August 5-18, 2014 Section A

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lbbusinessjournal.com

August 5-18, 2014

BUSINESS OF WEDDINGS

Dunk-A-Doc Marks Kickoff For Annual ‘iWalk For . . . Kids’ Fundraiser October 5 By Miller Childrens & Women’s Hospital

Themes

Seven-year-old Noah Furlow, a patient at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital on the campus of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, succeeds in “dunking” Dr. Divya Joshi, chief medical officer at Miller’s, during the “Dunk-A-Doc” event July 24. The activity brought attention to the iWalk . . . 4 Kids fundraiser scheduled October 5. The 5K walk draws community members, doctors, nurses, former and current patients as they aim to raise money to help care for the more than 8,000 children each year who are treated at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. Individuals or businesses wishing to participate should visit iwalk4kids.org to register or to obtain more information. The walk begins at the Queen Mary Events Park and circles over the Queensway Bridge and the Shoreline Aquatic Park. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Shabby Chic Style Prevails In Weddings This Summer ■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer his year, brides and grooms in Long Beach are embracing the shabby chic wedding trend, which is characterized by personalized crafted elements, according to local event planners.

“What we see a lot more of in décor style is shabby chic,” Mary Carley, director of catering and convention services at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Long Beach, told the Business Journal.

“There is some interest in doing things that are a little more homemade or having family members assist with constructing certain elements,” Carley’s coworker, Senior Catering Manager Siobhan Rathband, explained. For example, at a recent wedding at the Hyatt Regency a couple built their own arbor for their ceremony and brought it with them to the venue, Rathband recalled.

Smaller handmade elements are

T

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and long-term goals for revitalizing business corridors in North

Fire Department Rapid Medic Deployment Program ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer fter more than two years of government review and union opposition, the Long Beach Fire Department has started to implement the rapid medic

A

n July 22, a small group of O reporters and city staff gathered in a cramped civic center

Uptown Property And Business Improvement District Leverages Community To Improve Business Corridors

he Uptown Property and T Business Improvement District (PBID) has set short-term

deployment program (RMD).

Touted by Fire Chief Mike DuRee as both a public safety and cost saving measure, RMD is opposed by members of the firefighter’s union who say the program is inefficient.

Long Beach Business Journal 2599 E. 28th Street, Suite 212 Signal Hill, CA 90755-2139 562/988-1222 • www.lbbusinessjournal.com

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PAID Long Beach, CA PERMIT NO. 254

Mayor Garcia Issues His Budget Recommendations ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer

North Long Beach

■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer

City Budget

Long Beach after assembling a board of directors in February.

Currently, the PBID is using community resources to kick-start initial maintenance improvements, according to Board President Yanki Greenspan.

In a PBID, property and business owners assess themselves a fee to provide services apart from what a city already offers. The Uptown PBID was approved by the city council last year and began operating on January 1, 2014. The district runs along Atlantic Avenue from Market Street to Artesia Boulevard, and on Artesia Boulevard from Atlantic Avenue to Orange Avenue. It lies mostly within the 9th Council District, but includes a small portion of the 8th District.

“In the immediate term it is really about maintenance, security and making it a cleaner and safer neighborhood,” Greenspan said of the Uptown PBID’s current efforts. According to Greenspan, the district’s operating budget this year is about $160,000. Lorena Parker serves Time To Brag About Long Beach – The International City See Publisher’s Perspective Pg 15

as the PBID’s program manager.

In July, new 9th District Councilmember Rex Richardson, who worked with Greenspan and others to form the PBID when he was chief of staff for former Councilmember Steven Neal, made his first order of business as a councilmember to transfer $100,000 in one-time infrastructure funds from his district to the Uptown business district. The city council approved his motion. “I wanted to give them some initial funds to get their programs off the ground,” Richardson explained.

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Real Estate Quarterly

Part of the Studio One Eleven architecture and urban design team is pictured outside the historic Ocean Center office building at Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue in Downtown Long Beach. The building is being converted to apartments and ground floor retail. Pictured from left are: Michael Bohn, Linda Fu, Reed Suzuki and David Sabunas. David Gray Architects is collaborating on the project with Studio One Eleven.

Turn to Page 6-B for more information on this project and two others being coordinated by Studio One Eleven. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

See 16-Page Section B

conference room to hear Mayor Robert Garcia present his fiscal year 2015 (FY15) budget recommendations. The city’s new fiscal year begins October 1.

Garcia’s recommendations came three weeks after former Mayor Bob Foster provided his own recommendations and described an “urgent issue” facing the city council – specifically future pension costs. Because retirees are living longer, it is expected that by the year 2021 the city will need to pay $35.6 million annually to cover its California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) costs.

While Garcia said that many of Foster’s recommendations, which involve review of skill pay and contract negotiations for city (Please Continue To Page 8)

Partnership Ports America To Buy 30 Percent Stake In ITS ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer ew Jersey-based Ports America, the United States’ largest port terminal operator, announced July 31 that it intends to to purchase a 30 percent stake in International Transportation Service, Inc. (ITS) through a partnership with “K” Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd). ITS is a subsidiary of “K” Line and has operated container terminals in Long Beach for more than 40 years.

Regulatory approvals are expected later this month.

N

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014

3 Newswatch 3-Long Beach City Hall News In Brief 4-Marden Named Interim Assistant City Manager 4-New Community Center Opens At Orizaba Park 6-150 Dogs Shipped To Northwest 8-Water Rate Increase Recommended 10-International Trade News In Brief 12-July 2014 Summary Of U.S. Labor Market 13-City College Trustees Sworn In

14 Perspective Realty Views Cash Home Purchases Still Driving Market By Terry Ross Effective Leadership Five Ways To Build Trust

By Mick Ukleja HealthWise Chronic Infection, Smoke Inhalation Or Yet To Be Discovered Causes Could Explain Why Ancient Men And Women Had Atherosclerosis By Dr. Gregory Thomas Third Sector Report Nonprofit Boards And Technology: Penny Wise And Pound Foolish? By Jeffrey Wilcox Publisher’s Perspective Let’s Brag About Long Beach – The International City By George Economides

16 Business Of Weddings 17-Wedding Themes, continued from Page 1 18-Weddings On The Water

Section B Real Estate Quarterly 6-B-Studio One Eleven Residential Projects For Millennials 8-B-6th Street Lofts Set For East Village Arts District Two Business Journal Employees Promoted . . .

Editor and Publisher George Economides announced that Heather Dann has been promoted to sales and marketing executive, and Samantha Mehlinger to senior writer. Dann joined the firm in November 2012 as a sales and marketing assistant, and Mehlinger came on board in April 2013 as a staff writer. Dann earned her bachelor’s in English literature from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Mehlinger received her bachelor’s in creative writing from Chapman University and her masters from California State University, Long Beach. Both are Long Beach residents.

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NEWSWATCH August 5-18, 2014

New City Council Holds First Hearing On FY 15 Budget Several Councilmembers Set District Budget Meetings ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer On July 22, the city council heard the first in a series of presentations on the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 15) budget. The council has until September 15 to approve next year’s budget, which goes into effect October 1.

City Manager Patrick West prepared a community review packet focusing on key budget issues, describing the challenging decisions the council faces – particularly $1.3 billion in unfunded liabilities, including $943 million in looming pension costs – and providing recommendations for the FY 15 budget.

One recommendation suggested the city council adhere to its policy of setting aside 5 percent of non-recurring revenue to cover unfunded liabilities. West also recommended directing surplus money to the CalPERS Stabilization Fund. “This budget proposes $3.1 million of the FY 15 projected temporary surplus be deposited into the CalPERS Stabilization Fund to help protect against service reductions due to rate increases when poorer than expected CalPERS investment earnings occur,” the packet read.

Ninth District Councilmember Rex Richardson said he supported the stabilization fund, but added that he wanted to see more financial planning. “I think [the stabilization fund] makes a lot of sense if we want to have budget peace,” Richardson said. “But at the same time, I’d like for us to plan how large we want this fund to be so we can make plans to allocate one times strategically so they’re not competing with other budget priorities.”

The city manager’s review packet also suggested investing $2.2 million in overtime pay for police officers engaged in gang prevention efforts. Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal noted that while the city has experienced a 41-year low in crime rates, not every neighborhood has benefited from reduced crime and “hot spots” remain. City Manager West told her the council could expect more detail on how the funds would be allocated from the chief of police as budget discussions continue.

Prior to the July 22 council meeting, Mayor Robert Garcia issued seven budget recommendations (see story on Page 1), which included dedicating $2 million of any FY 14 surplus to the CalPERS Stabilization Fund. He also recommended directing $250,000 slated for upgrades to the city’s heating ventilation and air conditioning system to instead be used to fund the city’s library system and arts council.

A timeline for budget discussions provided to the public indicates that a series of community and budget oversight committee meetings are to be held between now

Long Beach Business Journal 3 and September 9. The following city councilemembers informed the Business Journal of community budget meetings in their respective distrcits. All meetings are open to the public: • Eighth District Councilmember Al Austin is holding a community budget meeting on August 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eastman Boys and Girls Club located at 700 E. Del Amo Blvd.

• Fifth District Councilmember Stacy Mungo has also scheduled a budget meeting on August 25 at 6 p.m. at Tracy’s Grill located at 5511 Spring St. • Sixth District Councilmember Dee Andrews announced he is holding a budget summit on August 26 at 6 p.m. at Ernest McBride Park, 1550 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. ■

Long Beach City Hall News In Brief ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer BNSF Lawsuit – Tonight (August 5) the city council holds a special closed-session meeting to discuss the city’s lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Rail Company (BNSF) over the planned Southern California International Gateway project (SCIG).

Opposition to the proposed rail yard, which is to be built near the Terminal Island Freeway, stems from concerns about pollution that could affect low-income Long

Beach neighborhoods. In May, the Business Journal reported that State Attorney General Kamala Harris had petitioned to join the suit against the rail company. An August 6 hearing date has been set to consider whether or not the attorney general is allowed to join the suit.

Budget Hearing – Tonight, August 5, the council holds its second hearing on the FY 15 budget, focusing on an overview of the funding for parks, recreation, marine, library services and code enforcement. A series of community and budget oversight committee meetings are scheduled through August. The council is expected to vote on the budget in mid-September. The new budget goes into effect October 1.

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NEWSWATCH 4 Long Beach Business Journal

City Hall News In Brief (Continued From Page 3)

The German-American International Business Workshop The German-American Business International Workshop is an important component of the International Curriculum offered by the College of Business Administration at California State University, Long Beach. Typically, a group of 10-20 German

By Dr. Terrence H. undergraduate and master’s Witkowski, Professor of students from the Hamburg Marketing and Director University of Applied of the International Business Program Sciences visits Long Beach in November, and a similar group of Long Beach students travels to Germany the first week of June.

Whether held in Long Beach or in Hamburg, the Workshop consists of a get-acquainted dinner, two days of student seminars, visits to four local businesses, a farewell dinner, and social activities. Students make their own travel arrangements and, as a cost savings, stay with a host in Long Beach or Hamburg.

Over the years we have heard presentations at the Aquarium of the Pacific, Fender Guitars, the Getty Center, JetBlue Airways, Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Press-Telegram, Long Beach Transit, Mattel, the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary, UPS, Toyota and United Airlines among others. In Germany we have had meetings at ExxonMobil, Gruner + Jahr, Hamburg Airport, Hamburger Hochbahn, Kraft Jacobs Suchard, Lufthansa Technik, Olympus Europa, the Otto Group, Montblanc, Philips, REpower, Siemens, Vattenfall, and a number of other corporations.

The Workshop began in November 1993, with the arrival of the first inbound group of Germans. The first Long Beach class went to Germany in June 1995. The late Wilm Pelters (CSULB German Studies), Joachim Kellner (Hamburg-Marketing) and I organized these initial Workshops. Other CSULB participating faculty members have included the late Paul Frantz (Business Law), Sabine Reddy (Management), the late Clyde Stoltenberg (Business Law), Dana Sumpter (Management), and Mark Washburn (Management). Other Hamburg faculty members have included Werner Beba, Natalia Ribberrink, Horst Seider, and Annette Schikarski (all in Marketing).

When CSULB students go to Germany, they enroll in “short-term study abroad” courses – CBA 494 or, for graduate students, GBA 694 – during Spring Semester. Typically, the class meets about 15 hours in Long Beach for orientation sessions, lectures and group project assignments, and then for 30 hours of activities in Germany. When the Germans come, Long Beach business students receive extra credit to participate.

Students have enjoyed Workshop events and the opportunity to interact directly with students from another country. Some have subsequently come to Long Beach or gone to Hamburg for an entire semester. And so far the Workshop has resulted in at least one German-American marriage!

(The College of Business Administration at Cal State Long Beach is an AACSB accredited business school that provides undergraduates and MBAs with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their careers and to propel the economic development of our region.) ■

tion by the city attorney’s office to declare an ordinance that seeks to abate public nuisances caused by illegal manufacture and sale of controlled substances is on tonight’s city council agenda. For 10 years, the city attorney’s office has participated in a statewide pilot program allowing the office to file unlawful detainer actions to evict individuals who sell or manufacture narcotics in rental units. Though the pilot program has sunset, according to a California Research Bureau report, Long Beach made the most efficient use of the program, generating 283 tenant relocations or convictions. City Attorney Charles Parkin is recommending the city pass an ordinance allowing his office to continue to evict drug selling or manufacturing tenants.

SEADIP Workshop – Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 6, at 6:30 p.m., the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel is the site of a community workshop providing summary information on the Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan (SEADIP). This is the second of three community workshops focused on redevelopment of 1,500-acres near 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The meeting is expected to explore the plan’s opportunities and constraints. For more information contact Brant Birkeland at 526/570-6922 or brant.birkeland@longbeach.gov. The Golden Sails Hotel is located in Long Beach at 6285 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. Local Hire Policy – At its July 22 meeting, the city council voted unanimously to direct City Manager Patrick West to review the possibility of developing a local workforce training and local hiring policy. The item was sponsored by 4th District City Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell in cooperation with 8th District Councilmember Al Austin and 1st District Councilmember Lena Gonzalez. In a letter to Mayor Garcia and the rest of the council, O’Donnell stressed the city’s role in ensuring a well-paid workforce. “It [is] essential that we use our own resources as tools to leverage opportunity for our residents and local economy,” the letter stated.

During public comments, Carson Mayor Jim Dear said his

August 5-18, 2014

Jyl Marden Named Interim Assistant City Manager City Manager Patrict West announced the appointment of Jyl Marden as interim assistant city manager. Marden temporarily replaces Suzanne Frick, who held the position of assistant city manager since 2007. Frick left the position to take a job as city administrator for the City of Ketchum, Idaho. Her last day was August 1.

“Jyl has been an integral part of the city’s executive management team for the last 14 years,” West said in a statement.

“I am fortunate to have her on my staff, and am fully confident that her vast professional experience with the City of Long Beach is what we need in an interim assistant manager.” According to a city press release, Marden is not a candidate for the permanent assistant city manager position.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been asked by the city manager to fill this role,” Marden said in a statement. “I’ve built my entire career in Long Beach and look forward to using the experience I’ve gained to provide continuity of leadership until a new assistant city manager is in place.” Marden’s temporary position became effective August 2. ■ city has a similar policy and encouraged Long Beach to follow suit. “Our project labor agreements in Carson have created not just jobs for our residents in our city, but for people that are looking for careers. Project labor agreements have projects that are coming in under budget and on time. It creates careers for people in Carson,” Dear said. Third District Councilmember Suzie Price said she supported the city manager preparing a report on the policy while urging objectivity.

“I want to make sure that we don’t set forth policies that hinder people from wanting to do business in the city,” Price said. After reviewing the workforce training and local hiring

New Community Center Debuts At Orizaba Park On Saturday, August 2, the city held a grand opening ceremony for a new community center located at Orizaba Park. Designed to reflect the park’s historical location, which was once a stop on the former Pacific Electric rail line, the 3,000square-foot center is reminiscent of a train depot.

The center is set to house a digital training academy and to offer visual art courses in subjects like high definition movie making and website design. “I’m proud to have been part of this and many other projects that have enhanced this park and community,” 4th District Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell said in a statement. “A tired kid is a good kid, and the programs offered at the new community center, from digital design to computer coding, are sure to help them succeed in the classroom and workplace.” Built with $2.2 million in Proposition 84 funding, the center signals the completion of the second phase of park renovations. Park expansion began in January 2012 with $3.7 million in redevelopment agency funding, and the city acquired four adjacent blighted industrial properties, adding 1.1 acres to the park’s existing 2.62 acres. “This new community center is a wonderful addition to Orizaba Park,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “The center will help bring the community together and provide space for recreation programs, meetings and events.” Orizaba Park is located at the intersection of Orizaba Avenue and Spaulding Street. (Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

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Uptown PBID – The city council voted 8-0 to approve the transfer of one-time 9th District Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 14) funds totaling $100,000 to the Uptown Property and Business Improvement District (PBID). District Councilmember Rex Richardson noted that the PBID is the first improvement district to come online in the city since the loss of redevelopment.

“They’re having some tough times getting off the ground, so what I’d like to do is make an appropriation and help them out,” Richardson said. Voters established the Uptown PBID in October 2013. The district is centered in the Atlantic Avenue Corridor stretching from Market Street to Artesia Boulevard and along Artesia from Atlantic Avenue to Orange Avenue. The PBID seeks to revitalize the surrounding

community and focuses on security, maintenance, and economic development.

Councilmember O’Donnell was absent during the vote. For more information about the PBID, refer to Page 1 story.

Bioterrorism – The city council voted 8-0 to accept additional funding from the Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) by way of Los Angeles County in the amount of $919,328 for bioterrorism preparedness. The vote extended an existing contract between the county and the city, bringing the total funding amount to $2,817,484. According to a letter from the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services sent to the mayor and city council, the money is earmarked to develop public health preparedness and response to bioterrorism on a regional level. “The funding will allow the city to participate in a comprehensive regional

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risk and hazard assessment; develop a strategic plan to guide annual long-term preparedness; enhance testing capacity of biological and chemical agents; and continue training and exercise programs that include issues related to aerosolized biological agent attacks, communicable disease control, pandemic influenza and terrorism,” the letter stated.

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention – City Manager West was authorized by the city council to amend the existing agreement between the city and the State of California Department of Public Health to provide an additional $94,781 to continue the childhood lead poisoning prevention program. The amendment brings the total amount of program funding to $859,157. The council authorized the original grant agreement in October 2013. The program

attempts to prevent childhood lead poisoning through community outreach and also provides follow up from physicians and nurses for children suffering from lead poisoning.

One Stop Career Center Providers – The city council authorized City Manager West to execute contracts not to exceed $3,590,097 with local career centers to provide training and employment services to residents. The city receives the money from the federal Workforce Investment Act, and the training program is administered by Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network. The network includes the Torrance Career Center, Harbor WorkSource Center, the Career Transition Center and Youth Opportunity Center. Sixth District Councilmember Dee Andrews said the career centers have (Please Continue To Page 6

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NEWSWATCH 6 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014

Ted Stevens, above, bureau manager of the Long Beach Animal Care Services, holds one of the 150 dogs flown from the Long Beach Airport on July 30 to the Pacific Northwest where, reportedly, there is a high demand for breeds in abundance in Southern California.

The groups involved with the transfer were Wings of Rescue, Shelter Me and Bark Avenue Foundation.

(Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

City Hall News In Brief (Continued From Page 3)

made a big difference in getting residents back to work. “I’m always referring individuals to these centers,” Andrews said.

New Gas Main – Following a recommendation by Long Beach Gas and Oil, the city council voted 8-0 to replace the

city’s gas main and provide new regulator stations for an amount not to exceed $2,441,016. The council also voted to award the pipe’s installation contract to Lake Forest-based ARB Inc. Construction begins in August and is expected to be completed in February 2015.

Cherry Avenue Improvements – The city council voted 8-0 to adopt the

planned improvements to Cherry Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway. The city council awarded the contract, which is not to exceed $2,127,499, to Alabassi Construction of Riverside. The work includes replacing damaged curbs, gutters, driveways, alley entrances and sidewalk as well as the removal of tree roots.

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Landscape Services – City Manager West was authorized to enter into agreements with Landscape Architects of Culver City, Hirsch and Associates Inc. of Anaheim, Mia Leher & Associates of Los Angeles and RJM Design Group of San Juan Capistrano for as-needed landscape architectural services. The services are to be provided for a two-year term. The city

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NEWSWATCH

the release, Howe sued under the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. The press release stated that during her time as an employee, Howe never complained of discrimination or harassment. “The court determined that Howe failed to present any evidence that the city’s reason for terminating her was simply a pretext for discrimination,� the release stated.

After School Programs – Tonight the city council considers a recommendation to authorize City Manager West to execute agreements with the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) to operate the After School Education and Safety Program. The program takes place at seven campuses: Burbank, Edison, Garfield, Grant, King, Lafayette and Lee Elementary. Each campus is slated to receive grant money allocated to the city

by LBUSD totaling $1,386,192. Approval of the agenda item authorizes a 15 percent “in kindâ€? match in the amount of $207,929, which comes from community development block grant and general fund money. The money is used to fund staff, supplies and equipment kept at the school sites. â–

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

Prior to the program’s implementation, each city ambulance was staffed with two firefighter paramedics. Under the new program, which has been in effect since July 10, one firefighter paramedic from each ambulance has been reassigned to one of the city’s 17 fire engines.

Meanwhile, ambulances are now operated by one firefighter paramedic accompanied by less costly basic life support (BLS) personnel; an arrangement the chief says could save a projected $1.4 million annually.

According to DuRee, in a city with more engines than ambulances, advanced life support services can now get to an emergency scene faster, adding that 84 percent of the department’s call volume is for medical issues. “The ability to get a paramedic on scene quickly is important and this program is doing that,� DuRee said. He added that although more data is needed to accurately judge the program’s success, early numbers are positive. “It’s two weeks of data so I caution hanging my hat on that, but the data is showing clearly that because we put paramedics on all the engines, we’re seeing a pretty good improvement citywide getting that first paramedic on scene,� DuRee said. (At press time, a fire department spokesperson said the chief would be providing more program data soon.)

But Rex Pritchard, president of Long Beach Firefighter’s Local 372, called the program an inefficient “train wreck.� He explained to the Business Journal that advanced life support calls (ALS), such as those for heart attacks and traumatic injuries, require two paramedics. Under the current system, Pritchard said patients are forced to wait longer for a second paramedic to arrive.

He gave a hypothetical situation involving a car crash with three patients in need of transport to the hospital.

“It used to be you might have an engine or two with three ambulances come. Now you’ve got to get enough paramedics on scene to treat those trauma patients. Now you’re getting multiple engines, multiple rescues, now you have engines delivering paramedics . . . Single incidents draw down more resources, create more holes in the city, create longer response times,�

Pritchard said. “We need to revert back to our proven previous system asap.�

At the June 10 city council meeting, 8th District Councilmember Al Austin, supported by then Councilmembers Gerrie Schipske and Steven Neal, moved to delay the program’s implementation until Fiscal Year 2015 citing to a city report that expected the fire department to end the current year within budget. During public comments, Prichard said without a budget shortfall there was no need to implement the program. Austin’s motion was defeated by councilmembers Suja Lowenthal, Gary DeLong, Dee Andrews and James Johnson and the program was implemented a month later.

DuRee said that the firefighter’s union is simply resistant to change, adding that the RMD program appears to be working well. “The transition into this program from the old program was seamless.

Obviously [it was] two and a half years of set-up work to get to that point,� DuRee said.

Though he acknowledged the firefighter’s association and the union president’s opposition to the program, DuRee said the quality of service wouldn’t be affected. “When the bells go off and our people respond to calls in the city, the residents should expect the same world-class service they’re accustomed to. They’ll see no change there. Our people are consummate professionals, and we’re responding the same we have since 1972,â€? DuRee said. â–

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council also approved an option to extend the contract for three additional one-year terms. The aggregate amount of the contracts is not to exceed $3,000,000.

Committee Appointments – The council voted 8-0 to approve a list of appointments made by former Mayor Bob Foster for the city’s 32 standing committees, authorities and memberships.

Councilmember O’Donnell was absent for the vote. Prior to the vote, the list was amended to change the mayor’s alternate on the Gateway Cities of Council from 7th District Governments Councilmember Roberto Uranga to Councilmember O’Donnell.

Lawsuit Dismissed – On July 30, the city attorney’s office issued a press release stating that a superior court judge dismissed the discrimination lawsuit of Valerie Howe, a former part-time clerk with the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine. Following her termination, which the city maintained was due to poor performance, Howe sued, claiming she had been discriminated against because she suffered from allergies and asthma. According to

Long Beach Business Journal 7

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NEWSWATCH 8 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014 Linda Thong (left) and Rebecca Fuentes, along with some of their peers from Jordan High School, help maintain newly planted trees on Atlantic Avenue in the Uptown Property and Business Improvement District (PBID), located in North Long Beach. The youth are employed through the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network in partnership with the PBID to help maintain streets in the district’s business corridors, located along portions of Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Uptown PBID (Continued From Page 1)

The City of Long Beach has infrastructure improvement projects currently underway on both Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, including in portions of the PBID. Richardson pointed out the Uptown group’s efforts to maintain its business corridors are going to help maintain the city’s investments, which include new trash cans, trees, cross walks, sidewalk repairs and more. “It directly improves our infrastructure to have a partner like the business district,” he said.

To save money and actively engage the community in revitalizing the North Long Beach Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard business corridors, the business district has partnered with the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network to hire students from Jordan High School for maintenance work, Greenspan said.

Richardson said the effort is set to employ 25 students per year.

An added benefit of having Jordan High students working within the PBID is those students may choose to spend the money they make at the businesses they are helping, Greenspan pointed out. “We know high school kids are going to reinvest that

money into their communities because it is all expendable income,” he said.

Having local high school students clean up the area may also create a “peer watching” effect in which students may be less likely to litter or graffiti if they know their friends are going to have to clean up their messes, Greenspan noted. Al Austin, 8th District councilmember, said he has observed “noticeable improvements” in the area since the students started working. The Uptown PBID is also hiring professional

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

employees, are to remain “on the table,” he also made seven of his own recommendations, which he said were, for the most part, “budget neutral.”

Garcia began the meeting by suggesting that $2 million from any FY14 surplus be put into the CalPERS stabilization fund.

“We all know the CalPERS stabilization fund is going to allow us to smooth out our deficit challenges in the near future so that we can put money aside for these difficult days coming forward,” Garcia said.

However, the largest sum of money in Garcia’s budget included $24.7 million, which the city expects to receive from the state between FY14 and FY16. Deputy City Manager Tom Modica explained to the Business Journal that during the days of redevelopment agencies, the state would occasionally borrow agency money to balance its budget.

Modica said the money the city will be receiving originally came from the housing portion of the redevelopment agency, and by law, must be used for low-income housing.

“That money is legally obligated for affordable housing,” Modica said. “In particular, it’s obligated mostly for low and extremely low-income affordable housing.”

Garcia explained he wants to put the money into the city’s housing trust fund and use it to leverage additional grant funding for affordable housing.

Garcia’s other recommendations included using $250,000 dollars slated for upgrades to the city’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) to be used instead for library enhancements and the city’s arts council.

Garcia explained that after discussions with City Manager Patrick West, it was determined that many of the planned HVAC upgrades can wait.

“I want to make sure that our libraries

are just as modern as all the other new libraries that are opening up. In particular, our north library needs to be a worldclass library,” Garcia said.

His suggestion, if approved by the city council, provides $200,000 to supplement the city’s library material and information budget with the additional $50,000 going to the arts council.

Other budget proposals included reclassifying a city planner as a historic preservation officer to oversee the city’s 17 historic neighborhoods as well as implementing street sweeping efficiencies to avoid outsourcing those services. Garcia also expressed a desire to rename the city’s current technology services department as the technology and innovation department.

“The new technology and innovation department will lead the way in making government open and accessible,” Garcia said. “The department should also partner with Cal State Long Beach as well as Long Beach City College on open data and technology projects.”

After the meeting, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal issued a statement supporting the mayor’s recommendations. “As the incoming chair of the [Long Beach City Council’s] Budget Oversight Committee (BOC), I want to strongly endorse Mayor Garcia’s budget recommendations. I fully support strengthening our reserves and recommitting ourselves to economic development, historic preservation, and our libraries. The BOC will be reviewing the mayor’s proposals at our upcoming meetings and providing our recommendations to the city council,” the statement read.

In the coming weeks, the city council is set to hold a series of meetings to discuss the budget. Community meetings are being held in individual districts. A final vote to approve the budget is scheduled for mid September. ■

maintenance staff to do more intensive tasks such as power washing sidewalks.

To improve the appearances of businesses and properties in the area, which Greenspan said are mostly “Mom and Pop businesses, liquor stores, small markets, laundromats, smoke shops and apartment buildings,” the PBID Board is working with city staff on a modified version of the city’s façade improvement program.

Through that program, commercial property owners who own buildings within business corridors are eligible for $2,000 rebates to improve their buildings’ facades.

“We actually got together with the City of Long Beach and are creating a modified plan where rather than the owner of the business having to come up with the $2,000 and then get reimbursed for it, we are going to come up with that money for them and be paid back by the City of Long Beach,” Greenspan explained.

Another short-term priority for the PBID is security. Richardson said the business district’s board is currently “looking into creative ways to provide security to the corridor” and may have some public safety measures implemented by August.

Greenspan pointed out that Bixby

Knolls was not always as safe as it once was, but since the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association was formed in that area to oversee a PBID, crime has decreased. “I grew up in Bixby Knolls and I got mugged at gunpoint at the corner of Carson Street and Atlantic Avenue when I was 11 years old,” he recalled. “Now, I would never imagine somebody getting mugged there. It is a great intersection . . . things have changed.” Forming a PBID was the best method to achieve similar results in Uptown, he said.

In addition to creating a safe environment, the long-term goal is “ultimately economic development,” Greenspan said.

He, Richardson and Austin all pointed out that several former state redevelopment agency properties are within the Uptown PBID, and their fates are tied up until the state approves the city’s long range redevelopment management plan. After the state gives the green light, “we’ll be able to populate many of those buildings with business, creating jobs, opportunity and commerce,” Austin said. In the meantime, a portion of the PBID’s budget is allotted to marketing the businesses within its boundaries. ■

Local Water Rates Recommended For A Four Percent Increase

imported water costs over the last eight years, while our rates have only gone up 44 percent.

We have been using water fund reserves to meet the difference,” her e-mail read.

While Long Beach residents prepare for a bump in their water bills, they also continue to deal with one of the worst droughts in California history. In February, the Long Beach Water Department declared an imminent water supply shortage prohibiting certain water uses such as landscape irrigation on any other days than Monday, Thursday or Saturday. Serving drinking water in restaurants when not specifically requested by customers is also prohibited.

According to Keyes, per capita water usage in Long Beach is among the lowest of any large city in California. A press release issued by the department on August 1, stated that the city’s water consumption for the month of July was the lowest it had been since 1958 – back when the city had 150,000 fewer residents. “Now we need to show perseverance,” said Water Commission President Harry Saltzgaver in a statement.

“To be prepared for whatever the future might hold, we must continue to conserve.”

Added Keyes by e-mail, “We are okay for this year. But if next winter is dry, 2015 will be very difficult for all of us in California.” ■

■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer At its June 19 meeting, the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners voted unanimously to increase water rates by 4 percent as part of its Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 15) budget. The Long Beach City Council must approve the rate hike when it votes on the city budget in midSeptember.

Melissa Keyes, special projects coordinator for the water department, said that the current year was the first of a five-year plan to increase rates 4 percent annually.

“We are on track at the end of year one, and FY 15 is year two. The board must vote to raise rates each year, so no rate increases beyond FY 15 have been approved at this time. The budget and rates get reassessed each year,” Keyes’s statement read.

Keyes also explained the decision to increase rates resulted from the climbing costs of imported water.

“We have absorbed 82 percent increases in

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1_LBBJ_August5_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 8/3/14 3:32 PM Page 10

NEWSWATCH AQUARIUMOFPACIFIC.ORG 562.590.3100 100 AQUARIUM WAY, LONG BEACH, CA 90802

10 Long Beach Business Journal

Ports America And ITS (Continued From Page 1)

“We are pleased to extend our relationship with “K” Line through this investment,” Ports America President and CEO Michael Hassing said in a statement. “Ports America realizes the significance of innovation and the need for continued capital improvement and expansion.”

According to a July 31 statement, the two companies intend to work together to introduce Ports America’s technology and safety programs in ITS’ gate, yard and vessel operations.

Ports America operates in more than 42 ports and 80 locations. ■

International Trade News In Brief S HOR ESHO E

■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer

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et closer to our animals than ever before and enjoy special interactive experiences, including new opportunities to touch bonnethead sharks, cownose rays, and horseshoe crabs and special behind-the-scenes looks at animal feedings. Come discover the wonder, and see all that is new this summer at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

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$858 Million Port of Long Beach Budget Approved – On July 14, the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved an $858 million budget for the Port of Long Beach for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, which begins October 1. Capital improvement projects make up the majority of the budget, with $579 million set aside for major investments such as the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project and the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project. The budget also includes $30 million for environmental

August 5-18, 2014 programs. Operating revenue for fiscal year 2014-15 is projected at $346.8 million. A statement from POLB said the budget funds nearly 30 new positions, including 20 in the engineering bureau and six in port security.

The City of Long Beach Harbor Department, which runs the port, uses no taxpayer dollars in its budget. The port’s operations are funded through income from terminal leases and cargo fees charged to port tenants and shipping lines. When asked about his thoughts on the budget by Commissioner Susan Wise at the July 14 meeting, new POLB Chief Executive Jon Slangerup replied, “I don’t have concerns about the budget. I think it is a conservative plan.” In a statement, Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond said the port would “remain a vital economic engine for both the regional and national economies.”

POLA Partners With Port of Shanghai On Shore Power – On July 10, the Port of Los Angeles committed to a partnership with the Port of Shanghai to help the Chinese port further implement the use of shore power. When ships plug in to shore power at ports instead of running on engine power, air emissions caused by engines are reduced by 95 percent, according to the POLA. The agreement establishes a threeyear initiative through which the POLA “will share knowledge with the Port of Shanghai on topics that include regulations, rules, standards, policies, electricity rates and incentive programs to promote shore power.” The formal agreement was signed at a ceremony concluding the U.S.China Strategic and Economic Dialogue,

1_LBBJ_August5_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 8/3/14 3:32 PM Page 11

NEWSWATCH August 5-18, 2014 an annual conference co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, China Vice Premier Wang Yang and China State Councilor Yang Jiechi. The partnership is part of the U.S.-China Ecopartnership Program, which fosters environmentally friendly projects and collaborations between the countries, according to a POLA statement. “Los Angeles continues to see the health and economic benefits of green growth, and we are eager to support our No. 1 trading partner as it expands its shore power program,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said of the agreement.

Free Export Workshop At USC – The Port of Los Angeles is partnering with the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency at the University of Southern California (USC) for a free Trade Connect export workshop on August 26 from 1:30-5 p.m. at USC’s Galen Center, 3400 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. The event aims to provide L.A. area fashion, health and beauty product companies advice about exporting their goods overseas. To register, e-mail Jean Coronel at jcoronel@portla.org or visit http://tinyurl.com/ExportIntroFashion. ■

News In Brief ■ By BRANDON FERGUSON Staff Writer

Former Councilmember Uranga Running For Water Replenishment District Former Long Beach Councilmember Tonia Reyes Uranga announced last month her intention to run for the 3rd Division seat of the Water Replenishment District (WRD). The seat represents seven cities including Long Beach.

“I am excited at the possibility of serving on a governing board that will preserve, monitor and replenish safe, clean and accessible water for our area,” Reyes Uranga said in a statement. “Water quality and availability is a quality of life issue that has a tremendous impact on our neighborhoods, business community and economic growth.”

Reyes Uranga is vying for a seat vacated

by Lillian Kawasaki’s death in 2013. The WRD Board appointed Lynn Vivian to fill the seat until this November’s election.

Married to 7th District Councilmember Roberto Uranga, Reyes Uranga also served as a 7th District councilmember. First elected in 2002, she was reelected in 2006.

In addition to her tenure on the Long Beach City Council, Reyes Uranga served on the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The WRD consists of five divisions representing 43 Southern California cities.

Former Airport Manager Kunze Honored For Service Chris Kunze, a former administration and operations manager at the Long Beach Airport (LGB), was honored last month at the 68th annual summer conference of the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (SWAAAE). Before an audience of 250 airport industry professionals, Kunze was awarded the Wanamaker Award for nearly

Long Beach Business Journal 11 three decades of service at LGB. The award was named in memory of Robert Wanamaker, a prominent attorney and airport executive, and recognizes individuals whose leadership improved airports or general aviation.

According to a press release, Kunze was a dedicated leader who promoted balance between general and commercial aviation businesses. “Chris is an intelligent, dedicated and loyal public servant who has greatly contributed to California airports and the aviation industry,” Long Beach Airport Association President Curt Castagna said in a statement. “His masterful handling of years of federal litigation and modernization of the Long Beach Airport terminal serves as a national model.”

Kunze started at LGB in 1981 after managing Ventura’s two airports. During his career as an aviation professional, Kunze chaired the Southern California Association Governments’ Aviation Advisory Commission at a time when the region was developing an aviation system plan.

W.M. Keck Foundation Donates $500,000 To Study Learning In STEM Disciplines Last month the W.M. Keck Foundation awarded the California State University system a $500,000 grant to fund a study on the impact of service-learning courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Service learning is an educational approach combining classroom instruction with community service. ■

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NEWSWATCH 12 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014

July 2014 Summary Of U.S. Labor Market (Note: The following analysis is provided by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation Kyser Center For Economic Research.)

Unemployment Rate And Labor Force – July 2014 The U.S. unemployment rate edged up to 6.2% in July from 6.1% in June, but was down from the year ago rate of 7.3%.

• Although household employment rose by 131,000 last month, the labor force also increased, rising by 329,000 as more people entered the labor force. This explains the slight increase in the unemployment rate even as more people reported being employed.

• The labor force participation rate increased to 62.9% after holding steady at 62.8% during the previous three months, but was still down from 63.4% a year ago.

• The annual rate of labor force participa-

tion was at 66.0% prior to the recession, fell to 63.7% two years ago in 2012, and was 63.3% in 2013.

While the headline unemployment rate was 6.2%, the more comprehensive U-6 rate was 12.2% compared with 12.1% in June. Still, the U-6 rate was more than 1.7 percentage points lower than it was a year earlier when it was 13.9%. This measure of unemployment includes discouraged workers, part-time workers who would like to work full time and other categories of distressed workers.

• The percentage of long-term unemployed (over 27 weeks) was down significantly over the year, but was up slightly compared with June.

July 2014: 32.9% of all unemployed Prior Month: 32.8% of all unemployed Same Mo, Prior Yr: 37.5% of all unemployed

• Since 1990, the percentage of long-

term unemployed has averaged 22%. This figure exceeded 45% during the worst of the recession.

The U.S. labor force increased to 156,023,000 in July, up 329,000 monthto-month and by 330,000 or 0.2% from a year earlier.

• The labor force has increased by an average of just over 0.1% YTY over the first seven months of this year.

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

• Household employment peaked in November 2007 at 146,595,000, which means household employment in July was 243,000 below the pre-recession peak.

• At the present rate of job creation, employment as measured by the household

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survey will surpass the pre-recession peak late this year or early next year.

The employment to population ratio was unchanged over the month at 59.0, but was up from July of last year when it was 58.7.

• The July reading was the highest since August 2009 when the rate was 59.1.

Nonfarm (Wage & Salary) Jobs – July 2014 The July nonfarm job count was 139,004,000, a new record high.

The economy added 209,000 nonfarm jobs month-to-month (MTM). The May MTM change was revised up to 229,000 jobs (from 224,000), while the June change was revised from 288,000 jobs to 298,000.

With these revisions, employment gains in May and June were 15,000 higher than previously reported.

• With these revisions, nonfarm employment grew by an average of 230,000 jobs per month during the first seven months of this year, outpacing the 196,000 average monthly job gain over the same period last year.

• Nonfarm jobs in July surpassed the prerecession peak of 138,365,000 in January 2008 by 639,000.

• On a year-to-year basis, the economy added 2.57 million jobs, an increase of 1.9%YTY, which was faster than the average rate of growth over the past two years of 1.7% The private sector added 198,000 jobs, hitting a new high of 117,082,000. Private sector jobs rose by nearly 2.2% YTY while jobs in the government sector rose by 91,000.

Decreases at the federal level were more than offset by gains at the state and local level.

Every private industry super-sector except for Information added jobs both MTM and YTY in July, and the public sector saw a slight gain as well. Of the 2.57 million jobs added year-to-year: • The largest YTY gains occurred in professional and business services (+648,000 jobs or 3.5%) with about one-third of the increase occurring in temporary employment (216,700 jobs), but other categories such as professional and technical industries, which saw employment expand by 229,300 jobs or 2.8%, also contributed to the gains.

• Employment in the trade, transportation and utilities industry expanded by 576,000 jobs (2.2%) with most of the gains occurring in retail trade (297,600 jobs).

• Leisure and hospitality grew by 375,000 jobs (2.6%), mostly due to gains in food and beverage establishments (292,100 jobs or 2.8%).

• Other noteworthy increases include health care (336,300 jobs or 1.9%) and construction (211,000 jobs or 3.6%). The manufacturing sector added 178,000 jobs (1.5%), most of which were concentrated in durable goods (169,000 jobs).

• Despite recent gains in constrution, industry employment is still 1.7 million jobs shy of its prerecession peak.

There were new record high levels of employment last month in the following super-sectors: Mining and logging, professional and business services, education and health, leisure and hospitality.

Highlights Related To The Southern California Economy Looking at sectors that are important locally: • Nationally, there were 311,600 jobs (not seasonally adjusted) in the motion picture

1_LBBJ_August5_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 8/3/14 3:33 PM Page 13

NEWSWATCH August 5-18, 2014 and sound recording sector in July, down 15.3% from 368,100 a year ago. Motion picture and sound recording employment has declined in year-to-year terms each month of this year, mainly due to decreases in motion picture and video production employment. In contrast, motion picture and sound recording employment in Los

Long Beach Business Journal 13 Angeles County has increased year-to-year, the latest month being June when employment rose by 9.6% YTY from 119,000 jobs in June of last year to 130,400 jobs this year.

• Transportation and warehousing and wholesale trade are both important components of the national and local transportation and logistics industry. Nationally,

transportation and warehousing added 150,800 jobs (up by 3.4%), while wholesale trade added 127,300 jobs (2.2%).

Locally, the transportation and warehousing sector was up by 4.1% over the year to June (5,800 jobs), while employment in the local wholesale trade industry declined by 0.9% over the year.

• Among the manufacturing sectors that are important to the local economy, fabricated metal products, food manufacturing, and petroleum and coal products employment increased YTY; while employment declined YTY in computer and electronic products, and apparel. ■

Long Beach Community College District Board Of Trustees Swearing-in ceremonies were held July 29 for the two newly-elected members of the Long Beach Community College District Board Of Trustees – Sunny Zia, representing Trustee Area 3; and Dr. Virginia L. Baxter, Trustee Area 5.

They won their seats during the April elections in Long Beach and the other cities represented by the district: Signal Hill, Avalon and parts of Lakewood. Trustee Jeffrey A. Kellogg, who won reelection to the board representing Area 1, was also sworn in and was reelected on July 29 to another term as board president. Trustee Doug Otto of Area 4 has two years remaining on his current term. The fifth member of the board is Roberto Uranga of Area 2, who was elected in April to serve as the city council representative from the 7th Council District. A replacement will soon be named to serve the two years remaining on Uranga’s term as a trustee. The trustees have scheduled a retreat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 26, followed by a board meeting at 5 p.m. The September 9 trustee meeting includes a budget workshop and public hearing. Pictured from left are: Kellogg, Baxter, Zia, Mayor Robert Garcia, Otto, Uranga and Eloy Oakley, superintendent-president of the community college district. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Celebrating 50 Years of Generosity 1964 – 2014 This year, during our Golden Anniversary at Memorial Medical Center Foundation, we are grateful for community-minded business leaders and Philanthropic Friends.

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

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

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

Here’s to the next 50.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Jim Normandin President MMCF

Peter Ridder Chair, Board of Directors MMCF

1_LBBJ_August5_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 8/3/14 3:33 PM Page 14

PERSPECTIVE 14 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014

Five Ways To Build Trust Vol. XXVII No. 15 August 5-18, 2014 EDITOR & PUBLISHER George Economides SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE Heather Dann DISTRIBUTION Conrad Riley EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT SENIOR WRITER Samantha Mehlinger STAFF WRITER Brandon Ferguson PHOTOJOURNALIST Thomas McConville COPY EDITORS Lindsay Christopher and Pat Flynn The Long Beach Business Journal is a publication

of

South

Coast

Publishing, Inc., incorporated in the State of California in July 1985. It is published

every

other

mericans are saying, “I just don’t know who to trust anymore.” According to the latest poll, 75 percent of Americans do not trust most companies.1 This includes a lot of nonprofits as well.

Trust is key to an individual’s or a company’s success, yet only in recent years has any thoughtful discus■ EFFECTIVE sion of anything to do with LEADERSHIP trust appeared in business

By Mick Ukleja school curriculum.

Trust is a key building block in the creation of a company’s reputation. As a direct result of that it impacts shareholder value. Nine out of 10 people agree that a corporation’s reputation plays a large role in forming opinions about products and services.2 Eight out of 10 agree to pay more money for goods and services from a company with a well-regarded record.

Trust never stands still. It’s never neutral. It’s either accelerating or decelerating what you are trying to do as an organization, leader or family.

High levels of trust offer you the benefit of the doubt. If folks feel you mean them no harm and will keep simple agreements, they will look past mistakes.

Low levels of trust become time vampires.

Things go slowly and sloppily because you are being questioned on everything you do. No good deed goes unsuspected. Every action will be labeled with a negative intent.

Sometimes trust is impacted by an external cause. If there’s a downturn in the market, fear and mistrust are familiar byproducts. Fear and mistrust

A

Tuesday

(except between Christmas and midJanuary) – 25 copies annually. The

travel in the same circle. This is when leaders should ramp up communication.

Effective leaders know that trust is a key aspect of leadership.

Here are five tips on building a culture of trust.

1. Start With The Person. This personal approach has a way of impacting the whole group.

It’s actually contagious. Others pick up on the vibes and grow in their trust.

2. Market Transparency. If you are transparent, people will trust you more. A problem with many organizations is that their trustworthy inner workings are hidden. Nobody knows about it. Maybe all the needed information is available. But do people know how to acquire it? Do they know where to look for it? Do they even know it’s available? Don’t just be transparent. Be proactive in pointing it out so that others can see it. Unethical companies cover up the bad stuff that’s going on. It’s not uncommon for some ethical companies to inadvertently hide the good they are doing.

3. Seed Accountability and Weed Blame. The person who can describe the problem without assigning blame is the real leader. Blame-free problem solving is better than a blame-storming session.

People respect being held accountable, but they naturally avoid an atmosphere of blame and punishment. Accountability encourages corrective action.

Blame encourages self-protection.

4. Speak About Others As Though They Were Present. Do this, not just at work, but everywhere you find yourself. There are few better habits for building your trustworthiness and their trust. This draws people to you, increases their trust, and sets a strong example for them to do likewise.

5. Master The Habit Of Apologizing. When you

fall down or misfire on a commitment, don’t hide it.

Hang a lantern on it so everyone involved can see your acknowledgment and ownership. Too many leaders have never been trained how to do this.

When trust is broken, how do you repair it?3 The steps are simple to understand, but difficult to implement. It takes a good dose of self-reflection.

First, figure out what happened. Was trust broken down over time or was there a single incident?

Second, assess the damage. Was it a widespread event or an isolated incident?

Third, own up to the mistake. This doesn’t mean you have to fix the mistake immediately, but you need to acknowledge the mistake or grievance so you can move forward. Do three things: (1) I’m sorry, (2) I will do better in the future, (3) shut up (because excessive explanations can come off as excusing behavior or actions).

Fourth, identify and communicate remedial actions. In other words, here is what I am going to do now and in the future.

Trust is an accelerator for everything you want to do as a leader. A lack of trust is a decelerator— like running in water that’s waist deep. Trust is an essential component for creating an extraordinary organization – and more importantly – an extraordinary person.

1Transparency In Corporate Reporting, 2012.

2Edelman Public Relations Trust Barometer Survey.

3The Trusted Leader; Robert Galford and Anne Drapeau (Mick Ukleja is the author of several books, a coach, keynote speaker and president of LeadershipTraq, a leadership consulting firm.

Check his blog at www.leadershiptraq.com.)

Business Journal premiered March 1987 as the Long Beach Airport Business Journal. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited unless otherwise stated. Opinions

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

expressed by perspective writers and guest columnists are their views and not necessarily those of the Business Journal. Press releases should be sent to the address shown below. South Coast Publishing also produces Destinations and the Employee Times magazines.

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xamining the mummies of five ancient cultures, the Horus mummy research team discovered atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries due to build up of fatty deposits) was present in humans long before modern lifestyles.

In a paper published in ■ HEALTHWISE this month’s Global

By Gregory Heart, the Horus team Thomas, M.D. describes potential causes of atherosclerosis in ancient times, the underlying disease process that causes heart attack and stroke. I am honored to co-lead the Horus research team. Other team members include infectious disease specialist David Michalik, D.O., Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, and radiologist James Sutherland, M.D., M.S., Orange Coast Memorial and Saddleback Memorial.

Among the five cultures, the 76 ancient Egyptians studied were wealthy enough to undergo the 70-day mummification process and might have been expected to have a lifestyle conducive to atherosclerosis. They were members of the Pharaoh’s court and may not have been as active or ate as healthy as the common man.

However, the four other cultures had no such expensive mummification processes. The dead were left to dry out, either in a desert or a fiercely cold environment. Their organs were left inside the body and expensive drying measures were not employed.

These mummies were common men and women of their time. The 51 Peruvians of 600 to 2,000 years ago were prehistoric, as were the five Native Americans of Utah and Colorado of 1,600 years ago.

The Mongolians studied from 500 years ago

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The bulk of our modern risk factors were discovered several generations ago, before genetic testing and biomarker analysis. lived a primitive nomadic lifestyle in the Gobi Desert. The five Aleutian Islanders of 150 years ago obtained their food from the Bering Sea. They were hunter-gatherers. Yet the Horus team found that these people of ancient lifestyles also were plagued by atherosclerosis.

None of these cultures suffered from significant obesity, lack of physical activity, cigarette smoking or other ‘modern’ risk factors that can cause narrowing of the arteries. However, a non-traditional cause or causes of atherosclerosis could explain the burden of atherosclerosis in ancient peoples.

They were unaware of the germs lurking in the unhygienic environments in which they lived, animals and people living side by side, inadequate sewage and contaminated water. They did not know that the germs amongst which they lived caused infection. In addition to frequent bacterial and viral infections, the ancients likely suffered from lifelong parasitic infestations.

Dr. Michalik points out that a strong and prolonged inflammatory effort by the body would have been necessary to fight off the infections. However, this intense inflammatory response may have accelerated the inflammation that occurs when cholesterol gets into the wall of the artery. Inflammation is an integral part of the atherosclerotic process.

Cholesterol is not supposed to be in the wall, thus the body fights it. The process is counterproduc-

tive, however, attracting more unwelcome cells in the wall of the artery resulting in a further build up.

There is precedence of inflammation accelerating atherosclerosis in the modern day. People with conditions of ongoing inflammation, like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or HIV, experience premature and aggressive atherosclerosis. The inflammatory process, necessary to fight off infection in ancient times in particular, could backfire by promoting atherosclerosis in the absence of modern risk factors.

Tobacco was not available to any of these ancient cultures, but could the equivalent of smoking represent another cause for this unexpected atherosclerosis? Modern appliances were unavailable, and cooking was performed over fire. The same fire could be used for light and warmth. We noticed a trend toward more women than men developing atherosclerosis in ancient times. The traditional role of women in these times, cooking over a fire for much of the day, could have represented the scourge of smoking. Constant inhalation of smoke could have initiated and propelled the atherosclerotic process.

The bulk of our modern risk factors were discovered several generations ago, before genetic testing and biomarker analysis. Each year we learn more about the impact of the human genome and molecules in our blood, and so to believe we have already uncovered all the causes, or risk factors of atherosclerosis may be wishful thinking. Using the past to predict the future, scientists need to continue to search for other potential fundamental causes of atherosclerosis. Discovery of new causes could dramatically reshape the frequency and impact of atherosclerosis today.

(Gregory Thomas, M.D., MPH, medical director, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Memorial.)

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PERSPECTIVE August 5-18, 2014

Long Beach Business Journal 15

Cash Home Purchases Still Driving Market he popular theory about the housing market has been that during 2013 (at least the first half of the year) investor activity was at its high point, boosting the number of home sales and home prices and reducing affordabilREALTY VIEWS ity for other buyers.

By Terry Ross It has been well documented that, beginning at about this time last year, both the number of sales and the rate of price increases have subsided substantially, along with the frenzy to purchase before prices got out of hand. But, as price increases are still well short of the highs of the 2007 housing bubble, some little-publicized statistics and anecdotal evidence suggest that the death of the all-cash buyer has been greatly exaggerated and that these types of purchasers are still coming – just from different places.

According to RealtyTrac, 42.7 percent of home purchases in the first quarter of 2014 across the United States were all cash, compared to 37.8 percent of the deals in the fourth

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quarter of 2013 and 19.1 percent of the deals in the first quarter of 2013. This would seem to dispute the blanket notion that investors got in early and got out quickly as prices were bid up.

Although this is true of institutional investors for the most part, it appears that other types of investors have come in to fill the void.

A shrinking portion of all cash transactions is coming from institutions. According to RealtyTrac, institutional investors – entities that have purchased at least 10 properties in a calendar year – accounted for 5.6 percent of all U.S. residential sales in the first quarter of 2014, down from 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 and 7.0 percent in the first quarter of 2013. This is the lowest level since the first quarter of 2012.

It would appear that the void created with the retreat of institutional buyers is being filled by wealthy individuals and those who have done well in the stock market who now have money to use on other ventures – such as housing investment. Also, according to a number of analysts, there are a great many buyers in the market today who were foreclosed on during the height of the crisis who stopped paying their mortgage and used the past half-decade to

save money for an all-cash purchase. These people might not be able to get a mortgage today, but they can pay cash. The areas of the country that were hardest hit during the housing crisis appear to be the ones that have been attracting the most attention from all-cash investors, such as in the South and Southeast.

Among metropolitan statistical areas with populations of at least 500,000, those with the top five highest percentages of cash sales in the first quarter of this year were all in Florida: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, (73.6 percent), Miami (67.1 percent), Sarasota, (65.1 percent), Palm Bay, (64.1 percent), and Lakeland, (61.8 percent). Other major metro areas with more than 50 percent all-cash sales included New York (57.0 percent), Columbia, S.C., (56.1 percent), Memphis (54.9 percent), Detroit (53.5 percent), Atlanta (53.2 percent) and Las Vegas (52.2 percent).

This trend of all-cash transactions in a marketplace that still doesn’t have the normal supply of inventory has created an inequity, especially for first-time buyers who usually require financing to purchase a home. And any time a seller has a choice between an allcash offer and one with a financing contin-

gency, cash almost always wins out assuming other factors are equal.

The reality is that prices are still substantially lower than before the crash and many owners are still underwater. This takes a huge percentage of potential sellers out of the market. The number of foreclosures has been reduced, which takes inventory down as well and also reduces the number of “killer deals” that the investors like to snap up.

Another factor cited by many as a detriment to first-time buyers is that they are unrealistic as to what they have to do in order to get a property under contract. Many of them have unrealistic expectations about what they can buy with their financing restrictions and about the competition in the market place. Some even have to go through a number of failed attempts and get beaten by all-cash buyers on deals before they figure out (hopefully with some professional help) that, with limited inventory and a healthy number of all-cash buyers, sellers still have a lot of power with a home priced right in today’s real estate climate.

(Terry Ross, the broker-owner of TR Properties, will answer any questions about today’s real estate market. E-mail questions to Realty Views at terryross1@cs.com or call 949/457-4922.)

Nonprofit Boards And Technology: Penny Wise And Pound Foolish? f the financial statements presented to boards of nonprof it organizations f inds a fair percentage of directors scratching their heads, it seems the subject of technology can find even more policymakers feeling the itch.

THIRD SECTOR In my experience, it’s REPORT not uncommon for

By Jeffrey Wilcox boardroom technology discussions to inch their way into theatrical productions: Techies speaking a language few others understand, users lecturing nonusers, and novices with dangerously subjective opinions all deliberating the approval of significant expenditures, plans and policies.

Sadly, these reruns have caught up with the sector.

According to the eighth annual Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments Report released last week by the Nonprofit Technology Network, the average nonprofit technology budget in 2013 accounted for 3.2 percent of total organizational spending. Not surprising, the research also found that a third of nonprofits admit they are “barely able” or

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“failing” to maintain their current technology systems. The current ratio for technology support in nonprofits is one technology staffer on the payroll per 30 employees.

The most disconcerting result of the study: Roughly two-thirds of nonprofits report including technology components in their strategic plans, yet, less than half admit to conducting annual assessments of their current systems and technology spending.

How, in anyone’s opinion, could that kind of logic and behavior be considered, “strategic?”

Still, when the topic of technology emerges, there seems to be a fair amount of boards that can’t resist getting into the weeds about why some directors tweet and others don’t. Or, why a hard-copy of something is more or less effective than a soft-copy for representing or promoting the organization.

This kind of technology decision-making environment has created scar tissue in organizations brought on by ignoring the enormous indirect costs associated with inefficient systems, overestimating the value of relics, underestimating information demands by the public, purchasing bells and whistle software whose features are never used, or forgetting about such things as conversions, compatibility, training, maintenance, and support.

So what is the governance role in technology?

The answer lies in what good governance is all about in general: Establishing the framework and creating pathways for an organization, its stakeholders and its mission, to thrive in a community.

The technology runway has taught us three valuable lessons about governance and technology that have been the result of costly decisions made in the name of fiduciary responsibility.

The first lesson is that every boardmember must take his or her own technology preferences and limitations out of the decision-making equation.

Decisions based on the lowest common denominator of need and understanding in the board room does not constitute governance.

The second lesson is that the board is a board and it is not a technology committee. A savvy board decrees the formation of one with a value that is on par with the board’s finance committee. The charge: Involve a diverse group of users, nonusers, experts, staff and volunteers to present facts and trends, conduct evaluations, craft resolutions born out of due diligence, recommend policy, propose expenditures based on a return on investment equation, and seek resources to benefit board-approved technology goals stated in a strategic plan.

The third lesson is stop treating technology like a project and start managing it as a strategic resource to be leveraged just like people and money.

Over the past few years, the subject of technology has undergone a major facelift with an exciting sex appeal: Revenue-generation through online fundraising, web-based service delivery, and increased community connectedness. Technology has also been recast from an overhead gas hog into a sleek hybrid capable of eradicating duplicative efforts, tearing down silos, eradicating annoying meetings and processing costs, and increasing efficiencies in providing information to sources of money that want quick and reliable responses.

There’s an old criticism that says, “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish.” The English adage of the 1700s, referencing the nation’s monetary system, is critical of people who belabor the smallest of expenditures and yet are thoughtless in their considerations associated with large ones.

In my estimation, thoughtless considerations about technology by too many nonprofit boards has provided no better illustration of this adage at work. It’s time to change the history. Good nonprofit governance requires dollars given for good being put to work using good sense.

(Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE, is president and chief executive officer of The Third Sector Company, Inc. Join in on the conversation about this article at the Long Beach Business Journal website www.lbbusinessjournal.com.)

Let’s Brag About Long Beach – The International City PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE

By George Economides ne of Mayor Robert Garcia’s initiatives is to reinstitute an economic development program that has been lacking in the city for several years. We applaud him for recognizing the need to do so, but doing it the right way is critical. Simply throwing money at a “program” to emit a feel-good reaction from the community has been tried numerous times – and most of the time it failed.

As in any marketing program, it is vital to first establish the goal, the end result. What are “we” trying to achieve, to accomplish? Is it to bring in more corporate businesses to the city? Is it to create more high-end jobs? Is it to assist firms already established in the city in

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expanding their operations? Is it to help small businesses develop a larger customer base? Is it to provide assistance in obtaining permits necessary to conduct business? Is it to keep businesses from packing their bags and moving to another city?

We submit that it’s all of the above and much more. We also submit that to be successful, it must be a “we” not “me” effort. Yes, having everyone on the same page does make a difference.

However Mayor Garcia and the team he assembles go about in preparing an economic development plan, the objectives must be put in writing for all to see. Then, before the effort is launched, they must determine how to gauge if the plan is a success.

Also. let’s don’t waste time and money on

developing a theme, as past efforts have done.

We are the International City. That’s who we are from a business perspective and from our demographic make up. We are not “Most on the Coast” or “Long Beach is a Long Beach” or “Long Beach: A Very Choice Place” or my favorite – which, thankfully was shot down by us and many others in the community: “Opposites Attract.”

Long Beach has so much more going for it than most cities in this country. As commercial realtors will tell you, it all starts with our location along the Pacific Ocean and mid-way between the huge Los Angeles and Orange County markets. Our transportation systems, allowing us to move goods from one area to another, is second to none: by air, sea, rail or truck. Few cities have a port and an airport, or

a convention center located on the water. Our health care systems are top notch. Our schools at all levels continue to excel. Few cities have an aquarium or a museum for Latin American art. There is no other Queen Mary and there are few Grand Prix races in the world. Our arts community – performing and visual – is among the best in the country. We have a great park system, numerous golf courses and tennis courts, a growing bicycle presence, and how can you beat our water sports? Our dining options can now stack up against any city in the state. These are all important assets that play into a firm’s decision on where to locate or expand a business.

There’s only one thing left for us to do: Let’s start bragging about Long Beach – the International City.

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BUSINESS OF WEDDINGS August 5-18, 2014

Long Beach Business Journal 17

Wedding Themes (Continued From Page 1)

also appearing at receptions, according to Sara Vasquez, special event coordinator at the Long Beach Museum of Art. “A lot of brides are making their own place cards,” she said. “Usually all the signage gets made by the person who makes the invitations, but lately a lot of couples are getting creative and painting things or making chalkboards,” she observed. One popular shabby chic element lately has been burlap, which has shown up on table overlays and signs, she added.

Other do-it-yourself elements include table runners, wedding favors and even flowers, Vasquez explained. “I have been noticing less flowers,” she said. “I have seen kale, lettuce, artichoke, big tropical leaves and a lot of succulents.” Erica Noriega, special events coordinator at the Aquarium of the Pacific, has also noticed succulents used in recent months.

Carmen Fuentes, an event planner and designer who owns Expressionary Events in Downtown Long Beach, said some couples are choosing to bring in “old-world” elements such as antiques and old family photos at their weddings and receptions, which complement the vintage feel of a shabby chic theme.

Couples who choose to incorporate shabby chic designs are able to save money, Rathband said. By bringing in their own flowers or greenery, creating their own centerpieces, table cards or other items, guests avoid paying others for those services.

Apart from shabby chic, other design elements are trending – certain chair types, table configurations, lighting and food pre-

sentations continue popping up throughout Long Beach’s wedding venues.

Some couples are ditching linen-covered banquet chairs for chiavari chairs, Carley and Vasquez both noted. Often painted gold, these wooden chairs feature a combination of vertical and horizontal bars across their backs.

Seating configurations are also changing, Carley noted.

“Something else that is quite popular is doing seating at rectangular or square tables instead of the traditional round table,” she said. Sometimes, a combination of round and rectangular tables is used, she added. “It is a nice change from the norm and is kind of recalling that era when people had dining rooms and large, long family-style tables,” she explained of the trend.

Many couples are using lighting projections to give their wedding venue a specific ambiance, Carley said. Using lighting instead of draping fabric across the walls, which involves more materials and labor, saves money, Rathband noted.

Vasquez has observed the use of projected lighting at recent Long Beach Museum of Art weddings. “Sometimes couples will use a projector with their names or to create something of their own,” she said.

Lighting projectors display patterns, colors or even words across walls, creating instant faux wallpaper.

Rather than having sit-down dinners, food stations are becoming more popular.

“Everybody wants stations with different types of food at each,” Carley said. The same applies to desserts; rather than having one big cake, many couples are opting for dessert stations with options for guests

such as cupcakes, candies or macaroons, she pointed out.

While shabby chic and do-it-yourself elements have been trending this year, Noriega and Fuentes have recently seen more extravagant style choices. “For awhile it was people doing their own designs as they were trying to be more budget conscious. Now we are starting to see it swing to the other side as people are going all out again,” Noriega said. For example, a recent wedding party brought in a white dance floor, personalized with their initials, she said. Fuentes has observed extravagant design elements such as chandeliers, candelabras and other “luxurious décor” making a comeback.

Also more popular than in previous years

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are very specific wedding themes – brides and grooms who have certain occupations or hobbies incorporate them into their weddings. “We had a Mario Bros. [video game] theme and the favors were coin boxes with question marks,” Vasquez recalled. At the Hyatt Regency, one couple who loved chess incorporated huge chess game pieces as their centerpieces, Rathband said.

Venue-Specific Themes Certain venues in Long Beach are more suited to specific wedding themes. An obvious example is the Aquarium of the Pacific, where nautical and natural themes are very popular, according to Noriega.

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BUSINESS OF WEDDINGS 18 Long Beach Business Journal

August 5-18, 2014 Hyatt Regency Long Beach’s Senior Catering Manager Siobhan Rathband (left) and Director of Catering and Convention Services Mary Carley say the hotel is a popular venue for cultural and ethnic weddings.

Behind them, a long pathway along a lagoon is often used in Baraat ceremonies, a Hindu and Sikh tradition in which a groom and his family walk a distance to formally greet the bride and her family. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville) Above right, the Regency Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach is the hotel’s largest wedding reception venue at 10,000 square feet. Chiavari chairs, pictured around the reception tables, have been popular at many recent Hyatt weddings, according to Carley. (Photograph provided

by Hyatt Regency Long Beach)

Wedding Themes (Continued From Page 17)

wedding ceremonies in front of the blue cavern, the big three-story tank at the end of the Great Hall,” she said. The floor-toceiling tank houses a variety of fish found off the coast of Catalina Island, which swim by as vows are taken.

Because the Aquarium does not allow design elements of anything previously living – dried starfish, for example – due to contamination concerns, couples get creative to achieve the nautical theme, Noriega said. “They use brown sugar [for sand] or chocolate shells, and sea glass is always so beautiful,” she said. “Not everybody does a nautical centerpiece but if they do florals they incorporate whites and

blues, the colors that reflect the Great Hall.”

The Hyatt Regency is also an ideal venue for a specific type of wedding. Because the hotel fronts an enclosed, private lagoon on Shoreline Drive, which features a long pathway along the water, it is perfect for a Hindu and Sikh ceremony called a Baraat, Rathband explained. “It is an introduction of the groom’s side of the family to the bride’s,” she said, explaining that the groom’s family walks along the lagoon’s path to the wedding ceremony site around the lagoon. The groom uses some form of transportation – once, an elephant was brought to the hotel, Carley recalled. These weddings incorporate bright colors and typically require seating for more than 400 guests, which the Hyatt Regency is easily able to accommodate in its large ballrooms, Rathband explained.

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About 80 to 90 percent of the Hyatt Regency’s weddings are ethnically or culturally specific, Carley noted. “We have been doing these events here for 25 years,” Rathband said. “We have so many staff members who have worked here for so many years, they are very well trained for these events and the needs of all cultures.” ■

Weddings On The Water ■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer While many Long Beach wedding venues offer beautiful views, only one has views of the Queen Mary, Aquarium, downtown sky-

line and more – the water itself. Three cruise companies offer the unique opportunity for weddings on the water, each with a variety of yachts available to charter for parties as large as 200 people.

“There is a wow factor for the guests to go on a harbor cruise and watch the bride and groom cut the cake with the ocean in the background. It is an amazing experience,” Nikki Ross, director of sales and marketing for Harbor Breeze Cruises told the Business Journal. “You’ve got the beautiful Long Beach harbor as an amazing backdrop for the bride’s pictures.”

Long Beach-based Harbor Breeze Cruises, known for its whale watching and sea life boat tours, has been holding weddings on its yachts since the company was formed 18 years ago, Ross said. With four

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BUSINESS OF WEDDINGS August 5-18, 2014

Long Beach Business Journal 19 Nikki Ross, director of sales and marketing for Harbor Breeze Cruises, assists brides and grooms with design options for their receptions aboard Harbor Breeze Yachts. A display beside her illustrates an option for table settings.At right, she shows off one of the company’s vessels, Caroline, available to charter for weddings. (Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

yachts available to charter for weddings, the company is able to accommodate parties of 20 to 150 guests, depending on the vessel and event design, she explained.

“The smaller capacity vessels are for more intimate wedding receptions as well as rehearsal dinners,” she said, adding that larger vessels have the capacity for outdoor and indoor seating.

“We have the ability to do both ceremonies and receptions onboard,” Ross said. “We do quite a few sunset ceremonies on the upper deck with the Queen Mary in the background.”

Hornblower Cruises & Events, a national cruise company with offices in Marina del Rey and Newport Beach, also

charters yachts out of Long Beach for weddings. Christina Domino, event sales manager at the Marina del Rey office, said the company’s yachts are able to accommodate 10 to 200 guests on Long Beach wedding cruises. “We dock in Rainbow Harbor and we cruise the harbor,” she said of the wedding cruise route.

Harbor Breeze wedding cruises also remain in the Long Beach harbor for weddings, Ross said. “We go past the oil islands and stay within the Long Beach harbor so they [wedding guests] can view the skyline of the city at night,” she said.

“The City of Long Beach lit up is a magical picture when you are out there on the ocean with your guests. It is beautiful.”

Both companies offer a variety of Long Beach harbor packages for ceremonies and receptions aboard their vessels. “We can accommodate any request and are very flexible with the budget,” Ross said. “We can be the one-stop shop for the full wedding package for all of the floral arrangements, DJ and wedding cake, or we can do something very casual and simple,” she explained. “It all depends on how extravagant you want to get.”

Domino said Hornblower also has a variety of wedding options. “We have built wedding programs that work for any budget,” she said. “We have got a nice champagne brunch, there is a luncheon as well as four different dinner programs.

They range from $75 up to $275 per person,” she said.

Both Harbor Breeze and Hornblower offer wedding planning services for brides who choose not to use outside vendors. “We do offer cakes, all the décor, florists and photographers. Couples are welcome to use our preferred vendors, but they don’t have to,” Domino said. Ross said Harbor Breeze assists with “the décor and the vision for the actual reception, but we also welcome their [the couple’s] own decorators.”

Spirit Cruises, a San Pedro-based company, also offers wedding cruises out of Long Beach for between 40 and 140 guests. The company has various wedding packages at different price points. ■

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