A straight-laced but somewhat atypical partner at Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps since 1989, an associate earlier, Vickie E. Turner has resigned to join Wilson, Petty, Dunwoody and Turner as a "name partner." Dana Dunwoody and Claudette Wilson started their careers at Luce, too.     Speaking well of her old firm, Turner says the new situation will help grow her civil litigation practice with emphases in product liability, breach of warranty and First Amendment defense. A 1982 graduate of the USD School of Law, Turner holds the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and the National Bar Association Presidential Award for Outstanding Service. She's a judge pro tem in her spare time.     Mark Mazzarella, formerly the lead name of what’s now Wilson, Petty, remains of counsel while he writes books.

Turner

    An Air Force brat native of Gainesville, Ga., Turner once worked undercover monitoring Las Vegas casinos. She's presided over the Lawyers Club and Earl B. Gilliam Bar.

***

    Arrowhead Insurance Group, which had built more than 90,000 square feet on Lusk Boulevard less than two years ago, has just leased more than 30,000 square feet at Emerald Plaza in Downtown San Diego for its sales and executive staff.
    "I expect a continued southerly migration back to the Central Business District because of the available inventory and all the amenities, especially public transportation," says Brad Perry of Southwest Value Partners, owner of Emerald Plaza and San Diego’s largest office landlord. "A deli in a tilt-up industrial is not an amenity. Thirty to 40 eating establishments within three or four blocks is an amenity. Horton Plaza within walking distance is an amenity."

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    A new source of financing for emerging companies has headquartered in San Diego. Wasting no time, ProFinance already has agreed to sponsor a major new event, next month's Growth Strategies '98. (See Page 51.) Why did the 13-year-old company move here from Connecticut? President Michael Jones says a big increase over the last two years in business with Southern California firms played a part, but so did personal reasons. Jones, 47, grew up in Arizona and frequently visited San Diego in the summer. He was, he confesses, the typical Zonie, fond of San Diego’s climate. Recently his father moved here from Tucson.

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    San Diego Metropolitan & Daily Business Report received eight awards at the San Diego Press Club's 25th Annual Journalism Awards dinner. In the magazine category, John Willett captured first place in entertainment writing for "Hasten Slowly," a tough look at what faces a revived San Diego Symphony. Claude Walbert received second place in the in-depth reporting category for "Tracking the Blooms," a look at how federal bankruptcy attorneys hunt down fraud. Earning second in the feature category was Bradley Fikes for "Invasion of the Palm Pilots," a cover piece that focused on the growing use of personal digital assistants. Art Director Jim Matta won honorable mention in the cover category for May's edition featuring the San Diego Convention Center's Carol Wallace. Eilene Zimmerman won second place in consumer writing for "Financing Your MBA." In the same category, Editor Tim McClain won honorable mention for a feature on how to select a cellular telephone service.
    In the open category, where all publications can enter, John Lamb won second place for "Sony's Mastery," a look at Sony's growing presence in San Diego and its accomplished local leader, Yutaka Sato. Finally, in the Website category, San Diego Metropolitan's Internet site Ð www.sandiegometro.com Ð earned an honorable mention for best Webcast. Second place in the category went to San Diego Headlines and KNSD's effort, while the San Diego Union-Tribune's superb SignOn San Diego captured first.

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    The $1.5 billion value of projects receiving San Diego city building permits in fiscal 1998 was the greatest in eight years and 50 percent more than the $1 billion permitted a year earlier. In this decade, only 1990 had a bigger dollar impact, with permits for $1.8 billion worth of work issued. The record year was 1987 when valuations hit $2.2 billion. Of the $1.5 billion worth of work permitted in fiscal 1998, 56.2 percent was for residential projects, 4.48 percent for residential additions or alterations, 23.09 percent for new commercial and 16.20 percent for commercial additions and alterations.

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    The first speculative office building in Mission Valley in nearly a decade is being planned by St. George's Holdings, a London-based development firm with U.S. headquarters in La Jolla. The mid-rise will replace the existing Veterans Administration building, due to empty this month. In its place St. George's will build an eight-story, 147,000-square-foot tower designed to serve a market where the Class A vacancy rate is a tight 4.5 percent. To be called St. George's Centre, the building will be the focal point of two adjoining retail complexes developed by St. George's over the last four years. The first phase, completed in 1994, includes a Staples Office Supply and Rubio's. The second phase, finished this year, features a food court with an In-N-Out Burger as well as a Pacific Bell Mobile Services store.
    "St. George's has been involved with this prime seven-acre site for more than 15 years," says Anthony Hai, president of St. George's. "With the VA's plans to vacate, we have the opportunity to either refurbish the existing building or start anew. Given the property's outstanding Class A location, it was decided to proceed with plans for a true Class A facility, the first of its kind to be built in the area since 1989." The architect is Fehlman LaBarre. Plans also call for a four-story parking deck with about 800 spaces adjacent to the office. Special features will include a Zen quiet garden. The project is being marketed by Paul Lafrenz, Don Mitchell and Ken Kisbert of CB Richard Ellis.

***

    The former owners of the Inland East Medical Clinic, Dr. Harvey M. Bloom, and his wife, Shirley A. Bloom, now are considered fugitives and are being sought by the FBI. As reported in the May issue of San Diego Metropolitan, the Blooms were named in a December federal indictment that alleged a multimillion dollar bankruptcy fraud. The couple, once prominent in San Diego County social circles, was for a time believed to be living in Canada, but assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Aguilar said the Blooms have not been located there. Extradition proceedings, pending for months, have been put on hold until the fugitives are located.

***

    Are people becoming so comfortable with cellular phones that soon they will accept the technology as a substitute for the hardwired phones that now dominate households and businesses in the United States? Wireless communications carrier Leap Wireless International Inc. is betting a big maybe. Leap Wireless has agreed to pay AirGate Wireless $19.45 million for a license covering 3.27 million potential customers in the cities of Charlotte, Greensboro and Hickory, N.C., and Greenwood, S.C.
    "In the United States and selected other parts of the world, we believe there is a strong potential for a combined wireless local loop limited mobility service targeted to the mass consumer market," says Harvey White, Leap's CEO. "This is the first step towards determining the potential of this market, and we will continue to look at opportunities to acquire additional spectrum in the future."

***

    For weeks, Sempra Energy hung a big blue "S" from the side of its Downtown building. The letter went away, replaced by a "Go Padres" banner. But look for more tests as the company tries out different types of signage. A permanent sign probably won’t go up until the first quarter of 1999. In the meantime, banners with the company name and logo will handle the job.

***

    In an effort to keep more major-event business in San Diego, 10 meetings industry associations will gather Nov. 12 for the third annual San Diego Meetings Industry Day. Organizers say millions of dollars of business flow to out-of-town florists, caterers, equipment companies, security firms and others when a big event, like a Super Bowl or Republican National Convention, is held in San Diego. The 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. session at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza will focus on how San Diego meetings organizations can work together to build clout within the local economy. Speaking will be Tony Alessandra. The cost is $25 by Nov. 5; $30 by Nov. 11; and $35 on event day. For more information call Susan Clarke at (619) 224-0906.

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    The San Diego Museum of Art will host Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Exhibition," Nov. 15 through Jan. 3, corresponding with the Old Globe's production next door.

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    Mayor Golding, Secretary Jorge Gallego of Baja California and Economic Development Corp. President Julie Meier Wright are hosting a mission to Asia from Nov. 5 to 21 that will include meetings in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

***

    At the Gray Davis For Governor luncheon sponsored by San Diego Women for Gray Davis, attorney Candace Carroll found more takers than expected for the 500 bumper stickers she'd printed with the slogan "Stop the Witch Hunt. Vote for Democrats." The outgoing president of the San Diego County Bar has since had another 500, with bold blue lettering on a white background, printed up. Look for them on a Volvo near you.

***

    Two prominent San Diego museums are about to get to know each other a lot better. The Museum of Photographic Arts is expanding its Balboa Park digs from 7,500 square feet to 28,000 square feet. But it has to move out while construction takes place. So, from Feb. 13 until spring of 2000, it will take temporary gallery space Downtown in the Museum of Contemporary Art on Kettner in One America Plaza.

***

    Ann Shanahan-Walsh quit Lidak Pharmaceuticals some two months after a new CFO, Greg Hanson, came in. He's a veteran of Xxyss Technologies. Shanahan-Walsh handled p.r., investor relations and developed a Web site during the tumultuous transition from David Katz's firing through Gerald Yakatan's hiring. She's available. She's in the book.

***

Roel Construction Co. has completed Qualcomm's latest and largest facility, Building AA.

    Roel Construction Co. has completed Qualcomm's latest and largest facility. Named "Building AA,the four-story, 277,952-square-foot engineering building has more than 900 offices at 10290 Campus Point Drive. The building contains 1 million feet of Level 7 gigaspeed cable, 3,000 sprinkler heads and nearly 50 miles of pipe-duct insulation. It also contains 17,400 sheets of drywall, which if laid end to end would stretch to Campo. But why?
    Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker & Bretton designed the project. Major subs include BergElectric, Helm Corp., Collins Plumbing, Western Fire Protection, Sunset Glazing, Martin & Lewis Drywall, RBE Painting and Dupont Flooring. Running the project for Roel were Wayne Hickey, v.p.; Doug Briggs, project manager; Mike Berryhill, assistant project manager; Paul Williamson, superintendent; Armando Murillo, project engineer; and Lisa Dixon, project administrative assistant.

***

    Following Pardee's lead, residential work is beginning on Otay Mesa, the largest chunk of developable land in San Diego. Presales start Nov. 7 at Centex Homes' 75-unit Silverado neighborhood. Prices of the single-family homes start in the high $100,000s. Models open next month with move-ins starting in February.
The Corky McMillin Cos. has assembled a team of guest builders for the first six neighborhoods within its 300-acre, 1,474-home master-planned community of McMillin Lomas Verdes. Of the six, McMillin Homes will build two detached neighborhoods, Shea Homes an attached neighborhood, Cornerstone Communities a condominium neighborhood while Chelsea Investment Corp. and Kaufman & Broad Multi-Housing Group team on a mixed-use project of upscale apartments and a commercial center.

***

    Homeowners living within the Leucadia County Water District are enjoying the county's lowest monthly sewer service fee. They pay $13.93 a month, compared to $26 for those in the city of San Diego. Tim Jochem, who runs the eight-employee district, credits the consulting engineering expertise of Dudek & Associates for helping achieve the low rates.

***

    Construction is under way on the Del Mar Technology Center, a 39,965-square-foot office building within the 102-acre San Diego Corporate Center at High Bluff Drive and Carmel Vista Drive. The project opens in March. Accel Technologies has pre-leased 32,316 square feet leaving BRE brokers Rick Reeder and David Odmark to find tenants for the remainder.

***

    Hawthorne Power Systems in San Diego has won a $4.1 million contract to build a turnkey powerhouse on Nuku'alofa, the main island in the 50-island nation of Tonga. With power rates about 250 percent higher than those in San Diego, Tonga is moving to privatize its power generation industry. Closer to home, Hawthorne is producing electrical power by helping burn methane gas generated by trash buried at the Miramar landfill.

***

    The Peninsula Athletic Club located on Naval Training Center property has earned lots of recent press. Coverage of the club has appeared in Athletic Business Magazine, Exercise for Men Only Magazine and the Picket Fence national newsletter.

***

    With her new business, Infidelity Detection Service, Kelly Greason is targeting women who think their men have been cheating.

***

    In October's "San Diego 92101, The Special Section," a feature on nine Downtown schools left out a few. Among them were City-As-School, an innovative experiential learning program for high school students seeking an alternative to the traditional setting, and Windows Arts Academy, a school where the student's artistic handiwork is evident daily to drivers who pass the fun murals on the Jackson's Hole construction site on F Street. Also missed were the United Education Institute and the International School of Management. San Diego Metropolitan regrets the omissions.

***

    The architect for Champion Development Group's Gaslamp Square project was wrongly identified in a rendering caption last month. The project was designed by Fehlman LaBarre. The Metropolitan regrets the error.

***

    Earning national recognition is the Building Industry Association's communications department headed by Donna Morafcik. In a competition among 815 of its peers around the country, the association won an excellence award for best public relations program from the National Association of Home Builders. In addition, a first place/excellence award was presented to Builder Magazine, which Morafcik edits.

***

    Headed by Sam King, a special unit at Golden Eagle Insurance is laying claim to assisting with the investigation of 94 fraudulent workers' compensation claims, resulting in 25 arrests already this year by state and county law enforcers.

***

    Of the 20,000 runners who participated in June's inaugural Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, 90 percent were from outside the county. An economic study prepared by Kokila Doshi, a USD School of Business professor, reveals that 63 percent of participants had an average income of $50,000 or more. Women accounted for 55 percent of the runners and the average age was 45. The weekend event had an economic impact of $78 million.

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    La Mesa-headquartered Peter Vander Werff Construction, which has completed $63 million in local defense contracts since its 1983 founding, is merging with Ninteman Construction Co.

***

    The San Diego Chapter of the Associated General Contractors Association honored five of its members for the some really neat nonresidential construction.
    Project teams headed by Nielsen Dillingham Builders earned two Build San Diego Awards, one for the expansion and renovation of Qualcomm Stadium and for building the north shoreline protection seawall at the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hensel Phelps Construction was honored for completing the 331-room Four Seasons Resort in Carlsbad, a project that had been abandoned for more than five years.
    Ninteman Construction won honors for the Leichtag Family Healing Gardens at Children's Hospital. Ninteman donated nearly $1 million in services and materials to the project. C.E. Wylie Construction earned an award for the 42-million-gallon Alvarado Reservoirs and Garden built for the city of San Diego. Lastly, Marathon Construction received accolades for the seawall it built for the Port District at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal.

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    No time to bring that strategic sales training professional and key employees together at the same office? Whetstone Group is offering a new eight-week training program where up to 30 people at one time participate by telephone in a conference-call setting.

***

    At one point the San Diego Indoor Games, founded in 1967, were among track and field's premier events. A dozen years ago, the event expired as American interest in the sports waned. Now, it’s back. Tickets for the revived games go on sale Dec. 1 and will be priced at $10 and $20. The event plays the San Diego Sports Arena Jan. 23.

***

    From Dec. 1 through 22, the Fifth Annual Child Abuse Prevention Foundation Holiday Gift Drive will accept new, unwrapped clothing, toys, sports equipment and art items in collection bins in office buildings throughout Downtown, Mission Valley and the Golden Triangle. The Irving Hughes Group is the title sponsor. Beneficiary will be the children of the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children's Center.

***

    "This year we’re going to have more fun than ever because the San Diego Food Bank has committed to raise 500,000 pounds of food," says Neal smith, associate director of the bank based at the old Naval Training Center. "We’re partnering in one event with Fashion Valley, the Holiday Food Drive kickoff Nov. 20 in the evening. Fashion Valley is having a Santa castle lighting ceremony.
    "The food bank doesn’t deliver to individuals. It delivers to more than 500 charitable organizations throughout San Diego County, all the churches, the food pantries, any (nonprofit organization) who's feeding people at some time comes to the San Diego Food Bank
    "This year, in January, we got a grant from one of the Super Bowl parties to start a food recovery program. We’re now making up to 60 pickups per week at businesses to recover prepared and perishable food. We’re recovering 35,000 pounds of food per month, and it’s growing. That food went into the dumpsters before January. Some of it comes to the Food Bank, but if it’s very perishable, it goes right to an agency that has a congregate feeding program."
    Fashion Valley has committed to collect 10,000 pounds of food this season. Smith at the Food Bank is reachable at (619) 523-8811.

***

    The inaugural "Light Up the Gaslamp" ceremony and community celebration is set for Dec. 1, 4 p.m., at the International Information Center at Sixth Avenue and L Street. Presented by Sempra Energy, the event's free. It will feature the lighting of holiday silhouettes on the trademark gaslamps along Fourth and Fifth avenues.

***

    San Diego’s golf industry is going through an unprecedented tough time, with sales slipping, and companies arguing among themselves and with the golf standards body about the springy effect of a club head. For one company, however, times are good. Matthews/Mark, an advertising and public relations agency where Steve Carpowich is a golf marketing hotshot, has landed the advertising and public relations account for the Callaway Golf Ball Co. Callaway's gain, however, is Taylor Made's loss. To get the Callaway account, Matthews/Mark dropped golf club maker Taylor Made as a client.

***

    San Diego Bread Co., along with national cookie maker Archway Cookies Inc., is being acquired by Specialty Foods Corp. in a deal valued at more than $100 million. "San Diego Bread Co., our most recent bread acquisition, solidifies the position of our Boudin brand as the premier traditional sourdough bread in California," says Lawrence Benjamin, president of Specialty Foods.

***

    Bank of Commerce, already the nation's leading SBA bank lender, has opened a new loan production office in Atlanta. The new office operates as Commerce Loan Co., a division of the bank. "Atlanta is the seventh new office we’ve opened this year and our first operation east of the Mississippi," says Peter Q. Davis, chairman and CEO.

***

    Jeff Walker, a former guard and tackle for the Chargers, has been named president of Oklahoma-based Superior Oil & Gas Co. Walker most recently grew his own privately held company, Walker Oil & Gas Co., to more than $21 million in assets. A seven-year veteran of the National Football League, Walker, during his 1986 rookie season with the Chargers, set a record with five blocked field goals in a single season Ð a record that still stands.