|
October 4, 2001
Business is getting back to usual at the San Diego Convention Center as the 51st annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons kept its convention date.
Some 5,500 neurosurgeons, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons and other medical specialists gathered this week despite the business downturn confronting the local visitor industry.
Laurie Behncke, executive director of the congress, says the decision to go forward and hold the conference in San Diego was the correct one.
“Attendance is at excellent levels, our sessions are filled to capacity, and our group is enjoying an extremely successful conference,” she says.
***
The Community Development Commission and the Hennessey Group have broken ground on a new 55,000-square-foot commercial mixed-use development at Eighth and Roosevelt streets in National City.
Mayor George Waters addressed the audience at the groundbreaking, which was attended by National City officials, business leaders and area residents.
“This project will help transform a poorly maintained vacant lot into a thriving commercial use,” Waters says. “The site is at the gateway to the heart of National City, and its redevelopment is one more integral step in our City’s ongoing revitalization effort. We are very excited to celebrate its official beginning.”
The center will include an ARCO gasoline station with an am/pm mini mart and a Jack-in-The Box drive-thru restaurant.
The project is a development of Tustin, California-based Hennessey Group and represents the first step in revitalization efforts in the downtown area of National City and is expected to be complete and open to the public by Jan. 1.
***
One of the keys to opening the door to a career in the gem and jewelry industry is to meet the key players of that industry. Attendees at the Gemological Institute of America's 11th annual Career Fair will have this opportunity.
Career Fair, regarded as the single-most important recruitment day in the gem and jewelry industry, will be from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 12 at GIA's Robert Mouawad Campus and world headquarters at 5345 Armada Drive in Carlsbad.
Career Fair will feature several additional career-enhancement seminars. GIA President William E. Boyajian will moderate "Working to Win," which offers a broad overview of current business climates and hiring trends in the jewelry industry.
"Survival Tactics for New Designers," moderated by Laurie Hudson, president of Platinum Guild International, showcases the industry's trendiest designers who share their secrets for success.
"Positioning Yourself for Success," moderated by Robin Lutin, regional sales manager for JCK Magazine, provides job seekers with practical tips on how to best package their skills and experience.
Also available will be the a one-on-one counseling area, where job seekers meet individually with more than 30 top executives representing major employment sectors in the jewelry industry who offer advice on resumes and career strategies.
***
Members of the San Diego Chapter of International Special Events Society attended the ISES Conference for Professional Development in Indianapolis, Ind., which hosts the Esprit Awards.
The Esprit Awards showcase the talents of ISES members worldwide and are one of the most prestigious industry awards.
Award winners were Lisa Defino of LD Events (Most Creative Solutions), Susan Butler of Butler Design Group (Best Event Design budget over $100,000.00) and Todd Lass of Professional Event Solutions (Technical Production).
The ISES Esprit Awards were created in 1995 by this year’s chairman, Tim Lundy.
"Although I was named as the individual who won, the award was actually won by a team of professionals assembled to produce the Opening Night Party, held in Balboa Park during The Special Event convention in January, 2000," says Defino. "Winning this award is not only fun and exciting, but it also validates your skills and talents as a professional — that’s a big plus when selling yourself and your company."
For more information, contact Annie Revel at (619) 582-1849.
***
Callaway Golf announced that young golf sensation Ty Tryon has agreed to terms with the company and will join Callaway's team of staff professionals.
Tryon, 17, will play Callaway Golf clubs and balls, carry a Callaway Golf staff bag and wear the company’s logo on his hat.
He is expected to use a Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Driver, Callaway Golf fairway woods, Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Irons, an Odyssey Putter and a Callaway Golf HX ball.
Tryon grabbed the attention of the golf world in March when he qualified for the Honda Classic at the age of 16 years, 9 months.
He then became the youngest player to ever make the cut at a PGA Tour event when he qualified for the final 36 holes of that tournament.
"We are excited and proud that Ty Tryon has chosen to start his professional career as a member of the Callaway Golf family," says Ron Drapeau, president, CEO and chairman of Callaway Golf. "He is a very mature young man and an exceptionally skilled golfer with enormous appeal and great potential. We are particularly pleased that Ty has agreed to continue his studies as he pursues his career in professional golf, and that he will make every effort to graduate with his high school class."
***
Ron Carlson, former CEO of Scripps Bank, and Ron Bird, former president of Bank of Southern California, have joined forces to form Landmark National Bank.
The flagship office will be located in the coastal community of Solana Beach at Interstate 5 and Lomas Santa Fe Drive.
Landmark National Bank is expected to open in the 2nd quarter of 2002.
"Ron and I share a very strong commitment to offering professional banking services that are responsive to the personal and business needs of the San Diego community," says Carlson. "Both of us — and our entire board — will be actively building long-term relationships as only a community bank can."
At Landmark National Bank, Carlson will assume the role of chairman and CEO and Bird will be president and vice chairman of the board.
Joining them as senior v.p. and CFO will be Cathy Wright. Wright held the same position at Scripps Bank.
"We have been successful in putting together an excellent group of community minded bankers," says Bird. "We have assembled an outstanding board and a very active group of founders to support our efforts. Landmark National Bank’s proposed board understands and fully supports the contribution an independent bank brings to the community."
Also serving on the board are:
• Ken Baumgartner, president/COO of The Corky McMillan Cos.
• Tom Wermers, president/CEO of Wermers Construction Co.
• Christopher Weil, president/CEO of the investment firm of Christopher Weil & Co.
• Anne Taubman, president/CEO of Seaport Village
• Marshal Scarr, partner with the law firm of Peterson & Price
• Larry Showley, partner with the employee benefits firm of Showley Archambault & Alexander
• David Goodell, president/CEO of Del Mar Investment Group.
***
For the 10th year, San Diego will host the US/MEX Plant Engineering & Maintenance Show, to be held at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
The trade show and conferences are designed to provide a forum for facility management, plant engineers and maintenance professionals to explore the wide range of products and services available to keep facilities running at optimum efficiency.
Occupying more than 15,000 square feet of exhibiting space, more than 100 companies will be displaying the latest products and equipment such as compressors, pumps, building materials, industrial controls, HVAC equipment, material handling products and many more items relating to commercial/industrial facility operations.
Admission to both the trade show and conferences are free to all qualified personnel.
For more information, contact Greg Woodbury of Professional Trade Shows Inc. at (800) 548-1407, Ext. 217.
***
The average cost of cell phone service increased 0.3 percent in August, following two months of decreases totaling 4.7 percent, reports Econ One, an economic research and consulting firm that studies costs in the wireless industry.
The average monthly cost of service in 25 major cities, across four typical usage levels (30, 150, 300 and 600 minutes) was $37.25 in August.
Average costs were higher in 15 of the 25 cities surveyed, while they were lower in 10.
“The apparent leveling off of cost declines is consistent with what we saw last year at this time," says Econ One Senior Economist Charles Mahla. "Like this year, June and July of 2000 saw strong declines, followed by an average cost increase in August," he says. "We expected that cost changes would level off, and expect that we will see moderate cost movements until the holiday season."
The biggest increases were found in Pittsburgh (3.5 percent), St. Louis (3.2 percent), Washington, D.C. (2.7 percent) and Denver (2.4 percent).
The greatest decreases in costs were in San Diego (3.2 percent), New York and Sacramento (3.0 percent), San Francisco (2.5 percent) and Houston (2.2 percent).
"In those cities where costs rose and fell the most, it appears that plan changes at AT&T Wireless and Verizon drove those changes," Mahla says. "In those cities where costs rose, plan changes from both AT&T and Verizon resulted in higher costs. In those cities witnessing cost declines, plan changes at Verizon drove those declines."
Cincinnati had the highest average costs in August — $39.14 — even though its average decreased 1 percent from July.
San Francisco, which frequently tops the list, saw costs drop 2.5 percent in August, dropping it from No. 1 to No. 2 on Econ One's list, with an average of $39.02. Boston was third, with $38.67, down 1.6 percent from July. Los Angeles and San Diego rounded out the top five in the survey.
***
North Park, Oceanside and El Cajon have been recognized by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency as recipients of the Governor's Main Street Awards for Excellence.
The award is in recognition for their contributions to the positive revitalization of the urban core.
The California Main Street is a program administered by TTCA and is comprised of 34 California Main Street business districts throughout the state.
"Included in our agency's priorities is community revitalization, which has clearly been demonstrated by the breadth and depth of achievements by our award recipients statewide," says Lon S. Hatamiya, secretary of TTCA. "Revitalization of the urban core is a necessity to ensure a thriving and diverse economy."
Since the inception in 1985 of the California Main Street program, the business districts have recruited 6,301 new businesses and created 22,130 new jobs.
The program also has prompted the development of 462 public projects valued at $163 million and 3,012 private projects worth $161 million.
The California Main Street provides commercial district revitalization training and technical assistance to communities using the four-point approach to revitalization developed by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The four-point approach includes organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.
***
National Trust Historic Hotels of America has listed the U.S. Grant, A Wyndham Historic Hotel among 21 new members.
This selection brings the total members in the program to 174 hotels, representing 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada.
"We believe this collection not only reflects the architectural history of America, it represents a cultural legacy as well," says Thierry Roch, executive director of National Trust Historic Hotels of America. "Historic Hotels of America provides travelers with a true cross-section of Americana, from stately downtown landmarks, to rustic mountain retreats and small town inns. Our new members reinforce that range, and evoke a variety of eras in our history, including rugged outposts in the Wild West and projects from Roosevelt's New Deal."
***
Bock Communications Inc., a Costa Mesa-based public relations agency specializing in the wireless, Internet and computer industries, has hired Carolyn H. Brown as account director.
She will be based in San Diego and responsible for assisting Bock Communications to better enhance existing client programs and more actively pursue new business in the area.
Brown joins Bock following employment with two San Diego-based public relations agencies as well as Qualcomm Inc.
"Bock Communications is the leading public relations agency in the wireless industry and San Diego is clearly one of the world's most important hubs for the industry," says Christine Bock, managing director of Bock Communications. "By making Carolyn our point person there, our clients will have the benefit of proximity in addition to the many talents that Carolyn brings from a strategic and tactical level."
***
Sharon Gross has joined Grice, Lund & Tarkington.
Sharon has recent Big 5 experience from KPMG. Previously, she held the position of finance officer for five years with a local San Diego manufacturing company.
***
Click Below to View Previous Daily Business Reports |
