Small business sees brighter future
Nothing lasts forever. That goes for recessions as well as good times. The City Business Journals Network, an organization based in Charlotte, N.C. — of which the Business Times is an affiliated member — reports that small- and medium-sized businesses are more optimistic about the economy than at any time in the past year. In Read More →
Ex-Amgen workers file whistleblower suits
As Thousand Oaks-based Amgen prepares to square off in court against 15 states over an alleged Medicaid kickback scheme, it’s facing two whistleblower lawsuits in Ventura County Superior Court. The complaints, which don’t appear related to the fraud alleged by the group of states, were brought by former employees who said they uncovered wrongdoing at Read More →
Regulators force banks to play defense
Largely innocent bystanders in the financial meltdown that gripped Wall Street a year ago, community banks have been walking around with targets on their backs. A severe crackdown by regulators, including threats to get capital ratios up, shrink loan portfolios or face seizure, has put bank executives on the defensive. “We’re getting speeding tickets for Read More →
Sizing up the health of your insurance firm
Investing oracle Warren Buffet once said that an insurance policy is just a promise on a piece of paper, and businesses have been banking on that understanding for decades. But as losses rise and carriers go bankrupt, that business foundation could disintegrate. Since the federal government stepped in with $85 billion to prop up failing Read More →
Study sees green in Santa Barbara County
A recently commissioned Santa Barbara County workforce study reveals that jobs in the green sector may play a leading role in the county’s employment outlook. The study, completed in September by BW Research Partnership for the Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board, took a broad look at the county’s workforce, economic impacts and future employment Read More →
