Women rise to lead roles in a male-dominated wine industry
Trivia question: How many of the Tri-Counties’ 25 largest wineries are headed by women winemakers? Answer: Two. Of all wine consumed in the United States, 57 percent is purchased by women, according to Adams Wine Handbook; but a scan of wineries across the Tri-Counties revealed that few women actually hold dominant positions within those wineries. Read More →
Nipomo nonprofit buys 29 acres of
After about 10 years of planning, negotiating and fundraising, members of a Nipomo nonprofit group were finally able to close escrow on 29 acres of land they’ve had their eye on for almost half a century. The Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos purchased the parcel for $1.2 million in an effort to preserve what Dana President Read More →
Wood & Bender merges with niche firm from the Big Apple
The “merge urge” has struck the Ventura County legal scene again. Wood & Bender, a 14-attorney firm based in Ventura, has merged with New York-based Anderson Kill & Olick, a 79-attorney firm. The Jan. 1 deal gives Northeast-based Anderson Kill, a former competitor to Wood & Bender, a California presence. The new California firm is Read More →
Mental Health Association builds hope, homes in Santa Barbara
Just in time for the holidays, the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara opened a new 113,000-square-foot living facility for people with mental disabilities. Through the persistence and generosity of numerous community members and organizations, MHA’s “Building Hope” program opened its doors in early December, offering what MHA Executive Director Annmarie Cameron calls “a comprehensive Read More →
Business Times wins award, adds new special reports
Pacific Coast Business Times is heading into 2009 with special recognition, new editorial projects and preview of what lies ahead as we enter our 10th year of publication. First, the recognition. It was pretty stunning to receive an e-mail shortly before New Year’s announcing that I would be joining legendary entrepreneur Paul Orfalea, Clipper Windpower Read More →
Expect commercial real estate sales to continue standstill in 2009
Though regional commercial real estate managed to escape the toxic effects of the sinking residential market during the first three quarters of 2008, it caught up with the industry in recent months and may continue to weigh it down in 2009. “You really have to look at 2008 as being two totally different markets,” said Read More →
Successful niche firms will help economy rebound
When the American economy does turn around, presumably at some point next year, one aspect of that recovery will be very easy to forecast. I can say with absolute certainty that the vast majority of private sector jobs created in the rebound will come from small business. That’s because small businesses, particularly niche companies that Read More →
