Kern Business Journal October/November 2015

KERN Journal Business

Vol. 4, No. 5

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What’s new in the medical hub of the southwest?

Page 6

October/November 2015

Health Issue

Cover story

More than pounds: What hydrostatic testing really tells you about body fat

By Ron Jones

W

hen you step on the scale, what do those pounds really tell you?

It may show your weight, but it doesn’t reveal what’s far more important to your health: the amount of fat and lean mass in your body.

The best way to measure that is through an underwater weighing method known as hydrostatic testing. I’ve been involved in sports, health and fitness for my entire life, and hydrostatic testing is the best method I’ve ever seen for measuring body fat, leanness and other important data.

Known as the “gold standard” for determining body composition, underwater hydrostatic testing was developed by NASA more than 50 years ago.

Many major universities have used it.

Until recently, however, very few people in Bakersfield had access to hydrostatic body testing.

But thanks to new technology, it’s now available through mobile trucks that can bring underwater Continued on page 46

PHOTO COURTESY OF AERA ENERGY

Linda Finley, hydrostatic testing specialist with Body Fat Test, prepares the hydro tank for weighing.

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INSIDE

Junior Achievement brings the Stock Market Challenge to CSUB for middle and high school students. Page 8

Health Careers Academy celebrates 30 years of bringing medical field options to high schoolers. Page 14

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

alley Republic Bank is there for us, both professionally, and as our committed partner in supporting local cancer patients and their families.”

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October / November 2015

October / November 2015

Journal KERN Business Showcasing Kern County business and industry October / November 2015 Vol. 4, No. 5 Kern Business Journal is a bimonthly publication of The Bakersfield Californian.

Copies are available from The Bakersfield Californian, Kern Economic Development Corp. and Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce.

Publisher Ginger Moorhouse President/CEO Richard Beene Senior Vice President Revenue and Marketing John Wells Editor Olivia Garcia Assistant Managing Editor Mark Nessia Specialty Publications Coordinator

Laura Liera

Art Director Glenn Hammett Graphic Designer Holly Bikakis To submit a story kbj@bakersfield.com To advertise Lisa Whitten, Advertising Manager lwhitten@bakersfield.com 661-395-7563 To subscribe 661-392-5777

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Editor’s Note

Taking care of its employees

I

was chatting with our intern recently who was talking about his first yoga class.

It reminded me of the first time I tried yoga — and this is where I need to thank my job.

For had it not been for my job, TBC Media, hiring a yoga instructor to teach yoga classes to some inexperienced (yep, that’s me) and a few experienced employees, I would have never considered. And my improvements in yoga led me to become a stronger runner, a passion of mine.

In fact, I have used my job’s gym (treadmill) to do speed workouts during my marathontraining season and now Olivia Garcia I use the gym to complete cycling sessions to help strengthen a recovering ankle.

Having the opportunity to work out onsite is one beautiful thing that my company offers employees, and while reading this issue of the Kern Business Journal, I have learned that many companies like mine truly care about their employees’ health and have also undertaken a variety of efforts to improve their

An Aera employee uses a treadmill workstation.

health and that of their families.

In this issue, James Yoro and Beatriz Trejo both write about how injury prevention and wellness programs can lead to happier, more productive employees.

Also, in this issue, you will see efforts by local companies to ensure employees are leading healthier lives.

Contributor Irma Cervantes, for instance, writes about a number of local companies are sponsoring the annual Links for Life event by having some of their employees participate in the walk that recognizes breast cancer survivors.

In another article, contributor Kathy Daniel writes about Healthy Aera, a voluntary and confidential program which is educating Aera employees and their families on ways to incorporate better health, fitness and eating habits into their daily lives.

Employees that participate earn points and incentives, such as monetary rewards.

Chevron is another company that “engaged in creating a culture of self-care, which allows employees to indulge in healthy practices,” which can serve as a great diseaseprevention tool, according to writer Barry Ramirez.

Some local companies are also extending their efforts beyond the company walls.

In an article, written by Kristen Weber, Kaiser Permanente has partnered with the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department to more health programs or activities for local residents. One of those is a fitness class at the Martin Luther King recreation facility.

It’s good to know that area companies understand that a healthy family – its workforce – can translate into a healthy company.

Business at-a-glance McFarland looks to grow retail development

The city of McFarland has partnered with Buxton to study the city’s retail development potential.

Buxton’s advanced customer analytics technology will help identify the specific retailers that match the shopping and dining habits of local consumers and then work with developers to attract those retailers to the city.

“We are truly making McFarland a better place to live and run a business by forming partnerships that will assist in our development and growth objectives,” City Manager John Wooner said in a news release. “Buxton’s analysis will help us thoughtfully construct a retail development strategy that will benefit residents for many years to come.”

McFarland currently has a population of 14,001, many of them Latino who found their way to the Central Valley to work in agriculture.

Buxton is the industry leader in customer analytics, working with more than 700 cities nationwide to implement retail development strategies.

– Kern Business Journal

Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medicare Plan receives perfect rating

Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s Medicare Plan received a five-star rating from the National Committee on Quality Assurance.

Plans were evaluated based on three indicators: consumer satisfaction, prevention services and clinical treatment outcomes.

“The NCQA survey features two very important measures: the quality of care we provide our members and the satisfaction our members feel about the care they receive,” KPSC President Benjamin Chu said in a news release. “This recent recognition highlights our commitment to help our members achieve their highest potential of health at every stage of life.”

Commercial health plans were also rated by NCQA, with KPSC receiving a 4.5 rating out of five.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA also accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes clinicians in key clinical areas.

– Kern Business Journal

Kern County ag holds No. 2 spot for value

Kern County claimed the No. 2 spot for crop value for the second year in a row.

The gross value of all agricultural commodities produced in Kern County totaled more than $7.5 billion, a record high and a 12 percent increase from 2013’s total of $6.7 billion.

Grapes, almonds, milk, citrus, and cattle and calves – the top five commodities in 2014 – accounted for 78 percent of the agriculture’s value, generating more than $5 billion.

Value-added agriculture is an expanding industry that is highly specialized and concentrated with overall employment growth that outpaces most competitor counties.

Tulare County was No. 1 with a crop value of $8 billion and Fresno County was third with $7 billion.

– Kern Business Journal

A-C Electric Company places in top 10 percent in annual list

A-C Electric Company ranked No. 8 on the list of 2015 top solar commercial contractors and No. 33 on

the overall list of the top 500 solar contractors in North America in the July edition of Solar Power World.

A-C Electric Company also ranked No. 20 for 2015 top solar EPCs and No. 13 for 2015 top California solar contractors.

“We were able to place in the top 10 percent of the categories which we serve,” Vice President, Operations David L. Morton said in a news release. “We feel this is quite an achievement. Being able to draw on the resources and experience of a 70-year-old electrical construction company has allowed us to scale up to meet the market

demands while maintaining the quality and service that our customers deserve.”

A-C Electric Company is a leader in electrical engineering, construction, automation and commercial solar and worked with PG&E to install the first grid-connected solar PV system in California 20 years ago.

Solar Power World is an industryleading source for solar technology, development and installation news whose annual list of solar contractors is the authoritative standard for the solar market in North America.

– Kern Business Journal

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Chamber Roundups

October / November Events

Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce

Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce

Oct. 22 – Business Expo from 4 to 7 p.m. at Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. Free to attend with coupon. For more information, call the chamber at 661-327-4421.

Oct. 24 – Cancer screenings in partnership with CBCC, Bakersfield Senior Center, 530 4th St. noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Nov. 3 – Social Media Therapy, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call the chamber at 661-327-4421.

Nov. 16 – Good Morning Bakersfield, to be held at DoubleTree

by Hilton, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. More information will be announced soon. To register, call the chamber at 661-327-4421.

Nov. 19 – After Hours Mixer 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers. More information will be announced soon or call the chamber at 661-327-4421.

Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Nov. 1 – KCHCC & BMOA Presents 7th Annual Altares de Familia Celebrating “Dia de los Muertos” Central Park at Mill Creek; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission: adults, $5; children, free.

October / November 2015

Nov. 19 – We are partnering with the Kern County SHRM, the Hispanic Chamber and the Greater Chamber for “HR 101: Important Human Resources Basics Every Business Should Know,” Four Points Sheraton, 5101 California Ave. 8 a.m. to noon; registration at 7:30 a.m. $40 per person. Register online at: www.kcshrm.wildapricot.org/ events. Continental breakfast will be provided.

North of the River Chamber of Commerce Nov. 12 – It’s your chance to mix and mingle with the NOR Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon. Taking place the second Thursday of each month at Hodel’s Country Dining, experience the best buffet in Bakersfield while getting to know local business owners and hearing from industry leaders on the issues that affect us here at home.

November’s speaker is Wendy Porter with the Wounded Heroes Fund.

Admission includes lunch and raffle. Hodel’s Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive, $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers.

2013 Business Expo

PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS

Businesses use Links for Life events for camaraderie, team-building activities

By Irma Cervantes

I

t will be a sea of pink in downtown and southwest Bakersfield, and in Tehachapi, during the first week in October.

Hundreds of community members make it an annual tradition to lace up their walking shoes and go out to one of three Lace’n it Irma Cervantes Up walks put on by Links for Life to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Many of those folks are from local companies who not only sponsor the events, but participate in the walk as a team.

Aera Energy is one such company.

They have sponsored the largest contingent of walkers in the Lace’n it Up walks for several years. Aera has teams at The Park at River Walk, Taft and at the Belridge facility in McKittrick. Aera recognizes the importance of supporting not only this organization but other worthy nonprofits in the community.

“Aera has longstanding partnerships with dozens of nonprofits, including Links for Life,” said Michele Newell, public affairs

specialist at Aera. “Our employees fighting breast cancer receive essential services from Links for Life while others benefit from the added knowledge about breast cancer. In the end, while both organizations benefit, it is our greater community that is improved by the development of strong partnerships between businesses and nonprofits.”

Local companies also see participating in events such as Lace’n it Up as an opportunity to build camaraderie among their team.

California Resource Company, another corporate partner of Links for Life, sees participating in the walks as an opportunity for team building.

“By supporting Lace’n it Up, we motivate one another and come together as a team to help make this event successful,” said Laura Graves, a Lace’n it Up team captain at California Resources Corporation.

“It gives us the opportunity to interact with our co-workers and helps create a unique bond that carries over into our work life in a very positive way.”

Lace’n it Up also provides participants with a simple and fun way to promote a healthy lifestyle among their teams.

Recent results from an American Cancer Society’s cancer prevention study (nutrition cohort) has found that women who sit more than six hours during free time per

day increase their risk for certain cancers compared to women who sit three hours or fewer during free time.

This particular study did not show the same risk pattern for men, but previous research has supported the importance of regular physical activity in both men and women for overall health, weight management and cancer prevention.

“According to the National Cancer Institute, women who get four or more hours a week of physical activity have a decreased risk of breast cancer,” said Nicole Guimarra, a registered dietician.

Current guidelines recommend adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise throughout the week.

If your job keeps you at a desk most of the day, small changes can make the minimum recommendation easier to achieve, such as a brisk walk during your lunch break, parking farther away from your destination and taking the stairs

instead of the elevator.

Whether it’s for a cause, team building or promoting a healthy lifestyle, Links for Life can always count on participation from local corporate sponsors at its Lace’n it Up events, without whom their services would not be possible.

So whatever your motivation, take out your walking shoes and join Links for Life this October.

Irma Cervantes is the multicultural communications manager for Bright House Networks. She serves on various boards and committees in Kern County including Links for Life.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Reservations are required. Contact the Club for tickets.

To donate an auction or raffle item, contact Weldon Sons at 324-6561.

Petroleum Club of Bakersfield • 5060 California Avenue • 12th Floor • 324-6561 *24-Hour cancellation notice required for refunds. Non-members may pay by cash or credit card.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Health Facilities Update

Medical hub growing in Seven Oaks/ Buena Vista corridor

By Laura Wiener

O

nly a few short years ago, Greg Gallion stood in a field along Buena Vista Road, south of White Lane. The president and chief executive officer of Houchin Community Blood Bank smiled broadly as he lifted freshly picked carrots up to a photographer’s lens.

Gallion was celebrating Bolthouse Properties’ donation of five acres of farmland – a former carrot field – where the community blood bank planned to build its new cuttingedge headquarters, blood collection and processing facilities.

Laura Weiner Houchin and Bolthouse Properties LLC have come a long way over the past five years. Today, Houchin’s $10 million, 42,000-square-foot complex in the Seven Oaks Business Park is in full operation, allowing the organization to better respond to the medical needs of Kern County residents.

Bolthouse Properties President Anthony Leggio explained that his company welcomed the opportunity to assist such a critically needed organization. He said the donation was “consistent with the Bolthouse family legacy of giving back to the community.”

The commitment and energy exemplified in the Houchin project is being replicated in many other projects as Bolthouse Properties’ vision for southwest Bakersfield creates a regional medical hub that is supported by diverse retail, office, entertainment and residential development.

“We’re very pleased and encouraged by the continued strong momentum taking place in the Seven Oaks/Buena Vista corridor,” said Bruce Davis, Bolthouse Properties’ vice president of development. “The quality of the businesses and retail tenants being attracted to the area will ensure that a tradition of excellence remains here for generations to come.”

The developments seen in Bolthouse Properties’ Seven Oaks/Buena Vista corridor are creating a “destination” – a vibrant center of activity. The synergies of mixed uses are increasing office and retail values and occupancy and absorption rates.

Seven Oaks Business Park is seeing an expansion of medical uses as evident by the newly opened DaVita Dialysis, The Village at Seven Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care facility and the new home for the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County.

The developments seen in Bolthouse Properties’ Seven Oaks/Buena Vista corridor are creating a “destination” – a vibrant center of activity.

Also, Hoffmann Hospice of the Valley will open its $4.5 million hospice home this month, and a new surgery center is under contract to open in 2016. This new medical hub of activity is offering doctors and medical professionals a va-

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOLTHOUSE PROPERTIES, LLC.

Above: Hoffman Hospice of the Valley opens this month with a new surgery center under contract to open in 2016.

Bottom right: Houchin Community Blood Bank's $10 million, 42,000-square-foot complex in the Seven Oaks Business Park is in full operation.

riety of opportunities from build-to-suit leasing to owning their own building. Construction of a new 27,000-squarefoot Class A commercial office building is underway and will be available for occupancy in spring 2016.

The success of the Business Park’s first phase has given rise to the need for additional parcels. Bolthouse Properties is currently constructing the next phases and has parcels ready for sale or build-to-suit now, with delivery in early 2016.

State Farm’s administrative complex, the Cal State University, Bakersfield, campus and major oil industry offices are examples of nearby enterprises that are fueling the Seven Oaks Business Park’s emergence as a regional center for the medical, energy and service industries.

This commercial activity has attracted many popular local, regional and national retail stores to the corridor.

The fully leased Grand Island Village retail center, located at the northwest corner of Ming Avenue and Buena Vista Road, offers area employees and residents a variety of products, health and salon services, dining experiences and more. This beautifully designed and landscaped Tuscaninspired space is less than a mile north of additional retail at Mustang Square.

Another Bolthouse Properties retail center is Mustang Square located at the corner of White Lane and Buena Vista Road. The center is home to Premier Family Health

Care’s newly opened medical facility. Lease discussions are under way for the next phase of the center.

Complementing the corridor’s booming commercial and retail activity are residential projects that feature elegant single-family residences being developed by Woodbridge Pacific Group and the fully leased Park Square at Seven Oaks, a luxury gated apartment community.

“We’re humbled as we watch the Seven Oaks/Buena Vista corridor develop from concept to reality,” Davis said.

Laura Wiener is the owner of Spectrum Communications in Bakersfield.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Industrial

Wayne Kress Director/Principal 661.633.3819

wayne.kress@paccra.com

7

Office

Scott Reynolds Senior Associate 661.633.3825

Coby Vance Associate Director 661.633.3807

scott.reynolds@paccra.com

coby.vance@paccra.com

Jeffrey Andrew Senior Director Principal 661.633.3827

Alex Balfour Associate Director 661.633.3856

alex.balfour@paccra.com

jeff.andrew@paccra.com

Multi-Family Investments

Ag and Land

Cushman & Wakefield Welcomes Michael Solis, Sales Associate Multi-Family Investments

Michael Solis Sales Associate Multi-Family Investments 559-967-4280

Kevin M. Palla Senior Associate 661.633.3803

kevin.palla@paccra.com

michael.solis@paccra.com

Retail

Patrick Thompson Associate Director 661.633.3813 patrick.thompson@paccra.com

Our Mission is to take care of our clients. We are forever aware that we don’t exist without them. We perform at the intersection of their needs and desired results. And we’ve produced satisfaction time and again.

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA’S LEADING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS BAKERSFIELD OFFICE

Vincent Roche Senior Director Principal 661.633.3817

vincent.roche@paccra.com

Duane Keathley Senior Director Principal 661.633.3817

duane.keathley@paccra.com

Nathan Perez Sales Associate 661.633.3814

nathan.perez@paccra.com

Josh Sherley Senior Associate 661.633.3840

josh.sherley@paccra.com

5060 California Ave., Suite 1000 Bakersfield, California 93309 661.327.2263 Main 661.633.3801 fax WWW.PACCRA.COM

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Junior Achievement brings New York Stock Exchange to Bakersfield

By Kathleen McNeil

J

unior Achievement of Bakersfield (JA) will bring the noise and chaos of the New York Stock Exchange to Kern County teens during the JA Stock Market Challenge, coming to Cal State Bakersfield Oct. 20.

This annual investment competition, now in its third year, is an exciting stock market education and simulation experience that allows students to learn how the stock market works.

Registration is open to middle and high school teachers and their students at no charge. Teachers may register at www.jabakersfield.org or by calling 328-9373.

Imagine a room full of students screaming desperately for the attention of a floor trader to process their transaction. See emotions run from despair to elation often in the span of just a few minutes. Watch the impassioned debates among teams as they decide whether to buy, sell or hold. The trading floor Kathleen McNeil will be loud and the pace frantic, just like the New York Stock Exchange. And when the closing bell rings, awards will go to the top three middle and high school teams with the highest portfolio net worth.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to see what impacts the value of a stock and why it may go up or down,” said Paul Anderson of “Moneywise Guys Radio Show” at Newstalk 1180 AM and 96.1 FM KERN. “The balance of risk and reward is evident

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The noise and chaos of the New York Stock Exchange comes to Kern County teens Oct. 20.

Relax. Save time and money. Meet new people. Help improve air quality. Whether you bike or walk, GET Bus will help you get there! Contact GET at 661-324-9874 to learn more about how your employees can try GET!

Download the Get Bus App:

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Searching for Business Banking Talent Relationship Managers for Visalia and Fresno Come to where everything is wide open.

First place team from Tehachapi High School in 2014.

Floor trader and South High team from last year.

as each team’s portfolio rises and falls.”

Anderson, with radio co-host Garro Ellis, will emcee the competition.

“I look forward this and encourage other local businesses to support JA; they give businesses the opportunity to make a real difference,” Anderson said. “When young people understand the financial concepts taught by Junior Achievement, they can more positively contribute to the community and its future business environment.”

The simulation is an exciting two-part exercise that begins in the classroom. Students learn about the stock market, why it exists and how it benefits companies. They also learn valuable lessons in teamwork, such as the benefits of leveraging each member’s strengths and resolving conflict.

As they learn how to assess and match the skills of each individual to the specific roles associated with stock trading, they also learn what separates “great” teams from “good” ones.

The day of the simulation, teams receive a fictitious $1 million bankroll to invest. Only instead of taking weeks, months

or years to watch the performance of their stocks, they get feedback within minutes, as each trading day is condensed to being only 60 to 90 seconds long.

Every moment counts as students track stock movement, analyze industry trends, weigh news announcements (good and bad) and execute trades.

After the competition, students return to the classroom for the final lesson titled, “Reality Check,” which explains some of the crucial differences between the simulation and the actual stock market.

The public is invited to attend to observe the competition.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, please contact District Manager Kathleen McNeil at Junior Achievement at 328-9373 or kmcneil@jasocal.org.

Kathleen McNeil has served as district manager of Junior Achievement of Bakersfield for eight years, overseeing development, special events and program implementation in local classrooms throughout Kern County.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Consumers’ health and healthy behaviors tied to state of economy TABLE 1

TABLE 2

TABLE 3

PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO

In good economies, people eat out more often, like here at The Mark Restaurant in downtown Bakersfield.

By Jose M Granados

T

he local economy has been improving for the past few years. More people are working; unemployment is around 10 percent, down from 17.5 percent in spring 2010. Other economic indicators also show a steady and improved economy.

What does a better economy have to do with our health you ask? Well, some researchers (such as Christopher J Ruhm, an economist at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro) claim there is a strong correlation between the economy and our health.

One claim is that bad economic times have a positive impact on our health; this impact can be measured in a number of ways.

For example, due to lack of money and more free time in bad economic times, people tend to eat at home (which is usually more healthy than eating out), exercise more, drink less, and give up a number of costly and unhealthy habits. Good economic times have the reverse effect. The tables to the right are local numbers gathered that show how our health is affected at any moment.

First, let us look at a few lifestyle characteristics that have been proven to impact our health.

According to data from Scarborough Research, fewer people exercise today compared to 2014.

Gym and health club memberships are down 16 percent. Running and jogging are down as well. Additionally, those who workout do it less frequently and for shorter times.

Better economic times mean more disposable income and more spending on eating and other sedentary activities. Event attendance, eating out

and going to the movies are all up – see Table 1.

There are some health services that do better in good economic times than bad ones. Current data shows that more people are having cosmetic surgery. The number of people who saw a cosmetic surgeon in the past 12 months is up 120 percent. During bad economic times people forgo dental and eye care, but now the number of people seeing a dentist is up 16 percent, an increase of more than 36,000 consumers – see Table 2.

The types of medications taken over the past 12 months are another indication of our health and priorities. Data indicates that fewer people are buying weight loss medication. The same is true for medication to quit smoking. On the other hand, more people are taking medication for digestive problems, high blood pressure and arthritis – see Table 3.

How consumers rate their health status has also declined over the past 12 months. In 2014, more than 74,000 Kern County adults rated their health as excellent, dropping to approximately 60,000 in 2015. In fact, more people now rate their health as poor – see Table 4.

There may be a silver lining in all this data.

Compared to 2014, the number of Kern County adults without health insurance dropped 33 percent. Now, more people have health insurance and access to care when they need it – see Table 5.

Jose M Granados works for TBC Media in the Market Research Department. This market analysis is based on data from Scarborough Research.

TABLE 4

TABLE 5

October / November 2015

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October / November 2015

Healthy Aera helps employees lead healthier lives

By Kathy Daniel

I

n 2010, Aera Energy’s Steve Wilcox decided to participate in an annual biometric screening the company offers employees through its wellness program, “Healthy Aera.”

It’s a good thing he did. When he received his test results, Wilcox learned, to his surprise, that he had diabetes.

Thanks in part to Healthy Aera, Wilcox Kathy Daniel has since made major changes, including diet and exercise, which have improved his diabetes-related symptoms and helped him lead a healthier life.

Wilcox isn’t alone in benefiting from Healthy Aera. In ways big and small, Aera employees and their families are learning how to incorporate better health, fitness and eating habits into their daily lives.

In fact, 82 percent of Aera’s 1,400 employees participate in Healthy Aera.

When Aera says, “Every day, everybody goes home alive and well,” we mean it.

Health and safety start with personal well-being and extend to everything we do on the job. Helping employees take owner-

ship of their health and wellness is more important than ever. In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population, had diabetes. More than a third of them were undiagnosed. One in every three American adults has high blood pressure.

Many still don’t know they have it.

Healthy Aera is an umbrella for a lot of moving parts involving wellness. Employees can participate in a number of ways, making use of many tools to help them move forward on their wellness journeys, whether they’re beginning as a “couch potato” or ready to compete in a triathlon.

Aera’s Jacob Sherman is a prime example of how Healthy Aera can change lives.

Two years ago, he weighed 305 pounds and could hardly walk up a flight of stairs.

Using education tools and resources from Healthy Aera, Sherman lost 110 pounds and 29 percent body fat. Today, at 34, he’s fit, healthy and competing in the grueling Spartan Race.

Formally created in 2010, Healthy Aera is voluntary and confidential. Employees have access to a registered dietician, a corporate wellness coach, fitness instructors and an ergonomics expert as well as Aera’s two registered nurses. Healthy Aera partners with Virgin Pulse, part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, to provide

an online program that supports health and activity tracking, challenges and incentives for employees.

Every quarter, for example, we start a new game and challenge employees to take part in various activities. It might be getting in eight hours of sleep per night or eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. We regularly challenge employees to move and improve, especially by walking a minimum of 7,000 steps every day or doing jumping jacks during TV commercials. A popular Healthy Aera tool is a pedometer, or “Max,” which Aera gives employees to track their steps.

Here are a few other samples of Healthy Aera tools and offerings: • • • • • •

Skin cancer screening Free flu shots Weight Watchers Workout facilities at each Aera location CPR and first-aid classes Educational presentations on pertinent health and wellness topics

Employees who participate in Healthy Aera build up points by learning and doing.

As they achieve increasing point levels in the game, they’re eligible to earn up to $140 in cash per quarter for their successful efforts.

A Healthy Aera treadmill workstation.

More importantly, Healthy Aera arms our workforce with the tools, resources and support to understand and improve their health. Aera employees and their families are eating better, gaining physical mobility, stopping smoking, losing weight, reducing stress and having fun while they’re at it.

Aera is a wonderful company that cares deeply about its employees. Healthy Aera is one of many ways that Aera demonstrates a core value: being part of something special.

What’s not to love about that?

Kathy Daniel is a registered nurse certified in occupational health and case management. She graduated from CSU Bakersfield’s nursing program in 1978 and has worked for Aera and its predecessor companies for 26 years.

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October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Chevron program strives to impact employee health

By Barry Ramirez

O

ver the last 25 years, there have been few hot-button topics more pressing and divisive in America than health care. This impending concern has largely been a reflection of an ongoing health crisis.

According to the latest findings, the Center for Disease Control estimated that more than one-third of the population is considered obese (34.9 percent), nearly one-tenth are diagnosed with diabetes (9.4 percent) and another one-third have prediabetes and simply don’t know it.

The consequences of these ailments aren’t only costly in terms of the affected individual’s health, but financially as well. In 2008, the CDC estimated that the medical cost of obesity-related complications alone was $147 billion.

However, there are companies that haven’t shied away from the health crisis and have taken the initiative in curtailing its costly effects.

One of these companies is Chevron.

For more than 20 years, Chevron has been engaged in creating a culture of self-care, which allows employees to indulge in healthy practices, thereby circumventing the devastating cost of disease. Healthy employees are less likely to be absent and more likely to remain focused and energized for longer periods of time – the potential advan-

tageous social effects are undeniable.

“It’s part of our company’s operational excellence focus to integrate healthy behaviors into our daily operations to achieve world-class performance,” said Patricia Lucke, wellness coordinator for the Chevron San Joaquin Valley Business Unit. “Protecting people and the environment is our vision for success. Visible leadership and engagement is demonstrated toward employee health and safety and supported (throughout the enterprise).”

One of the many ways that Chevron encourages its employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle is through the creation of a health curriculum by a local wellness team that instructs staffers on healthy habits and work practices.

It holds brown bag sessions, publicizes monthly health note topics, self-help online resources and provides health coaching on how to manage stress, hypertension, smoking cessation, nutrition, and the consequences of cardiovascular health and physical inactivity.

Apart from educating its employees, Chevron has on-site fitness centers that offer group exercise classes in yoga, massage therapy and even conducts daily instructorled office group stretch breaks. Health club memberships are also made available.

Arguably most important, Chevron has implemented healthy snack breaks and provides its workers with healthy food options. Employees can also become

A yoga class is one of the many options a Chevron employee has to stay fit.

members of Weight Watchers.

While alterations in the health care system may allow more or less people to have health coverage, Chevron is currently focused on treating the symptoms of the pernicious diseases affecting the nation.

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October / November 2015

Health Careers Academy celebrates 30 years of student growth, success

By Robert Lewy

T

he East Bakersfield High School Health Careers Academy began in 1985, modeled after the Philadelphia Academy of the early 1960s and brought to California by Charlie Dayton. Three teachers and a counselor came together in the belief that students should have a focus and relevant coursework to keep them engaged, ensuring graduation and possible career selection.

In 1989, the Health Careers Academy was placed on the master schedule at East High School as a pathway for students, grades 10-12, with an interest in the medical field serving about 90 students per year.

In 1993, Charlie Dayton and the Robert Lewy California Department of Education brought 10 schools together in Folsom, California, forming the California Partnership Academies operating as a school within a school, governed by the education code through the California Department of Education.

Grant status was awarded at this time giving the 10 schools in California the funds to develop their programs and target “at-risk� students.

Students are recruited for the academy during their

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

The East Bakersfield High School Health Careers Academy provides a pathway to the medical field.

October / November 2015

freshman year. Student selection is based on interest and “at-risk” need. Students receive their core classes in English, math and science, all with a medical emphasis, as well as electives such as medical terminology, anatomy-physiology and kinesiology.

The students, from sophomore through senior year, share 10 teachers who have the desire to see them all succeed. This threeyear-long program allows the dedicated teachers, counselors and administrators to watch the cohorts bond and mature while sharing dreams, a specific curriculum, learning job skills and having an opportunity to participate in job shadowing.

The job-shadowing portion of the curriculum consists of each junior and senior selecting an area of interest out of 30-plus departments at Kern Medical Center, surgical and lab technicians at local veterinary clinics, prosthetic manufacturing at Valley Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics, and other locations within transportation reach. Students receive their job sites based on GPA, so their performance in the classroom is critical in receiving the desired area.

Students job shadow at their site for a minimum of two hours, one day per week, which is afforded by block scheduling. In some cases, students spend several hours at a job, such as when they observe a spinal or brain surgery.

East Bakersfield Health Careers Academy enjoys the success and motivation job shadowing supplies, especially when students get to work with former East High students now enjoying careers at the various locations. We have graduates who have gone on to receive their four-year degree, as well as advanced degrees, who now work for Kern Medical Center, Dignity Health and other medical institutions in Bakersfield, which gives us a larger pool for job shadowing sites and mentor relationships.

Due to its success in retaining students, higher graduation rates and an increase in standardized test results are exhibited.

This academy model has been duplicated in many academies in California with different focuses, such as technology, service industries, graphic arts, business and law enforcement, etc.

The Health Careers Academy is the oldest Prop 98 academy in California and now serves close to 200 students per year. The level of performance previously mentioned is due to student interest, relevant curriculum, and a dedicated small group of teachers and administrators willing to put in extra time and effort into their students with no additional compensation other than more work.

The academy also focuses on community service and volunteerism where students promote and administer events and activities, such as blood drives through Houchin Community Blood Bank. They have also helped Scarlet Sabin set up events at the Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House. The students also helped Sabin with

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

the first Ronald McDonald Walk.

Freddie Hernandez of Dignity Health, teams up with our students to participate in the community outreach program through Memorial Hospital. Whether it is Christmas or Thanksgiving, students are always with Dignity Health staff, providing members of the community with needed food and materials.

Students are consistently participating in Relay for Life and Links for Life with Patsy Romero. The academy is involved with the Kern County Public Health Department in promoting communitybased programs for healthier lifestyles and environment whether it be in tobacco and alcohol awareness, public education or acquiring community input in order to reclaim and maintain local community parks.

The East Bakersfield High Health Careers Academy students received a Beautiful Bakersfield award in 2009 for Outstanding Youth Group, as a result of the students’ community service.

Job shadowing lets students observe an area of interest.

The connections made through businesses are critical for providing the good to great experiences guaranteeing student commitment and success. If it weren’t for Kern Medical Center supplying multiple job shadow sites; Kern County Economic Development Foundation for supplying more than 30 mentors to the students at least once per month; and the unbelievable experiences the students receive at Cooke’s Veterinary and Niles Point Veterinary, Valley Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics and many other county and private facilities, the East Bakersfield High School Health Careers Academy would not be celebrating its 30th year with plans of continued growth for students.

Robert Lewy is the director of the East Bakersfield High School Health Careers Academy. He is also a chemistry and physics teacher who has worked for the Kern High School District for 23 years and is a graduate of East Bakersfield High School.

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October / November 2015

In Dry Dock

Retired Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Solis joins the ranks at Cushman & Wakefield Pacific

By Diana Greenlee

A

fter more than a decade in the Navy, Michael Solis has a lot of stories.

But if he told them to you, he’d probably have to kill you.

Solis, 30, still wears a crew cut. But he’s made the transition into civilian life, joining the ranks at Cushman & Wakefield Pacific as its multi-family specialist. He said much of his military experience involved gathering information, and it’s “highly classified.”

The specialist enlisted with the Navy right after graduating from Farmersville High School outside of Visalia in 2003. He trained for 18 months with the Center for Information Dominance in Great Lakes, Illinois, and went to work with the NSA as a cryptologic technician technical, (CTT). His duties included gathering and analyzing data and information.

Solis went on to join the Navy’s visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS), team which fights piracy often near the Horn of Africa. He said they defended ships from Britain, New Zealand and other countries, but American ships got exclusive treatment.

“If an American ship is captured, it’s the SEAL team or special Marine forces,” he said.

Although nausea on larger ships was never a problem for Solis, he said some of the missions were “memorable” on smaller vessels in choppy waters. It’s an industrial hazard but even he fell prey to queasiness. He said eventually sailors get their sea legs.

“I got sea sick holding security on a door,” he said.

“You cannot move your eyes … I remember seeing the little window on the door moving … you just have to keep this stationary stare.”

More advanced pursuits awaited the officer as he joined in a direct NSA mission in a classified division of a special part of the military where he provided information to multiple branches of the military.

“It was a joint intelligence operation,” he said. “Collecting intelligence in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Solis spent years in study, earning a bachelor’s degree in finance during his enlistment in addition to a girth of information in cryptography. He also knows “every missile system on the planet,” placing him at the elite expert level on the subject.

“CTs (cryptographic technicians) make up less than 1,400 personnel in the Navy, and there are 280,000 in Solis while in the U.S. Navy.

New multi-family specialist fits in with growing Cushman & Wakefield Pacific

Mike Solis

the Navy,” he said. “We are very specialized; there’s a lot of schoolwork. Between deployments it’s nothing but school.”

Solis was wounded in combat in 2011 “supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.” He was sent to recruiting duty and then retired, coming home to his wife of 12 years, Susana, 29, and three children: Samantha, 7; Thalia, 4; and Michael, 2.

He joined Cushman & Wakefield Pacific last July, after spending almost a year with another firm commuting to Los Angeles from his home in Visalia. He said being away from family for extended periods of time made that job unattractive.

“After doing this so long in the military,” he said, “I just don’t want to do it anymore.”

Solis says most of his work is done in the Fresno office, although he anticipates more travel as Cushman & Wakefield Pacific continues its expansion. He says his education and experience in the military prepared him well for his career, especially his math savvy and research expertise. He says his other useful skillsets have become more salient in the private sector.

“The leadership aspect – being able to get up and speak,” he said. “A lot of confidence; leading people. A lot of that is needed in the business world.”

Solis says he loves his new job, but a guy who’s had a family member serve in every war since the Civil War has got military in his veins. What about the buzz cut?

“I can’t let it grow out – I can feel it and it starts bothering me,” he said. “I spent years yelling at my guys to get a haircut; it’s ingrained in me.”

Cushman & Wakefield Pacific Chief Operating Officer Michael O’Doherty said they are proud to welcome Mike Solis aboard as their multi-family specialist. Solis will be working out of the Fresno office.

The new hire is joining a well-established group of professionals at the full-service commercial brokerage. The team represents buyers, sellers and those interested in letting or leasing all types of commercial real estate, including income properties.

O’Doherty says Cushman & Wakefield Pacific, an international company, has always handled a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions, but they’ve recently restructured the local organization to aggressively focus its real estate professionals’ collective efforts in order to expand customer service in targeted areas of need.

Vincent Roche and Duane Keathley are leading the retail team, which concentrates on restaurants and shopping centers. Jeff Andrew focuses on professional offices; Wayne Kress in tackling the industrial market, offering manufacturing and warehouse facilities. Kevin Palla, who stems from 100 years of family ag tradition, is making farmland and agriculture his focal point.

The COO says the new structure will provide staff an opportunity to take a “proactive approach,” allocating time for them to reach out to clients on every side of the transaction, resulting in efficient outcomes.

He said they are willing to do the legwork to earn the business. So if a client has been looking for that hard-to-find piece of property, such as farmland to buy or lease, how can they help?

“I’m going to call farmers,” he said.

Today Cushman & Wakefield Pacific is stationed in Bakersfield and Fresno, with ties to global offices, opening up a wealth of opportunities for individuals seeking out-of-town properties. O’Doherty says their goal is to open a Visalia office in 2016, with additional branches in Santa Clarita and the Central Coast projected in the future.

Diana Greenlee

October / November 2015

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October / November 2015

Managing stress in your everyday life

By Cesar Duque Gomez

L

et’s start with the understanding that stress is a normal part of life and may occur as a result of external circumstances or events, physical or health concerns, or emotional triggers that are common to everyone.

Each of us defines stress differently and reacts to life’s stressors in unique ways. Our response to stress can determine our future and affect our health significantly.

Everyday stressors come and go in our lives and may not pose a danger to our health and well-being, but chronic, repetitive stress may cause significant physical, mental or emotional hardship. Because our instinct is to live without stress, we take steps to remove it from our lives – like running away from a wild animal or violence.

However, the key to successfully managing stress is not simply to avoid or run away from the stressors in your life, but to develop strategies for managing your stress effectively.

Long-term stress may present as depression, anxiety and cardiovascular disease.

Again, the stressor itself is not the cause of the damage but our lack of strategies to counteract and relieve stress.

Let me use insomnia as an example.

Insomnia is often seen as a problem (and I agree, since I had it this morning) but it is merely the reflection of a mind that is not quiet and is unable to turn itself off and rest – usually due to stress.

A single night of insomnia may not lead to significant health concerns; however, chronic insomnia due to stress may certainly affect a person’s health and well-being.

Therefore, I would advise patients to try different strategies for calming the mind, relaxing the body and letting go of stress at the end of each day.

The specific strategy or strategies you select to help you manage stress will be based on activities that bring joy and a sense of well-being into your life. This may be spending time with your children, grandchildren, or pets in the evenings, reading, cooking, making art, journaling, visiting with a friend, taking a walk, praying, dancing or engaging in any other number of activities that feel good.

You must discover what works for you and be proactive about regularly engaging in

these activities as a way to manage stress and increase your quality of life.

On a final note, today’s society with all its “connectedness” and immediate response removes us from the fullness of the human experience.

I enjoy technology, but I wonder if we are missing the opportunity to recreate ourselves with downtime by allowing work and electronic concerns to creep in and consume our time.

I can see the potential applications of a wearable device, but do I need something on my wrist alerting me every time I get an email or a text? Definitely not.

If we spent less time with electronic preoccupations and spent more time engaging in activities that allow our mind to relax, we could prepare ourselves for the stress that is guaranteed to return to our lives. By setting clear boundaries in our work, social and personal lives and developing habits that promote physical and mental health, we give ourselves the opportunity to recuperate and ultimately, manage and relieve stress.

Dr. Cesar Duque Gomez is a family practice physician and the chief clinical services officer at Omni Family Health. Omni Family Health provides a full range of primary and preventative care services in the areas of medical, dental, behavioral health, chiropractic and more in the communities of Buttonwillow, Lost Hills, Wasco, Taft, Delano, Shafter, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi and Bakersfield.

Making life easier for HR managers

By Cathy Berthiaume

A

ccording to Google, “Human Resource managers plan, direct, and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization.”

A daunting task nowadays, and Season Susko, president of the Kern County chapter of CalSHRM (California Society of Human Resource Managers), says “an HR Manager’s biggest challenge is to know what employment laws exist and to keep up on new laws and amendments.”

That being said, one would wager that HR managers can use all the help they can get to arm themselves for their daily mission and their need to stay current in the ever-changing world of legal mandates and prevailing policies concerning business.

In response to that need, Bakersfield's Saba Agency has teamed up with SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) and is now offering SHRM and CalSHRM members valuable support by creating and producing an innovative new tool to add to their management arsenal— the much-anticipated CalSHRM Awards

Insights webcasts.

Saba Agency's quarterly CalSHRM Awards Insights webcasts are produced by Tom Saba and directed by Charlie McKay with the help of Creative Concepts' Debbe Haley and The Bakersfield Californian's John Farrand and Louis Amestoy.

The webcasts are produced in The Bakersfield Californian's state-of-the-art webcast studio, which utilizes the latest technology available in the audio/visual webcast field.

Hosted by local talent Jan Hefner, the webcasts are current, lively and professional, addressing the myriad of issues involving HR management with knowledgeable, interesting and diverse guest speakers from the CalSHRM world.

The inaugural webcast, which took place in August, featured popular local attorney Katy Raytis, a partner with Belden, Blaine & Raytis LLP, who spoke on current mandates and policies concerning business.

Season Susko, another featured guest on the webcast, addressed live-tweeted questions as well as CalSHRM chapter updates.

SHRM and CalSHRM are well-respected

and prominent trade associations for Human Resource managers.

The SHRM and CalSHRM organizations are 32,000 members-strong in California alone. It's no surprise that Saba Agency's newly launched webcast was an immense success, with the average viewer watching for 41 minutes. Not bad considering the median time spent viewing anything on the Internet is 90 seconds.

And the proverbial icing on the cake is that, not only do the quarterly CalSHRM Awards Insights webcasts keep HR managers current on policies and regulations, but they also earn educational credits that are required for their profession. It's an HR win-win.

Saba's next CalSHRM Awards Insights webcast will take place on Nov. 12 and will feature Denise Winston, financial expert, who will be sharing updates about the ACA mandate. To register for the free webcast go to www.calshrmawards.com/store/insights.

According to Susko, “CalSHRM Awards Insights quarterly webcasts provide an exceptional opportunity for California employers to gain current HR education on hot but-

ton legal issues. The speakers chosen for this free education are renowned in their scope and deliver information in a relaxed forum, leaving out the confusing legal jargon and opening up clear pathways to compliance.”

Catherine Lodge, director of human resources for Genuine Mountain Hospitality agrees, and said, “I really enjoyed the webcast and especially appreciate topics that are California specific. Katy Raytis was informative and I like her sense of humor.”

Tom Saba, president of Saba Agency and CalSHRM Awards, expects nothing less than great reviews. “We've done our homework and are working with the best talent, the most knowledgeable guests and outstanding production team out there.

CalSHRM and SHRM National are wonderful organizations and I see nothing but continued growth and a positive outlook for future CalSHRM Awards Insights webcasts.”

Great news for HR managers statewide!

Cathy Berthiaume is the creative services director for Saba Agency. She's been with the agency for 19 years and has received several awards for her work.

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HealthSouth Bakersfield hosts hospital expansion open house

By Marlene B. Heise

H

ealthSouth Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital will host an invitation-only open house to celebrate its new expansion. The event is Thursday, Nov. 5, at 4:30 p.m. at the hospital, located at 5001 Commerce Drive.

The approximately $7.2 million expansion, mainly built by local contractors and suppliers, adds 20 beds in private rooms, bringing the total number of beds to 86.

Each of the new rooms includes state-of-the-art equipment, such as inroom oxygen and specialized plumbMarlene B. Heise ing for on-site hemodialysis services.

In addition, two deluxe rooms have been created with bariatric patients in mind, including wider doors, larger restrooms and built in Hoyer lifts for employee safety.

Other features of the expansion include a new gym, the largest inpatient gym in the county; a second, separate, dining area; a second employee lounge; and three outdoor patio spaces, which feature drought-resistant xeriscape landscaping.

Twenty new positions have been added to the hospital staff, including a nurse supervisor, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, case manager and a rehabilitation liaison. Two new physical medicine and

rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians have been recruited to treat the additional patients who can now be seen due to the HealthSouth Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital expansion, bringing more experts into the community.

“HealthSouth is the only acute rehabilitation hospital within about 100 miles of Bakersfield, so it is exciting to be able to offer more patients and their families access to the therapy they need to regain their independence,” said HealthSouth Bakersfield CEO Martha Samora.

“We have consistently been near our daily capacity, and this expansion will allow us to serve up to 45 more

patients every month.”

HealthSouth is one of the nation’s largest providers of post-acute healthcare services, offering both hospital-based inpatient, outpatient and home-based post-acute care in 33 states and Puerto Rico through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. HealthSouth can be found on the web at www.healthsouth.com.

Marlene B. Heise is the owner of Heise Media Group and Marlene B. Heise Consulting.

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October / November 2015

Wearables in the workplace

By David A. Milazzo

“H

ouston, we have a problem.”

During the 1970 Apollo 13 mission to the moon, astronaut Jack Swigert stirred the oxygen tanks in a routine procedure, which ultimately produced this famous line.

Shortly thereafter, the engineers of mission control began examining every detail of the mayhem occurring onboard the spacecraft – including the real-time vital signs of the three mission astronauts.

The astronauts weren’t wearing Fitbits, Garmins or Apple Watches – and we certainly didn’t consider the contacts stuck to the bodies of the astronauts wearable computers at the time. But the practice of collecting real-time health data on individuals David A. Milazzo performing extremely important work is an interesting concept considering the tech landscape of today.

You can’t go anywhere without noticing someone sporting a fitness bracelet trying to reach their 10,000th step for the day. These activity trackers have taken hold of the times and allow personal users the ability to quantify, capture and analyze their own fitness data.

The first devices to market collected just a few types of data: daily steps taken, heart rate, general calories burned and sleep tracking.

But we’re beginning to see additional monitors hit the street.

The Apple Watch presently captures the aforementioned data, but there are rumors that new watch bands could bring additional sensors to the platform: blood oxygen levels, respiratory rate, blood pressure and body temperature.

Now again, these are only rumors, but with our ever-increasing rate of technological advancement, it’s not far-fetched to believe these types of sensors will be commonplace in a few short years.

In addition to the growing number of sensors, there is a move to bring fitness data collection into the enterprise.

This fall, Fitbit is launching its newest “Fitbit Captivate” campaign for corporate wellness. Its goal is to equip companies with a complete program to help employees stay healthy and lead more active lives.

It starts by outfitting a portion of the workforce with Fitbits and allowing staff the opportunity to share some or all of their data. Anthem Inc. has taken notice and begun to sponsor these initiatives and even offer significant discounts on health insurance for companies taking part.

But where does all this personal data wind up?

I’m a technologist by trade and a futurist by passion; I love the what-ifs produced by this thought exploration.

Within two years we’ll be capable of placing a greatly advanced health bracelet on every one of our employees.

Employers will be able to deduce overall wellness using a variety of sensors. Are they running a fever? Is their blood pressure spiking? Do they have any alcohol in their system? It’s not inconceivable to picture an HR manager looking more like a nurse at the dashboard of an ICU with graphs pumping along on hundreds of staff simultaneously.

And while we may not want or need to collect data on

all our staff, there certainly are workers performing critical tasks where health status could be exceedingly valuable.

From firefighters and police to airline pilots and school bus drivers – some professions have a higher degree of responsibility than others.

So might that impact our view on how these devices are applied to our workforces?

I’m not coming to you with answers this month, just some looming potential. Like it or not, this new breed of technology is heading straight toward the enterprise.

Whether we adopt these coming technologies in the workplace or determine they’re solely for personal use will undoubtedly be an exciting dialogue.

David A. Milazzo is the founder and principal of Bakersfield-based Macroscopic, an Apple enterprise technology consultancy focused on bringing Mac and iOS technologies to businesses, schools, agencies and independent professionals. Send your questions to him via email at milazzo@macroscopic.net.

Why employers should curtail workplace cursing

By Robin Paggi

T

he summer I was 15 and working at my dad’s bait shop, he posted a sign by the cash register that said, “no cussing.” He didn’t put the sign there to remind me not to curse; it was there to let customers know that swearing was not allowed around my delicate ears.

While my ears are not so delicate anymore, I encourage employers to curtail the use of cursing in the workplace by themselves, their employees and their customers.

Folks at the top of the food chain who swear at work include T-Mobile CEO John Legere, who is known for his potty mouth.

In an interview Robin Paggi with Business Insider, Legere said, “I think employees relate to the way I speak, customers relate to exactly the way I think and talk.”

Perhaps they relate to it, but do they positively respond to it?

Every time we send a message it’s to gain a desired response. Employers and supervisors communicate with their employees primarily to get results. Therefore, they

should ask themselves whether their communication inspires greater engagement, commitment and performance or whether it inspires a negative response.

If their communication is full of fourletter words, they are inspiring a negative response because that’s what swearing does to our bodies. According to Richard Stephens, a senior psychology lecturer at Keele University who studied the effects of cursing, “swearing increases the heart rate and sets off the body’s flight-or-fight response,” which is great if you have to fight somebody or run away, but not so great when you’re just trying to do your job.

Constantly cursing is said to be one of the things that got former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz fired. In his article, “3 Leadership Tips Inspired From Carol Bartz,” Jonathan Kirschner, Psy.D., said, “Bartz coupled her over-confident leadership style with a potty mouth that only functioned to isolate, scare and anger employees, investors and, ultimately, her boss.” Indeed, Bartz told the Wall Street Journal that the one thing she would have done differently during her tenure was to not use the F-word.

So, if you want scared and angry employees, curse away. If not, then don’t.

Employers and supervisors might also

want to curtail their employees’ cursing because failure to do so could get them sued.

Cursing is not illegal; however, it might infringe upon the religious rights of some employees, which is illegal.

In his article, “When employees’ cursing gets you sued,” Dan Wisniewski describes such a situation. Kellymarie Griffin worked for the city of Portland and repeatedly let her co-workers know that she was opposed to their use of profanity, especially the use of God’s and Jesus’ names as curse words, because of her religious beliefs. One day Griffin sneezed loudly, startling a co-worker who exclaimed, “Jesus Christ!” Griffin complained to her team lead, who responded by saying she was sick of Griffin’s Christian attitude, her Christian (expletive) all over her desk and her Christian (expletive) all over the place. Griffin sued, claiming a hostile work environment. The court found that, “a rational jury could find that at least some of this profanity occurred because of Griffin’s religion” and sent the case to trial.

Finally, employers might want to follow my dad’s lead and ensure their customers keep their language clean while in their establishments. That’s what the owners of Mount Royal Tavern in Baltimore did after getting fed up with “the endless barrage of

blue language that was on the increase in the high-ceilinged barroom,” according to a Frederick N. Rasmussen’s article in The Baltimore Sun. Tavern owner Ron Carback said, “I thought we needed a little civility around here,” and set up a large plastic pretzel jar with a sign taped to it that said: “Mount Royal Tavern Cuss Bucket. Twenty-five cents a cuss.” Customers and employees are now watching what they say more closely, and the money that is collected when someone slips is donated to charity. Sure, customers who don’t appreciate the endless barrage of blue language can always go elsewhere, but that’s just the point – they take their business elsewhere.

Mark Twain said, “under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.”

I agree, but in the workplace I suggest that employers limit it to those circumstances.

Robin Paggi is the training coordinator at Worklogic HR where she creates and delivers workshops on topics such as harassment prevention, communication and supervisory skills. She can be reached at rpaggi@worklogiclegal.com or 695-5168.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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October / November 2015

Advocating healthy change at St. Francis Parish School The Bakersfield Police Department Annual Memorial Run.

By Sofie Zimmermann

T

he concept of change within any social structure can often be challenging and difficult to navigate. Our educators understand better than most that adding children to the equation increases that challenge exponentially. The leadership team at Saint Francis Parish School has decided to navigate the waters of change by demonstrating a real commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle for the students. The centerpiece for that commitment this school year can be found within the new nutritional lunch program.

Recommitment When asked to expound on the recommitment to offering more nutritional lunches, Principal Kelli Gruszka said: “For years I have overheard comments about the food in our cafeteria.

It is easy to fall prey to our children’s palates, and I feel that is what had happened here. What kid would say no to burgers, fries and ice cream? And while there is nothing wrong with an occasional fast-food meal, we didn’t want our lunches to mimic that product. Our goal became to find a kid-friendly product with a healthy balance of fruits and vegetables that would appeal not only to them but to our staff and parents as well. We spent the spring researching ideas on how to bring healthier foods to St. Francis, and we found some wonderful prototypes around the country. We have some improvement for our cafeteria on the drawing board so for now, Fit Pantry, just worked. With them on board, the balanced nutrition that we are striving for hits the mark with every meal.”

Collateral advantage Gruszka clearly understands that positive change is a living process that must be supported as it matures.

Gruszka was asked if she had identified any collateral advantages to the new

BPD officer sets example of perseverance lunch program and she said: “Obviously, I would like to be able to say, ‘Yes, we’ve seen lots of advantages to our new approach,’ but that would be a bit premature. We are but a few weeks into the new year and trying to encourage students to step out of the PBJ box will likely take a bit more educating and sampling! It might be best compared to changing brands. If you switch from Folgers to Starbucks, there is definitely a palate adjustment required. You could say that we are in that adjustment period.”

Return on investment

Gruszka also understands the importance of investing in this change as it relates to the long-term goals of encouraging healthy eating habits. When asked if she thought there had been a good return on that investment, Gruszka said: “High quality definitely costs more.

As far as a return on our investment, we are looking to teach our students the value of eating well. Our lunch program is not about making a profit. We have no surcharges added to the student meals.

I have sampled almost everything. Fit Pantry has been wonderful and is open to our suggestions to tweak what is being offered toward the desires of our students.” Gruszka has also taken the time to sample the various meals provided and said: “My favorite would have to be the pasta. The sauce, loaded with hidden veggies, it’s absolutely amazing.”

The momentum toward positive change is something that all can embrace if the motivations are pure. It is wonderful to see that Principal Gruszka and her team are appropriately committed to facilitating positive change to support the healthy lifestyle of each student at Saint Francis Parish School.

Sofie Zimmermann is a Bakersfield native and longtime parishioner of Saint Francis of Assisi Church. Her professional background is in marketing and marketing strategies.

By Sgt. Joe Grubbs

S

gt. Dennis Eddy wanted to be a police officer since he was a teenager growing up in Arvin. He saw it as a way to really make a difference in the community.

After a three-year stint in the Army – he signed up for Operation Desert Shield but was sent to Alaska – Eddy was hired as a Bakersfield Police Department dispatcher in 1997 and became a full-fledged officer in 2001.

On the evening of Feb. 9, 2008, Eddy and Officer Joe Cooley were making rounds on their second shift together as partners in the gang unit.

Before the night was over, Eddy was shot twice by a parolee, once on the chest over his heart and once on his right leg.

Fortunately, the bullet over the heart was stopped by his body armor. However, a major artery in his leg was destroyed.

As he lied on the dirt, before the bleeding was controlled, Eddy said his head felt like a washing machine.

“It felt like my life was draining away … my family and my children were the only thing on my mind,” he said. “I was thinking I might not get to see them again.”

Eddy was first taken to Kern Medical Center but was later transferred to the Buncke Clinic at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

There he was given two options. He could either keep part of his right foot, but not have a chance to work as a police officer ever again or the lower part of his right leg could be amputated and fitted with a prosthesis, allowing him to eventually return to police duty.

The evening before he had to make a decision, San Francisco police officer Eric Batchelder strode into Eddy’s hospital room to talk to him. Eddy didn’t notice at first, but Batchelder, who was dressed in his SFPD uniform, was an amputee.

The lower part of Batchelder’s left leg had been severed in a motorcycle accident

in 2005.

“He told me amputees can do anything,” Eddy recalled. “I decided to amputate my leg below the knee after we talked.

I had surgery the next day.”

Eddy went back to light duty in July and returned to full-time duty in December 2008.

Eddy said the first year and a half was a big adjustment. But the love of his family, including his wife and two sons; the love for his job; and the overwhelming support from the department and community spurred him on during his recovery.

Eddy will be at the 33rd Annual Bakersfield Police Memorial Run on Saturday, Nov. 7, at The Park at River Walk.

Proceeds from the run benefit the educational needs of surviving children of BPD officers killed in the line of duty.

The event would not be successful without a committed group of volunteers and donors. The money that is raised comes from entry fees, donations and sponsorships.

This year, Kaiser Permanente signed on as the presenting sponsor. They will bring activities that will be fun for the whole family, such as face painting, rock climbing walls and balloon artists.

“As part of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to creating a healthier community, we are pleased to be supporting the 2015 Bakersfield Police Department Annual Memorial Run on Nov. 7,” said Leslie Golich, director of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente. “We encourage the community to participate in the run, as well as enjoy the family friendly activities that will be added this year as part of Kaiser Permanente’s support of this event.”

Corporate and individual sponsorships are still available. For more information, contact Andrea Pflugh at 326-3685 or go to www.bakersfieldpd.us to download an entry form.

Sgt. Joe Grubbs is the public information officer for the Bakersfield Police Department.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Breast Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital seeks to provide new hope, care to patients

By Constance Stoehr

T

he statistics are alarming.

According to the American Cancer Society, one out of every eight women living in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives. Each year, more than 230,000 new cases are diagnosed and around 40,000 wives, mothers and sisters will lose their battle with this dreaded disease.

That’s why the Breast Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH) is committed to providing comprehensive, high-quality breast care to Bakersfield and the outlying communities of Kern County. All serConstance Stoehr vices – including screenings, treatment and surgery – are centralized in one location across from SJCH at Quest Imaging and the AIS Cancer Center – a first for Kern County.

But more than just convenience, a research and team-based approach reduces time between diagnosis and treatment – one of the most important factors associated with beating breast cancer.

A recent study published in the Journal of Oncology found “that the risk of dying from advanced breast cancer goes up 85 percent if you wait more than 60 days to start treatment.”

At the SJCH Breast Center, treatment will begin in less than half that time. Our goal is to ensure treatment begins as quickly as possible. Within 48 hours of getting a mammogram, patients will receive their results. If there is any abnormality, we immediately schedule additional imaging tests to understand exactly what’s going on. Once we have a clear diagnosis, our multidisciplinary team meets to formulate a treatment plan that makes the most sense for each individual patient.

All services – including screenings, treatment and surgery – are centralized in one location across from SJCH at Quest Imaging and the AIS Cancer Center – a first for Kern County.

Although the process is robust, treatment – whether surgery or chemotherapy – occurs within a month from the initial mammogram. Through each step, a personalized nurse navigator is assigned to each patient, giving them direct contact for scheduling appointments, sharing concerns or any other needs they might have. In addition to radiation and medical oncologists, the team includes a board-certified breast surgeon, pathologist, radiologist, clinical researcher and social worker. We also offer com-

plimentary support groups, nutritional classes and spiritual counseling with one of our dedicated chaplains.

Our services also include 3-D mammography, which is one of the most significant developments in the area of breast cancer detection in decades. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 3-D mammography is 41 percent more effective in the detection of invasive breast cancer that traditional 2-D mammography. Quest Imaging – with locations in downtown and southwest Bakersfield – is home to the only true 3-D mammography in Kern County.

Our goal isn’t just to save lives, it’s to restore life and make sure we keep families together for as long as possible. We understand that cancer doesn’t always cooperate, but we’re going to do everything in our power to help our patients win the battle.

If you are suffering from pain or discomfort in your breasts or if you have a family history of breast cancer or benign breast disease, don’t wait – call the SJCH Breast Center at 323-4673. It might be the most important call you make.

Constance Stoehr, MD, specializes in medical oncology/hematology at The AIS Cancer in downtown Bakersfield. She comes from a family of doctors and chose to continue the tradition. Stoehr has had family members diagnosed with cancer and has witnessed their successful remissions.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Sleepy employees: A drag on your business?

By Dr. Tom Armstrong

The Salt Cave allows one to clear the mind.

Work hard, stress less

By Shelby Parker

O

ne in five Americans experience “extreme stress,” which includes shaking, heart palpitations and depression. Work stress causes 10 percent of strokes. Three out of four doctor’s visits are for stress-related ailments, according to the American Institute of Stress.

However, there are plenty of ways for Kern County employees to step away from the emails or projects to relax, even if just for an hour, to clear the mind and get energized.

Free your mind The Salt Cave allows one to sit in a room, as pharmaceutical-grade salt is ground into “microfine” particles and emitted into the room and Himalayan salt adorns the floor. It’s almost like a scientific experiment in its own right.

Salt Cave manager Paula Vargas explained that phones, computers and other electronic devices put out positive ions, which can cause headaches, lethargy and much more.

The negative ions from the salt emit the same feelings as a visit to the beach or the feeling one gets after it rains. It also improves energy, metabolism, mental alertness, mood balance and sleep patterns. Vargas added that it also helps with sinuses or skin issues like eczema.

The Salt Cave is located 9316 Shellabarger Road.

Pamper your outer beauty Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery and MedSpa offers a variety of procedures, but best for de-stressing would be Endermologie facials and massage therapy. Robin Mattingly, manager of Beautologie, described them as the most “luxurious and relaxing experiences.”

Try one of the facials, which help treat acne, rosacea or other skin ailments acting up.

The treatments include soft music, lavender oil and a warm towel, which equal a “soothing” time.

Also offered are hot stone massages, which help ease tension in the back or neck from working on a computer.

Visit beautologie.com/locations/bakersfield to find out more information or to make an appointment.

Mind, body and spirit According to WebMD, yoga emphasizes, “breathing and the mind/body/spirit connection” and “people who practice yoga frequently report that they sleep better and feel less stressed.”

It’s good exercise and frees the mind.

The Yoga Space, located on 2611 F St., offers different classes, including hot yoga, meditation and restorative, as well as different levels of the traditional style. The Yoga Space also offers a new student special for just $27, which is one week of unlimited sessions, allowing guests to experience the different classes and teachers’ styles that are offered. More information can be found on bakersfieldyogaspace.com.

The Art Cellar

Get in touch with your artsy side The Art Cellar hosts paint nights, which allow attendees to paint their own designated pieces of art with the help of an instructor and take it home at the end of the evening.

“You don’t have to have any artistic talent,” said Pam Manning, one of The Art Cellar’s owners. “It’s just a place to get away, hang out with good friends and have a relaxed time.”

There are also options for kids, if you want to get your children in on the action.

Manning and her business partner Lisa Absher are full-time employees themselves, working as teachers, so they enjoy their time at The Art Cellar to unwind. It is a two-hour course and costs $40. There is also a reception beforehand, which includes a meeting with the artist and wine.

Visit theartcellarbakersfield.com for a full calendar of events.

W

ho in your office was late again because they overslept?

Which workers are napping when they should be working? How many of your employees have been absent due to sleepiness? What would it cost your business if a company driver fell asleep and caused a major accident?

Workplace fatigue is not a joke anymore. In our economy, there is no longer room for workers whose sleepiness affects their productivity and costs a business money in the long run. Your employees could have sleep disorders that are not only affecting their lives and health, but those problems carry over into how well they perform on the job.

As discussed in Harvard Medical School's Dr. Tom Armstrong comprehensive report, “The Price of Fatigue: The Surprising Economic Costs of Unmanaged Sleep Apnea,” the University of Maryland Medical Center noted that the direct cost of sleep-related issues is $16 billion and the indirect cost somewhere between $50 billion to $100 billion. More specifically, Harvard reported the economic cost of not treating a serious sleep problem, obstructive sleep apnea, ranges between $65 billion and $165 billion in the U.S. annually.

Lack of sleep and other sleep problems are closely related to numerous medical conditions that increase employee health costs, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and depression.

These chronic illnesses linked to sleep problems affect more than just the health of the person with the problem. Other family members' lives can be involved, too, when income and quality of life are compromised. Research has shown that sleep is a basic biological need that is essential to our health, performance, safety and quality of life.

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is of particular concern because it affects millions of Americans, yet 85 percent of people with this condition are undiagnosed, untreated and may not even know they have it.

To get a clearer idea of the “big picture” with OSA in the U.S. alone, consider these statistics: OSA-related traffic accidents are estimated to cost between $12 billion and $39 billion per year (not including medical costs).

OSA-related workplace accidents cost the economy between $7 billion and 22 billion per year.

OSA-related lost productivity costs the economy at least $3 billion and perhaps as much as $15 billion per year.

The indirect costs of sleep deprivation and the workplace matter, too.

The Harvard analysis included things like mental health treatment for depression; costs from marital unhappiness, counseling or divorce; and investigative and legal costs associated with motor vehicle accidents.

It is clear that the direct and indirect costs of sleepy workers are astronomically high in the United States, with effects on many levels.

With this situation in mind, a number of employers around the country are realizing that implementing programs to increase awareness of sleep disorders and identifying employees with them, which can improve performance and safety.

The good news is that there are many resources now available to help businesses of all sizes put such programs into practice. So take the first step and see how you can add a healthy sleep component to your employee’s health program.

Dr. Tom Armstrong is a Bakersfield dentist certified in dental sleep medicine. He provides oral appliances for people with sleep apnea and snoring problems who do not want to use typical CPAP.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

New rooms, brands point to booming Bakersfield hotel market

By David Lyman

M

irroring a national trend, Bakersfield will soon see several new hotels, with several more being planned. Some hotel brands are new to Bakersfield.

Among the new names is Marriott TownePlace Suites. Soon to open on Granite Falls Drive, this 95-room, extended-stay property is billed by the developer as the new West Coast prototype for this David Lyman brand.

Bakersfield’s first Red Roof Inn recently opened at 889 Oak St. This family- and pet-friendly hotel offers 40 completely new rooms with pillow-top beds and wood flooring and features, along with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs.  Developers have announced a Hyatt Place will rise at Coffee and Westfield

roads, just north of Stockdale Highway.

This 118-room, four-story hotel would be the first Hyatt property in Bakersfield.

Developers also have announced plans for Bakersfield’s first Fairfield Inn and Suites. Its 85 rooms on Industry Parkway Drive near Meadows Field Airport (BFL) are tentatively expected to open in summer 2016.

Also near the airport, a new Holiday Inn Express on Quinn Road will have 104 rooms among its four floors. It is slated to open later this year.

Red Lion has returned to Bakersfield, opening at 2620 Buck Owens Blvd. This 198-room property is adjacent to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. It offers amenities like 42-inch flat-screen TVs with HBO, free Wi-Fi and complimentary made-to-order breakfast every morning.

Adjacent to the new Hosking Avenue interchange at Highway 99, plans for a proposed commercial and retail center include the possibility of 240 hotel rooms.

Developers have purchased land at Brimhall and Coffee roads and indicated

A Fairfield Inn and Suites is due to open in Bakersfield next summer.

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October / November 2015

that one of the proposed uses will be a hotel.

The addition of new hotel rooms in Bakersfield reflects a national trend. According to a recent report from Marketplace Business, there is a shortage of hotel rooms nationwide. This is a remnant from the recession, when hotel construction nosedived. However, demand for hotels rooms is up, so hotel operators are able to charge more. Plus, there is greater interest in building more rooms to meet the demand.

In addition to new rooms and new brands, SpringHill Suites at 3801 Marriott Drive will soon begin a $2 million renovation project with an expected completion date of Jan. 31, 2016. These improvements will involve a complete redo of rooms and public spaces, including the addition of a digital art gallery/display in the lobby.

For its 25th anniversary, the Bakersfield Residence Inn has completed a multi-million dollar renovation, including 114 guest suites (new furniture, carpet, drapes, tub surrounds), public spaces (such as the gate house and gym), a 500-square-foot meeting room and landscaping upgrades.

Lastly, Bakersfield’s Padre Hotel received the esteemed AAA Four-Diamond award for the first time since its opening in 2010. This prestigious rating reflects a combination of overall quality, range of facilities and level of service. Only 5 per-

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

cent of the 28,000 hotels ranked annually receive the Four Diamond award and are

The addition of new hotel rooms in Bakersfield reflects a national trend.

According to a recent report from Marketplace Business, there is a shortage of hotel rooms nationwide. This is a remnant from the recession, when hotel construction nosedived. recognized as having luxurious accommodations, full-service amenities and the highest level of hospitality.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

How’s the health of your risk management system?

By John Pryor

T

oo many organizations in Kern County don't employ a true risk management system as part of their “corporate culture.” They typically work with their insurance broker only at the “insurance management” level.

For continued good fiscal health, it’s important to move to the next level – from insurance management to “risk management.” Not John Pryor to do so is analogous to a physician treating only surface symptoms – as opposed to treating root causes.

Traditional risk management treats an organization’s overall system of “pure” or “static” risks – those that produce only a loss. It does not address “speculative” or “dynamic” risks – those that can produce either a loss OR a gain. These latter risks are addressed at the still higher level of “enterprise risk management” (to be discussed at another time).

Traditional risk management addresses ALL of an organization’s static risks – fire, theft, liability, cybercrime, earthquake, etc. Commercial insurance is one solution, but only one of multiple potential “fiscal health treatments” available. Moreover, to track only an organization's insurance costs doesn’t provide a valid “picture” of actual

risk management costs – it may even be misleading!

What is needed is TCOR – total cost of risk (described below).

Taking basic insurance management to the next level of risk management provides an organization’s leadership with more proactive, cost-effective outcomes. They will better understand what’s happening within their risk management systems and its various processes. Moreover, neither the broker nor the carriers involved will be in control of the overall process. The organization will!

Insurance brokers welcome this shift of control. It enables them to do their essential work more effectively and more easily. My recent book on this same topic is endorsed

by CEOs of both the national and California brokers’ associations. So this overall process is very “broker friendly” in their eyes – and in reality.

This is not to say other risk management elements are ignored. They are addressed almost daily. Safety, security, fire prevention, cybercrime and other risk control measures are inevitably addressed, but all too often each is addressed within its own “silo” without cost-effective, cross-functional collaboration and communication.

Also, little or no consideration typically is given to ARTs (alternative risk transfer measures), other alternatives that should be considered in lieu of conventional commercial insurance for the strong fiscal health of the organization.

In addition, contracts executed by the

organization may offer solid protection from costly litigation or, at the other end of the spectrum, they may “give away the store” by not understanding the various risk transfer clauses available. We’ve seen both ends of this spectrum in Kern County. Contractual “inoculation” against unwarranted legal liability is an important prescription to follow.

Finally, certain indirect or lesser-known risks can be totally missed until they “jump up to bite you” – when it's too late.

Misdiagnosis is always a malpractice to be avoided.

A risk management audit addresses each of these alternatives to commercial insurance. Its findings and recommendations start where an organization’s system is today and builds from there.

In addition to an audit report, a customized risk management manual is usually provided that offers lasting value over the years, if not decades. It takes an organization through the three major segments of risk management: • Risk identification and measurement (property valuation, contract review, operational systems process mapping, etc.)

• Risk control (safety, security, disaster preparedness, business continuity lanning and much, much more.

• Risk finance (not only commercial insurance but also all other forms of risk transfer, risk assumption, broker selection criteria, etc.)

With modest periodic updating, this manual will be of value for decades and facilitates overall control of all risk management processes while working proactively alongside a trusted and qualified local insurance broker. (Don’t even think about “self-medication” in this context!)

Finally, a spreadsheet is included as the organization’s overall “bill of health” to show its total cost of risk – the metric that matters. TCOR includes not only insurance premiums but also: • Risk assumption costs of deductibles paid, uninsured losses sustained, etc.

• Risk control costs incurred for safety, security, fire prevention, etc.

• Risk transfer costs for legal fees to draft contract provisions; and finally • Internal administration costs Once an organization is functioning at this next level of risk management, its leaders should enjoy not only a lower TCOR over time, they will also be able to enjoy a major benefit of risk management: a quiet night’s sleep.

What could be healthier?

John Pryor, CPCU, ARM, is a risk management consultant in Bakersfield and author of “Quality Risk Management Fieldbook” published by International Risk Management Institute in Dallas.

Copies are available locally at Russo’s or at Amazon.com.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

31

Injury prevention, wellness programs will lead to happier, more productive employees

By James Yoro and Beatriz Trejo

W

hile productivity and profit are often primary concerns for most businesses, maintaining a safe and healthful work environment should also be an important goal for every employer.

California recognizes the significance of achieving this objective, which is why every California employer is required to have an effective “injury and illness prevention program.�

The impact of work-related injuries or illnesses extends far beyond the individual employee affected. There are indirect and hidden James Yoro costs that are always associated with an accident or employee illness. To reduce the costs and risks associated with workplace injuries and illnesses, you need to address safety and Beatriz Trejo health right along with production.

Setting up an injury and illness prevention program helps you do this. In developing the program, you identify what has to be done to promote the safety and health of your employees and worksite, and you outline policies and procedures to achieve your safety and health goals.

To be effective, a prevention program must: •

•

•

•

Fully involve all employees, supervisors and management Identify the specific workplace hazards employees are exposed to Correct identified hazards in an appropriate and timely manner Provide effective training

Another method of promoting a safe work environment is to consider an ergonomic assessment of each employee’s working conditions.

This involves assessing workstations to minimize the risk of injury and maximize productivity. A poorly designed work station can lead to fatigued and frustrated employees, and in the long run, can lead to painful and costly work-related injuries.

Several ergonomic workplace assessment companies exist; however, the Internet offers great self-evaluation tools to get you started. It is important to note that

ergonomics are not limited to computer workstations.

Healthy potluck item

Depending on the nature of your business, consider adopting a wellness program that incorporates a wide variety of fun activities, fitness goals and healthy lifestyle choices for all employees.

Some local ideas to consider are: • • •

•

• •

Forming a lunch hour walking club Offering free flu shots Weekly healthy potluck challenge, where employees each bring a healthy dish to share with a prize given to the employee’s dish that is voted the tastiest Encourage employees to participate in local 5K and 10K walk and run events by offering to pay for their event entry fee Sign up for a corporate sports challenge Sponsor a “project zero� contest, whose aim is to avoid gaining the dreaded holiday weight from early to mid-November through the first of the year. Participants weigh in the first and last day of the contest. Everyone who doesn’t gain weight gets a prize or gift certificate.

The key to an effective wellness program is the variety and inclusiveness of the activities. The more participation, the more your business will benefit with an increase in morale and an overall sense of well-being.

Any business should see an improvement in the health and welfare of its employees and will certainly reduce the potential of injury and illness by following these recommendations.

And remember, healthy and happy employees are productive employees.

James Yoro is senior partner at Chain | Cohn | Stiles, where he manages the law firm’s workers’ compensation practice and has nearly 40 years of experience in his field. Beatriz Trejo is an associate attorney in the workers’ compensation department at Chain | Cohn | Stiles.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Agency seeks restaurants in clean air cause

By Jesse Madsen

T

he San Joaquin Valley faces unique air quality challenges, some of which are more obvious than others. The valley’s geography, topography and meteorology tend to trap pollution produced within the valley, as well as pollution that drifts in from the Bay Area, for long periods of time. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District regulates virtually every stationary source of emissions, from small service stations, dry cleaners and fireplaces to the largest industrial sources, with regulations that are second to none in stringency. Mobile sources, passenger and heavy-duty vehicles are also subject to stringent emission standards by the California Air Resources Board.

The district has also been regulating emissions from chain-driven charbroilers since 2002. Charbroilers produce soot and grease vapors as a result of the incomplete combustion of the grease and drippings from cooked meat.

A large portion of the soot and Jesse Madsen smoke is fine particulate matter.

These fine particulates are important not only because the district is looking into reducing them to meet federal national air quality standards, but they also have been linked to negative health impacts, especially for sensitive groups, such as children and those with respiratory conditions like asthma.

Fine particulates, specifically those with a diameter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), are produced by a variety of sources in the valley. These sources generally include

anything that involves combustion, such as diesel trucks and fireplaces. Emissions from restaurant charbroilers can be harmful to health because of their chemical makeup and because restaurants are usually located in densely populated areas, which raises the level of exposure to valley residents.

Although chain-driven charbroilers have been regulated for some time, under-fired charbroilers have been exempt since controlling emissions from these charbroilers has historically proven very difficult. To address this, the district is taking a proactive approach and partnering with local businesses to install and demonstrate technology that can reduce restaurant charbroiled emissions through the Restaurant Charbroiler Technology Partnership (RCTP).

Recent advances have made charbroiler control tech-

nologies more viable and could potentially be an option here in the valley. The district has partnered with other air districts to help develop these technologies, including recent testing performed by UC Riverside to evaluate the effectiveness of different systems.

While laboratory results show these systems can effectively reduce emissions from under-fired charbroilers, the district wants to ensure these systems aren’t too expensive to install and maintain and will operate effectively and reliably on valley restaurants in real-world conditions.

Toward that end, RCTP offers full funding to restaurants willing to host a demonstration of one of the approved emissions reduction devices. Participating restaurants will allow a manufacturer to install one of their devices and will receive Valley Air District funding for the operation and maintenance of the new control device for up to two years. In exchange, the manufacturer and restaurant will supply valuable information regarding the ongoing operation and maintenance as well as the real-world costs of the emission reduction systems and the potential public health benefits.

One demonstration is already underway in the northern region of the valley, and another is likely in the central region. While all demonstrations are welcome, the Valley Air District specifically wants to fund demonstrations in the southern region of the valley, particularly in Kern County. For information on RCTP and how your restaurant can receive full funding to install a charbroiler emissions reduction system, contact the district at 559-230-6000 or visit http://valleyair.org/grants/rctp.htm.

Jesse Madsen is an air quality specialist with the Valley Air District.

Taft College focuses on innovation powering California

By Dena P. Maloney

I

t’s back! Taft College and the Taft College Foundation are once again focusing on the innovation that powers California by hosting the 2015 West Kern Petroleum Summit (WKPS).

In 2013, the oiland-energy-focused summit was launched on the college’s campus. Now, the highly anticipated event will take center stage in Dena P. Maloney the heart of Taft.

Incorporated into the 105th anniversary of Taft’s annual Oildorado celebration, the summit is bringing a well-rounded range of oil and gas professionals to Kern County.

This year, the Taft College Foundation has set its sights on a new goal for the summit: raising funds to support industryinterested students.

Sheri Horn-Bunk, executive director the Taft College Foundation, says with education being top of mind, many of the college’s students and programs receive direct benefit from the summit. Among the programs benefiting from the summit are

engineering, energy technology, industrial health and safety, information technology and management, welding technology and independent living skills (transition to independent living program).

Additionally, the college has been working hard since 2013 to strengthen the bond between these programs and the needs of the regional industry.

“The partnerships that have been forged via the Taft College Foundation Petroleum Partners with local oil and gas industry, Taft College and the Taft College Foundation are undeniably connected for the success of all,” said Trent Rosenlieb, manager of government and regulatory affairs for LINN Energy. “Industry needs a steady pool of local technical talent and the Taft College Foundation and Taft College are the mechanisms that provide the resources.”

“This year’s high powered lineup for the WKPS further demonstrates the commitment from (Taft College Foundation) and (Taft College) to promoting excellence and highlighting the engineering, energy technology, industrial health and safety programs,” he added.

This year promises to not disappoint in either subject matter or guest speakers.

The college is excited to welcome T. Boone Pickens as this year’s keynote speaker. Pickens is one of the top thinkers in the oil and energy industry and is known as the grandfather of oil.

For those unfamiliar with the impact Pickens has had on the industry, he is hailed as a legendary oil and gas entrepreneur who has become the nation’s most effective energy expert and has been cited for his leadership in developing The Pickens Plan for America’s energy future.

Additional summit speakers include Rep. Kevin McCarthy; Alex Epstein, author of “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels”; and Dr. Brice W. Harris, chancellor of California Community Colleges. As an added plus, this year’s emcee will be the legendary Alex Trebek.

“We support the summit because it is a vital way to get information out to our community,” said Robin Fleming, policy, government, and pubic affairs for Chevron.

“It’s also a great way for the industry to collaborate and share what’s important for our future.”

Chevron is the top sponsor of this year’s event and a large supporter of science and engineering programs for children in the community.

The continued success of the event, elevated awareness of educational programs at Taft College and impressive speaker lineup has certainly put Taft and Taft College on the industry’s radar, locally and beyond.

“The West Kern Petroleum Summit will help Taft College better understand the needs of the oil and gas industry – a key sector of the regional economy,” said Dr. Dena P. Maloney, superintendent/president of Taft College. “By hearing directly from industry experts and thought leaders, we can better prepare students for a future that provides long-term career potential.”

Dr. Dena P. Maloney became the superintendent/president of the West Kern Community College District and Taft College in May 2012. She leads a staff of 300 faculty, classified and management personnel and is responsible for all aspects of the college district including instruction, student services, facilities, technology, finance, advocacy and community relations. She is a member of the board of the Taft District Chamber of Commerce, the Kern Economic Development Corporation and the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Rise in diabetes calls for quality care, education

By Dr. Benjamin P. Ha, and Victoria L. Grafton, RN, BS-HCM

O

ver the past 30 years, Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic. More than 24 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes with forecasts projecting this number to rise to 30 million by 2035.

More than 900,000 new diagnoses are made annually.

It is projected that one in three Americans born today will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. More than one-third of the population with diabetes is not aware that they have Dr. Benjamin P. Ha this devastating disease.

In 2012, the U.S. spent $245 billion for direct medical costs of diabetes $69 billion in reduced productivity, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports. The United States currently ranks third in the world for prevalence of diabetes behind China and India, according to Victoria L. Grafton the International Diabetes Federation.

Diabetes is diagnosed utilizing two blood tests – fasting blood sugar (FBS) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Elevated blood sugar damages the body’s entire vascular system, which contributes to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and loss of limbs.

Sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits resulting in obesity are the strongest contributors to development of diabetes. If obese individuals lose approximately 10 to 15 percent of their weight, they can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 30 to 50 percent. For individuals with diabetes, adherence to prescribed medications and routine

self-blood sugar testing are essential to prevent diabetic complications.

The mission of Kaiser Permanente is to provide highquality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and communities we serve. We are committed to designing a health care delivery system that proactively screens and identifies individuals with diabetes and provides care that prevents and minimizes the devastating effects of diabetes.

It is projected that one in three Americans born today will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. More than one-third of the population with diabetes is not aware that they have this devastating disease.

Diabetic education is provided at every member touch point within the Kaiser Permanente system. This includes primary and specialty care, urgent care, the hospital and through phone outreach. Kaiser Permanente offers a foursession, comprehensive health education class in both English and Spanish to all diabetic members to increase their understanding of diabetes and to empower them to care for themselves. Along with in-person classes on diabetes, Kaiser Permanente also offers a variety of educational platforms to meet the unique needs of our members. Online classes and coaching sessions via telephone that encourage

healthy lifestyles and weight management are available for free to all members.

The Kaiser Permanente Complete Care department was also created to provide focused care management for the diabetic population. Diabetes is a complex disease and requires a team of registered nurses, support coordinators and pharmacists to closely monitor diabetic members and work collaboratively with primary care physicians to adjust medications, answer questions, provide diabetic education and connect our members to additional resources. Regularly connecting with members by phone allows the team to capture and provide valuable information to the physician on how well the member is managing their diabetes. The department is an efficient and effective lifeline for diabetic members requiring assistance managing their diabetes.

As the global diabetic population continues to rapidly rise each year, all health care systems will be challenged to provide high-quality diabetes care in a cost-effective manner. Through our comprehensive, collaborative approach to managing diabetes, Kaiser Permanente is confident we can positively impact the health of not only our members with diabetes, but also all our members and the communities we serve.

Dr. Benjamin P. Ha is a family physician and assistant medical director for Kaiser Permanente Kern County. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2003 where he leads local efforts to improve clinical quality of care, chronic disease management, and health education for members. Victoria L. Grafton is a performance improvement leader at Kaiser Permanente Kern County. She leads strategic medical center projects to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of care. Her passion is to improve health care processes, overcome system barriers and develop future leaders.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Be smarter than your devices when it comes to estate planning

By Larry Cox

A

lmost every day, it seems as if someone is trying to sell me on some hot, new technological device.

Over here, I have someone selling the latest and greatest smartphone on the market. What’s so great about it? Well, for starters, it has a Larry Cox screen that is a whopping one-quarter inch larger than the 3-month-old smartphone sitting next to me. They say it can even replace my computer!

Later, I’m watching a program on my smart TV and an ad comes along selling me a smarter TV, one that can operate as efficiently as the fastest computer. Why is everyone trying to turn every device I own into a computer? Don’t they know that I have an actual computer for that?

The era of technological innovation that we live in has many people demanding the best of everything. Luckily, these advancements have not been limited to the world of consumer products.

People are living longer and healthier lives today, thanks to technological development in the field of medicine. Quite impressive, but it’s important to be aware that with advancement can come unforeseen consequences.

As an estate planning attorney, a major consequence I frequently see is that now our bodies often outlive our minds.

Decades ago, there was little that could be done for a person whose body outlived his or her mind. In almost every case, the remedy was extensive – and expensive – court proceedings.

They are called conservatorships and still exist today, however, proceedings can be long, emotionally painful and often result in more chaos than progress.

Ultimately, through the efforts of attorneys, we were able to expand upon the principle of the power of attorney concept brought over from England prior to the American Revolution. Now, with a properly prepared durable power of attorney, a person can grant a trusted agent the right to handle legal matters before they are unable to do so for themselves.

Today, durable powers of attorney provide guidance on a number of issues to the selected advocate. They can outline how to guide your medical professionals

on your preferred care. They also cover important areas, such as making retirement plan decisions and ensuring that you continue to receive insurance benefits.

They can protect your assets from overtaxation and allow you to make gifts to others, avoiding sending yet more money to the government. Ultimately, they protect you, your heirs and the assets you’ve worked your entire life to save.

When planning for your family’s future, keep in mind, computers don’t always have the expertise to create a durable power of attorney or comprehensive estate plan tailored to your unique situation.

Over the years, I've seen people recognize the importance of planning for the time when your mind isn’t keeping up with your body.

However, another unforeseen consequence of this technological era is the emergence of online legal forms.

When we are used to information we need being a click or the tap of the fingertip away, it’s quite easy to turn to the computer or one of the aforementioned devices trying to replace it, to complete a variety of legal documents these days.

Though these documents may seem revolutionary, typically they are anything but. Most online estate planning documents that I see are poorly written, vague and not generally sufficient. They may not be tailored for your state’s laws, may not include provisions for your business to be properly handled and could even provide for heirs that you did not intend. Most often, the canned online documents result in higher legal fees for correction in order to make them enforceable.

When planning for your family’s future, keep in mind, computers don’t always have the expertise to create a durable power of attorney or comprehensive estate plan tailored to your unique situation.

Be smarter than your smart device and consult an attorney when laying out your final wishes.

Larry Cox is a partner at Young Wooldridge LLP with more than 30 years of estate planning experience.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Sweating, laughing and enjoying life

By Kristin Weber

K

aiser Permanente and the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department have been collaborating to offer opportunities for local residents to get healthy while having fun.

In 2013, Kaiser Permanente and the Recreation and Parks Department met in order to create a partnership to bring health to local residents at the city’s recreational facilities. The first partnership was a grant given by Kaiser Permanente for the Operation Splash program, which allowed for children to receive swim lessons, learn about water safety and provide families with summer swim passes.

“We knew that a health care organization partnering with our agency could be a win-win for the community. We are thrilled that Kaiser Permanente has been able to respond to our desire to provide quality, healthy activities for the families and residents in our community,” said Dianne Hoover, director of the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department.

After the success of the first Operation Splash grant, both orgaKristin Weber nizations wanted to see what other types of things could be offered to help improve the health of community residents that lived in the neighborhood surrounding Martin Luther King Park. It was determined that a free weekly fitness class could be provided by Kaiser Permanente and was quickly added to the city’s recreation schedule at Martin Luther King Community Center.

“Having an organization like Kaiser Permanente commit to providing classes like these is critical to our community,” Hoover said. “These participants now can count on this class to help keep them fit and healthy.”

Mike Finley, lifestyle educator with Kaiser Permanente, teaches the fitness class every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Martin Luther King recreation facility located at 1000 S. Owens St. Finley incorporates functional movements, range of motion and balance into his class, with a healthy dose of fun!

“My goal is to get people moving. I love to see the progress from when they come in struggling with limited mobility and then, after regularly participating in our class, they tell me that they are now able to complete a 5K walk,” Finley said.

Community members, as well as Kaiser Permanente members attend the class and are thriving.

Lorraine, a regular class participant, said, “as a senior, getting more physically fit and having such a great cardio workout has really helped me to feel healthy.”

Linda, a KP member and fitness class participant, “loves that Kaiser Permanente includes not just members but the community in these classes as well.”

Fitness class group, courtesy of Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with the city.

In order to change our community to a healthier place for all to live, it will take the commitment of organizations, government and community members. Classes like this help to ignite the change.

For more information in attending this free class, contact the City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department at 661-322-9874.

Kristin Weber is the senior community benefit specialist at Kaiser Permanente. In her role, she serves as a link between community organizations and Kaiser Permanente.

Working with organizations to create a healthier community is not just a job but her passion in life.

Kern County feeds the nation

By Beatris Sanders

K

ern County agriculture does something very important with California’s water: We grow the nation’s food.

While agriculture is often the easy target of negative media when it comes to water consumption in California, I think what gets lost is how critical the Central Valley is to the food security of our nation.

It is understandable that people become hypersensitive to water usage during periods of severe drought but it is important to remember that the Central Valley is the most ideal farmland in the country.

A combination of great soil Beatris Sanders characteristics, modest temperature variance throughout the year and long growing seasons, makes the Central Valley one of the most efficient and dependable places to grow crops in the world.

The Kern County Agricultural Commissioner recently released the 2014 Crop Report, which includes some pretty

amazing facts that demonstrate just how critical Central Valley crops are to the nation.

The top five commodities produced in Kern County in 2014 were grapes, almonds, milk, citrus and cattle. Of those top five commodities, three of them, almonds, milk and cattle, are high in protein content.

In fact, the protein produced in those three products alone in Kern County sums to approximately 120 billion grams.

Based on the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended average daily protein consumption, Kern County produces enough protein in just three commodities to feed 6.6 million people for an entire year. Add Kern County’s No. 16 commodity, chicken eggs, and that number grows to nearly 7 million people.

The amount of protein we produce is amazing, but that’s not all we produce in basic nutrients.

The citrus industry in Kern County produces approximately 1 million pounds of vitamin C annually. The other top commodities produced in Kern County provide numerous vital nutrients like calcium, iron and fiber.

This diversity of our crop production is what sets our agricultural industry apart from many other counties in the

nation. In fact, Kern County produces more than 300 different types of crops on our 840,000 acres of irrigated land.

Over the past four years, we have witnessed perhaps the worst drought in the history of California.

The partnership between California water and California agriculture hasn’t changed; it is still a tale of ambition and optimism.

But the California drought and the droughts to come could force the start of a new chapter.

While it is true that agriculture is the second-largest consumer of water in the state of California — second only to the environment — it is important to remember that the Central Valley is producing vital commodities that feed the nation for generations to come.

Beatris Sanders is the executive director of the Kern County Farm Bureau.

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Dignity Health offers high-tech health care

By Michelle Willow

S

kype with a specialist. E-visit with a Dignity Health doctor on your smartphone or tablet. Visit a kiosk at your neighborhood pharmacy to get an online diagnosis and prescription, saving time and money.

How people get health care in Kern County is changing and Dignity Health Bakersfield is leading the way.

Technology is Michelle Willow providing local residents greater access to physicians, specialists and health management tools than ever before, and they don’t have to leave town to get it. Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals have made significant investments in medical technology and services to create a vibrant health care system that is plugged in to the health care consumer who demands value, quality and convenience.

Patients in Kern County are benefitting right now from this technology at Dignity Health Bakersfield. At Mercy and Memorial Hospitals, a person experiencing stroke-like symptoms is immediately connected by robot to a neurologist at the Dignity Health Neurological Institute of Northern California for rapid evaluation and treatment, saving time and preserving quality of life.

Mercy Hospital deploys high-tech imaging to the bedside, preventing critical care patients from leaving their rooms for diagnostics, improving safety and satisfaction.

Investments in fellowship-trained specialists and technology like the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, Endoscopic Ultrasound, the Orthopedic, Spine and Hand Center, and the Bi-plane Interventional Suite is giving local patients access to world-class care close to home.

In remote areas of Kern County, a partnership between Mercy Hospital and Telehealthdocs affords patients in Kern Valley, Tehachapi, Delano, Wasco, Corcoran, Avenal and San Luis Obispo access to specialty services in their local clinics.

Services include outpatient specialties, such as dermatology, ENT, endocrinology, pulmonary, nephrology, infectious disease, podiatry, immunology, neurology, pain management, allergy, general surgery, cardiology, rheumatology and gastroenterology, as well as critical care for patients requiring hospitalization or surgery.

Local physicians coordinate care remotely, evaluating and diagnosing patients to determine the appropriate course of treatment. Innovative programs like Telehealthdocs provide valuable health resources to

areas virtually cut off by distance, ensuring viability for rural clinics and access to quality care.

Outside our walls, technology is helping improve the health of the communities we serve. Through online patient portals, self-management and health information tools, Kern County patients have access to medical resources regardless of where they are geographically.

Exclusive products, like Healthgrades, help patients find the right physician for the care they need. Schedule a projected ED treatment time online through InQuicker and wait at home instead of the emergency room. A suite of health risk assessments, health apps and access to electronic health records is making it easier for local health care professionals to engage with patients, especially in our rural and underserved populations.

Connectivity also includes partnerships with other health care leaders, such as Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, where patients have access to the latest oncology treatments, research and technology, like Cyberknife, as well as the area’s only inpatient oncology unit located at Mercy Hospital Downtown where patients receive premium cancer care.

Dignity Health’s partnership with Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera allows us to deliver pediatric specialty care at the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center at Memorial Hospital. With access to a growing list of specialists in oncology, cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, nephrology and the area’s only pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between Los Angeles and Fresno, hundreds of children are able to stay in Bakersfield for treatment and follow-up care, saving families the heartache and financial burden of travelling out of town.

Valley Children’s Medical Group, one of California’s largest multi-specialty physician groups, provides hospital-based pediatricians and intensivists to care for kids in our pediatric acute care unit, currently under renovation, and the PICU. These units are equipped with specialized equipment designed for children and babies.

Scheduled to open in 2016, the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care on the Memorial campus will be the area’s first state-of-the art facility designed to meet the emergent needs children and their families.

Michelle Willow is director of communications for Dignity Health Central California Service Area South. She oversees internal and external communications for three Dignity Health Bakersfield hospitals, public relations activities and is an active member in the community.

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Kern Energy Festival

Energy capital: Kern’s industry to be on display

By Chad Hathaway

T

he oil and gas business has fascinated me since I was a young child. Throughout my life, some of my most memorable moments were in the oil fields of Kern County and Los Angeles County with my father and grandfather.

Although my father sold the family business and now is retired, I always looked up to the way he and my grandfather were able to survive Chad Hathaway though very difficult economic times and many years of low oil prices.

I started my own oil and gas company because I felt I had what it took to be successful utilizing the principles of efficiency and sound financial planning. In addition, I wholeheartedly believe what I do is very important to our country. Without access to affordable energy, our nation, as we know it, will come to a screeching halt.

But I am often amazed by people – even some who live in Kern County – who do not understand where our energy comes from and the need to support its development.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTIN VARGA

The wind range of energy production includes wind energy from “farms” in eastern Kern County.

Because of its unique geology and climate, Kern County can be considered the energy capital of the state and nation. Kern County produces more than 75 percent of California’s oil and gas. It’s also is the epicenter of innovative alternative energy development and production.

According to a study released last year by the Western States Petroleum Association, 96 percent of the transportation fuels in California are derived from petroleum.

Natural gas provides almost one-third of the state’s total energy needs. Forty percent of the electricity used in California is generated using natural gas.

The petroleum industry is a major employer and leading economic driver in California, according to a recent economic study produced by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. Researchers report the petroleum industry is responsible for 456,000 jobs and $71.9 billion in economic value added, or roughly 3.4 percent of the state GDP. In addition, it contributes $21.2 billion in state and local tax revenue; $18.9 billion in sales and excise taxes, or .92 cents for every gallon of gasoline or diesel consumed; and $3.6 billion in property taxes.

The industry’s value is larger than 17 U.S. states’ economies.

But the potential is even greater as oil producers eye the vast reserves locked in the Monterey Shale Formation, a 1,750-square-mile swath of mostly underground shale rock that runs lengthwise through the center of the state, with the major portion of the formation lying within the San Joaquin Basin.

The U.S. Energy Department estimates that the Monterey Shale contains more than 15 billion barrels of oil, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all the shale-oil reserves in the United States — and up to 50 percent more oil reserves than those that lie off California’s coast. The challenge is in extracting the oil from the complicated formation.

In addition to oil and gas production, Kern County’s wind and solar generation have significantly contributed to U.S. energy resources. We have long recognized the importance of the wind energy projects developed in eastern Kern County.

Now we are seeing both rooftop solar and utility-size solar plants being installed throughout the county.

In eastern Kern County, you also will find geothermal energy production.

Biomass and cogeneration plants also are producing energy. Cutting-edge energy storage experiments are underway in Kern County to develop methods of stretching the capacity of traditional and alterna-

PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. NAVY

In eastern Kern County, geothermal energy is recovered on the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTIN VARGA

Kern County can easily be considered the “energy capital” of the state, maybe even the nation.

tive energy production. Scientists at the county’s military installations also are developing new, reusable fuels.

Kern County is an exciting, creative community that supports energy production. Its leaders understand the importance of high-paying energy jobs, the tax revenues the industry generates, and the contributions energy development makes to the nation’s economic well-being and quality of life.

Companies understand the need to reinvest in energy production systems, as well as the training of tomorrow’s workforce.

The Kern Energy Foundation, in conjunction with the California Independent Producers Associations, will be highlighting Kern County’s energy industries on

Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield.

The Kern Energy Festival, which we hope will become an annual event, will feature entertainment, educational displays and opportunities for the public to better understand and appreciate the importance of local energy production to Kern County, California and the nation.

Go to www.kernenergyfestival.com for updates about the festival. Information about sponsorship and vendor opportunities also is available on the website.

Chad Hathaway, a local independent oil producer, is chairman of the Kern Energy Foundation.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

JOIN US FOR FUN, FOOD & DRINKS

This evening of networking and pampering will offer:

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• Gourmet food sampling by Steak & Grape, The Petroleum Club, La Foret, Beck’s Divine Cakes, PorkChop & Bubba’s, Mauricios Grill & Cantina, Uncle’s BBQ, Singha Thai, Bord A Petite & Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill • Boutique Shopping with Christine’s, French Quarter, Eloah Creations, Bleu Lavender, Wire+Pearl, Retail Therapy, Perfectly POSH & Sugardaddy’s • Complimentary valet parking • Complmentary designated drivers provided

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KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015

Independent contractors must be truly ‘independent’

By Holly Culhane

T

hese workers are members of the growing “1099 Economy.”

The number is IRS code for self-employed. Some employers call them “independent contractors.”

However, an increasing number of people, including federal regulators, are calling them “employees.”

The U.S. Labor Department’s recently issued Fair Labor Standard Act guidance is sounding a loud warning to the nation’s employers that they Holly Culhane must be very cautious when it comes to classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees.

Labor Secretary Thomas Perez declared misclassification to be a serious problem because it deprives workers of overtime and protections, such as unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. It also deprives state and federal agencies of required payroll taxes.

Tammy McCutchen, a former Labor Department attorney who now represents employers, told The Wall Street Journal recently that the federal directive “essentially declares war on the use of independent contractors in certain industries.”

The advisory letter was written by David Weil, the Labor Department’s wage and hour administrator. It was distributed in the wake of a recent California ruling that Uber taxi service was improperly treating a driver as an independent contractor.

While the ruling applied to only a single driver, the handwriting seems to be on the wall for other employers in the growing “sharing economy” that includes ride-hailers Uber and Lyft, Luxe ondemand parking and a variety of delivery companies. While some are fighting to hold onto their independent contractor arrangements, others have voluntarily converted their independent contractors to employees to avoid legal challenges. One notable employer, the San Francisco-based home cleaning services company Homejoy, announced it would shut down.

Depending on who is counting, approximately 50 million American workers are classified as nonemployee contractors, freelancers or temporary workers. The number is expected to grow to 60 million by 2020.

“We very much believe that misclassification is a problem that has been growing,” Weil told the Associated Press. “It undermines all the legitimate employers who are doing the right thing … but they are put at a competitive disadvantage.”

Employers argue that classifying work-

ers as independent contractors is appropriate in today’s economy. Startup companies need to be flexible and control costs.

Independent contractors allow workers to work for more than one employer concurrently and on a short-term, part-time basis to meet specific needs.

Representatives of workers, who are increasingly challenging the classification in court, argue that the independent contractor arrangement is simply a device to save money at a workers’ expense.

The Labor Department’s 15-page advisory letter, which includes industryspecific examples, clarifies the limits on independent contractor arrangements. It emphasizes the importance of the “economic realities” of a worker’s employment rather than a label that has been attached to a position.

Basically, the ability to classify a worker as an independent contractor boils down to answering these questions: Does the worker play a key role in the employer’s business? Is the work entrepreneurial? Does the employer control what he or she does?

Consider a driver with a well-known, nationwide delivery company. The driver wears the company’s uniform, drives a company truck and follows a route set by the company, but he is treated as an “independent contractor.” Likely, the company’s arrangement will not be sustained under the Labor Department’s recent directive.

But if this is not enough to rein in the practice, a bill recently introduced by two U.S. senators – Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Al Franken of Minnesota – may deliver a fatal blow.

The Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to require workers be told if they are being classified as an employee or independent contractor and the consequences of the classification. Further, employers would be required to inform workers of their rights to file grievances about their classification. Employers would face penalties, including the payment of lost wages and damages, for misclassifying workers.

Employers who use independent contractors are being placed under intense scrutiny by state and federal regulators.

They are also being targeted by an increasing number of worker lawsuits.

Now is the time to analyze the arrangement, seek the advice of a labor law attorney or CPA and ensure that independent contractors are, indeed, independent.

Holly Culhane is president of the Bakersfield-based human resources consulting firm P.A.S. Associates and P.A.S. Investigations. She can be contacted through her website www.PASassociates. com and through the PAS Facebook page.

Understanding how Affordable Care Act affects small businesses

By Joel A. Bock

T

he size and complexity of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare” — has necessitated that businesses take into consideration its complex provisions and requirements as part of the process for offering a health care arrangement to its employees. A common misunderstanding amongst smallbusiness owners is that the provisions of the Affordable Care Act are inapplicable to them if they have fewer than 50 Joel A. Bock full-time equivalent employees. This is not only incorrect, but unfortunately can lead to a substantial tax.

Guidance issued by the IRS in Notice 2013-54 lists the following question and answer:

Q: “The HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement) FAQs state that an employer-sponsored HRA cannot be integrated with individual market coverage, and, therefore, an HRA used to purchase coverage on the individual market will fail to comply with the annual dollar limit prohibition.

May other types of group health plans used to purchase coverage on the individual market be integrated with that individual market coverage for purposes of the annual dollar limit prohibition?”

A: “No. A group health plan, including an HRA, used to purchase coverage on the individual market is not integrated with that individual market coverage for purposes of the annual dollar limit prohibition. For example, a group health plan, such as an employer payment plan, that reimburses employees for an employee’s

substantiated individual insurance policy premiums must satisfy the market reforms for group health plans.

However the employer payment plan will fail to comply with the annual dollar limit prohibition because (1) an employer payment plan is considered to impose an annual limit up to the cost of the individual market coverage purchased through the arrangement, and (2) an employer payment plan cannot be integrated with any individual health insurance policy purchased under the arrangement.”

The practice of reimbursing employees for premiums they pay for health insurance (referred to as employer payment plans) either through a qualified plan in the Health Insurance Marketplace or outside the Health Insurance Marketplace may be subject to a $100 per day excise tax per applicable employee (i.e., $36,500 per year, per employee).

For example, if an employer with five employees who was not otherwise required to provide health insurance to his employees was operating an employer payment plan, then that employer could be subject to the IRC §4980D excise tax of $182,500 per year (i.e., five employees x $100 x 365 days).

Generally, these provisions would have been applicable to small businesses beginning Jan. 1, 2014; however, on Feb. 18, 2015, the IRS issued transition relief in the form of Notice 2015-17.

The transition relief states that the IRS will not assess the IRC §4980D excise tax on small businesses (i.e., fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees) until after June 30, 2015.

If you believe that these provisions may be applicable to your small business, please consult your insurance and tax advisors to determine how these laws impact your specific situation.

Joel A. Bock, CPA, MST is a partner in Daniells Phillips Vaughan & Bock, a Bakersfield accounting firm.

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Today’s youth, tomorrow’s workforce

By Patricia Marquez

A

s Kern Economic Development Foundation (KEDF) enters its eighth year working with local high schools, the office looks like it usually does in late summer: towers of threering binders varying in color piled high in the hallway and pages upon pages (112,000 to be exact) of mentoring curriculum, neatly printed and organized in individual packets spread out across the entire room.

This controlled chaos comes with great reward: it will all be used to carry out monthly sessions of KEDF’s Workforce Mentoring program, a nonprofit effort, which pairs current STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) professionals with Patricia Marquez students at Independence and East Bakersfield high schools for monthly mentoring sessions.

The benefits of such a program are numerous, but KEDF’s focus is to ensure that mentors are helping students sharpen their soft skills, encouraging them to pursue post-secondary education (college or vocational training after high school) and strongly urging them to consider a local career in the STEM field.

The idea is to provide mentors the training and curriculum needed to carry out monthly lessons, while still allowing for each to uniquely infuse their own message and examples about the “real world.” That world is one

where career-readiness skills are paramount to entering the workforce, and those skills don’t just consist of technical knowledge.

Workforce Mentoring supplements a high school’s existing career technical education program with lessons on creating a professional resume, improving interview skills, organization and time management, managing stress, building good study habits, financial literacy and much more. Soft skills are at the heart of professional success, and for that matter, failure! In fact, KEDF was founded in 2008, taking into account feedback from many local businesses that said they were struggling to find a qualified workforce with the soft skills necessary to excel in their companies. KEDF’s programs are based on empowering people to meet their full professional potential through workforce development. For every person KEDF helps through one of its programs, a new and improved employee joins the hiring pool for local employers. And there is no better way to grow the economy than to boost local business with a better-prepared workforce.

The soft skills, work ethic and self-confidence that students glean from mentoring will translate to any career anywhere in the country, but KEDF’s sincerest hope is that these young people – all local talent – stay local.

Kern County is a friendly and affordable place to live, with an abundance of job opportunities in STEM careers.

Kern County leads the nation in many energy realms. If the county were a state, it would be the fifth largest oilproducing state in the nation. The region is home to the largest wind field in the nation with the Terra-Gen’s Alta

Wind Energy Center. The health care industry cannot fill jobs fast enough to respond to patient needs, as seen

by Kern’s designation as a medically underserved area.

STEM-related jobs are there for the taking, and Workforce Mentoring is a promising pathway to support young people to take up the torch and carry our industry forward.

Patricia Marquez is the program manager at Kern Economic Development Corporation and manages the Kern Economic Development Foundation.

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October / November 2015

Finding health information at Kern County Library

By Katherine Ross

W

e’d all like to get reliable medical information quickly and easily. Did you know that it’s easier than ever at your local library? Even research outside the library is right at your fingertips now – all you need is a library card and our website: www.kerncountylibrary.org.

From our library home page, click on Research and select Consumer Health Complete.

Outside the library, you’re prompted to enter your library card number.

Consumer Health Complete is an online subscription database that offers information from medical encyclopedias, magazines, journals (designated as evidence-based reports), newspapers and pamphlets – and you can choose which type of information you need.

For many subjects, there are illustrations and diagrams, and even short videos. This database, brought to us by information technology leader Ebsco, contains full-text information from more than 500 magazines and journals, along with 240 health reference books and encyclopedias.

The initial search screen has at-a-glance access to drug searches, alphabetical subject browsing (for those hard-to-spell diseases), and popular sources and topics. There’s even a link to a medical dictionary.

For those who need information in Spanish, Consumer Health provides a way to select a Spanish interface, as well as Spanish search results. Just select Espanol from the language drop-down box at the top right of the screen. Thereafter, the search interface, and many of your search’s results, will now be in Spanish, drawn from at least two dozen Spanish-language publications. For more Spanish-language content, try Ebsco’s Referencia Latina, also available through our research home page.

Consumer Health Complete offers a convenient choice of searching methods, without being overwhelming. The advanced search option, typical of all of Ebsco’s database offerings, is discreetly placed above the more basic search options and allows you to limit your search by year or a range of dates. Searches with too many results can be further limited by subcategories of their topic.

From abdominal to zygote, from evidence-based reports to medical videos and animations, Consumer Health is a truly complete database. And it’s one of the many high-quality information resources available through your local library.

Katherine Ross is a librarian at Beale Memorial Library, the main branch of the Kern County Library System.

Should parents’ cash gifts have ‘strings’ attached?

By Steven Van Metre

M

y clients, whom I will call Keith and Sue, retired a few years ago. Keith worked for a government agency and Sue owned a bookkeeping business. They had one son, Robert, who is an orthopedic surgeon in Southern California.

Keith and Sue worked hard and saved their money.

They are “very comfortable” in retirement. Keith receives a six-figure Steven Van Metre pension. Both waited until they were 67 to begin collecting Social Security. They took advantage of tax-deferred savings plans to set aside additional retirement funds. They also made prudent investments that now add regularly to their income. Their home in Bakersfield is mortgage-free.

A few years ago, Keith and Sue began “gifting” their unmarried adult son, who still is paying off loans that helped finance his medical school training. The IRS allows each parent to “gift” up to $14,000 a year, or a total of $28,000 for a couple, without

paying a gift tax. Keith and Sue have been gifting this maximum.

Keith recently came into my office and confided that the gifting was causing problems between him and his wife.

Keith is an “up from the bootstraps” kind of guy. He worked his way through college. He and Sue worked hard for every dollar they made and saved. The couple lived frugally so that they would be able to provide for their son and support themselves in retirement.

But now Keith is fuming over Robert’s use of their generous gifts. Keith had hoped the young man would apply the money to paying down his student loans and saving for his own retirement. Keith fears that his son’s retirement plan hinges on inheriting money and property from his parents when they die. The truth is, Robert is receiving and spending his inheritance now on luxury cars, flashy vacations and “outdoor toys.”

Sue has a different view of their gifts to Robert and his use of the money. Basically she believes a gift is just that – a gift. What Robert chooses to do with the money is his business. After all, Robert is a doctor, who earns a good living. They raised him right.

They should trust him to make good spend-

ing decisions.

Keith and Sue’s dilemma is not uncommon. Many couples struggle and disagree over whether and how to gift money to their adult children.

According to a recent study by the Employee Benefit Research Organization, 44 percent of households age 50 or above gave money to their children or grandchildren during the two years ending in 2010.

This was an increase from 38 percent recorded during a study in 1998. The average amount of the “gift” was $10,000.

Likely this increase stems from estate planners advising that it’s better for older people to give away their money gradually while they are alive. The cash transfers will minimize the inheritance taxes heirs pay.

Gifts can be made in a number of ways.

Some people use trusts that structure payouts and strictly define how money can be used. A parent also can offer to pay down a debt, make a purchase, contribute to a down payment, fund an IRA or insurance policy or contribute to a grandchild’s college fund.

A gift can come with strings attached, as Keith seems to prefer. Of it can be an unencumbered, as Sue prefers.

Whatever a gift’s amount and purpose,

it must be accompanied by a clear understanding of the giver’s motivations and desires.

Keith and Sue took this advice. They sat down with their son and Keith shared his concerns. He told Robert he would like him to use their gifts to pay off his student loans and invest. Robert agreed. He is still taking flashy vacations and buying “toys,” but he is using the money he earns from his medical practice to do so.

Used properly, periodic gifts can be gentle helping hands from one generation to the next. They should not create an unhealthy dependency.

Billionaire Warren Buffett said it best: “I want to give my kids enough money so that they feel they can do anything, but not so much that they do nothing.”

Steven Van Metre is a Bakersfield financial planner who specializes in retirement income strategies and teaches a course on retirement planning for the Levan Institute for Lifelong Learning at Bakersfield College. His website is www. svmfinancial.com. Advisory services offered by Atlas Financial Advisors Inc., a registered investment advisory firm.

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Michael Congdon: Mission’s new chief credit officer

By Maureen Buscher-Dang

B

anking veteran Michael S. Congdon has been named chief credit officer for Bakersfield-based Mission Bank. Congdon, 50, brings nearly three decades of banking and senior management experience with him to his new post.

A graduate of West High School, Congdon earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Maureen Buscher-Dang master’s in business administration from Cal State Bakersfield.

He has also completed numerous specialized banking courses while working for Wells Fargo and California Republic banks.

He and his wife, Lanette, have two daughters, Lindsay and Lacey, and a 1-year-old granddaughter, Ellie.

Congdon has served on several community boards, including those overseeing Hoffman Hospice, San Joaquin Business Council and the Gallo Center for the Arts.

Congdon sat down recently and answered questions for the Kern Business Journal about his move from a regional banking environment to guiding the lending decisions of a highly regarded local community bank. In the second quarter of 2015, Mission Bank marked 65 consecutive profitable quarters.

BauerFinancial Inc., the nation’s leading bank rating firm, recently awarded Mission Bank a five-star rating for its financial strength.

What local lending trends are you seeing?

Energy and agriculture continue to fuel and grow our local community, which gives rise to many other industries in real estate (both commercial and residential), warehousing/distribution, transportation, etc. Kern County is uniquely situated, with good access to major points north, south, east and west that will continue to diversify our economic base and bring new business and opportunity to the area.

Why did you decide to move to Mission Bank?

Mission Bank was founded on and continues to foster a core purpose: “to fuel and grow vibrant and prosperous communities.” A core value of this is to “run it like you own it.” This empowers us to make the right decisions for our customers and the bank. I love building relationships with

the people of our community, understanding their businesses and playing a role in their financial success. Mission has a great team and board committed to those values.

I wanted to be a part of that. Bakersfield is a wonderful community and place to live. My wife and I spent a few years in another Central Valley community and fully understand how blessed we are to be a part of this community.

Community banks, such as Mission Bank, are experiencing a rise in earnings. Why? Our rise in earnings is solely based upon serving our customers and living our core purpose and values. This has resulted in both double-digit year-over-year loan and deposit growth. Of particular note in Bakersfield is the opening of our River Walk Business Banking Center, along with the formation of our Agribusiness and SBA Divisions. They have contributed greatly to our growth. The High Desert Regions of Lancaster/Palmdale, Mojave and Ridgecrest continue to perform exceptionally well in contribution to the overall growth. Mission is blessed with a great team that lives to serve the community and our great customers. When you execute on this, earnings will take care of themselves.

I love building relationships with the people of our community, understanding their businesses and playing a role in their financial success. Mission has a great team and board committed to those values. I wanted to be a part of that. Bakersfield is a wonderful community and place to live.

– Michael Congdon

What is your job as Mission Bank’s chief credit officer?

The chief credit officer is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and administration of the bank’s loans. This includes helping establish internal controls, written policies and procedures to ensure the quality of the loan portfolio. My job is to serve Mission’s customers and help them succeed financially by working with a team of professionals to fully understand customers’

business needs. Mission’s team works to provide an environment where customers find full transparency, access to decision makers and quick turnaround times.

What are the key factors used to make lending decisions?

The most important factor in making a lending decision is to know and understand our customer. We do this by getting out from behind our desks and building meaningful long-term relationships. We’re committed to being in this community and providing our customers with direct access to the full leadership of the bank.

Community banks strive to provide a consumer-friendly lending experience. What does this mean for Mission?

Michael Congdon At Mission Bank, this means the relationship goes well beyond just one relationship with their bank and that’s what individual. Mission customers have relasets Mission Bank apart. tionships with a full team, which includes access, transparency and understanding of Maureen Buscher-Dang is a how Mission decisions are made. I believe customers appreciate a highly collaborative Bakersfield public relations consultant.

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October / November 2015

Kern County Energy Summit discusses innovation, technologies shaping future

By Fiona Lytle

I

n 2007, Kern Economic Development Corporation recognized the need to develop an event to promote Kern County’s largest industry: energy and natural resources.

Kern EDC staff spent several months creating what is now known as the Kern County Energy Summit – a platform to increase awareness as well as provide a space for networking between industry, developers, local businesses and community leaders.

With a mix of “old and new” energy sources prevalent in Kern County, the energy summit’s main purpose is to create public awareness about the region’s resources, energy innovation and technological development as it affects the region’s position as an economic powerhouse in California.

On Nov. 4, Kern EDC will once again bring together the region’s leading energy experts and industry leaders to discuss Kern County's leadership position in the energy industry. Attendees will learn how they can profit from the latest resources, tools and information essential to maximize growth and improve profits, while reducing their environmental impact, as

well as current energy trends, technology and economic impact.

Peter Zeihan, geopolitical strategist, tops the list of energy experts scheduled to speak at the event. In his highly acclaimed new book, "The Accidental Superpower," Zeihan skillfully deploys his knowledge of demography and geography to show why America's growing energy independence will nurture its global dominance for the next quarter of a century.

At the summit, Zeihan will draw from his publication to discuss current and future trends related to the energy industry and pinpoint four major trends that we all need to know about over the next five years: • The American worker drought • The Chinese bubble • Wither the Eurozone • Shale New World and how this will impact Kern County energy companies Annual crowd favorite Lorelei Oviatt, director of community and planning development, will provide an update on the county’s innovative effort to streamline the oil and gas permitting process.

The energy summit has garnered critical acclaim for reinvigorating the community's pride for the bounty of natural assets that Kern County has to offer the world.

Attendees and energy providers alike have

Peter Zeihan, event speaker

Lorelei Oviatt, event speaker

expressed admiration at the vast resources in our own backyard and the positive impact the energy sectors have on our quality of life. The summit specifically lends itself to being a great networking opportunity for major companies to discuss partnerships and collaboration efforts alongside county, city and community leaders.

Tickets are on sale for the ninth annual Kern County Energy Summit, scheduled for Nov. 4 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in

Bakersfield. Cost for the event is $100 and includes breakfast and lunch. Registration can be made at www.kedc.com.

For additional information, contact the Kern Economic Development Corporation at 661-862-5150 or Fiona Lytle at fiona@ kedc.com.

Five tips for health care providers on content marketing

By Mira Patel

L

ike most industries, the health care industry is rapidly evolving. The strategies of the past do not necessarily apply to current revenue models.

Insurance policies, costs and reimbursements have changed, large corporate hospital-management firms have surfaced and the economy has shrunk. Hence, it’s pretty darn important, more so than ever, to have a strong marketing strategy.

A strong content marketing strategy can help differentiate your practice from your peers or place your institution as a subject matter expert. Content marketing is defined as a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, pertinent and dependable content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and to drive profitable customer action.

Let’s take a look at some ways you can do this. It’s easier than you think!

Provide value With all the technology that is available at our fingertips, most patients flock to the Internet to research their conditions, yield their own second thoughts and comprehend their bodies more than before. Being a trusted source of information when they are in your examining room or are

surfing the Internet, i.e., through your website or social media platforms, builds a deeper doctor-patient relationships.

This helps solidify your reputation and can help expand your practice.

Enhance content for keywords Make it easy for your potential patients to find you. The majority of people choose their service providers based on reviews or referrals then cross-check their choice against the Internet. Optimizing your content with strong keywords your patients may be searching for will help your audience find you and may encourage them to reach out for a consultation. Tackling SEO (search engine optimization) can be simpler than one realizes. First, write your website copy then consider using Google Trends to find words specific enough that you aren’t competing against multi-million dollar marketing budgets but general enough that the average person would search for your practice using those terms. Now go back and plug these keywords in where it makes the most sense.

Make information shareable According to a cross-platform report from Nielsen ratings, the average American adult spends 11 hours per day on their computer, smartphone or tablet. Time spent can range from surfing the Web to spending hours on various

Fiona Lytle is the research and marketing specialist for Kern Economic Development Corporation.

social media platforms. When posting content on your site, construct it to be informative and encouraging for people to share your information. Additionally, remember to maintain presence on social media by humanizing your services and making your practice more relatable to your patients.

It is also a good way to boost your bedside manners and make your patients feel comfortable entrusting you with their bodies.

Audience interaction Give website viewers a chance to engage with you online through email access, Q&A sections or comment forums.

It’s good to provide useful information, but people also like to know that their situation is normal. This allows patients to feel reassured that they could reach out to you with their questions.

Blog Writing a weekly blog may seem dreary especially after countless hours on the job, however blogs are a very important marketing tactic. They help boast SEO rankings, build user engagement, brand awareness and loyalty to name a few. Blogs also allow for you to generate shareable content, spread the word and most importantly, showcase yourself. A weekly or bi-weekly short form, 300-word blog can go a long way!

Health care content marketing aids your practice and website to a safe place where your patients want to visit.

Get started today!

Mira Patel is the owner of Six23 Media, a local marketing and public relations consulting firm.

October / November 2015

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Welder, inspector develops idea for precision gauge

By Kelly Bearden

M

ost Kern County industries depend on having high-quality welding to hold together a wide range of pipelines, manufacturing plants, vehicles, tanks, etc.

A Bakersfield welder for more than a decade and a certified weld inspector, Sean Jennings recognizes the need to have solid, dependable welds. Public safety and a company’s bottom line can be compromised by weld failures.

Consider the headlines just this summer when the U.S. Navy had to sideline three of its newest Virginiaclass submarines due to questionable Kelly Bearden welding in piping that was instrumental to connecting the boats’ nuclear reactors to its propulsion system. Headlines continue to be written as flaws are detected in leaking pipelines and bridges that threaten public safety and the environment.

No doubt the best outcome for a company is to ensure that the welds in its systems and products are high quality and solid. And to make that assurance requires performing constant inspections – along the entire production line as well as during future maintenance.

Jennings saw the need for a quicker, portable and accurate device to improve weld inspections. With the help of consultants at the Small Business Development Center at Cal State Bakersfield, Jennings now has patents pending on his gauge. He also has formed a company to market the Jennings Weld Gauge. (Go to www.jenningsweldgauge.com

to watch a video demonstration of the gauge).

Basically, the device measures a weld’s throat dimension and the height of butts and detects any misalignment of the two welded pieces. It tells an inspector using the device if the weld has been created “up to code.”

Jennings describes his endeavor as a “growing, innovative business that offers solutions to common problems encountered by welding inspectors, quality control technicians, engineers, and welders.”

He brings his vast knowledge of welding technology, quality control inspection and code compliance to his new business.

“A universal weld gauge was invented out of a need to measure a higher volume of welds, in less time, with greater accuracy and ease, all while using fewer tools,” Jennings explained. “We have a goal of placing more quality, capability, simplicity and efficiency into the hands of every customer with our universal welding inspection tool.”

Last year, SBDC consultants began working with Jennings to first fine-tune his device and then helped him develop a business and marketing strategy. Consultants also helped Jennings through the process of obtaining patents for his gauge.

While other gauges are on the market, most have been manufactured in China and are of lower quality. Jennings is producing a stainless steel gauge in the $150 range, which is nearly $100 less than competitors’ gauges. Jennings also notes that his single tool can replace a briefcase of welding tools that retail for about $900.

Jennings Weld Gauge Co. LLC is just one of many fledgling local entrepreneurial endeavors being taken

from the idea stage to market with the help of experienced SBDC consultants.

The Small Business Development Center at CSUB is one of five service centers overseen by the University of California, Merced SBDC Regional Network, which is a partnership between the university and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The center at CSUB assists entrepreneurs and smallbusiness owners in Kern, Mono and Inyo counties by providing free one-on-one consulting, small-business training and research. For more information, go to www.csub. edu/sbdc.

Kelly Bearden is the director of the Small Business Development Center at Cal State Bakersfield.

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October / November 2015

Breastfeeding advocate educates businesses about lactating employees’ rights

By Louis Medina

S

ara Steelman has never been a mom herself, but you’d never know it if you listened to her talk passionately about breastfeeding.

“It’s the ultimate prevention. If we were to start breastfeeding all of our babies, we would reduce infant illness and mortality, the risk of obesity and save a lot on health care costs,” the regional breastfeeding liaison for the California Women, Infants and Children programs in Kern, Tulare and Kings counties said.

“I try to spend equal amounts of time in each county and follow opportunities as the need arises.”

Steelman has been employed by Community Action Partnership of Kern’s WIC program since March 2014 thanks to a regional grant from Louis Medina the state of California WIC Program.

The opportunities she refers to include facilitating training for health care providers, consulting on grants that help fund breastfeeding awareness and support efforts at the local and regional levels, and educating employers about the rights of their staff who are breastfeeding.

California’s lactation accommodation law California Labor Code 1030-1033 states that unless work operations would be seriously disrupted, every em-

ployer must provide “a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate an employee desiring to express breast milk for the employee’s infant child” and “make reasonable efforts to provide the employee with the use of a room or other location, other than a toilet stall, in close proximity to the employee’s work area, for the employee to express milk in private.”

But, Steelman said, “breastfeeding moms are often too scared to approach their employers and tell them about their rights.”

That’s where her role as an advocate comes in.

As Steelman learns about possible violations of the labor code – which went into effect in 2002, according to the California Department of Public Health website – she sends out letters to employers in her tri-county service area.

Steelman, who earned her master’s in public health from Grand Canyon University in Arizona, is direct but makes it clear that what she really wants to do is help.

A sample letter she provides states, “I am deeply concerned about the support nursing mothers are receiving in the workplace and I am available to discuss with you ways other employers have provided accommodations.”

The letter then goes on to explain the various models and guidelines for accommodating breastfeeding employees.

There is a lot riding on Steelman’s advocacy efforts.

“Regionally, we know that increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates will save a significant amount in health care costs in Kern, Tulare and Kings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, if 90 percent of U.S. mothers

would exclusively breastfeed their infants for six months, there would be an estimated savings of $13 billion per year in health care costs,” she said.

That’s because breastfeeding is not only good for the baby but for the mother as well, as it reduces the risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancers according to the AAP, Steelman added.

CAPK: Practicing what it preaches “I’m very passionate about promoting breastfeeding but also about increasing the access to support that women have,” Steelman noted.

That goes for CAPK, too, and not just the CAPK WIC Program, where all staff is trained to provide basic breastfeeding support.

An agency-wide breastfeeding policy drafted by CAPK WIC is currently under review by CAPK’s Human Resources Division.

“CAPK has always supported employees who are breastfeeding,” Steelman said. “It was just never in a written policy.”

California WIC has provided funding for Steelman’s position through 2019, she said.

To contact Sara Steelman, send her a message at ssteelman@capk.org or call CAPK WIC at 661-327-3074, or toll free at 866-327-3074.

Louis Medina is the outreach and advocacy manager for Community Action Partnership of Kern.

Continued from page 1

PHOTO COURTESY OF AERA ENERGY

Hydrostatic testing, or underwater weighing, is an excellent tool for measuring body fat, leanness and other important data.

weight testing to a specific site.

Aera Energy is one of the few Bakersfield companies I know that arranges for a “body fat test” truck to visit its corporate and field locations so employees and their family members can take the hydrostatic test during working hours. We work with Ventura-based Linda Finley of BodyFatTest.com and her mobile testing lab.

Each truck is equipped with a hydro tank that looks like a big, rectangular bathtub filled with water about 2 feet deep. You fully immerse yourself in the tank while a quick test is done to measure your lean mass and fat mass in pounds. The test also calculates your resting metabolic rate, which tells how many calories you need to maintain lean muscle and lose fat. Then your body composition is analyzed and the results are printed out for you. The process takes 15 minutes.

As Aera’s wellness coach, I’m there when employees exit the truck after their underwater weighing test. Working with registered dieticians, we help participants interpret the test data for their age and gender and show them how to take action with diet and exercise.

This is a great opportunity to support behavior change, because even with the test results, most people don’t know how to eat properly to lose the fat. Aera is unique in providing coaching to help employees transform

their results into real improvement.

With the hydrostatic data report and follow-up coaching, you’ll not only learn your actual body fat but your calorie needs, protein requirements and how to balance the macronutrients of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in your daily diet. With those baseline numbers, you can start your own wellness program. Later, you can retest to measure your progress.

A few people have told me they avoided hydrostatic testing because they dreaded the fat results. Later, however, they wished they had done it sooner, since it put them on the path to a healthier weight and fitness level.

I’ve seen dramatic shifts in body composition in people who lost a significant percentage of fat, even though the dry-weight scale showed only a half-pound difference. That demonstrates the value of hydrostatic testing and knowing what’s going on internally.

A corporate wellness coach for Aera Energy, Ron Jones is a credentialed physical education and health science teacher.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in English literature and physical education and a master’s degree in kinesiology. He is the founder of The Lean Berets, which provides wellness, injury prevention and health promotion for corporations, organizations and community groups.

October / November 2015

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

47

48

KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

October / November 2015