SBA looks to ignite small business growth
The Small Business Administration is hoping that a $15 billion program, unveiled March 16, will accelerate loans to entrepreneurs and get the job-generating engine of small business back on track in the Tri-Counties. Alberto Alvarado, acting regional administrator for the SBA, said in a telephone interview that the credit crunch has taken a big toll Read More →
Film gives creative director a second life
Nineteen employees at Weiser Creative are savoring the success of Tom Nance, a former employee who wrote and co-produced “Sherman’s Way,” a film that’s getting national press and picking up awards at film festivals. However, the savoring is bittersweet. Nance, the longtime creative director at Weiser, died in a motorcycle accident last September, just as Read More →
Bold plan for First California – Acquisition gives bank foothold in Inland Empire
When First California Bank snatched failed 1st Centennial Bank off the auction block, it added six more branches to its extensive list of locations and expanded the bank’s already prominent Southern California presence. In late January, Westlake Village-based First California made a strategic move, spending $100 million to acquire the insured deposits of 1st Centennial Read More →
Emerging Paso Robles wineries prove they
Paso Robles is a natural spot for dynamic zinfandels — it features both intense summer heat as well as an evening ocean breeze that cools down the grapes. The unique micro-climate has brought a rush of entrepreneurs to the region in the past decade, each looking to bottle incredible wine in a burgeoning California region. Read More →
Forget location
For months now, most of the headlines have focused on the doom and gloom of foreclosures and stalled credit activity, but one area financial company offers a glimmer of hope, proving that in today’s market there are still companies not only making mortgage loans, but also turning a profit and making investors happy. Fidelity Mortgage Read More →
From Bear Stearns to here seems like an eternity
Every year in mid-March a few dozen financial journalists from around the country gather at the University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Business. Our job is to pick the finalists for the Gerald Loeb awards, a national program administered by UCLA. Because the weather in Westwood is a heck of a lot better Read More →
If everyone bought local, who would buy our stuff?
We’re all in favor of local communities showcasing their products and encouraging chamber of commerce members to do business with each other. But we’d add a strong cautionary note to the proliferation of “buy local” initiatives that are cropping up across the Tri-Counties. Buy local has a nice ring to it. It’s meant to encourage Read More →
