Ventura, Calif. (February 22, 2012)–The Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Ventura County announced the addition of Pam Eddinger, Ph.D. to the board. She was officially appointed to a two-year term by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on February 14. Joan Baldarrama was reappointed to a two-year term.

Pam Eddinger, Ph.D., president, Moorpark College

Eddinger is president of Moorpark College. While on the WIB, she will help to create strategies to build collaboration between education and other workforce development efforts to strengthen economic vitality in Ventura County.

Baldarrama is vice president of administration at Lucix Corporation in Camarillo, a leading manufacturer of high tech military equipment. She is an active member of the WIB’s marketing and business outreach committee. In 2009, Baldarrama was the recipient of the WIB Award for Lifelong Learning for her exceptional business commitment to workforce development in Ventura County.

Joan Baldarrama, Vice President of Administration, Lucix Corporation

“These board members are dedicated to seeing that our workforce has the skills that Ventura County employers need,” says Alex Rivera, WIB chair. “Their successes are significant–with Pam’s work at the community college level and Joan’s training and hiring partnerships with the Ventura County Job & Career Centers.”

“WIB members are committed to collaborative action that will benefit the Ventura County community,” says Cheryl Moore, WIB executive director. “More and more, we’re seeing the education sector working closely with companies in the technology sector such as Lucix. These types of relationships produce 21st Century jobs.”

Members of the WIB include leaders from business, economic development, education, labor, government and community-based organizations.

About the Workforce Investment Board

The Workforce Investment Board administers federal funds that help to support Job & Career Centers (JCCs) and other adult, youth, and employer programs and services in Ventura County. With additional resources from the County of Ventura Human Services Agency, the JCCs provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and employer consulting to local businesses. JCC services are provided at no cost to job seekers and employers. For more information, call 800-500-7705 or visit www.wib.ventura.org.

Ventura, Calif. (February 21, 2012)–Eleven members of the Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA) board have each agreed to serve for another three-year term. The volunteer board oversees projects and activities aimed at maintaining the economic vitality of the county.

The 11 board members are Dan Boughey, Rabobank, Ellen Brown, Volt Workforce Solutions, Al Cardona, BMW of North America, Nan Drake, E.J. Harrison & Sons, Henry Dubroff, Pacific Coast Business Times, Tom Gaughan, Coastal Occupational Medical Group, Rudy Gonzales, Southern California Edison, Dr. Charles Maxey, California Lutheran University, Melissa Sayer, Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel LLP, Dave Smith, United Way of Ventura County and Rob Westberg, Amgen.

“In these trying economic times worldwide plus California’s legislative climate, businesses need to stay connected to what’s going on. VCEDA has been doing this for its members for 63 years,” says Nan Drake, a VCEDA board member.  “I encourage all local businesses to join VCEDA and to see for themselves.”

“VCEDA board members give of their time and expertise to make the organization and Ventura County strong,” says Bill Buratto, VCEDA president and CEO. “Board members know that they are in a unique position to advocate positive action within government and to strengthen the business climate in our county. Their service is invaluable.”

Thousand Oaks, Calif. (February 17, 2012)–In response to its growing client list, Mustang Marketing welcomes a new Communications Coordinator to our team: Keith Sparks.

Keith came to Mustang originally as part of a work study program that earns him real-life experience and college credit at California Lutheran University (CLU), and has since been hired full time. Keith will work in a capacity directly related to his communications major and public relations/advertising emphasis.

“Keith came in ready to hit the ground running, which is exactly what we needed,” says Scott Harris, President and owner of Mustang. “We’ve been very fortunate in the last year or so to get great new clients and great projects from existing clients, and we’ve matched that with talented, hard-working employees, and Keith follows in that line.”

Keith left his hometown of Georgetown, Texas for Thousand Oaks when he won the Provost Scholarship at CLU.

To find out what Mustang’s team can do for your company, contact Scott Harris at (805) 498-8718 x 105 or scott@mustangmktg.com.

Dr. Sung Won Sohn recognized for forecasting accuracy among 52 leading economists

Camarillo, Calif., (February 16, 2012) – The Wall Street Journal has ranked Dr. Sung Won Sohn, CSU Channel Islands (CI) Endowed Professor of Economics and Director of the Institute for Global Economic Research, third in its annual survey of top economists.  The rankings, published this week in the Wall Street Journal, rate the forecasting accuracy of 52 leading economic experts in predicting the path the nation’s economy would take in 2011.

To compile the rankings, the Wall Street Journal asked the economists to make predictions in January 2011 about how inflation, unemployment, interest rates and economic output would perform during the year. Sohn, with an overall score of 78.6, was among the most accurate in his forecasts for more than 10 key economic indicators.

“I’m overjoyed and also humbled because I have very limited resources,” Sohn said in acknowledging the rating.  “I compete with the likes of Goldman Sachs, Citibank and Bank of America, who have dozens of economists working on the same forecast.  Essentially, I’m just a one-man operation.”

This is the third time that Sohn has earned the prestigious ranking.  He was named the nation’s most accurate economist by the Wall Street Journal in 2006 and ranked among the top five in 2010.  His accuracy has also been noted by Time magazine and Bloomberg News.

“I try to take a global view and not just rely on statistics but also what is going on in the real world. I maintain contacts with all kinds of businesses throughout the world and talk to them frequently,” Sohn said.  “Most economic ups and downs and volatility are coming from outside of the U.S., whether they’re influenced by the Japanese tsunami or the price of oil.  I think that global economic view is helping our forecast.”

Sohn joined the CI faculty in 2008 as the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics, Endowed Professor of Economics and helped launch the Institute for Global Economic Research as its Director in 2011.

He has served as a senior economic advisor to the White House, President and CEO of Hanmi Bank, Chief Economic Officer and Executive Vice President of Wells Fargo Banks, and currently holds positions as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Forever 21 and Commissioner at the Port of Los Angeles.  He is author of the 2009 book, “Global Financial Crisis and Exit Strategy.”

Sohn was educated at the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard Business School.

View the Wall Street Journal rankings at:

http://online.wsj.com/public/page/economic-forecasting.html

Contact Dr. Sung Won Sohn at 805-437-2789 or sung.sohn@csuci.edu or view his forecasts at www.drsohn.com.  Information on CI’s Institute for Global Economic Research can be found at http://iger.csuci.edu/.

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About California State University Channel Islands

CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research.

Oxnard, Calif. (February 7, 2012).–Agromin, the organics recovery company for more than 50 communities in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Orange counties, recycled 386,680 tons of organic material from residents and businesses in 2011, up from 379,792 in 2010. The increase comes despite the continued sluggish economy and reduction in new construction, which affect the amount of organic materials generated by households and businesses.

“It’s Agromin’s mission to divert green waste from landfills and transform it into quality compost and mulch for growers, landscapers and consumers,” says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CEO. “The conversion process is completely natural. We use similar methods as homeowners who maintain compost piles in their backyards.”

Residents who put their organic waste in their green recycling bin are doing their part to help the planet. “Organic material that ends up in landfills produces greenhouse gas emissions that have been proven to heat up the atmosphere,” says Camarillo. “We’re finding that more and more residents and businesses are making a conscious effort to do their part to reduce the amount of these emissions.”

Agromin’s potting mix and Compost 100 are listed by the non-profit Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) so they can be used to produce certified organic products in accordance to the USDA National Organic Program standards.

Agromin soil products are sold in bulk and in bags at locations in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Orange and Los Angeles counties. For a list of locations, go to www.agromin.com.

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Center has quickly impacted area’s economic vitality

Camarillo, Calif., (February 3, 2012)–EDC-VC’s Small Business Development Center was instrumental in creating and retaining nearly 600 jobs in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties last year through its one-on-one business advising and workshops. These results earned EDC-VC’s SBDC the “Highest Job Creation 2011” award from the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network at the organization’s Professional Development Conference at College of the Canyons on Jan. 24.

Of eight centers in the region, EDC-VC’s SBDC also ranks highest in job retention and is third of the eight centers overall. These are impressive results for the Center, which EDC-VC began hosting in July 2010.

“By helping small businesses to secure the resources and tools they need to add and retain jobs, EDC-VC’s SBDC is making a tremendous impact on the economic growth of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties,” said Jesse Torres, Regional Director of the Los Angeles SBDC Network. “We are proud to have EDC-VC as part of our SBDC family and to recognize Bruce Stenslie, Ray Bowman and their dedicated staff of business advisors for boosting the vitality of their small business community.”

In 2011, EDC-VC’s SBDC has served more than 500 area companies, facilitating an increase in sales of $13 million in the region and providing access to various forms of capital exceeding $11.1 million.

“I take great pride in our team and the reputation we have earned in our community as a result of our hard work, competence and dedication to our mission,” said Ray Bowman, SBDC director of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as a business-to-government liaison to assist businesses by offering programs that enhance the economic vitality of the region. For more information about the Small Business Development Center, loan programs, the Manufacturing Outreach Program, Global Entrepreneur Training in Trade (G.E.T. Trade) program, or other services available to small businesses through EDC-VC, contact Bruce Stenslie at 805-384-1800 ext. 24 or bruce.stenslie@edc-vc.com. Or visit www.edc-vc.com.

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Misclassification Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Free Seminar

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Location: Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton
1000 Town Center Drive, Oxnard, CA

Discussion led by Laura S. Withrow, Employment Law Partner at the law firm of Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton LLP-www.nchc.com

Effective January 1, 2012, it is unlawful for any person or employer in California to willfully misclassify an individual as an independent contractor. Violators will be subject to a civil penalty ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 in addition to all other penalties and fines permitted by law. The Department of Labor and the IRS recently announced a joint initiative that makes it clear they are attempting to put a stop to employee misclassification. Consequently, there has never been a more crucial time to make sure that your independent contractors are classified correctly.

Employers frequently make reasonable determinations about the classification of an individual that turn out to be unlawful. These errors can have dire and costly consequences. On March 7, 2012, NCHC’s Laura Withrow will discuss California’s new law and what it means for you as an employer; the factors to consider in determining whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee; the issue of “control” and what it means; the various penalties for misclassification; and recent case law in this area.

Seating is limited to 22 participants, so please make your reservations promptly. Please confirm that space is available by calling Dinorah Baker at (805) 988-8337 or email dbaker@nchc.com. A continental breakfast buffet will be provided. Attendance is free.

Laura Withrow conducts an employment law seminar at NCHC in Oxnard on the first Wednesday of each month. Check the firm’s website for future seminar dates-www.nchc.com.

Directions: Traveling southbound on US 101 from Santa Barbara/Ventura areas:

Exit Oxnard Boulevard, stay in the left lane

Left at signal light onto Oxnard Boulevard and proceed over the bridge

Turn left onto Town Center Drive at the stop light on the far side of the bridge

Make an immediate right into the parking lot of the green glass building that houses Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton LLP

Traveling northbound on US 101 from Los Angeles/Thousand Oaks/Simi Valley areas:

Exit at Oxnard Boulevard, stay in the right lane

Turn right onto Oxnard Boulevard

Turn left onto Town Center Drive at the stop light

Make an immediate right into the parking lot of the green glass building that houses Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton LLP

Carpinteria, Calif. (January 31, 2012)–Harrison Industries is the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Large Business of the Year. The Harrison family received the honor at the Chamber’s 54^th annual Community Awards Banquet and Centennial Celebration on Jan. 28.

The chamber cited the Ventura-based trash-hauling company for the innovative residential and commercial recycling programs it provides the city. Carpinteria has among the highest trash diversion rates in California (73 percent), while the statewide average is about 60 percent.

At last fall’s California Avocado Festival, attended by over 100,000 people, 98 percent of materials collected were recycled as a result of Harrison’s efforts. In all, 11.24 tons – 8.66 tons of recyclables and 2.58 tons of food waste and paper products – were collected. Only 2 percent of it ended up in landfills.

Myron Harrison (left) and his wife Sharon; George Harrison and his wife Danielle; and John Harrison and his wife Lisa attended the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 54th annual Community Awards banquet. Also attending were David Harrison and his wife Sandi; Jim Harrison and Nan Drake.

Harrison also is a longtime sponsor of many city events like the annual Carpinteria Triathlon and is a major contributor to local nonprofits, including the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club, the Carpinteria Education Foundation and the Carpinteria Arts Council. This year, Harrison also made a large donation towards construction of “The Eagle’s Nest” at Carpinteria State Beach’s Tomol Interpretive Play Area.

In addition, Nan Drake, spokesperson for Harrison Industries, became a member of the chamber’s Board of Directors during the event.

About Harrison Industries:

Work Begins on Soil Enhancement

Ventura, Calif. (January 30, 2012)–The excavation of the site for the new Community Memorial Hospital is well underway. Visitors have been amazed at the sight of the large “hole” that seems to have appeared overnight.

On a typical excavation day, approximately 200 to 230 dump trucks remove roughly 2500 to 3000 cubic yards of dirt. The work is being done by a local company, Toro Enterprises, which is based out of Oxnard. As the excavation work progresses, workers continue the process of installing shoring beams and walls around the perimeter of the excavation area to secure the soil.

Work has begun in earnest on the installation of over 2,200 underground soil enhancement columns. This work is necessary to improve weak soil underground, so that it will sustain an increased bearing capacity, decrease settlement, and mitigate liquefaction potential for the planned structure.

The soil enhancement columns are also referred to as wet soil mixing – a ground improvement technique that improves the characteristics of weak soils by mixing them with a cement binder slurry. To construct the columns, a hole is created and then the binder slurry is pumped into the hole.

The work is being done locally by Hayward Baker Inc, which operates an office out of Santa Paula. The installation of these columns will constitute the majority of the construction work for the remainder of the year.

Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Jan. 26, 2012)–The new McCrea Ranch Visitor Center celebrates its history and the lives of its former owners, Western movie hero Joel McCrea and his wife Frances Dee, in part through the latest audio and visual technology from Wilshire Media Systems, a division of Wilshire Home Entertainment, a Thousand Oaks company specializing in high-performance home entertainment and commercial audio/visual installations.

The McCrea Ranch in the northeastern portion of Thousand Oaks opened its Visitor Center late last year. The ranch’s 280 acres was donated by the McCrea family to the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) in 2005. CRPD maintains the ranch and its outbuildings, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When visitors come to the center, they have the opportunity to view videos on the history of the McCrea family and its contributions to the local area on Wilshire-installed 60″, 22″ and 26″ LCD monitors. Wilshire also installed a projector and drop down screen for an even larger viewing area for showing movies. The system is capable of playing different videos simultaneously.

“The project was eleven months in the planning stages with 10 days of actual installation time,” says Lyn Perry, CEO of Wilshire Media Systems. “We had to make sure our cables and gear was in place before walls were closed and other trades installed their equipment. Another challenge was to create a simple, one button universal remote control program for what is a rather complex AV system. ”

                Wilshire Media Systems also made a cash donation to the Joel and Frances McCrea Ranch Foundation, which is raising money to open the ranch to the public. Currently, tours of the McCrea Ranch are by appointment only (805-495-2163, www.crpd.org).

“Preserving our area’s heritage can be done both by protecting historic buildings and open spaces as well as capturing history visually through technology,” says Perry. “We at Wilshire are happy we were able to create a state-of-the-art AV system that will tell the McCrea Ranch story for years to come.”

Wilshire Media Systems is at 1412 N. Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks, 805-497-7536, www.WilshireHE.com, www.WilshireMediaSystems,com.

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