Bakersfield
Photography by Greg Iger Text by Mark Corum
It’s The People, And A Whole Lot More
A publication of the Office of Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall
Photography by Greg Iger Text by Mark Corum
Bakersfield
It’s The People, And A Whole Lot More
A publication of the Office of Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall
HPNbooks A division of Lammert Incorporated San Antonio, Texas
! Previous page: The famous Bakersfield Arch welcomed travelers on the old U.S. Route 99 for fifty-years. After falling into disrepair, Caltrans feared it would collapse onto the road and wanted it removed. Buck Owens worked with Samson Steel to build a new arch supported by towers resembling the Beale Memorial Clock Tower. Located on Sillect Avenue, next to the Crystal Palace, the city’s most recognizable image once again remains visible to motorists traveling on State Route 99. Above: Left to right, a panoramic looking west from downtown shows the Bakersfield Police Department, City Hall North, First Presbyterian Church, the Bakersfield Californian Newspaper and the Padre Hotel. First Edition Copyright © 2016 HPNbooks All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to HPNbooks, 11535 Galm Road, Suite 101, San Antonio, Texas, 78254. Phone (800) 749-9790, www.hpnbooks.com.
ISBN: 978-1-944891-19-0 Library of Congress: 2016955375 Bakersfield: It’s The People, And A Whole Lot More photographer: Greg Iger assistant photographer: Ryan Cunningham author: Mark Corum designer: Glenda Tarazon Krouse contributing writers for Bakersfield partners: Garnette Bane, Joe Goodpasture Credits and acknowledgements. County of Kern Department of Agriculture and Measurement Standards, 2014 Kern County Agricultural Crop Report; Kern Economic Development Corporation, 2016 Kern County Market Overview & Investor Directory; David Lyman, manager, Visit Bakersfield; Kristie Onaindia, Kern County Basque Club; North American Basque Organizations; Michael Trihey, news director, KGET.
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HPNbooks president: Ron Lammert project manager: Daphne Fletcher assistant project managers: Anita Andersen, Jennifer Folkert administration: Donna M. Mata, Lori K. Smith, Melissa G. Quinn book sales: Joe Neely production: Colin Hart, Evelyn Hart, Tim Lippard, Tony Quinn, Christopher D. Sturdevant
Contents Legacy Sponsors ...............................................................................................4 Introduction by Mayor Harvey L. Hall ............................................................6 City of Bakersfield City Council........................................................................8 County of Kern Administrative Center ..........................................................10 Chapter 1
A Diversity of Interests, a Style All Its Own ..........12
Chapter 2
Bakersfield Life ...................................................................56
Chapter 3
Bakersfield Works ...........................................................100
Bakersfield Partners .....................................................................................142 Sponsors ......................................................................................................300 About the Photographer ..............................................................................302 About the Author..........................................................................................303 CONTENTS 3
LEGACY SPONSORS Through their generous support, these companies helped to make this project possible.
Metropolitan Recycling, LLC 2601 South Mount Vernon Avenue Bakersfield, California 93307 661-836-8380 Dignity Health Mercy & Memorial Hospitals
California State University Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, California 93311 661-654-CSUB (2782) www.csub.edu
Memorial Hospital 420 34th Street Bakersfield, California 93301 661-327-4647 Mercy Hospital Downtown 2215 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, California 93301 661-632-5000
Kern Federal Credit Union 1717 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield 93301 4180 Coffee Road, Bakersfield 93308 661-327-9461 www.kernfcu.org
Mercy Hospital Southwest 400 Old River Road Bakersfield, California 93311 661-663-6000 www.dignityhealth.org/bakersfield
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San Joaquin Community Hospital 2615 Chester Avenue Bakersfield, California 93301 661-395-3000 www.sjch.us
Omni Family Health 4900 California Avenue, Suite 400-B Bakersfield, California 93309 1-800-300-OMNI (66 64) www.OmniFamilyHealth.org
Chris Bertolucci Construction 9721 Rosedale Highway Bakersfield, California 93312 661-589-4567 www.bertolucci-construction.com
Bakersfield Adult School 501 South Mount Vernon Avenue Bakersfield, California 93307 661-835-1855 bas.kernhigh.org
KS Industries, LP 6205 District Boulevard Bakersfield, California 93313 661-617-1700 www.ksilp.com
Bakersfield Family Medical Center 4570 California Avenue Bakersfield, California 93309 661-327-4411 www.bfmc.com
San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital 3441 Allen Road Bakersfield, California 93314 661-588-3299 www.sanjoaquinvet.com
LEGACY SPONSORS 5
Introduction
Mayor Harvey L. Hall
Much has been said, songs have been sung, and articles and books written about this city we call home. The obvious can be stated about us; that Bakersfield is currently the ninth largest city in California, that agriculture and oil fuel the local economy, and that music feeds our souls…but what is readily apparent cannot alone tell the story. Bakersfield: It’s the People, and a Whole Lot More, is a book about us, the people who live here, in or near Bakersfield, in the southern end of California’s Central Valley. The people in our part of the world identify with Bakersfield, even if they are not technically within its city limits. Ask someone from Lamont, or Weedpatch, or Oildale where they are from, and the response is very likely to be “close to Bakersfield.” Our forefathers arrived from other states and other countries. They may have come on horseback, in wagons, or in beaten up old vehicles that held all their worldly belongings. Some of our parents made the choice to make this home, and some of us are here because we decided that this was a good place to plant our roots. What Bakersfield is not, is exclusive. We are a community of people taking care of family, work, and one another. This book pays homage to how we live, how we earn a living, how we play, our natural resources, and it uniquely captures the variety of places in our community, from the rugged shores of the picturesque and infamous Kern River, to the roar
of the Kern County Raceway; from the revitalized jewel of the Padre Hotel downtown, to the to the sprawling campus of our prized California State University Bakersfield. Tucked carefully between the pages is the essence of what transforms Bakersfield from ordinary, to extraordinary: the folks that live here. In a state where cities tend to be either very young or very old (at least by American standards), we are firmly middle-aged. The hospitable Colonel Baker arrived in 1863, and word soon spread that travelers would be welcome to rest at ‘Baker’s field.’ A hundred and fifty-three years later we are a city of nearly 380,000 people, over half a million if you count the unincorporated areas adjacent to the city. And, we are still welcoming our visitors, the ones that come to hear the music made famous by Buck and Merle, the ones that come to learn about baby carrots and pump oil, the ones that come to race cars and boats, the ones that come to watch their boys wrestle and the girls play basketball, and the ones that come and decide to stay. Over the last seventy-some years I have been a proud member of the Bakersfield community, and for nearly sixteen years it has been my honor and pleasure to serve as its mayor. As I reflect on what has been, and on what lies ahead, I am confident that Bakersfield will rise to meet the future as she has dealt with the past, with innovation, optimism and unity. Bakersfield: It’s the People and a Whole Lot More pays tribute to who we were, who we are, and what we have built together.
—Mayor Harvey L. Hall City of Bakersfield 2001-2016 B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 6
! Harvey L. Hall, Bakersfield’s twenty-fifth mayor, with a statue of Colonel Thomas Baker, from whom the city’s name was derived.
INTRODUCTION 7
City of Bakersfield
City Council
! B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re
Left to right, Bakersfield City Council Members: Terry Maxwell (Ward 2), Ken Weir (Ward 3), Vice Mayor Harold Hanson (Ward 5),
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Mayor Harvey L. Hall, Jacquie Sullivan (Ward 6), Bob Smith (Ward 4), Chris Parlier (Ward 7), and Willie Rivera (Ward 1).
! A downtown Bakersfield nightscape highlights the Old Church Plaza with its bell tower, which stands seventy feet tall. Built in 1931 as the First Baptist Church, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and represents a “fusion of two historical styles of architecture...Romanesque and Mission Revival.�
CITY OF BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL 9
County of Kern ! Right: Left to right, County of Kern Board of Supervisors, David Couch (District 4), Leticia Perez (District 5), Chairman Mick Gleason (District 1), Mike Maggard (District 3), and Zack Scrivner (District 2). PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE COUNTY OF KERN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Below: County of Kern Administrative Center.
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Administrative Center
! The leaves of trees lining the banks of the Kern River change colors as the temperature cools going into late fall.
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Chapter
1
A Diversity of Interests, a Style All Its Own Choose any weekend in Bakersfield, and chances are there are any number of activities from which to choose—whether the arts, sporting events or live music. Bakersfield people love to socialize and attend functions and events, particularly when there is a good cause tied to it. Dozens of nonprofits host fundraising events that draw the masses. We work hard and play harder, and if by chance, you don’t find us out and about, we are likely at a park, or in our backyard grillin’ and chillin’ with friends and family. In fact, Bakersfield boasts fifty-nine parks throughout the city, each with unique amenities including water parks, skateboard parks, and outdoor amphitheaters. We embrace our central California lifestyle, keeping it casual, but we don’t mind dressing to the occasion, or donning our favorite pair of cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat to keep with our western heritage.
! The Bakersfield Amazing Race includes a scavenger hunt through downtown, infused with trivia while clad as your favorite costume character. The event benefits
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disabled persons in our community.
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! Above: Using pavement as their canvas, artists converge each October for the Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival. Crowds build throughout the weekend in anticipation as fine art emerges. COURTESY OF ART SHERWYN.
Right: Renowned metal-sculpturist Betty Younger’s Sun Catcher is among her dramatic works of public art that can be seen throughout downtown Bakersfield.
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! Since receiving a complete renovation the Padre Hotel has become a destination boutique hotel, and is a top choice for musical artists, actors, and business people staying in the city. The Padre’s storied history is something of urban legend, yet most of it is true.
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! Opposite: Gas-filled glass tubes in a full-spectrum of colors keep iconic Bakersfield establishments aglow. Neon signs reached their peak in the 1960s, but in recent years have transformed into a form of public art. The Kern County Museum has dedicated The Neon Courtyard to preserve and display these hidden gems of businesses gone by. Above: Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. INSETS COURTESY OF BUCK OWENS PRODUCTION CO., INC.
Left: Legend has it that Buck Owen’s might have acquired this 1973 Pontiac Grand Ville, originally built for Elvis, in a poker game with the famed western tailor and car builder Nudie Cohn.
The roots of our music is a reflection of the Okies, Arkies, and Texans who moved here in the ’30s and ’40s as Dust Bowl Immigrants. Our honky tonks became the proving grounds for not only Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, but a handful of talented performers including Cousin Herb Henson, Bill Woods, Billy Mize, Oscar Whittington, Red Simpson and Gene Moles—all who played a role in pioneering the genre of music that would eventually bear our city’s namesake—the Bakersfield Sound. CHAPTER 1 17
! Above: For fifty years, the Bakersfield Fiesta has kept square dancing, a form of American folk dance, alive with their annual event at the Kern County Fairgrounds.
Inset: Carol and Fred Noel have participated in every Bakersfield Fiesta since 1989.
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Today, music aficionados can enjoy live music as varied as the venues themselves. One of the last remaining honky tonks is Trout’s Bar in neighboring Oildale, which offers live music, line dancing and karaoke most nights of the week. Part museum, part concert hall, part restaurant, Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace is enshrined with memorabilia from the performer’s musical career, while hosting today’s hottest up and coming country acts. The Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame is a recent addition to concert venues, offering a more intimate setting with superb sound quality as it also serves as a state-of-the-art recording studio. The Hall of Fame often plays host to Rick Kreiser’s Guitar Masters @ Studio A Series, bringing top-notch talent to perform in a showcase atmosphere.
! Top, left: The John Jorgenson Quintet performs at the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame. Top, right: Raised in Bakersfield, Monty Byrom has never ventured far from his hometown sound, while fronting ’80s rock bands Billy Satellite, and New Frontier. He penned several hits for Eddie Money, including I Wanna Go Back. He returned to his roots as the lead singer of Big House, earning the group an Academy of Country Music nomination for “Top New Vocal Group of the Year” in 1998. Byrom periodically performs with the Buckaroos. He is currently fronting Monty Byrom & the Road Pilots, an Americana-style five-piece that released 100 Miles South of Eden in 2015. Left: The festive sounds of Mariachi ring out at a Cinco De Mayo celebration at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace.
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! Left: CSU Bakersfield’s outdoor amphitheater provides the perfect venue for the annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival, featuring live music performed by local and well-known performers from around the world. DRONE SHOT COURTESY OF RYAN CUNNINGHAM, IGER STUDIO.
Opposite: Bakersfield changed the sound of music again, in the early 1990s when multi-platinum, Grammy Award winning artists KoRn forged its own distinct metal brand of rock and roll. The city has paid homage to the band at Rabobank Arena with a KoRn Row street sign, off N Street, just north of the train tracks. COURTESY OF WARNER MUSIC INC.
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However, the twangy-country emitted from a Fender Telecaster is not the only musical style originating from Bakersfield. In the early 1990s, KoRn redefined heavy-metal by forging a new genre of post-grunge, alternative metal that was devoured by fans thirsty for something different and hard-hitting. CHAPTER 1 21
! Concert goers enjoy an outdoor concert on a perfect Bakersfield early-summer evening at the Bright House Amphitheatre, located at The Park at River Walk.
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! Right: Banshee in the Kitchen performs at the Bakersfield Sister City Gardens during World Friendship Day. The talented trio plays Celtic music infused with the fiddle, hammered dulcimer and accordion. Below: For eighty-four years, the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, comprised primarily of local musicians, has delivered an exceptional musical experience to its audiences. In 2015, Stilian Kirov, became the BSO’s youngest conductor.
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! The 1,500 seat Fox Theater designed by famed Los Angeles architect S. Charles Lee, opened on Christmas Day in 1930, premiering the sci-fi tale Just Imagine. The theater’s silver screen entertained scores of residents for forty-seven years before going dark in 1977. In 1994, the nonprofit Fox Theater Foundation was created to begin a massive restoration effort. Today, The Fox Theater is recognized as a community treasure for its fine acoustics and is the only remaining Fox with its rare Skouras signature interior intact. Beginning at the sidewalk on a rainbow of polished terrazzo and inside amid towering gold leaf, she is an exquisite blend of Spanish Colonial and Art Deco.
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Bakersfield has an active performing arts community including the Bakersfield Community Theatre, California’s oldest continually operating community theatre. Stars Theatre Restaurant combines fine dining with exceptional musicals and comedy performances, while The Empty Space is one of just a few donationbased theatres in the United States, fostering a creative environment for local actors, directors and designers to refine their craft.
! Top, left: West Side Story production at the Bakersfield Music Theatre. Top, right: The Gaslight Melodrama offers live theatrical performance complemented by a piano player who sets the mood for the audience to boo the villain, cheer the hero and awww at the sweetheart. Left: Nearly two-dozen acoustic and electric guitars are set up on the stage of the Fox Theater for a solo performance by Jackson Browne.
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! Hair, makeup, and costume collides with fantasy at Glamour Fatale:
Battle of the Salons.
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! Keeping our city’s rich Scottish heritage and cultural traditions alive at the Scottish Games and Gathering. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RYAN CUNNINGHAM, IGER STUDIO.
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! Above: Members of the Kern County Basque Club pay homage to the traditions of the coastal fishing villages of the Basque Country who
Opposite: A young Klika drummer joins with his elders at the Basque Festival. According to North American
rely upon the generosity of the sea for their living. The ladies are performing the “Mateola” or Lapirdi’s fish basket dance to celebrate an
Basque Association, the Klika tradition reaches back to the Napoleonic era two centuries ago, when young Basques
abundant catch and the return of their men from the sea. Bakersfield is host to the largest Basque Club in California and second in the
were drafted into the French army. Their reputation as noted singers, dancers and musicians made them almost
nation to Boise, Idaho. The annual Basque Festival celebrates the heritage of this unique culture.
automatic picks for the military brass band in their respective units. After leaving the military, they took these
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talents and turned them into a Basque celebration of music. The Bakersfield Klika was formed in 1975.
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! Churchill Downs meets good ol’ Bakersfield roots with guests donning traditional Kentucky Derby wear with festive hats, or their country best for CASA’s Boot Scootin’ Derby, benefitting foster children’s rights to safe, permanent, and nurturing homes.
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! Over 2,400 Harris Ranch New York Steaks and 800 teriyaki chicken dinners are served at the annual CSU Bakersfield Spring BBQ by Gary and Adam Icardo and their crew. John Giumarra, Jr., has served as chairman of the event since its inaugural event was held at the Bakersfield Police Pistol Range, in 1972. This rite of Spring benefits the Roadrunner Scholarship Fund by paying for education costs of CSUB student-athletes.
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! Left: Without a doubt, Luigi’s is Bakersfield’s gathering spot, where you always run into old friends and never meet a stranger. The walls are adorned with snapshots of high school athletes dating back to Kern County Union High School, and hometown heroes who made it to the big leagues. Below: You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Nothing beats a scoop of ice cream during Bakersfield’s scorching summer heat. Yet, you will find the more refined ice cream connoisseur opting for Dewar’s delectable Black & White—a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge, a scoop of chocolate ice-cream topped with whipped marshmallow topping and dressed with your choice of toasted almonds or walnuts, or George’s Special, an addictive blended concoction of vanilla ice cream, walnuts, bananas and chocolate syrup.
! Opposite: There are more Mexican-inspired restaurants in Bakersfield offering flavorful south of the border delicacies than any other cuisine. Most of the restaurants are family-owned and serve up entrees reflective of their family’s heritage from the various regions of Mexico.
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! Above: The bounty of Kern County and the
Opposite: The aroma of fresh-baked sourdough bread emanates early each morning from Pyrenees French Bakery in Central Bakersfield. The bakery which was
San Joaquin Valley’s harvest is featured at the
originally called the Kern City French Bakery, began in 1887 under the proprietorship of Marius M. Espitallier. In December 1944, Pierre and Juanita Laxague
Haggin Oaks Farmer’s Market. Seasonal fruit and
purchased the bakery and changed its name to Pyrenees in honor of their native province. The distinct flavor of Pyrenees French Bakery sourdough bread comes
vegetables fill the tables, with the farmers eager to
from its French sourdough style recipe based on a sourdough starter that has been maintained for almost seventy years. Their sourdough features a more
share samples that are the result of their hard work.
subdued sour taste as compared to some typical San Francisco-style doughs, and is finished off with a hearty crust as a result of being baked in brick ovens.
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Good food, brew and vibes are common underlying themes of Bakersfield’s numerous beer festivals—each capitalizing on America’s fascination with craft beer brewing.
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! The shimmer of Mustang silver bounces off the helmets from the Friday Night Lights of high school football.
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Bakersfield loves its hometown sports, starting with high school, college and professional teams. During the fall season, high school football dominates the conversation, with generations of alumni returning to their alma mater on Friday nights to cheer on their team. In Bakersfield, we do not care as much about where you obtained your college degree from, but if you are local, we want to know what high school you attended.
! The Bakersfield College Renegades. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FRANCIS MAYER.
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! Above: CSU Bakersfield Basketball Coach Rod Barnes discusses strategy with the players of the Runners’ team. Left: CSU Bakersfield Runners’ Forward Kevin Mays sinks a basket against Portland State.
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Following a five-year transition to NCAA Division I Status, CSU Bakersfield moved to full membership status in 2010-11. It has not taken long for CSUB Athletics to make a name for themselves on a national level with four programs securing Western Athletics Conference Championships (Baseball: 2013-regular season, and 2015; Volleyball: 2014; Men’s Basketball: 2016; Softball: 2016 (tournament championships).
Bakersfield has played host to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Boys Wrestling Championship since 2004. The annual event attracts 560 wrestlers from across the state to compete in fourteen weight classes in the double-elimination tournament. More than 1,100 matches take place during the two-day Championship.
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! The CSUB ‘Runners were the 2015 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament Champions advancing them to their first NCAA Tournament Appearance.
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Bakersfield is home to the Bakersfield Condors, who joined the American Hockey League in 2015/16, after becoming affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers. The organization has created a buzz for itself over the years through creative marketing and fan engagement opportunities.
! Condorstown fans go crazy with the annual Teddy Bear Toss 13:55 into the first period when Ryan Hamilton scores the first goal—7,908 stuffed animals hit the ice—it is a sight to behold. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF RABOBANK ARENA.
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! Above: The Bakersfield Triathlon makes good use of the environs northeast of Bakersfield earning a
Opposite, inset: Area high school leading golfer Madi Daniel (right)
Opposite: On the eighteenth green at Rio Bravo Country Club.
reputation as one of the most challenging triathlons in the U.S. The USA Triathlon Sanctioned Event
and her friend Rachel Levi, assistant pro at Stockdale Country Club,
Bakersfield’s climate is conducive to year-round golf at one of the
features a 1.5k swim across Lake Ming, a 40k bike up the Panorama Bluffs and a 10k run up
enjoying a day on the greens.
city’s private country clubs including Stockdale, Bakersfield, and
Rattlesnake Grade to Bastard Hill.
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Seven Oaks, or public courses like The Links at RiverLakes Ranch.
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Motorsports in Bakersfield remain a huge attraction whether on dirt, asphalt or on the water in the case of the boat drags at Lake Ming. Kern County is host to Bakersfield Speedway, which locals call the “Okie Bowl” and is known as the West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval. Kern County Raceway Park offers dirt, moto-x, and is home to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing series as well as the season opener for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Drag Racing enthusiasts consider Famoso Raceway hallowed ground, converging in the Fall for the Hotrod Reunion, and each Spring for the March Meet.
! Above: Racing runs deep in the roots of Bakersfield’s motorsports community, with multi-generations of family members competing. NASCAR Late Model driver Buddy Shepherd fist-bumps a pint-sized fan during the drivers autograph session at Kern County Raceway Park. His father, Dick Shepherd, had a successful racing career on the dirt at Bakersfield Speedway, and on the asphalt in the mid-1990s at the former Mesa Marin Raceway where he won two track championships. Right: The smell of nitro, burning rubber and the roar of pure horsepower has drawn thousands of spectators every March since 1959, when the Smokers Car Club hosted the inaugural U.S. Gas and Fuel Championships at Famoso Raceway. PHOTOGRAPH TOP OF THE PAGE AND RIGHT ARE COURTESY OF THE FAMOSO RACEWAY.
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! Bakersfield’s passion for racing is not just limited to asphalt. The roots of drag boat racing goes back to November 26, 1956, when the Kern County Boat and Ski Club held a race on a small lake in Hart Park. Sixty years later, the National Jet Boat Association hosts a series of races on the liquid quarter-mile at Lake Ming.
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! Below: For thirty years, Bakersfield has played host to the Western Street Rod Nationals. Chrome, flames and tuck and roll upholstery abounds as 1,700 street rods, customs, and muscle cars converge on the Kern County Fairgrounds each Spring. Mayor Harvey L. Hall judges this ’32 roadster for consideration of the Mayor’s Trophy at the Western Street Rod Nationals. Inset: Mayor Harvey L. Hall is surrounded by a sea of hotrods and muscle cars at the Western Street Rod Nationals.
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! Left: Welcome to the Kern County Fair. Below: Thrillseekers pack the midway of the Great Kern County Fair. Beyond the carnival rides, the fair features great entertainment, blue-ribbon contests, and livestock events. The one-hundred-year-old Kern County Fair was originally located where the Kern County Museum resides on Chester Avenue.
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! Rodeo royalty parade their way around the arena at the annual Stampede Days Rodeo at the Kern County Fairgrounds.
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! Left: The Sikhs first came to California from the Punjab Region of India in 1899. The Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan was formed in 1911 near Stockton. These non-violent, peace-loving people believe in the equality of all human beings while promoting gender equality. Bakersfield solidified its relationship with the Sikh community by forging a relationship through the Bakersfield Sister City Project Corporation with Amritsar, India, which is considered the Holy City of the Sikh religion.
Everybody loves a parade, and Bakersfield hosts a number of them, including the Veterans Day Parade, Bakersfield Christmas Parade, the Black American History Parade, and the Peace Parade organized by the community’s Sikh population.
! Right: Bakersfield’s patriotism and appreciation for all who have served in the United States Armed Forces is visibly apparent at the annual Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown Bakersfield. The American Legion Post 26 has hosted the annual parade since 1919.
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More than three million LED lights are used to create colorful animated displays during the Holiday Lights at the California Living Museum (CALM), complete with snowflakes. The event has become an annual Bakersfield tradition, with more than 450,000 people experiencing the magic since 2002.
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! Inset: Mr. Christmas aka Mayor Harvey L. Hall brought back the Bakersfield Christmas Parade and served as coordinator for twenty-years.
Aglow in holiday lights, the Bakersfield Fire Department’s hook and ladder participates in the annual Bakersfield Christmas Parade held in downtown Bakersfield.
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! Left: Plein Air artist Art Sherwyn gets inspiration along the banks of the Kern River. Below: Lone lupines stand out in a patch of poppies off of Highway 223, heading towards the Tehachapi Mountains.
If experiencing the great outdoors is more your style, Bakersfield serves as a gateway for adventurers. The southern end of the Sequoia National Forest is in our backyard offering hiking, mountain biking and river rafting for adrenaline-seekers. The foothills of Bakersfield lends itself to some of the most spectacular arrays of wildflowers in the state. For a few short weeks in the spring, poppies, lupines, and owls clover transform the landscape while the grass turns from lush green to golden brown.
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Chapter
Bakersfield Life When it comes to quality of life amenities, our city draws from its roots and the vision of Colonel Thomas Baker, who offered weary travelers a place to rest in his field. His generous hospitality seems to have been embraced by many who decided to stay and grow our city—to over a half million people today.
! Right: Colonel Thomas Baker’s statue at city hall keeps a watchful eye on downtown as night falls. Below: Artists Al Mendez and Sebastian Muralles pay homage to the Bakersfield Sound, and music's impact on the southern San Joaquin Valley with this mural on the side of Front Porch Music. Of note are several Mosrite guitars manufactured by Semie and Andy Mosely in Bakersfield, and played by artists ranging from the Ventures to the Ramones.
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! Reach, teach and empower—Agapeland is an urban private Christian School that provides a multi-cultural learning experience.
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! Left: The Beale Memorial Clock Tower was built in memory of Truxtun Beale’s mother, Mary Edwards Beale. Dedicated on April 2, 1904, the clock tower was located at the intersection of Chester Avenue and Seventeenth Street. It was demolished as a result of a series of earthquakes in 1952. A restoration committee was formed and a replica of the clock tower, including the original clock works, bell, and iron works, was reconstructed and dedicated at the Kern County Museum on December 13, 1964. Bottom, left: Downtown’s First Friday events provide a showcase for local artists, performers, and artisans to display their talents in a family friendly setting. Below: Artist Tom Zachary pays tribute to Lady Liberty and the men and women who served in World War II with his patriotic mural located at Twentieth and Eye Streets.
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! Right: With a personality as big as her heart and passion for downtown Bakersfield, Cathy Butler has devoted a lifetime to invigorating our city center. Always the promoter, she works tirelessly with merchants, artists, restauranteurs, businesses and community groups for the benefit of downtown. Below: A festive performer dances at the Metro Galleries during a Latination exhibit. Bottom, right: The Mark Restaurant offers a unique dining experience pairing outdoor seating with live entertainment.
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! Opposite, top: Snow-capped Breckenridge Mountain peers over Bakersfield at a 7,548 foot elevation. This photograph, taken during a wet year, highlights the flow of the Kern River, Truxtun Lake and the Carrier Canal.
RIGHT AND BOTTOM PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MARK CORUM.
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Beautification of our city is something every resident can get behind, including Mayor Hall, who personally joined and encouraged residents, volunteers, and business leaders to pick up litter along the on and off ramps running through Bakersfield as part of the Mayor’s Freeway Cleanup. Hall was also instrumental in creating the Great American Cleanup through Keep Bakersfield Beautiful, which celebrated its fifteenth anniversary in 2016. To celebrate, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Jehn came to Bakersfield to honor Mayor Hall’s efforts of leading by example, which earned him the Iron Eyes Cody Award in 2011.
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☺ Opposite: Cancer survivors and their family members participate in team challenges at the Campout Against Cancer event. Funds from the growing annual event stay right here in Kern County to help local cancer patients. Above: Mayor Harvey L. Hall addresses a sea of purple at the twenty-fifth anniversary opening festivities of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Since its inception, the event has raised nearly twenty-five million dollars as attendees celebrate, remember, and fight back against cancer. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MARK CORUM.
Bakersfield’s quality of life is very much driven by the people who call it home. Our sense of community shines when we pull together to support a need, cause, or celebration. There are a countless number of organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for our residents, each who do commendable work. For twenty-five years, families have come together to celebrate and remember cancer victims and survivors through the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, raising more than $24 million dollars.
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The health, wellness, and vitality of our people is of utmost importance. Our city offers a vast network of healthcare providers from urgent care centers and clinics, specialists, hospitals and a regional trauma center to care for your loved ones. Dignity Health’s Mercy and Memorial Hospitals specialize in cancer care, heart and vascular, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, surgery and women’s care. Memorial Hospital is home to the Grossman Burn Center, renowned for its pioneering techniques to assist burn survivors in their recovery. Adventist Health’s San Joaquin Community Hospital has been serving the community for more than 100 years and offers specialized care through its Brain and Spine Institute, AIS Cancer Center, Quest Imaging, and The Burn Center.
! Opposite, clockwise starting from the top left: Clinica Sierra Vista. Kern Medical. Mercy Southwest.
The Guild House serves gourmet lunches with proceeds benefiting the Henrietta Weill Child Guidance Clinic—200 active members volunteer their time to cook, serve customers, or wash dishes. Established in 1958, the Guild has raised over $2 million for the clinic which provides outpatient mental health services for children and their families.
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Bakersfield Memorial Hospital.
Kern Medical is an acute care 222 bed teaching center affiliated with UCLA and serves as the area’s advanced trauma center. Bakersfield Heart Hospital specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart and vascular disease, but also cares for a wide range of other medical and surgical patients. Part of the recovery of any major health episode is medical rehabilitation. HealthSouth offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services. CHAPTER 2 65
Honoring America’s “Greatest Generation’, is the goal of Honor Flight of Kern County, working to recognize the approximate 46,000 veterans in Kern County, including over 8,000 who served in World War II and the Korean War. This patriotic group sends veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials built in their honor for their service to our great country—at no cost to the veteran. They receive a hero’s send-off from Meadows Field, and during their flight receive cards and notes of appreciation from schoolchildren thanking them for their dedication and sacrifice to protect our freedom.
! ABOVE: PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KEVIN FAHEY.
Right: For ten years, Ben Patten and the Armed Forces Support Riders have provided motorcycle escort for new recruits entering active duty. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ART OCHOA PHOTOGRAPHY.
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Another uniquely Bakersfield effort is KGET TV 17’s Compassion Corner which started out twenty years ago as a collection point for people to donate money or items for a cause. Today, thirteen drives are organized each year benefitting the Alliance Against Family Violence, the Bakersfield Homeless Center, canned food drives for the Golden Empire Gleaners and the CAPK Food Bank, fans for senior citizens, and pet adoptions.
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From early childhood education through graduate programs, Bakersfield embraces local education opportunities. A number of private schools are prevalent in the area, including Garces Memorial High School, Bakersfield Christian, and Heritage Academy, which offer a faith-based curriculum. Gaining increased popularity with many parents and their school age children are charter schools, such as Valley Oaks Charter School, which is ran through the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. The tuition-free program provides greater choice and flexibility for students who do not thrive in a normal public school environment— where parents, teachers and the community work together to educate one student at a time.
! Above: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County offers several reasons to jump for joy, including outstanding after school and day camp summer programs from its main location serving east Bakersfield and numerous satellite school-based locations throughout the community. Left: This little free library was created in remembrance of Wendy Wayne, a dedicated advocate for children and humanity. Neighborhood children can borrow a book from the tiny library for free.
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Regional Occupational Center Meeting the demand for a skilled and prepared workforce is of the highest priority for area learning institutions. The Kern High School District’s Regional Occupational Center is a public education/technical training facility offering a variety of programs to those interested in developing or improving job skills. Juniors and seniors can select from more than two-dozen program options, including, animal care, law enforcement, pharmacy tech and 3D animation and video game design.
! PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CENTER.
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! Top, left: Bakersfield High School. Top, right: Liberty High School. Left: The first grade flutophone band performs at the Little Red School House’s kindergarten graduation. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MARK CORUM.
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Bakersfield College is one of the nation’s oldest continually operating community colleges and serves 20,000 students from its 153-acre campus in northeast Bakersfield, and two satellite locations. Other four-year universities in Bakersfield include Fresno Pacific University and University of Phoenix, both of which offer teaching certification, undergraduate, and graduate degrees, and University of Laverne offering undergraduate and graduate degrees.
! Students from the Bakersfield College Culinary program put their skills to work creating a savory entree at Garden Fest. The program emphasizes quality food production and service in commercial and institutional food service operations. Students gain real world experience working in the campus restaurant, the Renegade Room.
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! Left: Located on a 375-acre site in southwest Bakersfield, CSU Bakersfield serves more than 8,720 students and counts over 40,000 alumni from its programs: arts and humanities, business and public administration, natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, and social sciences and education. CSUB offers undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate and credential programs. In addition, CSUB’s Extended University offers professional development, certificate, and degree programs.
! Right: Established in 1913, Bakersfield College is one of the oldest, continuallyoperating community colleges in the United States. Over 20,000 students are served from the 153 acre main campus, the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield, and the Delano Center located thirty-five miles north of the city of Bakersfield. BC offers a number of associate degree and certificate programs from nearly fifty subjects.
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The Bakersfield Police Department provides for the safety and welfare of the citizens of Bakersfield utilizing effective law enforcement systems, including crime prevention, patrol and traffic enforcement, criminal investigation follow-up, crime analysis, vice and narcotic engagement, gang suppression and community relations.
! Opposite: The Bakersfield Police Activities League helps keep kids on the right path by engaging them in healthy activities, homework assistance, and the encouragement to be a leader and not a follower.
Above: Old Glory flies high above Truxtun Avenue as residents and the public safety community gather to honor the fallen officers of the Bakersfield Police Department. The Bakersfield Police Memorial was dedicated in May 1998, during National Law Enforcement Week. It features the names of those officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
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The Bakersfield Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, heavy and technical rescue, hazmat mitigation, and water rescue to the people of Bakersfield. BFD is an insurance services office (ISO) rated class 2 fire department, placing them in the top 1.5 percent of departments in the United States.
! Above: The Firefighters Fishing Derby.
Right: Bakersfield Fire Department’s Station 1 is located at the corner of Twenty-first and H Streets.
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Hall Ambulance Service, Inc., is the 9-1-1 paramedic provider, which works collaboratively with its public safety partners to deliver medical aid when someone falls victim to sudden illness or injury. The company also provides air ambulance service for the most traumatic and lifethreatening calls where a time savings of ten minutes or greater exists; as well as critical care transport services between hospitals in our city and throughout the state. Within metropolitan Bakersfield, there are several county pockets with fire and law enforcement services handled by the Kern County Fire Department and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Keeping our highways safe are the officers of the California Highway Patrol.
! Above: CHiPs for Kids is one of several organized toy drives in Bakersfield to ensure no child goes without being remembered at Christmastime. Below: Harvey L. Hall commissioned artist Chuck Caplinger to produce this nine-foot by sixty-foot mural depicting his company’s forty-five year history as a pioneer in modern EMS. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MARK CORUM.
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! The Shops at River Walk offers a variety of brand name stores, specialty boutiques, and restaurants, in close proximity to the Kern River Bike Path and the Park at River Walk.
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Bakersfield is a shoppers paradise whether your taste is to explore the small boutique stores of downtown, spending a day at Valley Plaza Mall which is anchored by JCPenney, Macy’s, Target, and Sears, or the upscale shops offered at the Marketplace and the Shops at River Walk in the southwest portion of town. If you cannot find something closer to home, The Outlets at Tejon are located twenty-five minutes south of town and offers upscale designer fashions and home good brands at value savings from such well-known retailers as Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Calvin Klein, Coach Factory Store and Pottery Barn.
! A shopper’s paradise lies minutes away from Bakersfield at the Outlets at Tejon, featuring brand names at discounted prices. The area is also host to major distribution facilities including IKEA, Famous Footwear and Caterpillar.
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! Above: Monsignor Craig Harrison, pastor of St. Francis Parish takes time to visit with the Saint Francis Girls Basketball Team.
Left: Pastor Oscar Anthony and Assistant Pastor Ralph Anthony lead a bible study group with community leaders at St. Peters.
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! Clockwise, starting from the top left:
Dr. Roger Spradlin is co-pastor of Valley Baptist Church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Temple Beth El and Congregation B’nai Jacob created the Jewish Food Festival to share their culture and traditional cuisine such as falafel, rugelach, and kosher brisket sandwiches with the community.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) serves the community with its parish and school offering an education based on Catholic principles.
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Above: Sikhs gather for worship in a temporary Gurdwara prior to the start of their annual Peace Parade.
Opposite: Members of the African Association of Kern County participate in the Black American History Parade. The parade promotes unity and integrates all aspects of black history, from culture and music to heritage and art.
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! The Marketplace in southwest Bakersfield transforms into the town square on most Friday and Saturday nights, with families catching dinner and a movie, shopping, and the popular Concerts by the Fountain summer series.
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! Above: The mighty Kern River with its North Fork originating in the Sequoia National Park, west of Mount Whitney, flows almost due south to Lake Isabella, eighty-three river miles away. Its flow runs through a glaciated valley that may be the longest such valley in the nation. The South Fork originates in the Golden Trout Wilderness, and parallels thirteen miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Right: Water rushes through the Kern River Canyon making its way towards Bakersfield.
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! The Kern River Parkway runs from the mouth of the Kern River Canyon to Buena Vista Lake, and includes the primary and secondary floodplains. This natural treasure features a 32-mile bike path and horse trail, 9 Bakersfield parks, and 4 Kern County parks encompassing 1,400 acres of wetland preserves and natural riparian areas for a total of 6,000 acres of public space.
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! Students gather at the Panorama Vista Preserve to learn about the revegetation of native plant species taking place to broaden the wildlife habitat along the banks of the Kern River. Native trees include the California Sycamore and the Cottonwood with the area roamed by coyote, beaver, jackrabbits, cottontail rabbits and bobcats. The preserve, which is private land held in a trust for public use, runs from the Beardsley Canal and oilfields to the North, Oildale to the West, Godron’s Ferry to the East and the Panorama Bluffs to the South.
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!
Clockwise, starting from the top left, a covey of quail, a roadrunner sits amongst
Opposite: In search of the Summer Tanager, a Willow Flycatcher, or the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, members of The Kern Audubon Society delight in the number of species
the almond blossoms, a house finch peers from a wood plank, and a wild
that traverse through Kern County as part of their regular migration route. Kern County is home to 438 native bird species due to the area’s convergence of several
‘Hart Park’ parakeet.
bio-regions including great basin, wetland, desert, montane, riparian, chaparral, and grassland habitats.
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! Opposite, clockwise starting from the top: The Tule Elk State Natural Reserve works to grow the number of tule elk, once in danger of extinction. Today, nearly 4,000 tule elk are back roaming the foothills and grasslands of California. Fiddleneck Fern. Springtime means abundant wildflowers attracting photographers like honeybees to capture the flowers for the brief moment of time that they are at their grandest. Top, left: Wild filaree.
CHAPTER 2 Above: Iva Fendrick helps a workshop participant refine their creative side during a watercolor class at the Bakersfield Art Center.
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! Opposite, left: The trails on the hills of the Kern River Canyon provide numerous opportunities for recreation including hiking and mountain biking.
Opposite, right: Stormy sunset on Shadow Hills and the Kern River.
Right: Visitors to the California Living Museum (CALM) can view over eighty species of unreleasable animals including raptors, reptiles and black bear in natural exhibits.
Below: Thrill-seekers test their mental and physical limits at the thirty-two foot climbing tower which is part of Condor Challenge, a recreational exhibit at the California Living Museum, featuring high and low obstacle elements.
CALM, California Living Museum
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! Left: The Kern County Soccer Park offers twenty regulation-sized fields spread over eighty-six acres, and is home to a number of leagues including AYSO Region 181 and the Bakersfield Soccer League. Below: League of Dreams goes beyond, “take me out to the ball game� by placing young people with developmental disabilities in the game.
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! Bakersfield boasts fifty-nine parks each with unique amenities and character. The Park at River Walk offers visitors mountain retreat aesthetics featuring river rock wall buildings, foot bridges, two lakes and a stream. The cornerstone of the Park at River Walk is Bright House Amphitheater, a 4,000-person outdoor venue which hosts a summer concert series attracting a variety of musical acts ranging from Ziggy Marley, the Beach Boys, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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! Sunset falls on the United States Federal Courthouse reflecting on the Kern Island Canal as it meanders through Mill Creek Park, offering a respite of peaceful tranquility.
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Bakersfield lends itself well to a diverse culture where we share an appreciation for what makes us unique. We celebrate this through community events, food and music festivals including the Black American History Parade, the Menudo Cook-off, the Scottish Gathering and Games, and the Greek Food Festival. Our admiration for learning about other cultures is enhanced through the Bakersfield Sister City Project Corporation, providing an opportunity for cultural, educational, municipal, business and technical exchanges between six sister city relationships. These include Wakayama, Japan (1961), Cixi, China (1996), Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico (2005), Bucheon, Republic of Korea (2006) and Amritsar, India (2011). To honor these relationships, the City of Bakersfield created the Sister City Gardens where Mill Creek Linear Park crosses Eighteenth Street. Each garden showcases a variety of native trees, plants, and flowers to their country as well as their native flags. CHAPTER 2 99
Chapter
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Bakersfield Works The city seal for Bakersfield features a cornucopia filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains, and serves as a metaphor for our abundant economy. For decades, oil and ag have remained the mainstay commodities fueling and feeding the world. Kern County is the number two oil-producing county in the nation; yielding 145 million bbl of oil and 132 billion CF of gas annually, according to 2014 DOGGR data. These amounts represent 71 percent of California’s oil production and 10 percent of the total U.S. oil production.
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! Sprawling pumping jacks cover the Kern River Field, where in May 1899 the discovery well was hand-dug. As of 2014, the Kern River Field is still going strong as the nation’s fifth largest oilfield, yielding 70,000 barrels a day.
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! Opposite: Kern County is the number two oil-producing county in the nation; yielding 145 million bbl of oil and 132 billion CF of gas annually. Source: DOGGR data, 2014.
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! Left: Our region’s commodities of ag and oil seemingly collide with a vintage wooden oil derrick in the middle of a cotton crop. Opposite: Fifty-five percent of all roses grown in the United States are grown in and around neighboring Wasco. The city celebrates each September with its Festival of Roses.
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! Opposite: The Pima and Upland cotton varieties thrive in the southern San Joaquin Valley due to the warm temperature and long growing season. The region produces a special Upland variety known as San Joaquin Valley Acala, which is among the highest quality Upland cottons in the world. As of 2014, cotton ranks number nine in Kern County agriculture commodities with a value of $117,568,000.
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Ag commodities are equally impressive, as Kern County produced $7,552,323,690 in 2014. The top five commodities as of 2014 are grapes, almonds, milk, citrus, and cattle & calves which make up more than $5 billion or 66 percent of the total value.
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! Above: Processing grapes in the varietal development lab at Sun World International. Left: Grapes are king in the southern San Joaquin Valley, where growers offer a number of varieties of this crisp sweet tasting treat that pops in your mouth. Opposite: The art of wine can be attributed to the propagation and grafting of grape nursery stock nurtured by Sunridge Nurseries a reputable grapestock supplier to California wineries.
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! With their early Spring arrival, almond blossoms are a symbol of new life. Kern County almonds ranked number two in 2014, at a value of $1,488,182,000. California growers provide the nutritious nut to some ninety countries worldwide.
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! Pistachios ranked number six in Kern County’s ag commodities in 2014 valued at $401,049,000.
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The “baby carrot” is a phenomenon that was cultivated here in our region in 1986. Experimenting with an industrial potato peeler and green bean slicer, Bunny Luv Carrot Farmer Mike Yurosek is credited with producing the first versions of today’s baby carrot. He sold his company to rival Grimmway Farms in the early 1990s, which has since become one of the largest carrot producers in the world by positioning baby carrots as a healthful snack and packaging it in ways that make it easy to pack into lunch sacks for children and adults around the world. In the past decade, there has been a movement afoot for local agribusiness producers to brand and make fruits and vegetables cooler than their junk-food rivals. Marketing campaigns such as Bolthouse Farms 2010 “Eat ‘Em Like Junk Food” thrust baby carrots into mainstream popularity. The same holds true for the company’s line of twenty-seven varieties of juices and smoothies, which they make available in single-serve bottles.
! Left: Grimmway Farms is considered to be one of the largest carrot producers in the world. Baby carrots have become a popular anytime snack for young and old alike. Carrots rank seventh in Kern County’s commodities with a total value of $288,063,000. Opposite: Rows of potato crops spread across fertile ag land. Kern County growers have moved away from russets in recent years to focus on red, yellow, and white potatoes.
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! Left: Workers process plums harvested fresh from the field. Bottom, left: Farm laborers pick elongated red sweet peppers fresh from the field. Opposite: Just three seasons into production, the Wonderful Company’s Halos are the number one mandarin brand in the country. Tangerines marketed under the Halo brand have found popularity as an easy to peel treat for kids and adults alike.
The Wonderful Company did the same when it aired a commercial promoting its pistachios in Super Bowl XLVII, featuring South Korean rapper Psy of Gangnam Style fame. Wonderful next turned its attention to mandarin oranges by creating its Halo brand of the easy to peel, seedless citrus. By the end of its third season, Halos remains the number one mandarin brand in the country with over fifty percent market share. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 116
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! Opposite: Granite Station, Southern San Joaquin Valley. Above: Cattle on Rancheria Road. Cattle rounds out the top five of Kern County’s ag commodities with a value of $428,854,000.
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! Sheep graze on a grassy plain at the mouth of the Kern River Canyon.
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! Opposite: A close-up study of California’s state flower, Eschscholzia californica. The poppy’s four petals close at night or in cold or windy weather. Above: Horses grazing in the meadow pasture at Rankin Ranch in Walker Basin. The 31,000-acre ranch has been family-owned and operated since 1863. They opened their picturesque property to the public in 1965 and have been warmly welcoming guests ever since. Today, the fourth, fifth, and sixth Rankin generations are the heart of the operation.
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Our geographic location, places us at the center of the state’s population, making us prime real estate for major distribution centers. More than fifty distribution centers are in the region including Men’s Warehouse, IKEA, Caterpillar, Target, and Nestle/Dryers.
! Above: A crane lifts massive tilt-up panels during construction of the IKEA Distribution Center at Tejon Ranch.
Left: A worker assembles Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches on the assembly line at the Nestlé Bakersfield Ice Cream Facility.
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! The bakers of Bakersfield:
Left: Since 1945, Smith’s Bakeries has been putting smiles on cookies and customer’s faces alike with their signature cookies, cakes, donuts and pastries.
Below: Sweet Surrender is another locally-owned bakery and boutique, and is home of the Matterhorn Cake, featured on the Food Network’s, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, with Giada De Laurentiis.
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! Left: Clients of Bakersfield ARC (BARC) assemble parts for a manufacturing company. The organization provides essential job training, employment and support services for the intellectually and developmentally disabled. Opposite: A technician checks the specs of a knee brace manufactured by Townsend Design. Located in southwest Bakersfield, the company produces a variety of knee brace and orthopedic solutions aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals, and keeping athletes in the game.
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! Left: A manufacturing facility uses an automated plasma cutting robot to supply pipelines for oil and agriculture. Opposite: A fabrication shop continues production late into the evening to satisfy demand for a variety of industrial applications.
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! The Bakersfield Amtrak Station is the southern terminus for the passenger train’s San Joaquin route, which extends to Stockton before splitting to Oakland or Sacramento.Thruway motorcoach service provides connections to southern California’s Union Station, the high desert and the Central Coast.
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! The downtown Bakersfield skyline meets the Kern River Oilfields leading to the Greenhorn Mountains, a part of the Sequoia National Forest.
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Another benefit is our multimodal transportation hub including ground, air, rail transportation. Within a two-hour drive are the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and within four hours are the ports of San Francisco and Oakland.
! Opposite: The Grapevine is a forty-mile stretch connecting the southern San Joaquin Valley to southern California. According to Caltrans, 70,000 vehicles travel this section of the Golden State Freeway on a daily basis, with 19,000 being big-rigs. According to the Ridge Route Preservation Society, the grapevine got its name from the wild Cimarron grapevines that grew in the area.
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In additional to Meadows Field (BFL), we are in close proximity to Los Angeles (LAX), Oakland (OAK), San Francisco (SFO), Ontario (ONT), and the Southern California Logistics Airport, located in Victorville.
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! Opposite, top: A winding line of freight trains make their way through a tunnel near Caliente. Opposite, bottom: The William H. Thomas Passenger Terminal at Meadows Field Airport (BFL) was opened on February 27, 2006. Located seven miles north of downtown Bakersfield, the airport features daily flights to Denver and San Francisco by United Airlines, and service to Phoenix via American Airlines. Right: The STEM class at Fruitvale Jr. High School. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHEVRON.
Bakersfield has a bright future when it comes to developing and expanding its workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks the Bakersfield MSA #1 for the fastest-growing workforce, and we are appealing to a new generation of workers. Millennials are finding the area offers the amenities they most want, with Forbes ranking the Bakersfield-Delano metropolitan area as the second fastest millennial job growth rate in the nation from 2007 to 2013, at 11 percent. More good news is that educators and employers are working together to create relevant training in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), essential for global competitiveness. For example, since 2010, Chevron has invested more than $1 million in STEM funding resulting in more than 1,700 classroom projects, and reaching nearly 127,000 students throughout the region. The Brookings Institution ranked the region #4 for STEM jobs.
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! Wind turbines dot the eastern side of the Tehachapi Mountains. As the valley heats up, it pulls the air across the mountain range driving the blades on the towering wind turbines which convert kinetic energy into mechanical power or electricity.
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With 272 days of sunshine, it is no wonder Bakersfield is rising to prominence on California’s clean energy stage when it comes to harvesting the sun’s rays into solar energy. Multiple solar projects are popping up around the outskirts of the city, with several bordered by agricultural land.
! Above: Fresh fallen snow covers Bear Mountain, which peaks at 6,916 ft., and the Tehachapi Mountain range dividing the southern San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Left: The Sun Edison Regulus Solar Project covers 660-acres, which is the equivalent of 500 football fields, incorporating 248,000 individually produced panels generating enough electricity to power about 25,000 average California homes.
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Helping local businesses thrive are the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce, the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the North of the River Chamber of Commerce. Each provides leadership and economic development opportunities to benefit small business owners in our community.
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! Above: Downtown Bakersfield is seeing a number of new infill construction projects including Mill Creek Village, a 63 unit apartment complex for seniors, and the luxury 44-unit 17th Place Townhomes, targeting millennials yearning walkability and proximity to the amenities downtown has to offer. Right: A construction worker concentrates on the exterior of a downtown Bakersfield building whose facade was covered by stucco for decades. The building was slated for demolition before being purchased by an investor, who discovered the original architecture intact during a renovation process.
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! Light cascades through trees and foliage along the Kern River.
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! Top, left: A close-up study of California’s state flower, Eschscholzia californica. The poppy’s four petals close at night or in cold or windy weather. Top, right: The rush of water slows outside of the Kern River Canyon, creating a colorful pool where the river recedes in late Fall. Bottom: A carpeted mix of wildflowers covers the ground, leading to Bear Mountain.
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Bakersfield Partners Profiles of businesses, organizations and families that have contributed to the development and economic base of Bakersfield Quality of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 The Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Building a Greater Bakersfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Family Portraits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 B A K E R S F I E L D PA RT N E R S 143
! Bottom: Wind swept clouds at sunset over Hart Park, reflect the delicacy of an artist’s brush.
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Quality of Life Healthcare providers, school districts, universities and other institutions that contribute to the quality of life in Bakersfield D i g n i t y H e a l t h M e rc y a n d M e m o r i a l H o s p i t a l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4 6 C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 2 Omni Family Health.............................................................................................156 San Joaquin Community Hospital ...........................................................................160 Kaiser Permanente ...............................................................................................164 G o l d e n E m p i re Tr a n s i t D i s t r i c t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 6 Bakersfield Christian High School ..........................................................................168 B a k e r s f i e l d P a t h o l o g y M e d i c a l G ro u p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 0 Hoffmann Hospice ................................................................................................172 Bakersfield Family Medical Center Heritage Physician Network H e r i t a g e P ro v i d e r N e t w o r k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 4 Kern Community College District ...........................................................................176 C e n t e r f o r t h e B l i n d a n d V i s u a l l y I m p a i re d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 8 A d v a n c e d C e n t e r f o r E y e c a re ( A C E ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 9 Bakersfield College ..............................................................................................180 Kern County Fair ................................................................................................182 Kern County Superintendent of Schools ...................................................................184 Bakersfield Adult School .......................................................................................186 Clinica Sierra Vista .............................................................................................188 Historic Union Cemetery.......................................................................................190 S a n J o a q u i n Ve t e r i n a r y H o s p i t a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 2 C e n t re f o r N e u ro S k i l l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 4 B a k e r s f i e l d F i re D e p a r t m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 6 B a k e r s f i e l d P ro f e s s i o n a l F i re f i g h t e r s L o c a l 2 4 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 8 Bakersfield Heart Hospital ....................................................................................199 G E M C a re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 0 G re e n l a w n F u n e r a l H o m e s - C re m a t i o n s - C e m e t e r i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 1 Houchin Community Blood Bank .............................................................................202 Alpha J. Anders, MD, FCCP ..................................................................................203 Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame..............................................................................204 Kern Patriot Partnership ......................................................................................205 Fox Theater Foundation ........................................................................................206 B a k e r s f i e l d S y m p h o n y O rc h e s t r a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 7 G a rc e s M e m o r i a l H i g h S c h o o l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 8 K e r n C o u n t y Ve t e r a n s S e r v i c e D e p a r t m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 9 P e t ro l e u m C l u b o f B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 0 Hall Ambulance Service, Inc. .................................................................................211 Links for Life ......................................................................................................212 Boys & Girls Club of Kern County ..........................................................................213 QUALITY OF LIFE 145
DIGNITY HEALTH MERCY AND MEMORIAL HOSPITALS ! Top, left: Construction of a new Mercy Hospital is made possible by a $45,000 donation from W. S. DeGana, who asks to remain anonymous until his death. Fundraising efforts led by William Howell, Sr., and Alfred Harrell finance additions. The new thirty-six room, three-story hospital officially opened on November 9, 1913. It was considered to be the most advanced hospital of its day and featured the city’s first passenger elevator. A seventyfoot dome tops the building with a gold leaf cross illuminated by a lantern at its apex. The hospital, which is visible from a distance of ten miles, was known as the “beacon of light.”
Top, right: Standing in front of the rubble of Mercy Hospital after the 1952 earthquake, these physicians, along with community leaders raised money to rebuild Mercy Hospital. Although the earthquake did not destroy it, the hospital was so damaged it had to be taken down. Pictured from left to right (according to Dr. Robert Sheldon) are: Admiral Bill Hall (Navy), Dr. Lefty Osell, Dr. Romain Clerou, Dr. Rod Ogden, Dr. Carl Moore, Dr. Willis Semenger, Dr. Francis Gundry, Dr. Keith McKee and Dr. Robert Sheldon.
Right: Financial supporters and well-wishers gathered for Greater Bakersfield Memorial Hospital’s groundbreaking ceremony on August 25, 1954. The vision of transforming a dusty seventeen acre empty lot on Thirty-fourth Street near Union Avenue into a field of dreams where Kern County residents could benefit from the life-saving healthcare services of a community-owned hospital was realized on October 1, 1956 when GBMH opened its doors to the first patients.
Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals is Kern County’s premier healthcare system with three acute care hospitals in Bakersfield and a growing number of medical facilities to meet the needs of our community. With a reputation for providing award-winning care and state-of-the-art services in a compassionate, caring environment, citizens of Bakersfield and the surrounding area know they have access to some of the most advanced medical care available between Los Angeles and Fresno. Our family of services range from our beautiful birth and family care centers to specialized centers of excellence such as the Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center, Grossman Burn Center, the Lauren Small Children’s Center, and the Orthopedic, Spine and Hand Center. As the largest healthcare organization in the western United States, Dignity Health is committed to the health and wellbeing of local residents. We also care for the thousands of Mercy and Memorial Hospital employees who call Dignity Health home. As Kern County’s third largest employer, we have much to offer our more than 3,000 employees. Competitive wages and excellent benefits, along with a host of continuing education and career advancement opportunities, make Dignity Health one of Bakersfield’s most sought out workplaces. Delivering on our promise to provide quality, compassionate care is why more than 600 affiliated physicians and specialists choose our care centers for their patients. In addition to our three hospitals, Dignity Health Bakersfield provides a growing number of healthcare
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facilities to meet the needs of the community, including Millennium Surgery Center, Dignity Health Infusion Center at the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, and the Dignity Health Medical Group in Bakersfield.
Mercy and Memorial’s Department of Special Needs & Community Outreach impact the lives of thousands through wellness programs, health screenings, community events, educational programs and other services. Together, this dedicated team operates more than seventy programs in Kern County including the Beyond the Walls Program, which received the 2015 Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) for remarkable contributions to our community. Mercy and Memorial Hospitals are also nationally and locally recognized for excellence in healthcare and for our contributions to the improvement and enrichment of the communities we serve. Our nationally certified stroke centers are recognized by the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Program, receiving the organizations top Achievement Awards for excellence in stroke care. Memorial Hospital is an accredited Chest Pain Center and a Mission Lifeline STEMI Receiving Center, meeting the nation’s highest standards of care for the most severe type of heart attack. Mercy and Memorial Hospitals have also received many Healthgrades®
quality achievement awards including the Patient Safety Excellence Award™ two years in a row. Locally, Mercy Hospital Southwest is consistently voted as Bakersfield’s Best Hospital year after year in The Bakersfield Californian’s “Best Of” poll and we are honored to be the recipient of numerous Beautiful Bakersfield Awards including the 2016 Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award for the Kern County Builders’ Exchange’s Hope House at Memorial Hospital. Our three Dignity Health Bakersfield hospitals are nationally recognized centers for quality care and medical excellence with a human touch. Our services include the internationally-renowned Grossman Burn Center, the Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center, the Lauren Small Children’s Center, and the Orthopedic, Spine and Hand Center. Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals are Kern County’s trusted leaders in comprehensive heart care. From education and rehabilitation, to innovative nonsurgical treatments and advanced cardiac procedures, our cardiac experts treat all stages of the disease.
! Above: Hospital leadership, donors and volunteers break ground on Mercy Hospital Southwest in 1990. Like its sister hospital downtown, the hospital has established a reputation for superior healthcare since opening in 1992. Mercy Hospital Southwest is the only hospital west of Highway 99 and is adjacent to California State University Bakersfield.
Left: Rose Zey Dow is registered as the first patient at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in 1956. Rose was also the hospital’s first surgery patient. According to the newspaper, Rose said being the first patient at Memorial was “as exciting as moving into a new home.”
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! Above: The Lauren Small Children’s Center at Memorial Hospital offers comprehensive, state-of-the-art pediatric care to our community’s children right here, close to home. The Lauren Small Children’s Center includes the Bolthouse Family Pediatric Department and the Helen Taylor Cobbs Children’s Healing Garden, the area’s only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, a Level II NICU, pediatric burn care at the Grossman Burn Center, and the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care (opening 2017), Bakersfield’s first emergency department dedicated exclusively to treating pediatric patients.
Right: Bakersfield cardiologist and director of the Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center at Memorial Hospital, Dr. Tommy Lee, with the area’s only Bi-plane Interventional Suite at Memorial’s Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center. Established in December 2012 the Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center was made possible in part by a $2 million donation from the Munger Family and was used specifically for the expansion of cardiovascular services at Dignity Health Memorial Hospital.
The Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center at Memorial Hospital is the premier facility located between Los Angeles and Fresno for the treatment of most heart and vascular conditions, including congenital heart defects, congestive heart failure, heart attack and stroke. The Center has the area’s only Bi-Plane Interventional Suite and the Southern Valley’s first fellowship-trained Neuro Endovascular Specialist. It is also home to the area’s first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) program. The Central California Heart Institute (CCHI) at Memorial delivers the highest caliber of cardiovascular care to cardiac patients. Through the Institute’s research programs, physicians are trained in leading-edge treatments utilizing the most advanced practices and technologies. The Lauren Small Children’s Center at Memorial Hospital is the only medical-surgical unit in the area dedicated exclusively to pediatrics. Dignity’s specially trained pediatric doctors, nurses and allied health professionals have devoted their careers to caring for children. This state-of-the-art medical facility offers superior technology in a child-friendly, healing environment close to home. The Lauren Small Children’s Center includes the area’s only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Bolthouse Family Pediatric Department, high-risk infant follow-up program, the Helen Taylor Cobbs Children’s Healing Garden, InQuicker online emergency room waiting service and pediatric home health programs. Opening in 2017 the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care will be
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Kern County’s only emergency department exclusively for pediatric patients with specially trained doctors and nurses. In May 2016, Memorial Hospital became Kern County’s first designated Baby-Friendly Hospital, the highest accreditation for birth centers. Baby-Friendly hospitals are recognized worldwide for being the gold standard concerning infant bonding and breastfeeding practices in their birthing units. Visitors in need of respite can visit the Helen Taylor Cobbs Children’s Healing Garden and families traveling more than twenty-five miles from home may request overnight accommodations at the Ronald McDonald House®. Memorial Hospital is proud to partner with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® (CMNH), which raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America. Each donation helps support research and training, fund equipment purchases, and provide uncompensated care for local kids.
Dignity Health Bakersfield offers a comprehensive range of cancer treatments and therapy options close to home, so those facing cancer can focus on recovery with the support of friends and family. In 2012, Mercy and Memorial Hospitals partnered with Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC), the leader in cancer treatment and care in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Our partnership brings together an experienced team of caregivers committed to providing high quality care for the mind, body, and spirit. Unique to our program, our Cancer Patient Navigator is there to guide patients and their families through every step of treatment. CBCC is one of the nation’s largest freestanding cancer centers and is home to advanced options for the treatment of cancer. CBCC is one of only a few centers on the West Coast to offer CyberKnife, a revolutionary non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of tumors anywhere in the body.
CBCC is part of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Translational Oncology Research International (TORI) network. This partnership allows our patients early access to the latest clinical trials without having to travel to UCLA. Mercy Hospital Downtown is home to the area’s only inpatient oncology unit, which brings patients with cancer together with specialized nursing care in a single dedicated space. This enhancement allows for improved coordination of care and a better overall experience for our patients and their families. The inpatient oncology unit at Mercy Hospital Downtown has Oncology certified nurses who have knowledge and experience caring for patients experiencing the complex problems that can be associated with cancer. Memorial Hospital offers specialized surgical options for the treatment of cancer, including daVinci robotic-assisted surgery, pediatric cancer care, and The Infusion Center located at CBCC. The Grossman Burn Center at Memorial Hospital delivers the highest level of care for burn survivors available close to home. World renowned for its pioneering techniques that help burn survivors recover faster, the Grossman Burn Center at Memorial offers advanced, plastic surgery-based medical treatments from expert surgeons, combined with dedicated care from psychologists and child life specialists to meet emotional needs, leading to better outcomes for burn patients in Kern County.
! Left: Dignity Health and Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center— together, we are outsmarting cancer. In 2013, Dignity Health Bakersfield and Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center (CBCC) announced a partnership that has enhanced cancer care services throughout Kern County, aligning the renowned cancer services of Dignity Health’s three hospitals with CBCC’s advanced technology, groundbreaking clinical trials and prominent cancer care specialists.
Below: Opened in 2014, the inpatient oncology unit, located at Mercy Hospital Downtown, brings patients with cancer together with specialized nursing care in a single dedicated space. This enhancement allows for improved coordination of care and a better overall experience for our patients and their families. This special unit is Bakersfield’s only hospitalbased inpatient cancer unit.
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! Above: On March 17, 2016, Dr. Peter H. Grossman and a team of Grossman Burn Center physicians gather with hospital leadership and donors to announce the partnership between the internationally recognized center and Memorial Hospital. The new partnership was made possible by a $1 million donation from S. A. Camp Companies of Bakersfield. Left to right, Dr. Matt Young, Kurt Richards, Dr. Alexander Majidian, Jim Camp, Beverly Camp, Jon Van Boening, Dr. Peter H. Grossman and Dr. Brian Evans.
Below: In October 2015 the newly expanded Orthopedic, Spine and Hand Center at Mercy Hospital Southwest opened. This state-of-the-art facility offers patients leading expert care for diagnosing and treating bone, joint, and muscle injuries and conditions as well as musculoskeletal and spinal disorders.
Bringing the Grossman Burn Center to Memorial was made possible by a $1 million donation from S. A. Camp Companies. The new burn unit at Memorial includes a seven-bed intensive care unit, catastrophic burn care, pediatric intensive care burn services, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, plastic surgery and reconstruction, a dedicated surgeon and operating suite, psychological support services, in addition to an outpatient ambulatory clinic. Having a larger unit offering this level of comprehensive care in Bakersfield means more burn survivors can be treated locally, reducing the need to transfer to hospitals out of the area. Mercy and Memorial Hospitals have long been leaders in orthopedic care. Our hospitals feature renovated facilities for added patient comfort, as well as state-of-the-art surgical technology for enhanced accuracy and improved patient outcomes. Patients receive exceptional support throughout their care experience, including post-operative care from specialized orthopedic nurses and therapists. The Orthopedic, Spine and Hand Center at Mercy Hospital Southwest is Bakersfield’s premier center for orthopedic care, offering patients expert care and the latest in advanced technology to treat a full range of orthopedic conditions, trauma, and diseases.
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The new state-of-the-art 22,000 square foot center has forty exam rooms and the most advanced diagnostic imaging equipment available, allowing physicians to see images immediately, and treat injuries and condition faster so patients can get back to their old selves. Established in 2009, orthopedic services at Mercy Hospital Southwest have rapidly grown. The group now has 7 surgeons: 3 hand, 3 general/sports, and 1 spine. The new clinic allows enough space for three additional surgeons, and other specialized services such as physical therapy. Caring for our community for more than a century, Mercy and Memorial Hospitals have a rich history rooted in kindness and founded on the belief that all people deserve medical care, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or circumstances. The mission and values are as alive today as they were in 1910 when four Sisters of Mercy were sent to Bakersfield to care for the sick at a new fifty-bed facility named Mercy Hospital. The most technologically advanced hospital in the state at the time, Mercy was the first to have call lights for patients to summon nurses. The facility even had the city’s first passenger elevator. In 1951 a group of dedicated community members decided Bakersfield needed more medical services to keep up with the city’s sprawl. “The Victory Campaign” was launched to raise the $1 million dollars in private funds needed to build a new community hospital. In October 1956 the Greater Bakersfield Memorial Hospital opened with 112 beds. From the moment the first patient registered, Memorial Hospital has been in a constant state of upgrading, improving and expanding. Today, it is Kern County’s largest acute care medical center with over 400 beds and offering some of the most advanced medical services and treatment options available. As businesses grew and more industries moved into the area, the need for a new hospital in Bakersfield’s busy southwest became imminent. In 1992, Mercy Hospital Southwest
opened, providing a modern high-tech facility for residents west of Highway 99. The Mercy Southwest expansion, expected to open in 2019, consists of a 108-bed patient care tower that will expand medical services and specialties in neuroscience, cardiovascular, oncology and more. As members of the fifth largest health system in the nation, our family of Bakersfield care facilities has strengthened its commitment to keeping the human person at the forefront of modern medicine. Today, the mission and values we were founded upon remain the same. Through teamwork and innovation, faith and compassion, advocacy and action, we endeavor every day to keep our patients happy, healthy, and whole. The Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation was formed in 1981 to support the healing ministry of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. The Foundation’s mission is to contribute to the quality of life for people in our community by funding healthcare technology and services at Memorial Hospital. Generous community donors have contributed more than $30 million since 1981 to support outstanding projects such as the West Tower construction, the Lauren Small Children’s Center, the Sarvanand Heart and Brain Center, the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care, The Helen Taylor Cobbs Healing Garden, The Monsignor Craig Harrison Interfaith Chapel and the S. A. Camp Companies Burn Unit at the Grossman Burn Center. Donors support the Foundation in many ways, including major gifts, planned gifts and annual giving. The Foundation also has two active donor societies; The President’s Circle and The Miracle Society, comprised of young community leaders, who focus their annual donations on support for children’s services at the Lauren Small Children’s Center. Since being established in 1988, the Friends of Mercy Foundation has raised $30 million in support of state-of-the-art
equipment and technology as well as services that meet the needs of the underserved. Continuing the legacy of giving started by Mercy Hospital’s first benefactor, William Howell, Sr., generations of Kern County families support the Foundation’s fundraising efforts and 100 percent of every gift goes directly to the project being supported. Donors who have made gifts totaling $10,000 and above are members of the Founder’s Circle; those who have named Mercy in their estate plans become members of the Heritage Society. The Foundation’s annual giving program consists of: Catherine McAuley Society, a women’s philanthropic group; the William Howell Century Club, a men’s philanthropic group; The Legacy Circle at Mercy, a philanthropic group of young emerging community leaders; and the Spirit of Giving Club, an employee giving group. Each group chooses a hospital project to support using their annual cumulative gift. For over one hundred years, we have believed in the healing power of human connection, providing accessible, compassionate health services for our community. Our mission includes serving and advocating for the poor and disenfranchised, and partnering with others in the community to improve quality of life. We put our mission into practice in part through community health and prevention programs, actionable health needs assessments and strategies, and community grants, donating $3,562,678 to sixty different local not-for-profit agencies since 1990. Treating patients and each other with respect, dignity, and kindness is more than a marketing campaign or even a brand. It is a promise to our community that kindness is the best medicine. At Dignity Health, we hold the belief that kindness helps to heal the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. We strive to incorporate this into the care we provide our patients every day. Hello humankindness.
! Above: In June 2013, Country musician legend and Bakersfield native Merle Haggard dropped by the Ronald McDonald House at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital to sign a few of his guitars for auction at the annual Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament.
Below: In honor of the community kindness shown in helping rebuild Herbert Jackson’s home after a fire, Mayor Harvey Hall, Supervisor Leticia Perez and Senator Andy Vidak’s office named August 13, 2014, “Humankindness Day” in Bakersfield. An appreciation lunch was hosted by Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals in an effort to recognize all who donated time, resources, and services to this meaningful event.
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, BAKERSFIELD ! Bottom, left: CSU Chancellor Dr. Glenn Dumke (1962-1982); CSUB President Dr. Paul Romberg (1967-1973); Senator Walter Stiern; Governor Ronald Reagan at groundbreaking ceremony.
Bottom, right: Sheep graze near Faculty Towers in the early years.
Opposite, clockwise starting from the top, left:
Science III Building.
Antelope Valley Center.
Flags fly at CSUB main entrance.
California State University, Bakersfield is a fast-growing regional comprehensive public university committed to transforming the lives of its students and community through excellence in academics, diversity, service, and community engagement. Strolling today’s beautiful and vibrant campus, it is difficult to imagine the campus was a beet field surrounded by undeveloped land covered in brush less than fifty years ago. Senator Walter Stiern’s bill to establish a college in Kern County was approved by the state legislature on January 11, 1965, with a $20,000 appropriation from the state general fund. When Dr. Paul Romberg, the school’s first president, arrived in Bakersfield in August 1967 all he had was a document from the chancellor’s office saying he was authorized to start a college. Assisted by Dr. Ken Secor, who became vice president for administrative services, Romberg had to locate office space, equipment and staff. At first, the small staff worked out of an old grocery store on Kentucky Street in Old Town Kern, then relocated to state-leased offices on California Avenue. Kern County Land Company donated a 375-acre parcel of land along Stockdale Highway for the new university
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campus. The board of trustees approved plans for the initial buildings in the spring of 1969, leaving only a year-and-ahalf for the first phase to be built in time for the anticipated opening in fall 1970. Skeptics scoffed at the time frame, insisting a campus could never be developed in such a short time. After much careful planning and hard work, California State College, Bakersfield welcomed its first class in 1970. Dr. Jacob Frankel became president in 1974 and Dr. Tomás Arciniega came to the presidency in 1983. The college gained university status in 1987 to become California State University, Bakersfield. Dr. Horace Mitchell, then vice chancellor for business and administrative services at UC Berkeley, was appointed president of CSU Bakersfield in 2004. Building on institutional values of excellence, partnerships, and community, President Mitchell has led the university to national recognition with a vision to extend the excellence and diversity of faculty and academic programs, enhance the quality of the student experience, and strengthen the university’s community engagement. With a strong tradition of working collaboratively to advance its vision for excellence, CSUB has been in a constant mode of transformation since 2004, reinventing itself to provide twenty-first century teaching and learning for student success in a global society. The university has reached significant milestones through collaboration among faculty, administrators, staff, and the engagement of students, alumni, community partners, and support groups. Today, CSUB serves more than 9,200 students at the Bakersfield campus and Antelope Valley Center in its four schools—arts and humanities; business and public administration; natural sciences, mathematics and engineering; and social science and education. The university’s faculty is committed to providing a quality education to prepare students for success. Seventy-five percent of CSUB faculty
members hold the highest degree in their fields. The university offers more than sixty undergraduate and twenty-one graduate degree programs culminating in bachelor’s and master’s degrees, teaching credentials, post-baccalaureate certificates, or the doctorate in educational leadership. CSUB’s Extended University serves students and the community by offering professional development, certificate, degree, and international study abroad programs. With more than seventy percent of its 47,000 alumni remaining and working within Kern County, CSUB supports ongoing social, cultural and economic development throughout the region. CSUB’s faculty and staff of more than 1,000 include respected academic experts, published researchers, and engaged community leaders, as well as dedicated educators who genuinely care about their students’ success. The university’s excellent and diverse staff reflect the cultural richness of the community and students it serves. Students should be able to see themselves reflected among the faculty who teach them. As faculty members serve as role models and mentors, they can have significant influence in how or whether students find and navigate the pathways to academic success.
Responding to the needs of the community, the university added new degree programs such as computer engineering, electrical engineering, and engineering sciences (including emphases in biosystems and agricultural engineering; engineering management; and petroleum engineering); agribusiness, healthcare management, occupational safety and health management concentration, and a doctorate in educational leadership, among others, including additional online classes. To position the university for the future and enhance student success, CSUB converted its academic calendar from quarters to semesters, with the semester calendar to begin in fall 2016. In so doing, faculty in almost seventy percent of the academic programs took a once-in-a-career opportunity to completely transform the goals and content of their curricula to ensure they would address the twentyfirst century needs of our students and communities. At the same time, faculty redesigned and strengthened general education as a cross-disciplinary program to align it with university-wide student learning outcomes, integrating the themes: quality of life, revolutionary ideas and innovations, and sustainability and justice. QUALITY OF LIFE 153
! Above: “Rowdy Run” welcomes new students at soccer game half-time.
Right: Men’s basketball team wins 2015 Western Athletics Conference (WAC).
CSUB’s academic programs have achieved national recognition through a series of quality accolades. The Economist listed the university #10 best economic value of degree; Top Nursing Schools College Atlas ranked CSUB the #5 nursing school in California; the Washington Monthly listed the school’s master’s degree programs among the Top 25 in the nation; and Time magazine ranked CSUB #39 among top colleges and universities in the nation. In addition, the Carnegie Foundation has awarded CSUB its elective community engagement classification; Hispanic Outlook listed the university at #54 among the Top 100 colleges for degrees granted to Hispanics, and #8 on its Best Bang for the Buck Colleges; and Brookings Institute placed CSUB at the ninety-fifth percentile for expected student earnings. The university has even been named a bicycle friendly university by The League of American Bicyclists. CSUB added several new academic buildings with classrooms, labs and faculty offices, e.g. Science III, the
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visual arts center, engineering complex with labs, and broke ground on a humanities complex and the replacement of Faculty Towers. All classrooms have been converted to smart classrooms. The CSUB Fabrication Lab (“Fab Lab”) is an advanced digital fabrication laboratory with equipment protyping machinery that can be used to fabricate just about anything. The Fab Lab is a community resource open to the public as well as to the university community and is an important step forward for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the Central Valley. A collaboration of the Fab Foundation, MIT, Chevron and CSUB, it is the only Fab Lab among CSU and UC campuses. Several initiatives and programs were undertaken to advance student development, enhance the quality of student and campus life, and increase student retention, success, and graduation. As an outcome of a student fee referendum in 2005, CSUB transitioned its athletics program to NCAA Division I. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, track and field and wrestling. Women’s teams include basketball,
beach volleyball, cross country, soccer, softball, track and field, swimming and diving, volleyball, and water polo. The athletics program is a member of the Western Athletics Conference (WAC). In the last two years, four athletics teams have won WAC championships and participated in NCAA post-season tournaments. The school adopted its first-ever alma mater “Long Live CSUB” and fight song “CSUB Victory” in 2005. A 75,000 square foot, state-of-the-art student recreation center helps promote physical health and wellness. Residential students moved into a newly constructed 500-bed student housing complex in January 2015. Students can become engaged in more than eighty-five student organizations and clubs and eleven fraternities and sororities. New students are formally welcomed into the community of higher learning at a new student convocation each fall. The ceremony expresses the university’s expectations for student learning, collective commitment to facilitating students’ success, and inspires students to look toward graduation from the university and the culminating commencement ceremony. The CSUB Alumni Association boasts more than 47,000 alumni. The university’s most notable alumni include former heavyweight wrestler Stephen Neal (‘99), winner of two NCAA National Championships, a multiple gold medalist in the World Freestyle, USA Freestyle, and Pan American games. Neal played in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and helped win three Super Bowl titles. He was inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame. U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (‘89, ‘94) was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 as representative for California’s 23nd Congressional District. He is a CSUB Alumni Hall of Fame inductee. Started in 2006, the hall of fame recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions in their chosen field of endeavor and/or community, and whose accomplishments and careers
have brought honor and distinction to CSUB. Honorees are inducted at an annual black-tie gala. CSUB has a long and distinguished history of community engagement. The university collaborates with partners in the community to increase the region’s overall educational attainment, enhance its quality of life, and support its economic development. Students greatly benefit from the generosity of donors, alumni, industry partners, and friends of the university who give to support student scholarships, research, and the enhancement of the school’s academic programs. Each year, CSUB contributes more than 2,000 new alumni to the community’s educated and skilled workforce. The university has a powerful $1.64 billion economic impact on Kern County’s economy annually, consisting of $505 million in local expenditures and $1.125 billion in economic enhancements. The Bakersfield community benefits from the energy, expertise, and enthusiasm of CSUB students, faculty and staff. The university continues to help shape the future of Kern County through student internships, research, campus institutions, and community events. The university’s master plan builds out the entire campus to accommodate 18,000 students. Plans to develop the remaining land include additional student housing, and public-private partnerships such as a children’s interactive educational museum and a hotel and conference center. The university also has approval from the board of trustees to develop a university office park on the south side of the main campus. Tenants will be required to have an affiliation with the campus, such as providing student internships. CSUB will continue to provide access to quality and affordable academic programs and cocurricular experiences that are transformative to make significant differences in the lives of its students, their families, and communities, and raise the level of educational attainment in the region.
! New graduates pose at commencement.
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OMNI FAMILY HEALTH
! Right: In 1978, a staff member lays the foundation of Omni Family Health’s first health center in Buttonwillow, California.
Below: Local television crews film the groundbreaking ceremony for Omni Family Health’s Buttonwillow Health Center on January 5, 1979.
By the look of Omni Family Health today, one would never guess that this national award-winning network of state-of-the-art health centers began in the tiny town of Buttonwillow in rural Kern County, California. In 1978, a small but determined group of community leaders broke ground on the Buttonwillow Health Center, a small health facility that would later become known as Omni Family Health. At that time, the Buttonwillow Health Center was formed with the goal of providing a full range of primary, preventative care and support services to an area whose remoteness had previously made such services unavailable. The focus was to ensure quality medical services were accessible to rural agricultural workers—an overlooked segment of the population whose occupational contribution was central to the legacy of the San Joaquin Valley. Those involved in bringing Buttonwillow Health Center from a dream to reality rallied the community under a primary slogan that conveyed the vision of the founders in 1978—“Health for All.” At the time Buttonwillow Health Center began operations in the late 1970s, the innovative concept of communitybased healthcare had also taken root across the country in medically underserved inner city neighborhoods and rural areas. What became known as Community and Migrant Health Centers, or C/MHCs, targeted the roots of an inadequate healthcare system by establishing easily accessible healthcare facilities in medically underserved areas, eliminating barriers and delivering health services for everyone in the community regardless of race, age, gender, socioeconomic status, or ability to pay.
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This emerging model of healthcare was greatly needed in rural Kern County. Much of the economic development driving Kern County into the twenty-first century was based around the agricultural industry that took advantage of the fertile lands throughout the San Joaquin Valley. As business boomed, the surrounding communities expanded to meet the needs of farmworkers and their families but rural resources, especially healthcare, were scarce. Unfortunately, the late 1970s brought a widespread drought that lowered crop volumes in the face of rising production costs, leading to a historic decline in the value of cotton—a huge blow to a community that was nicknamed “Cotton Country” due to the abundance of the crop. Even in the face of mounting uncertainty surrounding the agriculture industry, the small group of founders pushed forward in the quest for quality healthcare for agricultural workers in rural Kern County, making the decision to embrace the national community healthcare model. Among the many leaders responsible for launching the Buttonwillow Health Center was Clarence “Dutch” Houchin, a renowned community leader who aided the health center by leasing the property to the center for a token one dollar per year. The Houchin family later generously donated the land and building to the organization.
The faith that had been placed in the Buttonwillow Health Center was quickly rewarded as the facility saw increases in the numbers of patients seeking healthcare. When a second facility nearby became necessary, the community again sprang into action. The health center location at Lost Hills began in a temporary double-wide trailer in 1980—it was not glamorous, but the team believed in the mission of the organization despite tough challenges during the early years of operations. To this day, staff members still recall wading through thick mud to reach the trailer to provide care to their patients!
It was that level of dedication that allowed Omni to grow and open the third addition to the organization in the city of Wasco in 1990, followed in quick succession by health centers in Taft and Delano. The Taft location began in 1991 as a Teen Clinic in the basement of a hospital, while the origins of Omni’s Delano facility are entwined with the history of the United Farmworkers of America (UFW), who graciously allowed the health center to operate from its headquarters known then as the “40 acres.” Also during that time, the small network of health centers transitioned to the National Health Services, Inc., brand in the community.
Between 1978 and the early 2000s, Omni had grown from one small facility in Buttonwillow into eight health centers dedicated to serving the rural communities of Kern County. In 2002, Omni celebrated its first location in the greater Bakersfield area when the Oildale Community Health Center opened its doors to the public. Since then, new Omni facilities have opened in the rural towns of Ridgecrest and Tehachapi, along with many locations throughout Bakersfield. In all, Omni now operates eighteen state-of-theart health centers that provide medical and dental services along with behavioral health, chiropractic care, full-service pharmacies and a range of specialty care services. In the decades since the first Omni health center opened in 1978, a great deal of change has come and gone, but like the unchanging and steadfast mountain ranges that encircle the San Joaquin Valley, Omni’s mission-driven focus has never wavered. The success of the organization can be credited in large part to exceptional leadership that has found a natural balance between strategic business goals and a mission-driven culture of compassion. The continuity of the organization’s legacy in the community was assured when Francisco L. Castillon, MPA, became Omni’s CEO in 2010, bringing more than twentyfive years of experience in C/MHCs. In addition to his professional acumen, Castillon was a key community figure
! Above: Today, Omni Family Health operates eighteen state-of-the-art health centers that provide medical, dental, behavioral health, chiropractic, pharmacy and specialty services to the community.
Left: Left to right, community board members John Ogborn, Tommie Fowler, Gloria Selvidge, Rosie Watkins, Julien Parsons (back row), Pete Ramirez, Jr., Aurelio Nunez and former CEO, Dr. Wagih H. Michael, gather at the Buttonwillow Medical/Dental Center in early 1999.
Below: Omni Family Health’s Chief Executive Officer Francisco L. Castillon addresses the crowd during the Brimhall Expansion Grand Opening on December 8, 2015.
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! Right: Each year, Omni Family Health publishes its Community, Economic and Tax Impact Report which illustrates the positive outcomes Omni delivers to the communities it serves.
Below: The National Association of Community Health Centers honored Omni Family Health with the 2015 Outstanding Migrant Health Center award.
who worked side-by-side with well-known figures Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the UFW and was responsible for negotiating the arrangement of Omni’s Delano facility on the “40 acres” property. With his personal knowledge of Omni’s history and a strong vision for the future, Castillon led the 2012 campaign to rebrand the organization from National Health Services, Inc., to the Omni identity of today. Consistent with the organization’s mission, the name “Omni” was selected for its meaning of “all” and “inclusive,” because of our philosophy of providing quality healthcare to all members of the family, from infants to the elderly, and all residents of the community. In addition to this monumental rebranding, Omni continues to experience unprecedented growth in the community. Over the course of the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan, Omni opened 4 new health centers, expanded services at 4 health centers, and saw a fifty-two percent increase in exam rooms, significantly increasing patient access to high quality healthcare throughout Kern County. Omni also became certified as a Patient Centered Health Home in 2015 and renewed its accreditation by The Joint Commission. As a result of the board of directors and executive management team’s dedicated and visionary leadership, which has guided Omni’s successes and positive reputation at both the local, state and national levels, the organization has received, for the first time, two major national awards. Both the Migrant Health Center of the Year designation and the Outstanding Achievement Award were presented by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) in 2015. Omni’s network of health centers has a major impact on the populations they serve. Annually, nearly 82,000 patients are seen at Omni health centers in the communities of Bakersfield, Buttonwillow, Delano, Lost Hills, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Wasco. Overall, services
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provided by Omni represent over $100 million annual cost savings to the healthcare system in Kern County. Omni Family Health centers operate with annual budget of over $55 million, including over $8 million in federal funding. In 2015 alone, Omni was the recipient of numerous federal and local grants to aid the organization’s efforts to minimize barriers to healthcare services for the citizens of Kern County. Omni’s tremendous impact on local economies totals nearly $65 million annually, in addition to a total tax impact of nearly $8.5 million. The 450 (and growing) full-time jobs directly generated by Omni supports an additional 194 jobs in other industries. Fifteen employees currently working for Omni have been with the organization twenty years or longer. Looking ahead, Omni projects an increase of approximately 110,000 annual patient visits to its health centers in 2017, a nearly thirty-five percent increase in patient access to care. Omni Family Health has developed invaluable working relationships with local community-based organizations, private agencies and public institutions. By working together,
the agencies mobilize combined energies and experience to better serve patients and support programs and initiatives that address healthcare and access problems. By focusing on community building, the organization helps to facilitate problem-solving for a wide range of difficult social and health issues and removes barriers to care by serving communities that otherwise confront geographic, language, cultural and other barriers. This results oriented approach goes beyond traditional methods and serves to maximize both resources and effectiveness. One of the many ways Omni gives back to the communities it serves is through a scholarship program for graduating high school seniors within its service area. Up to seven $1,000 scholarship awards are distributed each year to qualified graduating seniors pursuing a career in the medical field. Additionally, the Omni mission promotes a deep sense of social responsibility to the local environment, and concerted effort to incorporate “green” best practices in the daily operations at every facility. In 2015, seventy-five percent of waste generated at Omni construction sites was diverted from landfills and sent to a recycling center. Within the existing facilities, conservation efforts resulted in a fifty-three to sixty percent decrease in energy consumption. At the grassroots level, Omni and its employees also participate in many community activities such as local Health Fairs, Affordable Care Act enrollment events, parades, health screenings and the Cuadrilla program, in which Omni employees go into the farming fields to provide agricultural workers with lunch and information on available health services. Employees also enjoy giving back to the community during the holidays, providing food and gifts to health center patients. After nearly forty years of serving Kern County, Omni Family Health remains committed to being the leading provider of quality healthcare throughout Kern County and
the Central Valley by improving health, one patient at a time, through compassion and individual attention to everyone. Omni’s mission statement is supported by its Core Values: • Helpful—We pride ourselves on being helpful to our patients, listening to their needs and doing everything we can to aid their concerns. • Excellence—We demand more from ourselves than our patients do from us. • Accessibility—We provide access to quality healthcare for everyone who seeks it. • Leadership—We lead our patients, families, and community in being passionate about their health. • Teamwork—We work together to meet common goals by encouraging and supporting one another. • Honesty—we are committed to the highest ethical standards, demonstrating honesty and fairness in every action. Together, these core values spell H-E-A-L-T-H, the guiding principal for Omni Family Health from day one until present day, and for years to come. Our mission: Omni Family Health is committed to improving the health of our communities by providing the highest quality healthcare to everyone.
! Omni Family Health Board of Directors, CEO and executive management team is joined by Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall at the latest White Lane health center groundbreaking ceremony December 8, 2015, in recognition of Omni’s continued investment in Kern County and beyond.
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SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Ensuring the community receives the best healthcare possible has been the guiding spirit of San Joaquin Community Hospital throughout its history. This vision inspired the hospital’s founders more than a century ago, and this same commitment remains embedded in the hospital’s mission today. Bakersfield and Kern County were still considered “the Wild West” in the early part of the twentieth century, but farmers were beginning to realize that the county’s rich soil would produce bountiful crops, and the discovery of oil became a magnet for workers from throughout the nation. With a population of nearly 18,000, Kern County was booming in the early 1900s, bringing with it a growing need for adequate healthcare. This need attracted the attention of two young nurses—Margaret Quinn and Mary O’Donnell— who shared a passion for caring for the sick and injured. They became nurses at the small St. Clair Hospital at Sixteenth and H Streets in Bakersfield. Seeing firsthand the need for more adequate healthcare, the two nurses began shaping a vision for improved hospital facilities. Each woman had a nest egg of $500, but this was far short of the amount needed to build a new hospital.
! Above: Two young nurses help provide needed healthcare services to the booming community of Bakersfield.
Right: San Joaquin Hospital, c. 1935.
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However, encouraged by friends and doctors, they soon developed a plan to make their dream a reality. Mary persuaded her family to contribute $6,000 to the project and Sol Mack, manager of the Bank of Bakersfield, took out a loan for $5,000. The note was co-signed by J. A. Hughes, owner of a drug store at Nineteenth and Chester, and Cora St. Clair. Mary and Margaret purchased a quarter-block site at Twenty-Seventh and Eye Streets and began construction of a three-story building that would house twenty-six patients. They named the new institution San Joaquin Hospital. The first patient, thought to be a railroad or oil field worker, was received on October 6, 1910. The patient’s name has been lost in the mists of history, but the physician who treated him was Dr. Samuel Franklin Smith. Margaret, who had impressive business skills as well as boundless energy and determination, assumed the role of administrator, while Mary concentrated on patient care. Margaret developed a methodical plan to pay off the hospital’s indebtedness, purchase additional land and enlarge the hospital. In just a few short years, the hospital doubled in size, adding a new surgery room, men’s and women’s wards, and a kitchen. In 1914, Margaret bought out her partner, Mary, and assumed duties as business manager, nursing supervisor, anesthetist and laboratory technician. The hospital continued to grow and serve the Kern County community, and was indispensable during the disastrous flu epidemic of 1918-1919. By 1929, Margaret, aging and suffering from cataracts, realized it was time to sell the hospital. The hospital was incorporated and sold in equal shares to Doctors N. M. Brown, William P. Scott, George Buchner and F. A. Hamlin. The hospital was sold again in 1937 to Dr. Joseph Smith, who envisioned the hospital as a professional medical and
surgical institution. The hospital continued to develop under his leadership. In 1964, Dr. Smith urged a group of public spirited citizens to take over management of the hospital as a nonprofit entity. Impressed by the care he had personally received from an Adventist hospital, Dr. Smith specifically requested that members of the hospital board be members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The name of the hospital was changed to San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH) and a new age began. In 1987, SJCH became a member of Adventist Health; a not-for-profit healthcare system comprised of twenty-one acute care facilities and affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The new board of directors surveyed the area’s health needs, looking for innovative ways in which to serve the people of the Southern San Joaquin Valley. One fact soon stood out: the single greatest health hazard in America in the 1960s was heart and vascular disease. Among males, two out of three would ultimately die from some sort of heart vessel disease; yet Bakersfield had no modern heart catheterization laboratory. Nor was open heart surgery available in the area. Heart patients in the valley had to travel hundreds of miles to receive proper care. There was clearly a pressing need for cardiac care. In 1972, SJCH opened the area’s first catheterization laboratory, using a then state-of-the-art 35mm film format. A month later, doctors at SJCH conducted Bakersfield’s first open heart surgery. The heart team was headed by Dr. Neil Arbegast, a surgeon who had trained under world-famous cardiac surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. Also practicing at the hospital were additional cardiovascular surgeons and other specialized personnel capable of performing any heart or vascular procedure. The creation of a skilled heart surgery team required the latest and most sophisticated equipment, which the hospital provided and has continued to provide to this day.
SJCH remains Kern County’s leader for heart care. In 2016, Healthgrades®, an online resource for information on physicians and hospitals, recognized SJCH as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care and Coronary Intervention. SJCH was one of only two hospitals in the entire state of California, and the first in Kern County, to receive both of these recognitions. SJCH is now working to create a comprehensive Heart Institute that will provide Bakersfield and Kern County with cutting-edge procedures and advanced technology in an environment that promotes healing and privacy.
! Above: San Joaquin Community Hospital pictured here in 2007, after the completion of the new patient tower, which tripled the size of the emergency department, created a nine-bed NICU and all new surgical unit.
Below: In 2015, San Joaquin Community Hospital became the first Kern County hospital to be named a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence. The award put SJCH in the top five percent of hospitals nationwide. SJCH achieved the recognition again in 2016. From left to right: Bakersfield City Councilman Terry Maxwell; Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall; SJCH President and CEO Doug Duffield; and SJCH Chief Operating Officer Sharlet Briggs.
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Heart care was not the only area in which SJCH made advances through the years. In 1973 a new 166-bed hospital was opened across the street from the original facility. The addition housed a new intensive care unit featuring the best available equipment, including telemetry units that monitored a variety of vital functions and provided instantaneous reporting of each patient’s condition. Then in May 2007, SJCH opened a much-needed 130,000 square foot patient tower. The new five-story building expanded the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department and operating areas; provided a convenient patient drop-off and loading area; tripled the size of the maternity care center; and added a nine-bed neonatal intensive care unit. Once the new tower was completed, the existing hospital building was retrofitted to meet new seismic regulations and renovated to create more private patient rooms. The new tower provided SJCH with the necessary resources to offer state-of-the-art services previously unavailable in Kern County including advanced stroke care. In 2008 the hospital opened the county’s first nationallycertified stroke center. To become nationally certified, the stroke center underwent a rigorous, on-site evaluation by
Above: Dr. Donald Cornforth was the co-founder of Quest Imaging, which was acquired by San Joaquin Community Hospital in 2010. In addition to serving as the chief medical officer for SJCH, Dr. Cornforth and his wife, Edna, donated $1 million towards the new AIS Cancer Center.
Right: Dr. Brandon Freeman serves as the medical director and plastic surgeon for The Burn Center at SJCH. In just seven years, The Burn Center has treated more than 3,000 patients, with nearly forty percent being children.
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The Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies healthcare organizations and programs throughout the United States. The Joint Commission assessed the stroke program’s processes, quality performance, and its ability to improve care. Healthgrades® now ranks SJCH among the top five percent of hospitals nationwide for stroke care. The program has also earned the American Stroke Association’s Gold Plus Award—the highest award for stroke care—for multiple years. Another way in which SJCH has met the needs of San Joaquin Valley residents is through creation of a nationally recognized burn center. Although hundreds of burns occur in the area each year, patients previously had to travel north to Fresno or south to Los Angeles to receive the specialized care required for serious burns. In 2008, SJCH announced its intention to bring a burn center to Bakersfield, and the center opened in 2009. In just the first six months of service, The Burn Center at SJCH treated three times the number of anticipated patients. The Center now treats 400 to 500 burn victims each year and has received enthusiastic support from local industries. This includes a $200,000 endowment fund established by Chevron and a $300,000 donation from Aera Energy. The Burn Center is a clear example of SJCH’s commitment to serving its community. Although The Burn Center operates at a financial loss each year, and is supported through philanthropy and hospital operations, SJCH recognizes that it is a vital service that is urgently needed. SJCH also serves the community through its mobile immunization program. Immunizations are one of the most important public health interventions in the United States. By immunizing children at an early age, SJCH Children’s Mobile Immunization Program decreases the occurrence of many dreaded childhood diseases. Since the program began in 1996, more than 55,000 children have been immunized against dangerous diseases
such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella and Hepatitis A and B. When the program began, only 39 percent of Kern County’s children had up-to-date immunizations. Today, that figure is 95 percent and continuing to grow. As healthcare has changed, so has the need to diversify services and programs. In 2010, SJCH began developing a robust network of outpatient services with the purchase of Quest Imaging. The most significant outpatient project to date has been the 60,000 square foot AIS Cancer Center, which opened in the spring of 2013. The AIS Cancer Center was made possible through the largest fundraising effort in the hospital’s history. The SJCH Foundation raised more than $6 million for the building, led by a $2 million gift from Advanced Industrial Services (AIS), in whose honor the center was named. The center’s motto of “You Can. We Can. Beat Cancer.” emphasizes the community partnerships that have been so meaningful in developing this top-notch facility. As only the second cancer center in the community, The AIS Cancer Center helps ensure that most cancer patients receive treatment without leaving Bakersfield. The center
features advanced technology in a soothing environment, exemplified by the beautiful water feature in The Cornforth Family Pavilion. Affiliated with the UC Davis Cancer Care Network, The AIS Cancer Center provides medical and radiation treatment. Its teams include highly trained, board-certified oncologists, certified oncology nurses and radiation therapists. SJCH is one of the largest employers in Kern County. As of 2016, the hospital had nearly 2,100 employees and 651 affiliated physicians, in addition to approximately 287 volunteers who contribute thousands of hours of service each year. SJCH has seen many changes and enormous technological advancements since it admitted its first patient in 1910. What has remained constant is the hospital’s commitment to quality healthcare. This dedication is rooted in the hospital’s Christian heritage, which dates back to 1866, when the first Seventh-day Adventist healthcare facility opened in Battle Creek, Michigan. Today, inspired by a belief in the loving and healing power of Jesus Christ, SJCH and its clinics bring physical, mental and spiritual health and healing to people of all faiths.
! Left: Cutting-edge technology has been a hallmark of San Joaquin Community Hospital throughout its storied history. The Philips Ambient experience—located in The AIS Cancer Center—allows patients to choose colors and scenes of their choice during their imaging experience.
Below: The Cornforth Family Pavilion showcases a two-story water feature that creates a healing environment for cancer patients and their families from the moment they walk in.
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K AISER PERMANENTE
! Above: Kaiser Permanente’s first employees and physician hired in 1987.
Below: Stockdale Medical Offices.
Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to provide highquality, affordable healthcare services to improve the health of its members and the communities it serves. This mission is accomplished through market-leading performance in quality, service and affordability. Kaiser Permanente provides healthcare services to more than 105,000 members in Kern County at thirteen locations with nearly 1,000 employees and physicians. Since entering the market in 1988 with one medical office building and 4,000 members, Kaiser Permanente has grown to be an anchor institution in the community. There are three very important factors that make Kaiser Permanente special—care and coverage together, convenience and choice, and care you can trust. Kaiser Permanente brings together healthcare and coverage with connected teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals. At Kaiser Permanente locations, everything is under one roof—visits, labs, radiology and pharmacy—so it is easy to take care of several healthcare needs in a single visit. Patients may manage their health on-line, anytime, anywhere. Patients also have their choice of great doctors and may change their
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doctor at any time for any reason. With Kaiser Permanente, patients have the support of an entire care team who work together and are closely connected through electronic health records, insuring the right care at the right time. From preventative screenings to specialty care and treatment for serious conditions, Kaiser Permanente members receive the top-rated care they need to help them be their healthiest. Kaiser Permanente is also known for its technology and innovation, which are used to provide care to members via a Mobile Health Vehicle that brings a range of primary care services to outlying communities. Kaiser Permanente’s Care Corner is a retail-based program designed to provide convenient and affordable access to primary care services and wellness programs. In addition, Kaiser Permanente offers tele-health video and telephone appointments to meet the needs of its members in an easy and convenient manner. Kaiser Permanente also invests directly in improvements to community health by working to increase access for the underserved, funding safety-net agencies, disseminating care improvements, conducting research, educating healthcare workers and consumers, and informing public policy. To support these priorities, Kaiser Permanente operates a number of Community Benefit Programs in Kern County. Among these are the award winning Educational Theatre, which uses live theatre, music, comedy, and drama to inspire children, teens, and adults to make better decisions about their well-being. Kaiser Permanente believes good health is a fundamental right shared by all and its work in the community brings together financial resources, the talent and commitment of its people, and more than seventy years of healthcare and health plan experience. In Kern County, Kaiser Permanente has contributed several million dollars through grants and sponsorships to support people in need through a wide range of community programs and organizations.
Henry J. Kaiser, an industrialist who was considered one of the nation’s greatest business leaders of the twentieth century, and Dr. Sidney R. Garfield, a noted surgeon, worked together to pioneer the medical program that changed the face of U.S. healthcare. Under the leadership of these visionaries, Kaiser Permanente was born out of the challenge of providing Americans with medical care during the Great Depression and World War II, when most people could not afford to visit a doctor. Kaiser Permanente applied a number of innovative ideas, including prepaid insurance to spread the cost and make it more affordable, and group medical practices where physicians could maximize their abilities to care for patients. This medical delivery system was organized to put as much care as possible under one roof. Kaiser and Garfield were bold, innovative individuals who made a dramatic impact on the contemporary shape of U.S. medicine and community health. Kaiser, who revolutionized shipbuilding during World War II, is remembered for his role in building the great dams of the West—Hoover, Bonneville and Grand Coulee. His global enterprises included automobiles, steel, cement, aluminum, engineering and mining. Garfield was both an acclaimed surgeon and a visionary. In 1933, Garfield opened his Contractor’s General Hospital in the Mojave Desert. This hospital was set up to provide medical care for the 5,000 workers on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s aqueduct, which was designed to bring water from the Colorado River to Los Angeles. His ideas helped define the basic principles of a healthcare system, focused as much on prevention of illness as caring for the sick. In the 1950s, his revolutionary hospital designs drew international praise for their innovations. And, in 1960, he was in the vanguard of physicians who embraced the computer as a tool that could radically improve the delivery of medical care.
Today, Kaiser Permanente operates the largest private electronic medical record system in the United States. Garfield’s ideas resonated with Kaiser, who was ‘greatly restless and restlessly great’ for a new healthcare system. Together, they founded Kaiser Permanente for the employees of Kaiser Industries in 1942 and opened the health plan to the public in July 1945. The guiding principles of Kaiser Permanente, developed over more than seven decades, include the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy, preventing illness is preferable to curing after the fact, quality drives cost down, and partnership creates synergy. These principles will continue to guide Kaiser Permanente in the future as it continues its mission to improve the health of its members and the communities it serves.
! Above: Discovery Plaza Medical Offices.
Below: Chester Avenue Medical Offices.
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GOLDEN EMPIRE TRANSIT DISTRICT The Golden Empire Transit District (GET) provides safe, accessible, reliable, courteous and affordable public transportation to diverse customers in the greater Bakersfield area. Although GET was officially created in 1973, Bakersfield was served by public transit as early as 1874. That year, Southern Pacific Railroad informed the city that the company would not serve Bakersfield unless it was granted two blocks of land on either side of the tracks. The city refused and the train station was built two miles to the east of the city at what now is the corner of Baker and Sumner Streets. This situation created a problem for travelers and a profit for stage drivers who charged $1 per trip between Bakersfield and the train station. Today, the fare for a single trip on a GET bus is $1.50, so $1 was a considerable fee for a single ride in 1874.
! Top: Southern Pacific Railroad Station located at the corner of Baker and Sumner Streets, 1874.
Above: One of twenty-five air conditioned buses to hit the streets in the mid-1970s.
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Public transit was provided by private companies until the mid-1950s when the growing popularity of the automobile caused a significant drop in ridership and revenues. The city took over operation of the public transit system and, in 1965, created a transit authority. In 1972, voters within the proposed transit district borders approved the formation of the district by a two-to-one margin. GET’s boundaries include the Bakersfield area. A five member board of directors was appointed in 1972, and, in 1973, the district began operations and was named the Golden Empire Transit District. Over the next five years, GET acquired twenty-five air conditioned buses, established 300 stops and developed a new system of routes. Ridership increased 167 percent. The base fare was twenty-five cents.
In 1979, GET initiated a curb-to-curb service called GET-A-Lift, which provides service to customers unable to use the fixed route services due to disabilities. In an effort to improve air quality, GET purchased the first compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in 1998. In addition, a CNG fueling station was built by GET. By March 2006, GET’s entire fleet of buses was converted to compressed natural gas. Today, GET has a fleet of eighty-eight compressed national gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET services sixteen routes, most operating seven days a week. More than 6 million passengers are transported each year in the fixed route buses. In addition, GET operates nineteen compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses. In October 2012, GET implemented a new system of routes designed to provide faster, more efficient service. GET also added trip planning to its website at www.getbus.org. In 2013, Golden Empire Transit District began a study of its environmental policies and processes with the goal of integrating sustainability practices into all aspects of its operations through clean technologies, renewable resources and recycling. GET adopted an Environmental Sustainability and Management System (EMS) as a formal commitment to mitigate environmental impacts, build and maintain a healthy and safe workforce and ensure fiscal stability for years to come. In addition to helping reduce pollution, the EMS program has resulted in energy savings, fuel savings, and environmental disaster avoidance. All of these things add up to reduced risk and increased financial savings.
In 2015, GET added a Real Time Information System for customers. The new system provides arrival times if a bus for that route is due within thirty minutes. Each bus stop has a number and a QR code. Customers may use the QR code if they have smart phones or use the automated voice system at 661-869-2438 if they want to call in and give the bus stop number. Customers may also use computers and tablets to get arrival information by going to www.getbus.org.
! GET buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks and are powered by compressed natural gas, thereby reducing pollution and saving money.
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BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
! Above: Stephen Dinger (president 2011 to 2016), Mayor Harvey Hall and Jack Pandol (board chair) cut the ribbon to open the 8,506 square foot student union on May 6, 2016, while David Spalinger (board member) and Bob Smith (city council member Ward 4) watch the momentous occasion.
Founded in 1979, Bakersfield Christian High School is a dually accredited, nondenominational, college preparatory high school that seeks to develop each student’s mind, body and spirit to his or her fullest potential through challenging coursework, state-of-the-art technology, visual and performing arts, competitive athletics, and spiritual training. Four students made up the first graduating class and the school turned out fourteen graduates by 1983. In contrast, today’s classes typically produce between 100 and 120 graduates, and classes are expected to grow in coming years. Enrollment has more than doubled to about 500 students since moving in 2003 to the current forty-seven-acre campus located in the growing west side of Bakersfield. The facility features highlights such as a Library/Media Center, Student Union, Fine Arts Center and a Sports Center, which houses one of the largest high school gymnasiums in Kern County. BCHS has a wide range of curricular offerings, which challenge and nurture the intellectual life of each student. Students take a college preparatory curriculum designed to meet the subject requirements of the University of California and California State University systems. Most students, however, go beyond these minimum entrance requirements, completing more than the required number of credits and taking advantage of the school’s Scholars Program and/or the numerous honors and advanced placement courses. BCHS graduates are accepted to highly competitive universities such as UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, Cal Poly, Pepperdine, Baylor, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Yale, and the U.S. Air Force and Naval Academies.
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BCHS is equally committed to bringing the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the truth of scripture to prepare students to outthink their culture from a Christian worldview. It is out of this commitment to academic excellence, which honors God, that the individual character of the students develops, thus producing behaviors that nurture a healthy school culture where students can soar. Beyond the commitment to educate, engage, and equip students in the classroom, BCHS also places emphasis on its arts and athletic programs as well as through student life in the development of the whole student. Visual and performing arts are essential for students to receive a well-rounded education that covers more than the full spectrum of academics. All students need the experience of producing in the arts. BCHS offers a variety of courses to not only meet the graduation requirement credit hours but to help students learn and demonstrate their God-given talents in music, art and theater. Athletics at BCHS is a vital part of the life of the school. One distinction that sets athletics at BCHS apart from other high schools is the fact that the foundation on which teams are built is Jesus Christ. The athletic field is approached as an extension and complement to the classroom, thus, student athletes are challenged to be outstanding representatives of Christ in their work ethic, commitment and citizenship on and off the athletic courts and fields. This challenge has been met with great success including more than 130 titles in the South Sequoia League and more than forty titles in the California Interscholastic Federation Central Section. Both the boys’ and girls’ tennis
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teams combined have earned nearly fifty of these league and section titles and tennis continues to be one of the school’s most successful sports programs. In 2006, BCHS won the Division V State Volleyball Championship and the volleyball team has made frequent return trips to state play-offs. In 2013 the football team won the Division IV Southern Regional title. That game marked the first state play-off game played in Bakersfield for any division.
Far left: BCHS students show their Eagle pride as they cheer on the volleyball team.
Above: Some BCHS alumni from the classes of 2008 to 2012 pose in sweatshirts from their respective colleges.
Below: Lorryn Carter (class of 2018) prepares a sample to investigate the various types of cells and vascular tissue of a starfish during her honors biology dissection lab. BCHS students log approximately twenty lab hours in each science class.
In accordance with the school’s philosophy of education, the student life program seeks to provide opportunities for BCHS students to mature in, and take responsibility for their own intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth. Therefore, all aspects of the student life program are designed to foster a learning community. In seeking to create an environment fertile for spiritual growth, BCHS sets aside time throughout the year for prayer, fellowship, worship and service. With this in mind, the school has established various programs to help its students cultivate a life of discipleship, which will in turn, reflect the nature of God Himself.
Complementing the emphasis on spiritual formation is the development of student activities that encourage a relationship among the student body as well as with teachers and administrators by creating avenues through group-centered activities and competitions. BCHS is a fun place. In addition to the activities like homecoming, powder-puff, spirit weeks, prom, winter formal and other quintessential high school milestones, BCHS is known for its unique activities such as the three-day Hume Lake retreat and a day filled with a series of crazy contests toward the end of each school year known as Boondog Olympics. The consistent theme throughout every decision, every class and every relationship at BCHS is to align with the school’s motto of honoring God and helping students soar. For additional information about Bakersfield Christian High School, please visit www.BakersfieldChristian.com. QUALITY OF LIFE 169
BAKERSFIELD PATHOLOGY MEDICAL GROUP
! Right: Left to right, Dr. Ellen F. Bunyi-Teopengco, Dr. Steven P. Fogel, Dr. Lilibeth Guinto Miranda and Dr. Steven R. Jacobs.
Bakersfield Pathology Medical Group provides pathology and clinical laboratory services to doctors and their patients in office, surgery center, imaging service and hospital settings. Pathology is the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of body tissue samples for diagnostic and forensic purposes. For example, if a skin cancer is removed, the report will describe the type of cancer, and whether the cancer was completely removed or not. Although a patient does not have direct interaction with the pathologist, the information generated by a study of tissues and other specimens has a tremendous impact on patient management. The Bakersfield Pathology Medical Group was founded by Myron A. Fisher, M.D. in 1987 when he became director of the laboratory at Mercy Hospital. Dr. Fisher came from Valley Hospital in Fresno. He was soon joined by Lilibeth Guinto Miranda, M.D., who was already in practice in Bakersfield. The two doctors developed a vision of pathology services for the community to include surgical pathology and gynecologic cytology. Frank Virgil, M.D. joined the group shortly thereafter and Steven R. Jacobs, M.D. joined the group in 1989.
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In the early days, the pathology laboratory was located on the ground floor of the Mercy Medical Plaza building in a space about the size of a doctor’s office. “We jammed a lot of equipment into a small space but managed to process tissue specimens and generate reports in an efficient and timely manner nevertheless,” recalls Dr. Jacobs. “When cancer specialists began to practice in town, we went to their offices and gave Tumor Board conferences onsite, which allowed them to become accredited cancer programs.” In addition to the service work for Mercy Hospital, the group established a thriving outpatient pathology practice, which involved serving most of the gastroenterologists in the community; doctor’s offices, especially dermatologists; and radiology (imaging) facilities. Additionally, the group was a key resource in graduate medical education for physicians training at Kern Medical Center by holding a joint Clinical Pathologic conference with KMC staff. The special skills and qualifications in cytopathology possessed by Drs. Miranda and Jacobs resulted in an increase in the use of thin needle biopsies of internal organs such as lung, liver and kidney, as well as the introduction of stereotactic brain biopsies locally. The group also participated in the training and education of clinical laboratory scientists from the California State University, Bakersfield program.
When Mercy Hospital developed its own cancer program at the newly constructed Florence Wheeler Cancer Center, the group was instrumental in providing direct support by charitable donations from its members. The group also participated in weekly Tumor Board conferences, which resulted in accreditation of the program by the American College of Surgeons. The group has provided pathology services to Mercy Southwest Hospital, as well as Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and West Side Hospital in Taft. Steven Fogel, M.D. joined the group in 1995 after serving as chief resident at USC, and Ellen F. Bunyi-Teopengco joined in 2001 after completing subspecialty training in hematopathology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her additional training became an invaluable asset for local patients with cancer and blood disorders. Dr. John W. Reyes, who formerly served as the director of pathology of Green County Memorial Hospital in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, joined the practice in 2005. Dr. Jacques Dorce joined the group in 2015 after serving a surgical pathology fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The group began to provide service to San Joaquin Community Hospital and Bakersfield Heart Hospital in 2002. The group was the first to provide liquid-based analysis of gynecologic cytology specimens in Kern County, and this technology was instrumental in study of HPV in patients. During this time, the group moved its operations to an old medical office building at 2828 H Street, but the group soon outgrew this space and a larger 6,400 square foot building was developed on Sillect Avenue across from Bakersfield Heart Hospital. The modern new facility was occupied in 2008. By providing outsourced pathology services to San Joaquin Community Hospital and Bakersfield Heart Hospital, those institutions do not have to operate their own pathology laboratories. The group is one of the few freestanding independent laboratories in the country that provide
outsourced anatomic pathology and clinical laboratory services and is wholly owned by local doctors. The Bakersfield Pathology Medical Group currently employs twenty-nine people, including six physician pathologists. The group supports a number of local charitable activities, including American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, San Joaquin Community Hospital Foundation, Friends of Mercy Foundation, Stockdale High School Medical Academy and others. The group has grown consistently and has become the largest pathology organization in Kern County in terms of size an activity. “These are challenging times,” Dr. Jacobs comments. “The number of private practitioners is decreasing but we intend to aggressively market to doctors new to the area, as well as establishing and maintaining relationships with large HMOs such a Kaiser Permanente. Medicine is increasingly specialized and so is pathology. We hope to bring doctors with special board certification and/or training in gynecologic pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, and blood banking to Kern County.” QUALITY OF LIFE 171
HOFFMANN HOSPICE ! Top, left: In December 2015, Hoffmann Hospice completed construction on and opened Kern County’s first and only hospice home. The 25,000 square foot home complete with eighteen private suites and patios is designed to provide a homelike setting to hospice patients requiring a higher level of care than what can be provided in their own residence.
Top, right: The home also includes a beautiful chapel for quiet prayer time.
Below: Hoffmann Hospice staff helps pediatric patient Ava Weeks celebrate her first birthday, complete with her very own cake and balloons.
Tom and Beth Hoffmann were busy business owners in 1990 when a young AIDS-stricken mother turned to their home-health agency for help. They referred her to what was then Bakersfield’s only hospice agency, but she was denied. The Hoffmanns cared for the woman until her death in 1994. Deeply touched by the experience of caring for the mother and her two HIV-positive children, the Hoffmanns founded their nonprofit hospice agency the following year with a pledge that no hospice eligible patient would ever be turned away, regardless of their illness or ability to pay. The early years were a test of fortitude as the Hoffmanns labored to establish their agency in the Bakersfield healthcare community. They opened an office in east Bakersfield, sharing space with Hoffmann Homecare, the family business. Now the oldest and most respected hospice agency in Kern County, Hoffmann Hospice offers the highest quality end-of-life care to hundreds of terminally ill patients each year and recently served its 20,000th patient. The agency strives for continued excellence in medical, bereavement and spiritual care, earning its accreditation through the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), the highest accreditation in the healthcare community. “Hoffmann Hospice was born out of servicing a need that was not being met in the community, and it comes from the
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core of Tom and Beth Hoffmann’s values and principles and what they wanted to provide the community,” explains Gretchen Daughtery, the organization’s director of marketing. Hospice patients are provided with physician services, pain and symptom control, medical equipment and medications, twenty-four-hour access to on-call hospice nurses, social services, spiritual care, home health aides, and specially trained volunteers. Patients are served by a staff of over 130 including doctors, nurses, licensed social workers, spiritual counselors, home health aides, administrative staff, and more than a hundred volunteers. The volunteers provide such direct patient needs as respite care, which allows caregivers time for their personal needs. Volunteers may also read to a patient or simply help them talk about their lives. “One patient loved to watch old westerns on television and one of our volunteers spent hours watching the shows with him,” Beth says. Other volunteers help with the behind-the-scenes office work such as filing and answering the phone. Feeling it is important to capture every moment, patients are encouraged to compile a ‘bucket list’ of things they would like to do in the time remaining to them. This list might include such wishes as watching a grandchild graduate or something as simple as sitting on the patio in the sun.
Patients are helped to celebrate such milestone events as an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion. Hoffmann Hospice also focuses on the special needs of veterans and is committed to enhancing its programs for veterans. Its ‘We Honor Veterans’ program has earned the highest level of certification from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
Other services include private transportation, pet therapy that includes regular visits from the affectionate and well-trained ‘Hoffmann Hounds’, a soothing massage from a licensed massage therapist or home health aide and, most recently, a specialized ‘Starlight’ pediatric program that addresses the needs of critically ill children. One of Hoffmann Hospice’s long time volunteers, Claude Greenhaw, ended up enrolling for hospice services himself. The agency organized a Celebration of Life for Claude while he was still living and invited all his friends and family, as well as the hospice staff. “It was one of the most special moments we have shared as an agency,” says Beth. “It was like a memorial service, but before his passing.” Some hospice patients are referred by physicians when there is a terminal diagnosis, whether it is the patient’s
primary care physician or a physician caring for them in the hospital. Others are referred by family or friends. “In hospice care, we take care of the patient and family at the same time,” explains Daughtery. “We also have a bereavement program that helps families cope with the death of their loved ones, including the only program in Kern County that serves the families of pediatric patients.” The programs provide support for up to thirteen months, or eighteen months for families of pediatric patients. The Hoffmanns and their staff and volunteers continually seek new ways of serving Kern County. For many years, their vision for the future included a free-standing hospice home where patients would have a warm and comforting place in which to spend their final days. This vision became reality in 2014 when ground was broken for a 25,000 square foot, eighteen bed facility in the Seven Oaks Business Park. The new facility opened in December 2015. After more than twenty years of service, Hoffmann Hospice remains committed to its mission of celebrating the sanctity of life, providing compassionate end-of-life care and comforting the grieving. For additional information about Hoffmann Hospice, see their website at hoffmannhospice.org.
! Above: Hoffmann Hospice Spiritual Counselor and Veteran Wayne Meade proudly salutes 104 year old patient and WWII U.S. Navy Veteran William A. Kehoe. Hoffmann Hospice collaborates with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to serve the unique needs of our Veterans and their families and help them celebrate their finest military hours.
Left: Hoffmann Hospice nurse accompanies patient Gilberto Hinojosa and his wife Rosa as they fulfill a bucket list wish to see their daughter graduate from Bakersfield High School.
Below: Longtime Hoffmann volunteer Claude Greenhaw shares a hug with Co-Founder Beth Hoffmann during his Celebration of Life. Claude passed away while under the care of Hoffmann Hospice.
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BAKERSFIELD FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER HERITAGE PHYSICIAN NETWORK an Affiliated Medical Group of
HERITAGE PROVIDER NETWORK
In today’s increasingly complex medical care system, Bakersfield Family Medical Center/Heritage Physician Network has pioneered the future of medicine. Recognized regionally and nationally as an innovator of health delivery systems, Bakersfield Family Medical Center/ Heritage Physician Network sets a standard for excellence in healthcare for its patients in settings that promote wellness and preventive medicine. Bakersfield Family Medical Center was founded in 1984, but the Heritage Provider Network actually began in 1979 when Dr. Richard Merkin was asked by a local health plan to start a medical group in an underserved area. The group succeeded far beyond expectations as Heritage’s comprehensive approach to care management proved to be exactly what was needed to provide top quality, cost effective healthcare for its membership. The success of the innovative medical group caught the attention of other health plans who requested that Heritage duplicate its success at other locations, including Kern County. Bakersfield Family Medical Center/Heritage Physician Network was the fourth medical group started under the umbrella of the Heritage Provider Network. BFMC has designed and implemented programs that provide members with the highest quality healthcare available anywhere. Dr. Merkin was the first to introduce such programs as Physician Hospitalists (physicians assigned to members while inpatient), Priority Care (high intensity case management for high-risk patients),
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and Choices (an end-of-life program). BFMC has brought more than 150 physicians and providers to the community and is currently contracted with over 225 primary care physicians and specialists in Kern County alone. Bakersfield Family Medical Center was originally located at 515 Truxtun Avenue, but by 1986, Dr. Merkin realized the office did not provide the adequate space needed to accommodate patients and the facility was moved to 4580 California Avenue. At the time, BFMC had fewer than thirty employees. Dr. Merkin opened the first Urgent Care Center in Kern County within a couple of years after moving into the 4580 California Avenue location. As the managed care membership and the demand for medical care continued in Kern County, Dr. Merkin opened the current location at 4570 California Avenue to accommodate the growing needs. In 1992, BFMC expanded into Tehachapi by opening Oak Tree Medical Group at 432 South Mill Street. In 2004 the BFMC Northwest location was opened at 3400 Calloway Drive. BFMC expanded in 2006 into San Luis Obispo and Tulare through its sister company, Coastal Communities Physician Network (CCPN). The BFMC Northeast facility was opened at 5601 Auburn Street in 2007. Heritage Physician Network is an Independent Physician Association (IPA) with locations throughout Kern County. These IPA physicians are contracted with BFMC to provide medical care to BFMC members, although they maintain their own offices. Members who select Heritage Physician
Network physicians will see their doctors in their conveniently located private offices. All members of BFMC/HPN may access the full range of services, programs and specialists offered by Bakersfield Family Medical Center. Bakersfield Family Medical Center/Heritage Physician Network began with approximately thirty employees, including six physicians. Today, there are more than 350 employees serving over 70,000 lives in Kern, SLO and Tulare Counties. BFMC/HPN is contracted with more than 75 primary care providers and 150 specialists. CCPN-SLO is contracted with over 70 primary care providers and 275 specialists, and CCPN-Tulare is contracted with more than 30 primary care providers and 30 specialists. Bakersfield Family Medical Center/Heritage Physician Network takes great pride in the Kern County community and is involved with a number of charities, including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross. BFMC/HPN is a platinum sponsor of Kern County Christmas for Seniors, a program that provides gifts and hygiene items during the holiday season to low-income and/or isolated seniors in the community.
For more information about the Bakersfield Family Medical Center/Heritage Physician Network, visit the website at www.bfmc.com. QUALITY OF LIFE 175
KERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
! Right: Grace Van Dyke Bird (center front row) with faculty. This dynamo of a woman led Bakersfield College through remarkable development until 1950 and helped to see that a new campus would be built.
Bottom, right: Bakersfield College won the Junior Rose Bowl Championship and became the 1976 National Community College Football Champion.
Below: This historic official Record of Junior College Students contained record cards for all students of what would eventually become Bakersfield College. This card shows the record of the second year for the college’s first graduate, Josephine Chase. The card notes that she transferred to Berkeley.
Kern County Community College District (KCCD) serves 40,000 students each year from a district that spans nearly 25,000 miles, geographically one of the largest community college districts in the nation. The community colleges in the district offer courses for associate’s degrees, certificates, and for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. In addition, the colleges provide workforce skills training, and they partner with businesses and governmental entities to advance economic development. The roots of the Kern Community College District were firmly planted in 1913 with the creation of Bakersfield College. Originally called Bakersfield Junior College, the institution served fifteen students in an experimental program for those wanting to complete requirements for the University of California. The program was conducted on the campus of Kern County High School, later renamed Bakersfield High School. As Kern County and the number of students grew, Bakersfield College became large enough to command a campus of its own. Constructed and dedicated in 1956, the Bakersfield College campus is located on Panorama Drive.
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Community growth also spawned change in secondary and post-secondary governance. The Board of Trustees jointly administering Bakersfield College and the community’s high schools divided into separate boards for each level of education. The year 1968 saw the establishment of the Kern Community College District. Eventually, two other colleges joined the district—Porterville College, founded in 1927, and Cerro Coso Community College, opened in 1973 to serve residents of Ridgecrest and other areas of eastern Kern County. Grace Van Dyke Bird, perhaps the first woman to lead a public community college in California, served Bakersfield College for twenty-three years. She joined Bakersfield Junior College as a teacher in 1927 and was appointed dean of the college five years later. The title of dean evolved into college president. Bird was awarded the posthumous title of President Emeritus, granted by the Kern County Community College District Board of Trustees in 1976. Bakersfield College’s Grace Van Dyke Bird Library is named in her honor. The district’s colleges host centers and outreach sites offering classes in Delano, downtown Bakersfield,
Tehachapi, the Mammoth and Bishop areas, Edwards Air Force Base and the Kern River Valley. These centers provide convenient, localized instruction for thousands of residents. Kern Community College District’s commitment to distance learning and other technological advances creates increased opportunities for education through online instruction to individuals across the district’s service area and beyond. Additionally, the district’s partnerships with area high schools provide dual enrollment opportunities where high school students complete college courses on their high school campuses while simultaneously working toward their high school diploma. Fee-based community education provided by Kern Community College District delivers a broad spectrum of short-term, not-for-credit courses designed to teach a skill, grow a hobby, or fulfill a desire for learning. Community education courses afford local residents of Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College and Porterville College service areas the opportunity to make friends and learn something new in a welcoming environment. Courses run the gamut from wine tasting to watercolor painting, from community choir to computer essentials and everything in between. The student headcount in the KCCD colleges for 2014-15 was 28,910. In addition, 81,089 enrollments were logged in various training and community education programs. In the 2014-15 academic year, 1,063 students transferred to four-year colleges and universities, 1,854 earned associate degrees, 555 received achievement certificates, and 716 were presented with job skills certificates. Kern Community College District operates with an annual budget of $188.5 million and is governed by a sevenmember Board of Trustees elected by constituents in five counties, including Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino. The chancellor of KCCD is Sandra V. Serrano, J.D.,
and current board members include Dennis Beebe, Kay Meek, Mark Storch, Romeo Agbalog, Kyle Carter, John Corkins and Richard Wright, Ed.D. Colleges in the district employ over 1,400 people, including more than 380 full-time faculty members. The Kern Community College District Board of Trustees adopted a 2015-2018 five-point strategic plan to guide the district’s colleges in the future. Goal one is to maximize student success by increased completion, improved milestone achievements and increased student engagement. Goal two is to close achievement gaps. Goal three calls for ensuring student access by optimizing student enrollment and becoming a higher education option of first choice. Strategic goal number four calls for enhancing community connections by providing workforce and economic development programs that respond to local industry and reflect the communities served by the district. Goal number five is to strengthen organizational effectiveness by providing effective professional development, meeting and exceeding internal and external standards and requirements, increasing trust and creating a collaborative culture, and improving facilities and maintenance. The Kern Community College District remains committed to its vision of being recognized as an exemplary educational leader, partnering with communities to develop potential and create opportunities. The colleges in the district believe that successful students will strengthen their communities and, along with faculty and staff, become life-long learners. For additional information about Kern Community College District, check its website at www.kccd.edu.
! Left: Sandra V. Serrano is the first female and first Hispanic to become Chancellor of Kern Community College District. She is a former Bakersfield College President.
Below: This is the Renegade Knight mosaic pylon. It was designed and constructed by art professor Clayton Rippey and became the official depiction of the Bakersfield College Renegade Knight. It is located at Haley and Panorama on the Northwest corner of campus.
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CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
! Above: Chief Executive Officer Justin L. Cave, MPA..
For more than sixty-five years, the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI) has enhanced the lives of the blind and visually impaired citizens of Kern County. As the only public benefit blindness facility within 110 miles of Kern County, CBVI provides education, advocacy, peer counseling, assistive technology education, independent living skills education and other services for the blind and visually impaired. CBVI, then known as Kern County Braille Center, began in 1950 at the St. Mark’s Methodist Church. CBVI was founded as a volunteer-run organization to provide a place where blind and visually impaired individuals could enjoy fellowship and participate in educational and craft programs. The organization’s first permanent facility at 1124 Baker Street was opened in 1982. Services were provided at this location for nearly thirty years. CBVI moved to its current location at 1721 Westwind Drive in 2010. At that time, the organization was about to close because of a lack of funding, but Justin L. Cave, MPA stepped in and took over the management so that the center stayed open and continued to serve the community. Cave, who now serves as CEO, is focused on providing services to help clients regain independence and enjoy a better quality of life. CBVI also partnered with the Advanced Center for Eyecare in the same year to strengthen
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the partnership and build up its capacity for serving the community. In 2015, CBVI provided top-notch services for its clients that included adjustment to vision loss training, independent living skills training, orientation and mobility training, Braille, job coaching and many other services. Five hundred seventy-one Kern County residents, many of whom have been employed or are enrolled in educational institutions, continue to live independently and have learned to manage their daily lives and gain independence because of CBVI’s training and services. Over the years, CBVI has hosted a variety of fundraising events, including Abalone Adventure, Monster March, Pancake Breakfasts, and a Holiday Bazaar. CBVI’s current fundraisers are Appetite for Sight and Tainted Love Concert that are well attended and exclusive fund raising events in Kern County. CBVI’s educational campaigns continue to raise awareness of the blind and visually impaired, eye disease, and its management in all of Kern County. The Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is passionate about its commitment to raise the independence and quality of life for the blind and visually impaired and looks forward to expanding its much needed services in satellite service areas and classrooms in the rural areas of Kern County.
Imagine waking up and finding that even though you open your eyes, you cannot see the wonderful world around you. Imagine what this would do to your ability to care for yourself or your loved ones. This is a scenario that may be easily avoided with the proper preventative eyecare. However, if you are one out of every five Kern County residents who live below the poverty line, eyecare is most likely an impossibility. Advanced Center for Eyecare (ACE) was founded in 2010 by Daniel H. Chang, M.D. and Joseph H. Chang, M.D. as a way to provide high quality eyecare to the uninsured and underinsured residents of Kern County. In 2011, the ACE Board of Directors hired Justin L. Cave, who has a graduate degree in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management, as the executive director who became the catalyst for the efforts that have driven the organization’s growth from a zero operating budget to the abundance of eyecare services and benefits for Kern’s underserved individuals today. One year later, ACE implemented its Kern 20/20 Vision Project, where they were able to open their first location and started seeing patients 5 days a week. The Kern 20/20 Vision Project continues to provide high quality eyecare services to the underprivileged today. In 2012, ACE Chief Executive Officer Justin L. Cave, MPA and Board Member Vin T. Dang, O.D. formed a relationship with OneSight, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving vision for those in need through outreach, research and education. OneSight’s outreach programs include the delivery of vision care and eyewear to those most vulnerable and in need. Statistics from 2015 confirm the tremendous impact ACE has had on the community. During the year, ACE performed 9,697 direct patient encounters and provided 1,777 school aged children with free eye screenings and free eye glasses through a partnership with OneSight.
One of ACE’s annual fundraising events, Appetite for Sight, which began in the fall of 2011, has become one of Bakersfield’s most premier events. ACE’s spring fundraiser, Tainted Love Concert, began in the spring of 2015 and is also very well attended. ACE also receives generous private contributions notably from the Don C. and Diane Lake Family, Marjorie Nixon, Donald E. and Earlene Barnes and corporate contributions from Dignity Health, Chevron, Kaiser Permanente and Mercedes-Benz of Bakersfield. The team at ACE treats each patient with uncompromising, top quality medical and surgical eyecare. Thanks to the generosity of this community, ACE is able to continue its mission of serving all residents of Kern County, by building an optical dispensary for eye glasses as well as establishing satellite school based optometry clinics, beginning in 2016 with three schools in the Greater Bakersfield area.
ADVANCED CENTER FOR EYECARE (ACE)
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BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE
For a community as steeped in pride and heritage as Bakersfield, there may be no city institution more intensely connected with those decades of tradition as Kern County’s educational crown jewel: Bakersfield College. Perched on 153 acres atop the scenic Panorama Bluffs overlooking the Kern River in northeast Bakersfield, BC boasts a student body of more than 18,000 students, earning two-year associate’s degrees in over 140 different career disciplines and training programs. In addition to the Panorama campus, BC Renegades also receive instruction at two BC satellite sites: Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield, and the Delano Campus in Delano, thirty-five miles north of Bakersfield. Bakersfield College’s roots in Kern County stretch back nearly as far as the city’s own origin. In 1913, shortly after Bakersfield’s own incorporation, the need for higher education options led the forward-thinking Kern Union High School Board of Trustees to open Bakersfield Junior College. Sharing a campus with the previously established Bakersfield High School and sporting an inaugural class of thirteen students, the decision to open BC not only created Kern County’s first advanced learning opportunity, but the college was an immediate trailblazer among the pioneering first wave of California’s community college explosion during the 1910s.
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By the 1950s, Kern County’s hunger for education swelled the booming junior college’s student body over 1,400, requiring major action be taken to accommodate the continued growth. Economic depression and World War II stalled previous efforts to move the campus, but strangely enough, it was the deadly Kern County earthquake on July 21, 1952 that ultimately led to BC’s final relocation. In the wake of the 7.3-magnitude quake, voters approved a $17 million bond for earthquake reconstruction, which also included funds for a new Bakersfield College campus. Construction began at the Panorama Bluffs site in 1955; and the following year, students eager to receive degrees from the new “college on the hill” returned from 1956 spring break to take their final courses in Bakersfield College’s glorious new facilities. More than 100 years after first opening its doors, Bakersfield College remains one of the nation’s oldest continuallyoperating—and most respected—community colleges. BC’s rich history has cemented the college’s place in the fabric of Kern County, contributing to generation after generation of county residents receiving degrees and furthering their professional opportunities as Bakersfield College graduates. Under the direction of current Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian, BC has reaffirmed its commitment to not only providing a premium educational experience to its large and diverse student body, but focusing heavily on addressing the educational needs of Kern County’s most under-represented population segments. With over sixty percent of Bakersfield College’s student body of Hispanic or Latino descent and more than half firstgeneration college students, BC’s highly skilled team of administrators, counselors, faculty and staffers have extensive experience addressing the specific educational issues faced by nontraditional students and crafting individual plans for seeing each student achieve their academic goals.
Just as it did 100 years ago, Bakersfield College’s low costhigh return approach to improving its community through education continues to be recognized today. In 2015 the college was ranked first in California and sixth nationally among other two-year institutions in the mid-career earnings of its alumni, according to a study conducted by the prestigious nonprofit Brookings Institute. Bottom line—no community college in the state did more to improve the economic value of each graduate’s career throughout his or her lifetime than Bakersfield College. Heading boldly into its second century, BC continues to explore new methods in offering comprehensive education and career training opportunities to Kern County residents, in areas like expanded online courses as well as more
dual enrollment opportunities allowing area high school students to receive college-level credit for high schoolbased coursework. As part of a state pilot program, Bakersfield College became one of the first California community colleges offering a full four-year degree program in 2015, allowing students in Science in Industrial Automation the chance to complete their Baccalaureate studies at BC. Bakersfield College remains Kern County’s shining “college on the hill,” both a fully realized manifestation of the region’s thirst for top-flight academic opportunity and a fully attainable example of the brighter future available to any Kern County resident with the drive and determination to achieve it.
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KERN COUNTY FAIR
! Below: “KC The Bull”. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LORRIE ROBERTS.
The Kern County Fair was officially born on August 5, 1916. Although there is record of county fairs dating back to 1892, the Kern County Agricultural Association is the only one that has lasted. Unlike other County Fairs, the Kern County Fair is actually a part of the 15th District Agricultural Association that is governed by an official board. These board members are each appointed by the governor. If you attended the Kern County Fair in 1892, you had a much different view compared to our present day fair. Not only would the grounds be full of tents rather than buildings, you would be at a completely different location
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than where the Kern County Fair currently stands. Originally, the Kern County Fair was located on 106 acres off of Chester Avenue, two block north of Thirty-Fourth Street and just south of the Kern River Bridge. This is where the Kern County Museum, the Clock Tower, and Sam Lynn Ball Park now reside. Twenty thousand county school children accompanied by a total of 65,000 patrons passed through the gates during the six-day fair in October 1925. Throughout these six days, the public enjoyed activities like parachute jumps, aerialists, balloon ascension, motorcycle races, and a fifteen-mile sweepstakes horse race. Howard K. Dickson, also known as “Mr. Kern County Fair,” also spearheaded an effort to organize the first youth livestock auction at this fair. On September 24, 1930, the Sixth Annual Kern County Fair opened their gates to 14 community exhibits, 112 Kern County school exhibits, and 100 individual commercial exhibit buildings. However, during the depression in the 1930s, the fair closed their gates for two years. It was then moved from the North Chester location to the current location in 1952. The first fair at the current location was only a five-day event. Nevertheless, throughout the years, the Kern County Fair continued to extend their event until they reached their current twelve-day stint starting in 1983. Today, the Kern County Fair consists of 168 acres, five large exhibit buildings, auction barn, livestock show rings, grandstand, horse arenas, outdoor theater, several community stages, and a large, well-groomed outdoor area where they host over 400,000 people throughout the twelve-day event. People can still enjoy many of the same exhibitions, sales of food, livestock, and entertainment, just in a larger, more updated scale. The grounds stay maintained throughout the year with blooming flowers and various foliage to host over 120 private interim events with an estimated attendance over 700,000.
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KERN COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ! Below: Student leaders from Kern’s AVID program.
Opposite, top: Kern County Superintendent of Schools Christine Lizardi Frazier (2009–present) visits a Ready to Start preschool classroom.
Opposite, bottom: Fish Derby for Richardson Center students.
As advocates for children, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools provides leadership, education and support for students, school districts, and the community through programs, services and fiscal accountability. California’s public education system consists of three levels—state, district, and county. Regulations, funding and fundamental policies are established at the state level, while the day-to-day education of students is the responsibility of individual school districts. County offices of education are the third level and provide an important support system for local schools and districts. Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS), Kern County’s office of education, does not oversee or govern any one Kern County district, but rather serves and supports them all.
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Specifically, KCSOS audits and approves district budgets, helps formulate new curricula, and assists with staff development and training programs in addition to a variety of other services. KCSOS also has the responsibility of monitoring districts for adequate textbooks, facilities and teacher qualifications. KCSOS provides support to Kern County’s forty-seven local school districts in addition to serving students that other districts cannot serve, including students in State preschool, Alternative Education, and Special Education. Among its many other responsibilities, KCSOS transports students throughout the county and services vehicles for other districts. The Superintendent of Schools also operates KETN, Kern’s educational television station. KCSOS operates the California Living Museum, Kern County’s native zoo and wildlife rehabilitation center, and Camp KEEP, which provides hands-on learning in natural environments for students of all ages. The history of KCSOS dates from the very early days of Bakersfield. When Colonel Thomas Baker and his family moved to what would later become known as Bakersfield in 1863, there were only five houses within a mile of the city’s present day downtown. Soon after arriving at her new home, Baker’s wife, Ellen, started a school in her home and education in Kern County was born. KCSOS was formally established on April 2, 1866, with the purpose of adopting textbooks and establishing rules and regulations governing the conduct of schools. Kern County’s first Superintendent of Schools was Joseph R. Riley, a twenty-seven-year-old physician who served only three months before moving on to a long and successful medical career in Bakersfield. One of the most influential early superintendents was Lewis A. Beardsley, a former principal and teacher at Bakersfield School, who was elected to the post in 1874. Enrollment in county schools
grew under his leadership and a bond issue was approved to fund a new $5,500 schoolhouse. Sixty-five of seventy-six eligible voters approved of the bond issue. Perhaps the individual who had the most impact on education in the county’s early days was Alfred Harrell, publisher of the Bakersfield Californian. Harrell was elected Secretary of the Board of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools in 1886. During his tenure, he developed a modern course of study, lengthened the school year, and started personal visits to schools throughout the county. He was elected to three additional terms before retiring in 1898. By 1896 there were fifty-six school districts in Kern County, serving 2,644 students. By 1918, due to the oil boom, there were 108 school districts. Currently, there are forty-seven school districts serving almost 180,000 students. Today, Kern High School District is California’s largest high school district, serving some 37,000 students. Bakersfield City School district is California’s largest elementary school district, serving 30,000 students. Blake is one of California’s smallest school districts, serving only eight students. In more recent years, Kelly Blanton, who served as superintendent from 1986 to 1999, created statewide subsidiaries to serve hundreds of school districts throughout California today. For example, Self-Insured Schools of California (SISC) provides insurance services to districts, and the Fiscal Crisis Management Team (FCMAT) helps California’s local educational agencies fulfill their financial and management responsibilities by providing fiscal advice, management services, and training. Larry Reider, superintendent from 1999 to 2009, helped create the Target Reading First Collaborative, Kern County’s first comprehensive approach to addressing illiteracy rates. He also helped organize the Ready to Start program, a public/private partnership that prepares children with little or no pre-school experience to be ready for kindergarten.
Current Superintendent Christine Lizzardi Frazier, who began in 2009, is the first elected female County Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Frazier has reorganized Kern County’s Office of Education to meet the districts future needs and support the development and oversight of Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs) at each district to honor local stakeholder input and prioritize funding for targeted services. She has also created a countywide effort to approach a renewed focus on Career Technical Education strategically so the school districts can create meaningful partnerships with local industry to help student get real jobs in the community. Ever since state lawmakers created the office of County Superintendent of Schools nearly 165 years ago, the primary mission of the County Superintendent has been to tailor local solutions that best meet the needs of the students. This approach will continue to govern KCSOS as it meets the challenges of the future. QUALITY OF LIFE 185
BAKERSFIELD ADULT SCHOOL
Adults who are ready to open the door to their future turn to Bakersfield Adult School (BAS), where they learn English, study the history and culture of the United States, strengthen their employability skills, or complete their high school diploma. To help students thrive in the new digital age, BAS also provides innovative technology to insure students achieve digital literacy. Adult students return to school because they know education is the key to their success. BAS began operation in the basement of Kern Union High School in 1917. Bakersfield Adult School celebrates its centennial anniversary in the 2016-2017 school year. Since then, more than 500,000 adult students have earned a bright future through classes at BAS, which is part of the Kern High School District. BAS moved its main campus to its current site on South Mount Vernon Street in 1985. The forty-nine-acre main campus is adjacent to the Regional Occupational Center, Adult Based Life Experience (ABLE), and Tierra Del Sol Continuation High School. A satellite campus is located on ‘F’ Street, and adult education classes are also held at the Lerdo Correctional Facility, BARC, and throughout local school sites. In the fall of 2016, the school will open a Culinary Arts program and a working café in conjunction with Americans Job Center. In January 2017 a ‘One Stop Job Spot’ will open in South Bakersfield to help train and serve adult learners in that rapidly growing area. BAS has been blessed with strong leadership throughout its existence. Wallace Webster was named the first principal of Bakersfield Adult School in 1957. Webster was followed by Daniel Soelberg in 1982 through 1984. In 1984, Clint Osthimer became principal and oversaw the construction and move of the main campus to its current home on South Mount Vernon Street and Highway 58. Dr. Dennis Scott took the reins at BAS in 1994. At that time, the campus was serving more than 20,000 adult students per year, making it one of the largest adult
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schools in California. Karen Christiansen became principal in the fall of 1996 and served until the spring of 1998. Boyce Caffee became principal in 1998 and grew enrollment to its all-time high of nearly 28,000 students. Susan Handy became principal in 2002 and developed the award-winning Health Careers program that is currently located on ‘F’ Street in downtown Bakersfield. Mark Wyatt was appointed principal in 2010. The Adult School took a new direction under Wyatt, focusing on innovation, on-line learning and Career Technical Education for rapidly changing local job and industry sectors. The school has become a leader in tablet technology, not only within its own district, but throughout the state. The school currently serves approximately 12,000 students each year in and around greater Bakersfield. BAS currently grants about 300 high school diplomas each year, along with an additional 250 GEDs and certificates for approximately 150 medical career students, including vocational nurses. During the economic downturn and recession of 2006-2008, adult school funding was cut drastically and many adult schools were forced to close or cut programs. The Kern High School District maintained funding and showed incredible foresight in riding out the storm until the economic turnaround of 2014. Enrollment held steady from 2010 through 2016. BAS is part of Kern High School District (KHSD), the nation’s largest 9 to 12 high school district, serving more than
35,000 students with 4,000 employees. KHSD campuses comprise nearly 3,500 square miles, about forty-three percent of the total area of Kern County. Founded in 1893, KHSD includes 18 comprehensive campuses, 5 alternative education campuses, 2 career technical education sites, 4 special education centers, and 2 adult education center. Through its students, faculty and staff, BAS is involved with a number of community organizations, including Kern Adult Literacy, Kern Economic Development, Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Kern County Chamber of Commerce, Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce, and Kern AEBG Consortium, The future looks bright for adult education in Bakersfield. Bakersfield Adult School has evolved into an efficient educational institution with the ability to focus on the needs of the community and the adult learners it serves. The school is prepared to give its twenty-first century students the very latest in technology and job readiness. BAS has built stronger relationships with its local business partners and higher education institutions in order to focus on transitioning students to work and educational opportunities. Bakersfield Adult School remains a critical factor in the economic development within the Southern San Joaquin Valley. To learn more about Bakersfield Adult School, check the website BAS@kenhigh.org or on Twitter @BAS4yourfuture. QUALITY OF LIFE 187
CLINICA SIERRA VISTA
! Right: Migrant and seasonal workers at work in the fields. PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCK PHOTO.
Below: Dr. Anuradha Rao with one of her many patients.
Clinica Sierra Vista (originally called the Kern Liberation Movement, then Clinica de los Campesinos), was established in 1971 to provide healthcare services to poor migrant and seasonal farmworkers who harvest the lush agricultural fields in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Clinica’s service area now encompasses several thousand square miles of rural farmland, urban centers, desert, and mountains in Kern, Fresno and Inyo Counties. Clinica serves a geographically dispersed, low-moderate-fixed income, ethnically diverse, frontier-rural-urban-migrant-homeless patient population. The service area is challenged by a host of unfavorable socio-economic conditions—poverty, high unemployment, increased high school dropout rates, low literacy rates, high teen pregnancy rates, high crime rates, lack of access to fresh quality foods, and serious environmental conditions. Among Clinica’s patient population, nearly 70 percent live below the federal poverty level; 90 percent live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The poor health indicators facing our communities include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dental caries, tobacco and substance abuse, as well as many other conditions. The service area also suffers from a persistent shortage of primary care physicians, in comparison to other parts of California and the nation. Clinica’s core mission is to provide healthcare access to the most medically vulnerable people and improve the quality of life for low-income, underserved community residents of all ages. Clinica Sierra Vista is a federally-qualified health center (FQHC), providing primary care, health education and prevention services, perinatal care, social services, case management, WIC, and enrollment assistance to underserved populations and other marginalized and isolated groups. The organization provides its patients with high-quality services at the most efficient cost, regardless of a person’s ability to pay. In addition to primary medical services, Clinica provides comprehensive dental and behavioral healthcare
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services. Additionally, the organization operates two fortyfoot mobile units that are capable of providing both medical and dental services in a variety of locations. Clinica has been accredited by The Joint Commission, the standard-bearer of quality for healthcare facilities, since 1998. As of 2016, Clinica Sierra Vista provides its services in over seventy different sites throughout its service area. The organization has grown substantially since its inception—from one storefront clinic in Weedpatch, California, to one of the largest comprehensive community/migrant health center systems in the nation. Over the course of its history, Clinica has responded to emerging health needs by establishing services in impoverished and often isolated communities. As an example, one of the health centers, the McFarland Community Health Center, was established in direct response to a childhood cancer cluster that was identified in the 1980s. Clinica has been responsible for bringing much-needed healthcare services to communities that previously had no access to care, including Frazier Park/ Lebec, Arvin, Delano, Lake Isabella, Wofford Heights, and Shoshone. In 2008, Clinica absorbed a failing community
! Left: Ribbon cutting at the Baker Street Village Community Health Center.
Bottom, left: Adan Romero Lopez and Arlenis Barroso Perez, resident physicians.
Below: The Elm Community Health Center.
Bottom: The East Niles Community Health Center & Dental Center.
health center (Sequoia Community Health Foundation) located in Fresno. Had Clinica not stepped up, more than 40,000 low-income children and adults would have lost access to their medical and dental homes in the greater Fresno area. In addition to providing direct patient care services, Clinica Sierra Vista began the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program in 2014, in order to participate in the training of new physicians to help meet the great need in the Valley for primary care providers. This “Teaching Health
Center,” accredited by the ACGME, is affiliated with the UCLA School of Medicine. Clinica Sierra Vista is a nonprofit organization, governed by a community, patient-based board of directors. The organization is consistently recognized locally and nationally as a model of excellence. Among its accolades, Clinica received the nation’s Migrant Health Center of the Year award in 2010. Clinica Sierra Vista has always embodied the characteristics of a medical home, providing accessible, continuous, coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered, compassionate, and culturally-appropriate services to its special patient populations. Clinica’s staff members are from the communities it serves, and we are deeply rooted in our mission that no one is denied services based on who they are, where they live, or what they earn. Our high-performing team of professionals has built a sustainable system of care, serving as an anchor organization and a catalyst for making overall changes to the improving quality of life of both our patients and the greater community, becoming a bridge of opportunity and hope. Wherever our patients are, we speak your language, honor your traditions, value your experiences, and want you to be well. QUALITY OF LIFE 189
HISTORIC UNION CEMETERY
The oldest cemetery in Bakersfield, Historic Union Cemetery, was established in 1872 with the burial of Colonel Thomas Baker, the founder of Bakersfield. Colonel Baker moved to Kern County in the middle of the nineteenth century and ultimately settled in what was then known as Kern Island. A prosperous lawyer, politician, and businessman, Baker hand-selected the parcel of land as the place he wanted to “Lay (his) bones.” Baker’s grave in 1872 marked the beginning of Union Cemetery, which for nearly 150 years, has been the resting place of thousands of pioneers and settlers, Civil War soldiers, prominent local families, cowboys, farmers, bankers and builders—remarkable men and women who have shaped the community’s history. Union Cemetery is so named because, in the late 1800s, both the City of Bakersfield and the City of Sumner had old, neglected and rundown cemeteries. The newspaper complained about them so much that when Colonel Baker was buried at the present location, the townspeople wanted B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 190
that area to become the new cemetery. The county bought the property and the name of Union Cemetery was adopted when the two cemeteries were united as one. The term ‘Historic’ was added to the name in 2012 in recognition of the history and heritage preserved here. Union Cemetery is owned and managed by the Union Cemetery Association, a nonprofit organization that has cared for the property continuously since 1904. Union Cemetery continues to serve area residents with a wide variety of burial and cremation properties at the eighty acre, one-of-a-kind memorial park. The most recent additions to the park are the new Heritage Pavilion featuring a beautiful selection of cremation niches and an outdoor all-faiths committal chapel, and the Garden of Innocence, a moving and solemn burial place for unidentified infants that have been abandoned.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GREG IGER.
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SAN JOAQUIN VETERINARY HOSPITAL
Dr. Tom Willis grew up in the Lamont area of Bakersfield and even after earning his veterinary degree and working in the northern part of the Central Valley for fifteen years, he always dreamed of moving back home. Dr. Willis was raised on the family farm his father established in Southwest Bakersfield after his return from World War II. In addition to farming, Stanley Willis served as president of the Kern-Delta Water Association as well as serving on the Arvin-Edison Water Board. Growing up on a farm exposed Dr. Willis to a variety of animals and by the age of thirteen, he had his mind made up—he wanted to become a veterinarian, although he was not exactly sure what a vet did. After graduation from UC Davis, Dr. Willis began practicing veterinary medicine in the northern part of the Central Valley. His main practice focused on large animals and dairy medicine. With deep roots and a long family history in the area, Dr. Willis and his wife, Linda, nurtured the idea of returning to Bakersfield. After fifteen years away from home, they B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 192
began traveling to Bakersfield at least twice a month to scope out the best location for starting a mixed animal practice. “The area had changed tremendously since Tom had lived in Bakersfield, but there were still the familiar family spots— Luigi’s, Woolgrowers, and, of course, Dewars,” Linda says. “The first place the Lord led us to was a ten-acre parcel of land farthest west of Bakersfield. It turned out to be the ideal location. The projected growth rate in the area was phenomenal and it certainly lived up to and beyond expectations.” Groundbreaking for the new veterinary hospital at 3441 Allen Road took place at the beginning of 2000 and the building was ready for occupancy in June. “The first day we opened our doors, we had three client files on the shelf,” Linda recalls. “Each time the front door would open or the phone would ring, we answered in anticipation of greeting another future client. We were in a rather remote area of Northwest Bakersfield that hadn’t seen its full growth yet, but as the years have passed the area has become vibrant with homes and businesses and is still growing. “Upon arriving in Bakersfield, we discovered the Marketplace on Ming Avenue. It was the gathering place for shopping, moving and eating. The Northwest Promenade, a wonderful asset to the area, had yet to be built, nor had the Shops at River Walk. We were so thrilled at the prospect of being in a new, thriving and growing area,” explains Linda, who now serves as the hospital’s practice manager. As with any new business, the early start-up times were demanding, frustrating and fretful. The new veterinary hospital would be empty one moment and full of clients the next. Through advertising, but especially through word of mouth, the practice grew steadily to its current status. “We feel truly blessed to serve the hardworking people of Bakersfield who have allowed us to be a part of their pet’s care,” Linda says.
San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital began in 2000 with three clients and currently serves more than 16,000. The facility provides full-service animal medicine and surgery, including routine care, sick and injured treatments, dentals, emergencies and orthopedics. The practice also cares for equine, pocket pets and farm animals and livestock. Boarding and grooming services are also available. When Dr. Willis learned Kern County had an unfortunate reputation for having a ‘high kill’ rate in its county animal shelters, he decided to do something about it. The practices’ mobile veterinary hospital was utilized to provide spay and neuter surgeries in many outlying areas of Kern County. The mobile unit was set up in Maricopa, Buttonwillow, Arvin, Lake Isabella, Tehachapi, and Portersville. Kern County is now fast becoming a ‘No-Kill’ area. “We love working with the many nonprofits that promote animal welfare,” Linda says. “We have strong relationships with local shelters that also team with some of the nonprofits to provide spay and neuter services to dogs and cats, which are then placed in ‘forever homes’. Through the years, we have been able to donate our time to spay or neuter more than 3,000 animals.” San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital has been the consulting veterinarian for the California Living Museum (CALM) for many years, working with the museum’s staff to provide care to their animals indigenous to California. This experience has included providing x-rays for a four-month-old mountain lion. Dr. Willis and Linda are proud of their fabulous staff, some of whom have been with the practice since it opened. “Our receptionists, technicians and kennel staff are exceptional in their care of the animals they tend to. They go above and beyond—even after hours—to provide the best medicine possible,” Linda explains. The Willis’ two children have also been involved in caring for the animals. Their son, Tommy, is currently attending
Kansas State University in the pre-vet program, and their daughter, Natalie, is a sophomore at the local high school. “We have found Bakersfield to be a great place to raise our children and grow our practice,” Linda says. QUALITY OF LIFE 193
CENTRE FOR NEURO SKILLS
! Right: Dr. Mark J. Ashley, founder, president, and CEO of Centre for Neuro Skills.
Below: The Centre for Neuro Skills flagship clinic is located on Ashe Road in Bakersfield.
In 1980, when Dr. Mark J. Ashley founded Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS), he had just three patients. All people in need of care are vital to him, but one in particular was extraordinary. It was his older brother, Steve Ashley, who had suffered an aneurysm while serving in the military. The previously gregarious Steve could not speak, walk, or eat without assistance. He had lost control of his ability to move and respond to his environment. Stricken by a brain injury, he struggled to do the simple things most of us take for granted. In Steve’s hospital room, the Ashley family looked on in hopelessness. The only sign of life was his chest moving up and down as a machine kept him breathing. They knew that the life he once lived was over. “At the time, treatment for brain injury was very limited,” Dr. Ashley recalls. Steve’s stark disability triggered something in Dr. Ashley. That something has evolved into CNS, a world-renowned post-acute neurologic treatment facility that has provided intensive therapy for thousands of people with brain injury. “I’m not someone you say ‘No’ to,” Dr. Ashley says of his tenacity. “Conventional wisdom was that Steve’s brain would never send signals to the muscles of his body.” But Dr. Ashley defied conventional wisdom and opened CNS with a staff of ten. He was twenty-three years old at the time. Today, the corporate headquarters are in a state-of-the-art clinical facility in Bakersfield, a 28,000 square foot building
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that includes a therapeutic pool with water current features, advanced therapeutic technology, specialized research equipment, medical offices, counseling suites, a patient computer and education training center, and executive offices. The company has grown to 750 employees, and now has locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Dallas. CNS provides medical and rehabilitative treatment to people who have sustained a brain injury from trauma, hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, tumors, lack of oxygen, and infections. Dr. Ashley’s personal experience of caring for and treating his brother created a family culture at CNS that extends to staff, patients, and relatives of patients. In fact, his passion for treating people with brain injury has inspired many members of his family to join the company. Sue Ashley, Dr. Ashley’s wife, is the Executive Vice President of Clinical Services. Two of Dr. Ashley’s sons also work with the company. Matthew J. Ashley, M.D., J.D., is a Consulting Neurologist and Nicholas A. Ashley, J.D., is the General Counsel. Other relatives serve in key roles as well. They include: Vice President Ellen Katomski, Clinical Services; National Project Manager Steve Katomski; Controller Lindsay Ashley; Neuroscientist Jessica Ashley, Ph.D; and Case Manager Assistant Victoria Katomski. Many employees have been with the company for more than thirty years. A crucial and unique aspect of CNS treatment focuses on neurobehavioral intervention for patients struggling to manage their emotions and behavior. This intensive treatment helps people develop appropriate responses, communication and skills that support successful community re-entry. Staff behavior analysts are specially trained and licensed, and work with patients daily to correct aggression and difficulties that may impede a return to normalcy.
Brain injury impairs the ability to carry out simple duties, such as self-care, safety practices, cooking, shopping, cleaning, learning to budget, hygiene, managing medications, integrating into the community, and returning to work. Many patients participate in the CNS residential rehabilitation program, which helps individuals to regain mastery of these meaningful skills in a home-like setting near each clinic. This emphasis on independence is a treatment philosophy as well as a driving force behind CNS’ success. It can be summarized in a core company ethic—“Patients Don’t Plateau.” All employees live by this credo. A highly skilled, trained, and educated clinical staff provide individualized treatment planning focused on skill-building, achieving patient goals, and independence post-injury. Treating the complexities of brain injury require an interdisciplinary team that specializes in the therapy
domains of cognition, physical, occupational, speech, education, counseling, and medicine. CNS also has a respected research department, led by neuroscientists whose work appears in such esteemed publications as the Journal of Neurotrauma. Their articles focus on cost effectiveness and traumatic brain injury care, growth hormone deficiency in patients, and neuropathology and exercise, among other topics that advance understanding of brain injury. In his thirty-five years as a thought leader and patient advocate, Dr. Ashley has become a noted expert in the field of neurotrauma, having lectured globally on treatment outcome, best practices, and neurodegenerative processes. He authored Traumatic Brain Injury: Rehabilitation, Treatment, and Case Management, now in its fourth edition. Both the Ashleys and CNS staff are clearly driven to accomplish great things. But as a family-owned and operated company, CNS has never strayed from the memory of Steve Ashley. Having walked the path of devastation, the Ashleys make sure that patients’ loved ones are honored and cared for. “Brain injury is a shock to the family,” Dr. Ashley says. “It disrupts the entire home structure. The oncecompetent parent, executive, student, or coed is now shattered—unrecognizable in some instances—and the entire family must heal.” CNS family counseling helps loved ones acknowledge the injury and rebuild together. “Every one of our patients is a Steve Ashley,” he observes. “We treat everyone as if they are family.”
! Above: Two therapists demonstrate use of the ZeroG Gait and Balance System, which helps patients to regain skills of walking and balancing.
Left: CNS’ Bakersfield clinical facility has a state-of-the-art therapeutic pool with water current features, which helps patients regain strength and agility.
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BAKERSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT ! Below: BFD steam fire engine #2, c. 1900. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE BAKERSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Below: BFD Heavy Task Force #1. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE BAKERSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Bakersfield Fire Department (BFD) is a multi-dimensional public safety organization, and includes an “all-risk” approach in its emergency service delivery system. The BFD provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, heavy and technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, water rescue, arson investigation, fire code enforcement, emergency medical dispatching, public service and assistance, and other life safety services around-the-clock to a growing community of over 370,000 citizens. The Bakersfield Fire Department was formally established on May 13, 1877, as the official fire department of the then unincorporated City of Bakersfield. The department has been in continual operation since that inception date, and has been in operation longer than any other fire department in Kern County. After suffering several disastrous conflagrations in 1890, 1898 and 1904, local leaders decided they would never allow the community to be devastated by another massive fire again. From that point forward, the BFD began its rise as a progressive and respected west coast fire department. In the early 1900s, the Bakersfield Fire Department served the community with a fleet of “steamer” fire engines, hook and ladder trucks, chemical fire engines, and hose wagons. These early firefighting machines were faithfully pulled by at least twenty-five noble BFD fire horses with names like Prince, Ned, King and Mike. The last BFD fire horse made its final alarm run and was sent out to pasture in 1914, the year the department was completely motorized.
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In the 1920s and 1930s, the department grew to four central fire stations serving a commercial core and residential perimeter. The firefighting fleet consisted of many state-of-the-art apparatus, including early motorized fire engines that pumped thousands of gallons of water through massive deck guns. City firefighters protected the young but urbanized Bakersfield, stopping major commercial blazes in the downtown area through sheer will and a barrage of water from brass nozzles. BFD Firefighters routinely found themselves in harm’s way due to exposure to clouds of noxious smoke and collapses of unreinforced masonry structures that were prevalent in the central district. Progressive chief fire officers began to rise through the ranks and implement improvements to fire suppression and fire alarm systems that would set the standard for future fire protection in the City of Bakersfield. In 1956 the Bakersfield Fire Department was awarded the highest ISO rating in the United States—and a “class 1 fire department” designation. Today, the Bakersfield Fire Department operates with 240 sworn, support, and reserve personnel deployed from fourteen fire stations located throughout the city ready to meet challenges within the community, region and state. The BFD is an insurance services office (ISO) rated class 2 fire department, residing in the top 1.5 percent of fire departments nationwide. The men and women of the Bakersfield Fire Department are among the finest the community has to offer. Newly appointed BFD Recruit Firefighters attend the academically rigorous and physically challenging twenty-four week BFD Fire Academy. BFD Recruit Firefighters that are successful are then assigned to BFD Probationary Firefighters status, and spend a year working in the field under the guidance of tenured BFD Fire Officers.
BFD Firefighters spend a significant amount of their career training for the complex, three-dimensional life safety problems they will be called upon to deal with in the local urban environment. The department is proud to offer a diverse workforce of dedicated personnel possessing a variety of skills, talents, and abilities. BFD personnel are motivated public service professionals, dedicated to serving their community. The Bakersfield Fire Department participates in regionalized fire services and jointly operates the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) and the Olive Drive Fire Training Facility (ODFTF). Additionally, the BFD operates its own Southeast Live Fire Training Site with state-of-the-art, computerized, clean-burning, fire-fueled props that allow for environmentally friendly and safe firefighting training sessions. As a participating agency in the State Master Mutual Aid System, the BFD deploys firefighters to numerous largescale incidents across California every year. BFD Firefighters assist, along with many other agencies, in mitigating fires and other disasters threatening communities that require reinforced, statewide assistance. The BFD also provides a wide array of non-emergency services related to fire prevention, fire safety education, fire code inspections, and disaster preparedness. The department values community alliances and public participation as part of its service delivery process through collaborative mitigation efforts with the Salvation Army and Red Cross, partnerships with various community groups, nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies. The BFD Community Services Office assists with many media and public access requests, as well as providing the timely dissemination of public information and social media engagement. The Bakersfield Fire Department is the parent organization to numerous BFD nonprofit organizations that serve the community including the Bakersfield Firefighters’ Burn Foundation (BFBF), Bakersfield Firefighters’ Relief
! Above: BFD engine firefighters engage a brush fire. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TREY SPOONER.
Top, left: BFD truck firefighters deploy hoselines. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DAN MILLER.
Left: BFD engine firefighters in structural firefight. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ROY PEÑA.
Bottom: BFD truck firefighters ventilate. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DAN MILLER.
Association (BFRA), Bakersfield Firefighters’ Historical Society (BFHS), and Bakersfield Professional Firefighters’ Local 246 (BPF). The Bakersfield Fire Department is a dedicated local public safety agency and widely respected fire service organization. The men and women of the BFD are proud and honored to be part of a tradition of city fire service that began over 140 years ago, and look forward to carrying out their very important mission in this century as “Bakersfield’s Firefighters.” QUALITY OF LIFE 197
BAKERSFIELD PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 246
! Above: BPF Station tours.
Right: BPF members support MDA Fill-the-Boot Drive. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TBC MEDIA.
Bakersfield Professional Firefighters Local 246 (BPF) represents more than 170 uniformed personnel employed by the Bakersfield Fire Department. BPF works in close coordination with both the staff of the Bakersfield Fire Department and the city manager’s office to ensure that the highest quality of service and protection are provided to the citizens of Bakersfield.
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BPF is a nonprofit organization and collaborates with other nonprofit organizations that are affiliated with the Bakersfield Fire Department, including the Bakersfield Firefighters Relief Association, the Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation and the Bakersfield Firefighters Historical Society. Collaboration with the other Bakersfield Fire Department affiliated nonprofit organizations has allowed BPF members to participate in numerous charitable events such as “Fill the Boot” for Muscular Dystrophy, Firefighters Creating Memories, “Fill the Helmet” for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and a local “Trunk or Treat” event, just to name a few.
A majority of firefighters enter the profession because they have a profound desire to help others and be a part of solutions to some of life’s greatest crises. This desire to help others often transcends into the lives of many firefighters away from the job, compelling them to continue with their sense of service. BPF members are a great example of the civic minded, helpful people that many associate with being a firefighter. Information about the Bakersfield Professional Firefighters may be found at www.bakersfieldfirefighters.com.
Bakersfield Heart Hospital, Kern County’s heart and vascular leader, is focused on providing the latest and most effective technologies and treatments for its patients. By specializing on the nation’s number one killer, Bakersfield Heart Hospital gives patients the benefits of advanced technology while also providing services to meet their individual needs. The concept for a specialized heart hospital began in 1995 when a group of local physicians organized an ambitious project to bring a new standard of heart and vascular care to Bakersfield. A partnership was formed and the concept of a forty-seven-bed hospital dedicated to patient-focused care began to take shape. During construction of the center at 3001 Sillect Avenue many of the first employees were actually housed across the street in the Stevenson Building. Staff members created policies and procedures, ordered supplies and got everything ready to open as they watched the facility being constructed. Staff members were used during ‘trial run’ exercises to be sure the staff, equipment and supplies were ready prior to opening. Some of the staff even served as mock patients during training exercises. Bakersfield Heart Hospital opened its doors to the community in 1999. BHH provides 47 private in-patient beds, 3 operating rooms with complete facilities for heart and vascular surgery, 4 cardiac catheterization labs with 1 lab equipped for electrophysiology, 11 outpatient surgery beds, an 8-bed emergency department, and the most technologically advanced cardiovascular equipment. The original focus of BHH was on cardiac care, but other services have been added through the years to meet the needs of the community. A Women’s Heart Center was added in 2012 to provide education about the unique symptoms of heart disease among women. The women’s center provides information about heart disease risk factors and early detection of heart disease.
A Center for Wound Healing was added in 2014 because Kern County has a high incidence of diabetics who must contend with wounds that will not heal. The center has two hyperbaric chambers and podiatrists and plastic surgeons are available for consultation. BHH also has a Joint Replacement Program that provides a ‘Joint Camp’ where patients and family members learn about the procedures and hear first-hand from the care team what to expect before and after surgery. Bakersfield Heart Hospital is very active in the community. Staff members participate in the Go Red for Women and Heart Walk each year. The hospital partners with Central Cardiology physicians to present heart health topics to various groups, clubs and businesses. BHH also offers screenings for businesses and has partnered with Olivia’s Heart Project to screen teens and young adults for heart related abnormalities.
BAKERSFIELD HEART HOSPITAL
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GEMCARE
! Above: GEMCare’s Comprehensive Care Center.
Below: The GEMCare main office on California Avenue.
Today’s complicated and confusing medical care system makes it difficult for patients to choose the best medical care available for their particular need. Navigating today’s world of healthcare is not easy, but GEMCare Medical Group is providing an option for more and more individuals and businesses. GEMCare has served the community since 1992 and now offers a variety of plans and benefits, including more than 130 highly rated primary care centers and 200 specialty care physicians. GEMCare serves members in Bakersfield and the outlying communities of Arvin, Delano, Lake Isabella, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Wasco. Members have access to Dignity Health, Mercy and Memorial Hospitals, as well as available treatment at five urgent care locations. Equally important is access to care management and wellness services to keep you and your family healthy year-round. GEMCare was first organized in 1991 when a group of physicians saw the need for another healthcare option in Kern County and organized as an Independent Practice Association (IPA). In 2010, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and Mercy Hospitals, in a joint venture with GEMCare physicians, created a new organization known as GEMCare Mercy Memorial Health System (GMMHS). This organization was formed to provide an integrated healthcare delivery system that would ensure a comprehensive approach to total patient care.
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A key component in the integrated system is the Comprehensive Care Center (CCC). The CCC was formed to improve the quality of care for members through a holistic, patient-centered, team-based collaboration of medical and allied professionals. This clinic for medically high-risk patients has received the highest level of national recognition as a NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home is located near downtown Bakersfield. The NCQA seal is a widely recognized symbol of quality. For consumers and employers, this seal is a reliable indicator that an organization is well-managed and delivers high quality care and service. GEMCare has gathered the finest group of medical providers, including a Physician Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Nurse Practitioners, RN Case Managers, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Clinical Pharmacists and health educators. All work together to enhance delivery of member’s healthcare. CCC members have a thirty-five percent reduction in emergency room visits and a twenty percent reduction in admissions to the hospital. Patients are extremely satisfied with their healthcare, averaging 4.8 on a 5-point scale. GEMCare is leading the way to a new model of care delivery by remaining true to its core values of responsibility, compassion, education, and support.
The historical documents of Greenlawn Memorial Park, founded in 1931 by Ed Helm (1891-1952), begin with this creed: “We believe in Life Eternal—a life supremely happy. We believe that those of us left behind should be glad in the true belief that those gone before have entered into that happier life. We believe most of all, in a God who smiles and loves you and me. We therefore know the cemeteries of yesterday are obsolete and that they depict an end, not a beginning. They have consequently become antiquated places that do nothing for humanity save a practical act. “We therefore prayerfully resolve that we shall endeavor to build Greenlawn Memorial Park as different, as unlike other cemeteries as sunshine is unlike darkness, as Eternal Life is unlike Death. We shall endeavor to build at Greenlawn a great park, devoid of misshapen monuments and other customary signs of earthly Death, but filled with sweeping lawns, majestic trees, cheerful flowers, splashing fountains
and beautiful, winding roads and pathways. We believe these things add to the general betterment of the community. “Greenlawn shall become a place where lovers new and old will want to stroll and watch the setting sun, planning for the future and reminiscing of the past, where the sacred bonds of marriage are solemnized; a place where children romp and play; where artists study and sketch; and where the sorrowing will be comforted because it will be God’s garden. A place that shall be protected by an adequate Perpetual Care Fund, the principal of which can never be expended.” With the Ed Helm Monument Company established in 1927, Ed forged ahead with his dream. After the opening of the cemetery overlooking the Bluffs in Northeast Bakersfield, construction began on a mortuary office in 1941, making Greenlawn the first in Bakersfield to provide both the undertaking and cemetery services in one location. After Ed’s death, his son, Marshall Helm, carried on the vision. The business opened a location in Hemet, California, in 1975, and the expansion continued on Panama Lane in the Southwest part of Bakersfield with Greenlawn Southwest Memorial Park opening in 1974 and Greenlawn Southwest Mortuary in 1978. The groundbreaking in 2011 of the Celebration of Life Center further expanded the Southwest location with a chapel that seats over 500, a flower shop, and a reception area. Greenlawn acquired Wood Family Funeral Service in Tehachapi in 2007, and The Woods Pavilion, An Outdoor Event Center, was opened in the summer of 2014. Representing the third generation, Ed’s grandchildren are involved in what is now known as Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Cremations and Cemeteries, and the dedication to the families of Kern County continues.
GREENLAWN FUNERAL HOMESCREMATIONS-CEMETERIES ! Left: The Greenlawn Memorial Park Fountain of Chimes.
Below: Ed and Lucille Helm.
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HOUCHIN COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK
In times of illness or accident, a safe and adequate blood supply is essential to a patient’s treatment and recovery. Since 1953 the Houchin Community Blood Bank has collected and provided this precious supply of blood for residents of Kern County. Blood collected from volunteer donors is manufactured into multiple products, including red blood cells, platelets and plasma for human transfusion. The Blood Bank serves eleven hospitals, cancer, burn and transfusion centers in Kern County. The organization’s history traces from the early 1940s when a group of local physicians and interested residents met at the offices of Doctors Coker, Crawley and Varney to discuss the need for a nonprofit community blood bank. Because of the lack of blood supply in Kern County, blood had to be shipped from Los Angeles or San Francisco and these deliveries could not meet the critical need for blood. At the time, Kern General Hospital—now Kern Medical— was the only facility equipped to draw and test blood. In 1951, members of the Kern County Medical Society called a meeting with C. Elmer Houchin, also a member of
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the group, to discuss a permanent location for a future community blood bank. Houchin donated a location on G Street in downtown Bakersfield in memory of his mother, Sarah Alice Houchin. Additional donations and endowment funds allowed the blood bank to open in April 1952. In the early days, there were no mobile collection buses and blood drives were set up on tables at businesses, churches and other locations. Most blood was collected at one donor center in glass bottles, which did not provide a long shelf life. Donors were scarce and sometimes had to be called on in the middle of the night to meet urgent patient needs. A variety of ‘donation clubs’ such as the ‘10 Gallon Donor Club’ were used to increase interest in donations. Today, the Blood Bank has more than 1,200 donors who have given ten gallons or more. A new donor center was constructed at 5901 Truxtun Avenue in May 1988. Followed by a new headquarters at 11515 Bolthouse Drive on land donated by the William Bolthouse family in February 2013. More than a hundred people are employed at the two locations. Greg Gallion serves as president and CEO. More than 18,000 volunteer donors are greeted each year at the Truxtun and Bolthouse Donor Centers and at mobile drives held throughout Kern County. As a result of these generous donations, Houchin Community Blood Bank is able to supply more than 8,000 platelets and 30,000 units of red cells for patient needs annually as it continues to live its motto: ‘People Live when People Give.’
It takes a special kind of physician to treat patients with pulmonary (lung) diseases, and Alpha J. Anders MD, FCCP of Bakersfield, California, is that type of doctor. He opened his private practice, Comprehensive Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates, seventeen years ago. He takes pride in delivering state-of-the art personal care to patients with various pulmonary diseases along with Heidi He DNP, MSN, FNP-C. “We get to know our patients personally. We have the latest diagnostic, treatments, and technology available; at our office a human being actually answers the telephone,” he says, smiling. Dr. Anders, a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine in critical care, pulmonary and internal medicine, treats any lung disease from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other lung disorders in between. Heidi He, a certified nurse-practitioner, who obtained her doctorate in the science of nursing, assists him with treating and educating pulmonary patients about their diseases. They adhere to the practice’s mission of “Where caring is an art and healing is a science.” Lung diseases make it hard for patients to breathe; therefore, Dr. Anders is a proponent of avoiding cigarettes and other chemical irritants that can cause lung disease years following exposure. “Pulmonary patients should check local news outlets for poor air quality that can aggravate their conditions and make breathing more difficult. “Some patients aren’t aware they have lung disease until they develop a cough or feel out of breath walking, climbing stairs, or exercising. Still, exercise is a vital component for
anyone suffering from lung disease. But, it takes a special, structured-type of exercise,” he adds. “With many chronic lung disorders, the airflow is disrupted in and out of patients’ lungs and reduces functionality. Many (but not all) patients use oxygen to breathe. My practice is centered on helping patients achieve optimal health and maintain a good quality of life.” Dr. Anders is triple board certified in pulmonology, critical care, and internal medicine. He is a member of Healthgrades’ Honor Roll, never having received board action, sanction, or adverse malpractice issues. He has been on the organization’s honor roll eighteen times, and received seven Healthgrades awards. He has served as chief of staff at both Mercy Hospitals, and president of the Kern County Medical Society. He has been a mentor to physicians in training. A graduate of Cornell Medical University, he served his residency in Denver, followed by a pulmonary fellowship at USC. Heidi obtained her nursing degree in Bakersfield. She holds a Master of Science degree from UCLA and a Doctor of Advanced Nursing Practice degree from San Jose State. She is the coordinator of the Nurse Practitioner program at California State University Bakersfield.
ALPHA J. ANDERS, MD, FCCP
! Above: Dr. Alpha J. Anders, MD, doctor of pulmonary, critical care and internal medicine.
Below: Dr. Anders and his nursing staff.
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BAKERSFIELD MUSIC HALL OF FAME
Bakersfield is a city full of music history and the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to promoting and cherishing it, from its Dust Bowl roots to its contemporary manifestations. The Hall of Fame, located in the city’s beautiful downtown arts district, celebrates legends like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Susan Raye, Billy Mize, Hank Thompson, Bonnie Owens, Tommy Collins and Red Simpson, to name a few. But Bakersfield is not just country. Artists such as Lawrence Tibbett, star of the New York Metropolitan Opera; blues great Luther Davis; jazz virtuoso Mary Osborne; and chart-topping thrash-metal-rap act Korn have also made their marks. Now Bakersfield has a place specifically dedicated to recognizing them for their contributions to our musical city. The Hall of Fame is more than that, though. It is a musical venue built with great, detailed workmanship. It is a state-of-the-art performing arts theater built with sound and lighting standards that will please the most discerning and adventurous listener. One of the Hall of Fame’s primary goals is to help nurture and establish up-and-coming hopefuls, much like what the Bluebird Café has done for musicians and songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee. Two fully equipped recording studios capable of producing top-caliber recordings are producing everything from commercial jingles to music in the finest tradition of the B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 204
true Bakersfield Sound. The Hall of Fame’s founders, Bakersfield country singer Kim McAbee and her husband, Kyle Carter, one of Bakersfield’s finest homebuilders, together have brought a unique and heartfelt venue to the music community of Bakersfield. The original building, once used by a shipping company, is over 100 years old. The original architecture of concrete walls, exposed ceiling trusses, exquisite hardwood floors and wood stained slats creates the right ambiance. The original charm is intact, but renovations have created an intimate, up-close concert setting. Each month the Hall of Fame hosts new performers and events; artists make their way into one of the studios; and the gift shop bustles with local folks’ music, books and other merchandise. Whatever the occasion—weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, business conferences or social mixers—the Hall of Fame is equipped to host it. Memberships are available to all, whether they are musicians or music enthusiasts. This is an establishment that will surely continue to add to Bakersfield’s legacy of great music. Folks are already stopping by from all over the world and you will surely want to see the transformation as well. History is once again in the making! For more information, visit the Hall of Fame’s website at www.bakersfieldmusichalloffame.com. Or call (661) 864-1701.
KERN PATRIOT PARTNERSHIP No one deserves to be hired more than our nation’s veterans. To help connect veterans with jobs, Chevron has partnered with the Kern County Veterans Service Department to design, develop, and implement the Kern Patriot Partnership. The partnership provides an online portal to match the skills, knowledge, and dedication of our veterans with high quality employers who are willing to give veterans a first look when they are looking to hire good people. First discussed in an interview with The Bakersfield Californian in December 2012, and again in the August 2013 issue of the Kern Business Journal, the Kern Patriot Partnership is an idea that developed out of the Kern County Veterans Service Department to unite veterans and businesses. Businesses cite the strengths of veterans as very appealing to them when seeking employees. Some of those strengths include a strong work ethic, a sense of duty, working well as a team, demonstrating self-confidence, and having the ability to follow through on assignments, even under difficult or stressful circumstances, to name a few. A common concern among business leaders and human resource managers is that the current process seems to be too cumbersome or even nonexistent. The goal of the Kern Patriot Partnership is to address those issues using innovation, technology, good old-fashioned hard work, and proven mentorship. Kern Patriot Partnership’s vision includes the goal of providing as many job opportunities as possible for veterans and transitioning military personnel. We provide personalized service to help translate military skills to civilian terms that hiring managers understand. Our team empowers transitioning U.S. military members and veterans to succeed in the civilian workforce through personalized career coaching
and employment preparation counseling. Our services are provided at no cost to the transitioning military member and veteran. You will be individually partnered with a highlytrained program specialist who works collaboratively with you to: Create a tailored civilian resume that effectively highlights your skills and achievements; Translate military experience into civilian terminology; Learn effective job search, strategic networking and interviewing techniques; and get connected with companies who want to hire veterans. Our services are available to all honorably-discharged U.S. military veterans, regardless of separation date and term of service. Whether you are looking for full-time or part-time work, internships, or training opportunities, our team is here to help you. We define success as helping transitioning military members and veterans meet or exceed their employment goals, one veteran at a time. Across America, employers are discovering the value of hiring veterans of the United States military who possess the training, leadership skills, and strong work ethic they require. Each of our veterans has made profound sacrifices to protect freedom and democracy and to keep us safe. Pledging support to veterans is one way to express heartfelt gratitude. We ask interested businesses to join our Kern Patriot Partnership, not to guarantee jobs for veterans, but to make a pledge to give veterans a first look when their businesses are preparing to hire. We encourage veterans seeking employment and businesses who would like to join our Partnership to visit our website at www.KernPatriot.org. You will find links for “Veterans” and “Employers” along with other useful information and resources.
! Above: As military members transition into civilian life, Kern Patriot Partnership stands ready to assist our veterans seeking employment and to connect them with employers seeking to hire and are willing to give veterans a first look when they have job openings.
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FOX THEATER FOUNDATION
In the early days of the motion picture industry, magnificent theaters were built across the nation to reflect the glamour and excitement of the movies. One of the most opulent of these grand movie houses was the Fox Theater in Bakersfield, where generations of movie goers enjoyed the latest Hollywood movies and stars, from Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall to Gone with the Wind, as well as stage performances by the most popular entertainers. The Bakersfield Fox Theater was constructed at 2001 H Street for Fox West Coast Theaters and opened on Christmas Day, 1930, with the feature film, Just Imagine. Designed by S. Charles Lee, the Fox was built as both a performing arts theater and a movie theater. The theater featured an atmospheric Mediterranean interior with 1,575 seats. It was one of the most beautiful theaters of its type ever constructed. In 1953, as television began to bite into movie theater attendance, the Fox was modernized in an effort to lure audiences back to the theater. Renowned designer Charles Skouras was hired to create a new identity for the Fox and designed the lavish Art Deco interior that still exists today. The new design featured ornate ceiling murals in the lobby and mezzanine, breathtaking gold leaf plumes and acoustic cloud in the auditorium, and a blue atmospheric ceiling with twinkling stars. The Art Deco makeover also included a one-of-a-kind marquee with hundreds of feet of flashing neon tubes announcing the latest attraction. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 206
The Fox continued to prosper into the 1970s but the arrival of multiplex theaters and continued growth of television—combined with a decline of the downtown area—led to the closing of the Fox in 1979. In an effort to preserve the historic landmark, the Fox Theater Foundation was formed in 1990 to purchase, restore and operate the Fox Theater for the benefit of the citizens of Bakersfield. After many negotiations over price, the owners of the long abandoned theater finally agreed to sell it for $500,000. A huge ‘Save the Fox’ campaign helped raise the necessary funds and the property was acquired in 1994. After extensive renovation to preserve the priceless Art Deco interior, the Fox Theater reopened in 1995. The Fox has become a vibrant part of a renewed downtown and is once again a magnet for children and families wishing to enjoy popular movies, concerts, or entertainment that cannot be seen anywhere else. The eighty-five-year-old civic treasure also serves as a venue for graduations, weddings, and special events. The movies, shows and private events occurring year round at the Fox provide an economic stimulus for downtown, including opportunities for area businesses to provide services to Fox audiences. Thanks to community support, the historic Fox Theater continues to thrive, contributing to both the vitality and livability of Bakersfield.
The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra (BSO), long considered a ‘community treasure’, is now in its eighty-fifth season of performing some of the world’s greatest music for enthusiastic audiences in the Central Valley. In the 1930s, concert music in Bakersfield was found largely in churches, high school bands, and the occasional group of touring artists. The seeds for what would become BSO were sown at a piano recital in January 1932 when it was announced the High School Musician’s Club would sponsor a concert series by a symphony orchestra drawn from members of the community. The inaugural concert of the Bakersfield Community Orchestra occurred on November 22, 1932. This was the beginning of a community’s love for wonderful music while engaging the local talent. As an example of this deep commitment to the BSO, one of our recently departed patrons, Margaret Urner, attended the first concert in 1932 and virtually every performance until her passing in January 2016. With the exception of a hiatus during World War II, the orchestra has filled the air with timeless and vibrant music. In 2012 the BSO Board of Directors hired Bryan Burrow as president/CEO to revitalize the organization. The next four years experienced increase in average attendance of sixty-seven percent, expansion of its student outreach, diversification of its patrons, broader visibility within the community, and additional concerts to the lineup. During this exciting time, the BSO transitioned to a new conductor. Throughout the 2014-2015 season, the Bakersfield community participated in choosing the next conductor from the six finalists, which were the top candidates from a pool of 160 worldwide applicants. As the youngest music director in the orchestra’s history, Stilian Kirov was appointed music director of BSO beginning in the 2015-2016 season. Kirov, a graduate of the Julliard School in orchestral conducting, has won numerous awards and prizes for outstanding achievements. His electric style of conducting
and strong connection with audiences propelled him as an immediate favorite within the community. The BSO performs an impressive six season concerts annually, as well as several Pops style concerts. These Pops concerts reach out to all demographics in the community. Examples of the BSO’s Pops concerts include: movie themes, chamber programs, as well as concerts showcasing holiday and cultural favorites. Whether at our season concerts or Pops concerts, soloists have joined the BSO from as far as the four corners of the globe to as close as Kern County. Outreach is an important part of the BSO’s mission. The Young People’s Concerts hosts over 12,000 students each year for fun and educational concerts as they add culture and art to their curriculum. The most recent and very successful program is called BSO Next. The BSO Next program provides Kern County students tickets to season concerts through the generosity of donors. This impacts over 3,000 students annually. Another program, Kid’s Discover Music, sends BSO musicians into classrooms for a close up interaction with the professional musicians. Finally, the Health and Healing program hosts musicians at local hospitals soothing the hearts of patients, families, and staff. To learn more about the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra and its upcoming schedule, please check the website at www.BSOnow.org.
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ! Left: Music Director Stilian Kirov with members of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra.
Below: NEXT Students attending the last concert of the season, May 2016.
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GARCES MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
! Above: The Padre Garces Statue. The Kern County Historical Society, chaired by Dr. P. N. Root, commissioned John Palo Kanga, a well-known sculptor, to create a statue of Father Garces for the front of the school. On November 27, 1949, the statue was unveiled and dedicated. Sheriff John Loustalot presided as master of ceremonies and County Superintendent of Schools Jesse D. Stockton was the guest speaker. Dr. Root unveiled the monument and Monsignor William MacLaughlin blessed the statue.
Below: Father Garces was moved from his street location to the current location, making him the focal point and landmark at the main campus entrance.
For the past sixty-nine years, Garces Memorial High School has fulfilled the mission of the church by developing students spiritually, academically and socially in Kern County. Garces Memorial traces its origins to the very early days of Catholic education in Kern County. In 1910 the Sisters of Mercy founded St. Frances Elementary School in the basement of St. Francis Church on Truxton Avenue. In 1926 a new two-story school building was built next to the convent. As the years passed, Pastor Leo Beacon and the Sisters began planning a high school that would utilize a vacant second floor in the school building. A 9th grade was added in 1940, followed by 10th and 11th grades the following two years. The addition of a senior class for the 1943-44 school year marked the beginning of a fully functioning high school and generated tremendous excitement in the community. Students made their first strides in competitive athletics and mounted a successful comedy production. A new science lab was outfitted and biology was added to the curriculum. A business department was started with classes in typewriting, and the students enjoyed several dances. The need for a central Catholic high school serving all of Bakersfield soon became evident and a decision was made to build and conduct a high school modeled on the success of San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno. The Sisters
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would teach the girls and the Brothers of the Christian Schools would teach the boys. In 1945 the Kern County Land Company sold the diocese a forty-acre plot in a new residential area called La Cresta for the sum of five dollars. Ground was broken for a new central Catholic high school and, in 1947, Garces Memorial High School opened as a co-educational, interparochial high school with an enrollment of 150 students. The new school was named for Padre Francisco Garces, a Franciscan missionary who was the first European to enter the area known today as Bakersfield. The high school continued to grow and develop for a number of years until a major crisis developed in 1970. Because of a drastic decrease in vocations, the Christian Brothers announced they could no longer staff the school. Due to the anticipated cost of filling this void with lay staff, it appeared that the school would be forced to close. However, a committee of concerned parents and other members of the Catholic community committed themselves to keeping the school open. The school has continued to advance in recent years, both academically and by expanding and modernizing its facilities. Garces Memorial High Schools remains committed to its mission of instilling in every student the courage to act with faith, knowledge, compassion and justice.
Getting veterans what they have earned is the mission of the Kern County Veterans Service Department. The Department provides no-cost services to veterans, their dependents and survivors. These services include counseling, advice, and assistance regarding rights, benefits, and privileges available to veterans under federal, state, and local laws, regulations and policies. The Kern County Board of Supervisors established the Veterans Service Department in 1944, during World War II. The goal remains the same today as when it was established—assist veterans, their dependents, and survivors in obtaining the benefits they earned through their military service. “Because we see about 1,000 to 1,500 clients a month, we know what strategies work and what strategies don’t work when it comes to helping a veteran,” explains Dick Taylor, the county’s Veterans Services Officer, who serves as director for the Department. Taylor, a Bakersfield native who served
in the U.S. Marine Corps, adds that with the help of his department, veterans can reduce the likelihood of having to redo a claim. Another service offered by the Kern County Veterans Service Department is help with education for the families of veterans. The California College Fee Waiver Program benefits the children of U.S. veterans who have a service connected disability. Students meeting the eligibility criteria may get their college tuition-type fees waived if they attend a California community college, a California State University, or a University of California campus. The Department can also provide information about nonservice-connected ‘Pension with Aid and Attendance’, a needs-based benefit for war-era veterans or their surviving spouses. This benefit provides income for those in need of assistance with the activities of daily life, whether through in-home care or an assisted living facility. Not all will qualify, but for those who do, it can be a life changing benefit. The Department also assists veterans with many other issues, including compensation for the veteran and family, pensions for war-era veterans, death benefits for survivors, dependent allowances, requests for military records and decorations and much more. Veterans, by nature, grow accustomed to moving through life without complaints. Duty, sacrifice and suffering in silence are all heroic qualities, yet also can keep veterans from receiving support they need, deserve and earn. The Kern County Veterans Service Department reaches out with open arms to the distinguished veterans in our area. “Everyone that works in this office truly has a servant’s heart and wants to help veterans,” Taylor says. “We really love to serve in that capacity; it’s really a joy and an honor.” The Kern County Veterans Service Department is located at 1120 Golden State Avenue in Bakersfield. For additional information, visit the website at www.co.kern.ca.us/veterans.
KERN COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE DEPARTMENT
! Left: Ceremonies commemorating significant events are held at the Kern County Veterans Service Department. Our community is very supportive of our veterans as shown in this photo from our November 10, 2015, commemoration of the Marine Corps birthday.
Below: The Kern County Veterans Service Department was established in 1944 during World War II to serve our veteran community. The office sits on the same parcel of land as the original building, and now occupies the structure which was once the Kern County Personnel Office in the 1970s.
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PETROLEUM CLUB OF BAKERSFIELD
! Above: The Stockdale Tower, in Bakersfield, California.
Below: Thomas J. Fitzgerald was the Petroleum Club’s first president.
The Petroleum Club of Bakersfield has a rich history with ties not only to the oil industry, but the agricultural, financial, and legal community as well. The club is the gathering place of leaders from young to mature, with a philosophy that reflects a commitment to excellence in all facets. The Petroleum Club is a group that gets things done—with people you can count on. The club was formed in 1952 by founding board members George L. Bradford, a landman and real estate developer; geologists William D. ‘Bill’ Kleinpell, John H. Beach, and Everett W. Pease. Thomas J. Fitzgerald, a geologist and engineer with Gene Reid Drilling, was the club’s first president. The primary purpose of the club was to aid in the association and fellowship of men connected with the petroleum industry and to encourage and sponsor new ideas, which would benefit the oil industry as a whole and provide men possessing special talents with recognition. The club originally held its meetings at the Bakersfield Inn from 1952 to 1969. The club then moved to the Elk’s Lodge at 1600 Thirtieth Street next to the Garces Circle, meeting there from 1970 to 1985. From 1985 to 1993 the club was located downtown in the Bell Tower, a converted church in Old Church Plaza. From 1993 to 2002 the club was located in the old Cask & Cleaver Restaurant on Truxtun Avenue. In 2003 the move was made to the current location on the top floor of the Stockdale Tower, the tallest building in Bakersfield. “The club truly is a point of light for the city,” comments current President Dave Plivelich. “I’ve lived in Bakersfield since 1981 and the one thing that always
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amazes me about this community is how connected the people are here, and how down to earth it is.” Prior to the move to the Stockdale Tower, club membership totaled around 200. By 2014, membership had risen to 1,140. Weakness in the oil economy dropped membership to around 950 in 2015, but the club has begun to see an increase because of a wider variety of associations in its membership. Under the leadership of Plivelich, the club has become the center point for all community leaders and represents not only the oil industry but a wider variety of associations, people and businesses. The Petroleum Club is extremely supportive of local nonprofits and also hosts an annual golf tournament, which provides scholarships for future petroleum engineers. The club hosts many civic service clubs’ meetings, including Rotary, Kiwanis, and Petroleum Wives of Bakersfield, as well as serving as a premier location for wedding receptions, class reunions, celebrations and business presentations.
The prologue leading to Hall Ambulance Service’s fortyfive-year history started on a dare—literally. Working as an orderly at Mercy Hospital in 1960, Harvey L. Hall ran into a friend employed as an ambulance attendant. A conversation ensued and the acquaintance dared Hall to go for a ride along. The experience was so exhilarating; he changed his career path and for the next ten years learned every facet of the ambulance industry. Hall yearned to establish his own service based on his expectations and vision for building the best ambulance company in America. This included how a customer should be treated; why it is important to present yourself in proper uniform; arriving at the medical aid request in an ambulance that is showroom clean; and how you can make your customer’s day better by exhibiting compassion for their situation. With a $15,000 bank loan, two ambulances, and his personal residence serving as headquarters, Hall Ambulance Service commenced business on February 10, 1971. As a Bakersfield-based company, Hall Ambulance has purposely limited expansion to Kern County, so that they may fully serve those in their immediate community. For Hall, it comes down to a commitment that there never be an unmet need for emergency medical transportation services in the communities served by his company. This philosophy has worked well for Hall Ambulance Service, with several communities inviting him to become their 911 paramedic provider, often times, when the previous company would cease operations. Other opportunities came through acquisitions.
Looking back at forty-five years of EMS milestones, you can see the progress of the company split across the decades. The 1970s brought an elevated level of care when Hall launched the first mobile intensive care paramedic program in Kern County. His first expansions took place in Arvin (1975), Lamont (1976), Frazier Park (1978), and Tehachapi (1979). The 1980s saw the implementation of specially configured EMS vehicles to support ambulance operations. This included the deployment of the first paramedic field supervisor units (1984), and the county’s first private mobile medical communications unit (1985). During the 1990s, Hall Ambulance expanded its footprint across Kern County, with service to the east Kern communities of Mojave, Rosamond, California City, and Boron (1994). Hall purchased Taft Ambulance (1995), followed by Shafter Ambulance (1999) when their respective owners retired. Perhaps the key milestone for the company occurred in the summer of 1999 when Hall Ambulance became Bakersfield’s sole 911 paramedic provider after purchasing Golden Empire Ambulance’s EOA 5 permit. As Hall entered the twenty-first century, the company focused its efforts on embracing technology to save lives, and the addition of air ambulance (2001) and critical care transport services (2009). In 2014, Hall Ambulance expanded service towards the northwest portion of Kern County, with the acquisition of Kern Ambulance, serving the city of Wasco. To commemorate Hall Ambulance’s forty-fifth anniversary, artist Chuck Caplinger produced a nine by sixty-foot mural depicting highlights of the company’s history, which celebrates the accomplishments of Harvey L. Hall, widely respected as a pioneer of modern EMS in California.
HALL AMBULANCE SERVICE, INC.
! Top, left: The forty-fifth anniversary paramedic ambulances feature a commemorative paint scheme that includes each of the company’s service areas featured in the checkerboard design.
Above: Founder and President Harvey L. Hall, and his wife, Lavonne, celebrate forty-five years of providing exemplary paramedic ambulance service to Bakersfield and the majority of Kern County.
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LINKS FOR LIFE
! Right: Sharyn Woods, founder and volunteer CEO from 1992 til 2010.
Below: Lace’n It Up for Links for Life to kick-off Breast Cancer Awareness month.
What began with a golf tournament to raise funds for mammograms has grown into a solid organization, which assists thousands of Kern County women and men with breast cancer issues each year. Links for Life was established in 1992 by a group of ten local women who wanted to create an organization catering to the specific breast health needs of women (and men) in Kern County. The driving forces behind creation of Links for Life were Sharyn Woods and co-founder Carol Barraza. Sharyn served as the unpaid, volunteer CEO of the organization for eighteen years before passing away from pancreatic cancer. Links for Life provides funding for clinical breast services for any underinsured or uninsured person under the age of forty. Additional support programs include a wig boutique, breast cancer support groups, and a cancer resource library. Links for Life also provides breast cancer health education and outreach throughout Kern County. Many of these programs target rural areas and minority populations in order to provide early detection, treatment, and general breast health information. Links for Life has provided more than 3,500 wigs, funded 3,600 mammograms and 5,600 ultrasounds, and 442 needle biopsies for underinsured and uninsured women in Kern County, diagnosing thirty-seven women with breast cancer who would otherwise had gone without treatment.
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When state health officials made significant cuts to breast screening services for low income women in 2009, changing the coverage for breast screening from the age of forty to fifty, Links for Life Executive Director Jennifer Henry decided to do something about it. She urged the board of directors to dedicate an additional $100,000 toward mammograms ultrasounds, and needle biopsies for Kern County women. Eleven months later, “The state reinstated the ‘Every Woman Counts’ program to provide diagnostic screening for women over forty,” Henry says. “That means Links for Life is able to use our funds to pay for mammograms for women under forty.” While the funding was frozen for women in their forties, Links for Life diagnosed eleven women with breast cancer. With the diagnosis they were able to receive treatment. Education and awareness of breast health and early detection of breast cancer are key to improving survival rates from breast cancer. Links for Life’s education and outreach volunteers are passionate about educating the community about the importance of breast health and go throughout the community speaking and educating the public. A breast cancer support group which meets on the first Tuesday of each month averages twenty-five women who range from those newly diagnosed to twenty-plus year survivors. Links for Life is supported by contributions and revenue from the Sharyn Woods Memorial Pro-Am Golf Tournament and Gala, Lace’n It Up walks, the Paint the Town Pink fashion show, grants, and donations from many philanthropic local businesses. Links for Life is the only breast cancer organization located in Kern County, where 100 percent of funds raised stay in Kern County to assist women and families facing this dreaded disease. For more information about Links for Life, check the website at www.linksforlife.org.
The Boys & Girls Club of Kern County provides academic support, enrichment, and social bonding activities through after-school programs and summer camps. The club is focused on an established youth development strategy based on five core programming areas: character and leadership, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation. More than 600 youth development professionals work with over 7,000 school age club members on a daily basis. Participants come from a broad socio-economic level; from children living in homelessness to affluence. The organization was initially established in 1966 by local community leaders as the Boys Club of Bakersfield to serve young men in the community. The activities were hosted in a small warehouse and served twenty-five boys with such activities as pool, ping-pong, and craft classes. As the program evolved and served more young men, the activities moved several times, finally settling down in a small church in East Bakersfield in the late 1970s. Recognizing the club also served the sisters of many of the young men, the name was formally changed to the Boys & Girls Club of Bakersfield in the mid-1980s. The club was initially operated with a ‘gym and swim’ for boys philosophy. In fifty years, it has transformed to be the largest Boys & Girls Club in the nation with programs that enrich, educate, and sustain lives. Statistics demonstrate that
‘Club Kids’ score higher than their peers in both reading and math, and 100 percent of the teens graduate from high school with a plan for the future. In 1995 the club secured a $1 million grant from the California Youth Authority and raised another $650,000 to build a new facility to house its growing membership. A local couple—Jack and Monica Armstrong—invested thousands of dollars of their own money to purchase land for the club to ensure members had access to such amenities as computer lab, art studio, library and teen center. The Jack and Monica Armstrong Youth Center opened in 1997 and continues to be the hub of the club’s operations, serving more than 200 children daily. In 2000 a partnership was established with Bakersfield City School District to deliver programs on school campuses when school is not in session. The programs grew exponentially over the next years and the Lamont Boys & Girls Club was established with seed money from Kern County. The next club established was the Boys & Girls Club of Frazier Mountain. The club was then asked to organize programs with the Delano School District and, at this point, the name was officially changed to Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County. As of 2016 the Boys & Girls Club facilitates sixty-two after-school programs at separate locations in partnership with Bakersfield City School District, Lamont School District, Arvin School District, DiGeorgio School District, Vineland, General Shafter, Beardsley and Standard School Districts. The main headquarters is at 801 Niles Street. The club also hosts freestanding club houses in Southwest Bakersfield and Lamont.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF KERN COUNTY
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! It is not a fiesta without a mariachi band to fill the air with the folkloric sounds of Mexico. Performers dress in traditional Charro attire and in place of a bolo tie, wear a large red bow on their chest.
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The Marketplace Bakersfield’s retail and commercial establishments offer an impressive variety of choices K e r n F e d e r a l C re d i t U n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 6 Te l - Te c S e c u r i t y S y s t e m s , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 0 L u i g i ’s R e s t a u r a n t & O l d Wo r l d D e l i c a t e s s e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 2 Canteen of Coastal California, Inc. .......................................................................224 G a l b r a i t h Va n & S t o r a g e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 6 Yo u n g Wo o l d r i d g e , L L P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 8 G re a t e r B a k e r s f i e l d C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 0 K e r n C o u n t y B l a c k C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 1 N o r t h o f t h e R i v e r C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 2 Visit Bakersfield .................................................................................................233 Bakersfield Downtown Business Association.............................................................234 Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace .................................................................................235 C a r n e y ’s B u s i n e s s Te c h n o l o g y C e n t e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 6 K e r n S c h o o l s F e d e r a l C re d i t U n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 7 Guitar Masters ..................................................................................................238 H o d e l ’s C o u n t r y D i n i n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 9 Bakersfield Condors ............................................................................................240 Va l l e y G u n , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 1 D e w a r ’s S o d a F o u n t a i n a n d F i n e C a n d i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 2 E m p o r i u m We s t e r n S t o re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 3 Va l l e y R e p u b l i c B a n k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 4 K G E T, Te l e m u n d o a n d t h e C W B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 5 S m i t h ’s B a k e r i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 6 G re g o r y I g e r ’s P h o t o g r a p h i c A r t , I n c . dba Iger Studio .............................................................................................247
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KERN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Kern Federal Credit Union was organized in February 1949 by a small group of county employees looking for a better way to save, borrow and invest their money. The effort to establish a credit union was led by Howard Delamore, who had recently retired as a Kern County firefighter. Two years earlier, Delamore had successfully organized the first Firefighters Union in Kern County, a forerunner of the IAFF Local 1301. He was recruited by several of his colleagues to investigate the possibility of a credit union. The first ‘vault’ for the credit union was the trunk of a Kern County Sheriff’s Department cruiser and all operations were done by volunteers on weekends around a kitchen
table. Deposits were taken and loan decisions were made by county employees for county employees and their families. Formation of KFCU provided employees of Kern County with a strong financial foundation and the ability to borrow for such large ticket items as homes and automobiles. It also provided a safe place for them to save for their future. KFCU was founded on the core principle of people helping people, following the lead of a network of grass roots financial institutions across the county, giving buying and saving power to the common individual. A credit union is similar to a bank in that it offers financial services and savings that are federally insured. However, there are a few key differences: credit unions are owned by their members, like a co-operative, while bank customers do not own any shares in the financial institution. Credit unions are run by a volunteer board of directors. Credit unions also are not-for-profit, which means KFCU works to put profits back in the pockets of its members—in the form of low rates on loans and special discounts. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 216
In February 1980, KFCU moved into a building at 1717 Truxtun Avenue, the current home of the credit union’s downtown branch and administrative operations. KFCU’s first and—so far—only female CEO, DeAnn Straub, began as a teller in 1972 and was one of only thirteen employees at the time. She took over as CEO in 1994 after then CEO Fred Doering’s battle with cancer forced him to leave the credit union. Straub retired in July 2015 after forty-three years of continuous service. KFCU offers a wide array of checking and savings options for its members, including basic, plus, and fresh start checking, savings accounts, money market accounts, share certificates and IRA accounts. Loans are available for homes and autos, along with lines of credit, MasterCard credit cards, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit. Kern Federal now has $232 million in assets. It has 20,000 members and employs sixty-five people. In addition to the main location on Truxtun Avenue, there is a Riverlakes branch at 4180 Coffee Road.
KFCU is governed by a board of directors composed of a volunteer group of members elected by the membership to determine basic policies and plan for the credit union’s future direction. The current board is comprised of Chairman Steve Long; Vice Chairman Margo Raison; Treasurer John Devlin; Secretary Jackie Denney; and Directors Guy Greenlee, Glenn Basconcillo, and Debbie Stevenson.
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A supervisory committee—also a volunteer group—is responsible for ensuring that government regulations and Board polices, as well as good business and accounting practices, are followed by the credit union. Lito Morillo is chairman of the supervisory committee and Bret Black and Ginny Krebs are members of the committee.
The CEO of Kern Federal is Brandon Ivie, who assumed the position in 2015. Ivie is a graduate of the University of Oregon and has worked in credit unions for twenty-five years, starting as a part-time teller while in college. “I never believed I would stay in credit unions once I graduated from college, but I was offered a position in the accounting department while still in school and since I was a starving college student and it was more money, I jumped at it,” he recalls. “I soon realized that I loved the family atmosphere of credit unions and had found my calling.” Ivie worked for three of the largest credit unions in Eugene, Oregon, and later in Sacramento as he moved up in his career. He joined Kern Federal in 2013 as CFO. Ivie and his wife, Mercedes, have two children, Mercedes (named for her mom) and Daniel. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 218
Kern Federal Credit Union takes pride in its commitment to Kern County. With strong alliances with the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the North of River Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association, KFCU is prepared to support business owners in the area and improve the financial wellbeing of the consumers who make the local economy run.
KFCU is also dedicated to financial literacy and devotes countless hours each year to teaching high school students and young parents the ins-and-outs of household finance. The credit union has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charitable institutions whose missions are to improve the welfare of Kern County residents. The credit union is a strong supporter of CASA, the Kern County Museum, Dress for Success, Cal State University Bakersfield, Community Action Partnership of Kern County, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, CARE, Relay for Life and dozens of others. The mission is to improve the county and to support charities and organizations that do the most good.
KFCU is passionate about serving Kern County and all its residents and feels it is imperative that its membership reflect the county’s diverse and growing population. Kern Federal will not let language, socio-economic status or city of residence be a barrier between potential members and their ability to receive low cost financial services, education, and counseling. Through community outreach, financial education, a strong online presence, and a diverse and welcoming staff, KFCU pledges to be a financial haven for every resident of Kern County. Kern Federal Credit Union is truly here to serve. To learn more about the Kern Federal Credit Union and details of the many programs it offers, check the website at www.kernfcu.org. THE MARKETPLACE 219
TEL-TEC SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
! Above: Tel-Tec Security Systems' executive team (left to right): Vice President of Technology, Owen Freeman; Vice President of Operations and Finance, Patrick Bergin; President Morgan Clayton; and Director of Operations, Brian Humes.
Below: Morgan Clayton in the beginning years.
A passion for design and determination to do more was the driving force behind the vision for Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc., a Bakersfield security firm specializing in custom security designs and integrating systems. Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc., was founded in 1982 by Morgan E. Clayton, who possessed the energy and dedication to make his vision a reality. Several key individuals joined in Clayton’s journey, including Virgil Correl, Steve Park, Bruce Clayton, Pat Bergin, Chris Taylor and Owen Freeman. “An action plan with a mission and the right people was a requirement for survival during the inception of the business,” Clayton explains. “Failure was not an option and the key words were ‘follow through’. The development of the brand was essential and it was imperative a good impression was left with each customer. Customer development was accomplished by referrals, which had to be earned. I’ve always believed that people do business with people they know, they like and they trust.”
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Today, Tel-Tec is an independent security firm, which provides security solutions for thousands of clients. Tel-Tec designs, installs, services and maintains enterprise level security and life safety solutions. All products sold in relation to fire, burglary, access control and cameras are installed with the discretion of certified and experienced designers. “Our goal is providing quality security, service and peace of mind,” Clayton says. “We are a full service company and we monitor the products we install through our 24/7 UL listed monitoring center. With more than thirty-four years in the security business, we have the competency and proven past performance to manage various security projects. “Our streamlined organization provides efficiency through clean, simple and effective processes and communication,” Clayton continues. “We have flexibility and adjust quickly and dynamically to unanticipated requirements. We are a local business with capabilities and experience that rivals the performance of much larger firms.”
Tel-Tec has never been a job for Clayton; it is a lifestyle. Putting his vision into action was never something that could be evaluated by calculating the number of hours he invested. Clayton showed up daily to live and share his passion with others. He believes “there is no such thing as retirement when you are passionate and love what you do each day.” The success of his security business has allowed Clayton to have greater involvement in the community and he serves on a number of local boards and sponsors events to aide local nonprofits that serve youth and families. In 1998, Clayton attended the Bakersfield Business Conference, an annual conference where nationally known speakers discuss the business and political issues that affect our world. After hearing General Colin L. Powell speak on the story of America’s promise, Clayton developed the visionary idea of founding a local youth conference planned by young people for youth to give them a voice and provide a forum in which to discuss issues
that impact teens. Planning for the Leaders in Life Youth Conference began in 1999 with about fifty students and adults. In 2000 the first conference was held with approximately 500 students. The sixteenth annual Leaders in Life Youth Conference was held in 2015, with more than 2,000 students attending. Conference participants are educated about issues that are important to them so they can make healthy and informed decisions regarding drug and alcohol use, future career exploration, and youth advocacy. The students are motivated to help others make positive decisions. Looking to the future, Tel-Tec Security Systems will continue to reinvest in the community while building upon its vision to expand with the demands of the industry. Its creative and talented team of security experts who are dedicated to the mission of providing peace of mind will continue to propel the vision of a quality product backed by quality service.
! Above: President of Tel-Tec Security Systems, Inc., Morgan Clayton.
Below: Morgan Clayton with his family.
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LUIGI’S RESTAURANT & OLD WORLD DELICATESSEN
Luigi’s and Lemucchi Grocery has been at its present location since 1910 and is one of Bakersfield’s oldest continuously family-operated businesses. Joe Lemucchi, the founder of the business, came to California from Lucca, Italy, and started his original café on Summer Street in 1905. Joe’s nickname was ‘Biondo’ or Curley, and the business was first named Curley’s Café. Joe married Emelia Deguili, also an Italian immigrant, and the couple moved in 1910 to the present location of the business at 725 East Nineteenth Street. The original store had family quarters in the rear where the couple’s four children; Louis, Lena, Harry and Helen were born.
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The early business featured a grocery, café, bakery, and gasoline station. Nineteenth Street was the main thoroughfare between Bakersfield and the then town of Sumner. The streetcar line from Bakersfield extended east on Nineteenth Street and terminated at the Southern Pacific Depot on Baker Street. East Nineteenth Street also ended at the Lemucchi Store, merging into Edison Highway, which became the main highway exiting and entering Bakersfield on the east side. Joe catered to the many Italian immigrant families who came to Kern County in the early 1900s. Some lived in the immediate neighborhood while many were engaged in farming and drove in for their groceries. The grocery store featured domestic and imported goods. At the rear of his store, Joe constructed several small cottages or apartments, which were rented by bachelor Italian immigrants. Late afternoon and weekends would find groups of immigrants out back of the store under the grape arbor discussing the latest news and world events in Italian. The café and grocery store were always lively places with visiting and shopping being conducted in several languages. The now famous Luigi sandwich originated in the café where Joe and Emelia always had fresh stew, pasta, and minestrone for hungry customers. Small, but intimate in the back corner of the grocery, the café was always a popular gathering spot. After Joe’s death, Emelia and her son, Louis (Luigi) continued the business. The bar was added next to the old store and the restaurant expanded into a building to the east. In the 1920s and 1930s, the concrete and steel structure now housing the restaurant was rented by Shell Oil Company and at one time was their Kern County headquarters. The newly expanded bar and restaurant were name ‘Luigi’s. Luigi was an incessant collector of photos and sports memorabilia and he covered the walls of his business
with photos of local athletes spanning more than eight decades. The photos displayed on the walls constitute only a small portion of Luigi’s pictorial collection. The pictures in Luigi’s are a constant attraction to multiple generations of Kern County patrons who return frequently to view favored photos with a friend, relative or member of a new generation. Since the death of Luigi in 1989, Luigi’s has been operated by a new generation of the Lemucchi family: Tonia Valpredo; Monte Valpredo; daughters, Monica and Lanette; and son, Gino are the third and fourth generations of the family to operate the popular East Bakersfield establishment.
“We’ve tried to continue the atmosphere and delicious food that have made Luigi’s so popular over the years,” says Gino. “We’ve tried to update the facilities but keep the traditional feel of the family restaurant.” A walk-in wine cellar was added in 2001, and the Wine Shop at Luigi’s has become a popular destination for knowledgeable wine enthusiasts. Lanette Valpredo Caratan, a certified sommelier, runs the Wine Shop and is always available to help customers select just the right wine to pair with various menus. Lanette’s passion is old-world Italian wines, but she is also an expert on the many fine California
wines produced in the region. Wine dinners and weekend wine tastings are a popular feature of the Wine Shop. Another popular section of Luigi’s is an authentic, old-world delicatessen reminiscent of the store operated by Joe a century ago. The deli features genuine Italian prosciutto and salami, along with dozens of other selections and seventyfive different types of cheese. “All the food is fresh and never pre-packaged,” Gino explains. “We try to emulate the great delicatessens you would find in San Francisco or New York.” Luigi’s is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and the Deli and Wine Shop are open the same days from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In the evening the restaurant is available for special events or private parties, with delicious food and drink catered by Luigi’s chef and staff. Off-premises catering is also available. Luigi’s currently employs forty-five people including five descendants of Joe and Emelia. Several members of the staff have been with the restaurant for twenty-five years or longer. Gino and others members of the family feel an obligation to continue the tradition established by their ancestors 110 years ago. “We preach consistency in the kitchen and we are all focused on customer service,” comments Gino. “We take pride in keeping Luigi’s among the most popular restaurants, delis and wine stores in Bakersfield.” THE MARKETPLACE 223
CANTEEN OF COASTAL CALIFORNIA, INC.
Canteen of Coastal California, Inc., a full-line vending service company, is a family operated business with an emphasis on excellent customer service. The company was founded by Gerald A. ‘Scotty’ Scott, a native of Nebraska. He served on a mine sweeper in the North Atlantic during World War II. After the war, he met and married Dorothy Blizzard in Maryland and they moved to California. In 1951, Scotty began working for a vending machine company called Canteen and this job led to his life-long career. Although he was not highly educated, he was able to work his way through the ranks of Canteen Corporation through his work habits, attitude, honesty, and integrity, eventually becoming the general manager of the Bay Area operation in northern California. In 1972, Scotty bought a small vending franchise, moved his family to Oxnard and named his fledgling business Canteen of Coastal California, Inc. The operation began in one-half of a two-car garage with only thirteen accounts, but Scotty enlisted his family’s support and the business began to grow and moved to a warehouse in Ventura. As a full-service vending service company, Canteen of Coastal California, Inc., can meet all its customer’s requirements including soft drink vending machines, vending machines for coffee, candy and other snacks, as well as vending machines with healthy food and beverage alternatives. Micro Markets are the newest innovation in refreshment services and provide a convenience store environment right in your place of business. Canteen of Coastal California, Inc., with more than 1,300 accounts, 4,700 vending machines and nearly 100 Micro
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Markets, has grown to become the largest vending operation in Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties. The success of the canteen company has allowed the Scott family to become very active in local philanthropies and civic organizations. Long before there was a campus— or even a name—for Ventura County’s four-year public university, the Scott family was championing it. Early supporters of the university since the 1970s, Scotty and Dotty passed that zeal on to their children; Jerry, Mark, and Andrea. Today, the family is a major sponsor of scholarships, events and other gifts, providing assistance personally and through their business. “Cal State Channel Islands is an asset to the community,” says Dotty. “When you support the university, you’re supporting the entire community.” “As business owners, we have a stake in creating a healthy community and business environment in Ventura County,” adds Vice President and General Manager Jerry Scott. “By investing in CI, we can be part of the effort to create a more highly skilled, educated workforce and to attract and retain businesses to our region.” The Scotts and Canteen of Coastal California, Inc. are keen contributors to CI, providing everything from scholarships and sponsorship funds to water, sodas and snacks for campus relays and other events. They also recently became the lead donors for the Founder’s Court, CI’s newest fundraising initiative to launch an intercollegiate athletics program. Avid golf and sports enthusiasts, the family looks forward to contributing to another significant step in CI’s advancement. “An athletic program is something that will really promote health and wellness and build on CI’s culture of camaraderie and community partnership,” Jerry says. “We love seeing how beautifully the campus has transformed and knowing that something tangible is happening as a result of our involvement.”
Along with their three children, Scotty and Dotty established the Scott Family Endowed Scholarship, which sponsors students in their studies at CI. The Scott family supports causes ranging from children’s charities and food banks to cancer research, cultural institutions and education. The Scotts want to make educational opportunities available to deserving students in the community. Among the organizations supported by the Scotts are AAKP, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs, Channel Islands, Camarillo Healthcare District, Camarillo Family YMCA, Carnegie Art Museum, Casa Pacifica, Cato Institute, Dave & Bob’s Foster Children’s Fund, Dogs for the Deaf, Easter Seals, Food Share, Foundation for Retarded Citizens, Hospice, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Interface Family Services, Katrina Relief
Fund, KCET-TV, La Rena High School, Meals on Wheels, Military World Games, Moorpark College Baseball Team, Mount Vernon and the Rotary Club of Camarillo. Jerry is a committed member of the Camarillo Rotary Club and served as its president. The Scott family established the Rotary Vocational Scholarship in Scotty’s honor to help others who share the same desire to prove that through perseverance, hard work and dedication, they also can become successful. Scotty passed away in 2006 after a long illness but the business is still family-owned and operated. His wife, Dotty, is still involved in daily operations, and their sons Jerry and Mark, daughter, Andrea, and daughter-in-law, Loretta are all involved in the business. Their grandmother, Nellie Blizzard, worked in the office until she was ninety-seven. THE MARKETPLACE 225
GALBRAITH VAN & STORAGE
! Right: A vintage horse-drawn wagon used by Bekins Moving and Storage Company.
Below: The original building of Galbraith Van & Storage.
Galbraith Van & Storage was founded in 1912, the same year New Mexico and Arizona were admitted to the Union, the first streetcars took to the streets of San Francisco, and the Titanic set sail on its maiden—and final—voyage. Galbraith Van & Storage has been family owned and operated for over 100 years and is now in its fourth generation. Things were far different in 1912 when George H. Galbraith started his moving company with horses and wagons and two ‘auto trucks’. “George used to move commodities to the railroads with a team of horses and wagons when everything began,” explains the company’s current owner, Ben Geissel. Much of the company’s early business involved transporting agricultural products but Galbraith was soon ready to branch out into other areas and decided to get into moving and storage. Galbraith became the first company to sign on as agents for Bekins Van Lines, which became the industry leader for several decades. George managed the business for some time before passing it on to his son, Jack, following World War II. Jack had been a prisoner of the Japanese during the war and somehow managed to survive the infamous Bataan Death March. During the time Jack was running the company, the first Geissel family member entered the picture—Ken Geissel, who was married to Jack’s niece, Sue. Ken was working as a draftsman for Standard Oil when he decided to take some time off to investigate the opportunities in the moving and storage business. Ken liked what he saw and never returned to Standard Oil. Ken eventually became a partner in the company. Sue also joined the company, serving as bookkeeper for many years. “She was the bookkeeper, but basically did anything that needed to be done,” Ben recalls. “The same thing went for my dad. He was president and head of operations, but he was also the truck maintenance guy when they needed it,
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the broom pusher, you name it. At one point, they were the two people holding the business together.” Over time, Ken and Sue managed to build a strong staff of dedicated employees and the company developed a family-like atmosphere that continues today. Debbie Fullerton has been with the company more than thirty years. An integral part of the company, Ben has seen a lot of changes over the years. “When I started, there were only two warehouses and now we have three,” Ben remembers. “One of the traditions that will always hold true for Galbraith Van & Storage is that everyone is treated like family. If anyone is struggling, we try to get everyone to chip in and help out. Holidays and birthdays are always celebrated; we know each other’s children and have watched them grow up together. We are definitely more like family than co-workers,” Ben remarks. Galbraith Van & Storage was the agent for Bekins Van Lines nearly seventy-two years, but became North American Van Lines agents twenty years ago in 1995.
Galbraith Van & Storage is a professional, full service moving company, offering relocations from any point in Bakersfield, Kern County, the U.S., or anywhere in the world. Over the years, Galbraith has helped thousands of families and businesses move to a new home or relocate to Bakersfield. The firm was one of the major movers for State Farm Insurance when the company opened a regional office in Bakersfield. Galbraith was the firm entrusted with moving the Kern County Hall of Records, and Galbraith moved the Bakersfield National Cemetery administrative offices on the day of its dedication by the Secretary of the Interior in 2011. Galbraith also stores sensitive documents for doctors, lawyers or anyone who needs reliable, safe keeping of their records. Galbraith Van & Storage has Pro Mover status with the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) and is an accredited business with the BBB, enjoying an A+ rating. Galbraith is deeply involved in the community and takes its responsibilities very seriously. The company has partnered with United Way of Kern County and the Bakersfield Condors for fifteen years to collect and transport the stuffed animals that are donated at the annual
! Left: A Large Galbraith Van & Storage moving truck parked outside of a home in a residential neighborhood.
Bottom, left: A side view of a Galbraith Van & Storage small moving van.
Below: Ken and Sue Geissel.
‘Teddy Bear Toss’. The company also partners with Habitat for Humanity to move Habitat families into their new homes and hauled truckloads of Ikea goods from the distribution center to Habitat’s Restore facility. Galbraith has also partnered with Guarantee Shoe Center for twenty years, helping with the annual shoe drive that helps the Bakersfield Homeless Center. For twenty years, the firm has donated cartons and material annually to the American Legion for their holiday food baskets and has delivered 26,000 pounds of clothing and supplies donated by the city of Bakersfield for the victims of hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Galbraith has also moved veterans of Kern County gratis in partnership with the Wounded Heroes of Kern County. Sue was chairman of the board of the California Moving and Storage Association (CMSA) in 1996. Ken and Ben both served on the board of directors of the CMSA for many years and through this association the company has supported the Special Olympics of Southern California. After more than a century of business, the success of Galbraith Van & Storage is clearly explained in the company’s motto: “People Make the Difference.” THE MARKETPLACE 227
YOUNG WOOLDRIDGE, LLP
! Clockwise, starting from the top left:
Co-founder John Young in the late 1950s. Young, with a farming background, represented a number of local agricultural clients and played a key role in establishing the firm’s water department that now represents over twenty-five
In 1939, newcomer Joseph Wooldridge had just passed the California State Bar examination and was working downtown in the Haberfelde Building as an insurance adjuster. When Wooldridge arrived, Bakersfield was a typical small town, rich in family values and community pride. Agriculture and oil created many jobs and offered a solid economic foundation for the city and Kern County. Kern County native John Young, an attorney, had an office down the hall from Wooldridge and the two met while pursuing a claim for an injured client. The two men quickly discovered they shared one powerful idea about the practice of law—that it should be, first and foremost, a public service. When the case was settled, Young and Wooldridge became partners and their vision of the legal profession and their friendship became the foundation for one of Kern County’s oldest and largest legal institutions. Young, born and raised on a farm just south of Bakersfield, developed a circle of agricultural clients while Wooldridge represented businesses in Kern County. Their efforts reflected a deep understanding of the county’s economic base in agriculture and oil and the legal needs of its residents.
water districts and public agencies throughout California.
Co-founder Joe Wooldridge working in his office in the late 1950s. Wooldridge’s practice focused on representing Kern County businesses.
Young Wooldridge, LLP has been located on the fourth floor at 1800 Thirtieth Street since 1993. The firm has been practicing law in Bakersfield, California, since 1939.
Left to right, Business Attorneys Chris W. Hamilton, Jerry W. Pearson, Jefferson X. Eberhardt, Robert J. Noriega and Michael A. Kaia in 2016. The business department handles a wide range of legal matters on behalf of Kern County businesses including formation, transactions, litigation, employment and labor law, taxation and more.
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For more than seventy-five years, Young Wooldridge has represented business and corporate clients, public agencies, families, and individuals in a broad range of legal matters. The firm’s services include water, special districts and public agency law, business transactions, business and civil litigation, employment and labor law, oil and gas law, real estate law, complex tax matters, estate planning and probate, personal injury and wrongful death. As the firm began to expand following World War II, several additional attorneys joined the firm. A. Cam Paulden, known as ‘Cam’ joined the firm in the mid-1950s and became a partner by 1959. Robert Self joined in 1961 and became partner within a year, and G. Neil Farr joined the firm in 1970 and became partner in 1971. Paulden, Self, and Farr added balance, additional expertise, and even more energy to an already motivated and growing organization. The firm’s practice continued to be based on the belief that clients deserve service above and beyond what is required. Young and Paulden played a key role in establishing and developing an expertise in the complex areas of water, public agency, and land use law when State and Federal water projects were being constructed in Kern County in the late 1940s through the 1960s.
The Water Department at Young Wooldridge continues to build on the knowledge of Young and Paulden and has assisted—among other things—with the development and formation of several state water banking programs. Currently, Young Wooldridge is general counsel to more than twentyfive water districts and public agencies throughout California. By the mid-1970s, the firm was known as Young, Wooldridge, Paulden, Self and Farr. The practice continued to evolve with new attorneys and partners throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993 the firm moved to its current location at 1800 Thirtieth Street and reverted to its original name, Young Wooldridge. Today, Young Wooldridge, LLP is a mid-sized law firm with vast experience, extensive legal expertise, and a warm personal approach to working with clients. Though services have expanded, the firm’s basic values remain unchanged. The personal touch that the firm’s founders brought to the practice of law is still part of the everyday operation. Many of the firm’s clients are third and fourth generation, a testament to the quality, integrity, and warmth of the attorneys and staff. The firm has been voted as a Favorite Law Firm in the Bakersfield Californian’s ‘Best of Readers’ Choice Poll’ for four consecutive years, each year since the category’s inception. As of summer 2016, Young Wooldridge is home to thirtyeight employees and fourteen attorneys who practice across a variety of areas. The eight partners are Larry R. Cox, Ernest A. Conant, Scott K. Kuney, Michael A. Kaia, Steven M. Torigiani, Gregory A. Muir, Jerry W. Pearson and Ned Dunphy. Young Wooldridge is actively involved in supporting Kern County businesses and industries. The firm supports local chambers and organizations throughout the area including, but not limited to: Kern County Bar Association, Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Kern County Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, NOR Chamber of Commerce, Society of Human Resources Management, Water Association of Kern County, Kern County Farm Bureau, Kern County Builders Exchange and Taft College Foundation Petroleum Partners. In addition to supporting our local industries, Young Wooldridge believes in giving back to the community in which it serves. The firm supports numerous local efforts benefitting education and the arts, health and humanitarian services, public safety and community development. Attorneys and staff have worked on various community boards in leadership positions including: Rotary Club of Bakersfield–Downtown, South and Breakfast, Friends of Mercy Hospital Foundation, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital President’s Circle, San Joaquin Community Hospital Foundation, board of directors of the Kern County Fair Board, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, Henrietta Weill Child Guidance Clinic Board of Directors, Brain Injury Association of California, Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government and Kern County Historical Society. Young Wooldridge’s commitment to education is demonstrated in a number of ways. Attorneys at the firm have participated as coaches and judges in local mock trial programs and the firm has sponsored the annual Hometown Sports Scholar Athlete of the Year scholarship, in partnership with television station KBAK, for over twenty years. One of the firm’s favorite annual events supports the American Red Cross—Kern Chapter. Each year, Young Wooldridge hosts a reception to introduce the Heroes of the American Red Cross, recognizing local citizens for their heroic acts of kindness, selfless action, and exemplary behavior in the community. The heroes go on to be recognized at a dinner and award presentation hosted by the American Red Cross. For more information about the attorneys and services at Young Wooldridge, LLP, visit www.youngwooldridge.com.
! Above: Left to right, the firm’s personal injury department in 2016 includes Attorney Thomas A. Brill, Investigator Frank Wooldridge, Attorney Scott D. Howry, Attorney Gregory A. Muir and Attorney Ned Dunphy.
Below: Estate planning Attorney Larry R. Cox and Paralegal Dee Fringer. Fringer has assisted Cox in the estate planning department for over thirty-five years.
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GREATER BAKERSFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce has been a strong advocate for local business since 1920. The chamber works to engage, enhance and empower its members by providing programs, services, and events that will help take member’s businesses to the next level. Whether it is meeting with lawmakers about issues that impact local businesses, providing opportunities for members to connect, or working tirelessly to keep members up-to-date about the latest business trends, the chamber prides itself on being a lobbying firm, publicist and HR department for all its members, all rolled into one package. The chamber, then called the Bakersfield Civic Commercial Association, held its first meeting on November 26, 1920. The association’s main goals were, “The appropriations of funds to alleviate flood conditions, housing needs, taxation to effect a more efficient government, highways, parks, education, economic development and transportation.” The chamber’s first officials were President Louis Oclese, Vice President C. W. Newberry, and Treasurer Arthur S. Crites. The chamber has been at the forefront of a number of civic improvements over the
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years. According to a history of Bakersfield by author Richard Bailey, the chamber organized the campaign that established a city manager form of government during the early 1940s. During the 1960s, the chamber strongly supported construction of the Civic Auditorium, which brought conventions, trade shows, sporting events and other activities to the city. Currently, the chamber is known for its strong advocacy efforts to ensure a healthy business climate for everyone. The Government Review Council (GRC) meets weekly to discuss and debate issues affecting the local business community. Members may also support important political campaigns and issues by contributing to the chamber’s Political Action Committee. The chamber provides several professional development opportunities for its members, including the Leadership Bakersfield program that provides key business and community leaders a different perspective on what makes Bakersfield tick. In addition, the chamber has sponsored the Beautiful Bakersfield Awards since 1990. These awards honor individuals and businesses that help Bakersfield realize its slogan of ‘Life as it should be.’ The chamber also sponsors After Hours Mixers to provide opportunities for networking and hosts the annual Business Expo, the region’s largest business-to-business trade show. The chamber has more than 1,100 members, representing nearly 3,000 member representatives. The chamber has seven staff members who work to provide high-caliber programs, events and services for its members. President and CEO of the chamber is Nicholas Ortiz. The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce is located at 1725 Eye Street in the heart of downtown. The chamber’s former home on Truxtum Avenue is now home to the Rabobank Arena, built in 1998 as an addition to the Bakersfield Convention Center.
Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce provides unique opportunities for small and African American businesses in low and moderate income communities to grow their business and fulfill their business diversity, advocacy, access, and socialization needs. The services provided by the chamber are designed to guide small businesses to the next level of potential wealth building through economic development. The need for a chamber of commerce to address the specific needs of African American businesses in Kern County became evident in the early 2000s. Although efforts were being made to organize a chamber in the northern part of the valley, it was felt that a focus on Kern County was needed. Ali and Earlena Morris and other officers of the San Joaquin Valley Black Chamber of Commerce, based in the Fresno area, worked with interested business owners in Bakersfield to establish the local organization. KBCC was founded by Ali and Earlena on July 11, 2002. Other important leaders in the effort were Albert Prince, Art Powell, Jeffery Palmer, Jerry Johnson, J. R. Hester, Mary Palmer, Nate Williams and Vivienne Stanford. Early meetings of the chamber were held in the dining hall of St. John Missionary Baptist Church. After meeting in several other locations, the chamber moved into its own offices at 1222 California Avenue in the fall of 2005. The organization’s ‘coming out’ was the first annual Black History Luncheon. KCBCC, currently located at 1309 L Street, has a membership of 200 and operates with a team of five staff and dedicated volunteers. In addition, the chamber has an Ambassador program composed of twenty community individuals who promote and advocate the work of the chamber. The Board of Directors is comprised of fifteen professionals from different industry sectors. The California Junior Black Chamber of Commerce–Kern County Chapter was organized in 2008 and soon began the
first Junior Black Apprentice competition. The Junior Chamber also hosted a radio show entitled ‘Real Talk: The Urban Life’, which played on 95.3FM Roots Radio. Other activities of the junior chamber included the Young Entrepreneur program as well as a series of youth forums. In 2012, Ali retired as president of the organization and Nick Hill took over as interim executive director. Fred Prince became the new board chair. In June 2015, Tomeka Powell became the new president/CEO of the organization. The KCBCC Development Foundation, founded in 2006, serves as the chamber’s charitable arm. The Foundation provides a number of youth development programs including the Junior Chamber, STEM education for kids, financial literacy, small business development, self-esteem programs and Leadership Empowerment for Girls. For more information about the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce, please check their website at www.kcbcc.net.
KERN COUNTY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ! Below: Junior Chamber Advisory Board.
Bottom: Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce Board installation.
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NORTH OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
For more than eighty-eight years, the North of the River Chamber of Commerce has worked to advance the general welfare and prosperity of the North of the River area. The members share a mutual dedication, passion and enthusiasm for expanding business and employment opportunities for residents of Kern County. North of the River Chamber of Commerce was founded on October 17, 1928, as the North of the River Club and was responsible for many public utilities and institutions in the area. The organization eventually evolved into the chamber of commerce it is today. In the early days, membership in the club was limited to men only. Among the prominent members were Ralph Gifford, head of the Oildale Mutual Water Board; Don Silvus, teacher and counselor at Standard School; Dock Hatcher, Realtor® and member of the water board; and Jack Scoles, secretary/treasurer of the Retail Clerk’s Union and member of the NOR Municipal Water Board. Judy Scoles, a retired aide in the Standard School District, often attended meetings with her husband and notes that she was always the only woman in attendance. She recalls asking several questions during one of the meetings in the early-1970s and the members, impressed by her questions, asked her to join the club. The next meeting, two more women attended and joined and the organization has been open to both men and women since that time. The ‘Oildale Men’s Club’ as the organization was sometimes known in its early years, supported the recreation and parks department efforts to organize the annual Christmas Parade. The club worked with such organizations as the Lions, Kiwanis, Optimist, and Rotary Clubs to support the needs of residents and businesses in the Oildale area; helping to raise funds for the North Chester Bridge, street lighting, street numbering and creation of the entrance sign to Oildale in 1985.
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In the early 1990s, one of the NOR Chamber’s fundraisers were to host an annual Honorary Oildale Mayoral Race. Votes cost $1 and the organization raised an average of $4,000 annually.
The NOR Chamber cosponsored the Graffiti Removal Project with the Optimist and Beardsley Junior Optimist, North High students and the Interact Club, along with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The North of the River Chamber kept offices in director’s homes for many years. It now operates from a small office within one of the member’s office. The chamber is currently run by one part-time employee who serves as executive director/office manager, a sixmember board of directors and nine board members. There are 150 members who include local businesses, nonprofits, schools, other local chambers and the downtown business association. The North of the River Chamber’s annual fundraising projects now include a business expo, golf tournament, economic conference, football booklet and Oktoberfest. These annual events support local students through a scholarship program for graduates of North, Liberty, Centennial and Frontier High Schools.
Bakersfield was founded on hospitality. In the mideighteenth century, Colonel Thomas Baker was known for offering travelers a place to rest in the area he settled. It was called “Baker’s Field.” From the town he plotted in 1869 to the city of more than 150 square miles today, Visit Bakersfield, formerly the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, welcomes visitors to do as much—or as little—as they would like: explore the city’s world-renowned music, unique food, dynamic agricultural products, museums and arts community, and exciting outdoor activities. Bakersfield is a city of festivals, where there always seems to be one going on—from mac and cheese to nut, bluegrass to jazz, Greek to Scottish, Celtic to Basque, and craft beer to wine. Bakersfield also is a city of music. While “The Bakersfield Sound” is popular worldwide, the city’s association with various other types of music means there are actually Bakersfield Sounds (plural), all waiting for you to explore. This southern gateway to California’s fertile Central Valley is perfect for a weekend trip or week-long stay. Explore the Bakersfield Museum Trail, a driving route that connects four unique and family-friendly museums: Bakersfield Museum of Art, Buena Vista Museum of Natural History and Science, California Living Museum (CALM), and Kern County Museum. Check out Bakersfield’s thriving arts scene and First Friday ArtWalk downtown. With more Basque
restaurants than any other city in the nation, indulge yourself with Bakersfield’s unique and memorable food experiences. Bakersfield has countless ways to enjoy the outdoors. These include the Kern River Parkway, the Panorama Vista Preserve, the Panorama bluffs walking trail, Lake Ming, and Wind Wolves Preserve. With “‘field” in its name, Bakersfield and sports are synonymous: catch Bakersfield Condors AHL hockey, Bakersfield Blaze baseball, Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (now competing at the NCAA Division I level), and Bakersfield College Renegades. Racing fans can watch the action at Bakersfield Speedway, Auto Club Famoso Raceway, and Kern County Raceway Park. Bakersfield is in the middle of one of the largest agricultural producing areas in the world, and what is grown here finds its way to points all around the globe. For example, did you know that almost ninety percent of California’s carrot crop is grown around Bakersfield? The friendly staff at Visit Bakersfield is ready to make your stay enjoyable with free maps, personal assistance, and coupons for some family-friendly local attractions. The visitor center is in downtown Bakersfield, in front of the Amtrak station, next to the Kern Veterans Memorial, and just a few blocks from the Convention Center. One thing is certain: Bakersfield continues to deliver more than visitors expect. That is why we say that in Bakersfield there really is…“More to Explore!”
VISIT BAKERSFIELD ! Left: Visit Bakersfield is ready to welcome visitors at 515 Truxtun Avenue in downtown Bakersfield. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SCOTT HISLOP.
Below: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Boulevard, is Bakersfield’s premier live entertainment venue and top tourist attraction. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VISIT BAKERSFIELD.
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BAKERSFIELD DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
! Below: Concerts at the creek, band performs at Third Thursday.
While Bakersfield has gone through an unprecedented period of growth and expansion over the last two decades, there is a renewed focus inward, toward developing the city’s center. Some of the city’s most noteworthy historical structures call downtown home, as do several financial institutions, city and county government offices and two hospitals—Mercy Hospital and San Joaquin Community Hospital—which contribute so much to our community as well. But when the office buildings close, an entire other side of Downtown is just getting warmed up. Downtown is the heart of Bakersfield’s dining scene. From fine dining and steakhouses, to diners, food trucks and burger joints. Local award-winning food from Chinese, Sushi, and Thai cuisine, to Caribbean, Latin American, and Italian, not to mention an assortment of pizza parlors, sandwich shops, juice bars, BBQ and more. They are scattered all over the downtown map, with around fifty restaurants to choose from on any given day. The museum, arts and entertainment scene flourishes as well with the Bakersfield Museum of Art, which includes not only rotating exhibitions but a botanical garden. The Buena Vista Museum of Natural History houses an impressive collection of fossils and displays highlighting Bakersfield distant past. The new Bakersfield Music Museum aims to capture the past and present music scene. Downtown also features several galleries and theaters both intimate and large.
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The Rabobank Theater is home to the Bakersfield Symphony, off-Broadway performances and concerts. The 9,000 seat Rabobank Arena houses concerts, conventions and sporting events, including the Bakersfield Condors hockey team. The two venues combine to bring hundreds of thousands of people into downtown each year. Bakersfield’s history comes alive in the heart of the city as well with the Fox Theater, a Spanish Colonial Revivalstyled theater built that opened in 1930. The DBA played a major role in re-opening the Fox in the mid-1990s, and today is one of the primary venues for live entertainment in the city. The Padre Hotel, built in 1928, dominates the downtown skyline and is one of the epicenters of social activity in the city. Central Park at Mill Creek sits as an oasis on the edge of downtown, lined by palm trees and an expansive lawn, it includes a fountain-filled waterway and hosts events such as the DBA’s Third Thursday, with live entertainment, art, vendors and more. It is also flanked by the beautiful Bakersfield Federal Courthouse. The DBA has recently launched a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm, the Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation, to help attend to the city’s redevelopment needs. By focusing on the community’s desires to create a safe, secure and welcoming city center, the DBDC will help take downtown and the DBA forward into a new generation of growth. Turning its sights on an urban design plan, and effecting change in the lives of those in need among the downtown community by fostering partnerships within the nonprofit sector.
BUCK OWENS’ CRYSTAL PALACE
In the summer of 1969, Buck became co-host of Hee Haw, which became one of the top syndicated television successes of all time. In 1989, Buck had a resurgence in popularity with a new younger group of fans and scored a number one hit with Streets of Bakersfield a duet with his friend, Dwight Yoakam. Subsequent generations rediscovered his music and now keep his name shining as one of the great innovators and true legends of country music.
! Top, left: The Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace in Bakersfield.
Left and below: Buck Owens.
Born in Sherman, Texas in 1929, Buck Owens came West with his family in the great “Grapes of Wrath” migration of the 1930s. By 1951, he settled into Bakersfield, California, and found himself playing guitar and singing in the local honky-tonks. He quickly became a local favorite and then in 1953, Buck got a break by playing for the then hot Tommy Collins. He started playing lead guitar on Tommy’s records, and during the next few years became a popular session player for Capitol Records in Hollywood. After making a few records of his own on the Pep label, Buck signed as a solo act with Capitol in 1957. For the next five years his hits were steady and his star was rising, but in 1963 his career really took off. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos had seventeen number one hit singles over the next six years, including Act Naturally, Together Again, Tiger By The Tail, Crying Time, and Love’s Gonna Live Here, which stayed in the number one slot on Billboard for sixteen weeks straight! By the late 1960s, Buck led a huge organization based in Bakersfield, including publishing companies, several radio stations (KUZZ AM/FM, KCWR, and KRJK FM), television, newspapers, and more.
In 1996, Buck opened the Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. Since then it has become famous worldwide as an important venue of country music. Buck & His Buckaroos played there Friday and Saturday nights until his passing in March of 2006, and hundreds of country music stars have graced the stage of the Crystal Palace including the Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, and Taylor Swift. An all-in-one restaurant, museum and theater focusing on the rich history and sounds of West Coast Country Music, the Crystal Palace has been on national television specials, and honored as night club of the year multiple times by the Academy of Country Music. It features outstanding food, fascinating memorabilia and great live music...an amazing place to visit! THE MARKETPLACE 235
CARNEY’S BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CENTER ! Right: From left to right, Rick, Chris and Jeff Kreiser.
Below: Our first office in 1978, from left to right, Red LeCain, Kris and Rick Kreiser and Bob Carney.
Building on a successful career in office equipment sales and management for other Kern-based businesses, Bob Carney made the decision to go out on his own in December of 1977. In a spare bedroom of his northeast Bakersfield home, and armed with little more than a strong reputation for providing superior customer service, Bob realized his entrepreneurial vision and Carney’s Office Equipment was born. With the support of his family and loyal customers, sales grew steadily during the fledgling company’s first few months. In July 1978, Bob was joined by his son-in-law, Rick Kreiser, and their first official showroom was opened on Easton Drive. Quality products and reliable service attracted new customers and, within two years, additional space was needed. The company moved just across the parking lot to larger space to accommodate their growing business. That location served the company well until it moved to its current home at 2001 Westwind Drive. As the growth of technology exploded and businesses increasingly relied on IT services, Carney’s official name was changed to Carney’s Business Technology Center to reflect the new direction. “If you are like most business owners, technology is something that you obviously need, but don’t necessarily want to have to think about. After all, you have a company to run,” says Rick. “Chances are, if you are thinking about your IT infrastructure it’s because something is not working as it should, or it’s holding your company back. We help our clients protect their assets and improve effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and profitability by using technology.” Over the past nearly four decades, Carney’s has represented best-in-class products and services from a range of top technology partners. More than simply ‘vendors,’ Carney’s works hard to identify the right products and solutions for the markets it serves. Once the solution has been engineered
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and installed, the effective support programs made possible through Carney’s partner relationships keep the project delivering results well beyond client’s expectations. Carney’s leadership is transitioning to a third generation as Rick’s sons, Chris and Jeff, continue to chart the company’s direction with a keen eye on future trends while keeping true to the values upon which the business was built. Kern County is a great place to live and work and Carney’s believes that giving back to the community helps strengthen the business environment while achieving a sense of personal fulfillment. To this end, Carney’s leadership and team members support business, professional, and community service organizations at a variety of levels. Among these organizations are the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, the Bakersfield College Foundation, Kern Economic Development Corporation, Bakersfield West Rotary, and the Friends of Mercy Foundation. Over the years, Kern County has experienced explosive growth and technology has changed every aspect of the way we live and do business. But one thing remains the same as it did on that winter day some forty years ago—Carney’s commitment to the Kern County business community.
Kern Schools Federal Credit Union has served the needs of its Members and the entire Kern County community for nearly eighty years. Since its humble beginnings in 1938, when a small group of dedicated and concerned teachers met to form a financial cooperative for school employees and their families, Kern Schools has embodied the credit union philosophy of, “People Helping People.” Originally known as Kern County School Employees Federal Credit Union, Kern Schools was granted a federal charter in 1940. The first Kern Schools “office” was actually a small room located in the library of Bakersfield High School. A single volunteer conducted all the operations for the Credit Union, with Member transaction receipts kept in a shoe box and locked in a desk drawer after hours. By the end of its first year, Kern Schools had 141 Members, approximately
$1,300 in assets, and was well on its way to serving the school employees of Kern County with a lifetime partnership through quality financial products and services. Although the name was shortened to Kern Schools Federal Credit Union in 1969, the goals of the organization remain the same: helping people throughout the community achieve their dreams. Membership does make a difference! Unlike a conventional bank, which is driven by shareholders and profit, a credit union is a not-for-profit entity designed to assist the financial needs of its members through smaller fees, higher dividends, and lower loan rates. Similarly, a credit union board of directors consists of unpaid volunteers, as opposed to large shareholders, who are elected by the membership to lead the organization. Today, Kern Schools is the largest member-owned financial institution headquartered in Kern County, with more than 150,000 Members and $1.3 billion in assets. The Credit Union is open to all Kern County residents. From a single volunteer, the Credit Union has grown to more than 400 team members whose sole purpose is to provide the best Member service possible. With ten branch offices and more than seventy ATMs, Kern Schools provides a wide array of products and services, including extensive home and auto loan programs, the latest in online and mobile technology, as well as wealth management services. Kern Schools is ready to serve Kern County for another seventy-eight years and beyond. Come find out why Kern Schools has been voted “Best Financial Institution in Kern County” for more than twenty years in a row. Members of Kern Schools experience personal service and attention each day and every time they visit because, “Together, we have something special.” To learn more about becoming a Member of Kern Schools, please visit our website at www.ksfcu.org.
KERN SCHOOLS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ! Left: Warren Hall located on the campus of Bakersfield High School.
Below: Kern Schools Federal Credit Union’s administration building located at 11500 Bolthouse Drive.
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GUITAR MASTERS
! Above: Tommy Emmanuel.
Right: Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo.
Guitar Masters, LLC, an ongoing community concert series, was born of a simple desire to present the finest musicians in the world—primarily guitarists—in an intimate ‘listening room’ environment. Guitar Masters began in 2011 and grew out of local businessman Rick Kreiser’s love for guitar music and performances. “In the summer of 2010, my wife Lorie and I decided to take in something called a ‘house concert’ in Los Angeles featuring an exceptionally talented musician, Paul McCartney’s former lead guitarist, Laurence Juber,” Rick explains. “I looked around the room, counted the number of seats (forty-six), did some simple math (door donations times the number of people) and thought— we could do this! So I asked the artist if he would consider performing in Bakersfield. He said he’d love to.” Rick soon realized there was no way he could fit fifty people into his house for a concert, so he started looking for a private, music-friendly venue and settled on an old church turned social club called The Bell Tower. There was no budget for publicity, so they tapped the power of social media—and the phone—to contact everybody they could think of, and nearly 150 people turned out for the very first Guitar Masters show. Today, most of the shows are sellouts in the beautifully reimagined Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame. “We’ve learned a few things along the way,” Rick says. “Key among them is the fact that almost all musicians live to play for appreciative audiences. I don’t know of a single artist who wouldn’t jump at the chance to return to the Guitar Masters stage. They know they will be well taken care of and every detail of their show will be handled with professionalism.” Rick emphasizes that the success of the Guitar Masters concerts has been possible only through the faithful support of sponsors, patrons and guest musicians. He also credits
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the encouragement of his family. “My sons, Chris and Jeff, capably operate the family business so I can pursue this passion, and my daughter, Katie, captures each show with her beautiful photography. And, Lorie’s friendly smile greets visitors at each performance.” The mission of Guitar Masters goes deeper than just providing outstanding and unique musical offerings to the community. Whenever possible, the artists are invited to give a short lecture or guest clinic at one of the high schools or colleges during their stay. “Perhaps the most important measure for us is the increasing number of dedicated patrons and sponsors,” Rick says. “Over the past five seasons, we have provided the highest quality live performances for more than 7,000 fans. “Guitar Masters will live on as long as artists want to play for us and patrons want to be there to hear them. We keep our ticket prices reasonable by design, allowing guitar fans from around the central valley (and beyond) to gain an appreciation for world-class music.” For more information about Guitar Masters, check the website at www.guitarmasters.org.
a Bakersfield institution for fifty years, is a story of achieving success through perseverance, hard work, and a strong faith in God. Today, Hodel’s is a multifaceted operation on Olive Drive in Bakersfield where people up and down the state enjoy the savory flavors of Hodel’s fine food. With banquet rooms seating ten to 400 people, Hodel’s restaurant provides many organizations and groups a quiet and pleasant atmosphere with exceptional service and delicious food. Hodel’s also caters many large local events, receiving high marks for the quality of food and creative presentation. The story of Hodel’s begins with Lydia Bartel Hodel, whose determination to persevere despite enormous obstacles created the culture that still guides the organization today. Lydia’s life began in hardship when she lost her mother during the flu epidemic of 1917. Lydia was only eleven years old but had to take over the cooking, cleaning and bottle washing for her family, which included nine children. Beginning with this experience, ‘Mom Hodel’ lived a life of service to others. Her family escaped the dust bowl of Oklahoma and moved to California in 1921 and Lydia found a job cooking for hay harvesting crews. In the late 1920s, she and her sisters became domestic help in Bakersfield. One of her employers was property investor Arthur Crites, an accomplished amateur chef, who sensed Lydia’s natural abilities as a cook and taught her many helpful teaching techniques including sharing recipes from the White House. Lydia married Sam Hodel in 1928. The couple settled in Bakersfield just in time for the Great Depression of the 1930s, when jobs were hard to come by. Lydia found a job with the Gettle family and when they decided to move to Beverly Hills they offered Sam a job as chauffeur if Mom Hodel would continue as cook and nanny. Mom Hodel prepared many fine meals for the Gettle family and their
distinguished guests, who included department store founder JCPenney. Their three children, daughters Beverly and Darlene and son Bob were born during their stay in Beverly Hills. The family returned to Bakersfield in 1942, where Sam earned the reputation as a quality custom hay bailer. Mom Hodel went to work as manager of the new Greeley School cafeteria, a position she held for twenty-one years. At the school, she produced such delicious and nutritious meals that the federal government investigated to determine how she could meet the dietary requirements at a cost of only fifteen cents per student. Upon her retirement, she received a lifetime membership in the PTA with the statement: “We are glad you are retiring because we are tired of the children asking why the food is better at school than it is at home.” Mom Hodel retired in May 1967, but when her son Bob opened Hodel’s Valley Plaza Restaurant in September, she joined the family business and worked for another twenty-one years. During the 1970s, several other Hodel’s Restaurants were developed, including the very popular Hodel’s at Northridge Fashion Center Mall for a nineteen year run. There is much more to the story and heritage of Hodel’s but it is important to understand the values and standards of the original staff and the example set by Lydia and Sam. The Hodel family is thankful for its heritage and firmly believes that its blessings have come from God’s grace. They continue to seek His blessings in their future endeavors.
HODEL’S COUNTRY DINING
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BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
This is Condorstown. For nearly two decades, the top sports draw in Bakersfield, and one of the best outlets for FUN in all of Kern County, has been the Bakersfield Condors. The Condors began play in 1998 and have earned a reputation in Kern County as one of the top draws for family friendly entertainment, and nationwide for their attention-grabbing promotions. Nearly 4 million fans have passed through the turnstiles to see the Condors since 1998. The team’s commitment to the community is at its core, contributing nearly $5 million in cash, goods and services to local schools and nonprofits during their history. Annual events, such as Tip-A-Condor, golf tournaments, and Jersey Off Our Backs auctions inject needed funding into the coffers of local charities and connect the players to the fans. No event embodies both Condors community involvement and the passion of the Condorstown fans like the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, fans are invited to bring stuffed animals to the game and when the Condors score their first goal, throw them onto the ice. The teddy bears are collected by the United Way and distributed throughout the county to dozens of agencies in need throughout the holidays and beyond. Teddy Bear Toss is annually the biggest game of the season, and over 100,000 stuffed animals have been collected in the event’s history. Meanwhile, the Condors have proven to be second to none in generating nationwide—or even global—attention for their promotions. Famous for offering Canadian-born pop star Justin Bieber a contract, bringing out a live condor B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 240
on the ice (and the bird getting loose from her handler), hosting a Charlie Sheen Night, or sporting a slew of extraordinary specialty jerseys, the Condors have never taken themselves too seriously, nor missed an opportunity to steal a moment of the spotlight. It was just that international recognition, and the team’s support from the community, which led to the purchase of the team in 2014 by the five-time Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Already having graduated a dozen players to the NHL from the “AA” level, the Condors on-ice product was about to receive an unexpected boost from the top of the sports world. In October 2015 the Oilers made the Bakersfield Condors part of a newly-created Pacific Division of the American Hockey League—the primary development grounds for the NHL. The new division included five teams from California, and brought the AHL right into the backyard of the West Coast NHL teams. The AHL is the proving ground for hockey’s future stars, with nearly ninety percent of players in the NHL first learning the ropes in the AHL. The role Bakersfield is to play in building hockey’s future was evident immediately, with nearly twenty players moved back and forth between Bakersfield and the NHL in the team’s first AHL campaign. The reception from the fans followed suit, with the Condors posting their highest attendance in five years. Keeping their eyes on the prize on the ice, combined with a spirited connection to the community off the ice, is sure to make Bakersfield remain Condorstown for years to come.
A gun shop that began in a little shack more fifty-three years ago has grown to become the favorite destination for Kern County shooters. Valley Gun, Inc., Kern County’s only existing second generation, family-owned gun shop, has become successful by providing services others do not and by treating clients the way they would want to be treated. Valley Gun, known originally as Valley Gun Shop, opened for business in 1963 in a small, wooden building at 301½ East California Avenue. The business was organized by Gene Wamble, an accomplished gunsmith, and Maylon Quarnberg, who had a love and fascination for firearms. “My dad only worked in the business part-time at first, because he had another full-time job. So, Gene ran the store until it was able to support both men,” explains Maylon’s son, Ken Quarnberg. After about a year in business, the shop moved to a building at South Chester and Ming, where it shared space with a coin shop. Soon after, Valley Gun moved into its own building at 1614 South Chester. In 1971, Gene and Maylon opened a second location at 2728 Chester Avenue and for several years, the partners
operated two stores with Gene running the South Chester store and Maylon operating the downtown location. The partnership between Maylon and Gene was eventually dissolved, although the two remained friends. When Maylon retired in 1999, his son, Ken, took over the operation. Ken, who says he ‘grew up in the business’, starting working at the shop part-time while still in high school and learned the business alongside his dad. His sister, Jan, also joined the staff and still works at the shop. Since taking over the shop, Ken has channeled his energy into providing superior customer service, providing a large selection of quality firearms and accessories and hiring an experienced staff dedicated to the best customer service possible. Valley Gun’s wide selection of new and previously owned firearms fulfills a variety of needs for all types of sportsmen, collectors, law enforcement, military and general firearms enthusiasts. In addition to its extensive stock of new and used firearms from some the most respected manufacturers in the industry, Valley Gun carries a large selection of ammunition, optics, gun safes, cases, holsters, knives and hunting and shooting accessories. The shop also carries vintage and antique firearms. As a certified arms appraiser, Ken is able to help clients with firearms appraisals for estates, firearms sales and insurance purposes. Valley Gun and its eight employees are involved in a number of organizations, including Friends of NRA, California Deer Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, California Waterfowl Association, Tulare Basin Wetlands Association, Breakfast Rotary Club of Bakersfield, Kern County Fair Junior Livestock, Wounded Heroes Fund, Small Miracles Foundation, SJCH’s Cancer Center, Honor Flight and Sportsman’s Night.
VALLEY GUN, INC. ! Left: A vintage shot (left to right) of Maylon Quarnberg and his business partner, Gene Wamble, in front of the 1614 South Chester Avenue location. c. mid-1960s.
Below: Ken Quarnberg, his sister, Jan Koch and Buddy the labrador. Buddy is often seen in the store and has become one of Valley Gun’s attractions. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BILLY SIMKINS.
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DEWAR’S SODA FOUNTAIN AND FINE CANDIES ! Right: In 2009 Dewar’s celebrated their 100th year anniversary.
Below: J. H. Dewar behind the counter at the Chester Avenue location.
Bottom: Baker Street location.
George, Michael and Heather Dewar are dedicated to preserving a Bakersfield institution—the delicious, delectable candies and ice cream produced by their family for more than a hundred years. Dewar’s Soda Fountain and Fine Candies is one of the very few family businesses still being run by the third and fourth generations. It all began in 1909 when James H. Dewar and his brother, George, opened The Chocolate Shop located at 1665 Chester Avenue, the first door north of the Hall of Records. Dewar’s world famous taffy chews were first introduced in 1909. The tasty one-inch long chews were hand rolled, cut, and then hand wrapped. Ice cream and chocolates were introduced in 1930. The ice cream was hand cranked with salt brine and the chocolates were hand dipped. Locations changed frequently as the first generation built the business from the ground up. The business finally ended up at 1120 Eye Street in 1930, where it still operates today. James A. Dewar, the son of James H., took over the business in 1947 and expanded the sales market share in fountain, ice cream, chocolates and candy, and the Dewar’s chew became even more popular. George C. Dewar joined the family after college in 1965, working alongside his father. Working together, they mechanized the production of chews, increasing chew production from individually hand cut and wrapped, to two machines that produced 180 chews per minute.
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The company continued to grow and gift items were introduced to the product list sold at Dewar’s Candy Shop in 1986. A faster and more efficient machine was purchased to keep up with the demand for Dewar’s chews and production per minute soared from 180 per minute to 450 per minute. With the addition of Michael, the fourth generation, the chew production was moved to a much larger facility and chew production was doubled. Chocolate production was also moved to the manufacturing facility, with the exception of hand dipped chocolates that were made by second generation daughter, Rosie. Dewar’s became computerized in 1994 and a wholesale market was launched in 1995. With the anticipation of future locations, ice cream production was fully renovated in 1999 to allow for the production and storage of more ice cream. Heather Dewar joined the business in 1999 as the company continued to grow. A new warehouse was constructed, the first satellite retail location was opened in Riverlakes and Sugar Free chews were introduced, along with ten new flavors. A new 6,400 square foot retail facility was opened on Calloway Drive in 2012 and won the Beautiful Bakersfield award for architecture. More recently, a Dewar’s Express drive-thru was opened and the company joined the food court at The Outlets at Tejon. Dewar’s provides nearly 115 jobs for the community and donates products to many causes and fundraisers. Dewar’s goals for the future are to produce the best product possible, serve its customers with the best service possible, and continue to appreciate the team of professionals that make all these things happen.
The Emporium Western Store, a familiar local landmark now located at 1031 Nineteenth Street in Bakersfield, was founded in 1909, although the name of the original owner is lost to history. The store started as a true ‘emporium’ or general store in the heart of downtown Bakersfield and has serve valued customers ever since. In 1928 the store was purchased by Isaac Rubin, grandfather of the current owners, and has remained in the family through three generations. In 1946 operation of the store passed to Rubin’s daughter and son-in-law, Rose and Al Goldwater. It was in 1948 when Al began to convert the store into a specialty western clothing store, one of the first in California, and changed the name from ‘Emporium’ to ‘Emporium Western Store.’ Currently, the store is owned by the Goldwater’s two children, Stephen Goldwater and Carol Goldwater Durst. Over the decades, hundreds of wonderful employees have worked at Emporium Western Store. Besides family members, including the fourth-generation children, notable long-time employees include: Juanita Clark (credited with being the one to convince Al to go western in the late 1940s), Charley Brown, Herman Sohl, Louis and Jessie Barraza, ‘Big Al’ Gonzales, Danny Lipco, Deborah Baker, Micky Moya and Fred Mungia. Emporium Western Store is a well-known institution in Kern County as well as in the Western industry. In fact, it has been recognized frequently by manufacturers and others as being the best in the country. The store has won awards such as the Wrangler PRCA Dealer of the Year, Justin Boot Company Dealer of the Year, and the Resistol Hat Windy Ryan Award. In 1995 the Emporium Western Store was the first Western store outside the State of Texas to win the Western Image Award ‘Retailer of the Year’ for a single-location store. Locally, it has been voted the Best
EMPORIUM WESTERN STORE
Western Store in Kern County every year since 1908 when The Bakersfield Californian started its annual reader’s poll. The strengths of the Emporium Western Store over the years have been its service, selection and value. You can find a wide selection of boots, hats, jeans, shirts and belts, as well as all the other favorite Western accessories and gift items. Customer service is old fashioned at the Emporium Western Store, where many customers are welcomed by name as they enter the store. Longtime local families have shopped at the store for three or four generations and friends are always running into each other while shopping. The Emporium Western Store prides itself in being the oldest and largest locally owned, full-service Western store in Kern County, the store where the real cowboys shop.
! Left: The second location of the Emporium, at 1316 Nineteenth Street, during the 1930s.
Right: Second generation owners, Al and Rose Goldwater, taken in the early 1950s in front of the third location of the store after it moved to 1219 Nineteenth Street.
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VALLEY REPUBLIC BANK
! Above: Valley Republic Bank’s corporate headquarters is located on California Avenue in Bakersfield.
Below: Board Member Greg Bynum; Chairman of the Board Eugene Voiland; President and CEO Bruce Jay; Vice President, Loans Janet Hepp and Executive Vice President Philip McLaughlin..
In 2009, the right people came together at the right time, at the right place, and established Valley Republic Bank. The twenty-four founders believed bank customers deserved a local financial institution that could respond to them quickly, efficiently, consistently and personally. Valley Republic became profitable after only eighteen months of operation and has recorded unprecedented growth quarter after quarter. By early 2016 the bank’s total assets exceeded $500 million. Valley Republic officials credit the bank’s phenomenal success to providing a high level of confidence and service to local professionals and the business community. The entire team at Valley Republic lives in Bakersfield and has raised their families here. The bank’s board, under the leadership of Eugene Voiland, is composed of successful local business people who have a finger on the pulse of the community and know the needs of Kern County customers. The management of Valley Republic has assembled one of the highest quality teams around. The bank consciously selects Bakersfield’s ‘best and brightest’ with every new hire. As a result, customers can count on an experienced, focused group of professionals who provide uncommon service that is second to none. Customers say they appreciate the bank’s ‘local flavor,’ its quick loan decisions, personal meetings, and the policy of
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‘no 800 numbers’. When customers visit a Valley Republic Bank branch, the employees know them by name. Managers understand that banking is a people business and are committed to a community that values relationships. Valley Republic is fully invested in the success of its client’s businesses and considers itself a partner in their future growth. This ‘relationship banking’ approach provides customers with competitive products and services, the latest technological conveniences and a sincere appreciation for the customer’s business. Valley Republic tries harder than anyone else to stay one step ahead—in every regard. Valley Republic’s main branch is located at 5000 California Street. In 2012, a second branch was opened in the Grand Island Village at the corner of Ming Avenue and Buena Vista Road. Located in the heart of the Seven Oaks area, this branch provides convenience for businesses and professional customers in the surrounding neighborhoods. In 2016 the Riverlakes branch was opened in Northwest Bakersfield. Valley Republic posted its ninth consecutive quarter of record earnings for the quarter ending March 31, 2016. Quarterly earnings exceeded $1 million, with net income up 34 percent, net loans up 26 percent, deposits up 7 percent, and total assets up 9 percent. “At Valley Republic Bank, we recognize that our business is critical to the economic fabric of Kern County,” says Bruce Jay, president and CEO. “We believe we have a responsibility to do what we can do to make our community a better place in which to live and work. As an organization, we financially support numerous organizations and our staff is involved in various nonprofit organizations. We are committed to Bakersfield and Kern County. It is our home.”
For news, entertainment and public service, residents of the Central Valley have relied on KGET, Telemundo, and the CW for nearly six decades. Nexstar Broadcasting Group operates the three television stations from a single broadcast center in downtown Bakersfield. The three stations, under the leadership of Nexstar Vice President and station General Manager Derek Jeffery, offer a mix of news and entertainment in English and Spanish on broadcast frequencies, online, and on social media. As the local NBC affiliate, KGET is home to dozens of popular drama, reality and sports shows. Telemundo offers a similar lineup in Spanish, and the CW network offers a variety of first-run and syndicated programs. The stations’ mottoes—in both English and Spanish—are, “In the Spirit of the Golden Empire,” which reflects the company’s commitment to the community it serves. That commitment is demonstrated through the dozens of nonprofits aided each year through no-cost public service announcements and by providing emcees for events. The stations have conducted so many fundraising drives that nonprofits have nicknamed the station’s parking lot, ‘Compassion Corner’. The stations’ fundraisers brought in more than $300,000 in monetary donations in 2015 alone. For more than a decade, KGET has been the number one local news station in all time slots in Kern County. The morning newscasts anchored by Maddie Johnson and Jason Galvin and evening newscasts anchored by Jim Scott and Tami Mlcoch have become traditions in thousands of Kern County households. Kevin Charette provides dependable Pinpoint forecast to morning viewers, and Chief Meteorologist Alissa Carlson does the same in afternoon and evenings. In the last three years, KGET has won eight Edward R. Murrow Awards for investigative and breaking news reporting. In 2014 and again in 2016, the station received the Edward R. Murrow Overall Excellence Award, the top
honor among stations in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. KGET news has also been honored with seven Emmy Awards since 2013. Telemundo/Valle Central offers the fastest growing and only Spanish language newscast in the county, providing information and community service for a formerly underserved community. The success of both stations is built on a culture of honest, honorable reporting on topics that affect the county’s nearly one million residents. KGET’s predecessor station— KLYD—was founded as an ABC affiliate by local businessman Ed Urner in 1959. The original studios were on Eye Street near the present-day San Joaquin Community Hospital. Call letters, network affiliations and corporate ownership changed several times over the years until 1984 when the station became KGET, led by Vice President and General Manager Ray Watson who coined it Kern Golden Empire Television. Since then the stations have been owned by the Ackerley Group (1984-2002), Clear Channel Communications (2002-2007), Newport Television, LLC (2008-2012) and the current owner, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (2013-current). Telemundo/Bakersfield went on the air in 2004 and expanded to Telemundo Valle Central in 2015. The CW station was added in 2006 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS Corporation.
KGET, TELEMUNDO AND THE CW BAKERSFIELD
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SMITH’S BAKERIES
Loyal customers have made Smith’s Bakeries a Bakersfield tradition since 1945. Customers rave about Smith’s baked goods, particularly its mouth-watering champagne birthday cake and the famous ‘smile face’ cookies. One customer said, “We have come to rely on the quality and consistency that Smith’s Bakery offers.” A happy newlywed wrote to say, “The wedding cake designed for our special day was a work of art. We loved it!” Smith’s Bakeries has been a well-known Bakersfield landmark since it was founded as a market/bakery at the corner of Third Street and Chester Avenue in October 1945 by Howard Smith and Roy Balmain. Their goal was to produce the best possible baked goods for the community. In 1985 the business was sold to Roy’s son, Jim, and his wife, Jacque, and they have continued to build on the bakeries reputation for unique products and exceptional quality. Jim has now worked for Smith’s more than fifty-eight years. Generations of Bakersfield families have grown up munching on Smith’s cookies, doughnuts, and cupcakes.
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The bakery is famous for its delicious and unusual wedding cakes, some of which have been at tall as ten feet. Smith’s also makes unique cakes to celebrate such special occasions as birthdays and anniversaries. The popularity of Smith’s baked goods is based on the tradition of making all its products by hand, the old-fashioned way. Jim and Jacque are committed to carrying on the high standards set by the company founders. Smith’s Bakeries still operates from its location at 2808 Union Avenue, founded in 1956. Satellite bakeries are located in Grand Island Village at 11400 Ming Avenue; Brookside Market at 4700 Coffee Road; Brookside at the Marketplace, 8803 Camino Media Boulevard; and White Oaks Plaza at 6401 White Lane. Currently, Smith’s Bakeries has forty-seven employees who serve a customer base that reflects all aspects of the Bakersfield community. The bakery is very active in supporting civic organizations and numerous charities. After more than seventy years in business, Smith’s Bakeries remains committed to producing the finest breads, pies, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, Danish, coffee cakes and its legendary wedding cakes. To learn more about Smith’s Bakeries, check their website at www.smithsbakeries.com.
In 1971, Greg Iger returned to Bakersfield from service in the U.S. Army, and a stint in Los Angeles as a news photographer for United Press International. Hollywood was home and his career took him to shooting movie set publicity, “red carpet” openings and models’ portfolios. His training was at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. He started “Photographic Art” on a shirt-tail budget, but soon became one of the best-known photographers in the area. He specialized in commercial photography and created a new look for portraiture in his outdoor studio. Some of his clients were large oil companies like Shell, Aera, Occidental,
Chevron, and Tenneco. Other large farming, land and produce corporations like Grimmway and Bolthouse Carrots, Tenneco West, Dole and Castle & Cooke were staples for the business, as well as many local entities. During his many years in Kern County, Iger spent a lot of time honing his landscape photography skills which spawned two books on Kern County, Buena Vista—a pictorial view of Kern County and Buena Vista II—Landscapes of Kern County. Iger Studio is now located at 211 H Street near downtown Bakersfield. Large photographic images for wall décor are now the mainstay of the studio, with clients at offices, hospitals and doctors’ lobbies, as well as peoples homes and art galleries. Iger Studio continues to be a popular favorite for business, personal and family portraits, as well as product, aerial, architectural, construction, oilfield and agricultural photography. Come in for a visit or call 661-327-2768. Iger Studio is also located on the Internet at www.igerstudio.com.
GREGORY IGER’S PHOTOGRAPHIC ART, INC. DBA IGER STUDIO
! Left: Greg Iger.
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Building a Greater Bakersfield Bakersfield’s real estate developers, construction companies, heavy industries, and manufacturers provide the economic foundation of the region Va r n e r B ro t h e r s , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 0 Va r n e r & S o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 1 M e t ro p o l i t a n R e c y c l i n g , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 2 Superior Sanitation.............................................................................................253 Price Disposal....................................................................................................254 H o w a rd ’s G a r b a g e S e r v i c e , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 5 Ray Scott ..........................................................................................................256 C a l i f o r n i a Wa t e r S e r v i c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 8 Chris Bertolucci Construction ...............................................................................262 T h e To w e r y C o m p a n i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 4 Hall Letter Shop, Inc. .........................................................................................266 Griffith Company ...............................................................................................268 Kern Asphalt Paving & Sealing Co., Inc. ................................................................270 Castle & Cooke California, Inc. ............................................................................272 KS Industries, LP ...............................................................................................274 Bowman Asphalt, Inc...........................................................................................276 M a z z e i I n j e c t o r C o m p a n y, L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 8 To w n s e n d D e s i g n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 0 M . D . A t k i n s o n C o m p a n y, I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 2 DB & Company ..................................................................................................283 Malouf Family ...................................................................................................284 L o y d ’s Av i a t i o n d b a B a k e r s f i e l d J e t C e n t e r & L o y d ’s A i rc r a f t M a i n t e n a n c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 5 All American Glass .............................................................................................286 M a r t h a J o h n s o n Te a m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 7 B a k e r s f i e l d A s s o c i a t i o n o f R e a l t o r s ® / G o l d e n E m p i re M u l t i p l e L i s t i n g S e r v i c e , I n c . / Bakersfield Association of Realtors® Charitable Foundation ..................................288 B&B Surplus, Inc................................................................................................289
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VARNER BROTHERS, INC.
The Varner Brothers, Inc., story began in 1939 when the eighth Varner child, Bill, bought a garbage truck after working for James Clyde “Pat” on his garbage route. The company was originally named “Independent Sanitation” and when Pearl Harbor was attacked, Bill enlisted in the Navy, along with brother John. Brother and world-class boxer, Claude was left to run the business, with the youngest brother E. L. “Skeet”, before Skeet also, went to war. After the Allied Victory, Bill and Skeet re-joined Claude in the operation, and soon they were all married and having children. John joined the operation in 1952. Garbage collection was tough business and the family could not survive on just that work. To make ends meet, the family hauled sulfur from mines, raised hogs, took odd-jobs, ran the L. A. Byproducts recycling facility and collected tin cans with self-built magnet cranes at the burn dumps. Skeet even had a muffler shop. In 1957, Kern County came to the decision that in the best interest of public health and safety, they would establish non-exclusive rubbish hauling franchises with expiring terms. In conjunction with this system and under the oversight of attorney and judge Roy Gargano, the brothers helped form the Kern County Rubbish Association, with Claude serving as the
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first president. Also, in 1957, the operation moved to its current site on the 1800 block of Roberts. Also around this time, VBI wrapped its contract with the City of Bakersfield on Pierce Road into the newly formed Kern Refuse Disposal partnership. In 1963, tragedy struck when Claude perished after his vehicle was hit by a train at Snow Road. In 1970, Varner Bros. was incorporated when brother Bob brought his own hauling operation into the group with Bill, John and Skeet. Bob retired in 1977, and Bill and John retired a few years after. Skeet’s responsibilities shifted in 1986 when Governor Deukmejian appointed him to the California Waste Board, where he was instrumental in helping craft AB 939 (Sher), California’s landmark fifty percent recycling bill. At the same time, Skeet’s sons Rick and Vernon and son-in-law Dan Panero, assumed management of VBI. With the dedication and hard work of the staff, the second generation has sustained VBI’s valued place in the community. In addition to helping spearhead many new programs in recycling, mechanical automation and drastic growth of Metro-Bakersfield, Dan and Vernon both were presidents of their respective Rotary Clubs and Dan was a two-time president of the state’s rubbish and recycling industry board, the California Refuse Recycling Council (CRRC). Now into the third generation of leadership, Dan’s son Jacob completed a term as the youngest CRRC President in the organization’s fifty plus year history and is president of his Rotary Club. The Varner Brothers Family is so thankful for all of the hard work and loyalty from our co-workers. And, we have been so blessed by the wonderful opportunities we have been allowed by the Bakersfield and Kern County communities. We take pride in being supporters of many wonderful civic, nonprofit, and faith-based causes that help promote and restore this terrific place. God Bless Kern County and God Bless America.
In 1932, during the Great Depression, Pat Varner rode a box car with two of his brothers from Texas to California. They ended up working in the produce fields north of Bakersfield and Pat became a professional boxer. His wife, Archilene Keown, was not fond of his boxing so he quit fighting and started a small garbage route using one old 1930s vintage truck. As the business evolved, Pat was instrumental in helping family and friends start businesses. Once Varner Brothers was established, Pat branched out with his son, Jack, and became Varner’s Garbage Service. In the 1970s,Varner’s
Garbage Service became Varner and Sons, Inc. and Pat retired. Jack continued to build the business, eventually acquiring Lamont Sanitation, Inc. before retiring in 1986. By then, the third generation—headed by Vint Varner—was handling the companies, and today the fourth generation— headed by Dane Varner—is involved in the companies.
VARNER & SON
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METROPOLITAN RECYCLING, LLC
Metropolitan Recycling, LLC was formed in 1999 by five privately owned Bakersfield area collection companies— Price Disposal, Varner and Son/Lamont Sanitation, Howard’s Garbage, Superior Sanitation, and Varner Brothers, Inc. This collaborative entity at the South Mount Vernon recycling complex is the companies’ response to the need of helping Bakersfield and Kern County stay ahead of the curve in sustainability and recycling in an ever-changing global marketplace. MRC is proud to have recently completed construction of a state-of-art, twenty tons-per-hour Single Stream Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Southeast Bakersfield. This MRF was developed in response to increasing state recycling mandates and visionary collection program collaboration with the City of Bakersfield and Kern County. The 50,000 square foot building is able to accept, house, process, bale and ship
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all of the residential and commercial Blue Cart material in the City of Bakersfield and much of unincorporated areas of Kern County for many years to come. The purpose-designed MRF is a fully adjustable and automated recycling system of 13 conveyers, 4 screens, a Dings magnate, 5 container bunkers, 2 live floors/in-feeds, and a high capacity IPS tworam baler. Keeping all these materials directed are 1 forklift, 2 Bobcats, a 950 Cat loader, a Tabarelli excavator, 5 equipment operators, and 22 quality control specialists. In addition to the Blue Cart MRF, MRC also has the only fully permitted Construction and Demolition (C&D) MRF in metro Bakersfield. This facility has accepted more than 45,000 tons per year of material and diverts over seventy percent of that material from local landfills. Continuing with the sustainable model, MRC invested and installed 580 solar panels for power generation on the roof of the MRF in 2016. This 162.4 KW DC system is designed with the capacity to power all of the sorting equipment throughout the majority of the year from the rays of the sun. Another successful long-term program is the Curbside Large Item Collection program. MRC collaborates with Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent DePaul to collect large household items at the curb. Then, the nonprofit partners rehab and sell what they can, recycle what they can, and efficiently dispose of the last of the materials residents no longer need. MRC would like to thank the City of Bakersfield, County of Kern, the local residents, their partners in business, their vendors and their loyal staff for the continued opportunity to serve this wonderful area. MRC is also happy to support many projects in the area that give back to the community, including Relay for Life, Keep Bakersfield Beautiful, Greater Bakersfield Green Expo, rotary, many local churches and Christian causes, local chambers of commerce, and numerous others.
In 1956, Elvis recorded the first of his 170 hit singles, Heartbreak Hotel; portable black and white televisions hit the market; and My Fair Lady debuted on Broadway. 1956 was also the year Jack and Mary Ann Keown opened a business called Superior Sanitation. Jack drove the original trash truck as he made his way through the neighborhoods selling his collection service door-to-door. Mary Ann handled the billing and books. In the early days, cost of collection was $1.50 per month for twice a week curbside collection. Residents paid an extra fifty cents if they wanted their trash picked up from the backyard. Curbside grass collection added a dollar to the bill. Sideboards were added to the old Ford trash truck so it could hold both refuse and grass. A hands-on owner, Jack packed and stomped the trash himself to ensure the greatest compaction rate. Although today’s trucks are much larger and automated, the concept of trash collection and compaction remains the same. Jack and Mary Ann made quite a team, working hard to build a business based on honesty, integrity, and superior customer service. The team added more homes and businesses to the original 100 collection stops and the business prospered. A founding member of Kern Refuse, the business remains a strong, viable company and has grown on the foundation of treating others as they would want to be treated. Although Jack and Mary Ann retired in 1993, the organization remains a family operation. Their son, Bruce, has taken over as vice president; and his sister, Nancy, works in the front office. Bruce’s son, Russell, and his nephew, Vincent Young are supervisors. Russell is also active in customer service. The family tradition of quality service is carried on. Superior’s fleet now includes twenty trash trucks collecting both residential and commercial refuse, as well
as roll-off trucks for special collections. The company has twenty-six employees. The company contracts with the City of Bakersfield and Kern County to provide refuse collection service for residents and commercial businesses within the franchise area. With 14,000 residential accounts and 700 commercial stops, Superior Sanitation runs trucks six days each week.
SUPERIOR SANITATION
Although the business of trash collection has changed greatly, Superior Sanitation’s commitment to quality and service still permeate the organization. Monthly safety meetings and daily vehicle safety inspections keep the fleet running smoothly. The company is heavily involved in the community, financially supporting the D.A.R.E Program, City and County Fire, Bakersfield Police, Kern County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Hospice. Superior Sanitation is a great example of a well-run small business with a big commitment to the customers it serves. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 253
PRICE DISPOSAL
! Above: Elmer and Virgina Price.
Right: The Price family.
Elmer, Sr., and Virginia started the Price family legacy of public service in 1947 with one man—Elmer, one truck—a 1929 Model A Ford, and one route—located in the southern portion of Bakersfield and Kern County. Elmer said he simply wanted to work hard and provide for his family. Elmer’s standards of integrity and customer service are at the core of how the Price family continues to operate today. Walter, Elmer, Jr., Wanda Price-England and now third-generation Jon Price continue to uphold Elmer, Sr.’s standards. Today, the one-truck, one-man, one-route business has grown into a fleet of sixty collection trucks servicing seven franchise areas with more than 36,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers. The service area covers more than 1,200 square miles, which includes Kern County, Bakersfield, City of Arvin, Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Being innovative is at the core of the Price business strategy. The Price family was the first local hauler to purchase a packer truck (1959), roll-off truck (1972), and fully-automated side loader truck (1992). In 2006 the ‘Classroom Recycling Container Program” began with the Arvin Union School District. This has resulted in 2010 and 2011 ‘Waste Minimization’ trophies from Keep California Beautiful. In 2009 the first Recycled Materials Arts Festival in California—the Arvin Green Arts Festival—was created. Companies like Nestles (Dreyers) have utilized Price’s specially fabricated equipment to help compost/recycle millions of pounds of material each month. The Price family’s community service has always been focused on the local youth. They feel that giving back to the youth will help the whole community benefit in the future. In 2008 the Price family started donating towards the AVID
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Scholarships for Arvin School District students. The AVID program helps finance, prepare and encourage students for their college experience. These ongoing community programs helped the Price family to be recognized as the 2013 Arvin Business of the Year.
The Price family, along with the local haulers of metro Bakersfield area and Keep Bakersfield Beautiful, has created the Greater Bakersfield Green Expo. The Expo is the only high school recycled materials arts competition in the state. The collaborative group also developed recycling events that benefit Bakersfield’s Ronald McDonald House Charities, Bakersfield Relay for Life, Campout Against Cancer, Make a Difference Day, and America Recycles Day for the City of Bakersfield and Kern County.
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HOWARD’S GARBAGE SERVICE, INC.
Below: Founders, Larry and Peggy Sewell.
Bottom: Current owners, Nancy and Steve Sewell.
Howard’s Garbage Service in East Bakersfield began in 1952 when Pat Varner, a close family friend of Larry Sewell, urged Larry to buy a truck and start his own refuse business. Larry and his wife, Peggy, decided to give it a try and started collecting and hauling residential and commercial waste. During the early days, both Larry and Peggy held down full-time jobs while operating and expanding the business. Before he was able to devote full time to the business, Larry had to jockey trucks back-and-forth until the late evening. Meanwhile, Peggy served as bookkeeper for the company, working from home while raising their family. Larry eventually bought a small, open-top truck route from the Howard Benge family. He consolidated the route into his existing routes and continued to run the new business without other drivers. The business expanded, slowly but surely, and during his ownership of the company, Larry added another truck and four drivers. Larry was forced to retire early because of health reasons, and the company was purchased in 1975 by Steve and
Nancy Sewell, who continue to operate the firm today. Steve added a commercial side to the business and recently added roll-off and recycling divisions. In the sixty-four years since it was founded, Howard’s Garbage Service has grown from a one truck, one-man manual operation—residential only—to a five completely automated truck operation with seven employees. Steve and Nancy continue to be involved in the business while relying on their great field and office staff to carry out the daily operations. They continue to be grateful that they were given the opportunity to buy the business from Larry and Peggy. Howard’s Garbage Service is a regular contributor to a number of public charities and service groups. In addition, the company participates in private ventures to help advance the standard of living for local families in need. Looking to the future, the company plans to continue working with community leaders to provide solutions for mandates affecting solid waste generation and disposal. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 255
R AY SCOTT
! Right: Bakersfield Centennial Gospel Night.
Below: Ray and Deann Scott, Veterans Day 2015.
“Because God Loved Me Through Bakersfield.” Bakersfield is a loving community that has a tradition of giving to those who are in need due to illness. It is hard to find a weekend in Bakersfield when there is not a charity event happening. From June 7, 1992, to November 16, 1994, the people of Bakersfield encouraged me from moment to moment, until I was at the right place and time for God to perform His miracle in my life, which had been critically impacted by stage four colon cancer. On October 31, 1994, I was told I had no chance of remission, no chance of recovery and we could only discuss what short time was left. Please visit www.extraordinarygod.com for the details. Whether it was family, church, Olive Garden and employees, Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, Alcoholic Anonymous, American Cancer Society or Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, they all contributed to why I am here today. So, when a dear friend asked me to help with the Bakersfield Centennial Celebration and the grand opening of the plaza and the Spiritual Heritage Foundation Committees, B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 256
I said “My pleasure.” This birthed the Centennial Bakersfield Gospel Night and the start of my position on the executive board for Bakersfield Christian High School unto 2004. In 2001, after fourteen years in the food industry, God placed me with the Price family, one of the local refuse and recycling haulers in the Metro-Bakersfield area. This is a local family business that believes in community service and was one of the founding sponsors of the Arvin Green Arts Festival in 2009. This transformed into the Greater Bakersfield Green Expo in 2010. The only high school Recycled Material Arts Competition in the State of California was immediately a success by collaborating with Bakersfield Great American Cleanup. In 2011, I was given the opportunity to serve on the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Board and Mayor Hall’s Great American Cleanup Committee, and additionally as chair of the recycling committee, which was supported by the fellow haulers recycling events such as McDonald’s E Waste, Relay for Life, Kern Green, Area Energy Employee Expo, Make a Difference Day and America Recycles Day.
! Left: Greater Bakersfield Green Expo tent, 2011.
Below: Relay for Life Kern County Fairgrounds.
In 2012, I was invited to serve on the Keep California Beautiful Board to represent the Haulers of Metro Kern County and worked on the statewide K-12 Recycling Challenge, which became the key program for Keep California Beautiful. In December 2013, I was asked to become board president of Keep California Beautiful. In November 2015, I received from President Obama a Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Volunteer Service. In all of this, I have been deeply blessed with the opportunity to help provide a greater platform to the gracious people of Bakersfield, Kern County and California on both the state and national levels. My focus was and is to honor God and bless His children. The scripture that is in the center of my desk at work is James 3:18 (Message Bible): ‘You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.’ “Because God Loved Me Through Bakersfield.” BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 257
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
! Above: Bakersfield District employees ready the company entry in the city’s 1930s Western Day Parade. Carl Stahlecker (foreground) served early in his career as president of the company’s Utility Workers Union Council.
Right: Christopher Chenery was the chief executive officer of the company until 1939. Chenery was also president of Federal Water Service Company, the parent company of California Water Service.
By living up to its promise of quality, service and value, California Water Service—known as Cal Water—has supplied water utility services for customers in its Bakersfield District for ninety years. Cal Water serves more than 278,500 people daily through 70,800 customer connections in its Bakersfield District, as well as 141,100 people through 50,700 connections under an operations and maintenance contract (O&M) with the City of Bakersfield. To deliver water to its thousands of customers, Cal Water collects water from its source, treats it to meet stringent federal and state water quality and environmental standards, tests it for safety, and stores it for delivery to customers 24/7. Cal Water’s vast network of pipelines, booster pumps and other infrastructure includes 960 miles of pipelines in Bakersfield, all underground. Christopher F. Chenery, along with Thomas H. Wiggin and George Lewis Ohrstrom, created California Water Service Company in the fall of 1926. Chenery, who studied Engineering at Washington & Lee University and became a major in the Army Corps of Engineers, met Lieutenant Wiggin when they served together at Camp Humphries, Virginia. Wiggin, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, later became a well-respected civil engineer and was a consultant to more than 100 water companies. Ohrstrom, an Army fighter pilot credited with shooting down the last German Aircraft in World War I, became a New York investment banker after graduating from the University of Michigan.
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In 1926, the three men combined their talents to organize the Federal Water Service and its subsidiary, California Water Service Company. Chenery and Wiggin supplied the technical expertise for the venture, while Ohrstrom’s experience in investment banking helped secure the capital needed for the new utility. The nation was enjoying the economic boom times of the ‘Roaring ’20s’ as Chenery began his efforts to build a water utility base in California. Fueling the era’s dynamic growth was the fast-moving pace of industrialization, technological advances and the billions of dollars being invested in a spiraling stock market that investors believed would keep rising forever. Amid this prosperity, entrepreneurs such as Chenery and his associates recognized the potential lay in offering the public an opportunity to invest in the booming utilities industry. The stock market provided the vehicle for capitalizing on the nation’s insatiable desire for potential gains through securities speculation. Chenery established a foothold on the West Coast in several California communities during the fall of 1926. Two of his acquisitions were the Bakersfield Water Works and the Electric Water Co. of Bakersfield in 1926. When the stock market collapsed in 1929 and the nation slowly slid into the economic depression of the 1930s, Cal Water was able to survive because of its solid financial base and strong leadership. In 1941, Cal Water’s Bakersfield District was the first to have a union contract, paving the way for workers in seven other districts to become union members by the end of 1942. Ralph Elsman, CEO at the time, encouraged his employees to never forget the importance of maintaining customer service, insisting that the paramount rule in the public utility business was that “dependable service to the customer always comes first.” This commitment to customer service became a core value of the company, and this
! Left: Employees of the Bakersfield District gather for an equipment training session, c. 1931.
Below: The Bakersfield District has fifty-one storage tanks that can hold up to 43 million gallons of water at any given time. The tanks ensure the district has enough water to meet peak demand times and that there is always an emergency supply on hand. The pictured tank can hold 5 million gallons of water and is known in the district as the “panorama station.”
long-standing emphasis on quality and service continues to guide Cal Water today. In May 1945, an initial public offering of all company-held stock was issued at thirty-nine dollars per share. The sale of stock brought wide distribution of ownership in thirty-eight states. In April 1994, Cal Water common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘CWT’. The company previously traded on the NASDAQ market. A major event in the company’s history occurred in 1961 when the State of California began construction of the $1.6 billion state water project, designed to capture and transport water from the state’s northern area to more arid regions of central and southern California. This project delivered a major supply of surface water to Cal Water districts in Los Altos, Livermore, Oroville, Bakersfield and the Los Angeles area. Cal Water engineers worked closely on this project and were able to work with local water agencies to negotiate contracts to meet the water needs of its customers.
Cal Water acquired the Crest Water Company of Bakersfield in 1965. This system added 1,650 customers, bringing the statewide total to 238,841. Garden Water System of Bakersfield was acquired in 1975, adding an additional 2,600 customers. In 1977, Cal Water first ventured into a management opportunity involving the operation of a city-owned water system. A contract was signed with the City of Bakersfield authorizing the company to assume management of the new city-owned water system serving 4,100 customers. (The city had purchased the water operations of Tenneco West, a major land developer in the Bakersfield area.) The company was forced to deal with the first major drought in its history during 1976-1977 when California experienced the lowest two-year rainfall recorded in modern times. To meet the state emergency, stringent water conservation rules were imposed on all customers. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 259
! Above: Cal Water holds a groundbreaking ceremony for the Northeast Treatment Plant on November 16, 2001.
Right: Cal Water processes water for Bakersfield customers through two treatment plants that utilize advanced microfiltration membranes. Together, the two plants can treat nearly thirty million gallons per day for local customers.
During the five-and-a-half-year drought that began in 1987, Cal Water was an active participant in the state’s call for a ‘memorandum of understanding’ among 123 water agencies throughout California. Water purveyors were asked to support ‘best management practices’ designed to promote efficient use of water. This memorandum was signed by all participating agencies in 1991. This enabled Cal Water to be well-prepared when the state experienced another historic drought that it is still enduring. To help cope with the current drought conditions in California, Cal Water’s Bakersfield system—and customers—reduced water use cumulatively by thirty-one percent from June 2015 through May 2016, compared to 2013. Through a combination of the company’s long-term water supply planning and robust conservation programs and efforts, the reduction surpassed the requirements set for the system by the State Water Resources Control Board.
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Going forward, Cal Water is asking its Bakersfield customers to reduce consumption by nine percent until the state establishes its framework for permanent conservation standards in early 2017. In 1996, Cal Water directors took a dramatic first step toward developing new growth opportunities for the company when they passed a resolution for the formation of a holding company, California Water Service Group. The group, established on December 21, 1997, was comprised of California Water Service (Cal Water), which handled regulated utility operations, and CWS Utility Services, which handled non-regulated services such as the City of Bakersfield O&M contract. In 1999, Cal Water was given governmental authority to build, own and operate a surface water treatment facility in a new and growing area of Bakersfield. The Northwest Water Supply Project would eventually serve 15,000 new customers with a surface water supply being allocated by the City of Bakersfield from the Kern River.
Also in 1999, the company purchased Bakersfield’s Olcese Water District, adding 176 customers. This deal also included a surface water treatment plant and approximately 42,000 acre feet of water deposited in the City of Bakersfield water bank. In 2003, Cal Water’s $49 million state-of-the-art water treatment plant opened in Northeast Bakersfield. This was the largest capital project in the company’s history and has become an integral part of the Bakersfield operations, meeting the quality and supply needs of 95,000 customers. The new plant allowed the City of Bakersfield to increase population in the city’s dynamic growth area to the Northeast. Even at one-third of its capacity, the new plant could provide a glass of water each day to every person in North America. Currently, Cal Water and the Tejon-Castac Water District are working together to improve water quality by adding another stage of filtration, which will reduce byproducts that form during disinfection. The company is also making pipeline modifications and operational changes, such as frequently refilling the storage tanks and flushing, to improve water quality. Cal Water, whose sister subsidiaries provide extensive wastewater utility services, also provides wastewater utility service to customers in the Tejon-Castac system. Cal Water now has about 480,300 customer connections statewide. The group has more than 509,000 customer connections total, with more than $400 million in annual revenue and more than $1.5 billion in gross utility plant assets. Across all subsidiaries, the group employs about 1,125 people, including 129 in Bakersfield. Corporate headquarters are located in San Jose and the local Cal Water office is at 3725 South H Street. The company operates twenty-eight Cal Water Customer and Operations Centers throughout the state. As part of its continuing effort to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves, Cal Water has numerous
community outreach and charitable giving programs that are funded by the company and not paid for by ratepayers. “It is important to us to be a good neighbor and support organizations that make our communities better places to live. This means investing in worthwhile organizations such as food banks, economic assistance organizations, and services for at-risk youth, among many others,” says Martin A. Kropelnicki, president and CEO of Cal Water. Cal Water has made contributions to the Elite ServiceDisabled Veteran-Owned Business Network, which seeks to assist service-disabled veterans by helping them successfully establish and grow their own businesses. The company has also made donations to more than a hundred local charities through Operation Gobble to help provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. Additionally, Cal Water supports the Bakersfield Police Activity League (PAL), Boys and Girls Clubs, City Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, BARC, and various local sponsorships such as little league baseball and soccer leagues. By utilizing its core values of integrity, service, value, health and safety, corporate citizenship, and respect and collaboration, Cal Water is able to provide affordable, high-quality water and wastewater services to its customers while enhancing stockholder value. For the future, California Water Service Group will continue exploring appropriate opportunities to expand its regulated and non-regulated water and wastewater activities in the western United States. These opportunities could include system acquisitions, lease arraignments, full-service system operation and maintenance agreements, meter reading, billing contracts, and other utility-related services. The company will remain true to its mission: “To be the leading provider of water and wastewater services. Our promise is quality, service, and value.”
! Above: A class of sixth-grade students at Downtown Elementary School was named the winners of Cal Water’s second annual H20 Challenge, a statewide water conservation competition. The students designed and conducted an experiment to test the impact of greywater on lawns versus freshwater.
Below: Bakersfield District employees provided a “green makeover” on the Bakersfield Police Activities League’s center for at-risk youth. The makeover included replacing low-efficiency devices, planting drought-tolerant landscaping, and cleaning up the site.
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CHRIS BERTOLUCCI CONSTRUCTION
! Above: Chris and Tonja Bertolucci, founders of the company.
Right: Kitchen remodel.
Construction has been a part of the Bertolucci family for more than sixty years. It all started with Andy Bertolucci, who taught the trade to his sons, Dan and Chris. Chris and Dan worked side-by-side in construction for twenty-three years before Dan moved to Oregon in 1993. Chris continued to operate the family business until deciding to open his own company in 2004, offering commercial and residential construction and remodeling, tenant improvements and design-build services. “In the early days, my wife, Tonja, and I put in countless hours of hard work and put off vacations to build the company”, Chris recalls. “We worked very hard to build a reputation for quality craftsmanship.
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“Shortly after we started our company we were approached by a client who wanted a complete home remodel. That project took on a life of its own and after about three years of construction work we transformed the home into a masterpiece. That project demonstrated our capabilities to Bakersfield residents and propelled us to where we are today. It was truly a feather in our cap.” Chris Bertolucci Construction quickly became known as a firm that goes over-and-beyond the ordinary. Chris explains on one of the company’s first large projects, a client wanted some large sliding French doors that would pocket into the wall when opened. “These doors were on each end of an indoor BBQ/bar room, which would allow guests to go from the backyard to the side yard where the pool was located,” Chris explains. “We found a company in Los Angeles that made exactly what we needed and the client wanted to visit the factory in Los Angeles. Two days later, we were on a private jet heading to Los Angeles. Our client ended up purchasing two units from the manufacturer.” New construction or remodeling is a significant investment of time and money and needs to be done right the first
time. After serving the greater Central Valley for more than thirty years, Chris Bertolucci Construction can handle everything from a simple shower replacement to a complete luxury renovation. The company provides all phases of new home and commercial building construction as well as interior construction, remodeling, kitchen, bath, flooring and HVAC, as well as exterior construction, remodeling, roofing, windows and siding. In-house labor allows Chris Bertolucci Construction to maintain strict quality control for all its work. The company utilizes a comprehensive design-build process where one entity performs both design and construction. In a ‘traditional’ contracting approach, a client seeks out an architect or engineer to prepare drawings and specifications and then selects a contractor through negotiation or competitive bidding. Chris Bertolucci Construction’s design/ build team works closely with each client to establish construction goals, priorities and budget, and then develops the specifications and plans to meet the client’s needs. This approach provides a single point of accountability, which eliminates many of the common problems, frustrations and delays associated with the ‘traditional’ approach. In 2010 the company added solar power installation to the list of services it provides. Chris partnered with Kenny
Salcido Electric, Inc., and started a fullservice solar company called All Seasons Solar, Inc. The solar company installs commercial, residential, industrial and agricultural projects of all sizes and complexities. All-Seasons Solar also provides installation of high efficiency lighting, energy efficient lighting, energy efficient windows, insulation, weather stripping and many other energy upgrades to lower power usage and reduce cost. Chris Bertolucci Construction is located at 9721 Rosedale Highway, which is the same location where Chris’ brother, Dan, operated until his move to Oregon. Continuing the family tradition, Chris’ son, Andrew, joined the company in 2013. “We are truly a family business,” says Chris. “We all were born and raised here and love the people.” The company employs ten people and its client base ranges from middle class to the very wealthy. Many clients are repeat customers and most new clients are referrals. The company and its employees are very involved in the community, sponsoring several Little League baseball and soccer teams. The Bertolucci family also support Four-H students, the Junior League of Bakersfield, and a number of outreach organizations through their church. “We are a small business and don’t want to grow beyond our ability to provide the workmanship our clients expect,” Chris says. “Our plan for the future is to continue the traditions of quality and craftsmanship our customers expect. We stay up with current trends and educate our employees so can always provide the very best products.” To visit Chris Bertolucci Construction’s showcase of finished projects or for more information about the company, check their website at www.bertolucci-construction.com.
! Left: Outdoor kitchen and sitting area.
Below: Family room ceiling and walls.
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THE TOWERY COMPANIES
In 1981, Matt Towery began designing, estimating, and overseeing projects for Towery Air Conditioning with his father, Jerry Towery, who owned the company. Matt’s dad’s influence on his son’s approach to business is clearly evident today. According to Matt, “You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in town who didn’t like and respect my dad. He treated everyone fairly. He worked hard and felt if someone had entrusted him with their business, he owed it to them to do the best job he could for them. I’ve never forgotten what made my dad successful.” In 2007, when Matt’s father passed away, Matt purchased Towery Air Conditioning. Matt recounts, “My dad’s reputation in this community motivated me to carry on his legacy, and I bought his company. My son, Dan, later joined me and is now Towery Air Conditioning’s general manager.” Today, Towery Air Conditioning serves clients in Northern California and Arizona as well as in Bakersfield and the Central Valley. “I’m happy that Dan is here to help B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 264
me carry on what my dad started,” says Matt. “I like that we’re three generations strong.” After several years working with his dad, Matt yearned to branch out, and focused on commercial construction as a project manager for Wallace and Smith Construction. In 1994, he broadened his scope again and joined Kyle Carter Homes as vice president. During Matt’s tenure, Kyle Carter Homes became the largest homebuilder in Bakersfield. In 1998, Matt was presented with the opportunity to start up Castle and Cooke’s homebuilding division. Four years later, with the loving support and encouragement from his wife Kassy, Matt started his own residential construction business. Matt recalls, “Bruce Freeman, Castle and Cooke’s president, gave me the opportunity to build on sixty-one lots. I started Towery Homes by drawing up five house plans.” Most of the subcontractors knew Matt from working with him while he was with the other companies. “I had very little money, a few hand drawn plans and big hopes that
I could make a go of my own company,” says Matt. “The subcontractors had a good laugh at my hand drawn plans, but knew me well enough to know that the plans would be accurate. A large part of my success has come because I’ve surrounded myself with many great people.” Mentors, colleagues—including architects, engineers, and subcontractors, friends and family—have all played vital roles in Matt’s success. “I was very fortunate to have key people in my life at the right time. Their support and help, along with my dad’s rule of life and way of doing business, have influenced my success, my work ethic, and my desire to contribute to the life of the city I love, in more ways than I could think of. I feel a gratitude that’s often hard to express,” says Matt. “Bart Wallace, Bud Wallace, Earl Smith, Kyle Carter, and Bruce Freeman—and so many more, taught me, mentored me, and befriended me. I’m a very lucky man.” Matt’s gratitude and commitment to offering something really valuable and beautiful to his customers is evident in the way he designs and builds homes. To Matt, a home is more than a house; it is where people raise their families. That is why he builds the kind of home for his customers the same way he would build for his own family. “A home is a place where people’s lives take shape,” says Matt. “I want to build them something beautiful and affordable and durable. I want them to live comfortably and safely. I think we all deserve that.” Towery Homes are affordably priced, and in premier locations. Impeccable construction, superior materials, fit and finish, and attention to every detail are the hallmark of Towery Homes. Matt’s agent, Lavaundia Clark, remarked that, “He will ask them over and over, ‘Is this right for you…do you need to change that…are you sure?’” It seems Matt is as particular as he is passionate. Several years ago—in the midst of the recession—a real estate broker shared an opportunity with Matt to purchase
ninety-five finished lots at an incredibly low price. Matt saw a chance to build at the lowest prices possible, and to be in a position of growth when the economy finally turned around. Matt found an investor who was looking for a good opportunity in Tim Lewy, a local oil company owner. Tim was impressed with Matt’s vision and strategy and came in as the investor for the project. “Tim and I continued to find and build in other subdivisions,” says Matt. “Our partnership has been a profitable investment for him, and a great opportunity for Towery Homes to expand.” Recently, Tim acquired the commercial property on California Avenue and Easton Drive, formerly the Three Way Chevrolet site, and offered Matt the opportunity to develop and build on the site. Currently, Towery Commercial is completing phase one of the threephase California Pavilion project. “California Pavilion’s instant success has provided Towery Commercial the impetus it needed for expansion,” says Matt. No doubt, the future is bright for the Towery Companies. A legacy of opportunity, exceptional service, and innovation ensure its success. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 265
HALL LETTER SHOP, INC.
! Above: Clockwise, starting from top left, Rita, Greg, Celine, Therese, Catherine and Don Dounies.
Top right: Current location of Hall Letter Shop, Inc., 5200 Rosedale Highway, Bakersfield, California, 661-327-3228.
For over fifty-three years, Hall Letter Shop has been serving businesses and organizations in Bakersfield and surrounding communities. What began as a small typing and mimeograph shop has grown to be one of the largest printing and mailing companies in Kern County. The owner of Hall Letter Shop, Catherine Dounies, began her long business career in 1940. Fresh out of Wasco High School, she landed a job as a bookkeeper at Hopper Machine Works, an oilfield hoist manufacturer. Hopper would soon become a defense contractor during World War II turning ship shafts for WWII troop transports. After the war, she went to work for KERO Radio in the Hotel El Tejon building as office manager for five years. For the next eight years, Catherine worked as an accountant for various CPA firms. These experiences gave her vital insights into the operation of large firms, the importance of advertising, accounting practices and public relations. In 1959, Catherine decided to strike out on her own in the business world. She bought some used typewriters and mimeograph equipment and started a small typing and printing service at home; serving grocery stores, local farmers, restaurants and anybody who needed quick inexpensive flyers and printing. She recalls that each flyer had to be hand-drawn or typed on a stencil then placed on the mimeograph machine for duplication. In 1963, Catherine purchased Hall Letter Shop, a small printing and mailing office on the second floor of the Haberfelde Building. She combined her mimeograph business with offset printing and added a part-time employee. She could now print a wider array of materials and with the addressograph machine, she could mail out flyers and newsletters for local organizations. The firm soon outgrew its 400 square foot location and moved to a 1,000 square foot office in the Hotel El Tejon (the current site of the Bank of America building) in 1965
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and added three employees. When the Hotel El Tejon was scheduled for demolition in 1969, the business moved to a larger facility at 1221 Eighteenth Street, doubling the working space. For the next twenty-four years, Hall Letter Shop kept growing and introducing new technology in the printing and mailing business, such as cold composition typesetting, direct to plate imaging, web offset printing, computerized mail list services, inserting and address labeling capabilities. Catherine’s husband, Don Dounies, was instrumental in helping the business succeed during its first thirty years. A cabinet maker by trade, Don built the counters and offices during those early years and later joined the company full time to manage the printing/mailing departments. Don passed away May 21, 1993. Her son, Greg, and daughters, Celine, Rita and Therese worked part-time throughout their educational years at Garces Memorial High School. Greg went on to earn a Graphic Arts degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and after graduation returned to Hall Letter Shop full time in 1976. “Being a family business is what made this endeavor possible,” Catherine explains. “No person is an island. In whatever you do, you need help and my family brought that help to me when the business needed it.” By 1980 the business had grown to occupy the entire 8,250 square foot building on Eighteenth Street and employed twelve people. By 1990, more space was needed for the printing department and another building was leased at 1300 South Street to accommodate the expansion.
The final move came in 1994 when Hall Letter Shop constructed its own 18,000 square foot building on a 1.75-acre lot at the corner of Rosedale Highway and Landco Drive. The new building would now accommodate the entire design, print and mailing operations of the company in one location. In the course of one week, nearly 100 tons of machinery, office furniture, files and paper were moved and production was resumed. Hall Letter Shop’s capabilities have changed dramatically since the days of a stencil and mimeograph machines. Using advanced software, high-tech equipment and dedicated, highly trained employees, the company has continually met the needs of local business with specialized services such as variable data printing, direct mail marketing and a constantly evolving mix of printed products. Hall Letter Shop, Inc., now employs sixteen people. In 2008, HallPrintMail.com was launched and is primarily used for transacting commercial printing business and receiving customer files and artwork for printing and mailing. In January 2016, a brand new site, BestTicketPrinting.com, was launched after three years of design. It offers complete online design and purchase of event related printing such as tickets, posters, banners and flyers. Utilizing hundreds of professionally designed templates, customers may select a design, customize it to their needs or simply upload their completed art and place the order online without leaving their home or office. Through six decades of faith, determination and hard work, Catherine, together with her son, Greg have grown the business from a one-woman typing and mimeograph shop into a large successful full-color printing business. Catherine holds the honor of being the only woman on the west coast to own and operate a printing and mailing business continuously for more than fifty-three years.
Over the years, she was active in or contributed her time to many business organizations including the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, the North of the River Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Business Association. In 2004, Catherine received the Governor’s Older Worker and Exemplary Employer Awards from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Catherine was married to Don for forty-eight years and raised a family of four children while running a business. She has been a devout member of St. Francis Catholic Church for seventy-six years and has been part of many church and charitable organizations. Her commitment and service to the Catholic church was recognized with “The Benemerenti Medal” bestowed on her by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2002. At ninety-five years of age, Catherine continues to watch over the business. To learn more about Hall Letter Shop, visit their websites at www.hallprintmail.com and www.bestticketprinting.com.
! Above: Catherine and Greg Dounies.
Below: Aerial view of Hall Letter Shop, Inc.
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GRIFFITH COMPANY
! Right: Highway 166, near Interstate 5.
Below: Road construction in Bakersfield, 1939.
For more than a hundred years, the Griffith Company has developed a solid reputation for delivering challenging projects on time and on budget. From the Central Valley to the Los Angeles Basin to Orange County and San Diego, Griffith Company has left a lasting mark on Southern California. The firm’s work includes highways and bridges, airports, drainage structures, parks, ports, street rehabilitations and major dams. When the first city streets were graded, when the mighty Colorado River was tapped, when the first paved runways beckoned commercial jets— Griffith Company was there. The company began in 1902 when J. A. Fairfield, E. W. Gilmore and George Wilton incorporated as FairchildGilmore-Wilton Company, a general contracting firm. Fairchild was president, Wilton was vice president. George P. Griffith joined the firm in 1906, followed quickly by his cousin, Stephen, in 1908. When Fairchild retired in 1911, Wilton became the president and George Griffith was named vice president. By 1920 the Griffith family had purchased all the company stock and, in 1920, George was elected president. In December 1922 the company was reorganized and renamed Griffith Company.
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The automobile was beginning to transform the nation during that era, and the company’s early years were spent converting gravel roads to all-season paved roads in and around Los Angeles County. The job of widening, grading and paving roads was extremely strenuous, labor-intensive work, using not much more than shovels, wheelbarrows and a team of mules. At one time, the company had more than 200 mules working on various projects. Stephen served as company president from 1928 to 1956, a period that saw amazing growth in revenues as well as capabilities. Under his leadership, the company was involved in a diverse list of large projects such as Shasta and Friant Dams, the Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, Highway 99 through the Central Valley and over the Grapevine to the Colorado River Aqueduct, Lemoore Naval Air Base and Point Mugu Naval Air Base. In 1929, Griffith Company built Lido Isle Improvements, a project that included sea walls, the bridge from the peninsula, underground utilities and the road around the island. When the economy collapsed at the beginning of the Great Depression, the city could not pay back the bond, so ownership of the land reverted to Griffith Company. It took more than thirty years to develop and sell all the properties.
Griffith has been in Bakersfield since the early 1930s and company crews have helped improve streets and highways for the City, Kern County and the State of California. Every major thoroughfare, SR-99, SR-58, SR-166, SR-46 and I-5, to name but a few, have the Griffith stamp on them. In addition, Griffith has graded, paved or resurfaced airfields across the San Joaquin Valley. The long list includes Wasco Airport, Meadows Field, Minter Field, Techachapi Airport, Delano Airport, Bakersfield Municipal Airport, California City Airport, Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave Airport, Inyokern Airport and China Lake Naval Weapons Center. For many decades, Griffith Company was one of the largest contractors in the west, but in the 1970s the family began to sell off assets and shrink the company. In 1983, George Griffith, grandson of the founder, began the process of turning the company into an ESOP—Employee Stock Ownership Plan. During the company’s centennial celebration in 2002, Griffith employees purchased the last family stock. Since then, stock value and annual revenues have more than tripled. Griffith Company currently has 125 management employees and more than 500 trade workers who generate
around $300 million in revenue annually. In Bakersfield, fifteen management employees and over eighty trade workers put an average of $55 million of infrastructure improvements into service each year. While Griffith Company completes a staggering list of capital improvement projects annually—one of the very best things you can build at Griffith Company is an amazingly rewarding career. A remarkable number of Griffith employees join the team as young interns or apprentices and choose to remain engaged in the industry and with the company for their entire career. Griffith Company is actively engaged in supporting the local community. From sponsoring local youth sports teams, to adopting families needing assistance during the holidays to supporting and participating in events such as the Volkslaugh, Griffith employees enjoy taking an active role in serving their local community. At Griffith Company, we take pride in working hard, playing hard, honoring our fellow employees and respecting our families. Griffith Company plans to continue operations throughout California, building our infrastructure and bettering local communities by improving trade efficiencies, shortening commutes, and providing recreational opportunities for millions of people for many centuries to come.
! Above: Two views of grading and paving on Mohawk Street, a City of Bakersfield Project.
Below: The future generation of Griffith Company, Zachary Weishaar at six days old, beginning his training and orientation.
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KERN ASPHALT PAVING & SEALING CO., INC.
! Top, left: Left to right, Deedra, Tatum, Bryan, Wendy, Blake, Breana and C. Jay Watson.
Top, right: Established in 1985.
C. Jay Watson, president and founder of Kern Asphalt Paving & Sealing Co., Inc., was born and raised in Oildale, California; he grew up on Willow Drive, next to the Kern River. When C. Jay was ten years old, his father passed away, leaving his mother to work two jobs to support their family. Living a very poor life with his two sisters and brother, C. Jay learned a great work ethic and a love for animals from his grandparents. They had a small farm with plenty of animals: horses, cows, and chickens.
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As a teen, C. Jay attended North High School. He married at young age and had a son, Jayson. In order to provide for his family and ensure they were never without, he always worked two jobs. First, he worked in the oilfields until the boom ceased. C. Jay soon was employed at an asphalt company, which he later purchased with a partner. In 1984, C. Jay began his life as an independent entrepreneur, starting his own company, Kern Asphalt Paving & Sealing Co., Inc. Kern Asphalt Paving began with a crew of four: C. Jay, his brother, Jimmy Tatman, and best friends, Larry Stevens and Dale Huddleston. For years, the four of them worked side-by-side, twelve to fifteen-hour work days to ensure quality work and happy customers. Not having the modern and convenient tools of today, they worked long, arduous days but never complained, just kept on working to complete their jobs. In the early nineties, Kern Asphalt continued to grow and service Kern County. During this time, C. Jay met Wendy and her young son, Bryan. Wendy and C. Jay were married in 1994. In 1997, they welcomed their daughter Breana. As their family continued to grow, so did their company.
Venturing into other aspects of the industry, C. Jay and Wendy purchased a new Recycling/Crushing Plant in 1999. This was the first plant of its kind to enter Kern County. Currently, the company runs three portable plants in and around the county. In 2003, Kern Asphalt purchased their permanent yard located at 2000 Norris Road in Bakersfield. Over the years, Bryan worked, watched and learned alongside his parents and gained years of first-hand experience. He continued his education from a different perspective, graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a master’s degree in economics. He joined the company permanently in 2008 as the vice president. Kern Asphalt has continued to expand and grow under Bryan’s leadership. Although Bryan is now running Kern Asphalt, C. Jay and Wendy are still involved in the company’s daily operations. They attribute the success of the company to hard work, determination, employee dedication, and customer loyalty. Kern Asphalt has become the ‘one call solution’ for all asphalt and concrete projects. Their fleet includes three portable crushing plants, multiple paving machines, oil distributing trucks, semi-trucks, belly dumps, and low beds to haul all equipment. The company has a variety of faithful customers up and down the San Joaquin Valley, Palm Springs, Santa Clarita and the Central Coast. From potholes and crack filling, to complete parking lot construction, Kern Asphalt provides new construction, restoration, paving, patching, seal coating, slurry seal surfacing and striping. The company’s goal is to deliver quality workmanship—on schedule—with fair and competitive pricing. Kern Asphalt is very involved in the community and contributes to a number of programs, especially those that benefit children and agriculture scholarships. These include: Small Miracles Foundation, a Children’s medical
research, Kern County Fair, 4-H and FFA Agriculture projects, Thomas Midnight Ranch Rodeo and the Kern County Cattlewomen. Kern Asphalt doesn’t necessarily strive to be the biggest, just the best!
! Above: Parking lot restoration to include patching, sealing and striping.
Below: Kern Asphalt’s mobile concrete and asphalt recycling/ crushing plant.
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CASTLE & COOKE CALIFORNIA, INC.
For more than 165 years, Castle & Cooke California, Inc., has been deeply involved in the development and growth of Bakersfield and Kern County. The company’s singular goal has been to make Bakersfield one of the states’ most desirable places to live. Castle & Cooke was founded in 1851 through a business relationship between Samuel Northrup Castle and Amos Starr Cooke, who first met as missionaries on the island of Oahu. A partnership between the two men grew from a general store and expanded to include sugar, pineapples, and shipping, making the firm a worldwide leader in the food industry. The roots of Castle & Cooke in Kern County began with the gold fever of the late 1800s that lured Kentucky attorneys James Haggin and Lloyd Tevis out west. Their partnership yielded enormous wealth, which they converted in vast land holdings of nearly half-a-million acres north
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of the Kern River. Seeing the potential in providing homes for the area’s growing population, the enterprising duo incorporated their land holdings into the Kern County Land Company and shifted their focus from agriculture to real estate. The partnership prospered as Bakersfield and Kern County grew in population and influence. The company was acquired by Tenneco West in 1968 and the emphasis turned to residential development. Communities such as Stockdale Estates, Amberton, Haggin Oaks, The Oaks, Campus Park and the commercial buildings north of Stockdale Highway were all developed by Tenneco West. Two decades later, Tenneco West was acquired by Castle & Cooke, an entrepreneurial company headed by David Murdock. Castle & Cooke brought a passion for keeping alive the dream of Haggin and Tevis to create something special in California’s Great Valley. Bakersfield has been home for Castle & Cooke for nearly thirty years and during that time the company has sold approximately 11,000 lots and homes in Southwest Bakersfield. Add that to the thousands of lots and homes sold over two decades by Tenneco and it is easy to see how much the landscape of Southwest Bakersfield has been changed by Tenneco and Castle & Cooke. Today, Castle & Cooke is well known for its masterplanned residential empire known as Seven Oaks, a collection of residential communities that includes Seven Oaks, Grand Island at Seven Oaks, and the Villas at Seven Oaks. Castle & Cooke is also responsible for some of the most prestigious private gated communities in Westside, including the Brighton master-planned community, along with Village Green and University Park. Not surprisingly, Westside’s most popular retail destinations also bear the Castle & Cooke touch. The developer is the visionary behind The Shops at River Walk, The
Marketplace Shopping Center and Gosford Village. Each is a beautifully designed mixed-use venue offering shopping, dining and an engaging dayto-night atmosphere. Castle & Cooke also developed many office complexes including the River Walk area. Castle & Cooke is the only master-plan developer with a portfolio that includes developing the prestigious Seven Oaks Country Club, office complexes and commercial retail centers, along with residential development with an active homebuilding department that includes some of Bakersfield’s most acclaimed custom builders as premiere partners. With an eye to the future, Tenneco West donated 370 acres for construction of California State University, Bakersfield. This marked the start of what is now commonly known as the new Westside of Bakersfield. Castle & Cooke has focused its efforts on elevating the image of Bakersfield by building neighborhoods with the guiding principles of friendly neighborhood design, such as narrower streets to calm traffic, privacy gates, tree-line streets and gathering places such as community parks, greenbelts, and resort amenities, which include pools, spas, and children’s water spray parks. While developing shopping centers in the neighborhood, Castle & Cooke has focused on attracting new name-brand retailers who understand the community. These new centers include the first Edward’s Theater, Nordstrom Rack, national chain restaurants and many unique homegrown establishments. Castle & Cooke has partnered with hundreds of charitable organizations, with a focus on health and human services, arts and culture, and youth and education. The firm partners with its employees to ensure contributions are going to organizations that are near and dear to their
hearts. Over the past several years, Castle & Cooke has been active with the Bakersfield Homeless Center, Honor Flight Kern County, Links for Life, the Alliance Against Family Violence, and the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce. Over the next decade, Castle & Cooke will focus its efforts on finishing Shops at River Walk and Gosford Village Shopping Centers. The firm will also focus on the Seven Oaks empire with a new edition of Highgate at Seven Oaks. This 443-acre community will be a West Bakersfield original—an inviting new home community that presents a welcome and private gated community built upon the concept of Friendly Neighborhood Design®. All homes will be built with Castle & Cooke’s focus on sustainability, diverse architecture, and a deep reverence for the natural environment. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 273
KS INDUSTRIES, LP
KS Industries, LP of Bakersfield is a leading integrated service company, providing engineering, fabrication, construction, maintenance, and electrical services to many industries, ranging from oil and gas providers to heavy industrial and civil projects. The company was founded in 1981 by Ken Small and his wife, Susie. Ken had started his career at the age of nineteen, welding for a large industrial fabrication company. Within seven years, Ken had enough experience to venture off on his own. He purchased a welding truck and became a subcontracted rig welder in Getty Oil’s Kern River Field. It was not long before customers noticed Ken’s attention to detail and the quality of his work and he began fabricating pipe spools in his garage after work. The pipe spools were later installed by oil company construction crews. Ken’s production soon outpaced the resources of the construction crews and he was asked to hire a couple of employees to assist in installation of the prefabricated spools. This request moved Ken from a self-employed contractor to an employer and led to formation of Ken Small Construction, Inc. Ken Small Construction, Inc., provided maintenance and construction services to the upstream oil and gas industry throughout the 1980s. As the oil companies moved away from company-provided construction and maintenance crews to subcontracted crews, Ken was well positioned to fill this need. The company had earned a reputation for providing safe, quality services for a fair price, and as the oilfields moved towards creating a safer working environment, Ken Small Construction embraced the change. Having all employees return home safely each day is the company’s expectation and working safe is a condition for employment at the company. While many other service providers’ considered safety an added cost, Ken saw it as an added advantage.
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In 1995 the company acquired a local machine company adding custom machining and repair of wellhead components to the company’s portfolio. As demand for these services grew, the need for a larger facility became obvious. The company purchased a large fabrication facility at its current location on District Boulevard in 1996. All fabrication and machining processes were moved to the new facility and KS Fabrication and Machine (KSFM) was formed and incorporated in 1999. After several other expansions, KSFM has grown to become one of the largest fabrication and machine facilities on the West Coast. Services include structural steel fabrication, pipe spooling, process equipment fabrication, pressure vessel fabrication and repair, sand blasting and industrial coating, UL approved panel fabrication and a machine shop. The expansion of Ken Small Construction led to the need for more leadership support and Ken’s son, Kevin, was the most logical choice to fill the need. Kevin grew up in the company and followed closely in Ken’s footsteps as a rig welder, learning the trade was the catalyst for the formation of the company. Kevin quickly progressed from welder to project manager and his tenure in the field proved
invaluable to his overall leadership development. He truly has ‘been there, done that’ just like his father. In 2001, under Kevin’s leadership, Ken Small Construction, Inc., acquired a local engineering firm that specialized in upstream oil and gas engineering and design. The acquisition provided the services needed to be a ‘One-Stop Shop’ for the upstream oil and gas industry. Ken Small Construction was developing into an industry leading service provider, growing from a single welding truck to the large, multifaceted corporation it is today. Ken Small Construction, Inc., rebranded itself as KS Industries, LP (KSI) in 2002. The company is now much more than a construction company. With offices in California, Colorado, North Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, KS Industries is a fully integrated company that can engineer, procure, fabricate, construct, maintain, and reclaim projects throughout the United States.
KSI is one of the largest private employers in Kern County, with more than 2,400 employees locally and a total of 3,000 employees across the nation at peak. KSI embraces its responsibility to achieve ‘World Class Operations Excellence’ and delivers only the highest value, quality services to its customers, and to reach out to its vision to be the best relationship-based, single-source service provider in the energy sector. From the owners to each employee, KSI is responsible and accountable for each other’s safety as productivity, quality, efficiency, reliability and delivery. Company owners and employees believe that creating an atmosphere—or way of working—within the company is what influences safe behavior. KSI’s corporate culture consists of shared beliefs, practices, and attitudes. This culture is a powerful invisible force that shapes the employees’ behavior and shared sense of responsibility. The culture of KSI starts with a belief by owners, leaders and managers that employees well-being and safety is the ultimate achievement. Leading by example is the only acceptable behavior for its leaders. KSI considers it a corporate responsibility to make a positive impact in the community and this involvement keeps the company connected with its employees, customers, and the needs of the communities it serves. Ken, Susie, Kevin, and Tuesdy Small continually invest in the Bakersfield community. Susie serves on the Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and Kevin and Tuesdy founded the Lauren Small Children’s Hospital, built in 2012 to serve the needs of local children suffering from illness. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 275
BOWMAN ASPHALT, INC.
Gary Bowman was working for Toste Paving in the late 1980s when his employer encouraged him to branch out and start his own company. Gary founded Bowman Asphalt, Inc., in 1990 with little more than a pickup truck and a taste for hard work. His early jobs involved stripping and filling potholes, but he soon branched out to paving parking lots, city streets, and federal highways. Meeting the customer’s expectations allowed Bowman Asphalt to construct its first large private development and its first public works project. As the company grew, it added its own asphalt plant, then a second. Gary’s visions of where he wanted to take Bowman Asphalt and the hard work to reach his goals have been the framework for the company’s success. Providing quality products and service that consistently meets the customer’s expectations and being a responsible steward with respect to safety and the environmental impact of its operations have always guided the company. Bowman’s commitment to deliver on its promises is what drives the company today. A major breakthrough for the company came in 2004 when Gary attended Con Expo and met with representatives from A1Mix. This led to the company purchasing its first asphalt plant, which allowed Bowman to expand its core business. Bowman now produces
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anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 tons of asphalt annually both for its internal business and for retail customers. Today, Bowman Asphalt is involved in construction, asphalt and material sales and concrete recycling. As a full service construction company and materials producer, Bowman services include site development, private and commercial developments, public works projects, concrete, paving, grading, seal coating, oil spreader truck, production of asphalt and aggregates, and portable crushing and recycling. Bowman is a full service construction company and materials producer. The company produces asphalt material for its own paving operations, as well as for other contractors who build state, county, and city public works projects. Gary points out that finding a dependable contractor to take care of your project needs these days can be difficult. Many fly-by-night contractors prove to be downright unreliable. Meanwhile, Bowman Asphalt has proven its integrity and leadership in the paving industry for more than a quarter century. When Bowman takes on a project, the customer’s satisfaction becomes the absolute priority. No matter the size of the endeavor, Bowman will handle it with professionalism, accountability and a commitment to excellence. The company
is committed to providing its customers with quality products and services that consistently meet the customer’s needs. Bowman is also involved in concrete demolition and recycling. The company accepts clean concrete and clean asphalt and 100 percent of the concrete and asphalt is recycled into aggregates. The recycling of concrete has grown dramatically throughout the country because it protects natural resources and eliminates the unnecessary depletion of important landfill space. Bowman employs 100 craft/salary employees and takes pride in taking care of its employees. Several of the original employees who started with the firm in the early 1990s are still with the company. The experience of its employees is what distinguishes Bowman and allows it to fulfill its customer’s needs.
Bowman Asphalt is an active member of the community and participates in various charitable activities throughout the year. The company is also active in the California Asphalt Pavement Association. Bowman Asphalt’s plans for the future include the expansion of its core business in the San Joaquin Valley, retaining and attracting quality employees to the company, and continuing to bring value to all its customers. Quality sustainable growth is the company’s goal. For more information about Bowman Asphalt, please check the website at www.bowmanasphalt.com. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 277
MAZZEI INJECTOR COMPANY, LLC
! Above: Mazzei Injector Company, LLC Board of Directors: Mary Mazzei, Celia Mazzei Cobar and Angelo Mazzei.
Right: Mazzei produces high-efficiency Venturi Injectors in various sizes and materials of construction to meet the needs for each customer’s specific project.
When you really believe in something, you go for it! In 1978, Angelo Mazzei and his wife, Mary, put their life savings into Angelo’s ingenious invention to help farmers add liquid fertilizer to their irrigation water. Angelo saw the need after moving to Arvin to manage the equipment on his uncle’s 10,000-acre farm (Mazzie Farms). Working out of his garage, Angelo developed his first prototype of a Mazzei® Injector. His inspiration came from a class he had taken while getting his BS Degree in Industrial Technology at Fresno State College. There he learned about the Venturi effect—a 200year-old principle, which utilizes the increase in velocity of a fluid through a constricted section of pipe to lower the pressure to a vacuum. By changing the internal configuration of the Venturi, Angelo made a highly efficient Venturi and thus the first Mazzei Injector was born. After his Uncle Bill Mazzie’s death in 1972, Angelo had a short stint at Tejon Ag Partners and then moved to selling John Deere tractors for South Kern Machinery. “I met many farmers which had the same need: a better way to add liquid fertilizer during irrigation,” Angelo says. “Back then, they were using the suction side of a booster pump or pressurized pumps, both of which were dangerous as well as unreliable. The problem became more acute when the California Aqueduct was built because the water was now being delivered with pressure. The old system of getting water and fertilizer to the crops simply wouldn’t work anymore. They needed a solution.” Going back to his garage, Angelo started perfecting his injector to solve the farmers’ problem. Angelo experimented with a number of versions, turning them on his own garage lathe, and in 1978 the now famous Mazzei Injector was patented. Because of both Angelo and Mary’s passion and belief in this product, when the patent came through they formed their own company to make and sell the injector instead of selling the patent to another business. “We went for
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broke with a passion and a belief,” Angelo says. “Once the farmers accepted this technology—the business took off.” Although the business continued to grow as farmers learned of the injector, Angelo realized he needed to appeal to a wider market. “Our customers were 100 percent agricultural, and that market was cyclical. We needed to find new markets for our technology.” The Mazzei Injector was modified and new models were introduced in 1983 for injecting ozone into spas just at the time ozone was being introduced for disinfection.
“We literally took over this market, and it helped level out the ups-and-downs of the agriculture market.” By 1994, Mazzei Injector outgrew the family office/ warehouse at the twenty-acre family homestead, and the operation was moved to its current location, an industrial park off of Highway 58 in Bakersfield. Mazzei then branched out to water and wastewater treatment. Today Mazzei offers a broad line of high-efficiency injectors, specialized nozzles, degassing separators, flash mixers and water and wastewater systems for industrial and municipal customers. Angelo holds seventeen U.S. patents and numerous international patents. The company continues to focus on innovation and research and development to solve the needs of customers around the world. Today about twenty-five percent of Mazzei’s business is in the agricultural market, including the wine industry and food processing—the bulk of the business is in the municipal and industrial water and wastewater markets. Mazzei Injectors can handle a lot of downstream pressure, and by putting gas under pressure, it makes it more soluble. The core of the business relies on the knowledge of math, chemistry and physics. Mazzei works closely with Fresno State and their International Center for Water Technology, in addition to the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, on Mazzei research. Mazzei also uses multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to help design and optimize their systems and products. Mazzei’s quest is to preserve our precious resources— water, energy and soil. Once again new injectors have been developed—this time to inject air into the root zones of crops to increase yield and improve soil health all while conserving water—AirJection®. Tru-Blend™, a proportional fertigation system, is currently patent pending and being field tested. Tru-Blend allows an irrigation system to incorporate the precise balance of nutrients during all stages of the plant growth cycle accurately, reliably and simply.
Over-fertilization will be reduced, preventing chemicals from seeping into tomorrow’s water supply. “It’s the people who make our business, that’s really the key,” Angelo believes. Today many of the employees at Mazzei have been with the company for an extended period of time—one for over 30 years. “In addition, we are constantly improving our products and systems and providing customers with excellent service and advice. The vendors that we use have to meet the same high standards that people have come to expect from Mazzei.” Angelo and Mary’s daughter, Celia (Cece) Mazzei Cobar, joined the company in 2005, making Mazzei a second-generation family company. Cece received a degree in mathematics from Pepperdine University and taught high school math before joining the family business. “She has been instrumental in steering the business into using new technologies, including CFD,” Angelo notes. In 2013, Cece’s husband, Ken Cobar, a mechanical engineer, also joined the business. “Our Mission Statement and Core Values exemplify who we are—they are not just words,” says Angelo. “The Mazzei family name is on our products, and customers can count on our honesty, integrity, dependability, and responsiveness.”
! Angelo Mazzei in front of a large Mazzei Pipeline Flash Reactor™ (PFR) installed as part of an expansion project at Castaic Lake (California) Water Agency. The PFR uses high-velocity nozzles that ensure optimum gas mixing under all plant flow conditions. PFRs can be sized down for more modest projects.
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TOWNSEND DESIGN
Since 1984, the employees of Townsend Design have helped optimize quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people who experience mobility and functional challenges. One of Bakersfield’s hidden gems, Townsend manufactures orthopedic braces for injured athletes, older adults who have muscle and joint degeneration, and patients who have congenital defects or anatomical abnormalities. Townsend’s innovative technology is respected by medical professionals around the world—yet the company is not as widely recognized by local residents as other iconic Bakersfield brands. The elaborate fabrication processes are a blend of art and science, producing handcrafted custom and standard size braces for patients of all ages and sizes. Townsend operates nearly twenty-four hours a day, employing engineers, machinists, fabrication technicians, customer service representatives, logistics experts and business professionals. Among the 150 local employees, nearly fifty percent have worked at the company for over a decade. The longevity and legacy knowledge of its workforce is a significant advantage for Townsend in terms of the consistency and quality of its braces and mobility-enhancing devices. While virtually all of Townsend’s primary competitors have relocated their manufacturing to Mexico, the company’s management team is committed to making Townsend’s signature products in the USA. Right here in Bakersfield.
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Townsend was owned by a local family until 2011, when one of Europe’s oldest and most respected medical textile companies acquired the company to establish a base of operations in the United States. Townsend’s parent company, Thuasne (pronounced Two Ann), was founded in 1847 and has been continuously owned and operated
by the same family for six generations. Thuasne has made substantial investments in Townsend’s operations, product development and sales organization. The company doubled the size of its manufacturing and warehousing facilities in 2015, and now occupies two large facilities in Southwest Bakersfield encompassing nearly 90,000 square feet. Townsend has a national salesforce that promotes the company’s products to orthopedic surgeons, pain management specialists, podiatrists, certified orthotists, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other medical professionals. Townsend products are also sold by Thuasne’s subsidiary companies throughout Europe, and by medical distribution companies in other international countries. Many famous United States athletes have worn a Townsend knee brace, including NFL, NHL and NBA professionals, as well as Olympians and collegiate players. As a result, employees at Townsend have contributed to the success of Super Bowl champions, Stanley Cup winners, and Olympic medalists. But it is the satisfaction that comes from helping people be able to work, enjoy their family, participate in recreational activities and live a normal or nearnormal life that motivates Townsend’s employees. While Townsend does not treat patients or sell directly to consumers, the medical professionals who purchase braces often share success stories about how a Townsend product positively impacted a patient’s health and lifestyle. Helping people around the United States, or around the world, is a great feeling. It is equally rewarding when employees encounter someone at the store, park or restaurant who is wearing a product they helped to make. For more information about Townsend, please visit www.townsenddesign.com. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 281
M.D. ATKINSON COMPANY, INC. ! Right: President and CEO Melvin D. Atkinson.
Below: Corporate office located at 1401 19th Street in the historical Kress Building.
M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., provides professional property and asset management, strategic planning, and financial services for commercial real estate ventures throughout California. Headquartered in Bakersfield, the firm was established in 1982, by Melvin D. Atkinson. As commercial real estate began to develop in Bakersfield, Mel realized there was a need for a commercial property management company to work on behalf of developers and investors to manage their holdings in Kern County. As a result of Mel’s vision, M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., opened for business on September 1, 1982, managing 2 office buildings, an apartment community, and an shopping center. M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., continues to manage all classes of commercial and residential properties. The growth of the company is the result of excellent client and customer service and the core belief that our client’s success is our success. M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., is today, the largest commercial property management company in Bakersfield/Kern County. Mel, who serves as president and chief executive officer, began his career in property management in 1977. Mel has years of extensive experience in property management and understands the needs of both private and institutional investors. John Shaw joined the company in 1983, as vice president with Greg Butler joining in 1985, as chief financial officer. Mel, John, and Greg’s successful collaboration was integral in the development and growth of the company.
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After years of dedicated service to the company, John retired in 2015. In 1991, M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., earned the Accredited Management Organization (AMO®) designation, which is a mark of distinction among real estate management firms. The AMO ® designation is bestowed only on property management firms that have demonstrated the highest standards in management expertise, professional competence, financial responsibility, integrity, and ethics through compliance with the strict standards of the Institute of Real Estate Management®. M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., encourages the professional development of our team members. As a result many Property Managers hold designations including Certified Property Manager, Certified Community Association Manager, and Accredited Residential Manager. The company maintains a General Contractors License in the State of California. It is the company’s culture to promote independent thinking within a team environment. Our success is driven by the talent and dedication of our employees. M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., maintains involvement within the community by supporting charitable causes that are important to its clients and team members. The M.D. Atkinson Company, Inc., corporate office is located in the Historic Kress Building at 1401 19th Street in downtown Bakersfield. For more information about M.D. Atkinson Company Inc., visit their website at www.mdatkinson.com.
DB & COMPANY
The goal of DB & Company is to be the premier provider of the finest printing in Bakersfield, while maintaining the uncompromising principles of good service and community development. David Bass established DB & Company in 1981 after working for a large international business forms manufacturer for several years. Bass actually started the business in his home before moving to a downtown location. The company is now located at 2001 G Street, one block west of the historic Fox Theater. DB & Company prides itself on providing excellent customer service and the highest quality commercial printing. As a full service commercial printer, DB & Company offers handcrafted offset and digital printing, specialty advertising products, and Internet services such as web design and search engine optimization to help customers grow their businesses and reach more potential clients. The staff at DB & Company understands the importance of meeting deadlines and works to meet its customer’s needs on time. The production schedule is flexible so if customers have an emergency, DB & Company is able to help meet their deadline. DB & Company uses the latest professional design software from Adobe, so customers are assured that files will print correctly. When DB & Company designs a product, it has the professional look customers want so it will appeal to their target audience.
The last thing a customer needs to worry about is its printing needs. By depending on DB & Company, customers may rest assured that they will get the biggest ‘bang for the buck’ when it comes to their printed marketing materials. DB & Company makes sure its customers get the professional look they desire. They take imaging seriously and make sure photos and colors look exactly as they should. “DB & Company is a unique and special place and I feel privileged to be the owner of this company,” says Dave. “We are 100 percent locally owned and operated and are proud of the fact that over 85 percent of all the labor, supplies, raw materials and resources we use to create and manufacture printing are purchased from other locally owned companies that support our local economy. DB & Company has been in business for thirty-five years and during that time we have printed business forms and sales and marketing materials for hundreds of businesses in the Bakersfield area.” DB & Company and its employees are involved in a number of community activities including Bakersfield East Rotary Club, Executives’ Association of Kern County, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Make-a-Wish Foundation. BUILDING A GREATER BAKERSFIELD 283
MALOUF FAMILY
! Right: Gail Malouf, Bakersfield native.
Below: Richard Harger and Gail Malouf in a Model A touring the blossoms of Bakersfield.
Gail Malouf, a prominent Realtor® in Bakersfield for nearly forty years, is carrying on a family tradition of business and professional success and community involvement that began with her ancestors a century ago. “Our families, the Maloufs’ and Spalingers’ have been in this area for 100 years and have always given back to the community we all love,” Gail says. “All had businesses or important jobs in Bakersfield and contributed to the development of the community.” Gail’s grandparents, Arthur and Clara Spalinger, came to Bakersfield from Kansas in the 1920s. Arthur worked as a guard for Southern Pacific Railroad and the family lived on a five-acre parcel of land where he raised turkeys and chickens. “Our grandfather built a baseball field on his land where we spent many happy hours with the neighborhood kids,” Gail recalls. Another grandmother, Labiba Malouf Littlefield, came to the U.S. from Lebanon as a young married mother. She and Gail’s grandfather, George Malouf, lived in Utah, where her father was born. Labiba moved to Bakersfield in 1920 where she raised five children on her own, working in retail sales. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 284
She was a member of the Order of the Amaranth and Eastern Star. Gail’s father, Albert Malouf, was the owner of Edison Sand Company and her mother, Lenore Malouf, was a homemaker. Her father was very involved in DeMolays, Shriners, and Masonic Temple, Justice of the Peace in McKittrick, as well as a charter member of the Bakersfield East Rotary Club. Her mother was a den mother for her sons in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and a leader in her daughter’s Blue Bird and Campfire Girls group. Her parents hosted many lively school parties in their backyards. One of Gail’s brothers, Gerald Malouf, operated Edison Sand after the death of his parents. Another brother, James Malouf, was a highway patrolman and served as the chief deputy coroner under Sheriff Sparks. Jim was well known and respected throughout California for his wealth of knowledge in that field. Gail graduated from Foothill High School and the Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI). She is both a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Certified Relocation Professional (CRP). Gail has been a Realtor since 1977 and served as president of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors in 2010. She was named Salesperson of the Year by the association in 2002. Gail’s husband, Richard Harger, is retired from the Bakersfield City Fire Department where he served as captain and was the arson investigator for several years. “Bakersfield is a great place to live and raise a family,” Gail believes. “Being a Realtor has given me an opportunity to show off Bakersfield. I have so many wonderful memories from growing up in this community. It is my job to sell newcomers on all the opportunities available here. Once they get here, most don’t want to leave.”
Loyd’s Aviation is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of safety and customer service in the aviation industry. The company offers an array of aircraft services, including fueling, charter, sales, aircraft management, maintenance, storage, and parts sales. Loyd’s Aviation also operates a recreational vehicle storage facility. Loyd’s Aviation was founded in 1958 when Byron Loyd’s carwash business was taken out by a new freeway. Byron had always loved flying and decided to turn his hobby into a business. In the early days, he rented a small office at the Bakersfield Meadows Field Airport, sold aircraft parts and taught new pilots how to fly. In 1970, Byron decided to invest in the airport by renting land and building twenty hangers. Loyd’s Flying Service was a one-man operation until 1973 when Byron’s son, Steven, who also caught the aviation bug, joined the family business after completing college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The business has enjoyed steady growth over the years and now employs forty people. Loyd’s Aviation is the only full-service fixed base operation (FBO) at Meadows Field in Bakersfield. In 2009, Loyd’s opened a new front-line facility, Bakersfield Jet Center, which includes a 3.5 acres’ aircraft parking ramp as well as state-of-the-art customer facilities. Backed by its outstanding reputation Bakersfield Jet Center offers the best customer service experience at Meadows Field. The operation is known for old-fashioned customer service and believes in providing the same level of service whether a customer arrives in a light-sport aircraft or a Gulfstream jet. The facility provides the finest amenities
for both passengers and pilots and the 3.5 acres’ aircraft ramp can accommodate aircraft as large as a Boeing 737. Loyd’s Aviation provides on-demand aircraft charter service utilizing a variety of aircraft, from single-engine piston planes to business jets. Access to a large aircraft network allows Loyd’s to determine the aircraft best fitted for each customer’s travel needs and desires. Loyd’s serves any national or international destination. Aircraft owners from throughout the west fly to Loyd’s Aircraft Maintenance because of its reputation for quality work and service. Services provided include inspections, piston and turbine airframe and engine maintenance, pre-purchase evaluations, routine maintenance, structural repairs, and aircraft modifications. Each technician is factory trained and FAA certified, and the team of technicians boasts more than 200 years of combined experience. The Loyd’s companies are deeply involved in community affairs. Steve Loyd is a member of Bakersfield Rotary and the Memorial Hospital Foundation. Continued contributions to the community are important to the Loyd’s companies and its employees.
LOYD’S AVIATION DBA BAKERSFIELD JET CENTER & LOYD’S AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
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ALL AMERICAN GLASS
! Buddy and Greta Pretzer.
Buddy Pretzer came to Bakersfield, California in 1986 with the prospect of getting a job in the construction industry. He had worked in construction in North Dakota, his home state, but found himself unemployed most of the year due to weather conditions. His brother, David, lived in Bakersfield, so Buddy followed his urging to try a new life in California. He worked in construction for one-and-a-half years until finding himself unemployed again. In 1986, Buddy met a girl, Greta Perttula, who later became his wife. Her father, Rueben Perttula, owned and operated American Glass Company. Greta talked to her dad and Buddy went to work for him in 1987. He had no experience as a glazier working with glass. Over the sixteen years of working for American Glass, Buddy was able to learn the ins-and-outs of the glazing trade. Rueben retired; the company was sold and eventually closed its doors. Buddy found himself unemployed again. He started a ‘Board-Em-Up’ business, boarding up emergency glass breakages to keep himself busy and making money. In 2004, Buddy and Greta found a building for rent on East Nineteenth Street and started All American Glass Company. Buddy worked under Rueben’s glazier license until obtaining his own license in 2006. The business was built on Buddy’s knowledge of the glass
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industry, recognition by the community because of his work at American Glass, honesty and integrity. Greta managed the office work at home while raising their son, Adam, and teaching Special Education. Buddy did all the work at All American Glass himself—taking calls, installing the glass by himself until he hired his first employee in 2005. The business continued to grow and eventually another glazier was hired. All American Glass Company now employs three secretaries and five glaziers. It has a fleet of six trucks that service the Kern County area for all commercial and residential glass needs during the day and still has the board-up service for any after hour emergencies. Buddy has been married to Greta for twenty-nine years. They have one son, Adam, twenty-six. Greta has been a Special Education teacher with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools for twenty years. Adam works for the Kern County Fire Department. Both Greta and Buddy are involved as volunteers with various organizations, mainly the Bakersfield College Drum Line and Golden Empire Drum Corps. They helped to form both these organizations and are passionate to see them grow. They enjoy travelling around the United States with family and friends. Cruises has become one of their favorite ways to travel; they have been to Alaska, Mexico, and the Virgin Islands on cruises. Buddy and Greta continue to manage and operate All American Glass Company. They see this business as a life adventure, challenge and essential resource for this community. They are proud of the business they have built, the support given to them by the community and the family atmosphere that exists at All American Glass. Today, All American Glass is located at 527 East Nineteenth Street in Bakersfield and on the Internet at www.all-americanglassco.com.
MARTHA JOHNSON TEAM
Martha, Kelli and Sarah of the Martha Johnson Team of Keller Williams Realty have a vision. They want to create a lasting smile on their client’s faces when they think of their house and how they were treated, and want others to have the same experience. Martha Johnson, who leads the team, has more than twelve years of experience in the real estate industry, guiding both buyers and sellers through the process of purchasing or selling their home. She takes her job seriously, understanding that many aspects of the home buying/selling process can be mind boggling. She regards the process of building a team in much the same way as helping her clients, and quality associates were brought on board to help smooth the real estate transactions. Kelli Schoell, the team’s lead buyer’s specialist, has served the needs of buyers for more than five years and takes the process very seriously. From start to finish, her clients always feel as if they have been her only priority. Kelli’s care and concern for her clients does not stop with the closing, she continues to answer questions and is available for help long after the sale is completed. Sarah Hogue, the team’s administrative/transaction coordinator, handles all the real estate transaction paperwork from beginning to end. Organizing inspections and paperwork and keeping the rest of the team on track can seem
impossible at times, but Sarah handles it all with ease. Her title hardly defines all the little details she handles and if clients have any questions she is only a phone call away. “Bakersfield has been my home for over thirteen years and in that time I have seen some tremendous changes, but one thing remains constant, the neighborly feel you get from people who live here,” Martha says. “Living in Bakersfield has so much to offer. We have a helping and caring community. Real estate has proved to be an extraordinarily crazy, yet satisfying direction for me, providing opportunities to not only help people find a home, but to help them feel comfortable in their new city.” The Martha Johnson Team takes its values of honesty, integrity and character seriously. They feel that honesty means taking the blame if need be; integrity means being honorable in all things; and character means, ‘Who I am is all I have’. The team puts God first, family second, and business third...but not least. To learn more about the Martha Johnson Team and to see a collection of homes they have available, check their website at www.marthajohnsonteam.com.
! Above: left to right, Kelli Schoell, Martha Johnson and Sarah Hogue.
Below: Kelli, Sarah and Martha out for a bike ride on a beautiful sunny day.
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BAKERSFIELD ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®/ GOLDEN EMPIRE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE, INC./ BAKERSFIELD ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® CHARITABLE FOUNDATION ! Above: H. G. Parsons, Founding President of the Bakersfield Realty Board, 1905.
Below: Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®, father son group, 1955.
Bakersfield was a booming town of 12,000 residents in 1905, as the rich oil fields attracted fortune seekers from throughout the nation. In many ways, however, Bakersfield was a wideopen, old west town filled with saloons, casinos and houses of ill repute. Despite the town’s raw reputation, a group of local businessmen envisioned Bakersfield as a family community, built on the agricultural opportunities provided by the valley’s fertile soil. These families, of course, would require housing and this anticipation led to the formation of what is now the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®. On November 28, 1905, a group of leading businessmen held a meeting to discuss the establishment of a realty board. In the following weeks, fifteen men would join together to form the Bakersfield Realty Board, now known as Kern County’s largest trade association. The association was organized during a period when consumer protection laws and licensing were nonexistent, and the organization became a means of self-regulation, as well as an engine for increasing business and development. A number of prominent builders and developers have been involved with the association during its 111-year history, and their energy and vision shaped the Bakersfield of today. Throughout its history, the association’s goals have included the education of its members, encouragement of high ethical standards, community service and the
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promotion of business success. The association takes an active role in lobbying against local, state or federal legislation that might adversely affect property owners. The Multiple Listing Service, which began in 1947, started with the sharing of property data sheets printed on a mimeograph machine. The computer-based multiple listing service of today instantly connects buyers and sellers from throughout the nation and around the world. “Technology has changed our industry dramatically over the past decade,” says CEO Linda Jay. “While our business continues to grow more and more complex, our mission and commitment to our members and community remain steadfast: To improve the real estate industry through professionalism and service and grow a stronger community by consistently striving to retain the same dynamic relevant presence we have exemplified for more than a century.” Association members are often the first to serve community causes and numerous Bakersfield charities have benefitted from these efforts. Among the activities supported by the association are fundraisers for Relay for Life and Campout Against Cancer, an annual golf tournament and black tie event in support of the Ronald McDonald House, Real Estate Professionals Family Relief Fund, and the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, Golden Empire Gleaners, and community partnerships with Boys and Girls Club. The association has also formed the Real Estate Anti-Fraud Advisory Coalition (REAAC) to prevent, detect and report real estate fraud. Today, the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® is an 1,800-member organization under the leadership of current President Bill Redmond and CEO Jay. The association continues to further educate and keep members abreast of legislation, lobby on issues concerning the real estate industry and private property rights, and promote professional standards within the industry.
B&B SURPLUS, INC.
For more than fifty-three years, B&B Surplus has embodied the principles and vision of its founders, Ronald and Donice Boylan, who started the business from their home on Rosedale Highway. Ronald and Donice established the firm in June 1963 and business was first conducted off the back of a bobtail truck that Ron drove up and down the valley each day. Over time, B&B Surplus has expanded to more than thirty-eight acres between Fruitville and Coffee, and is still headquartered at the original location. The business was founded on family values and management still believes that each employee is an intricate asset to the business and part of the family. Business grew gradually over the years. In addition to the headquarters in Bakersfield, the company expanded to Santa Maria in 1992 and established B&B Steel and Supply of Santa Maria. B&B Metals of Santa Ana was opened in 1998. The firm moved into the nonferrous market in 1994 with B&B Specialties Metals in Bakersfield, and opened Ventura Steel in Ventura in 2007. The company’s employees have grown from the original two in 1963 to the current count of 150. B&B Surplus is proud of the fact that even during the most recent economic recession, the company was able to withstand the challenges without laying off a single employee or cutting back on overtime.
Ron died in 2004 and Terry Boylan retired in 2009 but the company remains very much a family enterprise. Today, Donice serves as president, Michael Georgino as vice president, and Michelle Boylan-Pisano as secretary-treasurer. With great leadership and a strong group of people who have been meticulously put into place over the decades, the business has continued to carry out Ron’s vision. B&B Surplus was founded on Ron’s strong belief in the basic concepts of diversification of sales territories, strong control over spending, and the highest of work ethics. Although the business has changed and adapted to the changing needs of the marketplace, it still operates with the same business principles on which the business was founded fifty-three years ago. B&B surplus believes strongly in supporting local charities, schools, and community projects. The company makes every effort to do business with local vendors and professional services. B&B Surplus always strives to become more efficient, with a goal of being the best steel distributor possible. The company management feels its reward is greater customer satisfaction. The company believes in the old saying, “Shoemaker—stay with your stitch,” and plans to continue doing business the same way that has made it successful for more than half-a-century.
! Above: B&B Surplus, Inc., headquarters located at 7020 Rosedale Highway in Bakersfield.
Below: One of the 18-wheeler freight trucks used for delivery of materials. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAPHNE FLETCHER.
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Family Portraits Families and individuals whose legacies continue to shape the future of Bakersfield Te j o n R a n c h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 2 N i c k e l F a m i l y, L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 4 Rankin Ranch ....................................................................................................296 B o l t h o u s e P ro p e r t i e s , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 8 Wa t s o n & Wa t s o n C a t t l e , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 9
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TEJON R ANCH
Tejon Ranch is classic California, a land of legacy—bigger than life, rich in history, blessed by nature. Established in 1843 as a Mexican land grant, this grand sweep of land has been home to some of the Old West’s most illustrious exploits. In the 1860s, General Edward Fitzgerald Beale, hero of the Mexican/American War, consolidated four Mexican land grants into what is now the modern-day Tejon Ranch. Following Beale’s death in 1892, his son, Truxtun, maintained the ranch until selling it in 1912 to a group of Southern California businessmen led by the Chandler family, the publishers of the Los Angeles Times, and a number of other prominent businessmen who were instrumental in the development of Southern California. Those owners incorporated the ranch in 1936, and in 1973 the company’s stock began trading on the American Stock Exchange. In 1999, it moved to the New York Stock Exchange, where its stock trades under the symbol TRC. Now a fully diversified real estate development and agribusiness company, Tejon Ranch Co. is the only public company headquartered in Kern County. With 270,000 acres, Tejon Ranch remains the largest contiguous expanse of private property in California. Comprised of 422 square miles of rugged mountains, steep canyons, oak-covered rolling hills, and broad valleys, Tejon Ranch is almost as large as the City of Los Angeles and about forty percent the size of Rhode Island. Tejon Ranch’s commitment to conservation is unsurpassed. Through its 2008 Conservation and Land Use Agreement, which was hailed by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger as an “historic agreement to protect a California treasure,” the ranch agreed to never develop some 240,000 acres of its landholdings, representing ninety percent of the ranch. The land will continue to be used as it has historically, as farming and ranching land.
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The agreement also created the nonprofit Tejon Ranch Conservancy to oversee stewardship of the conserved land. What Tejon Ranch established is nothing less than a new model for land management and planned developments, one that balances human needs with that of the natural environment. In 2009 the agreement was recognized with California’s most prestigious honor, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. As California continues to grow, Tejon Ranch recognizes the necessity to wisely and responsibly plan for that growth. Current and future generations of Californians need homes and jobs and opportunities to build a future. Tejon Ranch is leading the way by creating high-quality, sustainably planned real estate developments and employment centers. Tejon Ranch Co.’s developments include the world-class Tejon Ranch Commerce Center (TRCC), a 1,450 acre commercial/industrial center located at the junction of I-5 and Highway 99. In addition to major distribution centers for
IKEA, Caterpillar, Famous Footwear and Dollar General, you will find the award-winning Outlets at Tejon, an upscale outlet center, as well a great collection of some of the most popular travel-oriented retail establishments in the country. Several thousand jobs have already been created at TRCC. Tejon Ranch is also developing several master planned residential communities. With an entrance just off of Interstate 5, near the summit of the grade over the mountains, Mountain Village at Tejon Ranch will be a conservationminded enclave that will serve as a retreat from the city. Mountain Village will feature a mix of housing and hospitality options, with world class resort hotels and restaurants, spas, outdoor experiences, and hiking and equestrian trails. Grapevine at Tejon Ranch, located at the base of the foothills in the San Joaquin Valley portion of the ranch, adjacent to the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center, will be a community of close-knit neighborhoods, uniquely positioned as a magnet for those who want to live with unbridled access to Tejon Ranch, as well as a complete, connected community whose lifestyle is aligned to the interests and values of the region’s rich agricultural heritage. The company’s third large-scale mixed-use residential community is Centennial at Tejon Ranch. Located in the Los Angeles County portion of the ranch, Centennial will be
a landmark new community designed to serve as a model of sustainable development for twenty-first century California. In addition to its real estate, Tejon Ranch has extensive agriculture and ranching operations. The property also includes significant oil, gas and other mineral resources. Tejon also offers a full outdoors program, with exclusive hunting clubs, membership opportunities, and multiple equestrian operations. The ranch is also a favorite location for the filming of movies, television programs and commercials. Nearly 175 years after the dream of Tejon Ranch took root; its promise is as grand and inspiring as the Western horizon. Guided by its core values of Legacy, Stewardship, Quality and Vision, Tejon’s tradition of ranching and farming will continue to flourish on the open ranges. Thousands of acres of wild, natural splendor will be forever protected and cared for. A new generation of families will have the opportunity to live in this remarkable place and call Tejon Ranch ‘home’. Tejon Ranch invites you to join us as a shareholder, partner, visitor, business or homeowner, as we partner together in “Building the Legacy” of this California landmark. For more information about Tejon Ranch, please visit www.TejonRanch.com. FAMILY PORTRAITS 293
NICKEL FAMILY, LLC
In the mid-1700s, explorer Francisco Garces, led by Indian guides, discovered a shorter route between Sonora, Mexico and Monterey, California. Part of the trail followed Cottonwood Creek Canyon down to an Indian Rancheria near the crossing of the Kern River. The route was already well traveled when Solomon Jewett and his two sons—Solomon, Jr., and Phillip—built a home near the river crossing, raising sheep in the valley. The old trail passed through the Jewett’s sheep ranch, where many travelers stopped to visit and rest. The Mexican settler’s called the Kern River ‘Rio Bravo’ so the Jewett property became known as Rio Bravo Ranch. Settling on this land in 1861, the Jewett family was among the earliest settlers of Bakersfield, making the ranch one of the oldest in the region. Other families began settling in the adjacent areas within the area downstream from the Kern River Canyon, and the land was consolidated as separate ranches were bought and sold. Eventually, a 32,000 acre ranch was put together by Louis Olcese and that property was acquired from his estate by George W. Nickel, Jr., who was a descendant of Henry Miller, of the famed Miller & Lux, Inc. His descendants still own the Rio Bravo Ranch today. Miller made his way to California in a round-about way. Born Heinrich Alfred Kreiser, the young butcher, who had emigrated from Germany in 1847 was living in New York when a friend, Henry Miller, had to cancel a journey west and offered Kreiser the use of his ticket. Kreiser accepted the offer, but when he realized that the ticket was in the name of Henry Miller and was non-transferable, he ‘borrowed’ his friend’s name and became ‘Henry Miller’ throughout the journey to California. Once he arrived in California in 1850, Heinrich Kreiser was already so well known as ‘Henry Miller’ that he had his name changed legally.
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Miller acquired his first property in 1857 in Merced County. Miller joined with Charles Lux, another German immigrant and fellow butcher in 1858 and they formed Miller & Lux, Inc. In Kern County, Miller acquired land through the use of an ingenious process provided by the Swamp Act. In an effort to increase the population of the west during this period, the federal government was encouraging people to claim property and homestead it. After working the land for a specified period, the early settlers were awarded title to the land they had homesteaded. California rivers were not damned in those days, resulting in vast acres of swamp land. To encourage settlers to drain and develop the wet lands, the government agreed to award homesteads to all the property a person could row around in one day. This provision was known as the “Swamp Act and Overflow Lands Act of 1850.” According to family lore, Miller placed a boat on a buckboard and rowed while a man drove a horse and the buckboard around the large tract of land. At the end of the day, Miller had rowed around a huge tract of land estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 acres. Lux died in 1887 and Miller died in 1916. Miller & Lux, Inc. continued in business until 1965, when the firm was dissolved. Miller’s daughter, Nellie Miller married James Leroy Nickel, Sr. They had three children who produced seven children (the third generation) and when Miller died his vast estate passed to the third generation, one of whom was George W. Nickel, Jr. In 1965, George acquired an option to purchase the Rio Bravo Ranch with the intent to gift a portion for California State Bakersfield. Even though that did not occur, he decided to purchase the property anyway. George developed a golf and tennis resort on the property that he had annexed into the City of Bakersfield for residential development. Today, the Nickel family, under the leadership
of James Leroy Nickel, III, operates over 16,000 acres in Kern, Merced and Fresno Counties and raise citrus, almonds, tomatoes, melons, olives, cotton and corn. The land’s pastures are leased for cattle grazing. Water has always played a huge role in the lives of Henry Miller, George W. Nickel, Jr., and James L. Nickel. The Miller-Haggin agreement of 1888, which was a legal battle between appropriative water rights and riparian water rights, established the principal of riparian water rights in California. In 1962, George was able to have the Kern River Water Rights and Storage agreed to. This recognized the Downstream Group’s water rights, known as the Hacienda Water rights, which accrued on a property he owned in Kings County. This gave George high flow rights on the Kern River together with the right to rent twenty percent of the storage in Lake Isabella. Subsequently, George transferred those rights to the Rio Bravo Ranch,
and retained the right to utilize any water excess to the ranch’s needs for his own use. Since the high flow rights came infrequently and in very large quantities, James Nickel negotiated in 2001 the Contract to Transfer the Kern River Lower River Water Rights with the Kern County Water Agency in which Nickel transferred to Kern the Lower River Rights, together with the Isabella storage rights, in exchange for 10,000 acre feet per year delivered on the California Aqueduct and $10,000,000. Most of the 10,000 acre feet has been leased to Tejon Ranch Company for its industrial and residential developments in Kern County. Environmental stewardship is evident by the pristine state in which the Rio Bravo Ranch is maintained. The Nickels strive to use environmentally sensitive agricultural practices, such as no-till farming and drip irrigation. The family’s commitment to sustaining harmony with nature is its legacy.
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RANKIN RANCH
! ABOVE: PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GREG IGER.
Below: Rankin Ranch stage stop, c. 1870.
The Rankin Ranch was founded by Walker Rankin, Sr., in 1863, three years before Kern County was organized. Today, fourth, fifth, and sixth generation family members still raise White Face Hereford cattle on 31,000 acres just as their ancestors did in the early 1860s. Work at the ranch is much the same today where the cowboys gather cattle by horseback and the family continues to raise hay, oats, barley, rye and alfalfa for their cattle and horses. Over the past few years, the Rankins have also grown commercial vegetables for the Kern Ridge and Grimmway brands. For more than 150 years, dating back to our nation’s Civil War, the Rankins have ranched in California’s Tehachapi Mountains. Ranch headquarters are located at the eastern border of the ranch, about an hour drive from Bakersfield in the little mountain valley of Walker Basin, earlier known as ‘The Park’. Rankin Ranch spans an area of forty-eight square miles and ranges in elevation from 1,200 feet in the rolling hills outside Bakersfield to 6,800 feet on Breckenridge Mountain. The basin experiences mild summers with light snows during the winter months.
The original Rankin home was built from a plan in Godey’s Lady Book in the mid 1870s, and it still houses Rankins today. In the early years, Rankin Ranch was a ‘stage stop’ for folks heading from Los Angeles to Havilah and Kernville by wagon and horseback over dirt roads, some still in search of gold in the Kern River Valley. Walker tended to their horses while his wife, Lavinia, cooked for the travelers. The old stage barn still stands. Today, the Rankin family welcomes guests from around the world to experience ranch life on a real working cattle ranch. Many families from Bakersfield find it the perfect retreat from the valley’s summertime heat. It is a great B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 296
mountain getaway for adults and children, with lots of fun activities—horseback riding, fishing, hiking, swimming, hay wagon rides with barbeques, and much more. Everybody loves Rudy’s home-cooked meals, and ‘Rankin Beef’ is always a favorite. Cozy mountain cabins surrounded by majestic oaks and pines provide comfortable evenings after fun-filled days in the fresh mountain air.
It was 1965 when third generation, Helen Rankin, opened her doors to guests, and now her son, Bill, and his wife, Glenda, with their children and grandchildren continue to operate the family cattle and guest ranch. Each year many second and third generation guests enjoy their ‘Rankin Ranch Tradition’ while creating another page of memories.
! The Rankin Ranch family, 2013. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GREG IGER.
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BOLTHOUSE PROPERTIES, LLC
! Top: Members of the Bolthouse family tour the completed Houchin Community Blood Bank at Seven Oaks Business Park.
Above: Seven Oaks Business Park continues the tradition of Seven Oaks.
The tradition of excellence that began with Wm. Bolthouse Farms in 1915 continues in Kern County today. Once one of the Valley’s largest agricultural producers, in 2005 the family sold its carrot and juice processing operations while retaining more than 20,000 acres of farmland. Bolthouse Properties, LLC was formed to carry out the family’s mission of being good stewards of the land. The transformation of Wm. Bolthouse Farms to Bolthouse Properties, LLC really began when Bolthouse Farms purchased land in southwest Bakersfield from Castle & Cooke for expansion of the company’s farming operation. This land included what is now the remainder of the master planned Seven Oaks community. Bolthouse then worked with Castle & Cooke to implement the master plan insuring the same Seven Oaks quality would continue for the future phases. The master plan includes a unique multi-use zoning plan, which includes residential, office and commercial uses. Today, Bolthouse Properties is a diversified real estate company with a portfolio of agricultural and commercial real estate, along with entitled residential master planned community properties such as Seven Oaks and Stockdale River Ranch. In addition, Bolthouse owns retail centers in
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Bakersfield, such as Grand Island Village in Seven Oaks, Mustang Square, Bolthouse Commerce Center and the commercial/office property in Seven Oaks Business Park, offering land for sale and office space for lease. Two other Bolthouse entities formed after 2005 are Bolthouse Investments, LLC, an investment management subsidiary serving the investment and philanthropic needs of its clients and Bolthouse Development Company, LLC, whose primary operation is a real estate development company. All the Bolthouse entities strive to carry on the superb reputation that has been a legacy of the Bolthouse family. The organization which began with four employees and 20,000 acres of farmland has grown over the last ten years. The company now has eighteen employees and continues to add additional acres of farmland, prime entitled property for residential and commercial development as well as retail investment properties in Bakersfield. The company’s desire to better their community has been demonstrated throughout its existence. In 2007, Bolthouse Properties donated land in southern Kern County to the Kern Community College District to aid in the development of another campus. Then in 2009, the company donated land to Houchin Community Blood Bank for a new facility in southwest Bakersfield, becoming the first occupant of Seven Oaks Business Park. The Bolthouse family also donated to Dignity Health, Memorial Hospital for the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center pediatric department. The foundation of Bolthouse Properties, LLC will remain rooted in farmland, but the company looks forward to enhancing the Bakersfield community by executing the Seven Oaks Master Plan and by developing Stockdale River Ranch with similar standards, assuring that the ‘live, work, play’ lifestyle will continue to flourish.
What started as a weekend hobby has grown into a full-time cow/calf operation for C. Jay and Wendy Watson. C. Jay has always enjoyed working with animals. At ten years old, he purchased orphan calves and fed them with powdered milk from his family’s government assistance program. He quickly learned he could make a decent wage doing something he loved. Continuing his passion for livestock as an adult, he leased a little grazing land at Jack Ranch just above Glennville, California. Throughout his twenties, C. Jay ran cattle throughout Kern County. He ran a small herd of cows. Keeping it small, he enjoyed spending hours on the weekends out with the cattle. In 1984, C. Jay founded Kern Asphalt Paving & Sealing, Co., Inc. Building his new business consumed a majority of his time, but he maintained a passion for ranching. In 1987, he purchased a ranch in the heart of Woody, California. The ranch, originally named Nash Ranch, had a quaint ranch house and large barn. Adding his own touch—fixing fences, updating the house, and repairing water troughs— Watson’s cows had a new place to call home. A few years later, C. Jay met Wendy and they married in 1994. They, along with Wendy’s son Bryan, worked and played on the Woody Ranch most weekends. Sharing his passion for horses, C. Jay taught them both to ride. Together they spent endless days gathering, branding, weaning calves, or repairing fences. “Every spring we would gather the ‘girls’, brand the calves and haul all of them to the Jack Ranch lease. We would then bring them back down to Woody in late fall. We’re both workaholics, so we continued to lease more land and buy more cows. Pretty soon we had cattle all over Kern County,” says Wendy. C. Jay and Wendy welcomed a daughter, Breana, in 1997. As their family grew, so did their cattle company.
WATSON & WATSON CATTLE, LLC
Later that year, the Watson’s purchased property between Breckenridge Road and Highway 178, on Cottonwood Creek. After laborious days of fencing, digging water lines, building corrals and installing troughs, hay barns, a hydraulic shoot and an animal scale, Breckenridge Ranch was established. Due to its size and proximity to town, Breckenridge became the cattle headquarters for Watson & Watson Cattle, LLC. The Watsons currently raise a herd of Black Angus cattle and the weekend hobby has become a business known as Watson & Watson Cattle, LLC. A boy’s passion for animals has turned into a fruitful business endeavor.
! Above: Lush meadow at Jack Ranch, California.
Below: Left to right, Deedra, Tatum, Bryan, Breana, Wendy, Blake and C. Jay.
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! The painted hills leading to the Kern River Canyon demonstrate the dramatic change in landscape as the seasons change from Spring to Summer.
Sponsors A d v a n c e d C e n t e r f o r E y e c a re ( A C E ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 9 All American Glass ..............................................................286 Alpha J. Anders, MD, FCCP ..................................................203 B&B Surplus, Inc.................................................................289 Bakersfield Adult School .......................................................186 Bakersfield Association of Realtors®/ G o l d e n E m p i re M u l t i p l e L i s t i n g S e r v i c e , I n c . / Bakersfield Association of Realtors®/ Charitable Foundation ......................................................288 Bakersfield Christian High School ..........................................168 Bakersfield College ..............................................................180 Bakersfield Condors .............................................................240 Bakersfield Downtown Business Association..............................234 Bakersfield Family Medical Center / H e r i t a g e P h y s i c i a n N e t w o r k / H e r i t a g e P ro v i d e r N e t w o r k . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 4 B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 300
B a k e r s f i e l d F i re D e p a r t m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 6 Bakersfield Heart Hospital ....................................................199 Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame .............................................204 B a k e r s f i e l d P a t h o l o g y M e d i c a l G ro u p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 0 B a k e r s f i e l d P ro f e s s i o n a l F i re f i g h t e r s L o c a l 2 4 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 8 B a k e r s f i e l d S y m p h o n y O rc h e s t r a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 7 B o l t h o u s e P ro p e r t i e s , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 8 Bowman Asphalt, Inc. ...........................................................276 Boys & Girls Club of Kern County..........................................213 Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace ..................................................235 C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 2 C a l i f o r n i a Wa t e r S e r v i c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 8 Canteen of Coastal California, Inc. ........................................224 C a r n e y ’s B u s i n e s s Te c h n o l o g y C e n t e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 6 Castle & Cooke California, Inc. .............................................272
C e n t e r f o r t h e B l i n d a n d V i s u a l l y I m p a i re d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 8 C e n t re f o r N e u ro S k i l l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 4 Chris Bertolucci Construction ................................................262 Clinica Sierra Vista .............................................................188 DB & Company ...................................................................283 D e w a r ’s S o d a F o u n t a i n a n d F i n e C a n d i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 2 D i g n i t y H e a l t h M e rc y a n d M e m o r i a l H o s p i t a l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4 6 E m p o r i u m We s t e r n S t o re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 3 Fox Theater Foundation........................................................206 G a l b r a i t h Va n & S t o r a g e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 6 G a rc e s M e m o r i a l H i g h S c h o o l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 8 G E M C a re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 0 G o l d e n E m p i re Tr a n s i t D i s t r i c t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 6 G re a t e r B a k e r s f i e l d C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 0 G re e n l a w n F u n e r a l H o m e s - C re m a t i o n s - C e m e t e r i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 1 G re g o r y I g e r ’s P h o t o g r a p h i c A r t , I n c . , d b a I g e r S t u d i o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 7 Griffith Company ................................................................268 Guitar Masters....................................................................238 Hall Ambulance Service, Inc. .................................................211 Hall Letter Shop, Inc. ..........................................................266 Historic Union Cemetery ......................................................190 H o d e l ’s C o u n t r y D i n i n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 9 Hoffmann Hospice................................................................172 Houchin Community Blood Bank .............................................202 H o w a rd ’s G a r b a g e S e r v i c e , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 5 Kaiser Permanente...............................................................164 Kern Community College District ...........................................176 K e r n C o u n t y B l a c k C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 1 Kern County Fair ................................................................182 Kern County Superintendent of Schools ...................................184 K e r n C o u n t y Ve t e r a n s S e r v i c e D e p a r t m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 9 K e r n F e d e r a l C re d i t U n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 6 K e r n S c h o o l s F e d e r a l C re d i t U n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 7 Kern Patriot Partnership ......................................................205
Kern Asphalt Paving & Sealing Co., Inc. .................................270 K G E T, Te l e m u n d o a n d t h e C W B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 5 KS Industries, LP ................................................................274 Links for Life......................................................................212 L o y d ’s Av i a t i o n d b a B a k e r s f i e l d J e t C e n t e r & L o y d ’s A i rc r a f t M a i n t e n a n c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 5 L u i g i ’s R e s t a u r a n t & O l d Wo r l d D e l i c a t e s s e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 2 M . D . A t k i n s o n C o m p a n y, I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 2 Malouf Family ....................................................................284 M a r t h a J o h n s o n Te a m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 7 M a z z e i I n j e c t o r C o m p a n y, L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 8 M e t ro p o l i t a n R e c y c l i n g , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 2 N i c k e l F a m i l y, L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 4 N o r t h o f t h e R i v e r C h a m b e r o f C o m m e rc e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 2 Omni Family Health ............................................................156 P e t ro l e u m C l u b o f B a k e r s f i e l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 0 Price Disposal.....................................................................254 Rankin Ranch .....................................................................296 Ray Scott ...........................................................................256 San Joaquin Community Hospital ...........................................160 S a n J o a q u i n Ve t e r i n a r y H o s p i t a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 2 S m i t h ’s B a k e r i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 6 Superior Sanitation..............................................................253 Te l - Te c S e c u r i t y S y s t e m s , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 0 Te j o n R a n c h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 2 T h e To w e r y C o m p a n i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 4 To w n s e n d D e s i g n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 0 Va l l e y G u n , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 1 Va l l e y R e p u b l i c B a n k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 4 Va r n e r B ro t h e r s , I n c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 0 Va r n e r & S o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 1 Visit Bakersfield ..................................................................233 Wa t s o n & Wa t s o n C a t t l e , L L C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 9 Yo u n g Wo o l d r i d g e , L L P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 8 SPONSORS 301
About the Photographer GREG IGER In 1971, Greg Iger returned to Bakersfield from service in the U.S. Army, and a stint in Los Angeles as a news photographer for United Press International. Hollywood was home and his career took him to shooting movie set publicity, “red carpet” openings and models’ portfolios. His training was at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. He started “Photographic Art” on a shirt-tail budget, but soon became one of the best-known photographers in the area. He specialized in commercial photography and created a new look for portraiture in his outdoor studio. Some of his clients were large oil companies like Shell, Aera, Occidental, Chevron, and Tenneco. Other large farming, land and produce corporations like Grimmway and Bolthouse Carrots, Tenneco West, Dole and Castle & Cooke were staples for the business, as well as many local entities. During his many years in Kern County, Iger spent a lot of time honing his landscape photography skills which spawned two books on Kern County, Buena Vista—a pictorial view of Kern County and Buena Vista II—Landscapes of Kern County. Iger Studio is now located at 211 H Street near downtown Bakersfield. Large photographic images for wall décor are now the mainstay of the studio, with clients at offices, hospitals and doctors’ lobbies, as well as peoples homes and art galleries. Iger Studio continues to be a popular favorite for business, personal and family portraits, as well as product, aerial, architectural, construction, oilfield and agricultural photography. Come in for a visit or call 661-327-2768. Iger Studio is also located on the Internet at www.igerstudio.com. B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 302
About the Author MARK CORUM A dedicated family man, those who know Mark Corum appreciate how his life revolves around the family that he and the love of his life, Trisha, have created. The two met in 1988 when she came to watch a friend play drums in a band that Corum played guitar. Twenty-seven years later, they have built a remarkable family, consisting of their oldest son, Brandon, who is currently serving as a Cavalry Scout in the U.S. Army. He recently married his high-school sweetheart, Alyssa, who is a mental health technician in the U.S. Air Force. The two met as recruits in the Bakersfield Police Department’s Explorer Program. Their daughter Baylee, has a tremendous talent for writing and illustration. She is currently working towards auditioning to be a face character at Disneyland. Their youngest child Spencer is gifted with a scientific mind that is well beyond his years. He is as comfortable in the kitchen preparing a culinary delight as he is studying the periodic table for fun. In 2014, they made the decision to join Trisha’s father, Terry Persinger, on the family’s ranch in Twin Oaks, at the southern end of the Sequoia National Forest. The ranch was established in 1943, by Trisha’s grandparents on her mother Linda’s side, Frank and Evelyn Bauer. Frank, or “Poppy” as he was known, built the homestead himself, making his own adobe bricks. This California ranch lifestyle has suited the Corum family well. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the special bond between Terry “Papa”, a retired captain from the Kern County Fire Department, and his grandkids. Weekends are reserved for projects, but there is always time to barbecue and play guitars. Mark would like to extend his appreciation to Mayor Hall for allowing him to be a part of this legacy project celebrating the people of Bakersfield.
The Corum family at home on T&L Ranch in Twin Oaks. Pictured from left: Mark, Trisha, Alyssa, Brandon, Baylee, Spencer, and Terry Persinger. COURTESY OF SHAWNA LAWSON PHOTOGRAPHY.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 303
KERN COUNTY SIERRAS, PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MICHAEL CUFFE.
B A K E R S F I E L D — I t ’s T h e P e o p l e , A n d A W h o l e L o t M o re 304
LEADERSHIP SPONSORS
ISBN: 978-1-944891-19-0