almond growers who have been the repeated target of complaints for kicking up dust and working at night in their orchards — two things that are part of acceptable standard farming practices under the law. “You can’t just pull up a winery and relocate it,” Indelicato said. Even if you could, you might not be able to start over in another location — at least not in California. That’s because the state Air Resources Board has slapped a moratorium on new wine tanks. And since they secured permits before the moratorium went into effect, they opted to build most of the 80 new tanks now even if they aren’t needed for a few years instead of running the risk that once the

per year

permits expire they may not be able to obtain new approval from the state to build them. Delicato Family Wines’ roots Gaspare Indelicato — who immigrated from Sicily in 1911 — was responsible for planting the vineyard in 1924 that started the winery that today more than 575 Manteca area households rely on for income as well as numerous trucking firms. Gaspare worked his way across the United States. He first worked in a coal mine in Pennsylvania, then a lumber mill in Washington, a brick yard in Oregon, and then helped build the O’Shaughnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park before establishing a dairy where the main family winery is today. Even though the Prohibition was in full force, Gapsare planted wine grapes as the law allowed people to produce their own wine at home. He ended up selling wine grapes to home winemakers. Once Prohibition ended, Gaspare expanded his wine making into a commercial winery.

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209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

ACCOLADES

PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, HONORS, ETC. Assemblyman district awards

Assemblyman Heath Flore recently honored individuals and businesses in his district for superior service and commitment to duty.

ness of the Year for Flora’s district. The eatery, which has been in business for more than 30 years, was recognized for their successful run and community involvement.

Nonprofit wins award Assemblymember Adam Gray honored the Merced County Spring Fair Heritage Foundation at the State Capitol as the 2019 California Nonprofit of the Year for the 21st Assembly District. Board Members Supervisor Scott Silveira, Paul Parreira, Pat Gallichio, Cannon Michael, and Natasha Crivelli traveled to Sacramento to be honored as part of the 2019 California Nonprofits Day. “The Heritage Foundation’s commitment to our community and local farming families is remarkable,” said Gray. “The generosity and dedication of the board has been instrumental in the continued success of the fair.” The Heritage Foundation is committed to preserving and enriching the heritage of Merced County by continuing to develop the Merced County Spring Fair into a pre-

Flora recognized Lt. Commander Jorge Velez of Ripon as the 2019 Veteran of the Year for Flora’s district. Velez served for 18 years in three branches of the U.S. armed services, including a combat tour at the Kandahar Airfield hospital where he cared for U.S. and NATO casualties of Operation Enduring Freedom. Waterloo restaurant in San Joaquin County was named the 2019 Small Busi-

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mier destination. Since its inception in 2011, the Heritage Foundation has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to approximately 175 students. The Foundation has successfully secured over $1.8 million in donations. “The Heritage Foundation is an incredible resource for local 4-H and FFA programs,” continued Gray. “We have them to thank for many local agricultural education opportunities and improvements to fair facilities.”

Beard Land & Investment Co. announces new board chair and directors

Beard Land & Investment Co. and its subsidiary companies, Modesto & Empire Traction Company and Beard Land Improvement Company, announced today that John C. Bienvenu has been elected as the next chair of the Beard Board of Directors, succeeding previous chair Richard A. Sipos. Bienvenu is an attorney and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bienvenu has been a member of Beard’s board since May 2011. “I am honored to serve as Chair of the Beard companies and continue the work of my immediate predecessor, Richard Sipos,” said Bienvenu. “My grandfather John Beard was one of ten brothers and sisters that founded these companies nearly 100 years ago. Our commitment to our customers, our employees and our family shareholders has not wavered over that time and I look forward to helping Beard and our talented and dedicated management team led by Dillon Olvera continue its mission.”

Dillon Olvera succeeded Ronald S. Jackson as Beard’s President and Chief Executive Officer in 2018. He previously served as Beard’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Before coming to Beard, Olvera served as Chief Financial Officer for Innov8 Partners and as Vice President, Finance for 5.11. He lives in Turlock, California. Olvera added, “Beard is a tremendous business with its solid group of employees, supportive Board of Directors, and strong customer base. I am really excited about having the opportunity to work with the team and lead Beard into the next stages of strategic development.” Beard is also pleased to announce that its shareholders have elected three new Directors: Bruce Rueppel, Lon Van Gemert and Ronald Naess. Rueppel is a partner with Guard Hill Holdings, a private equity firm focused on middle market industrial businesses in the general industrial and transportationrelated industries. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Von Gemert has had a long career in the rail industry, most recently serving as CEO of Progressive Rail, Inc., a Class III railroad operating several separate branches in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri. He lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. Naess is a member of the Beard family whose great-grandmother Edna was one of the company’s original founders. He is retired from a career as a systems and informational technology manager and lives in Logan, Utah.

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