Daily Business Report: Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021
A public servant’s gift to the future
Jack McGrory envisions SDSU’s School of Public Affairs ranked among
the nation’s best and is donating $1 million toward that goal
Jack McGrory is emphatic about his vision for San Diego State University’s School of Public Affairs (SPA). “I want it to be one of the premier public administration schools in the country,” he said.
To help make that vision a reality, McGrory, a former city manager for the City of San Diego, is donating $1 million to the school in $100,000 yearly increments through 2030. Beyond the decade, he intends to contribute an additional $100,000 each year for the rest of his life.
According to School of Public Affairs Director and Professor Sherry Ryan, McGrory’s gift provides potential well beyond his longtime support for the school’s student scholarship and academic programs. “There are so many things we can do,” she said.
“Jack is expanding the capacity for students to be involved in governance and public leadership thanks to his unique understanding of public service,” she said.
McGrory’s views involving public service were established in his youth. He grew up an Irish Catholic in Boston, where President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration entreaty of “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” was practically a mantra.
I am a JFK kind of guy,” McGrory said of his philanthropy. “Public service was really important in those days and it was highly valued — unlike today, unfortunately.”
PHOTO: Former San Diego City Manager Jack McGrory
California lawmakers and teachers unions
stop short of a vaccine mandate
California’s public school teachers are being begged, cajoled, enticed and guilted into getting vaccinated before the school year starts. But so far, few elected officials are willing to outright force them to get the shot, writes CalMatters’ education reporter Joe Hong.
It’s a notably different approach than what the state has taken with other frontline workers. Newsom recently announced that state employees will have to get vaccinated or be subject to regular testing. So will indoor medical workers — no opt outs allowed.
But for teachers, state legislators are leaving the decision up to locals. San Jose Unified has rolled out its own requirement, but few other school districts have followed suit, wary of lawsuits and labor disputes.
So far the 300,000-member California Teachers Association has also stopped short of endorsing a mandate. But some national union leaders are already there.
Biocom California calls for nominations
for sixth annual Life Science Catalyst Awards
Biocom California, the association representing the California life science industry, announced a call for entries for the sixth annual Life Science Catalyst Awards. The awards are designed to identify accomplished and up-and-coming academics, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and business advisers who are transforming the California life science industry before reaching their 40th birthday.
Biocom California is accepting nominees from San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles regions, with a separate judging process designated for each area.
Nominations for the award will be accepted until Sept. 3, 2021. Honorees will be highlighted in the Biocom California LifeLines digital magazine, recognized in a social media campaign and celebrated at the Biocom California Annual Dinner on November 18, 2021.
More information the awards is available here.
PSAR Realtors group announces 2022 board
The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a 3,500-member real estate trade group for San Diego-area Realtors, has announced its 2022 board of directors following recent voting by PSAR members.
Serving on the 2022 PSAR board during the 2022 calendar year will include Max Zaker as president, Jason Lopez as president-elect, Sam Calvano as secretary-treasurer and Ditas Yamane as immediate past president.
Directors serving on the 2022 PSAR board will include Mike Anderson, Merrie Espina, Rafael Perez, Amy Ruiz and Amber Tannehill, along with Andrea Martino as an affiliate director. Also serving on the board after their election to two-year (2022-2023) terms will be Anthony Andaya, Camille Bruno, Paula Gonzalez, Dylan Graham and Norma Scantlin.
Chinese scientists and AntiCancer Inc.
discover effective weight-loss method
A collaborative study between scientists at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and AntiCancer Inc. of San Diego has discovered in a clinical trial that a five-day water–only fast resulted in large weight loss and reduction in body-mass index (BMI), decrease in metabolic-syndrome and inflammation biomarkers and a large increase in anti-aging factors. The weight loss and other benefits of the water-only fast remained for a long period of time after its completion.
The study was led by Professor Lijun Jia of the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in collaboration with AntiCancer Inc. of San Diego.
“This study demonstrates a safe method to lose a large amount of weight and gain many metabolic benefits in a very short period of time that is more effective than other methods of caloric restriction,” said Dr. Qinghong Han, Senior Scientist at AntiCancer Inc.
Industrial and R&D property in
Carlsbad sold for $19.4 million
An industrial and R&D property in Carlsbad has been acquired by a Los Angeles-based private exchange buyer for $19.4 million, or $253 per-square-foot.
Located at 1939, 1945 and 1949 Palomar Oaks Way, the 76,767 square-foot property is comprised of three buildings on a 6.9-acre lot. The buildings were 100 percent leased at the time of sale to a diverse tenant mix of companies specializing in medical device, life science, research and development. The project offers indoor and outdoor collaborative space including an expansive open-air courtyard connecting two of the buildings.
CBRE’s Matt Pourcho, Anthony DeLorenzo, Gary Stache, Jeff Pion, Andrew Riley and Roger Carlson represented the Los Angeles-based, private seller in the transaction.
Boundless Bio appoints Neil Abdollahian
as chief business officer in San Diego
Boundless Bio, a next-generation precision oncology company, has appointed Neil Abdollahian, as chief business officer.
Abdollahian has 20 years of experience in the biotech industry and was previously chief business officer at Cidara Therapeutics where he led their strategic partnerships, including both product and platform deals, with Janssen Pharmaceuticals and MundiPharma. Prior to Cidara, he was managing director of Clarity Point Partners, a strategic advisory firm focused on corporate development initiatives including product acquisitions and licensing for biopharmaceutical companies.
Abdollahian served as director of special projects in a biopharmaceutical focused investment bank in Sydney, Australia, and prior to that he held various business development positions focused on closing high-value transactions while at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Isis Pharmaceuticals and Neurogen Corporation.
Tina King of Southwestern College chosen for
Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship program
Tina King, assistant superintendent/vice president at Southwestern College, is one of 40 leaders selected for the 2021-22 class of the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship, a highly selective leadership program preparing the next generation of community college presidents to transform institutions to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success.
The Rising Presidents Fellows will embark on the 10-month fellowship beginning in November 2021. Delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative, the fellows will be mentored by esteemed current and former community college presidents who have achieved exceptional outcomes for students throughout their careers, and will learn strategies to improve student outcomes in and after college, lead internal change, and create strong external partnerships with K-12 schools, four-year colleges, employers, and other partners.
County redistricting commission announces
pre-mapping public hearing schedule
Starting Aug. 12, the County of San Diego Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) is seeking public input on redistricting, including communities of interest, at virtual and in-person public hearings across all five San Diego County supervisorial districts.
Redistricting takes place every 10 years after the federal census. District boundaries for federal, state and local elected offices are redrawn to reflect new data and shifting populations. The County of San Diego IRC is tasked with redrawing the district boundaries for each of the County’s five supervisorial districts so that each has roughly equivalent populations, to the extent practicable.
For public hearing dates and location, click here.
Massive North City project transforming
hillsides along Highway 78 in San Marcos
Some may have noticed the new grading taking place between Twin Oaks Valley Road and San Marcos Boulevard on the south side of Highway 78. This construction effort is making way for 600 new homes that are part of North City’s huge master plan that will span across 200 acres upon completion.
Currently, North City is only 20 percent complete. Once finalized, North City will include 3,000 residential units, housing for up to 3,000 students, a potential hotel with 400 or more guest rooms, and up to 1.7 million square feet of commercial and retail space.
City of San Diego launches local Office of
Emergency Services to refocus on disaster preparedness
The City of San Diego is launching its new Office of Emergency Services (OES), formerly known as the City’s Office of Homeland Security which was housed under the Police Department. This new office will refocus the city’s efforts on disaster preparedness and better identify the responsibilities of this crucial function within the local jurisdiction.
During a disaster, the City’s OES will lead all response efforts at the city level and will work closely with Cal OES, the state agency, and the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.
Former San Diego Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Christopher Heiser has been named as the City’s OES executive director, stepping into his new role with a wealth of experience having served in emergency management capacities over his 40-year career. Heiser joined the City of San Diego in 2013 and worked previously at the Carlsbad Fire Department.
Secretary of Defense seeks approval to
require COVID vaccine for all military
City News Service
San Diego-area members of the military who have been reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine may no longer have a choice, following U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s announcement Monday that he is seeking approval from President Joe Biden to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all service members by Sept. 15.
Austin said Biden had consulted him about adding the vaccine to the list of those already required for servicemen and women, and following discussion with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretaries of the Military Departments, the Service Chiefs and medical professionals, decided to move forward with the vaccine requirement.
“Based on these consultations and on additional discussions with leaders of the White House COVID Task Force, I want you to know that I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid- September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Agency licensure, whichever comes first,” he said in a statement. “By way of expectation, public reporting suggests the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could achieve full FDA licensure early next month.”