August 5-18, 2014 Section A

August 5-18, 2014 lbbusinessjournal.com

HealthWiseAncient

Men AndWomen HadAtherosclerosisSee Page 14

The College

Of Business

Administration

At CSULB

The German-American

International Business

Workshop

See Page 4

North Long BeachUptown Property And Business Improvement DistrictLeverages Community To Improve Business Corridors

Dunk-A-Doc Marks Kickoff For Annual ‘iWalk For . . . Kids’Fundraiser October 5 By Miller Childrens & Women’s HospitalSeven-year-old Noah Furlow, apatient at Miller Children’s &Women’s Hospital on the campus ofLong Beach Memorial MedicalCenter, succeeds in “dunking” Dr.Divya Joshi, chief medical officer atMiller’s, during the “Dunk-A-Doc”event July 24. The activity broughtattention to the iWalk . . . 4 Kidsfundraiser scheduled October 5. The5K walk draws community members,doctors, nurses, former and currentpatients as they aim to raise moneyto help care for the more than 8,000children each year who are treatedat Miller Children’s & Women’sHospital. Individuals or businesseswishing to participate should visitiwalk4kids.org to register or toobtain more information. The walkbegins at the Queen Mary EventsPark and circles over theQueensway Bridge and theShoreline Aquatic Park. (Photographby the Business Journal’s ThomasMcConville)

City BudgetMayor GarciaIssues His BudgetRecommendations� By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

O n July 22, a small group ofreporters and city staff

gathered in a cramped civic centerconference room to hear MayorRobert Garcia present his fiscalyear 2015 (FY15) budget recom-mendations. The city’s new fiscalyear begins October 1.Garcia’s recommendations

came three weeks after formerMayor Bob Foster provided hisown recommendations anddescribed an “urgent issue” fac-ing the city council – specificallyfuture pension costs. Becauseretirees are living longer, it isexpected that by the year 2021 thecity will need to pay $35.6 mil-lion annually to cover itsCalifornia Public EmployeesRetirement System (CalPERS)costs. While Garcia said that many of

Foster’s recommendations, whichinvolve review of skill pay andcontract negotiations for city

PartnershipPorts America ToBuy 30 PercentStake In ITS� By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

N ew Jersey-based PortsAmerica, the United

States’ largest port terminal oper-ator, announced July 31 that itintends to to purchase a 30 per-cent stake in InternationalTransportation Service, Inc.(ITS) through a partnership with“K” Line (Kawasaki KisenKaisha, Ltd). ITS is a subsidiaryof “K” Line and has operatedcontainer terminals in LongBeach for more than 40 years.Regulatory approvals areexpected later this month.

(Please Continue To Page 8)


� By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER

Senior Writer

T he Uptown Property andBusiness Improvement

District (PBID) has set short-termand long-term goals for revitaliz-ing business corridors in North

Long Beach after assembling aboard of directors in February.Currently, the PBID is using com-munity resources to kick-start ini-tial maintenance improvements,according to Board PresidentYanki Greenspan.In a PBID, property and busi-

ness owners assess themselves afee to provide services apart fromwhat a city already offers. TheUptown PBID was approved bythe city council last year andbegan operating on January 1,2014. The district runs alongAtlantic Avenue from MarketStreet to Artesia Boulevard, andon Artesia Boulevard fromAtlantic Avenue to OrangeAvenue. It lies mostly within the9th Council District, but includesa small portion of the 8th District.“In the immediate term it is

really about maintenance, secu-rity and making it a cleaner andsafer neighborhood,” Greenspansaid of the Uptown PBID’s cur-rent efforts. According toGreenspan, the district’s operat-ing budget this year is about$160,000. Lorena Parker serves

as the PBID’s program manager.In July, new 9th District

Councilmember Rex Richardson,who worked with Greenspan andothers to form the PBID when hewas chief of staff for formerCouncilmember Steven Neal,made his first order of business asa councilmember to transfer$100,000 in one-time infrastruc-ture funds from his district to theUptown business district. The citycouncil approved his motion. “Iwanted to give them some initialfunds to get their programs off theground,” Richardson explained.

Long Beach Business Journal2599 E. 28th Street, Suite 212Signal Hill, CA 90755-2139562/988-1222 • www.lbbusinessjournal.com

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See 16-Page Section B

Real EstateQuarterly

Part of the Studio One Eleven architecture and urban design team is pictured outsidethe historic Ocean Center office building at Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue inDowntown Long Beach. The building is being converted to apartments and groundfloor retail. Pictured from left are: Michael Bohn, Linda Fu, Reed Suzuki and DavidSabunas. David Gray Architects is collaborating on the project with Studio One Eleven.Turn to Page 6-B for more information on this project and two others being coordi-nated by Studio One Eleven. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Real EstateQuarterly


BUSINESS OF WEDDINGS

ThemesShabby ChicStyle Prevails In Weddings This Summer� By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER

Senior Writer

T his year, brides and groomsin Long Beach are embrac-

ing the shabby chic weddingtrend, which is characterized bypersonalized crafted elements,according to local event planners.“What we see a lot more of in

décor style is shabby chic,” MaryCarley, director of catering andconvention services at the HyattRegency in Downtown LongBeach, told the Business Journal. “There is some interest in doing

things that are a little more home-made or having family membersassist with constructing certainelements,” Carley’s coworker,Senior Catering Manager SiobhanRathband, explained. For exam-ple, at a recent wedding at theHyatt Regency a couple built theirown arbor for their ceremony andbrought it with them to the venue,Rathband recalled.Smaller handmade elements are

Fire DepartmentRapid Medic Deployment Program � By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

A fter more than two yearsof government review and

union opposition, the Long BeachFire Department has started toimplement the rapid medic

deployment program (RMD).Touted by Fire Chief Mike DuReeas both a public safety and costsaving measure, RMD is opposedby members of the firefighter’sunion who say the program isinefficient.



Time To Brag About Long Beach –

The International City

See Publisher’s Perspective Pg 15

1_LBBJ_August5_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 8/3/14 3:53 PM Page 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE2 Long Beach Business Journal August 5-18, 2014

3 Newswatch3-Long Beach City Hall News In Brief4-Marden Named Interim Assistant City Manager4-New Community Center Opens At Orizaba Park6-150 Dogs Shipped To Northwest8-Water Rate Increase Recommended10-International Trade News In Brief12-July 2014 Summary Of U.S. Labor Market13-City College Trustees Sworn In

14 PerspectiveRealty Views Cash Home PurchasesStill Driving Market By Terry RossEffective Leadership Five Ways To Build Trust By Mick UklejaHealthWise Chronic Infection, Smoke Inhalation Or Yet ToBe Discovered Causes Could Explain Why Ancient MenAnd Women Had Atherosclerosis By Dr. Gregory ThomasThird Sector Report Nonprofit Boards And Technology:Penny Wise And Pound Foolish? By Jeffrey WilcoxPublisher’s Perspective Let’s Brag About Long Beach –The International City By George Economides

16 Business Of Weddings17-Wedding Themes, continued from Page 118-Weddings On The Water

Section BReal Estate Quarterly6-B-Studio One Eleven Residential Projects For Millennials8-B-6th Street Lofts Set For East Village Arts District

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Two Business Journal Employees Promoted . . .Editor and Publisher George Economides announcedthat Heather Dann has been promoted to sales and mar-keting executive, and Samantha Mehlinger to seniorwriter. Dann joined the firm in November 2012 as asales and marketing assistant, and Mehlinger came onboard in April 2013 as a staff writer. Dann earned herbachelor’s in English literature from California StateUniversity, Dominguez Hills, and Mehlinger receivedher bachelor’s in creative writing from ChapmanUniversity and her masters from California StateUniversity, Long Beach. Both are Long Beach residents.


NEWSWATCHAugust 5-18, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 3

New City Council Holds First Hearing On FY 15 BudgetSeveral Councilmembers SetDistrict Budget Meetings

� By BRANDON FERGUSONStaff Writer

On July 22, the city council heard thefirst in a series of presentations on theproposed Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 15)budget. The council has until September15 to approve next year’s budget, whichgoes into effect October 1.City Manager Patrick West prepared a

community review packet focusing onkey budget issues, describing the chal-lenging decisions the council faces – par-ticularly $1.3 billion in unfunded liabili-ties, including $943 million in loomingpension costs – and providing recommen-dations for the FY 15 budget. One recommendation suggested the

city council adhere to its policy of settingaside 5 percent of non-recurring revenueto cover unfunded liabilities. West alsorecommended directing surplus money tothe CalPERS Stabilization Fund. “Thisbudget proposes $3.1 million of the FY15 projected temporary surplus bedeposited into the CalPERS StabilizationFund to help protect against servicereductions due to rate increases whenpoorer than expected CalPERS invest-ment earnings occur,” the packet read.Ninth District Councilmember Rex

Richardson said he supported the stabi-lization fund, but added that he wanted tosee more financial planning. “I think [thestabilization fund] makes a lot of sense ifwe want to have budget peace,”Richardson said. “But at the same time, I’dlike for us to plan how large we want thisfund to be so we can make plans to allo-cate one times strategically so they’re notcompeting with other budget priorities.”The city manager’s review packet also

suggested investing $2.2 million in over-time pay for police officers engaged ingang prevention efforts. Vice Mayor SujaLowenthal noted that while the city hasexperienced a 41-year low in crime rates,not every neighborhood has benefitedfrom reduced crime and “hot spots”remain. City Manager West told her thecouncil could expect more detail on howthe funds would be allocated from thechief of police as budget discussionscontinue. Prior to the July 22 council meeting,

Mayor Robert Garcia issued sevenbudget recommendations (see story onPage 1), which included dedicating $2million of any FY 14 surplus to theCalPERS Stabilization Fund. He alsorecommended directing $250,000 slatedfor upgrades to the city’s heating ventila-tion and air conditioning system toinstead be used to fund the city’s librarysystem and arts council. A timeline for budget discussions pro-

vided to the public indicates that a series ofcommunity and budget oversight commit-tee meetings are to be held between now

and September 9. The following citycouncilemembers informed the BusinessJournal of community budget meetings intheir respective distrcits. All meetings areopen to the public:• Eighth District Councilmember Al

Austin is holding a community budgetmeeting on August 14, at 6:30 p.m. at theEastman Boys and Girls Club located at700 E. Del Amo Blvd.• Fifth District Councilmember Stacy

Mungo has also scheduled a budget meet-ing on August 25 at 6 p.m. at Tracy’s Grilllocated at 5511 Spring St.• Sixth District Councilmember Dee

Andrews announced he is holding abudget summit on August 26 at 6 p.m. atErnest McBride Park, 1550 MartinLuther King, Jr. Ave. �

Long Beach City HallNews In Brief

� By BRANDON FERGUSONStaff Writer

BNSF Lawsuit – Tonight (August 5) thecity council holds a special closed-sessionmeeting to discuss the city’s lawsuit againstthe City of Los Angeles and BurlingtonNorthern Santa Fe Rail Company (BNSF)over the planned Southern CaliforniaInternational Gateway project (SCIG).Opposition to the proposed rail yard, whichis to be built near the Terminal IslandFreeway, stems from concerns about pollu-tion that could affect low-income Long

Beach neighborhoods. In May, theBusiness Journal reported that StateAttorney General Kamala Harris had peti-tioned to join the suit against the rail com-pany. An August 6 hearing date has beenset to consider whether or not the attorneygeneral is allowed to join the suit.Budget Hearing – Tonight, August 5,

the council holds its second hearing on theFY 15 budget, focusing on an overview ofthe funding for parks, recreation, marine,library services and code enforcement. Aseries of community and budget oversightcommittee meetings are scheduled throughAugust. The council is expected to vote onthe budget in mid-September. The newbudget goes into effect October 1.Nuisance Ordinance – A recommenda-


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NEWSWATCH4 Long Beach Business Journal August 5-18, 2014

tion by the city attorney’s office to declare an ordinance thatseeks to abate public nuisances caused by illegal manufactureand sale of controlled substances is on tonight’s city councilagenda. For 10 years, the city attorney’s office has partici-pated in a statewide pilot program allowing the office to fileunlawful detainer actions to evict individuals who sell or man-ufacture narcotics in rental units. Though the pilot programhas sunset, according to a California Research Bureau report,Long Beach made the most efficient use of the program, gen-erating 283 tenant relocations or convictions. City AttorneyCharles Parkin is recommending the city pass an ordinanceallowing his office to continue to evict drug selling or manu-facturing tenants.SEADIP Workshop – Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 6, at

6:30 p.m., the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel is the site ofa community workshop providing summary information onthe Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan(SEADIP). This is the second of three community workshopsfocused on redevelopment of 1,500-acres near 2nd Street andPacific Coast Highway. The meeting is expected to explorethe plan’s opportunities and constraints. For more informationcontact Brant Birkeland at 526/570-6922 or [email protected]. The Golden Sails Hotel is located inLong Beach at 6285 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.Local Hire Policy –At its July 22 meeting, the city council

voted unanimously to direct City Manager Patrick West toreview the possibility of developing a local workforce train-ing and local hiring policy. The item was sponsored by 4thDistrict City Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell in coopera-tion with 8th District Councilmember Al Austin and 1stDistrict Councilmember Lena Gonzalez. In a letter to MayorGarcia and the rest of the council, O’Donnell stressed thecity’s role in ensuring a well-paid workforce. “It [is] essentialthat we use our own resources as tools to leverage opportu-nity for our residents and local economy,” the letter stated.During public comments, Carson Mayor Jim Dear said his

city has a similar policy and encouraged Long Beach to fol-low suit. “Our project labor agreements in Carson have cre-ated not just jobs for our residents in our city, but for peoplethat are looking for careers. Project labor agreements haveprojects that are coming in under budget and on time. It cre-ates careers for people in Carson,” Dear said. Third DistrictCouncilmember Suzie Price said she supported the city man-ager preparing a report on the policy while urging objectivity.“I want to make sure that we don’t set forth policies that hin-der people from wanting to do business in the city,” Pricesaid. After reviewing the workforce training and local hiring

The German-AmericanInternational

Business WorkshopThe German-American

International BusinessWorkshop is an importantcomponent of theInternational Curriculumoffered by the College ofBusiness Administration atCalifornia State University,Long Beach. Typically, agroup of 10-20 Germanundergraduate and master’sstudents from the HamburgUniversity of AppliedSciences visits Long Beach

in November, and a similar group of Long Beachstudents travels to Germany the first week of June.Whether held in Long Beach or in Hamburg,

the Workshop consists of a get-acquainted dinner,two days of student seminars, visits to four localbusinesses, a farewell dinner, and social activi-ties. Students make their own travel arrangementsand, as a cost savings, stay with a host in LongBeach or Hamburg. Over the years we have heard presentations at the

Aquarium of the Pacific, Fender Guitars, the GettyCenter, JetBlue Airways, Long Beach AreaConvention & Visitors Bureau, the Press-Telegram,Long Beach Transit, Mattel, the Port of Long Beach,the Queen Mary, UPS, Toyota and United Airlinesamong others. In Germany we have had meetings atExxonMobil, Gruner + Jahr, Hamburg Airport,Hamburger Hochbahn, Kraft Jacobs Suchard,Lufthansa Technik, Olympus Europa, the OttoGroup, Montblanc, Philips, REpower, Siemens,Vattenfall, and a number of other corporations.The Workshop began in November 1993, with the

arrival of the first inbound group of Germans. Thefirst Long Beach class went to Germany in June1995. The late Wilm Pelters (CSULB GermanStudies), Joachim Kellner (Hamburg-Marketing)and I organized these initial Workshops. OtherCSULB participating faculty members haveincluded the late Paul Frantz (Business Law), SabineReddy (Management), the late Clyde Stoltenberg(Business Law), Dana Sumpter (Management), andMark Washburn (Management). Other Hamburgfaculty members have included Werner Beba,Natalia Ribberrink, Horst Seider, and AnnetteSchikarski (all in Marketing).When CSULB students go to Germany, they

enroll in “short-term study abroad” courses –CBA 494 or, for graduate students, GBA 694 –during Spring Semester. Typically, the class meetsabout 15 hours in Long Beach for orientation ses-sions, lectures and group project assignments, andthen for 30 hours of activities in Germany. Whenthe Germans come, Long Beach business studentsreceive extra credit to participate. Students have enjoyed Workshop events and the

opportunity to interact directly with students fromanother country. Some have subsequently come toLong Beach or gone to Hamburg for an entiresemester. And so far the Workshop has resulted inat least one German-American marriage!(The College of Business Administration at Cal State

Long Beach is an AACSB accredited business school thatprovides undergraduates and MBAs with the knowledgeand skills necessary to be successful in their careers andto propel the economic development of our region.) �

By Dr. Terrence H.Witkowski, Professor ofMarketing and Directorof the InternationalBusiness Program

City Hall News In Brief(Continued From Page 3)

New Community CenterDebuts At Orizaba ParkOn Saturday, August 2, the city held a grandopening ceremony for a new community centerlocated at Orizaba Park. Designed to reflect thepark’s historical location, which was once a stopon the former Pacific Electric rail line, the 3,000-square-foot center is reminiscent of a train depot.The center is set to house a digital training acad-emy and to offer visual art courses in subjectslike high definition movie making and websitedesign. “I’m proud to have been part of this and many other projects that have enhanced this park and community,” 4th District CouncilmemberPatrick O’Donnell said in a statement. “A tired kid is a good kid, and the programs offered at the new community center, from digital design tocomputer coding, are sure to help them succeed in the classroom and workplace.” Built with $2.2 million in Proposition 84 funding, the centersignals the completion of the second phase of park renovations. Park expansion began in January 2012 with $3.7 million in redevelopmentagency funding, and the city acquired four adjacent blighted industrial properties, adding 1.1 acres to the park’s existing 2.62 acres. “This newcommunity center is a wonderful addition to Orizaba Park,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “The center will help bring the communitytogether and provide space for recreation programs, meetings and events.” Orizaba Park is located at the intersection of Orizaba Avenue andSpaulding Street. (Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Jyl Marden NamedInterim AssistantCity Manager

City Manager Patrict Westannounced the appointment of JylMarden as interim assistant city man-ager. Marden temporarily replacesSuzanne Frick, who held the positionof assistant city manager since 2007. Frick left the positionto take a job as city administrator for the City of Ketchum,Idaho. Her last day was August 1.“Jyl has been an integral part of the city’s executive man-

agement team for the last 14 years,” West said in a statement.“I am fortunate to have her on my staff, and am fully confi-dent that her vast professional experience with the City ofLong Beach is what we need in an interim assistant man-ager.” According to a city press release, Marden is not a can-didate for the permanent assistant city manager position.“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been

asked by the city manager to fill this role,” Marden said ina statement. “I’ve built my entire career in Long Beachand look forward to using the experience I’ve gained toprovide continuity of leadership until a new assistant citymanager is in place.” Marden’s temporary positionbecame effective August 2. �


policy, City Manager West is to reportback to the council in 90 days. Uptown PBID – The city council voted

8-0 to approve the transfer of one-time 9thDistrict Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 14) fundstotaling $100,000 to the Uptown Propertyand Business Improvement District(PBID). District Councilmember RexRichardson noted that the PBID is the firstimprovement district to come online in thecity since the loss of redevelopment.“They’re having some tough times gettingoff the ground, so what I’d like to do ismake an appropriation and help them out,”Richardson said. Voters established theUptown PBID in October 2013. The dis-trict is centered in the Atlantic AvenueCorridor stretching from Market Street toArtesia Boulevard and along Artesia fromAtlantic Avenue to Orange Avenue. ThePBID seeks to revitalize the surrounding

community and focuses on security, main-tenance, and economic development.Councilmember O’Donnell was absentduring the vote. For more informationabout the PBID, refer to Page 1 story.Bioterrorism – The city council voted

8-0 to accept additional funding from theFederal Centers for Disease Control(CDC) by way of Los Angeles County inthe amount of $919,328 for bioterrorismpreparedness. The vote extended an exist-ing contract between the county and thecity, bringing the total funding amount to$2,817,484. According to a letter from theLong Beach Department of Health andHuman Services sent to the mayor and citycouncil, the money is earmarked todevelop public health preparedness andresponse to bioterrorism on a regionallevel. “The funding will allow the city toparticipate in a comprehensive regional

risk and hazard assessment; develop astrategic plan to guide annual long-termpreparedness; enhance testing capacity ofbiological and chemical agents; and con-tinue training and exercise programs thatinclude issues related to aerosolized bio-logical agent attacks, communicable dis-ease control, pandemic influenza and ter-rorism,” the letter stated.Childhood Lead Poisoning

Prevention – City Manager West wasauthorized by the city council to amendthe existing agreement between the cityand the State of California Department ofPublic Health to provide an additional$94,781 to continue the childhood leadpoisoning prevention program. Theamendment brings the total amount ofprogram funding to $859,157. The coun-cil authorized the original grant agree-ment in October 2013. The program

attempts to prevent childhood lead poi-soning through community outreach andalso provides follow up from physiciansand nurses for children suffering fromlead poisoning. One Stop Career Center Providers –

The city council authorized City ManagerWest to execute contracts not to exceed$3,590,097 with local career centers toprovide training and employment servicesto residents. The city receives the moneyfrom the federal Workforce InvestmentAct, and the training program is adminis-tered by Pacific Gateway WorkforceInvestment Network. The networkincludes the Torrance Career Center,Harbor WorkSource Center, the CareerTransition Center and Youth OpportunityCenter. Sixth District CouncilmemberDee Andrews said the career centers have

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made a big difference in getting residentsback to work. “I’m always referring indi-viduals to these centers,” Andrews said.New Gas Main – Following a recom-

mendation by Long Beach Gas and Oil,the city council voted 8-0 to replace the

city’s gas main and provide new regulatorstations for an amount not to exceed$2,441,016. The council also voted toaward the pipe’s installation contract toLake Forest-based ARB Inc. Constructionbegins in August and is expected to becompleted in February 2015.Cherry Avenue Improvements – The

city council voted 8-0 to adopt the

planned improvements to Cherry Avenuebetween Ocean Boulevard and PacificCoast Highway. The city council awardedthe contract, which is not to exceed$2,127,499, to Alabassi Construction ofRiverside. The work includes replacingdamaged curbs, gutters, driveways, alleyentrances and sidewalk as well as theremoval of tree roots.

Landscape Services – City ManagerWest was authorized to enter into agree-ments with Landscape Architects ofCulver City, Hirsch and Associates Inc. ofAnaheim, Mia Leher & Associates of LosAngeles and RJM Design Group of SanJuan Capistrano for as-needed landscapearchitectural services. The services are tobe provided for a two-year term. The city

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Bidder RegistrationRegister with the City of Long Beach at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing to receive notifications of bid opportunities. Additional details on upcoming

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Small Business Enterprise ProgramTake advantage of the City of Long Beach Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program. To learn more about becoming a part of the SBE Program and

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Terminal Island Freeway Plan RFP DV14-117 8/20/14Fire Station Workforce Project R-6953 8/20/14Fire Fighter Turnouts ITB FD 14-089 8/19/14Trailer-Mounter Generator WD-32-14 8/14/14Solar Power Purchase Agreement RFP PW14-054 8/13/14Taxiway J Improvements R-6977 8/13/14Consultant for LA Area Fire Chief’s RPF FD 14-128 8/07/14Night Vision Devices ITB-FD 14-085 8/07/14Telemetry System for Fire Boat ITB-FD 14-084 8/07/14Safety Footwear REBID ITB-LB 14-077 8/07/14Calcium Chloride WD-3-14 8/06/14

Ted Stevens, above, bureau man-ager of the Long Beach AnimalCare Services, holds one of the 150dogs flown from the Long BeachAirport on July 30 to the PacificNorthwest where, reportedly, thereis a high demand for breeds inabundance in Southern California.The groups involved with the trans-fer were Wings of Rescue, ShelterMe and Bark Avenue Foundation.(Photographs by the BusinessJournal’s Thomas McConville)

City Hall News In Brief(Continued From Page 3)



council also approved an option to extendthe contract for three additional one-yearterms. The aggregate amount of the con-tracts is not to exceed $3,000,000.

Committee Appointments – The coun-cil voted 8-0 to approve a list of appoint-ments made by former Mayor Bob Fosterfor the city’s 32 standing committees,authorities and memberships.Councilmember O’Donnell was absent forthe vote. Prior to the vote, the list wasamended to change the mayor’s alternateon the Gateway Cities of CouncilGovernments from 7th DistrictCouncilmember Roberto Uranga toCouncilmember O’Donnell.

Lawsuit Dismissed – On July 30, thecity attorney’s office issued a pressrelease stating that a superior court judgedismissed the discrimination lawsuit ofValerie Howe, a former part-time clerkwith the Long Beach Department ofParks, Recreation and Marine. Followingher termination, which the city main-tained was due to poor performance,Howe sued, claiming she had been dis-criminated against because she sufferedfrom allergies and asthma. According to

the release, Howe sued under the state’sFair Employment and Housing Act. Thepress release stated that during her timeas an employee, Howe never complainedof discrimination or harassment. “Thecourt determined that Howe failed topresent any evidence that the city’s reasonfor terminating her was simply a pretextfor discrimination,” the release stated.

After School Programs – Tonight thecity council considers a recommendationto authorize City Manager West to exe-cute agreements with the Long BeachUnified School District (LBUSD) tooperate the After School Education andSafety Program. The program takes placeat seven campuses: Burbank, Edison,Garfield, Grant, King, Lafayette and LeeElementary. Each campus is slated toreceive grant money allocated to the cityby LBUSD totaling $1,386,192. Approvalof the agenda item authorizes a 15 per-cent “in kind” match in the amount of$207,929, which comes from communitydevelopment block grant and generalfund money. The money is used to fundstaff, supplies and equipment kept at theschool sites. �

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Prior to the program’s implementation,each city ambulance was staffed with twofirefighter paramedics. Under the newprogram, which has been in effect sinceJuly 10, one firefighter paramedic fromeach ambulance has been reassigned toone of the city’s 17 f ire engines.Meanwhile, ambulances are now operatedby one firefighter paramedic accompa-nied by less costly basic life support(BLS) personnel; an arrangement thechief says could save a projected $1.4million annually.According to DuRee, in a city with

more engines than ambulances, advancedlife support services can now get to anemergency scene faster, adding that 84percent of the department’s call volume isfor medical issues.“The ability to get a paramedic on

scene quickly is important and this pro-gram is doing that,” DuRee said. Headded that although more data is neededto accurately judge the program’s success,early numbers are positive. “It’s twoweeks of data so I caution hanging my haton that, but the data is showing clearlythat because we put paramedics on all theengines, we’re seeing a pretty goodimprovement citywide getting that firstparamedic on scene,” DuRee said. (Atpress time, a fire department spokesper-son said the chief would be providingmore program data soon.)But Rex Pritchard, president of Long

Beach Firefighter’s Local 372, called theprogram an inefficient “train wreck.” Heexplained to the Business Journal thatadvanced life support calls (ALS), suchas those for heart attacks and traumaticinjuries, require two paramedics. Underthe current system, Pritchard said patientsare forced to wait longer for a secondparamedic to arrive. He gave a hypothetical situation involv-

ing a car crash with three patients in needof transport to the hospital.

“It used to be you might have an engineor two with three ambulances come. Nowyou’ve got to get enough paramedics onscene to treat those trauma patients. Nowyou’re getting multiple engines, multiplerescues, now you have engines deliveringparamedics . . . Single incidents drawdown more resources, create more holesin the city, create longer response times,”Pritchard said. “We need to revert back toour proven previous system asap.” At the June 10 city council meeting, 8th

District Councilmember Al Austin, sup-ported by then Councilmembers GerrieSchipske and Steven Neal, moved todelay the program’s implementation untilFiscal Year 2015 citing to a city reportthat expected the fire department to endthe current year within budget. Duringpublic comments, Prichard said without abudget shortfall there was no need toimplement the program. Austin’s motionwas defeated by councilmembers SujaLowenthal, Gary DeLong, Dee Andrewsand James Johnson and the program wasimplemented a month later.DuRee said that the firefighter’s union

is simply resistant to change, adding thatthe RMD program appears to be workingwell. “The transition into this programfrom the old program was seamless.Obviously [it was] two and a half years ofset-up work to get to that point,” DuReesaid.Though he acknowledged the f ire-

fighter’s association and the union presi-dent’s opposition to the program, DuReesaid the quality of service wouldn’t beaffected.“When the bells go off and our people

respond to calls in the city, the residentsshould expect the same world-classservice they’re accustomed to. They’llsee no change there. Our people areconsummate professionals, and we’reresponding the same we have since1972,” DuRee said. �

Fire Department Medic Rapid Deployment Program(Continued From Page 1)

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The City of Long Beach has infrastruc-ture improvement projects currently under-way on both Atlantic Avenue and ArtesiaBoulevard, including in portions of the PBID.Richardson pointed out the Uptown group’sefforts to maintain its business corridors aregoing to help maintain the city’s investments,which include new trash cans, trees, crosswalks, sidewalk repairs and more. “It directlyimproves our infrastructure to have a partnerlike the business district,” he said.To save money and actively engage the

community in revitalizing the North LongBeach Atlantic Avenue and ArtesiaBoulevard business corridors, the businessdistrict has partnered with the PacificGateway Workforce Investment Network tohire students from Jordan High School formaintenance work, Greenspan said.Richardson said the effort is set to employ25 students per year. An added benefit of having Jordan High

students working within the PBID is thosestudents may choose to spend the moneythey make at the businesses they are help-ing, Greenspan pointed out. “We knowhigh school kids are going to reinvest that

money into their communities because it isall expendable income,” he said.Having local high school students clean

up the area may also create a “peer watch-ing” effect in which students may be lesslikely to litter or graffiti if they know theirfriends are going to have to clean up theirmesses, Greenspan noted. Al Austin, 8thDistrict councilmember, said he hasobserved “noticeable improvements” in thearea since the students started working. TheUptown PBID is also hiring professional

maintenance staff to do more intensivetasks such as power washing sidewalks.To improve the appearances of busi-

nesses and properties in the area, whichGreenspan said are mostly “Mom and Popbusinesses, liquor stores, small markets,laundromats, smoke shops and apartmentbuildings,” the PBID Board is workingwith city staff on a modified version of thecity’s façade improvement program.Through that program, commercial prop-erty owners who own buildings withinbusiness corridors are eligible for $2,000rebates to improve their buildings’ facades.“We actually got together with the City ofLong Beach and are creating a modifiedplan where rather than the owner of thebusiness having to come up with the$2,000 and then get reimbursed for it, weare going to come up with that money forthem and be paid back by the City of LongBeach,” Greenspan explained.Another short-term priority for the PBID

is security. Richardson said the businessdistrict’s board is currently “looking intocreative ways to provide security to the cor-ridor” and may have some public safetymeasures implemented by August.Greenspan pointed out that Bixby

Knolls was not always as safe as it oncewas, but since the Bixby Knolls BusinessImprovement Association was formed inthat area to oversee a PBID, crime hasdecreased. “I grew up in Bixby Knolls andI got mugged at gunpoint at the corner ofCarson Street and Atlantic Avenue when Iwas 11 years old,” he recalled. “Now, Iwould never imagine somebody gettingmugged there. It is a great intersection . . .things have changed.” Forming a PBIDwas the best method to achieve similarresults in Uptown, he said.In addition to creating a safe environ-

ment, the long-term goal is “ultimatelyeconomic development,” Greenspan said.He, Richardson and Austin all pointed outthat several former state redevelopmentagency properties are within the UptownPBID, and their fates are tied up until thestate approves the city’s long range rede-velopment management plan. After thestate gives the green light, “we’ll be able topopulate many of those buildings withbusiness, creating jobs, opportunity andcommerce,” Austin said. In the meantime,a portion of the PBID’s budget is allottedto marketing the businesses within itsboundaries. �

Linda Thong (left) and RebeccaFuentes, along with some of theirpeers from Jordan High School,help maintain newly plantedtrees on Atlantic Avenue in theUptown Property and BusinessImprovement District (PBID),located in North Long Beach. Theyouth are employed through thePacific Gateway WorkforceInvestment Network in partner-ship with the PBID to help main-tain streets in the district’s busi-ness corridors, located along por-tions of Atlantic Avenue andArtesia Boulevard. (Photographby the Business Journal’s ThomasMcConville)

Uptown PBID(Continued From Page 1)

employees, are to remain “on the table,” healso made seven of his own recommenda-tions, which he said were, for the most part,“budget neutral.” Garcia began the meeting by suggesting

that $2 million from any FY14 surplus beput into the CalPERS stabilization fund.“We all know the CalPERS stabilizationfund is going to allow us to smooth out ourdeficit challenges in the near future so thatwe can put money aside for these difficultdays coming forward,” Garcia said.However, the largest sum of money in

Garcia’s budget included $24.7 million,which the city expects to receive from thestate between FY14 and FY16. DeputyCity Manager Tom Modica explained tothe Business Journal that during the daysof redevelopment agencies, the statewould occasionally borrow agencymoney to balance its budget.Modica said the money the city will be

receiving originally came from the hous-ing portion of the redevelopment agency,and by law, must be used for low-incomehousing.“That money is legally obligated for

affordable housing,” Modica said. “In par-ticular, it’s obligated mostly for low andextremely low-income affordable housing.” Garcia explained he wants to put the

money into the city’s housing trust fundand use it to leverage additional grant fund-ing for affordable housing.Garcia’s other recommendations

included using $250,000 dollars slatedfor upgrades to the city’s heating, ventila-tion and air conditioning systems(HVAC) to be used instead for libraryenhancements and the city’s arts council.Garcia explained that after discussionswith City Manager Patrick West, it wasdetermined that many of the plannedHVAC upgrades can wait. “I want to make sure that our libraries

are just as modern as all the other newlibraries that are opening up. In particu-lar, our north library needs to be a world-class library,” Garcia said.His suggestion, if approved by the city

council, provides $200,000 to supplementthe city’s library material and informationbudget with the additional $50,000 goingto the arts council.Other budget proposals included reclas-

sifying a city planner as a historic preserva-tion officer to oversee the city’s 17 historicneighborhoods as well as implementingstreet sweeping efficiencies to avoid out-sourcing those services. Garcia alsoexpressed a desire to rename the city’s cur-rent technology services department as thetechnology and innovation department.“The new technology and innovation

department will lead the way in makinggovernment open and accessible,” Garciasaid. “The department should also partnerwith Cal State Long Beach as well asLong Beach City College on open dataand technology projects.”After the meeting, Vice Mayor Suja

Lowenthal issued a statement supportingthe mayor’s recommendations. “As theincoming chair of the [Long Beach CityCouncil’s] Budget Oversight Committee(BOC), I want to strongly endorse MayorGarcia’s budget recommendations. I fullysupport strengthening our reserves andrecommitting ourselves to economic devel-opment, historic preservation, and ourlibraries. The BOC will be reviewing themayor’s proposals at our upcoming meet-ings and providing our recommendationsto the city council,” the statement read.In the coming weeks, the city council is

set to hold a series of meetings to discussthe budget. Community meetings are beingheld in individual districts. A final vote toapprove the budget is scheduled for midSeptember. �

Mayor Garcia’s Budget Recommendations(Continued From Page 1)

Local Water RatesRecommended For A

Four Percent Increase � By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

At its June 19 meeting, the Long BeachBoard of Water Commissioners votedunanimously to increase water rates by 4percent as part of its Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) budget. The Long Beach CityCouncil must approve the rate hike whenit votes on the city budget in mid-September. Melissa Keyes, special projects coordi-

nator for the water department, said that thecurrent year was the first of a five-yearplan to increase rates 4 percent annually.“We are on track at the end of year one,

and FY 15 is year two. The board must voteto raise rates each year, so no rate increasesbeyond FY 15 have been approved at thistime. The budget and rates get reassessedeach year,” Keyes’s statement read. Keyes also explained the decision to

increase rates resulted from the climbingcosts of imported water. “We have absorbed 82 percent increases in

imported water costs over the last eight years,while our rates have only gone up 44 percent.We have been using water fund reserves tomeet the difference,” her e-mail read.While Long Beach residents prepare for

a bump in their water bills, they also con-tinue to deal with one of the worst droughtsin California history. In February, the LongBeach Water Department declared animminent water supply shortage prohibit-ing certain water uses such as landscapeirrigation on any other days than Monday,Thursday or Saturday. Serving drinkingwater in restaurants when not specificallyrequested by customers is also prohibited.According to Keyes, per capita water

usage in Long Beach is among the lowest ofany large city in California. A press releaseissued by the department on August 1, statedthat the city’s water consumption for themonth of July was the lowest it had beensince 1958 – back when the city had 150,000fewer residents. “Now we need to show per-severance,” said Water CommissionPresident Harry Saltzgaver in a statement.“To be prepared for whatever the futuremight hold, we must continue to conserve.”Added Keyes by e-mail, “We are okay for

this year. But if next winter is dry, 2015 willbe very difficult for all of us in California.” �




“We are pleased to extend our relation-ship with “K” Line through this invest-ment,” Ports America President and CEOMichael Hassing said in a statement. “PortsAmerica realizes the significance of inno-vation and the need for continued capitalimprovement and expansion.”According to a July 31 statement, the

two companies intend to work together tointroduce Ports America’s technology andsafety programs in ITS’ gate, yard and ves-sel operations. Ports America operates in more than 42

ports and 80 locations. �

International TradeNews In Brief


Senior Writer

$858 Million Port of Long BeachBudget Approved – On July 14, the LongBeach Board of Harbor Commissionersunanimously approved an $858 millionbudget for the Port of Long Beach for the2014-2015 fiscal year, which beginsOctober 1. Capital improvement projectsmake up the majority of the budget, with$579 million set aside for major invest-ments such as the Gerald Desmond BridgeReplacement Project and the MiddleHarbor Redevelopment Project. The budgetalso includes $30 million for environmental

programs. Operating revenue for fiscal year2014-15 is projected at $346.8 million. Astatement from POLB said the budget fundsnearly 30 new positions, including 20 in theengineering bureau and six in port security.The City of Long Beach HarborDepartment, which runs the port, uses notaxpayer dollars in its budget. The port’soperations are funded through income fromterminal leases and cargo fees charged toport tenants and shipping lines. When askedabout his thoughts on the budget byCommissioner Susan Wise at the July 14meeting, new POLB Chief Executive JonSlangerup replied, “I don’t have concernsabout the budget. I think it is a conservativeplan.” In a statement, Harbor CommissionPresident Doug Drummond said the portwould “remain a vital economic engine forboth the regional and national economies.”POLA Partners With Port of Shanghai

On Shore Power – On July 10, the Port ofLos Angeles committed to a partnershipwith the Port of Shanghai to help theChinese port further implement the use ofshore power. When ships plug in to shorepower at ports instead of running on enginepower, air emissions caused by engines arereduced by 95 percent, according to thePOLA. The agreement establishes a three-year initiative through which the POLA“will share knowledge with the Port ofShanghai on topics that include regula-tions, rules, standards, policies, electricityrates and incentive programs to promoteshore power.” The formal agreement wassigned at a ceremony concluding the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue,

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Ports America And ITS(Continued From Page 1)



an annual conference co-chaired by U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S.Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, China VicePremier Wang Yang and China StateCouncilor Yang Jiechi. The partnership ispart of the U.S.-China EcopartnershipProgram, which fosters environmentallyfriendly projects and collaborationsbetween the countries, according to aPOLA statement. “Los Angeles continuesto see the health and economic benefits ofgreen growth, and we are eager to supportour No. 1 trading partner as it expands itsshore power program,” Los Angeles MayorEric Garcetti said of the agreement. Free Export Workshop At USC – The

Port of Los Angeles is partnering with theU.S. Department of Commerce MinorityBusiness Development Agency at theUniversity of Southern California (USC)for a free Trade Connect export workshopon August 26 from 1:30-5 p.m. at USC’sGalen Center, 3400 S. Figueroa St., LosAngeles. The event aims to provide L.A.area fashion, health and beauty productcompanies advice about exporting theirgoods overseas. To register, e-mail JeanCoronel at [email protected] or visithttp://tinyurl.com/ExportIntroFashion. �

News In Brief� By BRANDON FERGUSONStaff Writer

Former CouncilmemberUranga Running For WaterReplenishment District

Former Long Beach CouncilmemberTonia Reyes Uranga announced last monthher intention to run for the 3rd Divisionseat of the Water Replenishment District(WRD). The seat represents seven citiesincluding Long Beach.“I am excited at the possibility of serving

on a governing board that will preserve,monitor and replenish safe, clean and acces-sible water for our area,” Reyes Uranga saidin a statement. “Water quality and availabil-ity is a quality of life issue that has a tremen-dous impact on our neighborhoods, businesscommunity and economic growth.”Reyes Uranga is vying for a seat vacated

by Lillian Kawasaki’s death in 2013. TheWRD Board appointed Lynn Vivian to fillthe seat until this November’s election.Married to 7th District Councilmember

Roberto Uranga, Reyes Uranga also servedas a 7th District councilmember. Firstelected in 2002, she was reelected in 2006.In addition to her tenure on the Long BeachCity Council, Reyes Uranga served on theboard of the South Coast Air QualityManagement District. The WRD consists of five divisions rep-

resenting 43 Southern California cities.

Former Airport ManagerKunze Honored For ServiceChris Kunze, a former administration

and operations manager at the Long BeachAirport (LGB), was honored last month atthe 68th annual summer conference of theSouthwest Chapter of the AmericanAssociation of Airport Executives(SWAAAE). Before an audience of 250airport industry professionals, Kunze wasawarded the Wanamaker Award for nearly

three decades of service at LGB. The awardwas named in memory of RobertWanamaker, a prominent attorney and air-port executive, and recognizes individualswhose leadership improved airports or gen-eral aviation. According to a press release, Kunze was a

dedicated leader who promoted balancebetween general and commercial aviationbusinesses. “Chris is an intelligent, dedi-cated and loyal public servant who hasgreatly contributed to California airportsand the aviation industry,” Long BeachAirport Association President CurtCastagna said in a statement. “His masterfulhandling of years of federal litigation andmodernization of the Long Beach Airportterminal serves as a national model.”Kunze started at LGB in 1981 after man-

aging Ventura’s two airports. During hiscareer as an aviation professional, Kunzechaired the Southern California AssociationGovernments’ Aviation AdvisoryCommission at a time when the region wasdeveloping an aviation system plan.

W.M. Keck FoundationDonates $500,000 To StudyLearning In STEM DisciplinesLast month the W.M. Keck Foundation

awarded the California State University sys-tem a $500,000 grant to fund a study on theimpact of service-learning courses in sci-ence, technology, engineering and mathe-matics (STEM) disciplines. Service learningis an educational approach combining class-room instruction with community service. �



(Note: The following analysis is provided bythe Los Angeles Economic DevelopmentCorporation Kyser Center For EconomicResearch.)

Unemployment Rate And Labor Force – July 2014

The U.S. unemployment rate edged up to6.2% in July from 6.1% in June, but wasdown from the year ago rate of 7.3%.• Although household employment rose by

131,000 last month, the labor force alsoincreased, rising by 329,000 as more peopleentered the labor force. This explains theslight increase in the unemployment rate evenas more people reported being employed.• The labor force participation rate

increased to 62.9% after holding steady at62.8% during the previous three months,but was still down from 63.4% a year ago. • The annual rate of labor force participa-

tion was at 66.0% prior to the recession,fell to 63.7% two years ago in 2012, andwas 63.3% in 2013. While the headline unemployment rate was

6.2%, the more comprehensive U-6 rate was12.2% compared with 12.1% in June. Still,the U-6 rate was more than 1.7 percentagepoints lower than it was a year earlier when itwas 13.9%. This measure of unemploymentincludes discouraged workers, part-timeworkers who would like to work full timeand other categories of distressed workers.• The percentage of long-term unem-

ployed (over 27 weeks) was down signifi-cantly over the year, but was up slightlycompared with June.July 2014: 32.9% of all unemployedPrior Month: 32.8% of all unemployedSame Mo, Prior Yr: 37.5% of all unemployed• Since 1990, the percentage of long-

term unemployed has averaged 22%. Thisfigure exceeded 45% during the worst ofthe recession.The U.S. labor force increased to

156,023,000 in July, up 329,000 month-to-month and by 330,000 or 0.2% from ayear earlier.• The labor force has increased by an

average of just over 0.1% YTY over thefirst seven months of this year.Household employment stood at

146,352,000 in July, an increase of 131,000compared with June and was up by 2.07million (+1.4%) compared with a year ago.• Household employment peaked in

November 2007 at 146,595,000, whichmeans household employment in July was243,000 below the pre-recession peak. • At the present rate of job creation,

employment as measured by the household

survey will surpass the pre-recession peaklate this year or early next year.The employment to population ratio was

unchanged over the month at 59.0, but wasup from July of last year when it was 58.7. • The July reading was the highest since

August 2009 when the rate was 59.1.Nonfarm (Wage & Salary)

Jobs – July 2014The July nonfarm job count was

139,004,000, a new record high.The economy added 209,000 nonfarm

jobs month-to-month (MTM). The MayMTM change was revised up to 229,000jobs (from 224,000), while the June changewas revised from 288,000 jobs to 298,000.With these revisions, employment gains inMay and June were 15,000 higher than pre-viously reported.• With these revisions, nonfarm employ-

ment grew by an average of 230,000 jobs permonth during the first seven months of thisyear, outpacing the 196,000 average monthlyjob gain over the same period last year.• Nonfarm jobs in July surpassed the pre-

recession peak of 138,365,000 in January2008 by 639,000.• On a year-to-year basis, the economy

added 2.57 million jobs, an increase of1.9%YTY, which was faster than theaverage rate of growth over the past twoyears of 1.7%The private sector added 198,000 jobs, hit-

ting a new high of 117,082,000. Private sec-tor jobs rose by nearly 2.2% YTY while jobsin the government sector rose by 91,000.Decreases at the federal level were more thanoffset by gains at the state and local level.Every private industry super-sector

except for Information added jobs bothMTM and YTY in July, and the public sec-tor saw a slight gain as well. Of the 2.57million jobs added year-to-year:• The largest YTY gains occurred in pro-

fessional and business services (+648,000jobs or 3.5%) with about one-third of theincrease occurring in temporary employ-ment (216,700 jobs), but other categoriessuch as professional and technical industries,which saw employment expand by 229,300jobs or 2.8%, also contributed to the gains.• Employment in the trade, transporta-

tion and utilities industry expanded by576,000 jobs (2.2%) with most of the gainsoccurring in retail trade (297,600 jobs).• Leisure and hospitality grew by

375,000 jobs (2.6%), mostly due to gains infood and beverage establishments (292,100jobs or 2.8%).• Other noteworthy increases include

health care (336,300 jobs or 1.9%) andconstruction (211,000 jobs or 3.6%). Themanufacturing sector added 178,000 jobs(1.5%), most of which were concentratedin durable goods (169,000 jobs).• Despite recent gains in constrution,

industry employment is still 1.7 millionjobs shy of its prerecession peak.There were new record high levels of

employment last month in the followingsuper-sectors: Mining and logging, profes-sional and business services, education andhealth, leisure and hospitality.

Highlights Related To The Southern California Economy

Looking at sectors that are importantlocally:• Nationally, there were 311,600 jobs (not

seasonally adjusted) in the motion picture

Health Care Quarterly

Advertising Reservation Deadline: Wednesday, August 13

Artwork Deadline: Thursday, August 14

Please Call To Reserve Your Ad Space: 562/988-1222

Publication DateAugust 19, 2014

Feature Stories

Saving Lives Through Organ Donation

Emergency Rooms and The Affordable Care Act

New Advancements in Pediatric Care

July 2014 Summary Of U.S. Labor Market



Long BeachCommunity College DistrictBoard Of TrusteesSwearing-in ceremonies were heldJuly 29 for the two newly-electedmembers of the Long BeachCommunity College District BoardOf Trustees – Sunny Zia, repre-senting Trustee Area 3; and Dr.Virginia L. Baxter, Trustee Area 5.They won their seats during theApril elections in Long Beach andthe other cities represented by thedistrict: Signal Hill, Avalon andparts of Lakewood. Trustee JeffreyA. Kellogg, who won reelection tothe board representing Area 1,was also sworn in and wasreelected on July 29 to anotherterm as board president. TrusteeDoug Otto of Area 4 has twoyears remaining on his currentterm. The fifth member of theboard is Roberto Uranga of Area2, who was elected in April toserve as the city council representative from the 7th Council District. A replacement will soon be named to serve the two years remaining on Uranga’s term as a trustee. The trustees have scheduled a retreatfrom 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 26, followed by a board meeting at 5 p.m. The September 9 trustee meeting includes a budget workshop and public hearing. Pictured from left are: Kellogg, Baxter, Zia, MayorRobert Garcia, Otto, Uranga and Eloy Oakley, superintendent-president of the community college district. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Celebrating 50 Years of Generosity

1964 – 2014This year, during our Golden Anniversary at Memorial Medical Center Foundation, we are grateful for community-minded business leaders and Philanthropic Friends.

Business leaders recognize the value of supporting world-class health care close to home.

Your gifts, grants and bequests give life to innovative patient programs, support the highest quality medical education, fund cutting-edge clinical research and invest in capital equipment and campus expansion at Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

Because of your organization’s support, our hospitals are able to provide excellent health care for you, your family, employees, co-workers and friends.

Here’s to the next 50.Thank you again for your continued support.

Jim NormandinPresident

MMCF

Peter RidderChair, Board of Directors

MMCF

and sound recording sector in July, down15.3% from 368,100 a year ago. Motion pic-ture and sound recording employment hasdeclined in year-to-year terms each monthof this year, mainly due to decreases inmotion picture and video productionemployment. In contrast, motion picture andsound recording employment in Los

Angeles County has increased year-to-year,the latest month being June when employ-ment rose by 9.6% YTY from 119,000 jobsin June of last year to 130,400 jobs this year. • Transportation and warehousing and

wholesale trade are both important compo-nents of the national and local transporta-tion and logistics industry. Nationally,

transportation and warehousing added150,800 jobs (up by 3.4%), while whole-sale trade added 127,300 jobs (2.2%).Locally, the transportation and warehous-ing sector was up by 4.1% over the year toJune (5,800 jobs), while employment in thelocal wholesale trade industry declined by0.9% over the year.

• Among the manufacturing sectors thatare important to the local economy, fab-ricated metal products, food manufactur-ing, and petroleum and coal productsemployment increased YTY; whileemployment declined YTY in computerand electronic products, and apparel. �


EDITOR & PUBLISHER

George Economides

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Heather Dann

DISTRIBUTION

Conrad Riley

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

SENIOR WRITER

Samantha Mehlinger

STAFF WRITER

Brandon Ferguson

PHOTOJOURNALIST

Thomas McConville

COPY EDITORS

Lindsay Christopher and Pat Flynn

The Long Beach Business Journal is a

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Vol. XXVII No. 15

August 5-18, 2014

PERSPECTIVE14 Long Beach Business Journal August 5-18, 2014

Examining the mum-mies of five ancient

cultures, the Horusmummy research teamdiscovered atherosclero-sis (narrowing of thearteries due to build upof fatty deposits) waspresent in humans longbefore modern lifestyles.In a paper published inthis month’s GlobalHeart, the Horus teamdescribes potential

causes of atherosclerosis in ancient times, theunderlying disease process that causes heart attackand stroke. I am honored to co-lead the Horusresearch team. Other team members include infec-tious disease specialist David Michalik, D.O.,Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach,and radiologist James Sutherland, M.D., M.S.,Orange Coast Memorial and Saddleback Memorial. Among the five cultures, the 76 ancient

Egyptians studied were wealthy enough to undergothe 70-day mummification process and might havebeen expected to have a lifestyle conducive to ath-erosclerosis. They were members of the Pharaoh’scourt and may not have been as active or ate ashealthy as the common man. However, the four other cultures had no such

expensive mummification processes. The dead wereleft to dry out, either in a desert or a fiercely coldenvironment. Their organs were left inside the bodyand expensive drying measures were not employed.These mummies were common men and women oftheir time. The 51 Peruvians of 600 to 2,000 yearsago were prehistoric, as were the five NativeAmericans of Utah and Colorado of 1,600 years ago. The Mongolians studied from 500 years ago

lived a primitive nomadic lifestyle in the GobiDesert. The five Aleutian Islanders of 150 yearsago obtained their food from the Bering Sea. Theywere hunter-gatherers. Yet the Horus team foundthat these people of ancient lifestyles also wereplagued by atherosclerosis. None of these cultures suffered from significant

obesity, lack of physical activity, cigarette smokingor other ‘modern’ risk factors that can cause nar-rowing of the arteries. However, a non-traditionalcause or causes of atherosclerosis could explainthe burden of atherosclerosis in ancient peoples.They were unaware of the germs lurking in theunhygienic environments in which they lived, ani-mals and people living side by side, inadequatesewage and contaminated water. They did notknow that the germs amongst which they livedcaused infection. In addition to frequent bacterialand viral infections, the ancients likely sufferedfrom lifelong parasitic infestations. Dr. Michalik points out that a strong and pro-

longed inflammatory effort by the body would havebeen necessary to fight off the infections. However,this intense inflammatory response may have accel-erated the inflammation that occurs when choles-terol gets into the wall of the artery. Inflammationis an integral part of the atherosclerotic process.Cholesterol is not supposed to be in the wall, thusthe body fights it. The process is counterproduc-

tive, however, attracting more unwelcome cells inthe wall of the artery resulting in a further build up. There is precedence of inflammation accelerat-

ing atherosclerosis in the modern day. People withconditions of ongoing inflammation, like rheuma-toid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or HIV,experience premature and aggressive atherosclero-sis. The inflammatory process, necessary to fightoff infection in ancient times in particular, couldbackfire by promoting atherosclerosis in theabsence of modern risk factors. Tobacco was not available to any of these ancient

cultures, but could the equivalent of smoking repre-sent another cause for this unexpected atherosclero-sis? Modern appliances were unavailable, and cook-ing was performed over fire. The same fire could beused for light and warmth. We noticed a trendtoward more women than men developing athero-sclerosis in ancient times. The traditional role ofwomen in these times, cooking over a fire for muchof the day, could have represented the scourge ofsmoking. Constant inhalation of smoke could haveinitiated and propelled the atherosclerotic process.The bulk of our modern risk factors were discov-

ered several generations ago, before genetic testingand biomarker analysis. Each year we learn moreabout the impact of the human genome and mole-cules in our blood, and so to believe we havealready uncovered all the causes, or risk factors ofatherosclerosis may be wishful thinking. Using thepast to predict the future, scientists need to continueto search for other potential fundamental causes ofatherosclerosis. Discovery of new causes could dra-matically reshape the frequency and impact of ath-erosclerosis today.(Gregory Thomas, M.D., MPH, medical director,

MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, LongBeach Memorial.)

Americans are saying, “Ijust don’t know who to

trust anymore.” According tothe latest poll, 75 percent ofAmericans do not trust mostcompanies.1 This includes alot of nonprofits as well.Trust is key to an individ-

ual’s or a company’s suc-cess, yet only in recent yearshas any thoughtful discus-sion of anything to do withtrust appeared in businessschool curriculum.

Trust is a key building block in the creation ofa company’s reputation. As a direct result of thatit impacts shareholder value. Nine out of 10 peo-ple agree that a corporation’s reputation plays alarge role in forming opinions about products andservices.2 Eight out of 10 agree to pay moremoney for goods and services from a companywith a well-regarded record.Trust never stands still. It’s never neutral. It’s

either accelerating or decelerating what you are try-ing to do as an organization, leader or family.High levels of trust offer you the benefit of the

doubt. If folks feel you mean them no harm and willkeep simple agreements, they will look past mistakes. Low levels of trust become time vampires.

Things go slowly and sloppily because you arebeing questioned on everything you do. No gooddeed goes unsuspected. Every action will belabeled with a negative intent.Sometimes trust is impacted by an external

cause. If there’s a downturn in the market, fear andmistrust are familiar byproducts. Fear and mistrust

travel in the same circle. This is when leadersshould ramp up communication. Effective leaders know that trust is a key aspect

of leadership.Here are five tips on building a culture of trust.1. Start With The Person. This personal

approach has a way of impacting the whole group.It’s actually contagious. Others pick up on the vibesand grow in their trust.2. Market Transparency. If you are transparent,

people will trust you more. A problem with manyorganizations is that their trustworthy inner work-ings are hidden. Nobody knows about it. Maybe allthe needed information is available. But do peopleknow how to acquire it? Do they know where tolook for it? Do they even know it’s available? Don’tjust be transparent. Be proactive in pointing it outso that others can see it. Unethical companies coverup the bad stuff that’s going on. It’s not uncommonfor some ethical companies to inadvertently hidethe good they are doing.3. Seed Accountability and Weed Blame. The

person who can describe the problem withoutassigning blame is the real leader. Blame-free prob-lem solving is better than a blame-storming session.People respect being held accountable, but they nat-urally avoid an atmosphere of blame and punish-ment. Accountability encourages corrective action.Blame encourages self-protection. 4. Speak About Others As Though They Were

Present. Do this, not just at work, but everywhereyou find yourself. There are few better habits forbuilding your trustworthiness and their trust. Thisdraws people to you, increases their trust, and setsa strong example for them to do likewise.5. Master The Habit Of Apologizing.When you

fall down or misfire on a commitment, don’t hide it.Hang a lantern on it so everyone involved can seeyour acknowledgment and ownership. Too manyleaders have never been trained how to do this.When trust is broken, how do you repair it?3 The

steps are simple to understand, but difficult toimplement. It takes a good dose of self-reflection.First, figure out what happened. Was trust broken

down over time or was there a single incident?Second, assess the damage. Was it a widespread

event or an isolated incident?Third, own up to the mistake. This doesn’t mean

you have to fix the mistake immediately, but youneed to acknowledge the mistake or grievance soyou can move forward. Do three things: (1) I’msorry, (2) I will do better in the future, (3) shut up(because excessive explanations can come off asexcusing behavior or actions).Fourth, identify and communicate remedial

actions. In other words, here is what I am going todo now and in the future.Trust is an accelerator for everything you want

to do as a leader. A lack of trust is a decelerator—like running in water that’s waist deep. Trust is anessential component for creating an extraordinaryorganization – and more importantly – an extraor-dinary person.

1Transparency In Corporate Reporting, 2012.2Edelman Public Relations Trust Barometer

Survey.3The Trusted Leader; Robert Galford and Anne

Drapeau(Mick Ukleja is the author of several books, a

coach, keynote speaker and president ofLeadershipTraq, a leadership consulting firm.Check his blog at www.leadershiptraq.com.)

� EFFECTIVELEADERSHIP

By Mick Ukleja

Five Ways To Build Trust

Chronic Infection, Smoke Inhalation Or Yet To Be Discovered Causes Could Explain WhyAncient Men And Women Had Atherosclerosis

� HEALTHWISE

By Gregory Thomas, M.D.

The bulk of our modern risk

factors were discovered several

generations ago, before genetic

testing and biomarker analysis.


PERSPECTIVEAugust 5-18, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 15

The popular theoryabout the housing

market has been thatduring 2013 (at least thefirst half of the year)investor activity was atits high point, boostingthe number of homesales and home pricesand reducing affordabil-ity for other buyers.It has been well docu-

mented that, beginning at about this time lastyear, both the number of sales and the rate ofprice increases have subsided substantially,along with the frenzy to purchase beforeprices got out of hand. But, as price increasesare still well short of the highs of the 2007housing bubble, some little-publicized statis-tics and anecdotal evidence suggest that thedeath of the all-cash buyer has been greatlyexaggerated and that these types of purchasersare still coming – just from different places.According to RealtyTrac, 42.7 percent of

home purchases in the first quarter of 2014across the United States were all cash, com-pared to 37.8 percent of the deals in the fourth

quarter of 2013 and 19.1 percent of the deals inthe first quarter of 2013. This would seem todispute the blanket notion that investors got inearly and got out quickly as prices were bid up.Although this is true of institutional investorsfor the most part, it appears that other types ofinvestors have come in to fill the void.A shrinking portion of all cash transactions

is coming from institutions. According toRealtyTrac, institutional investors – entitiesthat have purchased at least 10 properties in acalendar year – accounted for 5.6 percent ofall U.S. residential sales in the first quarter of2014, down from 6.8 percent in the fourthquarter of 2013 and 7.0 percent in the firstquarter of 2013. This is the lowest level sincethe first quarter of 2012.It would appear that the void created with

the retreat of institutional buyers is being filledby wealthy individuals and those who havedone well in the stock market who now havemoney to use on other ventures – such as hous-ing investment. Also, according to a number ofanalysts, there are a great many buyers in themarket today who were foreclosed on duringthe height of the crisis who stopped payingtheir mortgage and used the past half-decade to

save money for an all-cash purchase. Thesepeople might not be able to get a mortgagetoday, but they can pay cash. The areas of thecountry that were hardest hit during the hous-ing crisis appear to be the ones that have beenattracting the most attention from all-cashinvestors, such as in the South and Southeast.Among metropolitan statistical areas with

populations of at least 500,000, those with thetop five highest percentages of cash sales inthe first quarter of this year were all inFlorida: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, (73.6 per-cent), Miami (67.1 percent), Sarasota, (65.1percent), Palm Bay, (64.1 percent), andLakeland, (61.8 percent). Other major metroareas with more than 50 percent all-cash salesincluded New York (57.0 percent), Columbia,S.C., (56.1 percent), Memphis (54.9 percent),Detroit (53.5 percent), Atlanta (53.2 percent)and Las Vegas (52.2 percent).This trend of all-cash transactions in a mar-

ketplace that still doesn’t have the normal sup-ply of inventory has created an inequity, espe-cially for f irst-time buyers who usuallyrequire financing to purchase a home. Andany time a seller has a choice between an all-cash offer and one with a financing contin-

gency, cash almost always wins out assumingother factors are equal.The reality is that prices are still substantially

lower than before the crash and many owners arestill underwater. This takes a huge percentage ofpotential sellers out of the market. The number offoreclosures has been reduced, which takes inven-tory down as well and also reduces the number of“killer deals” that the investors like to snap up.Another factor cited by many as a detriment

to first-time buyers is that they are unrealisticas to what they have to do in order to get aproperty under contract. Many of them haveunrealistic expectations about what they canbuy with their financing restrictions and aboutthe competition in the market place. Someeven have to go through a number of failedattempts and get beaten by all-cash buyers ondeals before they figure out (hopefully withsome professional help) that, with limitedinventory and a healthy number of all-cashbuyers, sellers still have a lot of power with ahome priced right in today’s real estate climate.(Terry Ross, the broker-owner of TR Properties,

will answer any questions about today’s realestate market. E-mail questions to Realty Views [email protected] or call 949/457-4922.)

REALTY VIEWS

By Terry Ross

Cash Home Purchases Still Driving Market

I f the financial state-ments presented to

boards of nonprof itorganizations f inds afair percentage of direc-tors scratching theirheads, it seems the sub-ject of technology canfind even more policy-makers feeling the itch.In my experience, it’s

not uncommon forboardroom technologydiscussions to inch their

way into theatrical productions: Techiesspeaking a language few others understand,users lecturing nonusers, and novices withdangerously subjective opinions all deliberat-ing the approval of significant expenditures,plans and policies.Sadly, these reruns have caught up with

the sector. According to the eighth annual Nonprofit

Technology Staffing and Investments Reportreleased last week by the NonprofitTechnology Network, the average nonprofittechnology budget in 2013 accounted for 3.2percent of total organizational spending. Notsurprising, the research also found that a thirdof nonprofits admit they are “barely able” or

“failing” to maintain their current technologysystems. The current ratio for technology sup-port in nonprofits is one technology staffer onthe payroll per 30 employees.The most disconcerting result of the study:

Roughly two-thirds of nonprofits reportincluding technology components in theirstrategic plans, yet, less than half admit toconducting annual assessments of their cur-rent systems and technology spending. How, in anyone’s opinion, could that kind of

logic and behavior be considered, “strategic?”Still, when the topic of technology

emerges, there seems to be a fair amount ofboards that can’t resist getting into the weedsabout why some directors tweet and othersdon’t. Or, why a hard-copy of something ismore or less effective than a soft-copy forrepresenting or promoting the organization. This kind of technology decision-making

environment has created scar tissue in organi-zations brought on by ignoring the enormousindirect costs associated with inefficient sys-tems, overestimating the value of relics,underestimating information demands by thepublic, purchasing bells and whistle softwarewhose features are never used, or forgettingabout such things as conversions, compatibil-ity, training, maintenance, and support.So what is the governance role in technology?

The answer lies in what good governance is allabout in general: Establishing the framework andcreating pathways for an organization, its stake-holders and its mission, to thrive in a community.The technology runway has taught us three

valuable lessons about governance and technol-ogy that have been the result of costly decisionsmade in the name of fiduciary responsibility.The first lesson is that every boardmember musttake his or her own technology preferences andlimitations out of the decision-making equation.Decisions based on the lowest common denom-inator of need and understanding in the boardroom does not constitute governance.The second lesson is that the board is a board

and it is not a technology committee. A savvyboard decrees the formation of one with a valuethat is on par with the board’s finance commit-tee. The charge: Involve a diverse group ofusers, nonusers, experts, staff and volunteers topresent facts and trends, conduct evaluations,craft resolutions born out of due diligence, rec-ommend policy, propose expenditures based ona return on investment equation, and seekresources to benefit board-approved technol-ogy goals stated in a strategic plan.The third lesson is stop treating technology

like a project and start managing it as a strate-gic resource to be leveraged just like peopleand money.

Over the past few years, the subject of tech-nology has undergone a major facelift with anexciting sex appeal: Revenue-generationthrough online fundraising, web-based servicedelivery, and increased community connected-ness. Technology has also been recast from anoverhead gas hog into a sleek hybrid capableof eradicating duplicative efforts, tearingdown silos, eradicating annoying meetingsand processing costs, and increasing efficien-cies in providing information to sources ofmoney that want quick and reliable responses.There’s an old criticism that says, “Penny Wise

and Pound Foolish.” The English adage of the1700s, referencing the nation’s monetary system,is critical of people who belabor the smallest ofexpenditures and yet are thoughtless in their con-siderations associated with large ones.In my estimation, thoughtless considera-

tions about technology by too many nonprofitboards has provided no better illustration ofthis adage at work. It’s time to change the his-tory. Good nonprofit governance requires dol-lars given for good being put to work usinggood sense.(Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE, is president and

chief executive officer of The Third SectorCompany, Inc. Join in on the conversationabout this article at the Long Beach BusinessJournal website www.lbbusinessjournal.com.)

THIRD SECTORREPORT

By Jeffrey Wilcox

Nonprofit Boards And Technology: Penny Wise And Pound Foolish?

PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVEBy George Economides

O ne of Mayor Robert Garcia’s initiatives isto reinstitute an economic development

program that has been lacking in the city forseveral years. We applaud him for recognizingthe need to do so, but doing it the right way iscritical. Simply throwing money at a “pro-gram” to emit a feel-good reaction from thecommunity has been tried numerous times –and most of the time it failed. As in any marketing program, it is vital to

first establish the goal, the end result. Whatare “we” trying to achieve, to accomplish? Is itto bring in more corporate businesses to thecity? Is it to create more high-end jobs? Is it toassist firms already established in the city in

expanding their operations? Is it to help smallbusinesses develop a larger customer base? Isit to provide assistance in obtaining permitsnecessary to conduct business? Is it to keepbusinesses from packing their bags and mov-ing to another city?We submit that it’s all of the above and

much more. We also submit that to be suc-cessful, it must be a “we” not “me” effort. Yes,having everyone on the same page does makea difference.However Mayor Garcia and the team he

assembles go about in preparing an economicdevelopment plan, the objectives must be putin writing for all to see. Then, before the effortis launched, they must determine how to gaugeif the plan is a success.Also. let’s don’t waste time and money on

developing a theme, as past efforts have done.We are the International City. That’s who weare from a business perspective and from ourdemographic make up. We are not “Most onthe Coast” or “Long Beach is a Long Beach”or “Long Beach: A Very Choice Place” or myfavorite – which, thankfully was shot down byus and many others in the community:“Opposites Attract.”Long Beach has so much more going for it

than most cities in this country. As commercialrealtors will tell you, it all starts with our loca-tion along the Pacific Ocean and mid-waybetween the huge Los Angeles and OrangeCounty markets. Our transportation systems,allowing us to move goods from one area toanother, is second to none: by air, sea, rail ortruck. Few cities have a port and an airport, or

a convention center located on the water. Ourhealth care systems are top notch. Our schoolsat all levels continue to excel. Few cities havean aquarium or a museum for Latin Americanart. There is no other Queen Mary and thereare few Grand Prix races in the world. Our artscommunity – performing and visual – isamong the best in the country. We have a greatpark system, numerous golf courses and tenniscourts, a growing bicycle presence, and howcan you beat our water sports? Our diningoptions can now stack up against any city inthe state. These are all important assets thatplay into a firm’s decision on where to locateor expand a business.There’s only one thing left for us to do: Let’s

start bragging about Long Beach – theInternational City.

Let’s Brag About Long Beach – The International City



BUSINESS OF WEDDINGSAugust 5-18, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 17

also appearing at receptions, according toSara Vasquez, special event coordinator atthe Long Beach Museum of Art. “A lot ofbrides are making their own place cards,” shesaid. “Usually all the signage gets made bythe person who makes the invitations, butlately a lot of couples are getting creative andpainting things or making chalkboards,” sheobserved. One popular shabby chic elementlately has been burlap, which has shown upon table overlays and signs, she added.Other do-it-yourself elements include

table runners, wedding favors and evenflowers, Vasquez explained. “I have beennoticing less flowers,” she said. “I haveseen kale, lettuce, artichoke, big tropicalleaves and a lot of succulents.” EricaNoriega, special events coordinator at theAquarium of the Pacific, has also noticedsucculents used in recent months.Carmen Fuentes, an event planner and

designer who owns Expressionary Eventsin Downtown Long Beach, said some cou-ples are choosing to bring in “old-world”elements such as antiques and old familyphotos at their weddings and receptions,which complement the vintage feel of ashabby chic theme.Couples who choose to incorporate

shabby chic designs are able to save money,Rathband said. By bringing in their ownflowers or greenery, creating their own cen-terpieces, table cards or other items, guestsavoid paying others for those services.Apart from shabby chic, other design

elements are trending – certain chair types,table configurations, lighting and food pre-

sentations continue popping up throughoutLong Beach’s wedding venues. Some couples are ditching linen-covered

banquet chairs for chiavari chairs, Carleyand Vasquez both noted. Often paintedgold, these wooden chairs feature a combi-nation of vertical and horizontal barsacross their backs.Seating configurations are also chang-

ing, Carley noted. “Something else that is quite popular is

doing seating at rectangular or squaretables instead of the traditional roundtable,” she said. Sometimes, a combinationof round and rectangular tables is used, sheadded. “It is a nice change from the normand is kind of recalling that era when peo-ple had dining rooms and large, long fam-ily-style tables,” she explained of the trend.Many couples are using lighting projec-

tions to give their wedding venue a spe-cific ambiance, Carley said. Using light-ing instead of draping fabric across thewalls, which involves more materials andlabor, saves money, Rathband noted.Vasquez has observed the use of projectedlighting at recent Long Beach Museum ofArt weddings. “Sometimes couples willuse a projector with their names or to cre-ate something of their own,” she said.Lighting projectors display patterns, col-ors or even words across walls, creatinginstant faux wallpaper.Rather than having sit-down dinners,

food stations are becoming more popular.“Everybody wants stations with differenttypes of food at each,” Carley said. Thesame applies to desserts; rather than havingone big cake, many couples are opting fordessert stations with options for guests

such as cupcakes, candies or macaroons,she pointed out. While shabby chic and do-it-yourself

elements have been trending this year,Noriega and Fuentes have recently seenmore extravagant style choices. “Forawhile it was people doing their owndesigns as they were trying to be morebudget conscious. Now we are starting tosee it swing to the other side as people aregoing all out again,” Noriega said. Forexample, a recent wedding party brought ina white dance floor, personalized with theirinitials, she said. Fuentes has observedextravagant design elements such as chan-deliers, candelabras and other “luxuriousdécor” making a comeback.Also more popular than in previous years

are very specific wedding themes – bridesand grooms who have certain occupationsor hobbies incorporate them into their wed-dings. “We had a Mario Bros. [video game]theme and the favors were coin boxes withquestion marks,” Vasquez recalled. At theHyatt Regency, one couple who lovedchess incorporated huge chess game piecesas their centerpieces, Rathband said.

Venue-Specific ThemesCertain venues in Long Beach are more

suited to specific wedding themes. Anobvious example is the Aquarium of thePacific, where nautical and natural themesare very popular, according to Noriega.“People tend to go more nautical here,”

she said. “We do the vast majority of our

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Wedding Themes(Continued From Page 1)



wedding ceremonies in front of the bluecavern, the big three-story tank at the endof the Great Hall,” she said. The floor-to-ceiling tank houses a variety of fish foundoff the coast of Catalina Island, whichswim by as vows are taken. Because the Aquarium does not allow

design elements of anything previously liv-ing – dried starfish, for example – due tocontamination concerns, couples get cre-ative to achieve the nautical theme,Noriega said. “They use brown sugar [forsand] or chocolate shells, and sea glass isalways so beautiful,” she said. “Not every-body does a nautical centerpiece but if theydo florals they incorporate whites and

blues, the colors that reflect the Great Hall.”The Hyatt Regency is also an ideal venue

for a specific type of wedding. Because thehotel fronts an enclosed, private lagoon onShoreline Drive, which features a long path-way along the water, it is perfect for a Hinduand Sikh ceremony called a Baraat,Rathband explained. “It is an introduction ofthe groom’s side of the family to the bride’s,”she said, explaining that the groom’s familywalks along the lagoon’s path to the wed-ding ceremony site around the lagoon. Thegroom uses some form of transportation –once, an elephant was brought to the hotel,Carley recalled. These weddings incorporatebright colors and typically require seatingfor more than 400 guests, which the HyattRegency is easily able to accommodate in itslarge ballrooms, Rathband explained.

About 80 to 90 percent of the HyattRegency’s weddings are ethnically or cul-turally specific, Carley noted. “We havebeen doing these events here for 25 years,”Rathband said. “We have so many staffmembers who have worked here for somany years, they are very well trained forthese events and the needs of all cultures.” �

Weddings On The Water


Senior Writer

While many Long Beach wedding venuesoffer beautiful views, only one has views ofthe Queen Mary, Aquarium, downtown sky-

line and more – the water itself. Threecruise companies offer the unique opportu-nity for weddings on the water, each with avariety of yachts available to charter forparties as large as 200 people.“There is a wow factor for the guests to

go on a harbor cruise and watch the brideand groom cut the cake with the ocean inthe background. It is an amazing experi-ence,” Nikki Ross, director of sales andmarketing for Harbor Breeze Cruises toldthe Business Journal. “You’ve got the beau-tiful Long Beach harbor as an amazingbackdrop for the bride’s pictures.”Long Beach-based Harbor Breeze

Cruises, known for its whale watching andsea life boat tours, has been holding wed-dings on its yachts since the company wasformed 18 years ago, Ross said. With four

18 Long Beach Business Journal August 5-18, 2014


he Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach provides both a beautiful and unique atmosphere for ceremonies and receptions, from intimate gatherings to groups of 500.

Dine under our Blue Whale, enjoy harbor views from our new Roof Top Terrace, and explore breathtaking exhibits. Let the Aquarium provide the most memorable location for your special day.

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100 AQUARIUM WAY LONG BEACH, CA 90802yourevent.aquariumofpacific.org 562.951.1663

© Lori Shelpler

© Lori Shelpler

© Scott Smeltzer

Wedding Themes(Continued From Page 17)

Hyatt Regency Long Beach’sSenior Catering ManagerSiobhan Rathband (left) andDirector of Catering andConvention Services MaryCarley say the hotel is apopular venue for culturaland ethnic weddings.Behind them, a long path-way along a lagoon is oftenused in Baraat ceremonies,a Hindu and Sikh tradition inwhich a groom and his fam-ily walk a distance to for-mally greet the bride andher family. (Photograph bythe Business Journal’sThomas McConville) Above right, the Regency Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach is the hotel’slargest wedding reception venue at 10,000 square feet. Chiavari chairs, pictured around the receptiontables, have been popular at many recent Hyatt weddings, according to Carley. (Photograph providedby Hyatt Regency Long Beach)


yachts available to charter for weddings,the company is able to accommodate par-ties of 20 to 150 guests, depending on thevessel and event design, she explained.“The smaller capacity vessels are for moreintimate wedding receptions as well asrehearsal dinners,” she said, adding thatlarger vessels have the capacity for out-door and indoor seating.“We have the ability to do both cere-

monies and receptions onboard,” Rosssaid. “We do quite a few sunset cere-monies on the upper deck with the QueenMary in the background.”Hornblower Cruises & Events, a

national cruise company with offices inMarina del Rey and Newport Beach, also

charters yachts out of Long Beach forweddings. Christina Domino, event salesmanager at the Marina del Rey office, saidthe company’s yachts are able to accom-modate 10 to 200 guests on Long Beachwedding cruises. “We dock in RainbowHarbor and we cruise the harbor,” she saidof the wedding cruise route. Harbor Breeze wedding cruises also

remain in the Long Beach harbor for wed-dings, Ross said. “We go past the oilislands and stay within the Long Beachharbor so they [wedding guests] can viewthe skyline of the city at night,” she said.“The City of Long Beach lit up is a magicalpicture when you are out there on the oceanwith your guests. It is beautiful.”

Both companies offer a variety of LongBeach harbor packages for ceremonies andreceptions aboard their vessels. “We canaccommodate any request and are veryflexible with the budget,” Ross said. “Wecan be the one-stop shop for the full wed-ding package for all of the floral arrange-ments, DJ and wedding cake, or we can dosomething very casual and simple,” sheexplained. “It all depends on how extrava-gant you want to get.”Domino said Hornblower also has a vari-

ety of wedding options. “We have builtwedding programs that work for anybudget,” she said. “We have got a nicechampagne brunch, there is a luncheon aswell as four different dinner programs.

They range from $75 up to $275 per per-son,” she said. Both Harbor Breeze and Hornblower

offer wedding planning services for brideswho choose not to use outside vendors. “Wedo offer cakes, all the décor, florists andphotographers. Couples are welcome to useour preferred vendors, but they don’t haveto,” Domino said. Ross said Harbor Breezeassists with “the décor and the vision for theactual reception, but we also welcome their[the couple’s] own decorators.”Spirit Cruises, a San Pedro-based com-

pany, also offers wedding cruises out ofLong Beach for between 40 and 140guests. The company has various weddingpackages at different price points. �

August 5-18, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 19


Nikki Ross, directorof sales and market-ing for HarborBreeze Cruises,assists brides andgrooms with designoptions for theirreceptions aboardHarbor BreezeYachts. A displaybeside her illustratesan option for tablesettings.At right, sheshows off one of thecompany’s vessels,Caroline, availableto charter for wed-dings. (Photographsby the BusinessJournal’s ThomasMcConville)



Documents

August 5-18, 2014 Section A