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January 15, 2002
At a ceremony packed with civic and music leaders, Irwin and Joan Jacobs yesterday officially announced their gift of a $100 million endowment to the San Diego Symphony.
The funds represent half of a $200 million effort dubbed the New World Endowment Campaign.
The couple will give $5 million a year for 10 years, and then bequeath $50 million upon their deaths.
In addition, to make up for missing interest while the endowment takes shape, the Jacobs will contribute $2 million annually for symphony operating expenses.
Douglas Gerhart, the Symphony’s president and CEO, was frequently overcome with emotion while announcing the gift from the stage of Copley Symphony Hall.
“Today is the greatest day in our history,” Gerhart said, reflecting on a past bankruptcy and continued difficult funding times for the organization. “We intend to become one of the world’s greatest orchestras. Write it down.”
News of the gift was first leaked when the San Diego Union-Tribune broke a press embargo last week.
Since that time, Gerhart says, “over 70 international newspapers printed good news about the San Diego Symphony.” His emphasizing of the words “good news” draw a strong laugh from the audience.
But it wasn’t the biggest laugh.
That honor went to Joan Jacobs, who, while introducing the couple’s children, remarked, “They came to protect their inheritance.”
Irwin Jacobs held us own on the humor front.
Upon taking the podium, the father of the wireless CDMA industry said: “First, I want to assure everyone I have turned off my cell phone.”
Finally, looking out over an audience where gray hair and serious pattern baldness where the toppings of the day, Jacobs hit on another big hope he has for making the donation: Attracting a new, and younger, crowd to hear symphonic music.
“I hope people say, ‘Why do these crazy people give that money. Maybe we’d better go there and see what is going on.’”
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Sempra Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, has signed a $24 million energy outsourcing contract with the U.S. Army's Southeast Regional Medical Command.
Measures to be taken under the 13-year contract include improvements to the lighting systems, the building-automation systems, the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, electric motors, steam traps and the building envelopes. In addition to facility improvements, SERMC expects to save more than $1.7 million in savings annually.
"We were seeking an energy partner with the expertise to re-engineer our systems and deliver a constant and efficient supply of service to our facilities," says James O. Staulcup, SERMC's assistant chief of staff for engineering and facilities management. "Sempra Energy Solutions is proving it can do that for us and help us to use our resources more effectively."
"Hospitals and medical facilities are an emerging market for our innovative offerings," says Bob Dickerman, president of Sempra Energy Solutions. "The mix of engineering and energy-delivery expertise is proving to be an extremely valuable asset to any multi-location facility."
The contract was awarded under the Department of Energy's Super Energy Service Performance Contracting Program. Under the contract, energy-efficiency services will be provided to the medical-treatment facilities at Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker and Fort Stewart, all located in the southeastern United States.
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Cardiff Software Inc. says that since the June release of its LiquidOffice, 57 global partners have agreed to offer its eForm Management System.
LiquidOffice, an XML-based "paperless" system, allows organizations to publish, route, approve and process online forms using standard Web browsers.
An increase in demand for business process management solutions is a key factor driving the rapid channel adoption of LiquidOffice. AMR Research Inc. reports the current market for BPM — comprised of workflow, enterprise application integration and business-to-business integration — is estimated at $800 million with a projected compounded annual growth rate of 112 percent. Within each of these markets, BPM is expected to grow from 27 percent to 60 percent of total market revenue by 2003. This reallocation of dollars is driven by a need to improve business responsiveness, increase business agility and achieve greater return from existing investments.
"Rapid adoption of LiquidOffice in the reseller community indicates the immediate opportunity for automation solutions,”says Dennis Clerke, president and CEO of Cardiff Software. “Government, corporate and educational organizations are accepting eForm Management Systems based on tangible return on investment numbers,"
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Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. in Dallas and San Diego-based Peregrine Systems Inc. are partnering to deliver infrastructure management hardware, software and services to North American retailers.
PeregrineRetail is the first of many integrated software and services offerings that Fujitsu and Peregrine plan to offer to retailers. This solution, which is scheduled for delivery in August 2002, features Peregrine's infrastructure management software — including InfraTools, AssetCenter and ServiceCenter — and Fujitsu's comprehensive service framework to help retailers manage their IT infrastructure more effectively.
"Currently, there is no easy solution for retailers, who are faced with the need to corral the overwhelming growth and expense of technology infrastructure and assets, especially at the store level," says Austen Mulinder, president and CEO at Fujitsu. "Today, Fujitsu and Peregrine have committed to deliver turnkey, retail-specific solutions. Fujitsu brings market presence and expertise in procuring, developing, distributing and integrating retail hardware and software. Peregrine, as the industry leader in Infrastructure Management software solutions, has decades of experience in helping businesses maximize the return on their technology investment and reduce costs by better managing what they have - which is exactly what the retail industry needs."
Andy Cahill, executive v.p. of Peregrine's Customer Relationships Group, says, "We are excited about our relationship with Fujitsu and the opportunity to showcase PeregrineRetail at NRF. As a strong, longstanding player in the retail market, Fujitsu shares our vision for helping customers make the most out of their technology investments and run more efficiently by reducing friction in their business processes. Our first retail Infrastructure Management solution, PeregrineRetail, will allow retailers to track, manage and maintain their stores' IT infrastructure, including POS machines, hand-held scanners and other assets."
PeregrineRetail is scheduled for release in August exclusively from Fujitsu and Peregrine. Joint sales and marketing efforts will begin immediately, and include a presence at the Marketechnics show in San Diego, Feb. 3 to 5, which targets supermarket retailers.
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VirtGame Corp., a San Diego-based provider of software to the gaming and lottery industries, says that Hipodromo de agua Caliente, S.A. de C.V. has launched its premier online sports wagering site utilizing VirtGame's PrimeLineSportBook and E-Gaming Server Platform.
Caliente is one of the largest sports book operators in the world with more than 130 establishments throughout Latin America and Europe. The site may be viewed at http://www.Caliente.com.mx.
Caliente plans an extensive marketing campaign to make its customers aware that they can now wager online 24 hours per day 365 days per year.
Eduardo Hernandez, v.p. and g.m. of Caliente, believes promotion of the site also will allow Caliente to develop a significant new customer base.
"We expect a significant increase in revenue as a result of this e-gaming initiative,” Hernandez says. “By using VirtGame's Nevada-approved PrimeLineSportsBook, Caliente has established a premier online distribution channel to better serve our customers."
"VirtGame is excited to provide Caliente with a vital online distribution channel to their sports book customers,” says Scott Walker, president and CEO of VirtGame. “VirtGame has worked very closely with Caliente to assure a successful launch and we are very pleased to have one of the world's most successful sports and race book operators using our software and e-gaming platform."
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TitleTemps Inc., a national specialty staffing company for the real estate and financial services industries, opened its 26th office this month in Carlsbad. TitleTemps, headquartered in Burbank, has offices throughout the United States, and serves as a resource from which employers can select experienced professionals and administrative staff in the title, escrow, mortgage, accounting and banking fields.
"TitleTemps' flexible contingency staffing options for placing skilled workers in the real estate and banking industries have enabled our company to flourish despite slow economic times," says Jeffrey Evans, president of TitleTemps. "We are encouraged by the strong employer demand we have experienced in these industries, and will continue to grow to meet the particular staffing needs of our clients.”
The Carlsbad office, located at 2131 Palomar Airport Road, will service the needs of employers in the north San Diego area including Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido and Rancho Bernardo.
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Private investor Save-Most Alicia Hills LTD has acquired a 49,972-square-foot office building in Sorrento Mesa, a sub market of San Diego, for $8.3 million from The Shidler Group.
Alan Pekarcik of Voit Commercial Brokerage's Irvine office represented Save-Most in the acquisition. Phil Munroe and Adam Edwards of Burnham Real Estate Services represented The Shidler Group, a national real estate investment firm based in Hawaii.
The three-story building, located at 6480 Weathers Place, is a multi-tenant office building with a high-profile exterior.
"This purchase will be held as a long-term investment for Save-most," Pekarcik says. "The premier office building is centrally located in Sorrento Mesa, one of San Diego’s sought after business locations."
The multi-tenanted building has two credit tenants, McBride Electric and Webster University, which occupy approximately 40 percent of the building.
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BRE Commercial/NAI has negotiated lease agreements for 41,000 square feet of office space at 78 Place, the former Factory Outlet Center at 1050 Los Vallecitos Blvd. in San Marcos.
QuadraMed Corp. signed a 72-month lease for a total consideration of $3.35 million. This lease brings the 106,000 square foot property to 100 percent occupancy.
Mark Avilla of BRE Commercial / NAI's Carlsbad office represented the landlord, CT Realty Corp., in the transaction. Todd Davis, also of BRE, represented QuadraMed Corp.
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Fiddler’s Green Restaurant on Shelter Island in Point Loma has designated the proceeds from dinner on Jan. 29 to the recreational rehabilitation adaptive-sailing program at the American Institute of Marine Studies.
“We’re excited to have Fiddler’s Green support us and the work we do to enhance the rehabilitation of San Diego residents with disabilities,” says Urban Miyares, president of the Disabled Businesspersons Association and a blinded sailor of the AIMS Racing Team. “This event will allow family, friends, supporters, volunteers and the sailing and business community to have an evening out for dinner and, at the same time and without additional cost, show their support for their neighbors with disabilities.”
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The San Diego Sockers have named Richard Israel as the company’s executive v.p. and COO.
In his new role, Israel will oversee all operations for the organization. The position also will allow Israel to interact directly with the Major Indoor Soccer League as the team’s key point of contact.
Israel brings a wealth of knowledge and almost 25 years of related experience to the Sockers. After spending 19 years with the San Diego Chargers, his name has become synonymous with sports marketing in San Diego.
"We feel privileged to secure an individual with Rich’s extraordinary experience," says David Altomare, chairman of the San Diego Sockers. "He has a well-deserved reputation and we are confident he will turn our winning team into a financial success. Rich’s contacts, work ethic and integrity are a perfect fit for our organization."
Previously, Israel co-founded and served as v.p. of La Jolla-based Promark Sports, a national direct-marketing firm. He was involved in all aspects of its fully integrated direct marketing programs, with an emphasis on relations with professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues.
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